SIDNEY — SCARF (Shelby County Animal Rescue Foundation) celebrated its sixth year of organization in 2018 continuing to represent and support abused and neglected animals in Shelby County.
“SCARF’s mission is to raise funds to support the Shelby County Animal Shelter in safe adoptions, education & community outreach concerning abused and neglected animals, medical procedures, eliminating euthanasia of adoptable animals, and maintaining best practices,” said Julie Ehemann, SCARF vice president.
Her report continues:
SCARF works to assist the humane-agent trained employees of the Shelby County Animal Shelter in their efforts to take care of dogs and cats in the shelter. This involvement has resulted in decreasing euthanasia so that adoptable animals are housed until they find their forever home. In 2018 SCARF paid over $15,000 for immunizations, vet care, and TNR services and facilitated the collection of donations consisting of food, blankets, treats, toys, cleaning supplies, etc.
SCARF volunteers assisted the Shelter employees with their spay/neuter clinics and low-cost vaccination clinics providing services to over 200 local pets. Volunteers also helped to groom and exercise dogs to keep them more sociable and active.
SCARF conducted adoption drives on behalf of the Shelter at PetValu and at Lochards Hardware. SCARF also assisted people in finding adoptable pets via support of the Animal Shelter’s adoption process and the utilization of www.petfinder.com. With SCARF’s help, the Shelby County Animal Shelter had over 95 percent of dogs coming into the shelter adopted or re-united with their owners. Other dogs were transferred to rescue centers throughout the United States or remain waiting for adoption.
Various fundraisers were conducted this past year including Walk to End Parvo, Cans for Canines, SCARF’s annual Garage Sale, Dimes for Dogs and Cats, Top Dog Calendar Contest, the Top Cat Contest, and the Lip-Sync Battle.
The Shelby County Animal Shelter and SCARF, along with support from the City of Sidney continued a TNR clinic (trap-neuter-return) program using SCARF volunteers to trap cats at pre-determined locations with a mobile Veterinarian unit utilized to perform spay and neuter procedures before the cats are returned to their neighborhoods. Cats are given rabies vaccinations and are given health exams while at the clinic. Six clinics were scheduled in 2018 resulting in 168 cats that were spayed or neutered. Four cats were euthanized due to health concerns. Plans are in place for seven clinics again in 2019.
In late 2015 SCARF launched a campaign to raise funds for a new Animal Shelter and Adoption Center. The new facility will be named the Bob Sargeant & Family Animal Shelter and Adoption Center. Freytag and Associates developed the plans with the advice of Shelter Planners of America while Westerheide Construction is in the process of building the new facility. The new Animal Shelter should be completed by early fall 2019. Current pledges and donations total over $2.4 million with sponsorships still available including the HOPE Drive at $50,000 and the Public Restroom at $13,500.
SCARF turned some of its attention to education launching a new program called PEP! (Pet Education Project). Utilizing the PEP! curriculum, SCARF volunteers will help kids learn the proper way to care for animals with the tag-line “Be Cool, Not Cruel.” The PEP! program reached over 200 Shelby County youth in its first year and will be participating in numerous programs in 2019.
SCARF volunteers are extremely grateful for the outpouring of support they have received from the community thus far, and will continue their efforts in 2019 to support the needs of animals in Shelby County.
More information can be found at www.helpshelbycountyanimals.com.
