Shelly Butler, PAWS Animal Adoption Center
Shelly became ED of PAWS in May 2016 after years in the YMCA and Camp Sunshine organizations.
PAWS was originally started out of a house in the 70's, changed its names in 2012 to Pets Are Worth Saving, built the dog park next to the prior shelter location, moving in 2015 to their new location at 123 John Street. It serves 10 midcoast communities, and has a dog and a cat wing including intake, living, laundry and supply facilities and a medical suite, with quarantine and recovery rooms. A grant from West Bay Rotary helped to pay for the medical clinic. They are able to provide medical services in-house to the animals in their care.
They host rabies clinics, provide micro chips, nail clipping for dogs and cats, flea, tick and heartworm medications, pet loss support group, dog training, camps, and host community groups for events and tours. All animals are spayed or neutered, given distemper, heartworm and rabies vaccines, deworming, ear cleaning and microchip. The cost is about $200 per animal, and a cost of $100,000 per year. Only 5% of their revenue comes from the towns served, 10% from adoption revenue, 15% for special events, 55% individual donations, 10% from trusts and estates, and 5% from Foundations and Grants. They partner with Ruff RIders to bring rescued animals in the south to PAWS and it costs $65 per dog to transport them.
2017 was a record-breaking year for kittens (198) and a 91% adoption rate, doubled the size of their Foster Program, and they have developed policies and procedures for building their resources; Sandy Cox designed an outdoor walking path and the club helped to build the wood chips for the path, They have reduced their debt and are half-way to paying off their mortgage.
Their goals for 2018 include increasing their adoption rate to at least 95%, grow the foster program, allowing them to rescue more animals from the south, educate kids more about the work of shelters and how they can help through outreach programs.
PAWS hopes we can all refer adopters to the shelter, volunteer, be a dog walker, join a committee, help at an event like Weinerfest, donate supplies like non-lumping cat litter, bleach, postage, become a sponsor or business partner.
Barry King is organizing a bowling event with the Camden Rotary Club for Pt. Lookout at a time to be determined on Saturday February 3.
Mark Masterson was recognized for his commitment to the club over the past 14 years as he is moving from the area and leaving the club next month heading to Beaufort, SC. He was given a plaque, and is also trying to re-home 2 cats.
Sandy is doing another football pool and the club consensus was to make PAWS the charitable recipient.
Etienne spoke about the booth the the club will have at the Rotary Convention in Toronto in June demonstrating the Masons on a Mission stove building project, and it will cost about $2500 and involve mover 40 hours of staffing of the booth.
Steve Dailey has just one slot left for parking over Toboggan Nationals.
Mark shared there will be a Habitat work project this Saturday 8a - 12p 9 Clark Street Thomaston.
Susan Dorr reported that the International Committee met this week and voted to use $500 for Interact's Safe Passage trip this spring.