Statesman Journal October 26, 2009

A local program on Salem’s fringe has brought health and veterinary care to the pets of homeless people. The clinic offered free vaccinations and medication to the pets as part of an attempt to increase public health and provide care for animals whose owners can’t afford it.

Veterinarian Mark Stoenner of the Willamette Valley Animal Hospital in Keizer saw more than a dozen animals on Sunday. The makeshift clinic was a small building near Cascades Gateway Park – a Southeast camping area for the homeless and their pets. As their pets received health exams, their owners socialized, ate spaghetti and talked about their pets.

This is not the first time that Salem has held one of these clinics which is usually supplemented by a barbecue. They have been occurring monthly since May and are the result of teamwork by the Willamette Valley Animal Hospital, the Marion County animal shelter and Prodigal House Ministries, a non-profit organization.

The goal is to provide each pet with a health exam, vaccinations, and a full set of flea and deworming medications. They also spay and neuter the pets. Lending a helping hand to the homeless and their pets as well as promoting public safety is the two part benefit to these clinics. The outreach program which is fully supported by donations has treated over 80 pets owned by homeless people.

Many of the homeless in the Salem area avoid shelters because they don’t allow pets who they have become very attached to. The outreach program has shown a great deal of kindness for giving the pets of the homeless something just as important as the love of their owners.

Philadelphia Eagles Announce New Program Encouraging Kindness Toward Animals

After signing convicted dog fighter Michael Vick and receiving media scrutiny, the Philadelphia Eagles football franchise has decided to donate to animal welfare groups. And guess who their spokesman is?

The program which is known as TAWK (Treating Animals With Kindness) was unveiled on Monday and aims to reduce animal abuse, end dogfighting, and encourage spaying and neutering pets.

The Eagles awarded grants of $50,000 each to Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society, the Humane Society of Berks County and the Humane Society of the United States.

Vick, who served 18 months in prison for dog fighting is currently working with children to discourage dogfighting.

This act of philanthropy makes one wonder if the Philadelphia Eagles are simply trying to get the media off of their back, or if the football franchise are actually concerned with protecting the rights of animals. I suppose their intentions aren’t really the issue, but the help that the societies are receiving. Perhaps Vick has genuinely learned the error of his ways and hopes to create a positive impact for younger generations, or perhaps this is part of his probation.

Either way, this is one of the first stunts of this kind as far as the National Football League goes, and the donations have been quite generous. This could be a large step for the Philadelphia area animal shelters, and could perhaps spread its way across the country as more teams offer similar programs.