Update - December 2012

HOME VAN PET CARE PROJECT NEWS – December 2012

From:  Elizabeth Howard, Project Coordinator

Our primary mission is to provide food for the companion animals of homeless and very low income persons in our community.

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Christmas for the Animals:  At Christmastime we provide cat and dog toys, treats, canned foods, flea combs and so on. This year we have discovered some handy plastic painter buckets that are sturdy and reusable and will be great for storage of pet food.

We plan to fill the buckets with cat food or dog food as well as treats and toys for the animals and then we will distribute them at our regular pet food distribution time on December 19.

These sturdy, reusable buckets cost $4.00 each. We will prepare 40 buckets with a quantity of cat food or dog food as well as treats. If you can fund us for any number of these buckets we will appreciate the help.

Please also donate extra food for both dogs and cats. Any size bags are fine, and you can call to check on donation dropoff place and current needs. We also need to replenish our supply of collars, leashes and harnesses, sizes medium and large. We will need tarps also to cover campsites and dog areas. All the animals like those soft little blankets, and hay makes a good padding in a dog house or cat area so let us know if you have some you can donate. If you can donate any of these items or funds for the buckets and other items please let us know. We will also need volunteers to help with pickup of donations and possible storage for food and supplies.

Our Winterization Project: This is a yearly project to help homeless prepare their campsites for winter. The buckets of food fit well into this project, since having some extra food will gives pet owners a break if weather is bad and they can’t make it for pet food distribution. We will also check our running lines to see that everyone has them to comply with the tethering laws and give the dogs a bit more freedom.

Breakfast on the Plaza:  This year three animal service groups had tables: Home Van Pet Care Project, Inc., St. Francis Veterinary Clinic and Newberry Veterinarians. A Home Van Pet Care spokesperson is allowed to say a word to the crowd and we devoted much of our allotted time to urging spay/neuter. Just by being there with other groups, we show respect for the animals and make our services more available. This breakfast is a friendly and helpful event and we thank the Coalition and all who help make the event a success.

We’re working hard and enjoying the work to fulfill our mission to the animals. We thank you for helping us and ask you to help make this a memorable Christmas for all our animal and human friends. Financial donations are always welcome and checks can be mailed to Home Van Pet Care Project, Inc., c/o Elizabeth Howard, P. Box 14305, Gainesville, FL 32604, phone 352-473-9423,email holisticliz@hotmail.com. You can also donate by PayPal on our blog, http://homevanpetcareproject.com.

UPDATE – November 2012

From Elizabeth Howard, Project Coordinator

Our primary mission is to provide food for the companion animals of homeless and very low income persons in our community.

Pet Deposit Paid: With the help of generous donations, we were able to pay the pet deposit for our friends Diane and James, who were assisted by the Veterans Administration Supported Housing Program to secure an apartment and move out of the woods. When we visited, their dogs Nip Nip and Bigger were enjoying the safety and comfort of the new apartment and things were well with the family. Keeping people together with their pets is one of our goals, and it is an important way to show our respect for the animal human bond. Many thanks to those who helped.

More Friends Relocating:  At last we have found a home place for our Tent City Tribe of Cats. We will soon be relocating them to a new home in an area east of Gainesville. There are six cats in the Tribe. Mama Kitty (Margaret) and her two sons, Sunshine Light and Pretty Boy are original cats of the Tribe. Mercedes and Noble and dear Little Bit will also be relocating, of course. We have loved and tended, spayed and neutered and fed and watered these kitties for over five years and we will continue take responsibility for their welfare and to feed and care for them. The kitties can retire now, and relax, and we will be relieved of our worries about their welfare.

 We are in the process of renovating a small shed where the kitties can rest and acclimate to their new surroundings and are in need of donations to help with materials for that as well as for general relocation expenses. If you can chip in on these expenses just mark your check or PayPal payment  “Cat Tribe Relocation.” For more detail and to donate, see below.

Home Van Pet Care is in need of any size bags of cat food or dog food. We will need extra tarps and large plastic bins for winter shelters. You can call for current needs, for pickup and dropoff information and also let us know if you would like to volunteer with our project. We distribute an average of 100# of dog food and 100# of cat food each week at various locations so we always need your help with this, and thank everyone so much for helping us.

Checks can be mailed to Home Van Pet Care Project, c/o Elizabeth Howard, P.O. Box 14305, Gainesville FL 32604, phone 352-473-9423, email holisticliz@hotmail.com . You can donate by PayPal on our blog, http://homevanpetcareproject.blogspot.com. Photos and archives are also there on our blog.

September / October News

HOME VAN PET CARE PROJECT, INC. – Newsletter – September-October, 2012

From Elizabeth Howard, Coordinator

Our primary mission is to provide food for the companion animals of homeless and very low income persons in our community.

Friends moving on:  Our friends Diane and James were among the first people we met when Home Van Pet Care was just beginning five years ago. It is Diane, holding a little homeless kitten, who sparked the idea to help the homeless people by providing food for their animals. James and Diane have been good friends to us, especially in maintaining our Tent city Tribe of cats. They have now gotten an apartment with assistance from the Veterans Admin Supported Housing program. We will miss them. We wish them all happiness and success and will support their move by paying the pet deposit of $200 for their dogs Nip Nip and Bigger. If you can chip in on this expense, just mark your check or PayPal payment “pet deposit.” See below for addresses.

Home Van Birthday Party:  Our sister group, The Home Van, is celebrating its 10^th year of feeding the homeless and hungry people in our community. Their birthday party is Thursday, September 27 at 6pm at the downtown plaza, the little parking lot on the east side of the Civil Courthouse right next to Bo Diddley Community Plaza. No doubt a good time will be had and we plan to attend. Cupcakes have been requested but you are welcome to just bring yourself. See below for contact information.

Breakfast on the Plaza: Thursday October 25 from 8am till 11am is the annual Breakfast on the Plaza at the Downtown Bo Diddley park and plaza. The homeless coalition works on this event all during each year to provide breakfast for all attendees, tables for local service groups and information about local services for the homeless and low income. We’ll have a table there to give info on Home Van Pet Care Project and need volunteers to staff the table. See below for contact info.

Home Van Pet Care is in need of any size bags of cat food or dog food. We will need extra tarps and large plastic bins for winter shelters. You can call for current needs, for pickup and dropoff information and also let us know if you would like to volunteer with our project. Checks can be mailed to Home Van Pet Care Project, c/o Elizabeth Howard, P.O. Box 14305, Gainesville FL 32604, phone 352-473-9423, email holisticliz@hotmail.com . You can donate by PayPal on our blog, http://homevanpetcareproject.blogspot.com. Photos and archives are also there on our blog.

August 2012 News

Our mission is to provide pet food for the pets of the homeless and low income persons in our community.

Thanks are in order to all who donate pet food for our Project and to all who give financial donations. We are very grateful for the good wishes and volunteer help that we receive from quite a nice number of people. Thank you very much for your help.

We also receive help from our homeless and low income clients. They pick up pet food from us for their pets and many of them are part of the St. Francis Veterinary Clinic program. Many people will report strays and let us know about “pups in the woods,” some of these reported in this newsletter.

We always need more pet food for both cats and dogs. We have weekly pet food distribution times as well as visits to campsites and other areas. Our average distribution is 100# of cat food and 100# of dog food each week. Please call to see what is needed and for our drop off and pick up arrangements. (Call Elizabeth at 352-473-9423). We need volunteers to help distribute pet food weekly downtown as well as to seek donations of pet food and funds.

REPORTS FROM THE FIELD:  There is someone who helps us and many other animal care groups. She has worked long and hard and deserves our thanks as well as the trust of our homeless friends who let her know about “pups in the woods.”  Here are a couple of reports.

“…on Monday, I helped pull a mother dog from (camp area). She recently had a litter of pups who, I believe, are scattered amongst the others living in tents in the same area …   (person we know) has 2 of them.  She has promised to bring them in … I'm working on locating the other pups.  Officer Freddie of ACAS thinks he found one of them Tuesday.  The dog's owner ….. is in jail, under bond …”

This incident had a happy outcome. The mother dog and all of the pups that could be located were taken in by Rescue Groups, who by the way, together with Alachua County Animal Services, helped make this possible.

Another day, a sweet female dog was held for us by a friend at his campsite. He has two dogs and agreed that he couldn’t care for this one. She had advanced heartworms and was euthanized at Alachua County Animal Services.

It is vital that we support spay/neuter and recommend it to all our friends, so that there are no more pups born in the woods to moms who were born under someone’s steps or out in the back yard, and no more feral cat colonies populated by cats who were abandoned by irresponsible people. We can foster for our local rescue groups when possible and adopt from them and from Alachua County Services whenever we can.  All the work of Home Van Pet Care Project is carried out by volunteers and all pet food and supplies come to us by donation.

THE TENT CITY CAT TRIBE:  They remain in Tent City as we have not been able to relocate them as we could like. A portion of our cat food donations go to them. The favorite there we can tell you is Friskies Seafood Sensation! These kitties are fed every day by volunteers. We always need more helpers here to feed and watch over the Tribe. Several of our clients feed cats at campsites and whenever we get a call to spay or neuter we assist with access to clinics. Let us know if you can help.

We always need more bags of dry food for both cats and dogs. Call Elizabeth Howard,352-473-9423 or holisticliz@hotmail.com to determine current needs and  for drop off or pick up information.  Financial donations are also welcome and can be mailed  c/o Elizabeth Howard, Home Van Pet Care Project, Inc., P.O. Box 14305, Gainesville Fl 32604 or through PayPal on our blog, http://homevanpetcareproject.blogspot.com. 

June/July Update

HOME VAN PET CARE PROJECT, INC., June/July 2012 * From Elizabeth Howard, Coordinator Our mission is to provide pet food for the pets of the homeless and low income persons in our community. JUST SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS AT THE MOMENT: Elderly woman needs help to care for dogs while she is hospitalized: Date and length of hospitalization not known yet. There are two small dogs (8# or thereabouts). This is in the Millhopper area and there is a fenced yard so they don’t have to be walked outside the yard. Colleen Pisano is the person who contacted Home Van Pet Care Project about this situation, and she is willing to receive emails in order to find someone to help. Colleen’s email is gatorsem@aol.com. Colleen said that she would tend the dogs in the mornings so this would only be for once per day. You can contact Colleen for more information. ***************************************************************************************

Flea season is upon us. After a warm winter, every type of insect seems to have proliferated. We can use flea combs, diatomaceous earth (food grade from Earth Pets Natural on NW 10th Ave.), Advantage and Revolution for cats of medium size and Advantage for dogs, large size. Sometimes if we just give a pet owner one or two rounds of flea prevention, with the flea comb and D.E., they can get things under control and won’t need more. *****************************************************************************************

There’s no such thing as too much pet food and we always seem to need more bags of dry food for both dogs and cats. We need to stay stocked up for emergencies and continue to give as much as we can for the pets of the homeless and low income people in our community. Financial donations are also welcome and can be mailed c/o Elizabeth Howard, Home Van Pet Care Project, Inc., P.O. Box 14305, Gainesville, FL 32604 or through PayPal on our blog, http://homevanpetcareproject.blogspot.com. We also need volunteers to assist with various duties. Call Elizabeth Howard 352-473-9423 for more information on any of the above.

NEWS & UPDATE, May/June 2012

From: Elizabeth Howard, Coordinator

“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” Anatole France

The job of our project is to provide food for pets of homeless and low income persons in our community. This definitely leads us here-and-there.

We Went To The Dogs: Two Alachua County Animal Services officers accompanied us to several homeless encampments. We’ve wanted to do this for quite some time so that the officers had a chance to meet the dogs and the people and to give some education about spay/neuter and other issues. Most people were home as were the dogs and we all could see that the great majority of people are caring well for their pets. We made sure everyone knows about the benefits of St. Francis Veterinary Clinic and that they know where and when they can pick up pet food from our project. We really appreciate all the hard work of Alachua County Animal Services and that they made time for us.

Our Film Screening was a great success. The films, “Cardboard,” and “Carbon for Water” were very well done and informational. Both films reminded us that in our area the hot weather is coming. We ask everyone to carry water with you when you go out and keep an eye open for people who may need a bottle of water. Be sure to ask if they need water for their pets also.

Our friend Linda King died unexpectedly this month, returning to us little Cassie, the kitty that Linda adopted a year ago after Cassie was injured while living in Tent City. Linda and Cassie loved each other and Cassie, being well cared for, improved in her balance and hearing. We were very lucky that the 12th Generation Ferret & Cat Sanctuary took her in right away together with one of her playmates, Sweetpea, so they are safe for life. We will miss Linda King, a kind and gentle person who supported our project and loved cats and birds. Linda had three other cats who are in a foster home, so let us know please if you could adopt one of these kitties into your home.

Two other kitties, Silver and Gold, remain in foster home while improving from their digestive difficulties. They are well loved there and will no doubt be taken in as permanent residents.

Sadly, we say goodbye to lovely Tucker, the 8 year old kitty of Debbie N., a Home Van Pet Care helper who is a friend to many animals. Debbie is the person who gives us the use of her carport as a dropoff place for donations. On Thursday morning May 3, two blue heelers invaded Debbie’s neighborhood and killed two kitties, one of them Tucker, who were enjoying the morning in their own yards.

We all want to keep our pets safe and we do the best we can, but the dogs, who were wearing collars and tags, apparently got out from somewhere, killed the cats and frightened neighborhood residents who are close to each other and who customarily walk their dogs and children down the streets. Animal Services is trying to locate the owners of the dogs, who need to know what happened. The neighborhood is on the outskirts of the Duckpond. Please call Animal Services if you want more information or know the dogs and their owners.

Gainesville Pet Rescue is searching for a blue-nose pit who was separated from his owner during a motor vehicle collision. He was thrown from the vehicle on US 301 near Hawthorne, and in spite of an intense search has not yet been located. Please let us know if you have any information as to his whereabouts.

We have a continuing need for bags of dry dog food and cat food and we need volunteers to assist in bagging and sorting food donations. We also need people to accompany us and help with pet food distribution. These efforts start about Noon on Wednesdays and continue till about 3pm. We need volunteers to help feed and supervise the Tent City Tribe of Cats and to seek pet food and financial donations.

In closing, we just want to repeat some words of John Lennon, an astute observer of life in his times: “Nobody said there’d be days like these … strange days indeed.”

For more information, to drop off or ask for pick up of donations, you can call Elizabeth Howard, Home Van Pet Care Project Coordinator, at 352-473-9423, holisticliz@hotmail.com. To make financial donations, send checks c/o Elizabeth Howard, P.O. Box 14305, Gainesville Fl 32604, or pay by PayPal on our blog, http://homevanpetcareproject.blogspot.com.

Save the Date! April 30

Documentary film night to benefit Home Van Pet Care Project, April 30, 7:00 p.m. Civic Media Center. For more information see our flyer.

April 2012 News & Update

HOME VAN PET CARE PROJECT, INC. – NEWS & UPDATE – April 2012
From: Elizabeth Howard, Coordinator

This month Home Van Pet Care Project celebrates five years of providing pet food for homeless and low income citizens of our community. That’s a lot of dogs and cats and people!

Our major news this month is a film screening that Cinema Verde Environmental Film & Arts will co-sponsor with us as part of Civic Media Center Documentary series:

Monday April 30, 2012 at 7:00PM
Civic Media Center, 433 S. Main Street in Gainesville.

These two award winning films are timely, compassionate and inspiring. In our community, hundreds of individuals and families, some of them living with beloved companion animals, live homeless and without running water. We are grateful to our sister group, the original Home Van, feeder of the multitudes, as well as Trish Riley, Director of Cinema Verde Gainesville and to Civic Media Center for supporting us in this event. We hope you can join us.

About the films: Cardboard (10 minutes) was written & directed by High School Freshman Tara-Nicole Azarian, who received an award at this year’s Cinema Verde Environmental Film & Arts Festival. This docu-drama asks: "If faced with adversity, what would you do to keep your family together?"

In Carbon for Water (22 minutes) filmmakers Evan Abramson and Carmen Elsa Lopez introduce audiences to the inspiring people of Kenya’s Western Province who face extreme hardships in their lives and explore one company’s innovative solution for improving the health of millions of Kenyans and the environment in which they live.

Admission is by donation and we look forward to seeing new faces and many who we already know.

UPDATES: A Storage shed was donated by caring friends and has been transported to a convenient location where it will be used to store more of those items that are donated (and which we always need more of) like tarps, rope, cat carriers, dog crates, collars, leashes and non-perishable items in general. This will help a great deal in distribution of needed items.

Bruiser, the big white older dog now has a couple of volunteer friends who will help with transport and food delivery. Bruiser needs nutritional and tasty canned foods that he can eat easily. His family provides him with several comfy beds so he does rest well and appreciates your good wishes. We always need to keep a supply of dry dog food and we appreciate if you can donate when you can.

We are in need of any size bags of cat food. We support one colony, the Tent City Tribe, which has not been relocated, and also little Silver and Gold who are doing well in their foster home. We also distribute quite a quantity of dry and canned cat food at our food distribution time on Wednesdays at the Downtown Library as well as to various campsites. All the kitties seem to like Friskies and Meow Mix so those are favorites.

We support spay and neuter for both dogs and cats and help with transport to local clinics when we can. It is hard sometimes, since we all do love those baby dogs and cats. But sadly, there are not enough homes for them and many are euthanized at Animal Services where they bear that burden. We can give referrals to local spay/neuter clinics, just give a call and we will try to help.

We hope you will join us for the films on April 30 at 7:00 PM at Civic Media Center. Just call for more information: Elizabeth Howard, 352-473-9423.

To donate pet food or funds, call Elizabeth for drop-off location or email holisticliz@hotmail.com. You can mail checks c/o Elizabeth Howard, P.O. Box 14305, Gainesville, FL 32604 or PayPal on our blog at http://homevanpetcareproject.blogspot.com. You can also like us on Facebook. We always need and appreciate your donations and good wishes and thank you for all the help you give us.

February/March News & Updates

NEWS & UPDATES FROM HOME VAN PET CARE PROJECT, February/March 2012
From Elizabeth Howard, Coordinator

“No one said it would be easy, but no one said it would be this hard …
No one said it would be easy, No one thought we’d come this far…
Oh, and look we’ve come this far!” (Sheryl Crow 1993)

Home Van Pet Care Project has its Fifth Anniversary in April. “Oh and look we’ve come this far!’ I thought it would be simple, just a few bags of pet food and that would help both the homeless people and their pets. Instead, it’s been hard and hot and worrisome, mosquito ridden sometimes and often no solutions to animal problems.

Nevertheless, I would not trade a minute for the last five years of Home Van Pet Care Project. We have our 501c3, a wonderful Board of Directors, volunteers and many food and money donors who continue to help us. Our sincere thanks go to all of you.

Last month’s Happy Dog Story has continued and those dogs are doing well after loads of help from St. Francis Vet Clinic. Their owner has gotten a job and a special mentor-type friend who helps her and supports her. We wish her the next step to a home for herself and her pets.

Another dog we’re helping is Bruiser, 12 years old. Bruiser is the longtime companion of Emma and her husband. Bruiser is getting along in years and is tenderly cared for by his family. We’re helping out with food needs and emotional support for the family as Bruiser ages in place with some aches and pains. Bruiser may need transport to clinic. He’s a big guy and Emma would accompany him. If you can help with this, let me know please.

We’re continuing to work to relocate our Tent City Tribe of Cats. These are special need kitties of course, as they are semi-feral and like most other cats, don’t like to move! All will need a lot of attention and some of them really must go together. There are six adults, all longtime spayed and neutered. There are also two little ones, Silver and Gold, who are in a foster home. We still need feeders and helpers for the Tribe as well as suggestions and offers for adoption.

We have a food drive pending at Howard Bishop Middle School and just had donations from a local “book club.” If you can help with events and/or fund raisers or if you have time to seek out groups who will do food drives that would be very helpful. Just let us know.

Our Project is in need of a storage shed for keeping non-perishable items like canned foods, traps, crates, carriers, blankets and tarps. If you can donate one (maybe 8x8) we can manage transport.

Home Van Pet Care Project needs any size bags of dry dog food and cat food, tarps and bungee cords, flea combs for dogs and cats, financial support and your good wishes. Checks can be made payable to Home Van Pet Care Project, Inc. and mailed c/o Elizabeth Howard, P.O. Box 14305, Gainesville, FL 32604. You can also donate through PayPal on our blog, http://homevanpetcareproject.blogspot.com. You can Like us on Facebook, and call for more information and drop-off locations to Elizabeth at 352-473-9423 email holisticliz@hotmail.com.



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HOME VAN PET CARE PROJECT NEWS & UPDATES

January 15, 2012
From: Elizabeth Howard, Project Coordinator

Christmas was good for the animals of the homeless and low income people who we serve. We had our own small Christmas party at our Wednesday pet distribution location downtown. Heather B. had made gift bags for dogs and cats, there were precious catnip mice and plenty of dog treats, extra canned foods and our regular distribution of dog and cat food.

Gainesville has a heart for animals and over the holidays we received toys and blankets, a dog house for someone who needed one, lots of hay for cold weather padding that was delivered in person by some animal friends and plenty of food for our ongoing feeding duties.

On behalf of the Project, our animal friends and their people, we thank you for everything, and wish a happy and prosperous New Year for all.

A Happy Dog Story: A month or so ago, a couple of us went for a walk to see some dogs. When we found them at their campsite we could see they were in very unhealthy condition. We called Animal Services. They came out right away and continued to oversee cleanup and treatment of these two dogs. Poverty and desperation breed neglect of self and pets and that was the case with these pet owners. Animal Services directed them to St. Francis Veterinary Clinic … vets, students and volunteers jumped right into treatment and a massive campsite cleanup the likes of which have seldom been seen. With care and support, things are better all around. Everyone needs support and help to recover from homelessness. I’m hoping we can all be inspired to make this kind of help happen for more animals and people in the future.

Tent City Cat Tribe: We are continuing our efforts to relocate the Tribe. We simply cannot continue to maintain them in the Tent City area and are searching for homes for the six adults.

Margaret the Matriarch with her two sons, Mister Grey and Sunshine Light are bonded and must go together. Mercedes the Beautiful and Noble Noble are best friends and must stay together. Little Bit might go on her own or can stay with Margaret and Sons.

There are a number of housing options for the Tribe. To learn about Modern Barn Cats, go to www.sheltermeinc.org and read about an unusual Sanctuary service for cats and dogs. All our cats are healthy and will be vet-checked before being placed for adoption.

The two babies who turned up recently, Silver and Gold, have been spayed and neutered and vaccinated and placed in a foster home. They are precious little kitties, about four months old, who came to us like Hansel and Gretel, out of the woods, hand in hand (or maybe it was paw in paw). They are quickly becoming tame, and will be precious pets and a lot of fun for a safe and caring inside home. Can you adopt them and give them a permanent home?

Silver, a male

Gold, a female

For more information about all these cats, contact Elizabeth Howard at 352-473-9423 or holisticliz@hotmail.com.

Are you concerned about pet overpopulation? Hoping for more homes and less euthanasias? Want to provide input of your animal concerns for pet rescue groups and Alachua County Animal Services? Go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/AlachuaCountyAnimalServices and express your concerns and ideas in a survey. Respond by February 3.

Home Van Pet Care Project needs any size bags of dry dog food and cat food, tarps and bungee cords, flea combs for dogs and cats, financial support and your good wishes. Checks can be made payable to Home Van Pet Care Project, Inc. and mailed c/o Elizabeth Howard, P.O. Box 14305, Gainesville, FL 32604. You can also donate through PayPal on our blog, http://homevanpetcareproject.blogspot.com. You can Like us on Facebook, and call for more information and drop-off locations to Elizabeth at 352-473-9423 email holisticliz@hotmail.com.
We are a Florida non-profit charitable corporation so all donations are tax-deductible.