In December 2011, C.A.R.E. started a relationship with Running Dog Ranch in Dolores, CO. Running Dog Ranch provides homes and medical care to homeless animals in the Four Corners area. C.A.R.E. contributed $50 each to the surgeries of these 4 beautiful dogs. Procedures were performed at the La Plata County Humane Society In Durango.
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Placerville, Co Spay/Neuters
On 4/19/2011, C.A.R.E. paid to have 9 pups with FOR THE LUV OF DOGS spayed and neutered in Placerville, Co (outside of Telluride). Their mother, Penny, was found as a stray on a northern Arizona Indian Reservation. Deb Eaton rescued her and brought the very pregnant dog back to her home. Penny delivered 9 beautiful puppies last November - only Daisy looks like her mom out of the whole litter. Adoptions are very slow in this area and Deb is still searching for perfect families for these kids. If interested, please call her at 970-369-1471.
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HOPE4FUZIEFANIEZ SPAY/NEUTER CLINIC Rescue friend, Tami Walden, started Hope4FuzieFaniez in 2005.She opened her home to abandoned dogs, cats, horses and bunnies and built a shelter on her ranch property.Located close to the Pawnee National Grasslands near the Colorado/Wyoming border, Hope4FuzieFaniez organized a spay/neuter clinic where 57 animals were neutered by Dr. Welsh of Fort Collins Spay/Neuter.Dr. Welsh brought his mobile unit on August 28 – 29, 2010 and stayed two full days to complete all the procedures.C.A.R.E. kicked in $15 to the first 40 people that signed up for the spay/neuter clinic.
Residents of Hereford and Grover Colorado as well as families in Pine Bluffs and Carpenter Wyoming brought their animals to Hope4FuzieFaniez’s location at assigned times.These areas are very rural and most families are just getting by.With C.A.R.E.’s help and Dr. Welsh’s generosity to discount the service to a very affordable fee, many families were able to get their first pet sterilized ever.
Thank you Tami and Hope4FuzieFaniez volunteers.Dr. Welsh – you were introduced to me as Superman- and that in deed you are.Thank you to your team too that recognizes the need to get out to the rural areas where there is little education on the necessity to spay/neuter and making it affordable and convenient to the residents.
Now, let’s see some pictures of this exciting clinic: (Please click on any picture to enlarge it.)
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The event on August 28-29 was the 3rd organized by Hope4FuzieFaniez. So far the lives of 157 animals have been enhanced through these clinics. Another one is scheduled in October and C.A.R.E. will be donating $15 toward the first 30 people who sign up to bring in their animals for sterilization.
Pictured below are some of the beautiful animals seeking new homes at Hope4FuzieFaniez. Many will stay with Tami for the rest of their lives because of their special needs. All of the dogs and cats in rescue/sanctuary are receiving loving care and yes, have become quite spoiled like they deserve!
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DIVINE FELINE SPAY/NEUTER CLINIC
On June 29, 2010, we observed a spay/neuter clinic for feral cats held in a mobile unit in Denver.Divine Feline’s mobile animal surgical unit, affectionately known as “The Beast”, was parked in a residential neighborhood where feral cats were trapped earlier in the morning in a nearby ally.Fourteen cats were trapped, sterilized, and recovered for a day or two at offsite location where they could be monitored.Once ready for release, they are released back to their colony and voluntary caregivers.
According to the website www.Divinefeline.org , the purpose of Divine Feline is to promote the health and welfare of feral cat populations and to reduce their suffering through the practice of spay/neuter.Every year cats are abandoned and produce feral offspring.The number of feral cats in the Denver area is estimated at 125,000.Trap/neuter/return (TNR) is the most effective and humane program for the reduction of feral cat populations, and spay/neuter sterilization prevents the perpetuation offuture generations of feral cats.While under anesthesia, cats receive vaccines, have their ears clipped for identification, and their teeth are observed.In this clinic, one cat came in needing 3 extractions and C.A.R.E. Jake’s Fund contributed to the surgery that will be done at a veterinary practice. Last, cats with infectious diseases or illnesses requiring extensive veterinary care are evaluated on a case-by-case basis and are oftentimes humanely euthanized rather than released. Feral kittens under the age of eight weeks are removed from their colonies, socialized by foster parents, then placed in homes or shelters when they become adoptable.
On July 1, C.A.R.E. made a $400 contribution to Divine Feline to help cover the spay/neuter of 20 cats at their next clinic (20 cats @$20/each).Clinics are held at locations very close to the feral colonies.Divine Feline is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to TNR ( trap, neuter, and return) of feral cats in Colorado.
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Spay/Neuter on Navajo Reservation
In late February 2010, C.A.R.E. donated funds to help control the pet overpopulation crisis on a New Mexico Navajo reservation. In this area, 70% unemployment exists and most people do not understand the necessity or have the funds to sterilize their pets. Dogs and cats roam freely and reproduce...and then are reproducing again and again.
C.A.R.E.'s donation has been earmarked to help Cedar Animal Medical Center in Gallup, New Mexico sterilize 20 dogs and 10 cats that belong to families living on the reservation. Our rescue contact is a school teacher on the reservation who is working diligently to educate the students on proper pet care. C.A.R.E.'s spay/neuter brochure is being distributed in the school and on the reservation as well.
Getting the animals to the vet is a lot of work. C.A.R.E. is also helping with some of the gas costs for getting animals picked up (sometimes trapped) and taken back and forth to the vet. The Humane Society, 60 miles away, is also available to sterilize animals on the reservation and has an additional spay/neuter program in place.
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Hoof and Paw Spay/Neuter Event On December 5, 2009, Hoof and Paws Rescue arranged a spay/neuter event in the West End of Montrose County in Colorado.C.A.R.E. teamed with Hoof and Paw, Planned Pethood Plus(PPP), and discount vouchers from The Montrose Animal Protection Agency(MAPA) to sterilize 69 animals and vaccinate 11 more animals. Detailed below is what Shirley Miller, Secretary/Treasurer of Hoof and Paw reported: We had a fun, successful day on Saturday! It was a long day, with a 7:30am start and the clean-up finishing at 8:30pm. Some of the group members and one of the volunteers were there for the full 13 hours - ! - along with the Planned Pethood Plus veterinary team that came in with a mobile unit and set up operations in a church. Amongst the volunteers were three High School students who had shown an interest in veterinary medicine. Everyone who wanted to have the opportunity to watch the vet perform operations (which is something PPP actually encourage) and the students, several pet owners and volunteers took a turn at observing. (Nobody passed out!).
The response we had to the event was higher than expected: we had people contact us right up to Friday evening to ask for an appointment, and we had some who just turned up on the day. We agreed with the PPP veterinarian who said "We don't turn anyone away", so we didn't. Every animal that came in was operated on, and the animals and the community here in the West End of Montrose County are better off today than they were on Friday!
A total of 69 animals were spayed or neutered - cat spays:23, cat neuters:22, dog spays:11, dog neuters:11. We also had 11 animals that came in just for vaccinations. This has been a learning experience for all of us: we didn't know that this event would be so popular, nor that the majority of animal owners would qualify for the MAPA discount - we expected the original CARE funding would be fully used on those whose income was too high to qualify for MAPA, and we really appreciated the revised distribution of the funds to include every pet who came in. (This is a great place to live, but there is little in the way of employment opportunity and what employment there is tends to be low paid).
There has been enthusiastic support for this event throughout the community, reflected by the number of positive comments we have received, and the number of people who volunteered to help.
We are so grateful for the funding provided by CARE. We know that this area is low income and that pet owners often can't afford the cost of a spay/neuter operation at the vet clinic. On top of that, the nearest clinic is 25 - 45 miles away (depending on where one lives in the West End) and it is sometimes difficult for pet owners to afford two round trips in one day and/or to take time off work. Hoof & Paw believesthat many of the animals altered on Saturday would not have had an operation at all if it hadn't been for the PPP clinic coming to their locality and having the cost discounted by CARE. Thank you!
The waiting room
Extra waiting room for big dogs
Milo, Oscar & Dewey, 3 little brothers in recovery
The vet team at work
The biggest dog with the smallest dog in recovery
The vet at work
Volunteers in the recovery room
Peanut in recovery
Volunteer in the recovery room
Please enjoy this short video on Spay/Neuter for your pets! It delivers an important message to all dog and cat parents.
