Treasure Shop Aids Brother Wolf's Mission - The Transylvania Times

Friends for Life animal rescue is no longer open, but Nancy DePippo wants Transylvania County residents to know that the Treasure Shop thrift store is still operating and donating its proceeds to help animals in the community.

DePippo, a Treasure Shop volunteer, has been a advocate for animals in the county for years and has seen different animal welfare organizations come and go.

The Treasure Shop used to donate its proceeds to Friends for Life, an animal farm and sanctuary in Lake Toxaway, but now that it's no longer in operation, the Treasure Shop donates to the Asheville organization Brother Wolf Animal Rescue, which brings a mobile spay and neuter clinic to the county Animal Shelter twice a month.

Fido Fixers, another animal nonprofit, donates the vehicle used for the mobile clinic.

Brother Wolf Mobile Clinic Program Director Holly Amann said that before Brother Wolf stepped in with the mobile spay and neuter clinic, there was no low-cost option for these surgeries as the previous low-cost provider had shut down in the county.

"Generally you are going to pay a lot more money at a vet's office," said Amann. "We're trying to offer something that people might be able to more easily afford. We don't want somebody to wait to get their pet spayed or neutered because they can't afford it, or to put if off all together."

Typically, costs for services at the mobile clinic are all under $65, and Amann said that those fees cover the cost of the clinic.

In the event that Brother Wolf receives a grant or charitable funds, they will try to make fees even more accessible to community members, but the mobile clinic is self sustaining, said Amann.

DePippo said some-times people assume that now that the Treasure Shop donates proceeds to an Asheville organization (Brother Wolf,) that money is going to help pets outside this community.

But she's quick to point out that without Brother Wolf stepping in, there would be no low-cost option for Transylvania County pet owners.

"Spay and neuter is a crisis," said DePippo. "This is all we've got."

Amann said since the mobile clinic is new, many people in the county are still unaware of its services, but the people who have used it so far seem to be happy.

"One of the things people seem to like about this is they're able to pick up (their pets) the same day, and it makes a lot of people more comfortable with leaving their pet," said Amann.

The last low cost option would transport pets to Asheville for procedures, said Amann.

Amann and DePippo are hopeful the mobile clinic will make a positive impact in the community's pet population, as even though there are no-kill shelters in the area, spaying and neutering is the best way to reduce animal euthanasia.

"What will happen if personal pets aren't spayed or neutered, or with community cats, they are going to reproduce. Especially if they're outside...those are going to end up at the shelter," said Amann. "It's a risk of euthanasia. Even if a shelter is no-kill and doesn't euthanize, that's still filling them up to where they can't maybe take in from some place else.

"Whenever a shelter is full and the rescue is having to pull from it, then that rescue is full and they can't pull from somewhere else where animals are at risk. So, it kind of is a domino effect."

In addition to sparing existing pets from euthanasia, low-cost options help lessen the strain on county shelters, which in turn reduces costs.

The Treasure Shop is located beside the St. Philip's resale store.

"There is a cost associated with caring for all the animals. Resources aren't unlimited," said Amann.

The mobile clinic visits the Transylvania County Animal Shelter in Rosman twice a month on Mondays. To schedule an appointment, email mobileclinic@bwar.org or contact Amann at (828) 490-1578.

The Treasure Shop thrift store is located on North Broad Street in the same plaza as Creekside Subs and Shop of St. Phillip's resale store.

The Treasure Shop mainly sells gently used housewares, decorations, scrap fabric and furniture and is 100 percent volunteer run.

https://ift.tt/2Zu7z4J