Home Van Pet Care Project News Summer 2013

HOME VAN PET CARE PROJECT NEWS – Summer 2013 From: Elizabeth Howard, Coordinator Providing food for pets of homeless persons in our community is our first concern and our Project priority. Food first, and then a major priority to spay/neuter. Summer this year has brought to the homeless community lots of rain, mosquitoes, and pups in the woods.

This is about Ruby, a young dog who lived in the homeless community. Her “owner,” Mark, under the mistaken impression that it is a good thing for a female dog to have “just one litter,” allowed Ruby to become pregnant. He then took himself off to another state, leaving his own mother to care for Ruby and two other young dogs, Kona and Puffy. Fortunately, Mark’s mom, Denise is a responsible person who although she is herself homeless, was able to put together a reasonably clean safe situation for the dogs.

The photo on the left is Ruby at Tent City.

Ruby was within a couple of weeks of having her puppies when Home Van Pet Care came on the scene, and it is primarily through the interventions of Melissa Glikes, a Board member and beloved “dog person” that Ruby and her pups and the other two dogs have had a good outcome.

Plenty of Pitbulls Rescue has taken Ruby, Knoa and Pippy into their care. We are grateful to them for we know these three will get good homes. University of Florida Shelter Medicine furnished the spay/neuter for these three dogs as well as vaccines for their protection. The two photos on the right show Ruby recovering from surgery, and Ruby in her new foster home.

Ruby’s five little pups were given to homes by their caretaker so we still have concerns about them and are keeping in touch so that they can also receive spay/neuter and vaccines as needed.

At another camp we discovered four pups, abandoned by the “owner” of their mother. With help from camp residents three of these four were also spayed, neutered and vaccinated courtesy of UF Shelter Medicine. A young kitty who had wandered in to the camp also received spay and vaccines. These young animals are adopted by camp residents who receive food and attention from our project.

We’re also helping out with spay/neuter of a mother cat and kittens who came to a formerly homeless woman who presently has very minimal shelter. Local veterinarians All Cats have special arrangements for such kitties and Operation Catnip is also in there to assist.

Every week when we distribute pet food downtown, there is someone needing spay/neuter and vaccines for their pets. St. Francis Pet Care Clinic is a maintainstay in helping with these animals.

As you can see, all this takes a village … and then some more … to help these people and animals in need. Just as in the larger community, homeless and low income people also have a heart for animals … some are more responsible and some less. It is our job to provide food for the animals and to teach responsible pet care.

We have volunteers who help with everything from these runs through the woods, visits to campsites, preparation of the pet food and distribution as well as seeking donations. We are always in need of more help, and we need your support for spay/neuter for all the animals.

We appreciate your donations of bags of dog food and cat food as well as financial donations. To volunteer, and to donate pet food, contact Elizabeth Howard at 352-473-9423 email holisticliz@hotmail.com. 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 by PayPal at our blog, http://homevanpetcareproject.blogspot.com.

Home Van Pet Care Project News May 2013

From Elizabeth Howard, Facilitator Home Van Pet Care Project had a birthday. Six years now we’ve been seeking donations and distributing pet food for the cats and dogs of homeless and low income people in our community. We celebrated our birthday by relocating our primary distribution place from the downtown library over to the courtyard behind Civic Media Center and the Citizens CoOp … near Wild Iris’ new shop. We had cupcakes donated by Sweet Thursdays (www.sweetthursdayscafe.com), cold bottled water and plenty of pet food for all, due to the generosity of a great many of you.

Through the generosity of Citizens’ CoOp, Home Van Pet Care Project is this month’s recipient of the "Be The Change" project. Select http://www.citizensco-op.com/community/be-the-change to see the beautiful web page. Then go over to the Co-Op (435 S. Main Street), purchase some of those beautiful fruits and veggies, and at the cash register, donate your change to Home Van Pet Care project.

Kitty Jenna who we featured last month, has gotten a home! A lot of people were pulling for Jenna, and I have it on good authority that these were very nice people who adopted her. In her most recent photo she looks like a different kitty, tall and proud and hopeful again.

We give deep thanks and appreciation to Alachua County Animal Services for their kindness and patience and to the Veterinary Students who promoted the Spring Fling adoption event for all the animals. Please please adopt when you can, and support and educate about spay/neuter.

We also take a moment here to thank Earth Pets West, together with Canidae and Felidae pet foods who give us a generous monthly donation, facilitated by Janice Then.

Then there is the sadness. Our dear little NipNip, the dog of our friends Diane and James, has died. He was lovingly treated at UF Shelter Medicine but he could not be saved. NipNip was a good dog who loved his home and his family and especially his brother dog, Bigger. We will all miss him very much.

To volunteer for Home Van Pet Care Project or to donate pet food, call Elizabeth Howard, 352-473-9423 or email holisticliz@hotmail.com. Checks can be mailed to Home Van Pet Care Project, Inc., c/o Elizabeth Howard, P.O. Box 14305, Gainesville, FL 32604. Financial donations can also be sent by PayPal on our blog, http://homevanpetcareproject.blogspot.com.

Home Van Pet Care Project News March/April 2013

From Elizabeth Howard, Facilitator

Our primary mission is to provide food for pets of homeless persons in our community. We’re coming close to six years of service now so we have a lot of memories of people and animals we have met along the way.

We always appreciate the support of our animal community and thank you for your donations. Once a week we distribute pet food in Downtown Gainesville, we also go to the camps and sometimes make home visits for low income and housed clients who need help for their animals. We are known to other animal protection groups and the groups support each other.

We have a continuing need for any size bags of dog food and cat food and appreciate if you call ahead for current needs. We presently need financial donations to supplement our emergency medical fund and provide for special needs. See information below in order to donate.

REMEMBERING DAVE WHEELER. In August 2009, I wrote this in our Newsletter: “I know now. A friend is someone you can call at 9am on a Sunday morning and say: ‘one of the cats is dead’ … and your friend says:’ I’ll be there in 10 minutes.’ And he (or she) is there in 5, and digs the hole for you.” Dave Wheeler was that friend, and he was that kind of guy. Dave died a couple weeks ago, at peace and happy with his life. Dave had left here a couple years ago to be with family and receive medical treatment out of state. He came back to Gainesville in November of last year to spend some time with his buddies in the woods. He was planning to join his sister and family in Las Vegas where he would be able to work with them in their cat rescue group.

Dave really loved dogs and cats. He helped us a lot for Home Van Pet Care by keeping an eye on the pets near his campsite and making sure that everyone had their pets spayed and neutered. In order to honor Dave’s memory we have created a special fund for Donations in his name. We will earmark this fund for collars, leashes, harnesses, running lines and other such items that will help keep the animals safe, comfortable and happy. We will also add to our medical fund that we keep for non-clinic emergencies.

We would appreciate donations to the Dave Wheeler Memorial Fund. Checks can be made payable to Home Van Pet Care Project, Inc., and mailed c/o of Elizabeth Howard, P.O. Box 14305, Gainesville, FL 32604, or through our PayPal on our blog at http://homevanpetcareproject.blogspot.com.

ADOPT THIS KITTY: This little black and white girl is named Jenna. She was taken in briefly by a formerly homeless man who found he couldn’t keep her. He turned her over to Animal Services who have taken very good care of her. She is presently in their New Hope Adoption program, so her adoption fee is minimal.

Jenna is a sweet and affectionate little girl who had been abandoned when her family moved away from their apartment complex. She suffered a respiratory infection but was nursed back to health by the caring staff at Animal Services. Please visit her at Animal Services and also let us know if you can take this little girl into your home. For more information, call Alachua County Animal Services at 352-264-6870 and ask about Jenna, ID# A476114.

TO DONATE food or supplies or to volunteer for many needed tasks, call Elizabeth Howard at 352-473-9423 or email holisticliz@hotmail.com. Financial donations can be mailed to Home Van Pet Care Project, Inc., c/o Elizabeth Howard, P.O. Box 14305, Gainesville FL 32604 or by PayPal at our blog, http://homevanpetcareproject.blogspot.com.

Home Van Pet Care Project News – December 2012-January 2013

From: Elizabeth Howard, Facilitator

Bucket Christmas: We had a great Bucket Christmas thanks to your help. Money for the buckets was donated. We were able to purchase 45 of those bright orange-red buckets, and fill them with plenty of dog food, cat food, treats and toys. The food was eaten, and the buckets will are reusable for many needs.

Several groups helped us by sponsoring pet food drives. If you can continue this all during the year that will help us have a stable base for the pet feeding. I don’t try to thank all the groups and people who help in this newsletter as I am bound to leave someone out. People who have given before and know when and where to drop off donations sometimes bring food, toys, treats and gifts like those lovely soft little blankets and we never know who has been there. The donation you may believe is small…the one that is large…all are deeply appreciated and we thank you on behalf of the animals and their people.

Winterization Project: We need help to complete a special project for Spartan and Munchie, shown in the photo guarding their new houses. The houses were donated by St. Francis Pet Care Clinic and we still need help to secure them properly and be sure running lines or tie-downs are placed correctly. Please let us know if you can help. (contact info below)

HELP US TRANSPORT PETS FOR SPAY/NEUTER. We have several housed clients who have one or more cats or dogs in need of spay/neuter. This will be hands-on, face-to-face mentoring and it will be demanding as it sometimes is to comply with the rules and needs of the various clinics. There will be communication and teaching of clients. We will help you and you will like it! Let us know please (contact info below.)

CAT HOME. The Tent City Tribe, is now relocated to their new home. They have adjusted well to the relocation and of course they are adult cats, spayed and neutered a long time ago. Thank you for your donations and help with this project. Here is a photo of their little house. The cats might be inside, as they don’t like to have their picture taken.

Thank you so much for all your help. To donate pet food or supplies, call Elizabeth at 352-473-9423 for drop off location and current needs or inquire by email holisticliz@hotmail.com. Financial donations are always welcome and checks can be mailed to Home Van Pet Care Project, Inc., c/o Elizabeth Howard, P.O 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 - 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.

.

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.