Dear Jean,
Thank you so much to you, the Norman E And Gwyneth Staats Foundation and Paws and Claws Society for your generous support of Shelter Outreach Services (SOS). Your extremely generous donation to SOS means so much and is truly helping our provide the much needed high quality high volume spay neuter (HQHVSN) services to the animals in need in our region.
SOS is a successful MASH-style HQHVSN program. SOS travels throughout the Finger Lakes region and beyond to partner with local shelters and animal welfare organizations to bring HQHVSN services to animals in need. Since program inception in 2003, we have sterilized over 140,000 animals in the region. SOS is on the road holding daily HQHVSN clinics about 30 days/month on average. We sterilize over 10,500 per year. Animals eligible for sterilization through the program include dogs and cats from shelters, dogs and cats from the low-income public, barn cats, feral cats and dogs and cats from rescue groups. SOS is the premier HQHVSN program in the Finger Lakes region of NY, and SOS is a model program on a national level. We remain as dedicated as we were 15 years ago to ending companion animal overpopulation.
SOS also has a formal collaboration with the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. This program, the SOS/Cornell Student Teaching Program, has been a huge success. So far, over 1200 students have rotated through the program, sterilizing over 6000 cats in need. Through this program, the Cornell veterinary students gain immensely valuable one-to-one surgical instruction as well as first hand experience with HQHVSN and shelter medicine. This program benefits the cats, the students, the local shelters and communities.
SOS is also getting ready to help host the 15th Annual ASPCA Cornell Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Conference in August. We have reached capacity for attendance and have 450 shelter professionals in attendance, including shelter veterinarians, licensed veterinary technicians, shelter staffs and volunteers and shelter administrators and board members. We have attendees registered from all over the US, as well as international attendees registered.
Thanks to you, the Norman E And Gwyneth Staats Foundation and Paws and Claws Society, SOS is able to expand our services this year! With the addition of our newest partners, as well as expanded efforts of our long-standing partners, the need for our services has increased. SOS is already on the road, partnering with local animal welfare organizations to hold daily, targeted HQHVSN clinics 7 days per week. In order to expand, we need to purchase equipment to put a second team on the road so we can hold daily HQHVSN clincis at two locations on the same day. Thanks to your generous donation, we were also able to then secure a large grant from the ASPCA. We will use the funds to purchase the equipment needed (including a second vehicle, more anesthesia machines, more surgery packs, and other medical and surgical supplies) to put a second team on the road. We hope to have this second team up and running by the end of August/beginning of September. SOS will now be able to once again meet the HQHVSN need in the region. We are excited to be able to offer more clinics to all partners who request them each month. We are also excited to welcome Paws and Claws SAFER Cats on the Border as a new SOS partner and look forward to working with them for even farther-reaching HQHVSN efforts.
Thank you again to the you, the Norman E And Gwyneth Staats Foundation and Paws and Claws Society for the generous support of our program. Your support is needed, will be fully utilized, and is very much appreciated. Thank you beyond words!
With Great Appreciation,
Leslie Appel, DVM
Executive Director, Shelter Outreach Services
Courtesy Lecturer, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
Handwritten note: Jean – I am thankful beyond words that our paths have crossed. You have made the expansion of SOS possible! We are so excited to now be able to provide even more HQHVSN to animals in need. Thank you! -Leslie
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