HH_031518

8 | March 15, 2018 | The Homer Horizon NEWS
homerhorizon.com
TLC Animal Shelter in need of donations to cover medical expenses
Jacquelyn Schlabach
Assistant Editor
A little over 20 years
ago, TLC Animal Shelter
in Homer Glen received
a stray dog named Bertha
from animal control. Bertha’s
physical appearance
made those at the shelter
believe she was pregnant
and anticipated the delivery
of her pups any day. Unfortunately,
the situation was
much worse.
“We took her into the vet,
and it was the heartworm
that was that bad; it was filling
her with fluids,” Janine
Carter, one of the founders
of TLC Animal Shelter, said.
Heartworm is transmitted
to dogs via a mosquito bite.
The disease can result in severe
lung disease, heart failure
and death. However, it
is not contagious and can’t
be spread by being near an
infected dog. Unfortunately,
for Bertha, the heartworm
had gotten so bad that she
was euthanized. It is in
her memory that the Bertha
Fund at TLC was born,
which helps animals in need
of extensive medical care.
Years later, and with
countless animals helped
since then, TLC is in need
of donations to help with
four dogs between the ages
Big Boy, a 2-year-old domestic medium hair cat, relaxes in
his litter box March 1 at TLC Animal Shelter in Homer Glen.
Photos by Jacquelyn Schlabach/22nd Century Media
of 2 and 6 who came to the
shelter with heartworm.
Fortunately, all four dogs
have since been adopted,
but TLC still promises to
cover the costs associated
with the medical treatments
for the animals.
“It would only be right,”
Carter said. “They didn’t
know. We didn’t know at
the time of adoption. It
doesn’t happen that often,
but we got hit pretty good.”
It costs between $800 and
$1,000 to treat each dog for
heartworm, according to
Carter. And the longer that
time passes, the worse the
situation gets.
“It’d be better off if they
were in homes where they
can be kept kind of quiet
after the treatment,” Carter
said.
A 4-year-old Rottweiler
who came in as a transport
from Kentucky — but has
since been adopted — is
in need of surgery for a big
growth on his side, which
will cost around $600.
“Our medical needs are
great,” Carter said.
As a result of strong support
from the community,
TLC has been lucky to have
enough food for the animals
to last for the time being.
“[Support from the community
is] real good,” Carter
said.
However, they are always
in need of treats, non-scoopable
cat litter, paper towels,
cleaning supplies, toys,
collars and leashes. When
the animals are adopted out,
the collars and leashes go
with to the new owners.
The shelter will frequently
update its website with a
TLC Wish List that identifies
their needs at the time.
As of March 6, the shelter is
in need of heavy duty mop
heads, O-Cedar heavy-duty
angler brooms, gift certificates
to Home Depot or Menards,
gas cards for Speedway
for the transport van,
Scrubbing Bubbles and, of
course, donations for medical
expenses.
On April 7, TLC will
host their first fundraiser of
the year at the New Lenox
Veterans of Foreign Wars
Post 9545, 323 Old Hickory
Road in New Lenox. Comedy
for the Critters will feature
WGN announcer Mike
Toomey as the host for the
event and performances by
Jim Flannigan and John Da
Cosse. Tickets are $25 and
Wonder Dog soaks in the sun outside the shelter.
can be purchased online or
at the shelter. There will be
food and drinks available
for purchase, as well as a
50/50 raffle.
TLC has had a good
adoption rate recently, but
every Saturday, they receive
between 20-30 transport
animals that come from
Kentucky. Every year, the
shelter has between 2,500
and 3,000 dogs and cats that
stay at their facility, as well
as exotic animals, such as
turtles, birds and more. For
the lucky ones, they’re adopted
the same day, but for
others, they spend weeks at
TLC. A lot of these animals
come from rough backgrounds
and are searching
for a forever home to show
them love they never knew.
“Your heart kind of goes
out more to those that have
had it rough,” Carter said.
“They’re just so gentle.”
While there are animals
in dire need of treatments
or surgeries, they all are of
course in need of a loving
home. If someone is interested
in adopting a furry
friend or is able to donate to
TLC, they can do so online
at www.tlcanimalshelter.org
or by visiting the shelter at
13016 W. 151st St. in Homer
Glen.
WCDOT
From Page 6
Having lived in Homer
Glen since 2002, Christy
Nahser, owner of the 31-
acre Chrislin Farm located
on 143rd Street, said she attended
the meeting at Hadley
to try to get signatures of
protest against the plan and
still wants to rally residents
to speak out against the proposal.
“This is a rural area,”
Nahser said. “We aren’t
accommodating residents
[with the plan]. We are accommodating
people outside
the community.”
Nahser worries about having
to try to pull out on the
widened 143rd Street with
her large horse trailer with
live animals, as well as how
it will impact the natural
flow of wildlife. She added
with more young families
moving to town, it makes it
more dangerous for them,
too.
“It is treacherous for these
moms with cars full of kids,”
Nahser said. “People come
up under your butt. … People
come off [Interstate] 355
and still think they are on the
tollway.
“Push them back on the
tolls and make them pay for
state tolls.”
Nahser is concerned that
143rd will become like a
“freeway” cutting through
Homer, and she feels similar
is already happening with
the construction on 159th
Street.
Another resident with a
similar viewpoint is Joe Turrise,
who is a member of the
Homer Glen Environment
Committee, Will County
Citizens Against Ruining
the Environment, the Sierra
Club and The Conservation
Foundation.
He would like to see
wildlife crossing signage
put up along 143rd Street to
protect those creatures that
would have a higher chance
of fatalities due to the widening
of the road. Preserving
the wildlife population,
as well as fewer fatalities,
property damage and vehicle
damage is his concern,
he said.
“People are concerned
about environmental issues,”
Turrise said.
When asked about concerns
about additional traffic
leading to more speeding
and the protection of wildlife,
Kupkowski said that
WCDOT utilizes crash reports
from police as part of
the process in determining
how it effectively responds
to the concerns of citizens.
Once given the chance to
look into the concern, the
County will determine the
best course of action moving
forward, she said.
Though the Village of
Homer Glen does not have
final say on the widening
project, since 143rd Street
is under the control of Will
County, it is continuing to
stay involved on updates
with the project and working
with both WCDOT and
residents on the development
of the road.
For more information
on the project, visit www.
homerglenil.org/Civi
cAlerts.aspx?AID=340.