3 minute read
Executive Director Focus
Dear Friends,
It can happen to anyone with a pet. Circumstances change and you are suddenly faced with a terrible choice. Do you deny the animal you love medical care, or do you have to say goodbye and take him or her to a shelter, just because you cannot afford resources or services the pet needs?
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Nobody should ever have to feel this way. SafeHaven believes strongly that PETS ARE FAMILY and developed a program aimed at supporting this belief. With the financial help of the Petco Foundation in the form of a $10,000 grant, we are proud to announce our Pets Are Family Fund. This fund is near and dear to my heart for many reasons like the story below: prevent homelessness by providing pet owners the resources that will improve their pet’s overall health and wellness or quality of life, such as our Pet Food Pantry and Wellness Clinics. It will also be available to help individuals who lack the financial resources to have their pets spayed or neutered and, finally, it will help provide a small grant to owners who cannot afford needed medical treatment for their pet to improve its quality of life.
One night, Sue called the intake line at SafeHaven after hours. I just happened to be staying late that night, so I took the call. Immediately, I knew something was wrong. Sue was crying. She was trying to tell me between sobs that she needed to surrender her dog, Eddy, and needed an appointment. My first thought was, "She loves this dog", so I asked her their story. Eddy was her best friend. Eddy had been with Sue for 8 years. He was there to comfort her when her husband passed away unexpectedly, he was there to remind her to keep going when she became unable to work, and he was there to keep her company when no one else was. Eddy was her family. Eddy had recently been to his veterinarian for his yearly check up, something she did faithfully whether she could afford the appointment or not, but his visit revealed that now Eddy needed daily medication and prescription food to help maintain his kidney function. Sue just did not have any extra money each month for the special food. She could cover the daily medication, but not the prescription food, and she was not going to let her best friend suffer due to her lack of financial resources so that is why she made the call to SafeHaven to surrender Eddy. But I knew in my heart, they belonged together.
If this past year has taught us anything, it has taught us how animals make our lives better! It is estimated that each year, over 500,000 pet guardians in the U.S. face a harrowing moment: A realization that the potentially life saving treatment or resource that their pet needs is beyond their financial reach. SafeHaven’s PETS ARE FAMILY program is designed to help I am so proud of SafeHaven for seeing a need in our community and doing our best to help meet that need. For me, the Pets Are Family program exemplifies what the Petco Foundation and SafeHaven know to be true regarding pet ownership: The ability to keep pets and people together
should transcend socio-economic barriers and pets are
vital member of our communities and families. Your support allows us to continue programs just like these.
For the Animals,
Chris Storm
Executive Director
PS: To complete the story, I was able to keep Sue and Eddy together by helping provide the special food each month until Sue found a way to afford it in her monthly budget. We wish Sue & Eddy many more years by each other's side.
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