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OFOSA partners with JOIN to provide care: JOIN (www.joinpdx.com) was founded in 1992 in order to bridge the gap between homeless and housed members of the community. As the homeless people that we worked with shared their wisdom with us, they sparked an evolution in JOIN's program emphasis to outreach services to homeless individuals who remain outside the traditional social service system. Our service provision is grounded in an innovative blend of harm reduction and mutual relationships that emphasize strengths rather than deficits. Our operational priority is to rapidly re-house individuals and families and stabilize them in their new homes. OFOSA is proud to be partnering with JOIN to provide vaccinations, exams, urgent care, and spay services. Mobile Spay/Neuter Clinic Animal overpopulation is an epidemic nationwide, especially in predominately rural states like Oregon. OFOSA has been working to make a difference in pet overpopulation by providing sterilizations for shelter animals we rescue, other shelter, small rescue groups, and JOIN. Community Need Low-cost spay and neuter services are imperative in the state of Oregon. Coupon and voucher programs for reduced cost spay and neuter services only address a portion of the need, and are insufficient for people living outside the urban geographic areas - especially those in low-income and rural areas, which make up the bulk of the state. There are currently only five (5) veterinarian clinics accepting the low cost spay and neuter vouchers within the greater Portland metro area. Additional help is needed to prevent shelter animals and others yet to be born from being needlessly destroyed. Shelter managers throughout Oregon and OFOSA believe widespread, comprehensive spay/neuter is the best way to make the biggest difference for our companion animals. The majority of animal shelters would prefer to spay/neuter their adoptable pets prior to leaving the shelter, but cannot do so due to budget, time, staff, or facility restrictions. Many of the animals that are placed in homes without receiving spay or neuter services end up producing one, two, or more litters, perpetuating the surplus of animals that clog our shelters and end up euthanized due to overcrowding. We have increased our capacity to spay/neuter dogs and cats in Oregon by owning and operating a mobile spay and neuter operation. We are currently altering 50 animals per week. We are increasing our services to 2 days a week so we will double our numbers. Providing spay and neuter services from a specially equipped mobile unit, OFOSA volunteers, veterinarians, and vet technicians can drive up to the shelters and offer affordable services at a cost of $30 each. Several county shelters in the northwest section of Oregon have committed to partnering with OFOSA to see that this important procedure is completed as the animals are adopted. How You Can Help Donations are still needed to help with the cost of surgical equipment, supplies, and fuel. A donation from you of $20 will purchase sutures for 12 surgeries, a $75 donation will purchase vaccines, $300 will purchase a cautery unit and a $2,000 donation will purchase a surgical table. Please help OFOSA help YOUR community animal shelter. Donate today! Microchipping OFOSA hosts scheduled, low cost microchipping clinics through the guidance of a certified veterinarian. For only $35 includes registration, you can prevent your pet from becoming a tragic statistic. Watch the OFOSA and PETCO calendar for dates. Senior Smiles During these past years, we have come to the following two conclusions. First, there are a large number of animals destroyed due to a lack of adoptable families. Second, there are senior citizens who could benefit from pet ownership, but do not have the means to this end. While the primary benefits to animals are obvious – to place them in loving homes and keep them from being destroyed – the benefits to elderly persons are ten-fold. In 1980, a clinical research project at Brooklyn College, New York, studied heart-disease patients after their discharge from the hospital. Co-researcher Dr. Aaron Katcher, M.D. reported, “The presence of a pet was the strongest social predictor of survival…not just for lonely or depressed people, but everyone – independent of marital status and access to social support from human beings.” The author of a book, How Community-Based Elderly People Perceive Pet Ownership (New J., Wilson C., Netting F., 1986.) concluded, “Pets are an integral component of the social support network for many individuals and therefore probably contribute to public health and well-being.” Our goal is to rectify these two conditions through our Senior Smiles program. This program promotes improved quality of living through pet ownership and assistance. In 2005, OFOSA received a $1000 grant from our friends at Wells Fargo to help launch our program. The placement process and continuing assistance will include not only the pet, but animal selection counseling, food, supplies, vet care, grooming, and training. Lastly, the commitment will be regular visits to assure the happiness and health of both the senior and animal. Please call 503-747-7818 or e-mail us at info@ofosa.org, if you know someone that can benefit from this program.
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