Much has changed this past year, but one constant remains – the need for a safe place for homeless, sick and injured animals to receive the care they need. And it’s for that reason that animal lovers happily gathered around their computer screens last Friday evening, many with their furry friends curled up alongside them, to take part in a virtual version of the annual Cause for Paws fundraiser to benefit the Humane Society of Vero Beach and Indian River County.
Attendees had been asked ahead of time to send in photos of their family pets, which were broadcast throughout the show along with a montage of residents at the shelter still awaiting their fur-ever homes. Everything from dogs and cats to pigs and birds floated across the screen, giving everyone a virtual animal fix.
During the broadcast, donors nibbled on such goodies as charcuterie appetizers, chocolate paws and sparkling wine, packaged in paw-printed bags, that they had picked up earlier in the day.
“Thank you for your ongoing commitment to our mission,” said event co-chairs Anne Dunwoody and Wendy Trimarche, kicking off the event with an effervescent toast.
“People need to know that the animals are still here and they’re still coming in. We’re still faced with all of the drama surrounding rescuing them or getting them, and what we do for them,” said Dunwoody.
Several board members related their personal reasons for supporting the mission of the HSVBIRC to provide humane care and shelter for homeless animals, place them in loving homes, promote spaying and neutering of companion animals, encourage responsible pet ownership and the respect of all living things through humane education, protect animals from cruelty, and advocate for animal protection.
Executive director Kate Meghji shared tail-wagging news of ways the shelter coped during the pandemic.
In 2020 the shelter rescued 2,226 pets, some 200 from other Florida shelters, and adopted out 1,503 animals. Their save rate of 90 percent was a dramatic increase from the 70 percent save rate of just a few years ago. More than 700 animals went into foster homes during the pandemic, which greatly reduced the number of animals at the facility.
Doing so, said Meghji, enabled shelter staff to focus on those remaining animals most in need of medical and behavioral interventions.
“We probably wouldn’t have had the time or resources to do this if we had a shelter full of animals,” said Meghji, noting that they currently have some 85 animals.
“This is the perfect number of animals because the healthy, friendly guys are in and out in a day or two, and then we’ve got more time for medical and behavioral care,” Meghji explained.
With those owners who thought to surrender their animals because of economic hardships caused by the pandemic, the HSVBIRC sought ways to keep the furry family members in their homes by providing food and low-cost medical care.
“We’re trying to help as many people as possible keep their pets in their homes. That’s definitely the wave of the future, of where we want to go, to help our community keep their pets,” added Meghji. “The great thing about the pandemic is that it has forced us to rethink everything we took for granted or we assumed to be true about what we do and what we can be.”
One new policy they implemented was to no longer have potential adopters wander through the shelter to view the animals. Instead, animals are brought out for meet-and-greet sessions.
“We noticed immediately that our dogs are calmer, quieter and happier. Bringing the dogs out to meet people once we’ve ascertained it may be a good match, our dogs and cats are so much happier. There’s less stress, there’s less disease,” Meghji explained.
The evening was interspersed with raffle drawings, auction items and a Bid from the Heart that alone raised more than $60,000.
“2020 was not the year we expected, and it certainly wasn’t easy, but in the midst of fear and uncertainty, our commitment to animals never wavered,” said Meghji.
Attendees also virtually met four animals that had happy endings thanks to the work being done at the Humane Society.
It was all made possible, said Meghji, “because of the support you provide. We couldn’t do any of this without you, and we are so incredibly grateful for that support. Every single day our organization meets animals and people who need our help. Every day our staff and volunteers go above and beyond to not only provide care and support but to provide love and compassion.”
For more information, visit hsvb.org.
Photos by Stephanie Labaff and Kaila Jones
