2022 IN REVIEW
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SANFORD LOCATION
2800 County Home Road
Sanford, FL 32773
ALAFAYA CLINIC
12050 E. Colonial Drive Orlando, FL 32826
DOWNTOWN CAT SHELTER
777 W. Central Blvd. Orlando, FL 32805
(407) 351-7722
PetAllianceOrlando.org
As we turn the calendar pages to a new year, we at the Pet Alliance want to thank you for an incredibly remarkable 2022. The year included our most successful Paws in the Park, Wine Label Contest, and Furball. It's astounding to achieve our best success in one event, but to do it in all three events was phenomenal.
We also ended the year with some great program celebrations including the opening of our Downtown Cat Shelter in late September. This enables us to have a shelter and adoption location in Orlando once again. Additionally, we were able to increase the important TNVR work we have been doing through our Alafaya clinic by specifically focusing on downtown neighborhoods.
STEVE BARDY
Executive Director
CATHY RODGERS
Director of Development
KATHY BURNS
Director of Operations
KELLY LUDWIG
Director of Clinic Services
BARBARA MUZENI
Finance Director
LINDSAY FRAMSTEAD
HR Director
JOSH POWERS
Chair
CHRISTINE O’NEAL
Vice Chair
BRIAN DAVIS
Treasurer
JULIE AXELROD
Secretary
KERRI FARRELL
SUZANNE MAGEE-FLEMING
PADGETT MCCORMICK
LINDY MOORE
LUKE PARTRIDGE
LOUISE PHILP
JASON WATKINS
This successful momentum sets us up to eagerly greet this year with a renewed sense of purpose and desire to change for the better. And we are starting 2023 with some fun changes and plans for the future.
The first change is to our logo. Don’t worry, we did not abandon Wags and Whiskers. We're simply giving them a refresh. The changes are subtle, but important. Most noticeably, Wags and Whiskers are now in full body form. They are too cute to only have head shots. In addition, we will remove the outer lining of the logo so they don't feel caged in. Finally, Wags' color is more buff and less yellow. The updated logo will be showcased in our clinics and shelters as we give these locations slight facelifts.
The second change is quite literally more groundbreaking. Being in the midst of assessments, schematic designs, permitting and land clearing can only mean one thing: breaking ground on our new state-of-the-art shelter and medical facility! We spent the better part of 2022 working with architects and builders to create the new 25,000 sq. ft. facility scheduled to open in late 2024. Look for more details in the coming year about the building, including its design and impact on animal welfare in our community.
These successes and exciting new plans for 2023 are because of you — our outstanding donors, volunteers, and supporters. Through your efforts, we continue to provide upgrades to our veterinary clinics and shelter facilities. And in the near future, we have a new transport vehicle arriving to assist in bringing in more dogs and cats from shelters that are struggling.
Thank you all for making 2022 the most incredible year for the welfare and well-being of the cats and dogs we help at Pet Alliance. We look forward to your dedicated support in making 2023 another year to remember!
Stephen Bardy Executive DirectorEach November, animal-loving Central Floridians come together for an evening of elegance and fun to benefit Pet Alliance. The Furball gala is our largest fundraiser of the year, and we are thrilled to say that the 2022 event was the most successful yet! Guests spent the “evening in the garden"-themed event cuddling adorable puppies and kittens, bidding on exclusive auction items and enjoying royal entertainment. The highlight of the night was the generosity of the guests during the lively Give from the Heart, where nearly everyone in the room made a gift to support the Pet Alliance.
We'd like to thank our sponsors, committee, attendees, and donors. These diamonds of the season helped us raise an incredible $747,914!
and be sure to purchase your sponsorships early for this year’s Furball on November 4, 2023, which will return to the beautiful Four Seasons Resort at Walt Disney World. Sponsorships and tickets sell fast, so keep a lookout for the on-sale date later this spring.
Contact Amanda Henry at ahenry@petallianceorlando.org for more information!
In 2022, Pet Alliance was able to help thousands of animals through its shelters and clinics. Whether it was providing lifesaving medical care, vaccines and wellness services, or temporary shelter for homeless animals, Pet Alliance staff and volunteers were ready to help out. Here are a couple of highlights from the year.
In July 2022, news broke of 4,000 beagles being rescued from a mass-breeding facility in Virginia riddled with animal welfare concerns. Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando is one of the many agencies that have partnered with the Humane Society of the United States to rescue these dogs and help them find homes.
Staff traveled to Virginia to pick up the dogs and returned late on a Friday evening with 15 beagles. Upon arriving at Pet Alliance, the dogs received their initial doses of preventative care and were tested for heartworms. The unique personality of each dog was apparent as the staff weighed, fed, and examined them. A blend of sweetness, curiosity, and nervousness was a common theme for all 15 beagles. Pet Alliance is proud to be one of the agencies helping to give these animals the lives they deserve.
Sheba arrived at Pet Alliance on July 28, 2021. Most of her life had been spent outdoors, and as a slightly older and larger mixed breed dog, we knew it might take a bit longer to find her forever home. She had some limitations on the type of home she could go to and a lingering knee injury from being hit by a car that was causing her discomfort. It’s easy to understand why she needed some extra time and patience. In addition to providing her daily care and enrichment, Pet Alliance also coordinated a special surgery to address her leg injury. Finally, in November 2022, the right adopter came along in a gentleman named Randy.
I was looking for a rescue just like her. One who’d been there a while, that nobody wanted. Hopefully a senior dog. I think dogs give so much of themselves to their owners, when they’re then abandoned it breaks my heart. I just want to give back to them what they so freely gave. So, for me, it didn’t matter what breed, or if they were a puppy or large or small. In that sense, I didn’t really pick her, she picked me!
Our first encounter was at Pet Alliance Sanford, and she was brought out to me in a large outdoor kennel. She approached me and asked for some pets, and then sat beside me for a while and enjoyed some attention. She even reached up and gave me some kisses — which I didn’t expect! I was told her story and knew that she was exactly what I’d hoped to find.
We’ve had some challenges; it’s not easy for her to adjust from nearly a year and a half in a kennel with all the other dogs, all the things going on — to being inside a quiet home. So, we try to be patient with each other.
She enjoys laying out in the sun in the backyard. I think I’m happiest when I see her frolicking in the yard, playing with toys, and soaking in the sun. She seems content, and that makes me happy. I may have been a little long winded, but I hope Sheba’s story encourages others to take a chance on an older dog. They won’t regret it.
On September 27, Pet Alliance staff, board, volunteers and community members joyfully celebrated the grand opening of the Downtown Cat Shelter. Located in the heart of Orlando, the facility operates as a cat shelter and a hub for our Orlando foster program. The space also includes a shelter medical suite where Dr. Andersen can perform surgeries and provide other lifesaving care to shelter cats. In the first four months, 504 cats were adopted from the facility, and we anticipate hundreds more will find their forever home in 2023.
777 W. Central Blvd., Orlando, FL 32805
Hours of Operation
Monday - Tuesday: 12pm - 5pm
Thursday - Saturday: 12pm - 5pm
CLOSED Wednesday and Sunday
Pet Alliance is looking forward to getting involved in our new neighborhood. Staff met with local youth organizations to find out how we can provide volunteer and career training opportunities for students. Pet Alliance is including the area in its community cat outreach and TNVR efforts to help reduce the local homeless kitten population. The goal is to remain in this location after the new Orlando shelter opens and utilize the space as an affordable veterinary clinic. The future looks bright for animals and pet owners in downtown Orlando!
Pet food might not be every kid’s dream birthday present, but Parker sees things a little differently. For the past five years, Parker has hosted a donation drive for Pet Alliance as a birthday celebration instead of asking for gifts. This year’s special delivery consisted of an amazing 1,658 pounds of dry pet food and 175 pounds of wet pet food!
He was first inspired to collect donations because he wasn’t old enough to physically volunteer, but still wanted to do something to help our animals. Parker’s mom, Terri, is a volunteer with our Sanford shelter. Parker has two cats, two dogs, two guinea pigs, and a leopard gecko. His favorite thing about having so many pets is that he’s never lonely or bored. There's always someone to snuggle or play with!
This incredible act of kindness not only benefits our shelter pets, but also helps us ensure no animals go hungry this holiday season through our Pet Food Pantry program.
Create a legacy that will help dogs and cats in Central Florida today and in the future. Each year, gifts of all sizes that are made through bequests, IRA charitable rollovers, and beneficiary designations make a lasting impact on Pet Alliance’s work to help the most vulnerable animals in our community. If you have thought about how you can help animals through a gift in your will or through your IRA, below are a few things to consider.
You may be looking for a way to make a significant gift to help further our mission. A bequest is a gift made through your will or trust. It is one of the most popular and flexible ways that you can support Pet Alliance.
Benefits of a Bequest:
You leave a lasting legacy to be remembered
You lessen the burden of taxes on your family
You may receive estate tax savings
An IRA rollover allows people aged 70 1/2 and older to reduce their taxable income by making a gift directly from their IRA.
Benefits of an IRA Charitable Rollover:
Avoid taxes on transfers of up to $100,000 from your IRA to our organization
May satisfy your required minimum distribution (RMD) for the year
Reduce your taxable income, even if you do not itemize deductions
Help further the work and mission of our organization
If you have questions about including Pet Alliance in your giving plans, please contact Cathy Rodgers at crodgers@petallianceorlando.org or 407-418-0904.
