Pet Assistance Foundation
A Compassionate Presence in the Community Since 1955
PAF News Autumn 2014
President’s Message
As the summer has drawn to a close with soaring
temperatures, PAF field and phone volunteers long
for the end of this horrendous “kitten season.” The
hotline calls and requests for rescue amount to a
tsunami of unwanted kittens and cats.
From roughly April to late October, we regret but
expect to deal with the sadness of kitten season.
This year has been especially bad. PAF volunteers
must cope with the suffering of great numbers of
innocent mother cats and kittens who did not ask to
be born, but born they were, to suffer due to
abandonment, starvation, disease, abuse and
neglect. The ones that make it to a shelter or a well
run adoption program are indeed lucky, but they are
only a small fraction of the huge numbers of
homeless animals for whom there is no intervention
whatsoever. Our hotline and fieldwork convinces us
that abandonment is on the rise, likely due to the
public’s reluctance to take animals to the shelter due
to the high risk of euthanasia and the steep owner
turn-in fees. Callous people will “dump” them rather
than pay the fees.
To the point of exhaustion, we help the innocents
abandoned in parking lots, neighborhoods,
shopping centers, and industrial sites. We also try
our best to help the compassionate people who call
us for help because they have rescued an animal but
they cannot keep it. These callers tug at our hearts
because they have gone out of their way to help an
animal and are reluctant to take the animal to a
shelter. We take in what we can, help with
spay/neuter, and network with other humane
organizations to help where possible. Sadly, other
organizations are often overloaded with their own
rescues.
Be assured that PAF is on the front lines rescuing,
educating and providing financial assistance to lowincome pet owners in spite of the often depressing
larger picture. Rescuing that one animal from a
desperate situation gives our weary hearts a feeling
of satisfaction because we know so well what the
outcome would have been had we not intervened.
We long for the day when the big, well-endowed
humane organizations with paid staff finally tackle
the pet overpopulation problem by collaborating
with animal control agencies and local humane
organizations to promote sensible legislation,
massive public education and low-cost sterilization
programs.
PAF does not have the “big bucks” or full time paid
staff. Please help us with a tax-deductible donation
so that we may continue to intervene on behalf of
the innocents, victimized by pet overpopulation.
These past months have exhausted our spay/neuter
fund. Your help is desperately needed and greatly
appreciated.
Wendy Aragon
PAF President
Dory, right, is an adult female
tabby who was abandoned in a
pink carrier with her name on it in
the early morning hours outside
Petco, Downey. She is still quite
depressed, and a good home would
improve her spirits greatly.
Center: PAF intervened to help unweaned, sickly kittens that were abandoned in an ally behind a shopping center in Huntington
Park. Far right: An eight month old mother and her seven kittens were recently abandoned outside Petco, North Redondo Beach.
Rescued by a PAF volunteer, they await adoption.
Success in San Diego
The San Diego branch is running smoothly thanks to Helen Giss
and Jill Perriseau, our newest volunteer. Jill was motivated to
become involved with PAF due to the help we provided for a feral
mother cat and her kittens that she found on her property in
Jamul. She decided she wanted to give back and is now manning
the hotline two days a week. Her affinity for animals is not
limited to the traditional domestic kind. On her ten acres of
land, she has four goats and two alpacas and hopes to start
raising chickens soon. Welcome to PAF, Jill!
We in San Diego are very fortunate to have programs in place
that provide substantial assistance to those needing help getting
their animals spayed and neutered. The county’s low-cost
spay/neuter program, which now is comprised of more than
forty veterinary facilities, and the County’s rebate program
continue to offer invaluable assistance in making spaying and
neutering affordable. In addition, the San Diego Humane
Society now has programs that offer free spays and neuters based
on financial need as well as targeting certain breeds and zip codes
that seem to be in the most need of assistance. All of this in
conjunction with PAF’s pledge program provides us with many
ways to help those in need.
News from the
Inland Empire
Our branch spans a large area. We cover
two counties: San Bernardino and
Riverside. We help with spay/neuter
expenses from Ontario on the west to
the Coachella Valley to the east, and
south to Temecula.
Hundreds of
requests come in each month from
limited-income pet owners. We try to
answer each call and help as much as we
can. We need YOUR help! Please
consider donating funds to our branch
by enclosing a check in the envelope
provided. Helping to alter pets saves
thousands of lives. One mama cat can
have three litters a year and one mama
dog can have two litters of up to fifteen
pups. Please help us to save countless
lives!
Carol Joob,
Chairman
PAF Co-Sponsors Long Beach Grassroots Effort
Every year the Long Beach City Prosecutor’s Office and Long Beach Animal Care Services presents an Animal
Care and Cruelty Prevention Conference for the public. Various speakers and free humane education materials,
offered by different humane organizations, inform the public about responsible animal care and spaying and
neutering. This year’s May 17th event was especially unique because the organizers decided to bring the event to
West Long Beach, an area greatly impacted by pet overpopulation. This annual event was renamed the Pet Care
Expo and Fix Fest. Various humane organizations, including PAF, offered free humane education literature and
free dog and cat toys. Dog trainers offered demonstrations and free grooming was made available. Most
importantly, a spay and neuter organization called Fix Long Beach brought in several mobile spay/neuter vans to
provide free spay and neuter services. One hundred and sixty eight animals were altered! This kind of outreach,
with its emphasis on education and direct service, is sorely needed in so many surrounding lower socioeconomic
communities. PAF is extremely proud to have been a co-sponsor.
Above, from left: Wendy Aragon helps to man the PAF Booth at the Pet Care Expo and Fix Fest. Local Pet owners line up to take
advantage of FREE spay and neuter services.
South Bay Branch Excels in Community Outreach
Under Mary Finley’s Chairmanship, the PAF South Bay Branch thrives with an outstanding adoption program
at Petco, Rolling Hills Estates and Petco, Redondo Beach. Every Saturday and Sunday, Mary and her dedicated
assistant Janet Slovak, accompanied by a group of loyal volunteers, set up and oversee two adoption programs
that truly serve the community and save lives. Cats, kittens, dogs, and puppies are shown in an attractive
setting where every basic and play need is met. “Bios” on their respective cages tell their stories and it’s hard to
find a moment when cages are not surrounded by both children and adults interacting with the volunteers and
the animals. The adoption rate exceeds all PAF’s other sites. PAF is especially grateful to Mary’s outstanding
weekly volunteers: Rob, Brigette and Mandy Snyder, Monica Slivar, Steven Bloss, Ryan Fay, Carmina Soto, Nancy
Christianson, Anna Stirratt, and Lexi McKenna.
Most importantly, these two adoption sites promote responsible pet ownership and on the spot information
about low cost spay/neuter resources, financial help and pet care information. Mary has served on the hotline
and is active in rescue, experiences which have helped her develop a keen awareness of the challenges we face in
curtailing pet overpopulation. She would like to become a humane educator and is already active as a speaker in
secondary school clubs where she recruits many of her dedicated volunteers. She is especially grateful to the
student volunteers from Torrance West High School. In the 2013-2014 school year, the students from the
Campus Interactive and Paw’s Club have conducted three huge canned pet food drives for the animals. PAF is so
grateful to Mary and Janet for all the effort they have put into making the South Bay Branch one that saves
animal’s lives and serves the community on a grassroots level.
Pictured left to right: Mandy Snyder, a loyal 7th
grade, dependable volunteer, cuddles with a
favorite adoption candidate, Chat Noir.
Volunteer Steve Bloss greets Honey Bun, who is
now in a super home! Lexi McKenna is with
Merlon, who is an orphan no longer! Merlon is
now in a loving home!
Earn $$ for PAF! Donate every time you shop!!
Just follow these easy steps to start contributing:
1. Log on to www.ralphs.com
2. Click on “Community Contribution”
3. Click on “Participant”
4. Follow the easy steps to enroll!
*Be sure to complete all the information!
5. Sit back and watch your grocery shopping
earn money for PAF!
Thank you! Anywhere from 2-4% of your total purchase will be donated up to a
maximum of $150 per family, per quarter. That’s four times a year!
You shop...PAF wins!!
Pet Assistance Foundation
(PAF) is a California nonprofit organization with a
single mission:
to reduce the number of
unwanted companion animals
in Southern California through
education and assistance with
spay and neuter services.
Board of Directors
Wendy Aragon, President
Betsy Denhart, Vice President
Karen Simmons, Secretary
Robert Aragon, Director
Lynna Jipson, Director
Carol Joob, Director
Mary Finley, Director
Staff
Judy Williams, Office Manager
Pet Assistance Foundation
150 W. Sixth Street, Suite 201
San Pedro, CA 90731
Administrative Line:
(310) 732-1230
[email protected]
Spay/Neuter Hotline:
(877) SPAY PET
[(877) 772-9738]
petassistancefoundation.org
Please partner with us in helping the animals with a tax
deductible donation. We thank you for your continued support!
Your donation helps us to offer much needed spay and neuter services to families and their
beloved pets. We couldn’t do it without your partnership.
Donate online via PayPal at www.petassistancefoundation.org or send your donation
using the envelope provided.
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Address_________________________________________________________________
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Leave a Legacy to the Animals! The Kindest Gift of a Lifetime...
Our future depends entirely on the loyal support of our members, friends and donors. Please
consider PAF in your estate planning. For more information on giving options, call (310) 732-1230.