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Veronica Conrad (left) from the Elk County Humane Society was this week's guest speaker at the Emporium Rotary meeting. A guest of Susan Anthony, Conrad brought her own guest, Jo Bell, along to speak to Rotary about the importance of adoption. Conrad said that years ago in St. Marys animals taken off the streets were only held for 24 hours before being put to sleep. For the last 12 years, concerned citizens, including Conrad, have been trying to build a shelter to put a stop to that. While some obstacles had to be overcome in that period of time, a shelter was finally built last June. Since then, the Humane Society has placed over 700 dogs and 700 cats in homes as far away as Ohio. Conrad said that the shelter has a wide array of animals available for adoption from cats and dogs to rabbits, ferrets, rats, pythons and a goose that was abandoned when its owners moved away. Conrad said that every animal placed by the Society is evaluated first to determine if it is able to be adopted. Though she said she wishes the shelter was a no-kill facility, she said that with the increasing number of strays and lack of room, it just isn't possible. For more information or to adopt a pet contact the shelter at 781-1068.