NEWS FROM GRACE MARKETPLACE: Our new homeless shelter, on NW 39th Ave near Waldo Road, is now home to 10 dogs and 3 cats. We go there once a week, just as we go to Civic Media Center Courtyard, downtown, and distribute pet food for these dogs and cats.
Everyone at GRACE is still a camper, as the dorms aren’t ready. Pets are not allowed inside the fence. Our initial effort was to set up a dog tie out area for brief day use. When campers were evicted unexpectedly from the west side of the property, their tents sprouted up among the running lines and dog houses.
What we need to help at GRACE: Always, dog food and cat food. Good quality harnesses, leashes and collars. Mostly medium and large are needed. Most dogs can’t ride the bus with their people, so sometimes transport is needed for dogs on leashes and possibly cats, who would be in carriers.
GRACE is looking ahead to cold night shelter. They are setting aside a dorm area for dogs and cats with their people. The animals will be required to be in crates. Several have been donated, but crates are a good thing to have, so we can always use more, large for the dogs and smaller ones can be used for the kitties. We would also like to have some of the disposable cat litter pans, with some bags of scoopable litter and scoopers.
Downtown at Civic Media Center Courtyard, we have come to know a lot of the pet owners and also their pets. Of course we have a continuing need for pet food, collars, leashes and harnesses there also.
We are fortunate to have St. Francis Pet Care Clinic in our community, as well as Operation Catnip and Operation PetSnip. Transportation to these clinics is sometimes needed and can make a spay/neuter or treatment possible.
If you can donate financially, we have PayPal on our blog at http://homevanpetcareproject.blogspot.com; checks can be made to Home Van Pet Care Project, Inc. and mailed c/o Elizabeth Howard, P.O. Box 14305, Gainesville, FL 32604. Call 352-473-9423 to donate pet food or other items or to volunteer your time.
