Animal rescue group celebrates first year in Nevada

Nevada Daily Mail

The Vernon County People for Pets, Inc. held a celebratory meeting on Monday, Feb. 12, at the Nevada Sunrise Café.

The group is celebrating a milestone of one year since becoming organized. With volunteers, operating solely on donations, a determined group of people has accomplished so much over the past year. This includes fostering and adopting of dogs and cats, helping to promote and raise the awareness of the need for humane treatment of animals in the area, as well as, partnering with Pawprints on the Heartland, to prove low-cost spaying and neutering to those who could not otherwise afford it.

One year ago, a group of concerned citizens started organizing to come to the aid of area homeless and unwanted animals in response to the temporary closing of the Nevada Animal Shelter. This was the first step of identifying the needs the area has in regards to the sheer numbers of abandoned, unwanted and dumped animals in the area. Until this incident, many of the members never realized just how many animals were in need. In February 2006, the city of Nevada took control of the shelter and needed time to repair, improve and restructure the process for animal control and sheltering of animals found in need and abandoned within the city limits.

The Vernon County People for Pets, Inc., was formed to help find a way to improve the situation for the animals. For many of the organizers, this became a challenge not too big to overcome, but the reality did set in that the group could not save all of the animals in need. The numbers were just too big to accommodate, given the lack of a facility and the abundance of animals in need, members said.

The group formed a small network of foster homes to assist with taking in the unwanted and abandoned animals until a permanent home could be found. They became licensed by the State of Missouri as a Rescue using Foster homes, incorporated as a charity 501C3 and sales tax exempt.

In 2006, the group provided assistance with 250 spay/neuters. Since one female cat and her offspring can produce 420,000 kittens in seven years this is quite an accomplishment. In addition, we did a significant amount of dog spays, and one female dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 puppies in six years. VCPFP has begun to make a difference on the animal need in the area. They now hold monthly low cost spay and neuter clinics in the area at the 54 Veterinary Clinic. The group fostered many pets and found homes for 141 dogs and puppies, and 45 cats and kittens in 2006. All animals in foster care were provided with their initial shots, wormer, and if old enough were spayed and neutered before being adopted. Those that were adopted before being old enough for the spay/neuter were offered the opportunity to have the procedure done once the pet was of age. In addition, Midwest Feed and Farm donates an 8-pound bag of food for every pet adopted through our group. The group uses a number of avenues to promote the animals up for adoption, including advertising in the Nevada News, on the radio KNEM/KNMO trader program, posters and fliers and on www.petfinder.com.

All of these have become substantial in the quest for finding these pets new homes. The use of petfinder has really been a big success, having pets adopted from as far away as Michigan, Arkansas, Kansas, and beyond. The group has also formed working relationships with breed-specific rescue groups that will take in animals into their care.

The group works solely on donations with 100 percent of money raised going to the care and promotion of the animals. They have coin-canisters at local vendors, hold fund-raising drawings, yard sales, and even held a 50/50 drawing at the Nevada Speedway. They also received a grant from the Moss Foundation. These efforts along with individual donations and membership dues has helped provide shelter and care for animals in the foster network as well as many spay/neuter clinics for the community. In 2006 there were 58 members and countless volunteers and contributors.

The group works closely with the Nevada Animal Shelter, promoting pets at the shelter in advertisements, petfinder and fliers. VCPFP also donates necessities such as wormer, collars, leashes and toys to the shelter as well as has volunteers assist the Animal Shelter.

The group is now starting a Junior Volunteers group to enable younger people to get involved, a number of projects are in the planning stages for this group.

All donations are tax-deductible, and volunteers are always needed. To learn more, please visit the Web site www.vcpfp.org, e-mail info@vcpfp.org, write PO Box 383, Nevada, MO 64772 or call (417) 448-9799. The group meets every second and fourth Monday of the month at Nevada Sunrise Café, and all meetings are open to the public. Directors are Christine Goddard, Jacquie Brown, Janet Wray, Kendall Vickers, Debbie Bossaler, Christina Booth, Erik Andersen and treasurer Don Hutchison.