Happy PAWS Haven, Inc. Spay/Neuter Fund
to the Spay/Neuter
Fund
WOOFstock
is our first attempt to raise money for the Happy PAWS
Haven, Inc., Spay/Neuter Fund. This is the seed money
we will use to provide a badly needed Spay/Neuter
program for the residents of Marshall County, Alabama.
We all know someone that has dogs and cats that continue
to have litters of puppies and kittens that probably
can’t afford to spay or neuter all the animals they
have. After the dogs and cats are born they find
themselves in a position where they have to find homes
for all these animals or take more extreme measures to
“get rid of” the unwanted babies. We believe this
program will help these people to find a way out of this
cycle of the unwanted birth of companion animals and
sometimes, unnecessary death.
The
Spay/Neuter program will be made available to all
residents of Marshall County that can prove residency in
the county. This is an honor system in a way – please
don’t bring your sister or father’s dogs that live in
another county in to get “fixed” and say they are
yours. We will concentrate on the most needy cases
first – those people with multiple animals that continue
to birth multiple litters. As the fund grows through
the generous donations of people like yourself, we will
open the program to all in need. The number of dogs and
cats we can spay or neuter depends on how much money we
have in the bank.
The
fund will be available to the public at large after
January 1, 2008. Eligible participants will be
responsible to pay a “co-pay” amount that is yet to be
determined, but will be affordable, at the time the dog
or cat is scheduled for its surgery. The spay/neuter
fund will compensate the participating veterinarian for
the difference between the co-pay amount and the
veterinarian’s actual pre-determined fee for the
spay/neuter surgery. Any additional charges required by
the veterinarian are the responsibility of the patient’s
owner. Additional charges will probably include a
rabies vaccination, worm control, flea and tick control,
boarding charges, and any other service provided by the
veterinarian that is agreed upon prior to the surgery by
the dog or cat owner.
Our
original intent and ongoing intent is centered around
starting the spay/neuter program, organizing it,
directing it and managing the processes until such time
as it can be set up as its own IRS approved 501c3
organization, at which time Happy PAWS Haven, Inc. will
separate our involvement from the fund to a certain
extent. A Board of Directors for the Fund is being
assembled and the members will be announced after
November 1, 2007. This Board will provide oversight of
the Fund and recommend policy and legal determinations.
It will not have operational or management
responsibilities for the Fund. Operational and
management functions will be provided by Happy PAWS
Haven, Inc.
We are
organizing this fund and program under the auspices of
our IRS approved 501c3 designation so that we may better
negotiate pricing for a number of things and so that
services may be donated and the donors receive a
tax-deductible donation receipt for their income tax
purposes. Our tax deductible EIN number is 72-1519078.
All
veterinarians in Marshall County may not be interested
in interacting with the spay/neuter program, however, a
list of participating veterinarians will be published
prior to January 1, 2008. If necessary we will arrange
for a mobile spay/neuter clinic to service Marshall
County. Additionally, we will contact the Auburn
Veterinary College to enlist the aid of veterinary
students (if an arrangement can be made) to assist in
providing surgical services under the supervision of a
qualified veterinarian.
The
AVMA (Alabama Veterinary Medical Association) board will
meet November 4th to discuss the availability of the
AVMA to handle accounts payable to participating
veterinarians from the fund. They are already providing
this service for groups in several counties in Alabama.
If they choose not to handle the accounts payable
responsibility then we will contract with an independent
accountant/CPA to provide the service. This service is
necessary to provide separation of Happy PAWS Haven,
Inc. from the Happy PAWS Haven, Inc. Spay/Neuter Fund.
The
Happy PAWS Haven, Inc. Spay/Neuter Fund will be
established in an interest bearing account in a
reputable financial institution. Donations can be made
directly into the Fund or by sending a check or money
order to: The Happy PAWS Haven, Inc. Spay/Neuter Fund,
c/o Happy PAWS Haven, Inc., 59 Granada Road, Arab,
Alabama 35016. The financial institution of record for
the Fund will be announced by November 15, 2007.
Thank
you for your participation in this effort to reduce the
number of unwanted companion animals in our community.
The overpopulation of dogs and cats has reached an
epidemic level in Marshall County. The number of
adoptable dogs and cats taken to municipal and county
animal intake shelters has increased dramatically and so
has the number of dogs and cats euthanized. As a
community we believe that we all agree that this is
unacceptable and must change. This is the first step to
the change that is necessary and that is coming to
Marshall County with regard to the protection of dogs
and cats and the provide relief to the owners of
companion animals as well.
For
further information please contact:
David Harvey, Business Manager
Happy PAWS Haven, Inc.
256.653.1674
davidh@happypawshaven.org
Office hours are 10 am to 6 pm
Monday, 10 am to 2 pm Saturday and we are closed Sunday
to the Spay/Neuter Fund
