The progress at PVAC continues and, while there is still more work to be done, it is becoming clearer with every passing day that the South Texas community wants to move towards life saving together!
Over 3,000 dogs and cats have been transferred out to multiple rescues since the beginning of the year (as we mentioned in our last installment of this series, just over 600 of those originally came to APA!). To put this into perspective, that is more than half of what was done in the whole of last year! The save rate is holding steady at 51% (up from 35% a few months ago) – a number that should continue to encourage the community and supporters of PVAC’s decision to make such massive improvements. As the saying goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and that applies to the work being done in Palm Valley.
The team has worked to establish a relationship with California based organization, Helen Woodward Animal Center – a rescue that regularly transfers animals from other shelters into their care. The organization plans to come on May 14th to pick up their first group of puppies. The staff at PVAC is hopeful that this will become a continuous relationship!
With the arrival of warmer months, kitten season is in full swing. Kittens are pouring in, and sadly, many are orphaned. The PVAC team has worked to find help for these tiny lives – like identifying surrogate moms, bringing on fosters, and reaching out to rescues.
With the steady flow of kittens, cats, puppies and dogs coming in the door, the shelter staff continues to improve upon the intake routine. All animals are now receiving Nexguard on intake, which preps the animals for further treatment of skin conditions on an as-needed basis.
The shelter has seen an increase in medical cases coming in and are in need of more aid from groups who take on medical cases. To highlight some positive changes the shelter is experiencing because of the protocols and communications the APA! Team was able to put in place, the shelter is seeing some exciting and valuable support from community members. Four owned dogs were able to stay with their owners due to a very generous donor that paid for medical fees (versus the alternative of owner surrender!).
Among these other life-saving actions, adoptions play a critical role. Last week, the team saw a good number of both cat and dog adoptions. Due to the large amount of puppies they are currently intaking, an adoption special has been kicked off featuring $10 adoption fees for puppies! Of course, appropriate screening and adoption processes will still apply. And to increase adoptions of animals overall, the public can take part in “Free the Shelter Adoption Event” – this weekend (May 4-6), all adoption fees of all animals will be just $10.00, thanks to a grant awarded to the shelter!
This week also brought Charly, a Japanese Macaque, and the true grassroots community effort that saved his life. For more on his story, click here to see the Facebook updates.This week also brought 21 rabbits taken in from an abandoned house – all 21 of which left this morning to Retired Rabbit Sanctuary.
Thanks again to Best Friends Animal Society for providing the grant that allows our APA! staffer to help coordinate these lifesaving efforts – and stay tuned for more news from the ground in Edinburg, Texas!
