Merced SPCA shelter calling for community support to stay open

The ongoing struggle to maintain an aging building filled with stray dogs and cats can seem near impossible to leaders of the Merced SPCA.

Last summer, the local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals had to come up with the money to fix roof and gas leaks at its 1950s-era facility.

“It was like we were cursed,” said Florence Lambert, treasurer for the nonprofit. “Everything started falling apart.”

Determined to keep the no-kill shelter running, the society is calling for greater community support and is organizing a fundraising event in which they are asking people to donate gently worn shoes.

The SPCA has until the end of May to gather at least 100 bags of shoes, which then will be handed over to Funds2Orgs, a Florida-based group that pays for the shoes. The organization then sends the footwear to partners in 26 developing nations, which then distribute them to families in need. Any shoes that are donated can be used as a tax deduction.

Money raised from the effort is intended to help keep the animals at the shelter healthy and the building up to code.

“We cannot continue to operate without the help from the people in Merced,” Lambert said.

The shelter has relied less on day-to-day donations to pay for its existence and more on planned fundraisers, such as its annual Christmas home tour. But this year, money raised from the holiday event has already run out, said President Cathy Benner.

“We solely survive on donations and fundraisers,” Benner said. “It’s a nonstop, ongoing, troubling problem to get money.”

The group does not receive funds from the state, city or county. Benner and Lamb said they hope to see the community do more to help keep the shelter open.

“We just need money, and that’s a cold hard fact,” Benner said.

Brandy Tanaka, an assistant who is the shelter’s only full-time employee, has been working at there for nine months. She talked about the struggles to maintain the building, and said what the group really needs is a carpenter or handyman to help fix the shelter.

Lamb added that the group cannot afford to hire another person but is in desperate need of reliable volunteers.

The animals need more than just a roof; they need food, interaction and medical attention, the same as any person, Lambert said.

“Their medical bill is crazy expensive,” Tanaka said. “There’s always something wrong.”

Tanaka said almost no animal comes to the shelter 100 percent healthy.

“I don’t know what we would do with these animals if we closed,” Benner said.

Two other ways to help the SPCA, besides donations of money, are through the Shares program and Amazon Smile.

Through the Shares program, shoppers using registered cards at stores such as Save Mart,Food Maxx and Lucky’s can choose to have the stores donate a portion of their grocery spending to the SPCA or other charities.

Amazon Smile donates 0.5 percent of the price of eligible purchases at smile.amazon.com to the SPCA, as long as the web link to the portal is used. Amazon Smile offers the same prices, services and products as Amazon.

“I wish people would find it in their hearts to donate whatever they can afford,” Benner said.

Lamb said she can’t understand why Merced, with a population of about 80,000, has only 124 residents who are members of the SPCA. “We can’t shake the masses,” she said.

The cost to become a member is $40 for a family, $30 for one person and $25 for seniors.

There are about 30 dogs at the shelter and 30 to 40 cats. Last year, Lamb said, the group helped find homes for nearly 200 animals.

“(Each adoption) saves two lives,” Lambert said. “It saves the one we adopted out and it gives us room to adopt another one.”

She hopes Merced County residents will help the group continue to save animals in need.

“We want you to help us stay here forever and help the animals of Merced,” Lambert said.

This story was originally published May 3, 2016 at 6:04 PM with the headline "Merced SPCA shelter calling for community support to stay open."