HOME VAN PET CARE PROJECT, INC.
From Elizabeth Howard, Project Coordinator
These are definitely the “dog days” of summer, hot and sultry, and this year so hot that’s all we can talk about.
The primary mission of Home Van Pet Care Project is to feed the pets of homeless and low income people. We’re part of the Home Van itself, a local group that travels around our area to share food with the homeless and hungry. To make the summer a little better for our Home Van dogs and cats this summer we’ve been able to give a little more.
Hawk needed some advice about training his dog Shadow, who is just a little too protective. Rather than muzzle her, we’re meeting with him every week as he reads dog training books and practices rewarding the desired behavior. He’s doing a good job.
We’re gathering the needed rabies certificates to purchase new county licenses for several dogs. Several running lines were donated and we distributed those to the dogs and helped to install them. We were able to give some tarps and bungee cords and other small items that make a big difference to dogs and cats and their people.
What we really need right now is to replenish our dog food and cat food supplies. We generally ask for Purina brands such as the “green bag” for the dogs and Friskies Seafood Sensation for the cats. These are easily obtained, we keep things somewhat consistent and the animals have food that they enjoy.
Our local low cost and free spay/neuter clinics are running full speed. We sometimes need rides for people with their dogs and cats especially to the clinics. Call if you can help.
We learned this week that there are a couple of “bootleg” kittens who recently appeared among the tents in one camp. In a month or so we’ll need help to take them in for spay/neuter. In the meantime they are fed and loved (and hopefully tamed) by our friend whose campsite they have adopted.
We had a great response to our last newsletter: A tent was donated for Lena the dog and her family; Sam was hired for some ongoing yard work and with your generous donations we had the food and funds that we needed for our Project.
This month we especially need to replenish our food supplies, and of course to keep up our bank account. Rosie, a tiny kitty who was donated by her mom, is already spayed, but she will need a vet visit and so we will need some funds for that. You can donate for general uses or specify what you would like us to fund with your donation.
Home Van Pet Care Project, Inc., is a 501c3 charitable organization, so your donations are tax deductible. You can make checks payable to Home Van Pet Care Project, Inc., and mail c/o Elizabeth Howard, P.O. Box 14305, Gainesville, FL 32604. You can also donate through PayPal on our blog, http://homevanpetcareproject.blogspot.com. For more information about the Project, or to drop off donations, call Elizabeth Howard at 352-473-9423.
