Local animal rescue asks Kossuth County for $10,000 to expand TNR and dog care

Sharon Higgins, president of a local animal rescue, addressed the Kossuth County Board during public comment to describe the group's nearly 29 years of service and to request $10,000 in county support.

Higgins said the rescue currently shelters cats and has begun fostering dogs that reach the pound’s two-week holding limit; the organization lacks adequate space to house dogs long-term and faces high veterinary costs for spay/neuter, heartworm testing and required vaccinations. She explained the rescue’s trap-neuter-return (TNR) program for community cats, described recent outreach in Titonka and other communities, and said TNR is a humane population-control method that reduces overall community cat numbers.

Higgins asked the board to consider a $10,000 appropriation, noting that some donors have offered matching funds but that exact match amounts were not yet committed. She provided a budget packet with line-item costs and said current waiting lists include 32 cats; she asked supervisors to consider the request and offered to provide any additional information officials might need.