Pets Are Loving Support

Intown nonprofit nears 25th anniversary of helping people and pets

By Kathy Dean

As part of our anniversary, we’d like to re ect on another organization that has grown alongside us, one that contributes much to the Intown community – Pets Are Loving Support (P.A.L.S.). As a matter of fact, P.A.L.S. will be celebrating a major anniversary of its own next year. In January 2015, the nonpro t organization will reach the 25-year mark.

P.A.L.S.’ mission – to provide ongoing care and support to pets of Atlanta area persons with critical illnesses, disabilities and the elderly – allows pets to stay with their owners at a time when they need each other the most. It’s well known that the powerful human-animal bond brings healing through love and companionship.

“We serve 450 animals every month, and we haven’t ever turned anyone away, not even when the economy had its downturn,” said Kevin Bryant, P.A.L.S. executive director. “It can be a challenge, of course, since a lot of the people are facing very tough health and nancial issues, but when it comes down to it, we’re there for the pets – and that only makes the owners’ lives better.”

Bryant has been heading up P.A.L.S. for a little over eight years. While he’s the only sta member, and does everything from client services to grant writing, he was quick to point out that there’s also a core group of about 250 volunteers who all have their own special niches where they help, from food delivery to fundraising.

Speaking of fundraising, P.A.L.S.’ monthly bingo games are a well-known community event. e games are held at Jungle Atlanta and feature tasty food, lively music and exquisite drag queens who keep the party going strong. Bingo is an important part of the P.A.L.S. heritage, especially since it’s the group’s longest running source of income.

Last November, however, saw a new, exciting event—the Manly Miss America Pageant. It got such an overwhelming response, it’s being repeated this year on Nov. 8.

Photos are posted online and people vote for their favorites. e top 10 then appear in swimwear and eveningwear competitions – as well as in the delightful funding. We survive on donations and the goodwill of the community alone.” e story of P.A.L.S. is a touching one: Two Atlanta businesswomen, veterinarian Dr. Susan Wynn and educator Dr. Margaret Schulte, were both volunteers for Project Open Hand. ey met and discovered they shared a love of animals and a commitment to working with AIDS patients. is predicament touched the women’s hearts. ey both understood that while this man was risking his life to care for his pet, the cat was his best friend, his only friend. e human-animal bond was critically important for his well-being. ey further realized that this was not likely to be an uncommon issue for AIDS patients, most of whom had lost their jobs, homes and savings once they’d been diagnosed. Drs. Wynn and Schulte decided to take action and began to collect pet food. From this simple act of caring, P.A.L.S. was born. question and answer segment. Last year, Bryant represented Alaska by dressing as Sarah Palin. As convincing as he was, the winner was a manly Dallas Cowboys cheerleader.

While talking with another volunteer, they learned that there was a nearby AIDS patient who lived alone with his cat. He so loved his cat that he was sharing his one meal a day with it. He was also using the little money he had for vet care instead of his much-needed medications.

It’s through these fun events that P.A.L.S. raises money for serious work.

“We cover a lot of services for the people and their pets,” Bryant adds. “And we get no state or federal

Since it started in 1990, P.A.L.S. has delivered free pet food to more than 1,000 clients and 1,300 companion animals in the metro Atlanta area. Today, the group also transports pets to veterinary clinics and pays for basic care, like exams, annual shots and spaying/neutering. When necessary, the organization can even provide contacts for free foster care and adoption programs.

For Bryant, as for the volunteers, working with P.A.L.S. is a labor of love. “I love my job,” he said. “And I love that I’m able to help so many animals in this city.”

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