More about animals
To the Editor:
Concerning last week’s Letter to the Editor from Barbara Ray, thank you Barbara for the kind words about the new Switzerland County Animal Shelter. But more importantly, thank you and your daughter Stacie for the compassion shown to the dog dumped in your neighborhood and the responsibility you undertook to save not only her life, but the lives of another unwanted litter of puppies.
The nine puppies Barbara and her daughter are caring for can be added to the list of three puppies Jemma Zimmerman near East Enterprise fostered; 10 puppies and mother Donna Mitchell in Markland fostered (another dog dumped from a car); two puppies Eve Purnell near Five Points fostered after finding them emaciated and flea infested along the road; and seven puppies Larry and Tara Flint and Bev Gullion are fostering. All of these are since the new shelter opened in mid-October and are in addition to puppies taken straight to the shelter. Adult dogs? Cats? Too numerous and sad to even begin. Thanks to all the caring residents of Switzerland County who take it upon themselves to care for abandoned animals.
One point needs clarification in Barbara’s letter. The county does not have a spay/neuter program, but Swiss Friends of Animals (SFA) does. It’s called SNAP (Spay/Neuter Assistance Program). Barbara is correct in her understanding that if any Switzerland County resident needs financial assistance to spay or neuter their cat or dog, SNAP funds are available. If the pet owner can pay half, only a small amount, or cannot pay at all, SFA has the funding to help and as Barbara stated, you can choose which vet you will use. SNAP applications are available at the new shelter in East Enterprise or at the SFA office at 105 West Pike Street in Vevay. You may also call SFA’s office at 427-2700 to apply by phone.
SNAP is the long-term solution to help this county reduce its stray animal population. The funding for this program comes from many sources. Recently SFA has been awarded a national grant from DJ & T Foundation, as well as local grants from United Fund and Community Foundation of Switzerland County. The grant from Community Foundation is a matching grant and for every dollar donated to SFA the Community Foundation will donate a dollar. This is a great opportunity for residents who aren’t in a position to help the animals directly to still be a part of the solution. These monies make the SNAP program possible and all Switzerland County residents, whether they are animal lovers or not, benefit. SFA needs your financial support.
To learn more about SFA’s programs or how you can help, please call our office between 9 a.m. and noon Monday through Friday.
Pat Hillis, president
Swiss Friends of Animals
Town service
Dear Editor:
Let me take this opportunity to thank outgoing Town Councilman Pete Furnish for his years of dedicated service to our community. Pete has been a full-time participant in the day-to-day operations of town business. Always accessible, he was acutely aware of citizen concerns. His decisions were based on what he believed best for the overall good of Vevay. By being decisive and action oriented a few toes got stepped on. Although I didn’t agree with all of Pete’s decisions I knew he was acting in good faith, guided by a keen sense of what’s right and wrong.
I hope the new town council seeks the opinions of their constituents and guidance from past members. Perhaps it is time for a paid executive hired to oversee the government operation at the direction of elected officials. This is not a revolutionary concept for the 21st Century.
Kip Meyerhoff
Vevay