|
Neglected Cats Rescued
Pets of the Homeless learned of a homeless woman with a history of animal hoarding in Iowa. The woman contacted King's Harvest Pet Assistance Program in Davenport for help. Twelve cats were in a cage coated with feces and covered with a urine-covered frozen blanket. The owner surrendered all of the cats to King's Harvest to find permanent, appropriate placement.
All rescued cats received special care: 4 vaccinated, 5 neutered, 7 spayed, and one required eye surgery. Pets of the Homeless awarded a grant of $500 to help with associated costs.
Since King's Harvest pet program began; it has distributed 4,500 pounds of dog and cat food, and spayed/neutered 60 animals. This monumental spirit of service has expanded.
Terri Gleize, King's Harvest Director, explained their mission to serve the homeless and poor in the Quad Cities area which includes Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa and Rock Island and Moline, Illinois. "We provide help by meeting physical, emotional, mental and spiritual needs through compassion and unconditional love. Our target group is the forgotten homeless and those who live below poverty level."
King's Harvest Pet Assistance Program evolved as a means to broaden the scope of this mission. The Spay Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP) helps reduce any additional burden on families already struggling to put food on the table.
The SNAP outreach is an effort to help control the pet population and prevent dumping of animals. Additional assistance includes free pet food to the needy; help finding low or no cost veterinarian care; temporary placement of pets so an owner may be hospitalized or find shelter during inclement weather; and permanent placement of animals when the owner feels no longer able to care for their pet.
Gina Gore, Pet Foster Care Coordinator, said, "The school community outreach program has invited us to their open house. Others like the Salvation Army and YMCA have offered booth space where we can provide more information. They are allowing our fosters and adoptable pets to come, too. We hope to gain additional partnership opportunities and raise community awareness."
"An effort is underway to partner with PetSmart," Gina went on, "where we will be in the store for adoptions. We are waiting for foster home inspections. Our foster care program will make it possible to take in pets of the homeless who relinquish them so they can enter shelters. The foster care allows the homeless time to gain self sufficiency until they can retrieve their pet or release them for adoption." |
|
Volunteer Makes an Impact in Texas  Julie Grant, a Pets of the Homeless volunteer and director of the Dallas area, recently became active in Texas' Homeless Coalition and shared information about Pets of the Homeless. Many asked for additional information which they plan to use as resource material for the homeless and those in dire poverty. Pets of the Homeless volunteers no longer have to wait upon the convenience of the Homeless Shelter in Dallas (closed until May 20th) because Julie has two rooms full of donated pet food. She said, "A Food Pantry is close by." Julie used two articles from Pets of the Homeless to create a flyer for distribution at the Homeless Coalition. "There are about 50 volunteers involved right now. A city representative with the Family Advocacy Center had not thought about the effect pets have on those facing homelessness until she heard me speak." The Irving Homeless Coalition meets each month. Representatives of the Coalition have gone into tent city and fed the homeless. The City is beginning to see there are more than 100 homeless with pets. Response to Julie's inquiry indicated they were unaware and did not see many pets around the area but are beginning to realize how the homeless react by hiding their pets when an authority is present. Julie reports a "...good amount of interest and believes this organization will be of great help getting food out to the pets of the homeless."
Another coalition, Christian Community Association (CCA) is located in Lewisville, TX. It is a small town which has been quite successful with two Pets of the Homeless volunteers, Page and Sheila Page, picking up donated pet food in the area.
Genevieve Frederick, Founder/Director of Pets of Homeless, commented to Julie, "Your involvement with the Homeless Coalition is wonderful. You are an amazing volunteer and spokesperson. I wish I had 100 more volunteers like you!" |
