AMHERST - Raising more than $18,000, LA Animal Shelter board member Jean Henley said this year's Telethon of Love surpassed all previous levels to set a new record.
From 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Eastlinktv aired the 22nd annual Telethon of Love from the Lions Den in Amherst with live entertainment throughout the afternoon.
"We had a bit of a scare in the morning," Henley said. "Due to a winter storm in the region power wasn't restored until 9:45 which didn't leave much time to get everything up and running for airtime at 2 p.m."
She said despite the rough start in the morning everything went off without a hitch.
"There was a band that traveled all the way from Halifax in the storm to take part in the telethon along with highland dancers from Sackville and numerous others from around the county donating their time and talents for this cause."
Money raised from the telethon helps provide animals at the shelter with veterinary care such as spaying and neutering and other medical needs for the animals along with the maintenance of the shelter and wages for staff, and is helping with a new program that the shelter is using to help people who have found strays.
"This is a new program, the shelter tries to help with spaying and neutering costs for strays," Henley said.
The board member said the shelter is always at full capacity (30) when it comes to cats.
"Stray cats are escalating simply because people don't have them spayed or neutered. People need to realize it's their responsibility to spay and neuter their pets," Henley said.
Running shy on volunteers is nothing new for the shelter,
"The number of volunteers is low but those who do volunteer do a great job."
Henley added that anyone wishing to help out with any of the shelter's functions can contact the LA Animal Shelter at 661-7297 or check out their website at www.laanimalshelter.ca .
