LUNENBURG COUNTY, Va.– After Lunenburg County animal management officer Ray Elliott spent his Thanksgiving in a canine kennel to lift money for rural shelter animals, CBS 6 reporter Caroline Coleburn needed to get in on the mission as a part of the CBS 6 Month of Giving.
This was the 8th yr, Elliott selected to forgo conventional Thanksgiving celebrations, spending 6 a.m. to six p.m. behind a metallic fence and two concrete partitions.
He raised greater than $15,000 to assist spay and neuter cats and dogs in his county.
Because Lunenburg is a rural neighborhood, Elliott mentioned it’s usually underfunded and does not have the sources that metropolis shelters might have.
“We are totally different, fairly totally different than metropolis shelters, monetary smart,” Elliott defined. “We’re in a crunch money smart. We can do sure issues with the fundraiser that permits us to supply some take care of the animals.”
Over the course of Elliott’s decade of service, he has labored tirelessly to lower animal consumption and euthanasia numbers.
“It’s actually unhappy, however we’re very blessed that we are able to spend a while with them and present them some compassion,” Elliott mentioned.
“He’s serving to the neighborhood rather a lot by bringing consciousness for the neighborhood,” Central High School senior Connor Mattox mentioned. “You know, we’re rescuing dogs and doing nice issues.”
Mattox and classmate Joshua Whitehead are simply two of the scholars in Central’s Career and Technical Education Program who’ve been serving to Elliott, spending time every week on the shelter, hoping to seek out each animal a home.
“We assist the neighborhood, we assist Ray out right here with the animals, and we’ve a very good time,” mentioned Mattox.
“It simply touches my coronary heart tremendously,” Elliott mentioned. “Because this job may be very demanding. And it takes a lot out of you, you already know, to offer again and stuff prefer it, however these guys and gals are getting on board with us. It’s large.”
If you spend an hour with Elliott, you may see he places these animals earlier than himself.
“I gotta clear your eyeballs,” he mentioned to a young pup in his kennel.
CBS 6 felt it was time to have a good time Elliott and assist his mission.
“You suppose we’re right here to do a narrative in your shelter, however we’re additionally right here to honor you as a part of CBS 6 Gives,” reporter Caroline Coleburn mentioned. “I believed you had been simply a tremendous inspirational man who’s doing rather a lot for his county, so we wish to begin off your first donation and provide you with $200 to make use of for the shelter right here, and we introduced the entire youngsters right here to let you know what an excellent job you’re doing.”
“Thank you a lot,” Elliott mentioned. “It’s by no means about me. Just to take the time that you simply guys have out of your busy schedule and stuff like to return see a rural county and understand, you already know, rural counties, we do want some assist and stuff like that. And we should always be capable of ask, and hopefully, folks step on board and or bounce on board and assist us. I’m simply so excited.”
Ray Elliott is a voice for his neighborhood and a canine’s finest good friend.
“Yeah that’s a very good boy,” he smiled.
If you’d like to assist Elliott and the Lunenburg County Animal Shelter, you’ll be able to donate here. Be certain to say “Ruffin It” in your donation line.
The shelter can also be all the time searching for pet food, toys, old blankets, and bedding.
Do you already know a couple of excellent news story taking place in your neighborhood? Click right here to electronic mail WTVR.com and the CBS 6 News crew.
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