Jennifer Kiefer loves animals -- all kinds.

She remembers working with giant cockroaches at the St. Louis Science Center and snakes at Trail of Tears State Park near Cape Girardeau.

"We had a couple of large bull snakes and a smaller snake at Trail of Tears," said Kiefer, a Southeast Missouri State University graduate in anthropology and archaeology. "My job there was to talk about the snakes with visitors at the interpretive center."

Kiefer is not extolling the virtues of cockroaches and snakes these days but is working as a volunteer with the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri.

"When I was younger, my parents didn't want indoor pets," she said. "Now, I have two housecats -- Cleo and Malcolm. One of them, Cleo, is a monster at 15 pounds."

Kiefer has been a volunteer only a few months.

"I don't have much money," she said, "so I donate my time to the Humane Society."

Kiefer spends her volunteer hours these days at the bingo parlor, where the Humane Society sponsors bingo games two Thursdays a month.

She'll also be involved with the Humane Society Auction on Saturday at the A.C. Brase Arena Building. The event is open to the public. Tickets are $15 and may be purchased by calling 334-5837.

Kiefer's goal at the bingo parlor is to help raise funds for a new Humane Society facility.

"Our facility is too small," said Melinda McCulley, a Humane Society volunteer who is in charge of the society's twice-monthly bingo games. "Any funds from the bingo games go into a special building fund."

She said the Humane Society needs more volunteers for the bingo games.

"We use about 15 volunteers each bingo night," she said, inviting those wanting to volunteer to call her at 339-0713.

The Humane Society started its bingo games recently.

"We've only had two sessions," said Kiefer. The group's next bingo night is April 25.

Kiefer also wants to become involved with the Humane Society's "Pet Pal," a program designed to take animals into nursing homes and hospitals to cheer up patients.