NATCHEZ — As a child, Jana Ros never really knew what kind of new pet she was going to come home to after school.

Some days it was a chipmunk or a squirrel, and other days it may have been a pig or even an alligator.

“We never really knew what kind of animal my parents had taken in that day,” Ros said.

Ros, herself, has rescued nine dogs, four cats and a rabbit, but she is seeking to help out the animals at the Natchez-Adams County Humane Society shelter in another way.

Ros is opening a thrift store — called Paws for a Cause — in the former Trade Winds Consignory location on Seargent S. Prentiss Drive, with proceeds from the store benefiting the humane society.

“I’m really doing this in remembrance of my father, who passed away five years ago,” Ros said. “He loved animals so much, so I just wanted to do something that would help animals.”

Ros’ father, Kenneth McCaskell, took in animals in need of a good home, Ros said.

“It didn’t matter what kind of animal it was, he and my mother took in any kind of animal that was sick or needed rescuing,” she said.

McCaskell and Ros’ mother, Janet, once had a dog that had cancer.

“They took him to LSU for treatment,” she said. “They were willing to go that far for that dog.”

Ros said her parents often put their animals before themselves.

“They would do without before their animals would go without,” she said.

That love for animals rubbed off on Ros at an early age, and Ros said she continues to work to make the world a better place for animals.

Paws for a Cause got off to a bit of rough start when Ros learned that the store would not be able to open in its original location, a barn behind Trade Winds.

A humane society member is renting the Trade Winds building, but Ros is not sure how long the store will be able to operate there.

“We’re really looking for something more permanent,” Ros said.

The thrift store has clothes, shoes, handbags, kitchenware, dishes, toys, knick-knacks and more for sale.

Ros is hoping to have the store open next week, and it will operate from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Donations for the store can be dropped of at the store, or anyone wishing to have Ros pick up donations can call her at 256-338-3884.

Anyone with suggestions for a permanent location is asked to contact Ros.

Ros is hoping the store helps the humane society pay for food and medicine for the shelter animals.

Ros adopted two puppies from the shelter that ended up with parvovirus and had to be euthanized.

“I don’t think people realize what happens when you dump all those dogs on the shelter,” she said. “Medicine is very expensive, and it gets to be too much. Seeing those puppies suffer through parvo and have to be put down was heartbreaking, and I hope I never have to see anything like that again.

“If I do nothing but feed the animals, I will have done something.”