20 - PANACHE
Non-Profit Spotlight
PAWS of Northeast Louisiana Spay-Neuter Services Center
P
by Amber Osbon
PREVENTING THE NEXT GENERATION OF HOMELESS PETS
AWS of Northeast Louisiana developed PAWS of NELA Spay Neuter Services, Inc. as a separate 501(c)3, not for profit organization, to further address the serious epidemic of pet overpopulation in northeast Louisiana. Now, the dream is about to become a reality as extreme renovation begins on our new building at 1601 Southern Avenue, Monroe, LA. In September 2011, we’ll open the low cost, high quality spay neuter center which will provide spaying and neutering at an affordable cost and have the capacity to spay and neuter 6,000 pets each year. Spaying and neutering is the ONLY humane solution to rid our community of the pet overpopulation crisis. “No other disease or condition of companion animals takes as many lives as euthanasia. In fact, no other disease comes close.” - Janet M. Scarlett, DVM, Cornell University. Pet lovers, please take a moment to truly absorb that statement and then use it to further motivate yourself to promote spaying and neutering and support the PAWS of NELA Spay-Neuter Services Center. We need the entire commu-
nity to partner with us on this project, thereby making northeast Louisiana a better place for both pets and people. We continue to raise funds for unforeseen renovations expenses and we need everyone to get involved by donating or raising funds. Every little bit counts! From the large fundraiser to the small garage sale, everyone can find a way to help out. Please view our contribution naming opportunities and tribute/memorial tile information at www.pawsnela.org/sns. The tribute/memorial tiles will be displayed within the lobby of the center.
Pet overpopulation truly affects everyone. It’s costly for our parish tax dollars to run the Ouachita Parish Animal Shelter. Whether you’re a pet lover or not, being proactive in addressing the issue, always makes sense. Tax dollars spent on reactively euthanizing the surplus of animals is only one of the reasons PAWS of NELA Spay-Neuter Services Center is a huge benefit to our community! “Nothing else you do will alleviate as much suffering or prevent the killing or ‘warehousing’ of adoptable pets as quickly or efficiently as spaying and neutering. Prevention of the next generation of homeless pets should be the goal of every humane organization, but it must begin at the source - in the community - before, not after, the damage is done. It is impossible to ‘adopt out’ of the pet overpopulation crisis.” Nancy Burnet, Executive Director, DJ&T Foundation. Proactive spaying and neutering is the only solution! The spay neuter center will be the catalyst for ending pet overpopulation in our community. Please join us in our mission and help us to prevent the next generation of homeless pets in northeast Louisiana.
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