Good Samaritan businesses lend services to Merced SPCA

A few businesses throughout Merced County recently banded together to help the Merced Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which was struggling financially and needed some major repairs to its facility.

In June, the Merced SPCA found out it needed to replace its leech lines and possibly its entire septic system. But the organization operates on donations only, and its income fluctuates from month to month. The shelter could not fund day-to-day operations and pay for such a major repair.

Janine Lawrence read about the shelter’s plight in a July 25 Sun-Star story. “She said, ‘You need to go over there and help those people out,’” said her husband, Arthur Lawrence, who owns and operates Lawrence Backhoe Services in Atwater.

Lawrence approached other businesses he works with, and each agreed to help on the job: Lopes Septic & Plumbing Service in Hilmar; Grey B. Roberts & Co. of Merced; and Jim Brisco Enterprises, also of Merced.

John Lopes didn’t think twice about helping his friend, Lawrence, and the animals at the shelter. “I try to do at least one good deed a day to keep the doctor away,” he said.

Cathy Benner, president of the Merced SPCA, said Lawrence was a “godsend.”

“It just takes one person to get the ball rolling, and (Arthur) did,” she said. “We couldn’t have done it without them. I don’t know where we would be right now if Arthur hadn’t have stepped up.”

The businesses completed the job in one day. Lawrence said the job typically would have cost about $5,000, but they did the work for free.

“It was just something we felt we had to do to help them out,” he said. “The animals have no control over their situation.”

In July, with the mounting repairs and dwindling income, SPCA volunteers weren’t sure how much longer the shelter could stay open. Besides the leech lines, the shelter also has a leaky roof and drainage issues. The shelter receives anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000 a month in donations, and that money usually is used to care for the animals and pay veterinary bills.

Lawrence said there was no alternative to replacing the leech lines. Before they were replaced, Benner said the SPCA had to have the lines pumped nearly every two weeks so the septic tank didn’t back up. Each time the lines were pumped, the shelter had to pay about $500.

Only one dog had to be removed from its pen while the work was done. Benner said the dog stayed in the play yard.

“I’ll never be able to thank them enough,” Benner said. “What they did was above and beyond.”

To volunteer or become a member of the Merced SPCA, call 209-384-7722. Memberships are $35 per year.

This story was originally published August 28, 2015 at 4:20 PM with the headline "Good Samaritan businesses lend services to Merced SPCA."