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(DALLAS, TX); April 27, 2017—The SPCA of Texas is excited to announce that it has received a generous grant in the amount of $3,000,000 from the W. W. Caruth, Jr. Foundation at Communities Foundation of Texas over the next 18 months to help support the Community Pet Program in its efforts to provide 30,000 free spay/neuter services, vaccinations and microchips through the South Dallas Pet Initiative and community outreach to make the streets of South Dallas a safer place for residents by helping people keep pets in homes, off the streets and out of shelters. These services will be provided to pets of people living in poverty in eleven South Dallas zip codes. Zip codes include: 75203, 75208, 75210, 75211, 75215, 75216, 75217, 75223, 75224, 75227 and 75241.
The Community Pet Program will lead to a decrease in the number of loose dogs roaming the streets, a decrease in the number of dog bite and dog attack calls to 311 and 911, a decrease in intake at Dallas Animal Services and improve the spay/neuter rate of South Dallas comparable to North Dallas at 80 percent.
The Community Pet Program’s South Dallas Pet Initiative, which began in 2016, offers spays/neuters, vaccinations and microchips free of charge where residents have neither the resources nor the access to stem the growth rate of the number of loose dogs, which pose a threat to personal safety.
Further, the Community Pet Program’s Pet Resource Center aims to provide medical, behavioral and housing help for pets of people living in poverty and provide assistance to owners who may otherwise relinquish their pets onto the streets or to local shelters.
The specific zip codes were chosen because the region serves as a virtual desert for animal services that help ensure responsible pet ownership. There are only three veterinary clinics for over 400,000 people across the 11 zip codes in South Dallas, including the SPCA of Texas’ Mary Spencer Clinic on Village Fair Drive. According to the Dallas County Community Health Needs Assessment, 25% of residents in South Dallas live below the federal poverty line.
The SPCA of Texas is able to provide exceptional care for these animals while at the same time increasing public safety and improving the quality of life for residents of South Dallas thanks to this generous grant from the W. W. Caruth, Jr. Foundation at Communities Foundation of Texas. Without support from foundations and donors like the W. W. Caruth, Jr. Foundation at Communities Foundation of Texas, the SPCA of Texas would not be able to afford the cost of the care for the animals necessary to save lives.
About the SPCA of Texas
The SPCA of Texas is the leading animal welfare agency in North Texas. The non-profit organization operates two shelters, an animal rescue center and three spay/neuter clinics located in Dallas and McKinney, and maintains a team of animal cruelty investigators to respond to thousands of calls in seven North Texas. Moreover, the SPCA of Texas serves as an active resource center for an array of services that bring people and animals together to enrich each other’s lives. The SPCA of Texas is not affiliated with any other entity and does not receive general operating funds from the City of Dallas, State of Texas, federal government or any other humane organization. The SPCA of Texas is dedicated to providing every animal exceptional care and a loving home. For more information, visit www.spca.org.
About Communities Foundation of Texas
Communities Foundation of Texas (CFT) works with families, companies and nonprofits to strengthen our community through a variety of charitable funds and strategic grant making initiatives. CFT is committed to serving and understanding donor needs, expertly handling complex gifts, wisely managing charitable funds, and leveraging its community knowledge to increase charitable impact. The foundation professionally manages more than 900 charitable funds and has awarded more than $1.5 billion in grants since its founding in 1953. www.cftexas.org
About W. W. Caruth Jr. Foundation at Communities Foundation of Texas (CFT)
In establishing his foundation in 1974 as part of the Communities Foundation of Texas, William Walter Caruth Jr.’s philanthropic goals were to support frontier-advancing projects in education, scientific research, medical advancement and public safety. He gave generously during his life to support the causes he believed in, and he left the bulk of his estate to CFT to continue to meet community needs today and well into the future with innovative investments. http://www.cftexas.org/ww-caruth-jr.-foundation
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