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- APET SPCA A SUCCESS STORY
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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 days 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 APETs 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.
- 2006 Accomplishments
- See the press release for more
details.
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- 2005 Accomplishments
- See the press release for more
details.
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These are the press releases we've issued
over the last year.
You may want to search for
topics by keyword.
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APET SPCA
(Animal Preservation of East Texas)
