Dave Gelo, PetSmart District Lead in north Florida, selected the Nassau Humane Society to receive a PetSmart Charities grant in 2018.
“Nassau Humane Society has been an integral part of the animal welfare community in North Florida for the last four years,” says Gelo. “They continue to focus on lifesaving programs such as trap-neuter-return and low-cost adoptions and they maintain an active volunteer staff.”
The Nassau Humane Society has been an excellent partner with PetSmart Charities, sharing the same mission and working toward the same goals.
“NHS has worked with Petsmart Charities for several years,” Gelo says. “One of our biggest partnerships was to offer free or reduced spay/neuter program. And the Nassau Humane Society currently keeps a volunteer inside our Petsmart store seven days a week to support adoptions.”
Demand for Space Never Ceases
A pet rescue located in Fernandina Beach, the Nassau Humane Society takes in approximately 1,300 animals a year. According to Jacki McDonald, executive director with the shelter, there is constant demand to take in animals.
“Our number one challenge is the ongoing request to take pets in from families who can no longer care for them and other overcrowded shelters, where they have been surrendered and are now out of space,” she says. “This is often a direct result of pets not being spayed or neutered, and a lack of planning for proper care, leaving them homeless.”
The PetSmart Charities grant has allowed them to tackle these problems head-on.
“The PetSmart Charities grant has allowed us to take in more animals in need and get them fully healthy and ready for adoption,” McDonald says. “Each dog or cat that we commit to is spayed/neutered, vaccinated, dewormed and microchipped. We test all dogs for heartworms and treat if needed. And if a dog or cat has an injury, he or she is provided all care required to heal.”
Meet Opus
One of the most notable cases is Opus, a young cattle dog that was dropped off by animal control.
“Shortly after bringing him into our care, we noticed Opus limping and favoring one of his back legs,” McDonald explains. “After consulting with two vets, we learned Opus needed femoral head osteotomy (FHO) surgery. In simple terms, FHO is the removal of the “ball” part of the ball-and-socket that makes up the hip joint. This eliminates the pain that is caused by the abnormal contact of the bones.
“The PetSmart Charities grant allowed us to schedule his surgery, and Opus is now recovering and getting ready for adoption!”
