We have good news, and we have bad news. Which would you like to hear first?
Here’s the bad news: As of January 1, 2012, the Pennsylvania SPCA will be closing its Centre Hall branch. It would be devastating to the community to lose this shelter that takes in homeless pets including dogs, cats, horses, pot-bellied pigs, goats, bunnies…basically any pet in need. Without a shelter, the fate of unwanted and stray animals would be uncertain, at best.
So, ready for the good news? Pets Come First (PCF), a local non-profit group, has just signed a lease to take over the facility as of January 1, 2012. PCF, an all-volunteer organization, has already effected many changes at the Centre Hall SPCA since 2002, transforming it from a shelter with an 87% euthanasia rate to a no-kill facility where every adoptable pet is given a fair chance to find a new home.
Pets Come First has two main focuses: spaying/neutering and finding homes for homeless animals. Taking over the shelter will help PCF advance both of its goals. Plans call for having the shelter open for adoptions four days a week instead of the present seven days. The other three days would be used for taking in animals, transporting them to local vets for medical care, evaluating behavior, and training. The facility will give PCF a place to house and show pets available for adoption and will also serve as a base for PCF’s long term spay/neuter assistance program and low cost clinics. In 2009 PCF worked in partnership with the Hundred Cat Foundation (HCF) to develop a trap/neuter/release (TNR) program in Centre County; it currently leases the house on the property and will continue to do so, offering low cost feral TNR clinics.
PCF needs your support to be successful!
Since its inception, the Pennsylvania SPCA has relied solely on donations to keep it operating. The shelter receives no state or federal funding. The same will be true for Pets Come First; it will be dependent exclusively on community support.
So, how can you help? Donate money, materials, or time!To ensure that monetary donations benefit the local shelter and local animals, contributions must be made to Pets Come First, The New SPCA! by visiting www.petscomefirst.com or mailing your check directly to Pets Come First, The New SPCA!, P.O. Box 493, Lemont, PA 16851. (Any donations made payable to the PSPCA in either Philadelphia or Centre Hall will not support the takeover scheduled for January 1, 2012.)
Fundraising campaigns are under way to raise $250,000 needed annually to operate the shelter. If you or your organization is interested in raising funds for PCF, email info@petscomefirst.com. We have several projects in which the community can become involved. For details, visit www.petscomefirst.com and view our Home Page and Fundraiser Page.
Another way to support Pets Come First, The New SPCA! is by purchasing our new T-shirts. They are available for $25 each in two colors, kiwi or gray. Email info@petscomefirst.com, indicating quantity, size, color, and mailing address. Payment can be made either by mailing a check to Pets Come First, c/o Pets Come First, The New SPCA!, P.O. Box 493, Lemont, PA 16851, or by visiting www.petscomefirst.com and making payment via PayPal. Once payment is received, T-shirts will be mailed to you. Be sure to add an additional $5 for shipping each item.
Interested in volunteering? More volunteers are always welcome! Whether you can give an hour a week, an hour a month, or just an hour or two every once in a while, we can put you to work. Volunteers are needed to transport animals to the vet, clean cages, walk dogs, and temporarily house adoptable pets. ‘Afraid you’ll get too attached? Consider volunteering for off-site tasks. We need people to maintain the website and Facebook page, distribute lists of adoptable animals, and work at events. Visit www.petscomefirst.com and click on the Volunteer Page to signup online. Remember that until January 1, PCF does not have an actual facility; all PCF animals are in foster care. However, PCF is working in partnership with the SPCA to schedule volunteers as needed both at the Centre Hall shelter and with the PCF animals in foster care, so we ask for your patience during this transition time.
Interested in donating supplies? They are always needed and can be dropped off at the SPCA; however, before spending money on collars, leashes, or toys, please contact the shelter as food is always the main priority. (Preferred items: cat litter, 9 LivesTM cat food and dry kitten food, dog food, gas cards, cleaning supplies, gift cards to local stores…and, of course, cash)
It’s going to take a lot of effort from a lot of volunteers, but PCF President Deb Warner says, “With your help, we remain strong in our commitment for this to be a successful transition. We will continue to work in partnership with other local rescues to provide monetary and voluntary resources to support and sponsor local animal programs within our community.”
