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Financial hardship forces many people to give their pets to animal shelters. In 2017, Indianapolis Animal Care Services took in almost 4,000 owner-surrendered cats and dogs.
A new program, Indy CARES, was created by a group of IACS staff who saw the need to do more for residents forced to give up their pets. Ashley Temple is the Foster Care Manager at IACS. She says many of these owners just had no way to keep their pets healthy and safe.
“Offering resources, education and support for people who maybe who can’t afford top of the line vet care, boarding all the time and things like that,” Temple says.
The newly launched program has already helped people keep their animals.
"It’s just about offering a little more support because honestly some of these people love their animals more than anything else because it’s just about all they have,” Temple says.
The new program is off to a great start and receiving support from the community.
“We’ve been fundraising and promoting," Temple says, "and we’re finding that the city of Indianapolis is really coming together and helping us with the mission.”
The one-year goal is keeping 1,000 animals with their owners.
To learn more, visit: IndyCares.org or on Facebook, at Facebook.com/IndyCares.
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