Home Van Pet Care Project News - April/May 2015

From Elizabeth Howard, coordinator

Our Mission:  To provide food for pets of homeless persons in our community; offer education on pet care and spay/neuter; assist with access to veterinary care; foster respect for animals and the animal/human bond.

Our FaceBook Page is up and running. Take a look and Like us.
           
Thanks to Citizens CoOp for April donations in their Be The Change jar and thanks to all who donated while shopping there.

Bear is now up to date on his
vaccinations and his flea allergies
are being managed, thanks to the
help of generous veterinarians.

We’re working hard to have all the pets vaccinated, and spayed and neutered. Dignity Village is a challenge where we are making a real difference with help from local veterinarians and other volunteers.

Ginger, Ginger 2, Marty and Bella and their people moved to inside housing recently. We miss them, but they can still pick up pet food downtown and we will be sure to keep in touch.   

Our wish list includes tarps, water bowls, food bowls, canvas bowls that can be easily carried, collars, leashes, and tie-out or running lines. We sometimes like certain brands or types, so give us a call. 

Marty is one of the several dogs that
have found new housing.  We miss him
already!

Pet food donations are always welcome. We use primarily Purina types with Friskies Seafood Sensation being a long-time favorite of the cats and the green bag Purina for dogs.  You can always call us for more information.

We can certainly use financial donations.  And Don’t Forget:  We are saving our money and looking for a small pickup truck that we can use for our Project to pick up and deliver donations.

Pepper would love more shade and
more room to run! Please consider
donating tarps and a running
line for this sweet puppy!

Financial donations can be made by check payable to Home Van Pet Care Project, Inc., and mailed c/o Elizabeth Howard, P.O. Box 14305, Gainesville FL 32604; or by PayPal at our blog, http://homevanpetcareproject.blogspot.com. Pet food and other items can be dropped off at , 3429 W. University Avenue in Gainesville, 352-224-5192.  For more information or to volunteer, call 352-473-9423.

Home Van Pet Care Project News - March 2015

From Elizabeth Howard, Coordinator

Dear Friends - This is what we want you to know. Home Van Pet Care Project is continuing to fulfill our primary mission of providing pet food to homeless and low income people in our community.

We distribute pet food on a weekly basis to two locations:  one is down South Main Street behind Lynch Park, and the other is at Grace Marketplace.

Our dear sister group, the Home Van itself, has retired from driveouts and is opening a small food pantry at the home of Arupa Freeman, who founded the Home Van some 13 years ago.

When we started the Pet Food Project 8 years ago, I traveled with the Home Van for several years, carrying pet food in the back of my little car.  After a while we found out we needed to go out different hours and we wanted our own non-profit, so we founded Home Van Pet Care Project.

Anyone who ever traveled with Arupa and the Home Van learned something about giving, just giving, giving as much as you can and then giving some more.  So for me, there was loving and giving, and learning how to do a driveout, how to do it simply and to continue as long as I can.

So that's what we're doing here at the Home Van Pet Care Project.  We've grown, but the mission is the same -- provide pet food, get more, give more....  and do it with love, respect and kindness.

Here's what's pending for us:  We've asked for the use of a building in the Grace Marketplace area.  This would be a resource center for homeless people with pets.  The Gainesville City Commission will hear information about this project soon, most likely at its April 9th meeting at 1:00 pm at City Hall.  We'll be in touch with more information on this or give us a call at 352-473-9423.

That same little car of mine has grown older.  We'd like to purchase a small used pickup truck in good condition for Home Van Pet Care Project to use for pickup and delivery of all those mounds of pet food.  If you have a vehicle you might be able to donate, if you want to donate funds towards purchase, or if you can run a fundraiser for us, please let us know at 352-473-9423 (tel:352-473-9423) .

We need food for the animals, as well as collars, leashes and harnesses.  We have a new drop-off place at Sisset's Home and Patio, 3429 W. University Avenue in Gainesville, 352-224-5192.  If this is not convenient for you, call for an alternate location.

You can contribute financially by check payable to Home Van Pet Care Project, Inc., c/o Elizabeth Howard, PO Box 14305, Gainesville, FL 32604, or by PayPal here on our blog.  For more information or to volunteer, call 352-473-9423.

This is Tiffany, a downtown kitty, who reminds us there are many people still living in and around our community, homeless.

This is Magic.  Magic is an energetic young dog who lives at Grace and makes us laugh on a regular basis by jumping and twirling when we give him a treat.

My car is getting pretty old. We need a pickup truck to pick up and deliver the pet food.

More than 200,000 Miles!

There's no longer enough room in this trunk to handle all the pet food.

Home Van Pet Care Project News - January 2015

Dear Friends:

We're writing to thank you for your support and generosity to our Project over the Holidays.
 
We received mountains of pet food, lots and lots of treats, little warm blankets, toys and much much more. We had two parties for the animals, one at our downtown distribution place and one at Grace Marketplace. Every pet got a gift bag with treats and a toy and the people got cookies.  We were so happy to be able to do this. Thank you for making our work possible.
 
Please continue to support us. We presently need financial donations to cover office expenses, transportation expense and emergency veterinary expenses as well as pet food which must be purchased during the course of the year. 
 
We plan to go on in 2015, with your help. We need some volunteers to help with pet food distribution and also to help people get to clinics with their animals. 
 
To see Home Van Pet Care Project at work, follow this link to the Sun's Photo Galleries.
 
You can continue to drop off pet food, financial donations and other items at Sisset's Home and Patio at 3429 W. University Ave. or the famous carport (call for directions).  Financial donations can be made by PayPal from this blog, or you can mail a check payable to Home Van Pet Care Project, Inc., c/o Elizabeth Howard, P.O. Box 14305, Gainesville FL 32604.  You can call 352-473-9423 for more information. 

Home Van Pet Care News - November/December 2014

CHRISTMAS FOR THE ANIMALS

Home Van Pet Care Project now distributes pet food both Downtown and at Grace Marketplace, our new homeless shelter. One day close to Christmas we will have little parties, with cookies for the people and treats for the dogs and cats.
We hope you can help us provide some Christmas gifts for the animals. Here is our Wish List:

• Treats for both dogs and cats. The kitties are fond of Temptations Tuna Treats and the dogs like Milk Bone dog biscuits and also the ones from Publix. For special treats at Christmas, some canned food, Fancy Feast tuna for the kitties is a luxury and the substantial brands like Paul Newman and Merrill for the dogs.
• Safe toys. Of course the kitties always like catnip mousies and also sometimes like a stuffed toy to cuddle with. The dogs like chewy toys and also seem partial to toys that squeak and stuffed toys.

Soft Blankets. Those small fleece blankets are soft and warm for both dogs and cats.

For the Project in general we need: Collars and leashes for the dogs, Large and Medium, cat carriers in good condition. We always need bags of dry food of any size and tarps for use at campsites are appreciated.

Here are some of our animal friends who will enjoy your gifts:

Ginger is a dear friend. She recently relocated from Tent City to Grace marketplace with her person, and seems very comfortable there.

Beautiful Bella is a sweet little girl. Even though she is very young, she is already a service dog for her person. Bella takes her responsibilities very seriously.

Gator is low to the ground. He lives in a campsite where his people take good care Of him and everyone is his friend.

Marty is a sociable fellow who lives quietly with his person at a well organized campsite. At naptime he sleeps in the tent on his person’s bed.

We just met Bear. He is an older dog and has had an interesting life. Now he seems to prefer naps and loves to be petted.

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.blogspot.com.

Home Van Pet Care News -- September 2014

From Elizabeth Howard, Coordinator

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.

News July/August 2014

From Elizabeth Howard, Coordinator

“… This ain’t no party, this ain’t no disco, this ain’t no foolin around.” (Talking Heads 2004)

Dog days are here again … a hot July bringing with another Tent City eviction. Home Van Pet Care Project started up seven years ago on an eviction that sent homeless people over “across the pipe,” the upper part of the well known area called “Tent City.” Gradually everyone was removed from that area which has been turned into a transit facility. Now everyone has been evicted from Tent City, along with the companion animals that were left, only dogs were transported this time.

OUR DEAR FRIEND SPARTAN, TAKEN FROM TENT CITY AHEAD OF THE EVICTIONS. SPARTAN NEEDS A HOME RIGHT NOW. HE IS AT ALACHUA COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES, 352-264-6870, #A491973.

The prior eviction was seven years ago and this year’s eviction, while carried out with much more kindness from GPD, still left the area looking like a disaster area. This time there was somewhere to go … the new Grace Marketplace One Stop Center. At last count, there are nine dogs and two cats with their people, along with a good many other campers.

Pets are not allowed within the fenced facility yet, so we set up a tie-out area where pet owners can leave their dog for brief periods while they go inside to take a shower, eat a meal or see a social worker. We brought along our dog houses to this area to provide more comfort for the dogs. Long term campers keep their pets at their campsite and we hope to provide more running lines for them.

Some dogs, like Ginger and her person Samantha are old friends. Kitty Yoda also made the move with Richard and Vickie and new dog Pasquale. New friends are Ashley and Paul along with their precious little dog Bella.

We’re at Grace a couple days a week as things come together. We still do our major pet food distribution in the Courtyard behind Civic Media Center on Wednesdays at 2pm and supply pet food at Grace on an as needed basis.

In the time before the eviction, Melodie’s kitties, Jackie and Max were adopted from ACAS. The other three kitties were co-opted by the mean neighbor. We mourn their absence and hope that they are somehow safe and loved.

Ahead of the evictions and out of the campsites, our dear little Munchie was taken to Humane Society Rescue Group. He is in a permanent home now and life is looking good for him.

We are need of harnesses in size medium and large and also good quality running lines so that dogs can be left at campsites for brief periods of time. Please donate for these needs financially or call ahead to determine types. We also need cat carriers in good condition. We always need more dog food and cat food, dry type in bags needed at this time. Please call for drop-off information or pickup to Elizabeth at 352-473-9423. Financial donations are always appreciated, sent by check 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 – May 1, 2014

Providing Food for Pets of the Homeless

Our primary mission is to provide food for pets of homeless and very low income people in our community. Our supporters are generous, and we are sometimes able to provide for other needs: shelter, collars and leashes, county licenses and veterinary attention.

FOOD FIRST: Our primary distribution is on Wednesdays in the Courtyard of the Civic Media Center. We try to make this a peaceful time and give as much as we can. We also sometimes visit campsites to distribute food, water and treats. If you would like to visit, call for information (see below).

Recently we started a DOG HOUSE PROJECT and have now installed four dog houses at various campsites. Each house is made individually by a carpenter friend. In the house pictured, all materials except the nails and screws were obtained recycled. If you would like to contribute to our Dog House Project, please indicate this on your Donation (see below).

Shadow Pardee loves his house And went right in.

CATS IN NEED OF HOME:

Jackie: A#499,500 (left)
Max: A#499,499 (right)

Jackie and Max are sweet and lovable kitties about a year old. They lived peacefully as a small colony tended and loved by a homeless woman for over a year. We helped with spay/neuter and supplied their food and all was well until a neighbor suddenly decided she wanted them out! Jackie and Max were taken to ACAS, but the other three, sadly, are still missing. If you can give these kitties a home, they would make good pets and they surely need your help. You can call Alachua County Animal Services to visit these kitties and for more information.

WHAT’S COMING UP: A new homeless shelter finally. The energy is good, and basic day services will begin on June 1. We’re working with the Homeless Coalition so that dogs and cats can be accommodated. The not so good news is that Tent City will be evicted. Please stand by with us on this as we will be vigilant to see that no dogs or cats are abandoned. HOME VAN PET CARE NEEDS: Volunteers to help with pickup and sorting of food donations; to get our County license tag records up to date; to prepare for fund raisers coming up. We always need bags of dog food and cat food, canned cat food, tarps, collars and harnesses and financial donations.

For more information, to volunteer or to donate, contact Elizabeth Howard, 352-473-9423, holisticliz@hotmail.com. You can contribute financially by PayPal on our blog, http://homevanpetcareproject.blogspot.com or by check made to Home Van pet Care Project, Inc. and mailed to Elizabeth Howard, P.O. Box 14305, Gainesville FL 32604. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR EVERYTHING!