Freckles Blog

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> Learn more at: www.iGive.com/freckles.

Volunteers needed: The DeKalb County Women’s Show benefiting Freckles’ Friends Spay/Neuter programs is just around the corner and we need volunteers! Please come to a meeting on Monday, 2/18 in the UT room at the new county building at 6pm. This is in the UT Extension section. Volunteers are needed to help with the silent auction, concessions and Freckles’ Friends booth on Saturday, March 9th and also with the setup between 9am and 5pm on Friday, March 8th. If you cannot work all day, a half day would be great! We know a lot of people cannot afford to donate money at this time but donating time can be just as good!

Sorry for the long hiatus. The fall was very busy and blogging got put on the backburner. It’s hard to believe how long it has been! I’m not going to list every call received because it would just take a very long time. I just want to give you the numbers of pets that were spayed or neutered through Freckles’ Friends programs in 2012.

The Spay Station Program ended after the February visit due to a change in policy by New Leash on Life. However, in January and February 12 male dogs were neutered, 10 female dogs were spayed, 14 male cats were neutered and 21 female cats were spayed for a total of 51 pets in just 2 months!

Our original voucher program we now refer to as the Standard Voucher Program assisted 44 male dogs, 67 female dogs, 33 male cats and 26 female cats in getting spayed or neutered in 2012. Since we lost the spay station program, we developed the Low-Income Voucher Program to replace it. Through the Low-Income Vouchers, we assisted 26 male dogs, 33 female dogs, 22 male cats and 38 female cats to be spayed or neutered. This program began in April and we are very happy with the results. In total, our voucher programs helped 289 pets to be ‘fixed’ in 2012.

Combined, Freckles’ Friends Spay/Neuter Programs assisted 340 pets to no longer add to the numbers of unwanted litters and the misery of stray dogs and cats in our communities. This is up form 275 in 2011 and 241 in 2010!!! Of course, we hope to help even more in 2013 and need your help to do it. Please consider becoming a Spay Partner with Freckles’ Friends with your pledge of as little as $10 per month! Know that 100% of your donations will be used to fund spay/neuter assistance vouchers for pet owners and rescuers who cannot afford the cost of surgery. Spay/neuter is the only long-term solution to the problem of too many pets. Go to www.frecklestn.org/Neuter.html to download the Spay Partner Pledge Form to compete and mail with your first donation. You can also contact us and we’ll be happy to send you a form. Together we can do this!
Kim

We ran out of funding for our voucher programs but that didn’t stop the requests for help coming from the community. We really hate it when we have to turn someone away for lack of funds. The good news is that we were just notified that we will be receiving $5,000 from The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee to provide spay/neuter assistance vouchers for low-income pet owners. This means that our local fundraising will go to our standard voucher program to keep it going and we’re back in business!
10/1 - Gina called to request a voucher for a stray female dog that she has taken in.
10/1 - Kristi called to request a low-income cat spay voucher.
10/3 - Robert offered to donate clothes for our fall fundraiser yard sale.
10/3 - Mildred called to ask for a female cat voucher.
10/5 - Wanda called to offer items for our yard sale.
10/5 - Sherry called asking for information about Freckles’ Friends.
10/8 - Alicia called asking for a low-income voucher for a female dog.
10/8 - Karen called to ask for help getting 3 cats spayed and neutered.
10/8 - Cynthia emailed to ask for help getting a female dog spayed.
10/9 - Kathy called to ask for a female dog voucher.
10/9 - Kim emailed to ask for help getting 2 dogs spayed and neutered.
10/10 - Pam emailed to ask for spay assistance vouchers for 3 female cats.
10/11 - Denise called to offer items for our yard sale.
10/11 - Freida also called to donate items for our yard sale.
10/11 - Kim called to ask for spay/neuter assistance on behalf of her elderlly neighbor.
10/14 - Alicia called to ask for a low-income voucher for a female dog.
10/17 - Linda called to request 2 female cat spay vouchers.
10/19 - Lynn emailed information to list a male Siamese cat on our web site. He was found near the cement factory in Smithville.
10/19 - Martha asked for a female dog voucher.
10/19 - Lisa asked for a male dog voucher.
10/19 - Rita called to ask for help getting 1 male neutered and 1 female cat spayed.
10/19 - Kristi called to ask for a female dog voucher.
10/19 - Dan called to ask for a female dog voucher and a female cat voucher.
10/19 - Faria called requesting 2 female cat low-income vouchers and 2 male cat low-income vouchers.
10/19 - Heidi asked for a female cat voucher.
10/19 - Marvin requested 2 male cat voucher, 1 female dog voucher and 1 male dog voucher.
10/19 - Marie asked for a low-income female cat voucher.
10/22 - Joe emailed asking what areas Freckles’ Friends serves. We primarily serve residents of DeKalb County, TN but will also assist those in neighboring rural areas in Cannon, Rutherford, Smith, Warren and White Counties.
10/23 - Martha called to request a male dog voucher.
10/23 - Tina called to ask for vouchers for herself and someone else. (Their pets, of course.)
10/23 - Mildred called for information about a vet clinic.
10/25 - Cheryl emailed information about 2 lost dogs.
10/26 - Cheryl emailed to let us know that her lost dogs were found and to thank us for our help!
10/26 - June called to ask for a low-income female cat voucher.
10/26 - Kim emailed asking for help getting 2 dogs neutered.
10/29 - Becky called for help getting a female cat spayed.
10/29 - Felicia called for help getting a female dog spayed.
10/29 - Amanda called for a female dog voucher.

I am so relieved to hear from CFMT about grant funding. Now we can help a lot more pet owners and rescuers in our area where spay/neuter assistance is so desperately needed, especially in today’s economy. Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!

These two dogs went missing yesterday from the king ridge rd area over by kilgores and dekalb market….they are both females..there’s a German Shepard wearing a pink collar named Brody and a dark brindle pit bull wearing a green collar named Lola both are very friendly dogs that wouldn’t hurt a fly..I am offering a reward if found also…Call (615)995-6421….thanks so much!!!

It has been extremely hectic lately and the time has just flown. I’m sorry I missed last month but I’ll catch you up on requests received and promise to keep up.
8/1 - Martha emailed requesting an assistance voucher for a male dog.
8/1 - Michelle emailed requesting replacements for 2 cat vouchers that expired before she could get an appointment.
8/2 - Robert called for vouchers for 2 male dogs.
8/3 - Jan called for a voucher for a female cat that had already had kittens.
8/6 - Brittany called for a female dog voucher.
8/7 - Casey called for a female cat voucher.
8/7 - Scott called asking if we could take 2 adult cats, neither neutered, because he has too many.
8/8 - Patti called asking for a female cat voucher.
8/13 - Tori called requesting a voucher for a male cat.
8/13 - Hilda called to request a female cat voucher.
8/14 - Lisa called asking for vouchers for a male dog and a male cat.
8/14 - Beth called from Bedford County wanting to find a home for her Pit/Husky mix.
8/14 - Tammy called requesting 3 female cat vouchers and 1 male cat voucher.
8/14 - Penny called requesting a female cat voucher.
8/21 - Jan emailed asking for advice on how soon to get a nursing cat spayed.
8/26 - Stevie emailed for a male cat voucher.
8/26 - Tracy emailed asking for help getting a kitten fixed. Had to ask for more information (gender of kitten and age).
8/29 - An anonymous caller left information about a feral cat colony.
8/29 - Jennifer called requesting a female cat voucher.
8/29 - Beverly asked for help getting a stray female cat spayed.
9/3 - April requested help getting some female cats spayed. Renters moved abandoning 2 female cats with litters of kittens.
9/3 - Donna emailed asking for a male cat voucher for her elderly mother’s cat.
9/3 - Tara called for a voucher for a female cat.
9/4 - Deborah emailed for assistance in getting her mothers female cat spayed.
9/5 - Barbara emailed asking for a female cat voucher.
9/5 - Patty emailed for assistance with feral cats.
9/5 - Fay emailed asking for help getting her puppy fixed. We had to ask for the gender in order to issue the voucher.
9/6 - Amanda emailed needing help in getting 1 male dog and several cats spayed and neutered.
9/6 - Susan called asking for a female cat voucher.
9/6 - Marie called asking for a male dog voucher.
9/7 - Debbie called asking for a female dog voucher but decided to wait and see if she was keeping the dog.
9/7 - Roxanne emailed asking for help in getting a female dog spayed. This dog was a starving stray that she decided to care for and keep. The dog is very sweet and just needed a good home.
9/9 - Fay responded to our request for more information and a voucher was issued for her male dog.
9/10 - Lizzie called requesting vouchers to get 2 female cats spayed.
9/10 - Bonnie called asking for help to get her male cat neutered.
9/10 - Tara emailed asking for a female cat voucher. This cat was starving when Tara found her but had put on weight under her care and was ready to be spayed.
9/10 - Natasha emailed requesting a female dog voucher.
9/10 - Lisa emailed asking for assistance in getting her dog and cat spayed and neutered. Unfortunately, at this point we had to stop issuing vouchers. If all the vouchers we have issued to date are redeemed, we will not have enough funds!
9/21 - Freyda emailed asking for help getting 2 male cats and 2 female cats spayed and neutered. She was asked to contact us again in November to see if funds would be available.
9/21 - Sabrina emailed that her dog was lost. Please check out our ‘Lost and Found’ page.
9/24 - Stephanie emailed asking for help getting a female cat and a female dog spayed. She was asked to contact us again in November to see if funds would be available.
9/25 - Lori emailed to request a female dog voucher. She was asked to contact us again in November to see if funds would be available.
9/25 - Kristy emailed asking for a male cat voucher. She was asked to contact us again in November to see if funds would be available.
9/28 - Kesha emailed with the following request - “My neighbor has a cat that is only around 3 years old who had had about 8 litters. She is unemployed and does not have the finances to spay the cat. She wants to get the cat spayed asap, because it has a kitten that will be 6 weeks old next week.” This is typical of the requests we receive. There are so many in our area that need our help and only through spaying and neutering more pets can we reduce the numbers of strays, pet abandonment and animal cruelty. Please help if you can!
Send donations to Freckles’ Friends, PO Box 25, Liberty, TN 37095. You can also donate online with credit card or PayPal account. Email donations via PayPal to admin@frecklestn.org or use a link on our website, www.frecklestn.org. You can also donate via Guidestar or the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.
Please come to our fundraiser yard sale this Saturday, October 13th at O’Reilly’s Auto Parts in Smithville! Find us on Facebook to be kept informed of upcoming fundraisers such as the DeKalb County Women’s Show which is scheduled for Saturday, March 9th.

Hello Everyone!
So far this year we have paid $2,120 to vets for low-income spay/neuter assistance vouchers and $3,610 for standards vouchers. In addition, we paid $1,100 to sponsor spay station visits in January and February before the program was discontinued by New Leash on Life. That’s a total of $6,830 in 7 months! We still have funding available for vouchers so please spread the word. Those on government assistance such as Unemployment, Disability, Food Stamps, etc., qualify for our new Low-Income Voucher Program. Everyone else can be issued a Standard Voucher. We provide assistance for DeKalb County residents and those in rural neighboring counties. Call 615-464-6104 or email freckles.friends@yahoo.com to request a voucher.
Here are the calls and emails receive in July:
7/2 - Deborah called to request vouchers for a female dog and a male cat.
7/2 - Tiffany called to request spay/neuter assistance.
7/2 - Margie called to request assistance but was asked to call back because she could not use it within 30 days.
7/2 - Rene’ requested a female dog voucher.
7/3 - Sussanne emailed requesting a voucher for a male dog.
7/3 - Stephanie emailed requesting a male dog voucher.
7/3 - Carolyn called to request a male dog voucher.
7/3 - Michelle called to request s/n vouchers for 2 cats.
7/3 - Vickie called to request a low-income voucher for a male dog.
7/8 - Lee emailed to request a low-income voucher for his female cat.
7/16 - Jen emailed to request a male dog voucher.
7/18 - Susan emailed to report 2 abandoned puppies.
7/19 - Joe Black Effort called to request 3 male cat vouchers.
7/19 - Carolyn called to request a female dog voucher.
7/21 - Kelly called to request a voucher for a male dog.
7/23 - Joe Black Effort called to request a female dog voucher and a female cat voucher.
7/25 - Tressa called to request a voucher to get her puppy neutered but he’s not old enough. She will call back in 2 months.
7/25 - Lizzie called wanting help finding homes for 4 dogs. She was referred to the Joe Black Effort.
7/25 - Dawn emailed to request a female cat voucher.
7/27 - Russell called for assistance in getting a female dog spayed.
7/30 - Mike called for help getting a female dog spayed.
7/30 - Paula called requesting a female dog voucher.
7/30 - Carl called requesting 2 female dog vouchers.
7/30 - Kayann called for help getting her puppy fixed but will call back in 2 months when old enough.
7/30 - Debbie called to request a female dog voucher.
7/31 - Joe Black Effort called to request a female dog voucher.
7/31 - Kevin called to request a female dog voucher.
7/31 - Angela called requesting a female dog voucher.
7/31 - Kate called to request a female cat voucher.
7/31 - Robert emailed requesting assistance in getting 2 male dogs neutered.

We’ve received a lot of requests for spay/neuter assistance lately.
6/1 - Sara emailed requesting an assistance voucher to get her male dog neutered.
6/1 - Kristen called for a spay/neuter assistance voucher for a dog.
6/1 - Donna called to ask for a voucher for her male dog.
6/4 - Jody called needing vouchers to get several cats spayed and neutered. We had to ask her to call back with exact numbers of male or female.
6/4 - Rene’ asked for 1 male dog and 2 female dog vouchers for dogs who were abandoned at a local business.
6/4 - Melissa emailed requesting a voucher to get her male cat neutered.
6/4 - Debbie emailed for spay/neuter assistance vouchers for 1 male dog, 1 female dog, 2 male cats and 1 female cat.
6/5 - Lisa called for a male cat voucher.
6/8 - Stephanie called requestion vouchers to get her 2 female dogs spayed.
6/8 - Cody called requesting a male dog voucher.
6/11 - Julie called for a voucher for her female cat.
6/11 - Duane emailed because 3 of the vouchers he’d received had expired. They were reissued.
6/12 - Jennifer emailed asking for 3 female dog vouchers.
6/14 - Patsy emailed for a voucher to get her male cat neutered.
6/16 - Robin emailed with questions about feral cat programs and specifically Snip and Tip in Lebanon. If you are caring for a colony of feral (wild) cats, contact New Leash on Life or see their web site at http://newleashonline.com/index.php/programs/snip-tip.
6/18 - Jamie called to request a male dog voucher.
6/18 - James called requesting 3 female cat vouchers.
6/18 - Sonny called requesting 2 female dog vouchers.
6/20 - Kelly emailed information and a picture of her dog Woody who needs a new forever home. Woody is on our web site at http://www.frecklestn.org/AdoptableFriends.html.
6/21 - Travis called to request a voucher to get his female dog spayed.
6/21 - Elizabeth emailed for 2 female cat vouchers and to be added to our email list.
6/21 - Kesha emailed for a voucher for her male dog who needed an emergency neuter surgery.
6/24 - Emma emailed for a voucher for her female cat.
6/25 - Dina emailed requesting a final report for the TN Animal Friendly grant.
6/26 - Susie called to request a voucher to get her male dog neutered.
6/26 - Missy called requesting a female dog voucher.
6/26 - Janie called to ask for a voucher to get her female dog spayed.
6/26 - Jason called requesting a female dog voucher.
6/26 - Jackie called asking for a male dog voucher.
I think this may be the busiest month we’ve ever had for vouchers. I’ve written checks to 2 of the 5 clinics that take our vouchers in the last 3 days for a total of $715 and I expect the other 3 vet bills to be much larger than the 2 paid. If you can help us keep this effort going, send a check or money order to Freckles’ Friends, PO Box 25, Liberty, TN 37095. Thanks!

5/2 - Kayla called for help getting a cat neutered.
5/3 - Amanda called for help getting a rescued female dog spayed.
5/3 - Rene’ emailed for a voucher for a rescued male dog.
5/3 - Mary called for a female dog voucher.
5/7 - Charlotte called for a voucher to get a female dog that she had found spayed.
5/8 - Pam called for a voucher for a female cat.
5/9 - Fix for Life called with questions about our voucher program.
5/9 - Debbie called for a voucher for a male dog but also had a second pet and vouchers were issued for both.
5/10 - Cheryl called for a voucher for an abandoned female dog.
5/10 - Natasha called and emailed for help getting a kitten spayed.
5/11 - Rita called to see if anyone could help with bottle-feeding a litter of kittens.
5/11 - Jerry called to let us know that he had collected aluminum cans and was ready for them to be picked up.
5/14 - Doris called for help finding homes for 2 dogs that got out and killed some of her neighbors chickens.
5/14 - Ashley called for vouchers for several pets, most belonging to neighbors who are unable to afford the surgery and she is helping them out. We issued 5 vouchers for her.
5/15 - John called for a voucher for a dog.
5/21 - Lisa called to ask about donating some yard sale items.
5/22 - Rachel called with questions about our voucher program.
5/23 - Lisa called to request a low-income spay/neuter voucher.
5/23 - Amanda called looking for kittens to adopt.
5/23 - Rene’ called for a male dog voucher for a rescue.
5/25 - Brenda emailed for a female dog voucher.
5/30 - Mary emailed for a voucher for a male dog.
5/31 - Carol called from Missouri wanting information about spay/neuter assistance vouchers.
5/31 - Jenny called for assistance in getting a female cat spayed.
Whew! Busy month! Thanks for everyone’s patience as we have transitioned from the old spay station program to our new low-income voucher program.

“Nobody wants to euthanize pets.

Nevertheless, Virginia’s city and county pounds, private shelters, humane societies and rescue agencies put down 91,146 cats and dogs in 2010. In 2009, the number was 93,285. In 2004, according to the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ online database, 103,327 dogs and cats were killed.

Some were euthanized because they were sick or dying. Many were simply unwanted.

In any case, the math is depressingly simple: There are too many animals and too few homes. Too many pets aren’t neutered. Too many people take pets they can’t care for or afford.

The solution seems equally simple: Find them all homes.

That principle undergirds a national movement to end the euthanasia of abandoned and surrendered pets.

But animal welfare issues are seldom as simple as slogans. Start with “no-kill,” the inelegant phrase used to describe shelters that don’t rely on euthanasia to control the number of pets in their facilities.

Generally speaking, the threshold at which a shelter can describe itself as “no-kill” is when it euthanizes no more than 10 percent of its admissions. That means a shelter must find homes for the other 90 percent.

There are only a few ways such numbers are possible. From a public policy or animal welfare perspective, few of them represent ideal alternatives.

According to its website, Norfolk’s SPCA, which is a no-kill facility, requires at least 10 days’ notice for surrendering an animal. It has a waiting list for adult dogs, cats and kittens. “Surrender appointments” and a $40 fee are required to guarantee an animal’s admission.

Contrast that with the city’s shelter. Norfolk’s municipal facility, according to its website, charges pet owners $15 to surrender an animal. As a city department paid for by taxpayers, it accepts animals only from Norfolk residents. It routinely receives between 400 and 600 animals per month because it accepts all “animals in need.”

The difference highlights a difficult and unpleasant dynamic in the animal welfare world: No-kill shelters can claim that distinction only because there are facilities that continue to euthanize animals. No-kill shelters can pick and choose which animals to take. In order to maintain their numbers, they are often forced to reject animals that have a more difficult time finding homes.

A municipal facility, as Norfolk points out, can’t. Without the people and money to care for 5,000 new abandoned animals each year, euthanasia is the only alternative.

Nevertheless, as The Pilot’s Jillian Nolin reported last week, the unpleasant realities haven’t stopped some city leaders from advocating a philosophical shift to no-kill principles at the city shelter.

The first step, those advocates argue, would be to change the city code and state law to permit a program to trap, neuter and release feral cats. City ordinance now bars releasing cats after the procedure. State laws require pet owners’ consent for medical procedures, and they don’t allow animals to be released into the urban wilds.

There’s also disagreement on whether it’s humane to release untamed cats into the city, where their lives will be short and difficult. From a public policy perspective, feral cats spread feline diseases and disrupt bird populations, but they also help control rodents.

Such issues tend to be lost when the choices are shortened to “kill” or “no-kill.”

No one’s first choice is euthanasia. But no-kill is fraught with its own practical difficulties.

Last year, Austin became the first major city in Texas to end routine euthanasia. According to the Austin American-Statesman, despite a new $12 million facility, the city’s facility last weekend was 18 percent above capacity. The shelter itself warned that it would have to euthanize animals if Texans didn’t help.

Norfolk’s shelter has struggled with conditions and crowding in the past. Nobody would want those problems to return.

The way to end euthanasia in municipal and private shelters is to end unwanted pets. To end the irresponsible practices and behaviors by human beings that lead inexorably to thousands of unwanted pets roaming Hampton Roads.

A trap/neuter/release program might help to reduce the feral cat population, which is critical to reducing the number of euthanizations in Norfolk.

It is a discussion worth having. But it is not near the answer to ending euthanasia in the city or the region.

Hampton Roads, as a community, would need to reduce the number of people who abandon their pets every year. It would need to reduce the numbers of animals born.

Otherwise, Norfolk runs the risk of shifting the burden of euthanizing pets to other municipalities.

To end euthanasia, pet owners across Hampton Roads will have to change how they own animals. Cats and dogs could not roam or reproduce except under specific conditions. Licensing would be required. Spaying and neutering would have to be routine.

To protect the pets of Hampton Roads, the region must be willing to make those changes.

Nobody wants to kill pets. Everyone wants to live in a community that can call itself “no-kill.”

But actually ending euthanasia requires more than a slogan. It requires the will to do it, the money and the commitment of the entire community.”

The Virginian-Pilot
© May 20, 2012
via: Sara Felmlee