JAMESTOWN — The cat and dog managers at James River Humane Society have always had a love for their respective animals.
Kris Meidinger, of Jamestown, serves as the dog manager at James River Humane Society.
Sheila Marsalek, of Jamestown, serves as the cat manager at James River Humane Society.
They work with different animals at the James River Humane Society, but in the end, their goal is the same to find homes for their cats and dogs they take in.
For every rescue that closes, it puts more pressure on the others because we are all full.
Kris Meidinger, dog manager, James River Humane Society
Last year, the James River Humane Society had 112 dog adoptions and 133 cat adoptions.
Masaki Ova / The Jamestown Sun
The adopters come from all over the state including Bismarck, Fargo and Grand Forks. Meidinger said she gets repeat adopters as well.
Meidinger, who is originally from Fredonia, North Dakota, said it’s a gift from God to have the desire to save dogs.
“He gives everybody a gift and my gift is that, the compassion for dogs,” she said.
Growing up, Meidinger lived on a farm in Fredonia where there was a highway just to the north.
“People would dump dogs there so we ended up with dogs at the farm that weren’t ours and we’d keep them,” Meidinger said.
John M. Steiner / The Jamestown Sun
When she was in high school, Meidinger would bring strays home all the time. She said her father instructed her to find homes for some of the dogs so she gave them to her friends.
Meidinger always had a love for dogs, she said. As a child, she enjoyed reading books and nine out of 10 were dog related.
“I always learned about dogs,” she said.
Meidinger wanted to be a veterinarian until she found out that she had to work on deceased animals too.
She started volunteering at the James River Humane Society in 2000 and became the dog manager there in 2004.
Along with her work at JRHS, Meidinger volunteers to help people through the Community Christmas Dinner. Meidinger said the dinner, which is held at Victory Lutheran Brethren Church, began so those with nowhere to go could get a meal.
“It’s just for people to have that fellowship and to feel like they are loved,” she said.
The dinner has been held for 20 years and is offered to anyone.
Cats a part of Marsalek's early years
Marsalek grew up on a farm in Montpelier where her family had every kind of animal, including cats.
“We had lots of animals, not just cats,” she said.
As she got older, Marsalek thought there had to be more to life than just working so she started volunteering at the James River Humane Society.
“I started and never stopped,” she said.
After a few years of volunteering, Marsalek took over as the cat manager. She has been volunteering at the Humane Society for 20 years.
“It can be difficult, but it’s very rewarding,” Marsalek said. “When you have a cat that’s been there for months and months and it finally goes home, that’s very rewarding.”
Marsalek and Meidinger said they have made some good friends through volunteering at the Humane Society.
“Some of my best friends that I know, I’ve met through rescuing (animals) at the Humane Society,” Marsalek said. “There is a lot of great people that help. It’s not only in Jamestown, it’s in Bismarck, it’s in Devils Lake. People that I keep in touch with are in those rescues too.”
Meidinger said she stays in touch with a large majority of the dog adopters. She said the adopters send her photos and updates about the dogs.
“I’ve built up a lot of good relationships and friends out of the deal – people that I actually call friends because of the contact,” she said.
The Humane Society prioritizes cats and dogs taken to the city pound. It also takes in strays, owner surrenders and ones from kill pounds.
Meidinger said she works with Search & Rescue in South Dakota as well. She said one dog was sent to Search & Rescue and he's now doing rescue work in California.
The Humane Society transfers some to other rescues. The Humane Society also trades with other rescues.
Meidinger said it would be difficult for the animals around Jamestown if the James River Humane Society didn’t exist. She said some humane societies in the state are closing.
Masaki Ova / The Jamestown Sun
“For every rescue that closes, it puts more pressure on the others because we are all full,” she said.
Meidinger said the Humane Society is there to save dogs and put them in a home where they can be happy and treated the way they deserve.
“That’s what keeps me going,” Meidinger said. “It’s very hard to see the dogs come in.”
Marsalek said it’s important to educate the public about spaying and neutering cats. She said the cat population can get “out of control” if they don’t get spayed or neutered.
“People just need to be better educated on spaying and neutering and how important it is to keep the population down,” she said.
She said the Humane Society helps the public as much as it can with spaying and neutering cats. The Humane Society provides coupons for spaying and neutering that can be used at veterinarian clinics to help reduce the cost.
Some dogs and cats at the Humane Society come from difficult situations. Meidinger and Marsalek said they have taken in cats and dogs from hoarding situations or were abused. Some cats and dogs are found in the middle of winter on the streets or by main highways.
“When they are abused, there is always going to be something that is going to affect them,” Meidinger said.
Meidinger said there was a 15-year-old dog that was discarded in town.
“People don’t understand that they may discard their dog and not think twice about it but it hurts us to the core,” she said.
Marsalek said the Humane Society took in a cat that was found walking along U.S. Highway 281 in the winter when temperatures were below zero. She said the adult cat had its front claws declawed and was very malnourished.
Meidinger said she is an animal advocate and rescuer and a voice for the voiceless.
“They don’t have a voice so somebody has to be their voice,” she said. “I pray that I’m doing a good job at being their voice.”
She said she advocates for stronger laws in North Dakota that protect animals. She said it’s difficult to get stronger laws because North Dakota is a farming state.
“There should be some type of punishment for taking a dog and dumping it,” she said.
