“Fill the Waiting Room” Every Holiday Season

When we fill our waiting room up with donated pet food between Thanksgiving and Christmas, everyone who walks into our hospital can see the potential impact of donations. In 2016, we collected over 2000 pounds of food, which was donated to the Decatur Catholic Charities food pantry. At Fairview, we realize many people are in need, especially during the holidays. If we can help families feed their pets, it’s less likely these pets end up in local animal shelters. We call our annual food drive “Fill the Waiting Room,” but we will happily shop for you if you’re unable to bring in a bag or two of pet food. Simply make a cash donation or donate your favorite cat or dog food. After all, community services are for “our” community and “Fill the Waiting Room” helps prevent pet homelessness in Decatur.

Preventing Pet Homelessness in Many Ways

Our community services are not just limited to helping feed pets during the holidays. We’re involved in many programs that help prevent animal homelessness. The following are some of the community services we’re involved in:

• We participate in Pets for Patriots.

• We participate in a feral cat trap, neuter and return program.

• We foster an ongoing relationship with the Macon County Animal Control and Care Center and the Decatur and Macon County Animal Shelter Foundation

• We participate in the Shelter Barn Program for feral cats. By neutering feral cats from the shelter, they are more likely to live healthier, productive lives.

• We participate in a low cost spay/neuter program in cooperation with the Decatur and Macon County Animal Shelter Foundation. To discuss eligibility for this program please call the foundation at 217.423.PETS or email [email protected].

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, millions of pets go into animal shelters every year and only a small percentage of them are returned to their owners. By helping spay and neuter pets and sterilizing feral cats, we prevent homeless animals in the first place. Pets for Patriots pairs veterans with homeless cats and dogs. They also help find homes for companion animals who are the least likely to be adopted, like larger dogs and ones with special needs. If you have any questions about our pet community services, please contact us today!