Come together for the animals of Vigo County
“Outside my window, as I try to sleep, outside my door, as I sit and weep. I hear the pad of ghostly feet, the echoing of those I’ve put to sleep.” — Anonymous.
On Sept. 2, due to overcrowding, I was forced to euthanize six dogs at the Terre Haute Humane Society. Before I could finish, six dogs arrived to take their place. I pride my staff and the Humane Society on the fact this is a rare occurrence. But it does occur, and it will continue to occur.
Dedicated volunteers spend countless hours and work tirelessly to find homes for our animals; they work with rescue organizations throughout the Midwest and beyond in an effort to get them out of the shelter environment. If you can, just imagine yourself standing chest high in water. You are bailing water as fast as you can so you won’t drown. You look up and see a hole in the dam, but you can’t stop bailing long enough to repair the hole or everyone will drown.
This is where my staff and I find ourselves. We are bailing as fast as we can, but no one is repairing the hole in the dam.
Only this community as a whole can repair the leak in dam. Not just the Humane Society. Not just Animal Control. Not just the concerned citizen. But the entire Terre Haute (and Vigo County) community. Until the day arrives, we at the Humane Society will continue to bail water in the hopes of not drowning.
It’s been said, many times and in many different ways, that a community’s character can be judged by the way it treats its animals.
If Terre Haute is really “A Level Above,” then everyone needs to come together for the sake of our animals.
To all the animals I’ve put to sleep, I’m glad I was there for you in the end when no one else was. Rest in peace.
— Steve Brown
General Manager
Humane Society Terre Haute
Media ignored U.S. Nationals
I am rather discouraged that the granddaddy of all drag racing, the U.S. Nationals, featuring race cars from every state in the union, along with the highest race car speeds a person will ever experience in Indiana, was not covered by local media.
This is an event where you have the freedom to roam the pit areas and watch the race cars being serviced without spending an extra grand or so. An event where the event and national top speed holder is a married woman. The youngest driver is still a teen, and the oldest would have to be 65 plus years old. An event that lasts for seven days, each day more exciting as the grand finale on Labor Day closes it out with new U.S Nationals champions. An event that has been in Indiana for over 50 years.
And not one local media — television or newspaper — made a mention of it.
— Van W. Cottom
Terre Haute








