Warm hearts for cold noses

 

Santa Paws fundraiser to help shelter animals find new homes                                                       

By Anna Troppens
Published: Tuesday, December 22, 2009 6:16 PM EST
  Fenton — Christmas came early for some area dogs and cats at the Genesee County Animal Shelter. Animal Health Clinic’s donation of around $500 will help some of them find new homes.

 The donation will go to the Friends of the Genesee County Animal Shelter, said Anne LaFriniere, a member of the volunteer group. The group will use the money to pay half, or all, of fees needed to release animals from the shelter, to rescue groups like Adopt-A-Pet.

 “We’re very excited that they did this for us,” LaFriniere said. “It’s a huge, huge impact for a group like ours.”

 Rescue organizations can’t always afford the fees to obtain pets from the animal shelter, she said.
 

The donation is from “Santa Paws” photographs taken of people and their pets during Fenton’s Jinglefest, the first weekend in December. Dr. Sandy Smith, of the Animal Health Clinic, sponsors the Santa Paws fundraiser every year. This year, she chose the Friends of the Genesee County Animal Shelter to receive the proceeds, said Leigh Boughton, also of Animal Health Clinic.

 Pet owners donated $12 to have their pet’s photograph taken with Santa Claus. They received a full sheet of photographs, and copies of the pictures on a CD. The Fenton Lions Club supplied the tents for the fundraiser.

 This year, 57 different photographs were taken, almost double last year’s amount, Boughton said. “It’s really great, that we’re able to save some animals.”

Get online Friends of the Genesee County Animal Shelter www.fgcas.info