Southwest Washington humane society launches $10-million fundraising campaignApril 11, 2019The Humane Society for Southwest Washington has launched a $10-million campaign to increase the size of its Vancouver hospital. The expansion will allow veterinarians to provide care for low-income pet owners. According to a news report from The Guardian, a $3-million donation has been received from a private donor and construction is expected to begin in 2021. Stacey Graham, the nonprofit's president, told The Guardian the campaign will initially be targeted toward high-level donors, with public fundraising starting in 2020. The funds will go toward a 2,105-sf addition to the southeast corner of the building, along with a two-story addition on the north side. In an effort to provide veterinary care to low-income pet owners, the clinic says it will charge based a on client's income to avoid circumstances where owners must surrender their pets because they can't afford to pay for necessary treatment.
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Study tackles nonprofit spay-neuter clinic controversySeptember 18, 2018Most pets seen in nonprofit spay-neuter clinics belong to low-income families and do not receive regular veterinary care, according to a study published Sept. 15 in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. In the JAVMA article, "Characteristics of clients and animals served by high-volume, stationary, nonprofit spay-neuter clinics," researchers Sara C. White, DVM, MSc; Julie K. Levy, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, DABVP; and Janet M. Scarlett, DVM, MPH, PhD, revealed the results of a nationwide study designed to determine to what extent low-cost spay-neuter clients are diverting clients from private practice veterinarians. The study, which surveyed 3,768 owners of 2,154 dogs and 1,902 cats admitted to 22 nonprofit spay-neuter clinics across the United States in a nine-month period, showed nonprofit spay-neuter clinics predominantly serve low-income clients, animals lacking regular veterinary care, shelter animals, and community cats. "Nonprofit spay-neuter clinics offer their services to pets who would not be sterilized otherwise," said Dr. White, executive director of Spay ASAP Inc. "Without them, a vital component of reducing pet overpopulation, as well as of public health, would be lost." Income challenges, transportation issues, and no local veterinary services all can delay or prevent spaying and neutering pets, usually is combined with …
