Hearts for Heartworm Fund
THE PROBLEM __
Hearts for Heartworm from Kelly Parker on Vimeo.
In January, the pharmaceutical company Merial announced that there would be a national shortage of Imiticide through the first quarter of 2010. Imiticide is the only drug approved to treat adult heartworm disease so the ramifications of this shortage were disastrous:
- Dogs with heartworm disease had to delay treatment and many are exhibiting worsening clinical signs
- Dogs with active heartworm disease are typically not adopted to the public until they have been treated. As many no-kill shelters and rescues are filled with dogs awaiting treatment, euthanasia rates are skyrocketing.
- Rescues, like PAWS, have been hit with a huge financial burden now that Imiticide is available again and multiple dogs will need to be treated at the same time.
Imiticide is now available again and PAWS is faced with over $10,000 in veterinary costs to treat 32 infected dogs. This expense has forced us to stop taking in any new dogs and has held up multiple adoptions. Many dogs have been adopted but they are waiting for treatment before they can go to their adoptive home. And sadly, the euthanasia rate at Tipton County is skyrocketing because PAWS is unable to take in any new pups. Spring is typically our busiest adoption time of the year and known in the rescue world as “puppy season.” Litters upon litters of puppies are being put to sleep because we don’t have the funding to rescue them.
HOW CAN I HELP?
Please consider making a donation by visiting: www.pawsnewengland.com/donate
Or click on the Paypal button below (you do not need a paypal account to make a donation with your credit card!)
Additionally, you can help by fostering a dog. Opening your home to a dog in need helps in so many ways. When a dog can be fostered in New England, they are more likely to get adopted because potential families can meet them. This also opens up a space for a dog currently on death row. In fostering, you can save two lives!
IS MY DONATION “TOO SMALL?”
It is very easy to become intimidated by the large amount of money we have to raise- the problems we face in rescue are often overwhelming. However, look on our website and pick a face that really speaks to you. Now look below to see what your donation can do for that specific dog:
- $7.25 buys a dog a microchip so they will always be identified as a dog with a home
- $15.00 buys a dog a month’s worth of heartworm prevention and frontline so they can avoid having to endure heartworm treatment or get a tick born illness
- $20.00 buys a dog vaccinations so they will never die from a highly preventable disease
- $50.00-$75.00 buys a dog a spay or neuter so they will never contribute to animal overpopulation ever again
- $100.00 can save a dog from being euthanized- it will pay for the dog’s spay/ neuter, vaccinations, and basic heartworm and fecal tests
- $200.00 can pay for a heartworm treatment in a dog that has early stage disease
- $330.00 can pay for a heartworm treatment in a dog with late stage disease
As soon as we are able to raise the funds to cover heartworm treatment, we will be able to resume rescuing dogs from Tipton. For the dogs currently on the euthanasia list, every moment counts. Every donation- no matter how small- counts. Thank you, as always, for your incredible support.
WATCH OUR PROGRESS!