ST. HELENA — St. Helena Parish is facing pet overpopulation with little help, the Humane Society of Louisiana says. Recently, a police officer called the Humane Society requesting it take in two large dogs that the police department had taken custody of, which only adds to the overpopulation crisis of animals.
“St. Helena residents, frustrated by a lack of services, contact our Humane Society on a regular, almost weekly basis, begging us to solve their pet overpopulation crisis. Residents report seeing starving stray animals on many highways and streets, as they look for food, water, shelter, and companionship,” said Jeff Dorson, Humane Society of Louisiana’s Director.
In March 2026, the Humane Society stepped in and rescued 27 severely neglected animals from a Greensburg home after the husband and wife were arrested. They’re still looking for people to take in those rescued dogs.
That situation brought the problem even more to light that St. Helena Parish badly needs some sort of animal shelter or animal control department. Dorson said the Humane Society has been asking parish and state officials to begin the process of looking for ways to fund building a public animal shelter.
Because St. Helena Parish has never had a shelter, rescue group or even a veterinary clinic, Dorson says it keeps residents from adopting locally or surrendering their pets.
“The lack of a shelter also hinders law enforcement agencies from impounding criminally neglected animals. The number of stray and neglected animals, according to the Humane Society of Louisiana, increases each month because people continue to breed their pets, and some abandon them on city streets, gas stations, or highways, hoping someone else will pick them up and care for them,” he added.
A small non-profit, Crooked Kennels, can sometimes take in stray dogs, but it is located in Kentwood (Tangipahoa Parish), and only has space for a limited number of dogs.
Anyone willing to donate to the Humane Society can do so here: https://donorbox.org/support-the-humane-society-of-louisiana?preview=1786718705&save=success
Established in 1988, HSLA is one of the largest animal protection groups in the state. For more information on how to help or adopt, visit its website at www.humanela.org.
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