Generosity saves the day for Great Plains SPCA vet clinic

The veterinary care center at Great Plains SPCA is no longer in danger of shutting down.

Thanks to an outpouring of donations from the community and from an anonymous donor, who matched each dollar during the recent Crisis Crossroads campaign, the no-kill shelter met its goal by raising $500,000, which will help save thousands of pets.

Without the money, drastic cuts to veterinary services would have been made.

When the Merriam-based organization was founded in 2011 through the merger of Animal Haven and No More Homeless Pets KC, it started offering affordable veterinary services for everything from advanced surgery to treatment of infections.

In four years, its popularity has skyrocketed.

In 2011, Great Plains SPCA treated around 10,000 pets. This year, that number reached 35,000.

Keeping up with the demand has been nearly impossible, said Courtney Thomas, Great Plains SPCA president and CEO.

The recent fundraiser has been a lifesaver.

“It truly was a crisis because we were at serious risk of having to shut the doors of our medical center,” she said. “The community was incredibly compassionate and responsive to our need for help. We’re very pleased people see value in our critical service and that we are able to continue it for those who need it.”

Great Plains SPCA currently has more than 1,200 animals in its shelter, with its medical center serving 125 pets per day.

Recently, it had been taking care of nearly 50 cuddly new additions.

In mid-September, the organization rescued 48 American Eskimo puppies and a cat from a puppy mill and hoarding situation in Oak Grove.

The animals were barely surviving in deplorable conditions, with little to no sign of available food or water, Thomas had told The Star in early October. Many of the dogs were diseased.

Since then, most of the puppies have been adopted, while some still reside at the medical facility for extensive care. The money from the fundraiser has been a big help in rehabilitating those animals.

“The lines were 20 to 30 people deep to adopt them,” Thomas said. “We’re so happy that there are a ton of white fluffy dogs out there in loving homes right now.”

While the veterinary center now has the funds to keep saving pets’ lives, the need is far from over.

As a nonprofit organization, Great Plains SPCA relies on donations to stay afloat. It doesn’t receive any funding from national organizations, or state or federal funding, Thomas said. Plus, every dollar raised is used directly to help pets at the moment.

She invites anyone interested to stop by Great Plains SPCA to take a tour of its veterinary facility, to see what goes on behind the scenes.

She hopes the support continues now that the fundraiser is over.

“We need the community to stand beside us and be a partner,” Thomas said. “Many people don’t realize just how much the community has grown to rely on us, in such a big way. Many lives would have been impacted if our services were discontinued.”

This story was originally published November 3, 2015 at 11:00 AM with the headline "Generosity saves the day for Great Plains SPCA vet clinic."