Put aside, for the moment, the enormous investment rescuers make in time, love, medical care, training, laundry and housekeeping chores, pain (both emotional and physical) and joy.
A 501(c)(3) non-profit rescue organization is, when all is said and done, a business. The bookkeeping alone is time-consuming, because every penny that comes in or goes out must be accounted for properly.
For almost all rescues, what goes out normally exceeds what comes in. When debt exceeds income (donations, adoption fees, grants, etc.), rescues can fail. And when that happens, it’s not merely a loss for homeless animals, but a loss for the entire community.
Like every other rescue in the middle Georgia, Macon Purrs N Paws animal rescue depends on the kindness of others to stay in business. The rescue saves both cats and dogs from high-kill animal shelters and also takes in some animals found injured or, like Courage, starved nearly to death. A network of foster homes takes care of the animals until homes are found.
Many of the cats and kittens live at the Macon Purrs N Paws shelter, where they have furniture to relax or nap on, scratching posts, things to climb and places for impromptu games of hide-and-seek. MPNP recently expanded into the area immediately adjacent to its store-front shelter, more than doubling the amount of available space to house homeless kitties in a safe, cat-friendly environment. Since volunteers arrive every day to clean, feed, water and play with the cats, even the most unfriendly feline soon learns how to be social.
Over the past few months, and espeially since Bibb County took over animal control and began killing with a vengeance, Macon Purrs N Paws has saved dozens and dozens of dogs and cats from an untimely death.
Now, as area residents focus on buying Christmas gifts and decorations, donations are slowing down, and the MPNP ledger books are as red as Santa’s cheeks.
The bottom line is, they need help to keep their shelter open, and you can provide it without giving up Christmas. In fact, helping out at this time of dire need for homeless pets in our area is what Christmas is all about: giving. Selflessness. Generosity.
Borrowing an idea from a rescue in another state, why not send MPNP a Christmas card with a check in it? Or a dollar bill, if you don’t have much but still want to share. Even without the card, the donation will be appreciated. The card, or a short, cheery note, is smile-inducing icing on the cake.
Why not look through MPNP’s adoptable pet album with your children and let them choose one to “gift” this Christmas. A toy, a bag of pet food, or an envelope with some allowance money in it would be welcome and help teach your children compassion and sharing. You can call the shelter to coordinate a drop-off or find out when to take the items to an adoption event.
Better yet, pick a pet from the album, arrange a meeting, and perhaps adopt the pet. While we don’t recommend “surprising” anyone with a pet at Christmas, a family decision to adopt is perfectly all right.
If you can’t drop a dollar in the mail or buy toys, cat litter or food for the shelter, consider volunteering to work at the shelter, or apply to foster a homeless pet. Fostering costs you nothing but love; the rescue pays for food, vetting and spay/neuter surgery.
To arrange to meet an adoptable pet, apply to foster, drop off donations or get more information, call Macon Purrs N Paws at (478) 719-5808.
Mail donations/cards to:
Macon Purrs N Paws
326 Harvest Walk
Macon,Ga 31210
Donate directly via PayPal and enter maconpurrs@gmail.com for the recipient.
