Nonprofits step up efforts for homeless animals
Written by: | 6 Feb 2009
“In this economy donations are down but the animals are up,” says Executive Director of UAF (United Animal Friends) Joann Lee.
“There are so many people that are abandoning animals or re-homing animals because they can no longer care for them, or [they've] lost their homes,” Lee says.
Tough times
In this economy the local animal rescue groups have been stepping up their efforts to make sure all the animals have a safe, happy place to call home.
Community Outreach Coordinator for the Yavapai Humane Society, Tiffany Rice, says, “We just recently transitioned from being a limited admission shelter to an open admission shelter. An open admission shelter means that we don’t turn away any animal in need.”
The Humane Society was able to do this partially due to additional space added over the last few years and to a new adoption center recently opened in the Prescott Gateway Mall.
Rice says, “We’ve had a great response, lots of traffic in and out of there; we did quite a few adoptions when we opened.”
“We started talking about it in November and we opened in January, did a soft opening Jan. 7. We’re doing the grand opening at the mall on Feb. 7 and 8, Saturday and Sunday and it’s a Valentine’s theme. We’re collaborating with some of the restaurants up there, so there will be samples, gift certificates and door prizes,” Rice says.
Open door policy
The Yavapai Humane Society was able to help about 2,000 animals last year. They are hoping to expand that number with the transition to an open shelter and the addition of the new adoption center in the mall.
UAF, a non-profit organization, is stepping up its spay and neuter clinics in an effort to keep the number of homeless animals down.
Lee says, “We are also bringing down a mobile spay/neuter clinic every month this year to PETCO.” That is up significantly from last year when UAF was only able to facilitate the spay and neuter clinic every several months.
In addition to the mobile clinic “We have the only low income spay/neuter certificate program in Yavapai County. And if people need help altering their animals, they can call our main number and we can send them out certificates where they pay a third, we pay a third and the vet pays a third,” says Lee, all in an effort to reduce the number of homeless pets.
The Yavapai Humane Society was able to help about 2,000 animals last year.
UAF strives to help any animals in need, not just dogs and cats. “Occasionally we come across horses. We actually re-homed a horse and a mule last year. We have a couple of goats in my courtesy listing program and we have re-homed some rabbits,” says Lee.
Many pet rescue organizations are mostly run by volunteers, including UAF. “We’ are just a group of volunteers. We actually last year just got our first executive director so we have one paid position and the rest are volunteers,” Lee says.
Funding challenges
Finding the funds to do what pet rescue organizations do can be a challenge. NOAH, a thrift shop on Granite Street, typically donates 25 to 30 percent of their revenue to local non-profit animal groups, according to Manager Terry Hendrick.
They give to; “Miss Kitty’s Cat House, UAF, Humane Society, Bradshaw Wildlife Refuge, Heritage Park, Hacienda De Los Milagros Donkey Rescue, PAALS,” says Hendrick.
NOAH has been in operation for 11 years. Hendrick says, “In December, at the end of the year, I ended up giving out $7,000. I usually give $4,000 a month.”
The store is mostly run by volunteers and, “We recently opened the boutique next door because of overflow,” says Hendrick. This may allow them to raise even more funds.
There are many other organizations in the Prescott area whose goal is to help our four-legged friends. The SRP Collection, Supporting Rescued Pets, houses and shelters pets while finding them homes.
Another is PAALS, Prescott Area Animal Lifesavers. According to petfinder.com PAALS is a non-profit that has been in operation for 21 years. They also help to house and care for pets while homes are being found for them.
All of these organizations have various fundraising efforts to help pay for their operations. Most of them are non-profit. In the case of the Yavapai Humane Society they receive no funds from the county or the City of Prescott.
Spring Swing
The Yavapai Humane Society has a yearly gala that raises the majority of their funds. However, this year they are expanding their events. Rice says, “What we’re calling it is the ‘Yavapai Humane Society’s Spring Swing’; it’s March 7. It’s an appetizer cocktail party at the Hassayampa Inn, with a show across the street at the Elks Opera House with the Arizona Swing Machine.”
All of these organizations are always looking for volunteers and donations, since most if not all of their proceeds come from donations.
For more information on the Yavapai Humane Society call 928-445-2666. You can reach UAF at 928-778-2924 and PAALS at 928-772-8063.
Gallery Photos by Frances Karl
Leave your response!