Donations to the City of Bloomington Animal Shelter’s medical fund will be doubled from Sept. 1 until Sept. 21, according to an Aug. 25 press release.
Donations up to a total of $20,000 will be matched by an anonymous donor.
This fundraiser will contribute to the shelter’s medical fund, which Director of Animal Care and Control Virgil Sauder said allows the shelter to identify and address medical problems that could otherwise prevent an animal from finding a home. The medical fund goes toward treatments including emergency care, heartworm medication, dental surgeries and medical attention for skin issues caused by allergies, a poor diet or infections.
Sauder said more animals have come into the shelter this year than in previous years, and more of them have health problems or medical needs.
He said there’s no exact number for capacity, which depends on the species of animals they are housing, how they organize the animals in the kennels, and their available staff. The shelter is currently still at a manageable capacity, with about 160 animals in their kennels and nearly 190 other animals in foster homes, but the increase has strained the shelter’s finances.
“Every little bit helps,” Sauder said. “If you can’t give a lot, giving what you can is a wonderful thing.”
The shelter reduces or eliminates adoption costs for older animals or animals enrolled in special programs run by the shelter.
In addition to monetary donations, Sauder said the shelter is always looking for more volunteers or foster homes to give animals an alternative to the shelter.
“They recover better in homes, rather than in the shelter environment, and then also, that gives us more capacity to care for animals that are in need,” Sauder said.
The shelter is also accepting donations of wishlist items including treats, toys and cleaning supplies. These can be mailed or dropped off in person on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from noon to 5 p.m. or weekends from noon to 3 p.m.
Donations to the matching fundraiser can be delivered online, in person or by mail. Residents can find more information about donating, volunteering or fostering on the City of Bloomington Animal Care and Control website.
