Clarksdale Animal Rescue Effort and Shelter

Clarksdale Animal Rescue Effort & Shelter (CARES) was incorporated in 2014 in response to the negligent overpopulation of animals at the city shelter. Homeless animals are not a new problem in the rural agricultural town of Clarksdale, Mississippi. In 2010, an ASPCA raid of the city's shelter led to the launch of CARES, 501c3, which formed to promote animal welfare and provide a safe haven for the stray animals of the community. Since CARES assumed control of the former city animal shelter in 2015, operations and community goodwill have improved, and intake numbers have dramatically increased, from 235 dogs in 2015 to over 1200 expected in 2018 -- all while keeping the euthanasia rate under 3%. The city shelter was housed in a small, dark, dilapidated building where most of the animals were kept outside in all weather conditions. In 2017, CARES purchased an empty building on the gateway to town and outfitted it to be a state-of-the-art shelter. Adoptions increased. Interest increased. Volunteers increased, as well as opportunities for humane education in the community. The CARES' mission is not only to provide a safe haven and find loving homes for these animals, but to also promote a sense of pride and ownership throughout our poverty-stricken community while encouraging and educating the public on spay/neuter. Frankly, we are determined to better sheltering in the MS Delta one animal at a time.