On behalf of the Dr. Jane’s HealthyPetNet Foundation, it is our privilege to announce the gift of yet another financial award. This month’s featured group is Animal Friends Humane Society, a non-profit based in Boerne, TX. Saving canine lives since 2000, this impressive little group was established with the goal of serving a small part of the greater San Antonio area where over 50,000 dogs and cats are euthanized annually. During the last 12 years, they’ve continued to grow and foster their own place in the community. [more]
The majority of the animals brought into their shelter have been abandoned, often due to a medical problem, not to mention are suffering the ill effects of chronic neglect. It’s rare that the dogs have been spayed or neutered, but this is the least of the volunteers’ initial concerns upon intake. AFHS has seen it all … pups with broken bones, mange, heartworm disease, intestinal distress, horrible dental decay and even gunshot wounds.
AFHS prides itself in its willingness to take in and care for the creatures who would likely be immediately euthanized at other shelters. Because they are fundamentally a no-kill shelter, veterinary bills represent a huge portion of their overall expenditures, especially since they do not have an on-staff veterinarian. All of their intakes undergo a full medical exam, vaccinations, alteration surgery and are microchipped.
Due to an unexpected event in 2011, they were forced to vacate the property that had served as their base of operations for years. Rather than give up their dreams to make a difference, they opted to do the hard thing – to downsize and regroup. With a renewed sense of purpose, AFHS refocused their energies on “hard to place” dogs, instituting a “no dog left behind” mentality. Even though their location had changed, their die-hard work ethic and heart-felt mission remained intact.
Scout
In the wake of downsizing their operation, many of their dogs are those who have been passed over for adoption time and time again, primarily due to behavioral issues. Given sufficient training, one-on-one time and loads of patience, a truly caring dog owner could help these canines to overcome these personality challenges … in fact, every one of AFHS’s volunteers hopes for nothing less for each of these “problem pups”. As much as they’d like to, they simply cannot afford to hire a trainer to begin this important work right away.
Always, in everything they do, they seek to minimize suffering and prevent cruelty, whether it’s working to spay and neuter homeless animals or to educate the public about the importance of animal welfare and responsible dog ownering. Whether these dogs are covered in fleas and ticks, excruciatingly thin due to prolonged food deprivation, or wracked with illnesses that could have been avoided with proper vaccinations, the good souls at AFHS peer beyond the problems, and behold the true being within. As they have witnessed with their own eyes, kindness, care and responsible stewardship can go a long way towards bringing these creatures back from the brink of despair, and usher in a new and happier phase of their life.
And their record is nothing short of miraculous for a rescue of this size. At present, they are averaging 80 successful adoptions each year. That’s a lot of happy families! Anyone thinking about adopting a dog can make an appointment any day of the week. Just like their hearts, their doors are always open to a prospective dog owner.
Zoey
With the funds supplied by our foundation, AFHS has been able to cover a significant portion of their veterinary expenses. Most was used to cover the costs of medical supplies, including vaccines and medicines. However, a small portion was dedicated to help ensure the recovery of one special female dog. Saved from a roaming pack of dogs, Zoey was suffering from kennel cough and had a coat that was in terrible shape. In the course of her short stay at AFHS, she received all of the necessary medical treatments and was completely nursed back to health. Shortly thereafter, she was adopted out where she happily resides today. This little cutie was by no means the only pup helped by our donation. In addition to her recovery and adoption, our funds went to help other pups recover from their own illnesses and injuries. With what monies remained, the rescue was able to pay down their food bill, too.
Roska
Since 2007, the Dr. Jane’s HealthyPetNet Foundation has made tremendous strides in providing funding to animal rescue groups all over America. In just a few short years, we’ve awarded nearly $120,000 to small-to-medium-size rescues. Our non-profit wing could not have achieved so much without the continued patronage of our customers and individual donors. Every Life’s Abundance purchase contributes a small portion to the Foundation’s financial pool. All of those small donations add up in a hurry. Furthermore, we have one of the highest direct-to-action percentages among non-profit agencies … a whopping 95% or more* of the funds goes directly to the organizations who need them the most.
Most especially, we are deeply appreciative of our readers, individual donors and customers, all of whom play vital roles in making our foundation a viable agent for positive change. Your kindness and commitment to pet health has made a real and definable impact, assisting volunteer groups just like Animal Friends Humane Society in their steadfast efforts to make the world a better place for abused and neglected animals.
If you or someone you know works with an animal rescue organization that’s worthy of special recognition and some extra financial support, we are still actively seeking grant applications for 2013. With your help, we’re ready to fund more dreams and make other life-saving stories possible.
Check back next month for another dose of good news from the Dr. Jane’s HealthyPetNet Foundation!
*The remainder is dedicated to operational costs such as registration, accounting, legal fees, etc.