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.
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 pet parent 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 pet parenting.
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 pet parent.
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.