Caswell Pet Lifeline (CPL) has received a $4,500 grant from the Copwood Hill Foundation of Banner Elk, to provide low cost Spay/neuter services in Caswell County. This program called “Lifeline Fix” is designed to help low income working families and retired people.

The county already has a very successful program called “THE $20 FIX”, operated by AnimalKind. Beth Livingstone is Executive Director of Animalkind. She said “CPL is mindful to avoid duplicating services, while still filling a community need. and is very interested in coordinating outreach efforts with THE $20 FIX”. Jim Stay, president of CPL said “We are working closely with AnimalKind, to complement the existing service.” The new program will be available to working and retired people whose income is too high to qualify for the $20 fix.

The Copwood Hill Foundation provides funding assistance to members of the public in financial need to spay or neuter dogs and cats. To this end, it provides grant funding to 501(c)3 animal welfare organizations that offer this service to the public. Kathryn Copley, Board Chair of Copwood Hill Foundation said. “Spay and neuter are critical to reducing the overpopulation of pets in Caswell county. Spaying just one female cat can prevent twenty unwanted kittens in just one year.” Pet Overpopulation Patrol (POP) has offered us a discount for the services, allowing the grant to provide up to 100 fixes this year. Starting in March, the POP mobile unit will be in Yanceyville twice a month, so getting your pet fixed is very convenient.

CPL will also work closely with the Animal Protection Society (APS), who operate the county shelter. Bill Bush is on the board of both APS and CPL. “The shelter staff are the people who know when help is needed” said Bush. Application forms are available at the shelter, and the staff will refer people to CPL.`

Caswell County has only about 10,000 households, and yet every year the shelter takes in almost 2,000 dogs and cats. More than half of them are surrendered by people who can’t or don’t want to care for them. Many of these animals are put down because there is just no room, and we can’t find homes for them fast enough. This is a shame, and a large cost to the county as well. Spay and neuter is the only long term solution to this overpopulation problem, although adoptions and transfers to rescue groups are very good short term solutions.

CPL was founded in 2012 to support all aspects of companion animal welfare in the county. CPL’s first project was cat adoptions. Pet Supermarket of Burlington offered us three cages to display cats from the shelter for adoption. We set up a revolving fund so that that the cats are fixed before we bring them to the store, and they are ready to go home. Eleven cats were adopted from the store in January. Our goal is 15 a month, and that would mean 180 cats saved this year.

Caswell Pet Lifeline depends on volunteer help from members of the community. Volunteers as well as financial help will allow us to expand our services. Please contact Jim Stay at jim@caswellpetlifeline.org, or Bill Bush at (336) 388-2805. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/caswellpetlifelife.