APET SPCA (Animal Preservation of East Texas)

Animal Preservation of East Texas, APET, is a non-profit, tax-exempt 501 (3) c Texas Corporation

Status & Origin:

APET is incorporated in the State of Texas and is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a public charity under the provisions of Chapter 501(c)3 as a tax exempt organization.   The organization has just completed its initial four year status review period, and documents have been submitted for permanent classification. APET was founded in late 2003 when a group of concerned citizens met to formulate solutions to the animal neglect and abuse problems in Wood County. That group included Pat Sevenants of Mineola and Betty Porter of Holly Lake Ranch. Both still serve on the APET SPCA Board of Directors. Other leading citizens throughout the county have served on the board and continue to avidly support the organization. APET is very pleased to state that all of our successes to date have been achieved exclusively by volunteers.

The Facts:

Marketing studies indicated that in excess of six thousand (6,000) stray, abandoned and abused animals were roaming the county. Outside studies by other professionals have established that there is a direct co-relation between animal abuse and abandonment and child abuse and abandonment. Statistics indicate that east Texas has the highest rate of child abuse and abandonment of any  geographical region in the state. Child Advocacy centers are making some progress in their area of concern, but due to both city and county government apathy, little has been done to alleviate the animal problem.   Existing ordinances are not being enforced, and funds to address the problem have been limited.

The Goals:

Initially, our goal was to acquire land and build an animal shelter to facilitate rescue, emergency care and adoption of as many of these animals as possible. It soon became evident that the problem was overwhelming. There were simply too many animals in the area. Adoption of animals to local loving homes is extremely difficult due to pet saturation. APET had approximately one hundred and forty animals in its care in two locations two years ago. All available funds were being expended on veterinary care, food and minimal shelter for our rescued friends. The board of directors refused to give up, and made what amounted to a monumental decision under the circumstances.

The Solutions to the Problem:

The decision was made to cease taking in animals. Instead, food and medical support were offered to people who were fostering animals to encourage them to continue providing homes. Contact with similar organizations and individuals across the country led us to understand that the shelter and adoption efforts were wonderful, but not a solution to the problem. Making affordable spay and neuter sources available for everyone was the long term sensible answer. Simultaneously, fund raising efforts were doubled and redoubled. Dr. Linda Rosene came on board as a volunteer grant application writer. She has performed miracles. APET managed to purchase a retail facility along with a rent house on six residential lots on South Pacific in Mineola. This facility was opened as the �Doggone Good Stuff� thrift store. It is managed by volunteers Connie Carlisle and Betty Porter, and sells a wide range of donated products, excluding clothing. The store has succeeded beyond our wildest expectations. All proceeds are reserved in our building fund, which currently exceeds fifty thousand dollars. At the same time this was occurring, contact was made with an organization in Kaufman County and an agreement was reached for a massive cooperative spay and neuter effort in our area. The spay and neuter program and other reduced scale activities such as the Puppy Adoption Program operated by volunteer and board member, Judy Griggs, are operated independently of the building fund. The animal activities are funded by State and private grants obtained by Linda Rosene, as well as continuing small donations and by our annual fund-raising drive.

Accomplishments to date:

·        The Thrift Store, as mentioned previously, continues to make enormous steps forward in providing funds, as well as high visibility and good will to a wide cross section of people in the area. The Thrift Store makes the payments on their building, the adjacent rent house and the land for the future shelter.

·         We have established a working relationship with Kaufman County Animal Awareness Project (KCAAP) in Crandall, Texas, for continuing dependable, high quality spay and neuter services. The cost for this service is ten dollars ($10.00) for a feline and twenty dollars ($20.00) for a canine. APET SPCA subsidizes the rest of the cost. The clinic services include a flea pill, a pain medication, and a rabies vaccination. The �Critter Carrier� loads those twenty five animals with reservations in the Tractor Supply parking lot at six thirty one morning each week. The day�s patients are returned that evening at 7:30.  Call (903) 472-3500 for reservations. In the last four years, KCAAP has performed 12,000 spay and neuter surgeries. APET facilitated 1,500 in 2007. Pickups are also made in Winnsboro on varying dates. In the next two or three months, a regular schedule will be established there as demand increases. Nancy Lowry and Billy Bishop run the Mineola program, and Sandy Hocking is in charge of the rapidly emerging Winnsboro program.

·        Once a year in Mineola and once a year in Winnsboro, APET offers very affordable inoculation and chipping clinics. It is not unusual for each of these clinics to provide inoculations for one hundred fifty to three hundred animals.

·        A transfer program has been set up by agreement with the SPCA of Dallas. On occasion, animals that have been dumped or abandoned can be carried by an individual or by APET to the Dallas Shelter. This transfer entails making a reservation ahead of time and assuring that the animals have been inoculated and wormed. These veterinary services are accomplished under APET�s emergency services fund reserve, and handled on a case by case basis.

·        APET has located and purchased twenty-nine acres of land in a beautiful area of Mineola near two major thoroughfares. This is to be the home of the new shelter which will be built at an appropriate time in the next few years.  APET was fortunate to be able to make a significant cash down payment on the land, and continues to make regular payments.

·         We have received significant donations and grants for our programs. About six months ago, we received a sixty thousand dollar spay and neuter grant from the State of Texas Department of Health Services. This grant is to be spread over a two year period. Significant grants have been received from PetsMart, Bank Texas, The Summerlee foundation, Harold Simmons, The Harold Simmons Foundation and Wal-Mart to name a few.

·        Our website, which has been in operation for over a year at www.apetspca.org has been upgraded significantly, and is being kept current by Judy Griggs. Go there to learn all about us and see photos of some of our animals.

·        In the last two years, Charles Morgan, APET treasurer, has worked on our financial records retroactive to the very beginning, and has set up our accounts on a computerized program. The programs, accounts and all files are arranged in a manner compatible with standard accounting practices, and enables APET to credibly apply for grants and respond accurately to all State and Federal filing requirements. Accurate and timely financial reporting allows us to make intelligent decisions and stay informed on each of our checking, investing and real property accounts, as well as track donations that have been earmarked for specific purposes.

·        Although APET no longer officially takes in animals, through our volunteer foster care and the puppy program, over two hundred animals found wonderful new homes in 2007.

APET Board of Directors and Key Volunteers:

John & Peggy Pelligrini, Lake Holbrook                                  Winnie Beck, Board Chairman, Holly Lake Ranch

Sandra Hocking, Winnsboro                                                       Betty Porter, Holly Lake Ranch

Cindy Thatcher,Board Secretary,  Lindale                            Connie Carlisle, Hainesville

Kathy McKinley, Quitman                                                            Pat Sevenants, Director, Mineola

Linda Rosene, Lake Brenda                                                         Judy Griggs, Alba

Monty Small, Tyler (Mineola Community Bank)                 Charles Morgan, Treasurer, Quitman

·        Our fund raising efforts will begin in the month of February 2008, and mailings will be sent out three other times this year. Mailings will be sent three times annually thereafter. We will no longer have �Membership Mail-outs.� The memberships will be supplanted by the fund-raising letters.   

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