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.

Home Van Pet Care Project News & Update - November/December 2011

Elizabeth Howard, Project Coordinator

Dear Friends – Greetings from Home Van Pet Care Project. During this special time of year when we are reminded to be thankful for the goodness in our lives, of the giving and receiving that means so much … we at Home Van Pet Care Project send heartfelt thanks to all the individuals and groups who support our work with the animals of the homeless and low income pet owners in our community. THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH!

This last month, two young women responded to our request for help to clean up our Tent City Cat Colony area and two volunteers have responded to our need for help in feeding the colony. This is the only colony that we maintain and we love those kitties very dearly. We are very grateful for the help.

Please keep the cat colony in mind this year as you are making Christmas gifts. We need helpers to visit and feed this cat tribe and the time is coming when we may need to relocate them and find homes. This will be a tough decision and an arduous process. We will need helpers, adopters and funding to do this properly. Our primary feeder has been absent and so we do need to think about the future of the tribe. (Read more on Page 2 of this Newsletter and on our blog.) We will keep you advised.

Dog-wise we are keeping our eyes on the best of care and sometimes less than the best. Your donations help us provide wholesome food and then more: license tags, running lines, treats, tarps and bedding. When we help the pets we set the minds of their “owners” (caretakers, guardians) at rest, relieve some of their stress and show them how to do the best possible job even with limited resources.

This month we had a table at the annual Breakfast on the Plaza that is sponsored by the Coalition for the Homeless and Hungry. The coalition donated a quantity of dog food and we matched this with cat food, treats and samples that were given on the spot to dog and cat owners. We gave information about spay/neuter and about our Wednesday pet distribution time and location.

In addition, the Honor Society at Howard Bishop School invited us in for a brief talk about the Project. This is a great group of students who do many community service projects. They are sponsoring a pet food drive for us in January and February. This will require a volunteer to pick up the donations on a weekly basis and deliver to our storage address. Please consider volunteering for this task.

At Thanksgiving and Christmas we need extra quantities of dry food for both dogs and cats as well as small cans of food for both. Cold weather and rain call for more nourishment for both animals and people. We love to have treats at Christmas as well as extra collars and leashes. Tarps and running lines and rope are always handy. We give these with the pet food on Wednesdays when requested.

For more information, to volunteer or to donate pet food and supplies, contact Elizabeth Howard, Coordinator, holisticliz@hotmail.com or 352-473-9423 for drop-off locations or for pickup. Financial donations 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 our PayPal at our blog, http://homevanpetcareproject.blogspot.com. We are a 501(c)3 charitable corporation so all donations are tax deductible.

IMPORTANT POSTSCRIPT: Immediate foster/permanent home needed for the two young kitties at the Tent City Cat Tribe. Call Elizabeth 352-473-9423 for info.
THE TENT CITY CAT TRIBE November 22, 2011 P. 2, Nov/Dec Newsletter

We started Home Van Pet Care Project in Spring of 2007, four and one half years ago. We wanted to help the homeless people and we are very concerned with the lives of all animals.
Our primary mission is to provide pet food for the pets of the homeless and low income people in our community. Care of the Tent City Cat Tribe became our responsibility early on.

Elizabeth says: “I remember going to a gathering of support for the homeless people in our community. A woman who lived in a nearby homeless encampment was there, holding a little kitten that she had found. She was looking for a home for the kitty. I didn’t adopt that kitty, but one thing led to another, and soon I was joined by Operation Catnip staff and volunteers who had a grant to help trap, spay/neuter and return. At that time there was Mama Kitty (Margaret) her four sons and one little girl. The girl came home with me and that was my first gift from the Tent City Cat Tribe.”

The Project has grown. We feed and assist with the care of many cats and dogs. There have been many changes in the Tribe. There has been some sadness, like the death of Sunshine Bright and the recent disappearance of Goldie and Boots. These kitties have given us a lot of joy and love over the years and we feel it is time to remove them from the woods and find them homes.

Here is a bit of the story of the Tent City Cat Tribe:

Margaret is the matriarch, the “Mama Kitty” who has taken such wonderful care of her family. Margaret once had a house and home and deserves to have that again, with a soft pillow to lie on in safety. Of her four sons, only two now survive. Sunshine Light and Mr. Grey are very close to each other and to their mother. They should go together to a wonderful home.

Little Bit came in after the great eviction two years ago. She is not so tiny now, and eats well to keep in shape. She is the one who welcomes us and escorts us down the path when we come to visit and feed. She throws herself down in the path with joy to see us! We want a safe and comfortable home for this little tabby.

The Beautiful Mercedes and her friend Noble Noble are very close. They both came to us after the great eviction. These two might prefer an outside environment with a safe living accommodation for sleeping and hiding. They enjoy a regular diet and plenty of water to drink.

Silver and Gold just came to the tribe recently. They are only about six months old and must be taken soon for spay/neuter. They are very grateful to find a place to eat and they will tame easily in a home. Can you foster these two youngsters or even give them a permanent home?

Please help by volunteering to foster, adopt or help with feeding and transport. Call Elizabeth Howard, 352-473-9423, holisticliz@hotmail.com, Coordinator for Home Van Pet Care Project for more information.

Home Van Pet Care News & Update October/November 2011

From Elizabeth Howard, Project Coordinator.

Our major effort is to feed the animals of the homeless and low income people, and this does lead to lots of other helping efforts.

Right now we need volunteers who can do any size pet food drive before cold weather and holidays. This can be a collection basket in your place of work, it can be your church or social group or you can approach a place where you shop and ask if you can place a collection bin. Just call for more info. (see below)

You can also donate food yourself. We have two drop-off places, or you can just come by the Gainesville Downtown Public Library any Wednesday from 2pm to 3pm where we do our pet food distribution. From now till Christmas I’ll be the one in the PURPLE HAT. We usually sit on the stone benches under the trees to your right as you drive in. We’ll be glad to see you and we can take that donated pet food right over to the car or give it away immediately. You can also call for more info on this. (see below).

UPDATE: Of the several “cat situations” that were reported to us last month, one was successfully resolved by having those four kitties spayed/neutered at a local clinic; in one the kitties mysteriously disappeared from the location reported to us (worrisome); in one there are kittens too young for spay/neuter. The person involved will continue to see that they are fed. And in one the cats are in need of spay/neuter and will need to be trapped. This one is pending. Not perfect, but we’re working on it.

GOOD NEWS: In a pending “dog situation” where the owners refused spay/neuter, the dog was pregnant when the people went to jail. Luckily someone quickly alerted Animal Services who picked up the mom and the babies who had just been born, and they have gone to a Rescue group where they will find a home. That was good news.

CHRISTMAS FOR THE ANIMALS: We’re in the process of preparing gift bags for both dogs and cats. The cats of course love catnip mice and both dogs and cats appreciate all kinds of treats. It is very special for the owners of these pets to have something extra to give, so use your imagination. Our regular favorite foods are Friskies Seafood Sensation, Meow Mix and any Purina types for the cats; Pedigree, Kibbles N Bits and any Purina types for the dogs. Small size canned foods are also good. Tarps and bungee cords are always a help as well as running lines, collars for dogs, elastic-release type collars for cats, dog leashes and all size of harness for the dogs, maybe a couple in cat sizes. That’s the wish list for now.

CAT COLONY area cleanup. Our Tent City Tribe of cats is very neat of course. However, we like to replace the hay in their shelters and rake and clip a bit. Some Saturday early in November we’ll take care of this, so if you’d like to go along just let us know.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call Elizabeth Howard, Coordinator for the Project at 352-473-9423 or holisticliz@hotmail.com to volunteer or for donation drop-off or pick-up. You can also donate needed funds by mail payable to Home Van Pet Care Project, Inc., c/o Elizabeth Howard, P.O. Box 14305, Gainesville, FL 32604, or by PayPal on our blog at http://homevanpetcareproject.blogspot.com . We are a 501c3 charitable organization so all donations are tax deductible

Newsletter and Updates – September 2011

From: Elizabeth Howard, Coordinator - holisticliz@hotmail.com

Our primary mission is to feed the pets of the homeless people In our community. We are an all volunteer group, so all donations can go to the benefit of the animals. We have several projects in process at this time and volunteers are needed to give fresh ideas, energy and time.

We’re planning a pet food drive for October or November and we need several volunteers to help plan and carry it out. Please let us know if you can help. Looking toward the future, in order to increase donations of pet food and funds, we’re considering an ongoing table at a street market as well as tabling at grocery and pet supply stores. Such tables need staff so volunteers will also be needed for this.

We’re also seeking volunteers to help pick up donations, take pet food to storage areas, prepare food for distribution and then distribute the pet food. Our major distribution time is on Wednesdays at the Downtown Public Library and this has proved to be a compatible venue. We also go to campsites to distribute food and we help with transport of animals and people to clinics for spay/neuter and medical needs.

We were shocked on Wednesday when four separate cat/kitten situations were reported to us. It seems that each of these groups of rather wild felines will need to be trapped and then spayed/neutered before being returned to the caretakers who have promised to continue to feed them. They are loved and their caretakers are taking a responsible position. This is a serious situation and one where we will need a lot of help. Please consider volunteering to help these cats. We will help you learn the processes and some valuable helping skills.

In August and September we were able to help quite a number of dogs who live with homeless people. We will usually hear through people who know us that there are dogs at a camp who need help. In August we helped Tanya and Dan to have their adult dog neutered and receive vaccinations. A young pup they had adopted was also neutered and vaccinated. At another camp we found a young dog in need of spay and an older dog who needed to be updated on vaccinations. The same at the camp next door where the resident had kindly taken in a stray.

We link with local free and low cost clinics such as Operation Catnip and Petsnip and they are a great asset to the animals. We are also associated with the Home Van, a local organization long known for their care and compassion in meeting the needs of homeless people.

We need pet food for dogs and cats, preferably bags of good quality dry food. We need to increase our supplies with the cooler weather of fall and winter just around the corner, when dogs, cats and people all need to increase their food intake. To make arrangements, contact Elizabeth Howard, Coordinator, at 352-473-9423, holisticliz@hotmail.com (NE Gainesville) or Jan Zak, Volunteer, at 352-372-4305, jzak17@yahoo.com (SW Gainesville) and possible pick of larger donations.

For general information and to volunteer, contact Coordinator Elizabeth Howard, 352-473-9423, holisticliz@hotmail.com. Financial contributions 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 Pay Pal on our blog, http://homevanpetcareproject.blogspot.com. All goods and and monetary donations are greatly appreciated and tax deductible.

Newsletter and Updates – August 2011

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.

We Got It!

HOME VAN PET CARE PROJECT
NEWS AND UPDATE – June 2011
From Elizabeth Howard, Facilitator

WE GOT IT! Home Van Pet Care Project has received its Federal tax exempt status in record time – only 30 days – and we are now Home Van Pet Care Project, Inc., a nonprofit 501c3 charitable corporation. All deductions are directly tax deductible, and we can apply for grants and other assistance from agencies and organizations.

We are, as you know, an offshoot of the Home Van itself, a local non-profit group that travels around to feed the homeless and hungry people. We are their sister group for four years now, and our mission is to feed and care for the animals of the homeless.

All our pet food and supplies come to us from your generous in kind and financial contributions. With temperatures hitting around 100 degrees everyone showed up for pet food distribution time at the library. We’re seeing new people almost every week. We see the worry in their eyes, even though they try to hide it.

Yesterday a couple attended with their dog, Lena. Lena recently had surgery at the St. Francis Veterinary Clinic and needs special care and of course a regular diet. We’re glad to be able to help with that. These people are soon to lose their home to foreclosure and they’re looking for a tent … tomorrow they’ll eat soup with the Home Van and get onto the Home Van tent list. Tents are scarce and we hope they can get one soon.

Other people have been homeless for a while. Sam is worried that day labor has dried up. He has two dogs to feed. Cal showed up for cat food, after being able to provide his own for a few weeks. Will Food Stamps be more difficult to obtain? My friend’s brother was denied his Food Stamps this week because of a very old arrest on his record. He has two cats. Lots of people share their own food with their pets. If no Food Stamps and a 130 limit on meals at St. Francis, we really need to oppose that limit and help individually as much as we can.

We’ve never run out of pet food and we intend to stay that way. We take responsibility for the Tent City Tribe of cats. Sweet Goldie disappeared from the tribe a few weeks ago. This is the first time we’ve had that happen, we are very sad and we miss him. We think of relocating the colony to a safer place, but that hasn’t happened. We continue to provide their food along with all the others.

If you would like more information, call Elizabeth Howard, 352-473-9423, holisticliz@hotmail.com. We have a drop off location and can sometimes pick up also. The cats like Friskies Seafood Sensation, Meow Mix and Purina; the dogs like Pedigree, Kibble n Bits and Purina. Financial contributions can be made payable to Home Van Pet Care Project, Inc., and mailed to Elizabeth Howard, Post Office Box 14305, Gainesville, FL 32604. You can also donate by PayPal on our blog, http://homevanpetcareproject.blogspot.com.

Home Van Pet Care Project Newsletter

Home Van Pet Care Project Newsletter, May 2011
From Elizabeth Howard, Project Coordinator

April 2011 marks our fourth year as a pet care project for pets of the homeless people. Our model has been the Home Van itself, a local project that feeds the homeless and hungry people. We admire and respect Home Van founders Arupa and Bob Freeman as well as the Home Van troop of volunteers and hope we can help as much as they have. See Info Sheet #2 on our blog, "History of Home Van Pet Care Project".

In order to celebrate properly, we filed our application for Federal tax deductible status (generally referred to as “501c3”). This is a paperwork nightmare, but fortunately we had help, and our application was filed on April 12, 2011. Approval can take several months, and in the meantime we will utilize our Florida non-profit corporation, Home Van Pet Care Project, Inc., for financial donations and to assure accountability. We have also established a PayPal account for convenient donating. You can find it on our blog, at http://homevanpetcareproject.blogspot.com.

Our primary mission remains the distribution of pet food to homeless people. All our pet food comes to us by donation and we never have too much, all donations are welcome. All our thanks go to volunteers and supporters who continue to give and help and wish us well in our efforts.

A BIT ON THE DOWNSIDE: Our cat colony campsite in Tent City was vandalized recently. Tarps were torn off of tables and everything was thrown around. Fortunately the cats were not injured, but it was shocking to enter the campsite and see the mess that was made. The property owner gives us this area for feeding the cats, and we have helpers on the property. We need more people to visit and give treats and generally keep an eye out for the safety of the cats. Can you volunteer for this? See contact information below.


There are also two dogs in Tent City who need a foster home for about two weeks, while their owners are away. They need a fenced yard where they can run. Their names are Bigger and Nip Nip, and they are friendly, well behaved dogs who you will like.

A BRIEF DIGRESSION: Two years ago, everyone was evicted from our largest Tent City, down south Main Street area. That is where we have our cat colony as well as dogs and cats living with their people and where we as volunteers have spent a lot of time. Gradually, people have moved back in, with permission required from the property owner and supervision of Gainesville Police Department.

Here we have a neighborhood, where there is sometimes vandalism, sometimes violence, sometimes addictions and so on. On the other hand, there are people who live in peace and care for each other and the property. Some people are likeable and some not so much. Some people take wonderful care of their animals and some not so good. The homeless life is difficult and we will probably never know exactly how to help. But we can help with the animals, and we will help you if you want to come into the tent areas on behalf of Home Van Pet Care.

We distribute pet food in several other areas, including downtown at the library on Wednesdays, at other campsites and by giving food to volunteers who travel to other parts of Gainesville. Our goal is to provide more food for more animals in need.

For more information, to volunteer, to donate pet food and supplies, call Elizabeth Howard, Coordinator, 352-473-9423, holisticliz@hotmail.com. Financial donations can be made payable to Home Van Pet Care Project, Inc., and mailed to P.O. Box 14305, Gainesville, FL 32604, or sent through our PayPal on our blog at http://homevanpetcareproject.blogspot.com.