COMMUNITIES FOUNDATION OF TEXAS, THE REES-JONES FOUNDATION AND THE DALLAS FOUNDATION AWARD $13+ MILLION GRANT TO HELP FUND AMBITIOUS SPAY/NEUTER INITIATIVE – We Can Fix This! Let’s Fix This!
Communities Foundation of Texas, The Rees-Jones Foundation and The Dallas Foundation are teaming up to fund an aggressive spay/neuter initiative to drastically reduce the number of loose dogs across southern Dallas. Communities Foundation of Texas awarded a grant of $3 million over 18 months from the W.W. Caruth, Jr. Foundation; The Rees-Jones Foundation has awarded $10 million over the next three years to support the initiative and The Dallas Foundation has awarded $450,000 over the next 12 months from several funds it manages.
Spay Neuter Network’s Community Pet Care clinic will be the hub of SNN’s effort to Fix Southern Dallas’ roaming dog problem. Located at Bruton Rd and Buckner Blvd, the clinic will provide FREE spay and neuter packages that include vaccinations for rabies, parvo/distemper, FVRCP (cats) and a microchip! MAKE AN APPOINTMENT
The initiative is aimed at 23 target zip codes due to the large number of 311 calls in those areas. To qualify for the program, residents must live in 75116, 75134, 75203, 75207, 75208, 75210, 75211, 75212, 75215, 75216, 75217, 75223, 75224, 75226, 75227, 75228, 75232, 75233, 75236, 75237, 75241, 75249 or 75253. Dallas residents living in these zip codes can make appointments online at spayneuternet.org or call 972-472-3500.
“In three years, Spay Neuter Network has served almost 50,000 pets and their families in targeted Dallas neighborhoods, “says Spay Neuter Network Founder Bonnie Hill. “The ambitious 2017 goal of 46,000 spay and neuter surgeries adopted by the City of Dallas for South Dallas dogs can be accomplished only if the many humane organizations join together with Spay Neuter Network’s ongoing effort. This will effectively lower the loose dog population in these targeted zip codes through low-cost or even free spay/neuter procedures. We are excited about the partnerships forming to stop dog pet overpopulation in South Dallas. Let’s fix this now.” Hill concluded.
“The loose dog situation in southern Dallas plagues our citizens on a daily basis, reducing their quality of life by limiting their ability to have full enjoyment of their neighborhoods and causing them to fear for their safety and the safety of their children,” said Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings. “This initiative is a direct response to the calls from the community and the leadership of my southern Dallas colleagues on the City Council to find a solution to this problem. Solving the loose dog emergency will play a key role in creating the GrowSouth ‘Culture of Clean’ in southern Dallas with secure neighborhoods where residents are safe and economic development can thrive. I thank these fine Dallas institutions for once again partnering with the City to improve the lives of our citizens.”
Based on the recommendations of the Boston Consulting Group (“BCG”) report issued in August 2016, the coalition will provide approximately 46,000 free surgeries for dogs per year for each of the next three years, with the goal of dramatically reducing the birth rate of dogs and thereby reducing the population of loose dogs in southern Dallas. The total cost of the surge is expected to be approximately $24 million. The three grants will fund activities by SPCA of Texas, the Spay Neuter Network and Operation Kindness. The coalition will be managed by Aaron Asmus of Resourceful Elephant Group, a veteran of spay/neuter surges in other cities.
“This ground-breaking initiative is the most aggressive among any major city in the U.S.,” said Peter Brodsky, chairman of the Dallas Animal Advisory Commission. “It’s a smart, data-driven approach that will end a problem that affects humans and animals alike. Spaying and neutering not only increases public safety by decreasing the loose dog population and the number of animal bites, it reduces unnecessary euthanasia. Thanks to the generosity of these three funders, we are more than halfway to our fundraising goal. We look forward to discussions with other local and national funders in the coming months about supporting this effort to fundamentally alter the landscape for humans and animals in our city.”
The spay/neuter surge will help alleviate a problem that has plagued parts of southern Dallas for decades. An estimated 8,700 loose dogs roam through southern Dallas – compared to virtually no loose dogs in North Dallas – and incidents of dog bites in southern Dallas have increased 15 percent annually since 2013. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, nearly 85 percent of dog bites involve animals that are not spayed or neutered.
According to the BCG study, approximately 15 percent of dogs in southern Dallas are spayed or neutered vs. approximately 80 percent in North Dallas. The surge will seek to dramatically increase the percentage of spayed or neutered dogs in southern Dallas by addressing the root causes of the low spay/neuter rate.
Speaking on behalf of the coalition, Brodsky added, “This group effort will seek to provide solutions to the three primary obstacles to spay/neuter surgeries in southern Dallas: access, affordability and information, specifically the lack of veterinary services in southern Dallas; the high cost of spay/neuter surgeries; and the lack of awareness about the benefits to both humans and animals of spay/neuter. By working with the community to provide the information and then offering accessible and free services, we know we can accomplish our audacious goals.”
In addition to providing free surgeries, the agencies also plan to expand community outreach programs in the area, including free animal vaccinations, pet wellness exams, and resources to educate residents on responsible pet ownership. While not a focus of the initiative, residents will also be offered free spay/neuter surgeries for their pet cats.
“We believe strongly in making southern Dallas a safer community for both people and pets,” said Monica Egert Smith, senior director of strategic philanthropy at Communities Foundation of Texas.
The Rees-Jones Foundation and The Dallas Foundation grants will be used to fund community outreach, education, mobile clinics and free surgeries provided by the SPCA of Texas, Spay Neuter Network and Operation Kindness.
“The Rees-Jones Foundation is proud to fund this ambitious spay/neuter initiative to address a problem that must be resolved before our friends in southern Dallas can enjoy safe, healthy and secure neighborhoods,” said Jan Rees-Jones, Co-Founder of The Rees-Jones Foundation. “Until the residents of our city can walk in their own neighborhoods without fear of attack from aggressive animals, quality of life is compromised in unacceptable ways. This project addresses that concern. We also care very much about the humane treatment of these animals. When we saw that the City of Dallas had stepped up to address the loose dog issue by increasing funding to DAS, implementing a strategy designed to improve both public safety and animal welfare, we saw an opportunity for the private funding community to come together in solving this issue. We are grateful to be part of this important partnership that will improve the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of people and animals in the coming years.”
Mary Jalonick, President and CEO of The Dallas Foundation said, “Based on the Foundation’s long history with funding programs that support the welfare of companion animals, we think this dramatic increase in spay/neuter surgeries is a bold step forward and will improve the safety and well-being of the children, families and animals that call southern Dallas home. The Dallas Foundation is proud to join our colleagues in supporting this initiative.”
The surge is an outgrowth of many years of efforts to tackle the spay/neuter issue in Dallas, alleviating conditions that are harmful for families or ones that place children at risk. In addition to the funders involved in today’s announcement, past partners have included other members of the Companion Animal Funders Coalition, including The Meadows Foundation, George and Fay Young Foundation, and The Summerlee Foundation, as well as PetSmart Charities. While these organizations have not yet made a formal commitment to the surge, several have been heavily involved in its planning.
Mayor Rawlings said the spay/neuter initiative has widespread support from animal advocacy groups, home owners, the Dallas Police Department and the City of Dallas.
“The one thing that everyone seems to agree on is that spay/neuter is the key to solving our loose dog problem for the long term. Success will require everyone in the community to participate. We look forward to working with community leaders to spread the word about this opportunity. With private support and the ongoing backing of the public, the spay/neuter initiative will help make southern Dallas a safer, stronger community for everyone.”
###
About Communities Foundation of Texas
Communities Foundation of Texas works with families, companies and nonprofits to strengthen our community through a variety of charitable funds and strategic grant making initiatives. In 1974, W.W. Caruth, Jr. established his foundation as part of the Communities Foundation of Texas with philanthropic goals to meet community needs today and support frontier-advancing projects in education, scientific research, medical advancement and public safety. Communities Foundation of Texas is committed to serving and understanding donor needs, expertly handling complex gifts, wisely managing charitable funds, and leveraging its community knowledge to increase charitable impact. The Foundation professionally manages more than 900 charitable funds and has awarded more than $1.6 billion in grants since its founding in 1953. www.cftexas.org. Facebook: www.facebook.com/CFTexas Twitter: @GiveWisely
About Rees-Jones Foundation
The Rees-Jones Foundation is a private foundation established by Jan and Trevor Rees-Jones in 2006 with a principal focus on benefitting the people of North Texas. The Foundation provides support and funding for programs that will help improve in tangible ways the quality of life and life circumstances of the people it serves, with special emphasis on assisting children and their families. The Foundation works to defend the welfare of children suffering from abuse or neglect, afford relief to those facing mental health challenges, provide youth with opportunities for enrichment and character development, encourage healthy families and communities, enhance the lives of children, youth, and families dealing with disabilities, and promote the humane treatment of companion animals. For more information about the Foundation, visit www.rees-jonesfoundation.org.
About The Dallas Foundation
The Dallas Foundation’s mission is to serve as a leader, catalyst and resource for philanthropy by providing donors with flexible means of making gifts to charitable causes that enhance our community. Since its establishment in 1929, The Dallas Foundation’s sole purpose has been to help donors create charitable funds that reflect their interests and provide nonprofits with resources they need to serve the community. To date, The Dallas Foundation has awarded over $662 million in grants. For more information, please visit dallasfoundation.org. www.facebook.com/dallasfoundation Twitter: @TDFHereforGood