Our non-profit Texas Rescue Network is a newer 501c3 that is based in San Antonio, Texas. We are finding that many of the zip codes that struggle with stray overpopulation and roaming dogs face barriers like lack of transportation, internet, or education when it comes to the free/low cost spay and neuter opportunities that are available for them in the area. We would love to connect with other organizations and hear what methods they have implemented to reach those lower income communities in need of pet care but experiencing hardship. 

#AccesstoCare

------------------------------
Alex Katz
Executive Director
Texas Rescue Network
------------------------------

would love to hear that info also as I vol with group that does outreaches to low income and underserved areas of Rome, GA

------------------------------
Sandy Cole
------------------------------

Are you familiar with Pets for Life? We've been doing this kind of work for over ten years now and have lots of resources and toolkits: https://humanepro.org/programs/pets-for-life

We work with several groups in Texas, including previously in San Antonio.

------------------------------
M Saucedo
GIS Analyst
Pets for Life
------------------------------

Many thanks for sharing this resource. There are numerous counties in Mississippi facing similar challenges. Bless you.

------------------------------
Cynthia Howle
volunteer: community relations
Dog Lovers' League
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 02-21-2023 07:33 AM
From: M Saucedo
Subject: Overcoming Obstacles to Access to Care in Low Income Neighborhoods

Are you familiar with Pets for Life? We've been doing this kind of work for over ten years now and have lots of resources and toolkits: https://humanepro.org/programs/pets-for-life

We work with several groups in Texas, including previously in San Antonio.

------------------------------
M Saucedo
GIS Analyst
Pets for Life
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 3/9/2023 5:27:00 PM
From: Cynthia Howle
Subject: RE: Overcoming Obstacles to Access to Care in Low Income Neighborhoods

Many thanks for sharing this resource. There are numerous counties in Mississippi facing similar challenges. Bless you.

------------------------------
Cynthia Howle
volunteer: community relations
Dog Lovers' League
------------------------------

Thank you everyone for sharing your websites and information! 

Our Animal Services team is from a small rural town in Texas and are finally at a point where we are ready to launch programming as you have all put into practice. I can't wait to visit all of your resources! 

In addition to the practices already mentioned, does anyone have any experience in the following?

 -creating a community fence repair program

-advice on preventative practices in place to decolonize RTO practices

Thank you! This is the exact post I joined to find! 

------------------------------
Kay Wanoreck
Admin Assistant
San Angelo Animal Services
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 03-09-2023 02:26 PM
From: Cynthia Howle
Subject: Overcoming Obstacles to Access to Care in Low Income Neighborhoods

Many thanks for sharing this resource. There are numerous counties in Mississippi facing similar challenges. Bless you.

------------------------------
Cynthia Howle
volunteer: community relations
Dog Lovers' League
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 02-21-2023 07:33 AM
From: M Saucedo
Subject: Overcoming Obstacles to Access to Care in Low Income Neighborhoods

Are you familiar with Pets for Life? We've been doing this kind of work for over ten years now and have lots of resources and toolkits: https://humanepro.org/programs/pets-for-life

We work with several groups in Texas, including previously in San Antonio.

------------------------------
M Saucedo
GIS Analyst
Pets for Life

Buster's Paw Prints is in rural northern California (2 hours north of Sacramento) in an area where communities are scattered and pet owners who may have access to a vehicle may not financial means to purchase fuel. We have address lack of transportation by offering to pick up the pets and bring them to and from their vet appointments. Two of our board members transport,  plus we have several volunteers that help transport.  Last year over 50% of our community pet care clients received transportation to an appointment. 

For the low-income and unsheltered populations, we have gone to their communities, with paper flyers that we post in community markets or hand out directly to pet owners. We established a Google Voice number that we use to text, so there is no need for internet access. Within 12 hours of posting flyers in our community we had booked 20 pitbull type dog spay/neuters.

We network with our local senior center and the homeless day center to reach our most in need pet owners. We are now at a point where clients receiving day center services can get rides to the vet in the day center vehicles.  Pet owners can either be picked up at their camps or meet at the day center for a ride. 

------------------------------
Nichole Bethurem
------------------------------

Hello.  I am with Street Dogz in Las Vegas.  Our clients are homeless and low-income.  For those that have the barrier of lack of phone/internet, we have a Homeless Outreach person that goes to many homeless encampments.  Once anyone knows of us, they usually share by word of mouth.  There are ways to get free phones (Obama Phones) that enable them to contact us and for us to be able to reach them.  We have several distribution events throughout the valley during each month that people can come to and get pet food and other essentials as well as have the opportunity to ask questions and find solutions to some of their issues (spay/neuter request, medical, vaccinations).  We offer free bus passes and occasional volunteer transportation when available to help get the people and pets to where they can receive assistance.   I hope that this helps.

------------------------------
Maris Brown
Medical Director
Street Dogz Las Vegas
------------------------------

I love seeing other organizations operating this way. One of the things we are hoping to accomplish during the challenge period is gaining access to some of the encampments we don't currently serve.

------------------------------
Nichole Bethurem
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 03-09-2023 01:44 PM
From: Maris Brown
Subject: Overcoming Obstacles to Access to Care in Low Income Neighborhoods

Hello.  I am with Street Dogz in Las Vegas.  Our clients are homeless and low-income.  For those that have the barrier of lack of phone/internet, we have a Homeless Outreach person that goes to many homeless encampments.  Once anyone knows of us, they usually share by word of mouth.  There are ways to get free phones (Obama Phones) that enable them to contact us and for us to be able to reach them.  We have several distribution events throughout the valley during each month that people can come to and get pet food and other essentials as well as have the opportunity to ask questions and find solutions to some of their issues (spay/neuter request, medical, vaccinations).  We offer free bus passes and occasional volunteer transportation when available to help get the people and pets to where they can receive assistance.   I hope that this helps.

------------------------------
Maris Brown
Medical Director
Street Dogz Las Vegas
------------------------------

absolutely. we are a small, intake prevention organization in Indiana. it is a significant challenge reaching low-income populations. We also have very, very limited free or low cost spay and neuter opportunities, and a significant veterinary shortage. I would love to brainstorm with you and other organizations. You can reach me at animaladvocatesgl@gmail.com 

I have also attached our website here: https://www.animaladvocatesgl.org/

------------------------------
Nadine Dolby
Professor
Animal Advocates of Greater Lafayette
------------------------------

Your website has some great ideas. With the shelter that I volunteer, there's a GREAT need for community education. Many thanks for posting!

------------------------------
Cynthia Howle
volunteer: community relations
Dog Lovers' League
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 03-11-2023 06:51 AM
From: Nadine Dolby
Subject: Overcoming Obstacles to Access to Care in Low Income Neighborhoods

absolutely. we are a small, intake prevention organization in Indiana. it is a significant challenge reaching low-income populations. We also have very, very limited free or low cost spay and neuter opportunities, and a significant veterinary shortage. I would love to brainstorm with you and other organizations. You can reach me at animaladvocatesgl@gmail.com 

I have also attached our website here: https://www.animaladvocatesgl.org/

------------------------------
Nadine Dolby
Professor
Animal Advocates of Greater Lafayette
------------------------------

AlignCare (www.aligncarehealth.org). We help to align resources that already exist in a community to spread each dollar farther and help more families. 

Example Community:

• help identify funding
• train Human Support Coordinators in the community to help families apply for enrollment, and assist them after they are enrolled with questions and connect them to other partners in the community that can assist the family with meeting other needs
• partner with social service agencies and animal welfare organizations to identify underserved families
• partner with veterinary service providers to provide sick or urgent veterinary care to their pet(s) in need (AlignCare pays 80%, the family pays 20%)
• partner with local animal welfare organizations to help supplement or cover the families 20% copay,  if applicable, or meet other veterinary and pet needs after the sick or urgent needs are served

If you want to learn more about AlignCare and how you can bring AlignCare to your community, reach out to us at ppheweb@utk.edu 

#accesstoveterinarycare 

------------------------------
T' Fisher
Director of Operations
Program for Pet Health Equity
TN
ppheweb@utk.edu
------------------------------

My organization (betterTogether Forever) in  Los Angeles, CA does many of the things that other groups have mentioned here. In addition, we partner with the North Central Animal Shelter in LA where we have a table to intercept and help underserved people with pets to help ensure that the families get the resources they need to keep (not surrender or redeem) their pets. We have connections to resources including food, supplies, vet care, s/n, and more. I feel this is one of the most important outreach efforts we have because we are able to solve problems in real time and the outcome is less pets surrendered, fewer pets and their people broken hearted and fewer pets dying.

------------------------------
Laura Pelegrin
------------------------------