Vanessa Medina, the director of Midland Humane Coalition (MHC), stands as a community leader for animals in need. With a passion for rescuing animals, Medina's animal welfare journey began at the age of 21 when she started fostering pets.
Her eyes were opened to the need for rescues to find permanent and loving homes. To find a way to engage with her community and help rescues find permanent homes, she began fostering and volunteering at several rescues in Midland before joining MHC in 2019.
Medina articulated MHC's mission by reflecting on its beginnings. "When our founders started this organization, there were about 4,000 pets being euthanized at the city shelter back in 2010, so the mission is to save as many pets as possible." MHC was founded by community leaders and animal welfare advocates Susie Hitchcock-Hall, LuAnn Morgan, and Paul O’Neill.
When asked to elaborate further on MHC’s mission, Medina stated, “It's really about buying them more time. Sometimes you can't find a home for an animal in just two days, so here in our non-profit, we’re saving lives just by taking them in and caring for them until we can help them find their ‘fur-ever’ home," said Medina to Midland Times.
At the MHC shelter, the team provides care by ensuring that each animal is prepared for their new home. “We want all rescues to find their forever home because each pet deserves that and we work hard to make sure each pet is ready for a new home," she added. According to Medina, witnessing a rescue find a home that fits their needs makes all the time and effort worthwhile for the team at MHC.
MHC goes beyond rescue by providing the community with resources aimed to promote responsible pet owners. “We provide the community with the resources they may need to be a responsible pet owner as well as the resources to ensure pets are cared for properly. We are open and available 7 days a week, and if someone calls us or comes to our front desk and needs education and resources, we are here to help,” she stated.
Midland Humane Coalition collaborates with PetSmart of Midland by expanding their reach to potential adopters as well as serving as an educational resource to the community.
To ensure that pets find suitable and loving homes, Medina highlighted the role of adoption counselors at MHC. “A big part of ensuring pets find their permanent homes is just by meeting with the new pet owners and asking simple questions, then setting up a meet-and-greet with their pet to make sure both parties are happy," she said.
MHC invites volunteers to help in different ways, such as fostering rescues, spending time with the pets, or helping out at special events held by MHC. Medina highlighted the significance of volunteers, saying, "Our volunteers are super important and play such a big role at MHC, and we appreciate all their hard work."
To volunteer at the Adoption Center, individuals must be 18 years or older and participate in an orientation and training session. Volunteers can sign up by phone or in person once completing the orientation and training session.
As a nonprofit organization, MHC relies on adoption fees and donations as its primary sources of income. Adoption fees contribute to the costs associated with caring for all cats and dogs prior to adoption, including vaccinations, spaying or neutering, and vet examinations. Donations play a vital role in funding the difference between expenses and income.
Vanessa Medina and the Midland Humane Coalition team continue to collaborate with the Midland community to eliminate euthanasia of animals and secure permanent homes for them. Their dedication to animal welfare contributes to a promising future for both pets and their owners in Midland, Texas.
For further information or to volunteer, visit their website at https://www.midlandhumane.org/ or call 432-557-3405.