NATCHEZ &045;&045; Susan Callon, a volunteer with the Natchez-Adams County Humane Society, doesn’t need to over-think her reasons for helping organize this year’s Animal Affair.

For Callon, it’s simple &045;&045; it’s done for R.B. and folks just like him.

&uot;R.B.&uot; is the shelter’s nickname for a puppy who was brought in recently with a rubber band around his tail. The tail &uot;was just about to fall off. And that’s the kind of stuff we see all the time,&uot; Callon said.

But caring for R.B. and others like him takes money &045;&045; something that, especially with today’s economic woes, is hard to come by.

So the society is &uot;putting on the dog&uot; again this year, trotting out its Animal Affair fundraiser, which is held at least once every year.

The event, including a cash-bar reception and a first-ever silent art auction, will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday at The Bailey House, 400 S. Commerce St., the home of Dr. and Mrs. Jack Rodriguez.

&uot;We’ve got prints, a couple of afghans … and a purse made out of animal prints&uot; in addition to other items being auctioned off Saturday, said the society’s Pat Cox.

Donations will be $15 at the door, with all proceeds going toward the operation and maintenance of the shelter on Liberty Road.

And there’s much to be done at the facility, which routinely holds more than 100 animals and sometimes upwards of 200, Cox said.

In addition to bills that have been held and must be paid, there are electrical work and painting to be done, holes to be repaired in the walls and rotting facia boards to be replaced. Plus, the shelter’s heating and cooling system went out last week and will soon be replaced at a cost of $3,000.

Meanwhile, Cox and her volunteers prepare for their biggest fundraiser &045;&045; and continue to look on the bright side.

&uot;We’re just grateful we made it through the hottest part of the summer,&uot; Cox said of the heating and cooling system.