The Community Animal Rescue Effort (CARE) of Columbus saw their 1,000th animal go through their bi-monthly low cost spay/neuter clinic in July.
That is about the same number of animals seen in all of 2018 — and just slightly less than the 1,100 dogs and cats during all of 2017, according to CARE board member Lia Elliott.
Since the organization’s 2001 founding, the all-volunteer CARE has processed nearly 9,000 animals that have gone through the clinics held in association with the Pets Alive clinic in Bloomington. CARE anticipates crossing the 10,000 threshold later this year if the current pace continues, Elliott said.
Clinics are offered twice a month at a cost of $65 for dogs and $35 for cats. That is significantly lower than traditional veterinary costs, which can rise into several hundred dollars and make them financially out of reach for many pet owners, Elliott said.
However, the organization has historically offered special deals. For example, if a pet owner discovers a surprise litter of puppies or kittens, CARE has agreed to pay for having the puppies or kittens fixed if the pet owner agrees to have the mother spayed.
Due to a disproportionate number of pitbull and pitbull mix dogs in local animal shelters, CARE agreed last March to offer spay and neuter surgeries for the breed at a cost of only $10.
CARE’s primary objectives include:
Offering a low cost spay or neuter option to minimize the risk of adoptable animals being euthanized.
Promotion of animal welfare through community awareness and education.
Animal rescue/adoption through their volunteer foster home network.
The foster home network has been key in finding more than 150 dogs, cats, puppies and kittens permanent home in 2019. That represents a 35% increase over the prior year, Elliott said.
While volunteers say they are seeing a record high number of animals this year in the spay and neuter clinics, CARE is simultaneously experiencing record-setting expenses, Elliott said.
For an organization that receives no public funding and relies exclusively on private donations, the CARE mission can become a difficult and expensive one to maintain, Elliott said. For example, more animals means more wear and tear on travel crates that need to be replaced more often.
Luckily, the 501(C)(3) charity has experienced strong support during their fundraisers. One of the organization’s best-known events is the Doggie Olympics, which will be held on Saturday, Sept. 7, at the Harrison Lake Country Club.
Dog owners and their pets compete at the Doggie Olympics in events that match all skill levels with names like Fast Dash, Swim and Snatch, Marathon Down, Fetch & Catch and Shoot & Barrels.
Registration begins at 10 a.m. and events begin at 11 a.m. Like the real Olympics, the organization does award gold, silver and bronze medals.
CARE’s other big annual fundraiser is the Spay-ghetti Dinner, which raised $15,000 last February at the Tre Bicchieri restaurant.
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CARE offers two clinics every month that are held on the third and fourth Tuesdays.
The surgery costs are $60 for dogs under 100 pounds, and $30 for domestic cats.
The $25 cost for feral cats includes an ear tip clip to mark the animal as being fixed.
Requirements for surgery are:
- Rabies vaccination (clinic can administer vaccination for an additional $15)
- Animals must weigh at least 2 pounds.
- Animals must be at least 2 months old.
Residents can sign-up a dog or cat for the clinic by calling 812-546-5859, or visit Speck’s Pet Supplies on the west side of Columbus to fill out the form.
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CARE, which is a 501 (c)(3) charity, accepts individual and corporate donations for its spay/neuter fund.
Checks payable to CARE can be mailed to P.O. Box 1234, Columbus, IN 47202. Contributions can also be made through the PayPal “donate” button on CARE’s website at care.rescuegroups.org.
The organization is also always seeking volunteers to provide foster homes, serve as clinic volunteers, or assist at special events.
CARE may also be contacted via email at [email protected]
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