Capital Region Cares Capital Region Cares 2017-2018 | Page 49

Sacramento area
Animal coalition
SERVING ANIMALS, FAMILIES, AND OUR COMMUNITY SINCE 1999
S
acramento Area Animal
Coalition (SAAC) may be
small, but its results are
mighty. Founded in 1999, this all-
volunteer non-profit provides critical
spay and neuter se rvices benefiting
animals and caretakers.
“Our mission is to reduce
the number of animals entering
Sacramento area animal shelters by
providing affordable spay and neuter
surgeries with an overarching goal
of ending animal homelessness in
Sacramento and Yolo counties,” says
past president Alexis Raymond.
With no headquarters and no paid
staff, SAAC is able to put 95 percent of
donations into its programs. All SAAC
board members are volunteers with
full-time jobs who dedicate their time
to marketing, fundraising, and running
programs. “We always welcome more
volunteers to help with those duties,”
adds president Jillian Hacker. SAAC also
provides education and information
online, providing links to other
resources for low-income services.
SAAC depends on partnerships
with area veterinary clinics that
perform the surgeries at discounted
rates as a community service. One
program issues vouchers and a list of
participating clinics to low-income
pet guardians who then may choose
a convenient clinic and schedule an
appointment. Clients pay a small co-
payment to the clinic, and SAAC pays
the balance.
Another program tackles feral cat
colonies, a community-wide problem.
Many hard-working animal lovers
manage these large colonies, feeding
cats, trapping them, and bringing
them in for spaying and neutering.
Caregivers pay only $10 per cat, and
SAAC pays the rewt.
SACANIMAL.ORG
Held every February, Spay Day is
SAAC’s best-known program, offering
spaying and neutering on a specific day
to low-income families. Vaccinations
and permanent identification through
microchips are also offered that day.
“We’re grateful for all funding
sources – individual donors, business
sponsors, and local municipalities’
grant money – and encourage
businesses to help sponsor our
Spay Days,” says Hacker. “Please
help us provide the services that
benefit animals, families, and entire
communities.”
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