Petco Foundation Invests in Humane Society of the Ouachitas

Grant of $10,000 will extend efforts to help pets and people in Polk County to live their best lives!

Mena, AR– Humane Society of the Ouachitas (HSO) of Mena announced it has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the Petco Foundation to support its low-cost “Spay Neuter Assistance Program” (SNAP).

HSO is a nonprofit “no-kill” shelter serving homeless animals until permanent caring homes can be found for them; providing low cost spay/neuter, vaccination and other humane services; and dedicated to the prevention of cruelty and neglect of animals in Polk County. Since 1978, HSO has rescued and found loving adoption homes for thousands of abandoned dogs and cats, developed a low-cost spay/neuter program, and more recently, a transport program, delivering adoptable pets out of the area to new homes.

The Petco Foundation investment will help to subsidize spay and neuter costs, helping pet owners of lower income, thereby reducing the number of unwanted pets in the county, in a humane way.  By altering their pets, pet owners do not have to worry about dealing with an unplanned, unexpected litter of pups and kittens, and the cost and stress to feed and find them homes. Plus, alteration keeps pets from straying from home, keeping them safe from certain dangers that straying pets face.

These free spay/neuter surgeries are income based. You can download the application from www.hsomena.org or pick up an application at the HSO shelter or several locations around town including Department of Human Services, Department of Workforce Services, Mena Animal Control, Veterans Services, to name a few. Dr. Randy Burgess, DVM, of Mena, is a supporter of the SNAP project and will be providing the surgeries. Simply fill out the app and mail or return to the shelter, or email a scan or photo to tinasball@aol.com.

“This grant support comes at the perfect time. There are many loving and caring pet owners in our community that understand the importance of having their cats and dogs altered but whose budgets do not have room for the expense. These funds will make these surgeries possible. Our hope is to reduce the number of puppies and kittens being born that have no homes wanting or waiting for them. The grant from Petco Foundation will go a long way towards making that hope a reality. A survey, conducted by HSO this past summer, showed what a huge animal loving community we are. Eighty-six percent of homes have one or more cat and/or dog. Forty-three percent of these pets are not altered. Pet owners surveyed said the number one reason their pets were unaltered was cost. Thanks to Petco Foundation, this will no longer be a barrier for many. Pet owners, please apply for the grant!” said Tina Ball, Volunteer Shelter Manager.

For more information on how to apply for the SNAP program, please call the shelter at 479-394-5682. Various locations around Mena have SNAP applications available, such as the public library, and the form is downloadable at www.hsomena.org. For more information about Petco Foundation, visit www.petcofoundation.org. Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or by using the hashtag #PetcoFoundation.

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Jeri Pearson

Jeri is the News Director for Pulse Multi-Media and Editor of The Polk County Pulse. She has 10 years of experience in community focused journalism and has won multiple press association awards.

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