News

Shelter Alliance of Portland Awarded $180,500 Grant by the ASPCA

Contact: Anika Moje, Animal Shelter Alliance of Portland; (503) 802-6727; Anikam@oregonhumane.org

Feb. 17, 2012

Animal Coalition Targets Portland Neighborhoods

Portland, Oregon: An alliance of Portland-area animal organizations will be strengthening its efforts to help owners of pit bulls and cats in southeast Portland, thanks to a generous $180,500 grant from the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®).

Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping conducted by the ASPCA identified a specific geographic location within the metro area that will be the focus of efforts to encourage responsible pet ownership practices for owners of pit bulls and young cats. The goal of the one-year grant to the Animal Shelter Alliance of Portland (ASAP) is to increase the live release rate of homeless dogs and cats in shelters in this area, which includes portions of the Hazelwood and Mill Park neighborhoods in southeast Portland.

“This grant is a great example of how the entire community can come together to find innovative solutions that help save more animal lives. Multnomah County Animal Services is proud to be part of this community effort with its focus on spay/neuter, and helping promote responsible pet ownership,” said Michael Oswald, director of Multnomah County Animal Services.

Sharon Harmon, executive director of the Oregon Humane Society, said the grant “will help us tackle some of the most pressing animal issues that face this community. We’re proud to say that ASAP members did not euthanize any healthy shelter animals last year, and with this grant we can make a real difference in combating pet overpopulation.”

Dr. Emily Weiss, vice president of shelter research and development for the ASPCA, said the ASPCA is eager to assist Portland in developing new ways to decrease risk for community dogs and cats. “It is clear that ASAP is dedicated to improving the lives of Portland’s animals and it is our hope that this grant will allow them to continue their life-saving efforts.”

For dogs, the program will strive to increase responsible pet ownership through a variety of efforts, including: introducing incentives for spaying and neutering dogs; offering waived redemption fees for impounded dogs; offering puppy classes and personalized pet ID tags; and providing fenced yards for dogs who are chained or tethered. The grant also will fund a youth-to-youth program to reward innovative youth-developed efforts promoting responsible pet ownership.

For cats, the grant builds on ASAP’s existing Spay & Save program, which provides low and no-cost spay and neuter services to low-income residents. The grant will help expand the existing network of Spay & Save partners and will offer new services to promote responsible ownership. For example, cat owners from targeted areas can qualify for free cat licenses and personalized ID tags, free crates to transport their cats to a veterinary clinic, and a $75 credit toward veterinary care. The program also will work with local apartment managers to encourage responsible pet ownership among tenants, and with local human service organizations to provide needed human services to pet owners.

ASAP is composed of the following Portland-area animal shelters and organizations: the Alliance for Contraception in Cats and Dogs; Cat Adoption Team; Clackamas County Dog Services; Feral Cat Coalition; Humane Society for SW Washington; Multnomah County Animal Services; Oregon Humane Society; Portland Veterinary Medical Association; SW Washington Veterinary Association; and Washington County Animal Services.

2012: A Spay Odyssey is Here: Free Surgeries February 27 – March 2

*In honor of World Spay Day the Animal Shelter Alliance of Portland (ASAP) boldly sets out to alter 500 cats in one week. For free!

2012: A Spay Odyssey

2012: A Spay Odyssey

500 Cats to be Altered In One Week to help Low-Income Residents

Portland, OR:  In honor of World Spay Day on February 28, and to prevent unwanted litters of kittens from being born this spring, the Animal Shelter Alliance of Portland (ASAP) is offering 500 free spay/neuter surgeries the week of February 27 in five locations around the Portland/Vancouver metro area. World Spay Day is an annual occurrence that aims to highlight  spay/neuter as a proven means of ending pet overpopulation and is part of a global, united effort to end the euthanasia and suffering of companion animals.

Qualified cat owners can have their unsterilized cats or kittens spayed or neutered for free during the week. Caretakers of stray or feral cats can take advantage of this offer as well.  Surgeries are performed by licensed veterinarians and subsidized through charitable donations.

“In an average week our program helps 200 cats, adding more surgery slots than usual and offering the surgeries for free this week will help us reach even more cats during this crucial time of year”, says Joyce Briggs, President of the Alliance for Contraception in Cats and Dogs, and a volunteer with the ASAP Spay & Save Program. “In wintertime cats go into season, and many are pregnant by March. Preventing those kittens is the reason for this event. With nearly 22,000 cats entering our area shelters annually, we need to focus on finding good homes for them, without a flood of kittens this Spring. There are not enough homes for all of them.”

What: Over 500 free cat spay/neuter surgery spots will be available the week of February 27 – March 2.

How to Qualify: Qualified cat owners must live in Clackamas, Multnomah, Washington, or Clark Counties AND receive government assistance, such as Medicaid, food stamps,  Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Section 8/Public housing, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Women, Infants and Children (WIC), Oregon Health plan and Subsidized Lunch Program funding.

Where: Services provided by licensed veterinarians and caring surgical teams at the locations below. Transportation assistance may be available for those unable to take advantage of this offer because of travel issues.

Cat Adoption Team – Sherwood
Oregon Humane Society – NE Portland
Multnomah County Animal Services – Troutdale
Humane Society of SW Washington – Vancouver
Feral Cat Coalition – for strays or feral cats

How to Participate: Call 1-800-345-SPAY for a cat you own; or 503-797-2606 for feral cats. Free spay/neuter appointments will be scheduled for February 27 – March 2, 2012 only.

#   # #

The free spay/neuter surgeries are being offered through the Animal Shelter Alliance of Portland’s Spay & Save program. ASAP is a coalition of the greater Portland area’s leading animal welfare organizations and the veterinary community. The Spay & Save program is working to reduce the number of cats and kittens that are coming into our shelters every year – over 22,000 in 2010 alone. This vital program is funded through private donations as well as grant monies. Special thanks to PetSmart Charities® for their grant support.  See www.spaysave.org for details on qualifying, addresses of surgery locations and more.

Jolly St Snip is Coming to Town – Fix Your Cat For Free Dec 5 – 9

The Oregon Humane Society and four other local animal organizations are bringing “Jolly

Jolly St Snip

St. Snip” and his bounty of free spay and neuter surgeries to town this December. Qualifying low-income cat lovers can have their favorite felines spayed and neutered at no charge from Dec. 5 – 9 at one of five locations throughout the metro area.

“St. Snip is bringing the best of all holiday gifts to animal lovers,” said Sharon Harmon, OHS executive director. “The metro area faces a huge overpopulation of cats, and spaying or neutering your feline is the best thing you can do to prevent needless suffering.”

OHS plans to spay or neuter 225 cats on Dec. 7th, with other participating groups planning to fix an additional 275 Dec. 5 – 9. Caretakers of stray or feral cats can take advantage of this offer as well. The participating animal organization (see complete list below) are members of the Animal Shelter Alliance of Portland, which operates the Spay & Save program for low-income residents of the metro area.

“Now is the perfect time to spay or neuter your fertile cats to prevent unwanted litters of kittens being born in spring. Prevention is the key to reducing the number of unwanted cats brought to local animal shelters or free-roaming in your neighborhood,” said Joyce Briggs, President of the Alliance for Contraception in Cats and Dogs, and volunteer with ASAP Spay & Save Program.

The Animal Shelter Alliance of Portland believes that all cats should spend the holidays at home this year, and is including a free identifying microchip for every owned cat that is spayed or neutered through the Jolly St. Snip campaign. The microchips are provided thanks to a generous grant from PetSmart Charities®.

What: Over 500 free cat spay/neuter surgery spots will be available the week of December 5 – 9.

How to Qualify: Qualified cat owners must live in Clackamas, Multnomah, Washington, or Clark Counties AND receive government assistance, such as Medicaid, food stamps,  Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Section 8/Public housing, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Women, Infants and Children (WIC), Oregon Health plan and Subsidized Lunch Program funding.
Where: Services provided by licensed veterinarians and caring surgical teams at the locations below. Transportation assistance may be available for those unable to take advantage of this offer because of travel issues.
 

Cat Adoption Team – Sherwood
Oregon Humane Society – NE Portland
Multnomah County Animal Services – Troutdale
Humane Society of SW Washington – Vancouver
Feral Cat Coalition – for strays or feral cats  

How to Participate: Call 1-800-345-SPAY for a cat you own; or 503-797-2606 for feral cats. Free spay/neuter appointments will be scheduled for December 5 through 9 only. 
 # # #

 The free spay/neuter surgeries are being offered through the Animal Shelter Alliance of Portland’s Spay & Save program. ASAP is a coalition of the greater Portland area’s leading animal welfare organizations and the veterinary community. The Spay & Save program is working to reduce the number of cats and kittens that are coming into our shelters every year – over 22,000 in 2010 alone. This vital program is funded through private donations as well as grant monies. Special thanks to PetSmart Charities® http://www.petsmartcharities.org for their grant support.  See http://www.spaysave.org/ for details on qualifying, addresses of surgery locations and more.