The Weyburn Humane Society will hold their annual meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 17 at the Elk's Hall to elect board members and review last year's activities.

One of those activities is animal control, which the society took over from the City of Weyburn in Sept., 1998. Since the Humane Society took over animal control duties from the city, the number of animals the society deals with in a given year have doubled.

"We deal with any animal complaints in the city, such as a dog barking uncontrollably," said Weyburn Humane Society manager Edna Smith.

If the animal is detained, or if strays are caught, animals are cared for by the society until the animal is claimed. In certain cases, when the animal is wild or when the animal is sick, they are euthanized. Animals are also euthanized when the shelter is overpopulated.

"We do not normally euthanize animals we collect," said Smith.

Another role the society plays is informing the public of their responsibilities as pet owners.

"We want to educate the public about pet health issues, proper nutrition and about providing proper shelter for animals under their care," said Smith.

The Humane Society is a non-profit corporation that receives little outside funding. The city pays the society for the society's animal control duties. Anyone claiming animals must pay a $12 fee if the animal stays on the premises for a day, plus $4 per additional day.

The society also does its own fund-raising by conducting raffles. To keep its costs down, the society accepts any donation of dry dog and cat food, blankets, cleaning supplies, detergents and garbage bags. The society is also looking for new adult volunteers. Anyone who is interested should contact Edna Smith at the Weyburn Humane Society.