Atascosa Animal Allies annual report




Atascosa Animal Allies (AAA) has plenty of fur babies up for adoption at their Pleasanton shelter. For more information, please visit their website at www.atascosaanimalallies.org. Pictured, from left, are Allies Kennel Tech Eydie Groenke with Shrek, Kennel Tech Brenda Gibbon with Mickey, AAA President Caron Tuttle with Jads, AAA Secretary Sue Samsel and AAA Treasurer Kimberly Wiley with Fiona. REBECCA PESQUEDA | PLEASANTON EXPRESS

Atascosa Animal Allies (AAA) has plenty of fur babies up for adoption at their Pleasanton shelter. For more information, please visit their website at www.atascosaanimalallies.org. Pictured, from left, are Allies Kennel Tech Eydie Groenke with Shrek, Kennel Tech Brenda Gibbon with Mickey, AAA President Caron Tuttle with Jads, AAA Secretary Sue Samsel and AAA Treasurer Kimberly Wiley with Fiona. REBECCA PESQUEDA | PLEASANTON EXPRESS

On Nov. 4, Caron Tuttle, President of Atascosa Animal Allies, presented a report of the group’s accomplishments in 2021 to the Pleasanton City Council as follows:

• 3,583 cats and dogs helped since 2017

• 979 dogs and cats sterilized in 2021

Adoptions

Most of the Pleasanton dogs are adopted in other states or Canada. They have Adopt-A-Pet websites in Texas, Vermont, Connecticut, New York, Virginia and Washington. The Texas website is where most cats are seen and adopted locally.

The out-of-state websites allow potential adopters to view the dogs. If they are interested in adopting, they fill out an application, and AAA contacts them and does Zoom meetings with them and the dogs so they can make a final adoption decision.

Transferred

Some cats and dogs are transferred to other nokill shelters if they do not get adopted locally.

Cats go to the San Antonio Humane Society, Snipsa, Stray Cat Adoptions of Texas located in four San Antonio PetSmart locations, Austin Pets Alive and PAWS of Central Texas in Kyle. Some dogs go to various northern states such as Michigan or Washington.

In January 2021, AAA started hosting a subsidized spay/neuter clinic for area residents. The cost to the public is $25 per cat and $50 per dog. AAA pays the rest. This program helps underprivileged residents.

Canine Training

Program

AAA has partnered with the Federal Correctional Institution in Three Rivers to implement a Canine Training Program. This program allows low-risk inmates to work with five to six dogs at a time with behavioral issues. Once the dogs have been with their assigned trainers for approximately six weeks, they become adoptable.

“This is a win-win for the inmates, who can use this training on their future resumes and for the dogs,” said Tuttle. “We also have a very robust TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) program for feral cats and have trapped at 150-plus locations in our community.”

On Oct. 31, AAA had another successful Putts for Paws Golf Tournament and have set the date for our next tournament for Oct. 22, 2022.

Tuttle would like to thank the following for sponsoring this year’s Putts for Paws event: Eustace Family, Eldon & Caron Tuttle, Spur Ranch, Gaydos Construction, GP Productions, Tuttle Motor & Hardware, Pursch Motors, Joe Rice, Chaparral Veterinary Center, Chicoine Insurance Agency- Global Green, Atascosa Livestock Exchange, Hurley Funeral Home, Tom Brothers Ranch, Ruple Properties, Brush Country Dental Center-Dr. Shelli Pruski, Allways Auto Group, P-C Air & Refrigeration, Y Bar Ranch, LTD, Brohill Realty, Pleasanton Learning Center, The Gym, Jourdanton, LLC, Chile Bandera, Armor Sheild Logistics, LLCFarm to Familia Market, Byron & Dea Warnken, Security State Bank, Donna P. Blue- Dowdy Real Estate LLC, Judge Lynn Ellison, Atascosa Liquor and Texas Farm Credit-Sarah Franklin.

“We have received several grants this year. We continually need donations to help more animals. Our 2020 expense budget was over $110,000,” said Tuttle. “As we go into our fifth year of partnering with the city, Atascosa Animal Allies want to thank the City of Pleasanton, Mayor Powell and the city council for believing in our mission and working with us.”

Brenda Gibbon and Eydie Groenke, the city shelter techs, have transformed the animal shelter over the last year and a half. The shelter is clean, and the dogs are walked and socialized.

“The health of the dogs and cats have improved greatly while at the shelter,” said Tuttle. “We have seen a decrease in the number of stray dogs roaming the streets and we will continue to get the cat population under control in the years to come.”

If you are interested in adopting a cat or dog from Atascosa Animal Allies, please visit their website at www.atascosaanimalallies.org or visit their Facebook page for more information.

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