It’s no secret that Cherokee County has one of the worst stray animal problems in the state.

But perhaps a better way to put it is that Cherokee County has one of the worst “people” problems in the state. After all, people are the ones responsible for dumping unwanted pets on lonely county roads where they’ll starve to death, or beside busy highways where they’ll be crushed under the wheels of speeding vehicles. They’re also the ones who abandon animals in the yards or on the porches of folks who they think will give the hapless creatures a good home.

For every trashy individual who would rudely shove an animal out of a vehicle to meet its fate, there’s another caring soul who would like to help the many victims. Unfortunately, the Good Samaritans among us can only take on so many “orphans” dropped on our doorsteps, and especially in today’s uncertain economy, there’s only so much money we can donate to others who might help. Also because of the economy, many of us don’t have time to volunteer at the local animal shelter.

But surely we can find the time to log onto a Web site and register, if doing so might mean a new lease on life for hundreds, if not thousands, of these unwanted animals. And we don’t have to find the money, because it’s free.

For the second time, www.zootoo.com will be offering a $1 million makeover for an animal shelter somewhere in the U.S. that voters feel needs the makeover most. The Humane Society of Cherokee County would love nothing more to snare that designation, but even capturing semi-finalist status as one of the “top 20” could bring much-needed benefits to the local shelter and its cadre of dedicated volunteers – a cut of nearly $200,000 in cash.

HSCC is a no-kill shelter, which means the need for space for unwanted animals will only continue to grow here – unless the appalling attitude of certain “pet owners” improves, and that’s unlikely. So it’s imperative that HSCC find all the help it can get.

For more details, you can look at Josh Newton’s story, which was posted here on our own Web site Wednesday. But in a nutshell, all you have to do to help HSCC earn points is log on at www.zootoo.com and “Join Zootoo Now!” in the top right-hand corner. You’ll provide your username, password, e-mail address, zip code and birthday. During the sign-up process, locals should enter their zip code in the No. 3 section and select the Humane Society of Cherokee County to support. Given the procedure, that means you can tell your friends and relatives who live elsewhere to sign up, and choose HSCC and its zip code – 74464 – to support our local shelter.

The more you do in the Web site community, the more points HSCC will rack up. A new user or referred friend is worth 50 points; a journal entry gets 15; an uploaded video, 25; an uploaded photo, 15; a profile photo, 25; and a written review, 20 points. Pet adoptions and other activities can also win points.

Act now, and you’ll have several months to bring in points for HSCC. And if you’d like to find out other ways you can help, call HSCC at 457-7997 and leave a message.

Even if you don’t have online access, you can always visit the local library, so there’s no excuse not to take part in this worthy cause. As HSCC volunteer Jim Roaix bluntly put it, many folks have no problem rooting for their favorites on “American Idol” and other TV shows – “voting for ridiculous things,” as Roaix said.

Isn’t helping innocent and desperate animals just as important as bestowing a life of luxury upon some individual whose luck or looks may be significantly greater than his or her talent or humanitarian contributions? We think so. Join us in joining the HSCC quest.