Hello and welcome to a very special edition of Precious Pets. Each month, Stroll M Streets features an ‘adopt me’ article from the SPCA of Texas about an adoptable pet. But what all does the SPCA of Texas do? Let’s focus in and shine a little light on this outstanding organization.

Established in 1938, this year they are celebrating their 85th year! Highlights from their 2021 annual report include taking in 4,300 animals, adopting out 2,600 animals, transferring 920 animals to partners and reuniting 320 pets with owners. Most admirably, they have a 95% live release rate.

Who is The SPCA of TEXAS?  SPCA is a private non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization. “We are an independent nonprofit and do not receive general operating funds from the City of Dallas, State of Texas, federal government or any national humane organization.” They are not even affiliated with other SPCA chapters around the country or internationally. They are completely independent – just the way we like it down here in Texas. Way back in the technology Dark Ages, circa 1994, someone at the SPCA of Texas had the foresight to obtain the URL “spca.org” –and now we in North Texas benefit from that timely decision, as owners of this simple URL.

By contrast, Dallas Animal Services (DAS) is a branch of the City of Dallas and falls under the governance of the City. DAS is an important service for our Dallas animals; here you can adopt, foster, volunteer, search for a missing pet, or make a request for a dead animal to be picked up. (bedallas90.org)

DAS and The SPCA partner together frequently on various projects and initiatives. Other partners include a variety of human and animal organizations, such as the ASPCA, other SPCA entities, the unhoused, and even law enforcement.

What makes this Lone Star organization so special?
Let’s start with their profound and lofty mission statement and the 3 pillars that support it “Providing exceptional care and keeping animals in a loving home." The pillars include 1. Prevent & prosecute cruelty.  2. Care for Rescued Animals and 3. Keep animals in homes

In January 2012, the SPCA of Texas moved into a new, state-of-the-art building that is auspiciously located within .9 miles or a quick 2-minute drive to DAS. The facility is segmented into zones each structured for its unique purpose.

Inside the Jan Rees-Jones Animal Care Center, you will find row after row of oversized glassed dog cubicles, with fresh running tap water and a drain in each. The multiple air exchange systems keep air-borne diseases to a minimum and/or eliminated. Pets known to have a respiratory disease are then able to be kept within one air-exchange section. Genius.  

Cats are housed in their own Uptown area, living in either a 2-room apartment or a Kitty Condo, if they are more socially leaning. The whole cat arena is flanked by a curving, clear glass wall with a view of large trees and a grassy knoll. So ‘cat tv’ is on all day long. The channel seems to flip back and forth between the bird channel and the squirrel channel – but no one seems to mind.

Oh, and we can’t forget about our bunny friends who live in the same housing neighborhood as the cats. They are the cutest little things. With long ears and a busy nose, they are inquisitive, cute and oh-so-soft. One year the SPCA of Texas had 400 rabbits, which quickly became 700 rabbits. That’s a lot of cottontails! With a gestation period of one short month, it’s easy to do multiplication tables using bunny math.

Myron K. Martin Spay/Neuter & Wellness Clinic (Pillar 2) offers affordable and high-quality care for animals, where they can get vaccines, a wellness check, or receive spaying and neutering services - all at an affordable price. And special events are hosted from time to time, such as the one last year, where 51 vets came from all across our Great State to donate their time and professional talents to perform free and low-cost spay and neutering services all weekend long.  What a life-changing event for so many Dallas Precious Pets.

Supporting Pillar 3 is the Russell H. Perry Pet Resource Center which provides resources for pet owners so that pets are able to stay in homes. There are different events throughout the year and one remarkable tale from 2022 was that the SPCA of Texas gave away 67 tons of FREE pet food to the citizens of Dallas and surrounding communities via ‘drive through pet pantry’ events - 380 cars were counted in one day. That’s a lot of kibbles and bits!

Animal Cruelty Investigations (ACI) Unit (Pillar 1) is the pet police. Illegal breeders are an example of people who often neglect and are cruel to animals – puppy mills and the like. But since the 2011 Breeders’ Bill, conditions have improved for both cats and dogs due to the licensing, regulation and inspection of large breeder mandates in the Bill.

Other situations of cruelty and neglect stem from hoarding situations. A hoarder will often hoard pets as well as material things. But it’s a no-good life for the animal and the person since the owners can’t take care of themselves, much less any animals. One recent seizure involved 3 people living in a 600-square-foot home, along with 87 dogs. That’s right eighty-seven. In cases of cruelty, abuse or abandonment, animals are brought to the Rees-Jones Center for rescue & rehoming. Some may stay for a week or two, others a year or two.

Good to Know
Furthering their stand for animal care, the SPCA of Texas is a staunch supporter of the 5 Animal Freedoms (for animals under human control), formalized in 1979 by the  Farm Animal Welfare Council in the United Kingdom. They are: Freedom from hunger or thirst, Freedom from discomfort, Freedom from pain, injury or disease, Freedom to express (most) normal behavior and Freedom from fear and distress.

While we in North Texas experience pet overpopulation, other parts of the country have more requests for pets to adopt than are available. From January 2022 until mid-March 2023, The SPCA of Texas, in tandem with the ASPCA, transported 2,000 cats to the Northeast and Midwest where they have been adopted into loving families. My heart is happy!

So if you ever want to donate to this incredible organization, you can do so once, every month, or make a Major or Legacy gift. You can give back to an organization that does so very much for so many of the Precious Pets in Dallas & Ellis Counties that have fallen on hard times.  spca.org/support-us/give/donate-now

And if you’ve ever wanted to do a little Spring Cleaning and want to donate some items from your closets, check out their Wish Lists here: spca.org/support-us/give/wish-lists

We encourage you to visit the SPCA of Texas; and when you do, you might even see a turtle, a frog, or a snake, along with Fido and Felix the Cat.