Newsletter

Summer 2011

Dear Friends;                                                                             

This is a very exciting time for the Eastern Madera County SPCA. As you may know, the EMC SPCA was formed 21 years ago with the intention of building a local humane shelter for needy mountain area animals. The progress has been slow, and at times frustrating. The time was definitely not wasted, though. During that time, we developed several programs that have had a positive effect on the community. We have also learned from the mistakes and successes of other shelter and rescue groups. We have made many contacts that will be invaluable in the future.

We are very proud of our programs and the help they provide for the animals.

• Education programs that work with local teachers.
• Spay/Neuter assistance program that helps pay for sterilization of pets.
• Feral Cat Trap/Neuter/Return program to decrease the numbers of ferals.
• Angel Program that assists with emergency costs for pet care when funds are not available. We are now helping to fun this program by recycling inkjet and laser cartridges donated by the community.
• Pet Food for Manna House to help the needy feed their pets.
• Feral Cat Care….a volunteer feeds (traps and neuters) the many feral cats that are dumped in the Oakhurst area. We are currently looking for a volunteer to help trap in North Fork.

And, most important of all, the EMC SPCA Animal Care and Adoption Center is becoming a reality! With the help of Supervisor Tom Wheeler, we have the selected a building site on Hwy 49 in Ahwahnee. The Board of Supervisors, Resource Management, the Building Department, and Animal Control are all behind our project. We had some grading done, a culvert put in, and a gate was installed to allow access for the next phase, all required by CalTrans. I am enclosing a photo taken at the site. It was such an exciting day when we were able to put up that big yellow sign!

The corners have been marked to designate the 5-6 acres that we think will be the best place for the facility. This is part of a 75 acre parcel owned by Madera County. After the property boundaries were determined, we had the soil tested for percolation, and had an environmental company check for endangered species of wildlife and plantlife. We think this is a great location as it is across from the Fire Department, Wasuma School and the new Regional Park.

We have hired Shelter Planners of America and local architect, Alan Hendry to help us with this project. As of September, the feasability study for the project was done. The board and committee are reviewing the study to make any changes, then Shelter Planners will begin to work on the floor plan. The projected size of the facility is about 4600 square feet, at a construction cost of $850,000 to $1,000,000. We anticipate an annual operating budget of $125,000. As you can see, there is a lot to do before construction can begin. The community has generously supported us through the years, and now we need you more than ever. I think we all agree that this project is of great importance to the mountain community. We will offer a safe haven for animals awaiting homes. Plans will also include a vaccine clinic, low-cost spay/neuter clinic, dog park, and a place for temporary boarding of pets of battered women who need to move to shelters where animals are not allowed. The EMC SPCA Animal Care and Adoption Center will also be the central location for the Emergency Preparedness Plan for the area. Obviously, we may have to build in phases with the sheltering area first on the list. Even if we receive grants, we will not be able to do this without your help. As we progress, I will keep you updated.

In an effort to be in touch more frequently, and to save printing and postage costs, we will begin using an email program that allows us to contact those interested in our efforts on a more regular basis. The cost to the SPCA is minimal and we assure you that we will never share or sell your email address. I hope you will allow us to add your email address to our list. If, at any time, you want to be removed from the mailing, you will be able to easily unsubscribe.

I hope you will take a minute to fill out the form below and drop it in the mail. Any donation made to help us with existing programs or the building project is not only tax deductible but will directly benefit the animals. All of our workers are volunteers!

Thank you for your continuing support. I know you are as anxious as we are to see progress at the shelter site. Just join our email newsletter and we’ll keep you updated.

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Name______________________________ email________________________________

Address______________________________City____________State/Zip____________

Phone_______________________                           __ I would like to become a volunteer

__ I would like to be added to your email list for EMC SPCA news and updates.

Enclosed is my donation for the animals    ___$500 ___$100 ___$50 ___ $25 ___Other

All donations are tax deductible. Your cancelled check is proof of donations under $250.

Receipts will be sent for larger donations. The EMC SPCA is a 501c3 organization and receives no tax money or support from national organizations.      Tax ID # 77-0259186   

You can also donate at any time with PayPal through our website, www.emcspca.org