The nonprofit Cause for Paws, Inc. (CFPI) will have a recognition celebration reflecting on the 20 years the nonprofit has been of service to the Hutchinson Animal Shelter and pet owners in Reno County and honoring those who have contributed to its success. The free, people-only event will be held at the Hutchinson Zoo Event Center on Sunday, August 2 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The Hutchinson Animal Shelter opened in January of 2006, and the City of Hutchinson asked that a group be established to assist the shelter in reducing the number of pet euthanizations through education and financial support. The all-volunteer board, Cause for Paws, Inc., officially began in August 2006.
Over the last 20 years, CFPI has provided low- to no-cost spay and neuter services for over 10,000 pets, resulting in saving a potential exponential millions of cat and dog lives.
- A single unspayed female cat and her offspring can produce 66,088 kittens in 6 years and 11,000,000 in 9 years.
- One female dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 puppies in 6 years.
Over 1,400 pet owners have received other pet-related financial assistance.
Among the many contributions made by CFPI to better the lives of pets and residents of Hutch and reno county are the Pit Bull Terrier initiative which offers reduced cost spay and neuter, the dog park, an expansion for the animal shelter, and adding four K9 trained dogs to the Hutchinson Police force.
Former CFPI President and founding member Sylvia Griggs often said that the work CFPI does is a community solution to a community problem. Founding member and long-time board member Ardy Alexander always said, “We cannot adopt ourselves out of a pet overpopulation problem. It’s only by preventing unnecessary litters that we reduce the overwhelming number of strays.”
In July of 2007, the nonprofit designed the STOP program (Stop The Overpopulation of Pets) to make spay/neuter services financially accessible for everyone with a cat or dog who might not otherwise be able to spay/neuter their pets. Spay/neuter vouchers are issued on a needs basis to Reno County residents and can be only used at partnering veterinarian clinics. The STOP Program is solely funded by memberships, donations, grants and co-pays that CFPI has been able to secure.
STOP Coordinators Janet Ralston and Nancy Johnson report an average about 50 STOP applications each month, and when including a rabies vaccination, monthly costs can range from $7,000 to $8,000, or $84,000 to $96,000 per year.
Current CFPI Board President Connie Allen said that CPFI has done more than help with pet overpopulation. She said, “Over the years, Cause for Paws has raised money to pay for many things benefiting our community, including paying for the animal shelter expansion, building the dog park next to the Hutchinson Animal Shelter, providing pet respirators for Reno County fire trucks, adding four trained K9 dogs and their equipment to the Hutchinson Police Department, reduced cost spay and neuter for Pit Bull Terrier breeds, microchips, and vaccine clinics.”
Soon after starting in August of 2006, CPFI and other animal advocates successfully persuaded the City of Hutchinson to change dog licensing fees and make it more expensive to own pets that are not sterilized in addition to more humane tethering rules. In July 2007, the Hutchinson City Council voted to change the fees to a $50 annual license fee for non-sterilized dogs and $15 if the dog is spayed or neutered.
n 2008, Earlene and Robert Neuway Legacy Fund purchased a 2006 cargo van and donated it to CFPI as a rescue transport to aid in reducing pet overpopulation. CFPI volunteers use the van a few times a month
to transport animals to other shelters and rescues for adoption. A partnership between CFPI and the Hutchinson Animal Shelter jointly provide the van’s upkeep for transports done for the shelter.
Often the rescue van makes appearances at adoption or fundraising events, and in the Patriot’s and Christmas parades.
llen says, “The CFPI mission states: Cause for Paws, Inc. is committed to ensuring the well-being of all cats and dogs, reducing pet overpopulation, building a strong base of animal advocates and supporting the Hutchinson Animal Shelter. And part of how we build and strengthen that strong advocacy group is by hosting fun activities for pet families to participate in and connect with other pet lovers. Most of the time, events and activities are free and we ask for donations if f you are able.”
CFPI has hosted events including the Salty Dawg Festival, Easter egg hunts, the Mutt Strut, kitty condo crafts, Halloween pet costume contests, and photos with Santa Paws. Many businesses have also participated in fundraising for the group. Some events were held at the dog park and at most events, dogs – and sometimes cats – are encouraged to attend.
he most enduring and popular fundraising event is the Dog Days at the Splash. Since 2006, CFPI has partnered with Hutch Rec to allow dogs to swim at Salt City Splash the day after closing the pool for the season. Dogs are $5.00 each and humans can attend for free.
Around 200 dogs and 400 people attend the Dog Days at the Splash annually.
Over the 20 years that CFPI has been in operation, volunteers have given their help to the Hutchinson Animal Shelter for adoption events. The more volunteers who help makes it possible for the shelter to bring more pets to these events.
For more information about Cause for Paws, Inc. or to donate, visit their website at www.causeforpawsinc.com. For information on current events, visit their Facebook page.
