From the Volunteers For Animals:
It has been a crazy year indeed.
One year ago everything was being cancelled and closed. We were only able to hold three fundraisers -- Scrap for the Pack, Hogs for Paws at Stan’s Harley Davidson, and a basket raffle at Pudgie’s Lawn and Garden Center.
We are grateful for the outpouring of support from the community both monetarily and through the donation of much-needed supplies.
When we compared 2020 to 2019, our overall intake and adoption numbers for cats was very close.
For dogs it was a slightly different story. We saw a drop in stray dogs in 2020 and VFA had a drop in rescue dogs brought in from out-of-state due to travel restrictions and COVID-19. So even though the coronavirus pandemic closed many places and changed our daily lives, in 2020 the Shelter saw more than 700 animals come through the doors needing our care.
We were able to continue our Community Spay/Neuter Voucher Program by providing over 700 vouchers for cats and dogs in the community to be vaccinated and spayed/neutered. The Petco Foundation grant we received in April of 2020 provided vouchers for over 200 pets.
We especially want to thank our participating vets at Perry Pet -- Batavia, the State Street Animal Hospital, and True Care for continuing to provide much needed services during a very challenging time.
In January, the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department seized 13 dogs and two cats in a cruelty case. These animals are being held at the Genesee County Animal Shelter and are being cared for by the county and Volunteers For Animals. Many of the animals were in need of medical care. To date, VFA has spent more than $5,000 for veterinary services for these animals.
In March, Genesee County began renovations on the Animal Shelter facility including improvement of dog kennels, drains, ventilations systems, and nonslip floor surfaces. The county received a grant of $200,000 from the Department of Ag and Markets for the work. It is the first major renovation done since the Shelter was built in 2001.
Construction is always challenging, especially when animals are involved, but the end product has been well worth it.
So right now we are at a more hopeful point than a year ago. You have always been there for the animals and we will continue to care for the animals that come through the door. We greatly appreciate all of the support this past year and look forward to seeing everyone in the upcoming year.
Thank you for your support.
To make a donation online, go to our website, click on the picture where it says "Help the animals" then click on the Donate Now button.
Or mail a contribution to: Volunteers For Animals, PO Box 1621, Batavia, NY, 14021
Make checks payable to Volunteers For Animals.
Donations are tax deductible under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code.
Of every dollar donated to Volunteers For Animals, 96 percent goes directly to help animals in Genesee County. We have no salaried employees and rely entirely on the generous support of volunteers and donations.
HOW WE USED YOUR DONATION IN 2020
- Veterninary Care -- 75 percent
- Medications/Vaccines/Food Supplies -- 20 percent
- Fundraising/Promotional/Operational -- 4 percent
- Rescue Dog Fees -- 1 percent
