Heather Fraser
Central Oregonian
When
the HART project was started in Prineville, the intent was to have a
facility where animals with contagious and sometimes terminal illnesses
could be cared for.
In October, those efforts were rewarded.
The
Central Oregon Association of Realtors (COAR) acknowledged the local
Spay Neuter Investment Project (SNIP) clinic's Homeless Animal
Rehabilitation and Treatment (HART) project for the Building a Better
Central Oregon award.
The HART clinic was
nominated August 11, 2008, by HART volunteer Norma Scott, and the
facility received an acknowledgment letter for the award, October 20.
"We
had to have this facility. Several people were housing animals in their
homes and barns and got burned out," said the founder, president, and
volunteer coordinator Leslie Lynch. "We have to be able to treat and
house animals to have a no-kill policy. The Hart facility is unique
because when a door is opened the system sucks the air up into a vacuum
and it has a high pressure decontamination system."
Scott nominated the HART facility for it's no-kill policy and its outstanding holding rooms.
"No
kill doesn't mean we absolutely don't kill animals. We try to
rehabilitate all animals that are treatable and can be made
comfortable. We fix feral cats and treat their sicknesses then adopt
them out as barn cats. We have a 2.5 percent kill rate in both dogs and
cats." Lynch said.
The facility also has heated floors, high temperature washing machines, and window views.
The
Snip clinic has a cooperative working relationship with the Humane
Society of the Ochocos. The clinics work together to provide health
care, rehabilitation, and adoption services to animals in need. They
adopt healthy animals that may have special needs, but are certainly
healthy and happy.
The HART facility was built in
the spring of 2008 from a single private donation. The vet and the tech
are the only paid staff at the facility.
"Our vet is great. She really goes above and beyond," Lynch said.
Lynch
wants residents to bring animals in before they impregnate and spread
diseases. There are special rates for feral-untamed cats and their
litters, they just have to be caught and brought in. SNIP will even
help arrange placement with the Humane Society.
"Prineville
has taken the lead in caring for it's animals. We tried this elsewhere
and it didn't work," Lynch said. "Prineville cares." |
