• Surrenders have declined from a high of 10,824 in 2006 to 6,279 pets in 2011, which we attribute, in part, to the success of the SPCA spay/neuter initiatives.
  

  Thanks to generous donors Daisy and lots of other deserving pets are able to live happy, healthy lives.

• Guardian Angel Fund donations made life-saving treatments possible for 231 surrendered pets. Close to $45,000 was spent treating diseases and injuries, making these pets healthy and adoptable.

• The SPCA McClurg Animal Medical Center provided 16,684 animals with affordable, skilled veterinary care and 6,050 owned animals were spayed or neutered, helping to control pet overpopulation. Overall, our talented medical staff helped over 10,500 pet owners throughout the year.

• The SPCA’s Wellness Wagon provided vaccinations, heartworm testing, and preventive products to 1,916 pets belonging to 1,701 human clients.

• Over 30 animals received treatments funded though the Mend-a-Friend Fund, which enables Medical Center clients who demonstrate a history of providing for their pet and who otherwise, would not be able to afford a major medical expense to receive financial aid.
  

  Deserving pets like Gilligan received necessary medical treatment through our Mend-a-Friend Fund.

• A $36,000 grant from PetSmart Charities enabled the SPCA to control PolkCounty’s feral cat population by sterilizing 740 cats in the Kathleen area.

• 700 active volunteers donated over 31,000 hours by lending a paw on our Campus of Kindness or at our various offsite outreach programs and events.

• One hundred senior pet owners on limited incomes receive bi-monthly donations of pet food and supplies. The items are collected from 25 SPCA donation boxes at local businesses and are bagged by SPCA volunteers for distribution by Elder Point Ministries, Polk County Elderly Services and Meals on Wheels.

• Through Paws to Read 255 children gained confidence and improved their reading abilities while enriching the lives of our homeless pets.
  

  Critter Campers got hands-on experience grooming animals at our Adoption Center during their week-long summer camp.

• Critter Camp offered 60 youth in grades three through eight hands-on experience with its week-long immersion in kindness and compassion, responsible pet ownership, pet safety and SPCA behind the scenes operations. Critter Campers also enjoyed humane education guest speakers from Natural Encounters and Feral Fanciers.

On behalf of all the animals and people you helped us serve last year, and all the ones you will help us care for this year, thank you!

Dogs perch on the damaged remains of a home after Hurricane Katrina. Photo from Getty Images

From the desk of Jessica Lawson, Director of Community Relations:

Florida’s close call with Hurricane Irene is a good reminder that preparation is a necessary part of life for us here in the sunshine state. For many families disaster preparedness involves stocking up on bottled water and canned goods, and storing plywood to protect windows. But what about preparing your furry family members? Without a disaster plan in place for your pets, you may be forced to evacuate to a shelter that does not accept animals. Once you leave your home, you have no way of knowing how long you’ll be kept out of the area, and you may not be able to go back for your pets.

Pets should NEVER be left behind. Frightened animals frequently slip out open doors, broken windows or damaged areas of your home. These abandoned animals face harsh elements, starvation, predators, contaminated food or water, and they could be a victim of fallen debris or traffic accidents. If you’re forced to leave your pets behind, you may be faced with a difficult family discussion when you return home. Planning and organization will ensure your pets are safe and secure throughout the stress of a natural disaster.

Be aware of local kennels that board animals during evacuations, make temporary pet care arrangements with family or friends out of the area or be familiar with pet-friendly hurricane shelters and motels throughout the region. Most shelters, kennels and hotels require current records of shots as well as identification, kennels/carriers, food/water and other provisions found in our Pet Survival Kit. Making arrangements for your four-legged family members in advance and having your pet’s survival kit ready to go will help reduce the stress of a looming storm.

For more information on disaster preparedness for your pet, visit SPCA’s Disaster Preparedness page.

The following are some things to keep in mind when you decide to adopt a pet:

1. My life is likely to last 10 to 15 years. Any separation from you will be very painful.
2. Give me time to understand what you want from me. Do not break my spirit with your temper.  Though I will always forgive you, patience will teach me more effectively.
3. Please have me spayed or neutered.  It is better for my health and is the responsible action to take.
4. Treat me kindly, my beloved friend, for no heart in the entire world is more grateful for your kindness than mine. Don’t be angry with me for long, and don’t lock me up as punishment. After all, you have your job, your friends and your entertainment. I have only you.
5. Speak to me often. Even if I don’t understand your words, I understand your voice when it’s speaking to me. Your voice is the sweetest sound I ever hear, as you must know by my enthusiasm whenever I hear your footsteps.
6. Take me in when it’s cold and wet. I’m a domestic animal and I am no longer accustomed to the bitter elements. I ask for little more than your gentle hands petting me. Keep my bowl filled with water. Feed me good food so I may stay well, to romp and play and do your bidding. By your side, I stand ready, willing and able to share my life with you, for that is what I live for. I’ll never forget how well you’ve treated me.
7. Don’t hit me. Remember, I have teeth that could easily crush your bones in your hand, but I choose not to bite you.
8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I’m not getting the right food, I’ve been out in the sun too long, or my heart may be getting weak.
9. Take care of me when I get old. For you will grow old too.
10. When I am old, or when I no longer enjoy good health, please do not make heroic efforts to keep me going. I am not having fun. Just see to it that my trusting life is taken gently. And be with me on that difficult journey when it’s time to say goodbye. Never say, “I just can’t bear to watch.” Everything is easier for me when you are there. I will leave this earth knowing with my last breath that my fate was always safest in your hands. I love you.

The first two sessions of SPCA’s second annual Critter Camp for students in third through eighth grade wrapped up last week. The animal enthusiast campers completed art projects such as homemade bird feeders and dog toys, rotations through the Adoption Center, including dog bathing and walking as well as an array of other fun, educational animal activities. Dr. Raatz from SPCA’s McClurg Animal Medical Center showed the campers how an exam is done and how to scan for a microchip. Additionally, there was a guest speaker from Feral Fanciers who taught the importance of spaying and neutering to help reduce the unwanted pet population, and a Natural Encounters representative who brought an owl to help explain his wildlife lesson.

The next fun-filled session of Critter Camp begin July 11. See more photos from Session One at http://on.fb.me/cc2011pics.

The following slate of Board Nominees will be voted on by the members present:
Calvin Arter, Ramona Blankinship, Emily Crossfield, Barbi Feldman, Cindy Green, Ann Harman, Karen Houtz, Jennifer Jonsson, Karen Lukhaub, Karen Mitchell, John Oney, Elizabeth Piotrowski, Clyde Smith, Mary Stephens, David Thompson.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn more about the SPCA’s accomplishments and goals and to become more involved in helping homeless animals.

It’s a summer camp for children in grades 3-8 (entering in the fall is fine). Last year was our first year to offer this to the community and the kids loved it! In fact, many of them returned to the camp this year!

We’ll have several new activities this year, a new teacher and the camp will go a little longer than in the past, 9-3 instead of 9-1.

Interested in having your child attend? Click here for more info.

The weeks of camp are -
June 13-17 for 3-5 grade (one spot left as of 5/13)
July 11-15 for 3-5 grade (5 spots left as of 5/13)
June 20-24 for 6-8 grade is FILLED
July 18-22 for 6-8 grade (8 spots left as of 5/13)

How can you help?

Become a foster parent!

Donate some kitty litter! We need it!

For more info, contact the SPCA at 863/646-7722 or info@lovemyspca.com.

A special tail-wag to you for putting the “fun” in fund raising and making the SPCA’s 19^th annual Pets on Parade Walkathon and 5K Run a howling success!

We salute all of you who arrived at 6:30 a.m. to set up the tents & tables, registered everyone, supervised & judged the contests, handed out gallons of water and served hundreds of donuts, hot dogs and hamburgers.  Your dependability, faith in the SPCA mission, and good humor make our special events run like clockwork.

Thanks to our sponsors, walkers and volunteers, more than $100,000 was raised to provide food, vaccinations, spaying or neutering and medical care for 7,000 homeless pets that will enter the SPCA’s Lakeland adoption center this year.  With 500 walkers we could double that amount to help even more animals.  Encourage your two and four legged friends to paw-ticipate in this important fund raiser and morning of doggone great fun on April 21, 2012.  Please leave a suggestion on how we can make next year’s event even bigger and better.

To view photos from Pets on Parade 2011, go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/spcainclakeland/sets/72157626489154025/

I hope you will continue to volunteer at our Adoption Center, offsite adoption locations, Lakeside Village, pet therapy centers and  Auction for the Animals on November 12.  To sign up, E-mail Volunteer Coordinator Randa at rrichter@lovemyspca.com.

Thank you for all you do to help our community’s homeless animals!

What is it? It’s a way for a community get involved, put their creativity to work creating post cards and turn those post cards into pet food.

Taken from their website:

How Postcards Turn Into Pet Food

1. A pet food company agrees to pledge a certain amount of food per postcard that comes in. Sometimes it’s a “meal” (1/3 of a pound), sometimes a pound, sometimes much more – once we had a 128 pound per postcard pledge! 

2. Next, Spokesdogs or Spokescats, or several animals who want to form a team, sometimes even a high school, Girl Scout troop, college club, school district, or even a pet-loving company, “adopt” The Pet Postcard Project for one month, choose a shelter to be the recipient of the food, and drive cards into The Pet Postcard Project mailbox through their social networks and friends and family. 

3. At the end of the month, cards are tallied and the shelter is sent the food (sometimes in bulk form, sometimes in coupons). Often there’s a card goal, and every Spokesdog/cat has always met the goal and every shelter has gotten the food. 

Find out more here: http://betterwords.typepad.com/petpostcardproject/

This is our first photo from Facebook fan, Joel: