Dear Friends,
I’d like to share something with you that I’ve been thinking about a lot lately. You already know that the SPCA of Wake County is a vital resource for homeless, neglected and abandoned animals in our community.
What I’ve come to realize over the years is that often, the very best way to help animals is by first helping people. While I have the pleasure of seeing first-hand how lives are transformed by the SPCA’s programs, I know without a doubt that work is only possible because of YOUR support.
In the end, the positive impact YOU have on our community is immeasurable – and perhaps best understood through the stories of people whose lives are touched by your generosity.
Providing Resources
I wish you could meet Willa Mae. Willa Mae lives in a small house in rural Wake County, is in congestive heart failure, and isn’t able to get out of the house much. She’s not lonely though, because she has the excellent company of her best friend – a charming, devoted and affectionate Chihuahua mix named Ruby. Willa Mae is Ruby’s best friend too.
I’m sure you can imagine how important they are to each other. Being on a very limited income is a huge challenge for Willa Mae, and at one point she thought she was going to have to take Ruby to an animal shelter because she couldn’t afford to feed her.
And that’s where YOU came in. The truth is that YOU feed Ruby every month through the SPCA AniMeals Program. Through AniMeals, the SPCA provides monthly deliveries of pet food and supplies to low-income, homebound, senior pet owners – doing everything we can to make sure these pets stay in their homes and out of shelters.
Thanks to your generous financial support, Willa Mae still has Ruby, Ruby still has Willa Mae, and all is well in a love-filled home in rural Wake County.
Protecting the Human/Animal Bond
The story of Willa Mae and Ruby is just one example of how the SPCA is working to promote, preserve and protect the special bond people have with their pets. One of the most common reasons people list for surrendering their pet to a shelter is behavior such as being destructive or having issues with housetraining.
Through our Behavior Support Program, the SPCA provides professional guidance and individual consultation for challenging pet behaviors – often preventing what would have been a heartbreaking decision for a family, and yet another intake for an overcrowded animal shelter.
Making Successful Matches
The SPCA’s Adoption Program is one of our most important programs – matching people and pets for a lifetime of love. Thanks to YOU, we are on track to rescue and rehome over 3,300 companion animals this year.
Rescuing, caring for and medically treating each pet in need is only half the work of saving each life. It’s not a happy ending until they are happily home.
Just recently, your support saved an 8-year-old senior collie mix who spent years caged in someone’s backyard. This sweet and affectionate dog was older, heartworm positive, and completely blind.
Through our Adoption Program, we matched her with a loving senior adopter who has great eyesight and very poor hearing. You’ll have to turn to Page 4 to learn the inspiring end to this story that truly emphasizes the benefits and love animals bring into our lives.
Saving Pets, Saving People
As a fellow animal lover, you know from personal experience what it’s like to love a pet with your whole heart. You’ve felt the indescribable joy of seeing a pup roll with unrestrained glee in the green grass. You’ve been amused by a kitten in an imaginary war with a household object. And you’ve felt the depth of despair when you had to say goodbye to a pet you couldn’t imagine living without.
This remarkable bond between people and pets is, at its core, the reason the SPCA of Wake County exists. As we edge ever closer to the end of the year and the holiday giving season, I would like to invite you to make a financial contribution to ensure this important work continues. My heart fills with gratitude at the thought of what you make possible.