Bob Shanks and his dogs posed for a caricature portrait during the first-ever joint fundraiser for Cause 4 Cats, Mountain Communities SPCA, Shelter on the Hill and Sundust and Ferdie Animal Hospice. The event was sponsored by Mountain Aire Veterinary Hospital and may signal a new era of cooperation. Three artists from Magic Mountain were hired to draw caricatures of people with their pets and raise funds for all local shelters. By the end of the day, $635 was raised and donated to the local shelters. Many thanks to all community members who donated, particularly Elsie and Jim West and Rick and Diane Garcia who were especially generous.
SPCA gains fundraising strength as Shelter on the Hill plans to begin building
By Patric Hedlund
An olive branch is being extended between animal rescue factions on the mountain.
Last month, Mountain Aire Veterinary Hospital in Lebec hosted a joint event to raise funds for several animal aid groups together. Members of the groups began to talk. It appears there may be good news ahead.
After nearly two decades of raising funds, Shelter on the Hill’s long-awaited building project may soon begin. Bob Stowell of R.M. Construction said in an interview July 20 that he hopes to begin site work in Lebec by August 1. Knute Johnson, president of the threeperson SOTH board said, “I don’t want to say anything.”
Others on the board and longtime members said they expect construction will start shortly. Candace Huskey-Brown reported purchase of a manufactured building on SOTH’s IRS 990 report, but the group is said to have run into higher than anticipated construction estimates, which caused them to leave the pre-fab building in storage.
Until last month, feuding between the humans in various groups to help animals on the mountain has been as predictable as snowfall in January.
Over the years, SOTH has captured hundreds of thousands of dollars in local donations, plus $100,000 from Tejon Ranch Corporation, but year after year passed with no shelter being built. Stray and injured animals in need received sparse benefit from the community’s donations. Impatient letters to the editor poured into this newspaper, referring to SOTH as “SLOTH” in frustration.
Groups such as Cause 4 Cats emerged to provide much needed animal services, then struggled to stay open.
Then, about 15 months ago, the Mountain Communities Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MCSPCA) was formed. Its Barn Sales in Cuddy Valley have evolved into effective fund-raising efforts. The group claims to have helped over 100 animals find homes and medical care in its first year. “A Shelter Without Walls” vilis becoming their motto, according to co-founder Tom Haugen.
He describes the group as a network of foster homes and alliances with animal rescue organizations to create an infrastructure of temporary homes for animals as the MCSPCA works to find adoptive families. Meanwhile, they are also providing medical care and spay/ neuter programs for dogs and cats. Their first mobile spay/ neuter clinic for dogs begins this Tuesday, July 28, with another taking reservations for August and a cat program beginning soon.
Haugen says it is time to “lay down the olive branch” between Mountain Community animal welfare groups and to let one question guide each group’s every decision: “What will help animals the most?”
Candace Huskey agrees. “I think the SPCA has done a wonderful job in their first year, and have spent their money wisely. The spay/neuter program is wonderful.”
“We all need to be educating the public about responsible pet ownership,” Haugen said. “One thing [the MCSPCA] is very successful at is getting dogs back to their owners. We don’t send dogs down the hill except to new owners. One of our goals is to put a return tag on every single animal up here—for dogs as well as cats.”
He is impressed with strategies in Calgary, Canada, where “the return tag cut way back on the amount of cats they euthanized.” Haugen says, “We will start with dogs. We want to tell people that your pet will get a taxi ride home if you have a license on your dog.”
Haugen added that the job of ‘animal people’ now is to learn how to work together effectively, and to keep asking, “What will help the animals the most?”
This is part of the July 24, 2009 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.
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