Our Past
We saw a need in Burke County
In 2011, 5,654 dogs and cats entered Burke County Sheriff’s Department Animal Control shelter. Only 23% left the shelter alive. The number of animals killed that year was mind-numbing!
How many of the animals killed were healthy, looking for a loving home? How many were the result of too many unwanted litters?
People who volunteered for rescues were tired of seeing cats and dogs who were born, abandoned, and euthanized.
We made a plan
In September 2011, a small committee who had volunteered for rescues came together to explore ways to reduce the numbers of unwanted dogs and cats coming into the shelter. They discussed the pros and cons of establishing a community spay and neuter program that would not interfere with the operation of the local animal rescue and adoption agencies.
The committee believed that if low-income residents could afford to get their pet spayed or neutered, fewer animals would be born. Fewer dogs and cats would enter Animal Control. Fewer dogs and cats would be killed at Animal Control.
We met with each veterinarian in Burke County to explain our mission. The vets understood the long-term benefits of spaying/neutering. They agreed to provide reduced-cost surgeries for our clients.
Without the vets, we would not exist today!
We took action
Our mission is our name: REASON
We came up with the name REASON by looking at our mission statement. That statement is: to eliminate the killing and abandonment of healthy and unwanted cats, dogs, puppies, and kittens.
In May 2012, we obtained nonprofit status. We were funded by the REASON board. Armed with a backpack, notebook, and cell phone, we talked to clients on the phone and met clients in parking lots to sign up their animals.
We became Burke County’s reduced-cost spay/neuter program for qualified low-income residents.
The final statistics for 2012 were worse than for 2011. In 2012, 6,617 dogs and cats entered Animal Control and 5,508 were killed.
REASON was now providing reduced-cost spay/neuter surgeries. How was Burke County doing a year later? Were we making a difference?
Yes! We saw some progress and the numbers were lower than in 2011. In 2013, 5,378 dogs and cats entered Animal Control and 4,126 were killed. Still WAY too many, but an improvement.
Our focus was our mission. We focused on:
- stray dogs and cats
- unplanned litters
- pets given away for free
Our clients could afford basic vaccines and food, but the cost of spay/neuter surgery was out of reach.
The cost in time, money, and human resources involved in finding a home, vaccinating, vetting and providing food, water and shelter for an unwanted animal is far greater than the cost of having one animal spayed or neutered. This is also much more humane. As the saying goes, it is “one and done.”
We raised funds
In the fall of 2013, REASON partnered with Burke County management to receive funding support through the North Carolina Department of Agriculture’s Spay/Neuter fund. This fund relies on the sale of “I Care” license plates.
Previous supporters included: RJ Mullin Foundation, Community Partners Pit Bull Grant, Belle Nicho Winery, Hippie Hound Art Studio, Belk Charity Sale, and Big Daddy Love & Red Dirt Revelators. Remember the fundraiser, “Rockin’ for REASON” in 2014?
We set up accounts at AmazonSmile, iGive.com, and Chewy so supporters could donate to REASON while they shopped online.
We applied for grants: Petco Foundation awarded REASON a $1,000 grant which helped us support clients in need. And, in 2021, we received a grant from Two Mauds.
REASON also appreciated donations from our friends in the community. Some supporters celebrated their birthdays by creating Facebook fundraisers for REASON. Community groups organized special fundraisers. In addition, schools, scouts, and others sponsored projects that supported our cause.
All of these efforts have allowed us to require only a small copay from each low-income client we serve.
We worked with partners
In May 2014, REASON joined Best Friends Network Partners. We later joined the BISSELL Partners for Pets program.
We worked with local rescue groups and the community to spread the word about the services we offered.
In addition, various community groups provided locations for sign-up events. Past locations included Burke County Social Services Department, The Outreach Center, PetSmart, and the First United Methodist Church. Currently, Walker Road Baptist Church is our sign-up location.
After 3 years, we finally started to see the impact that spaying and neutering had on our pet population. But it was more than just a solution to prevent euthanizing unwanted animals. We needed to prevent:
- litters abandoned on roadways
- animals inbred with health issues
- pets starving because owners couldn’t buy food
We recruited volunteers
REASON has always depended on a small group of volunteers who are closely bonded by their love and compassion for animals.
Through the years, we have taken our message to the community by speaking to groups.
We have accomplished a great deal with a small number of volunteers so just imagine what could be done with more volunteers. Could you be that next volunteer?
We educated students
PREP is short for Pet Responsibility Education Program.
The backbone of the program was a strong volunteer base that presented a six-session program to selected fourth-grade classes in 2017-2018. Students learned how to be responsible pet owners in these classes.
A part of the class was having the students write a “Speuter” story as part of a friendly competition. Speuter is a word made up of the two words, “spay” and “neuter”. The kids also liked the word “multipli-‘cat’-tion” because female cats can multiply like crazy when they are not spayed.
PREP was covered in the local newspaper during the school year. Click the links below to read more.
We have just begun
Emptying the Ocean with a Bucket
“These startling statistics brought the realization that rescue without spay and neuter was tantamount to attempting to empty the ocean with a bucket. It was like for every animal rescued, five more took its place, most of whom sadly were eventually put down.
“…with the efforts of REASON in partnership with local vets, spay/neuter clinics, Burke County, and our friends in animal rescue, the future is much brighter for our animal population.”
REASON has come a long way since those days when we met clients in the parking lots of local businesses to get owners’ pets signed up.
The past 10 years have seen many improvements:
- Animal Control moved from the Sheriff’s Office and is now under the direction of the Burke County Manager.
- New staff work at the reorganized Burke County Animal Services.
- REASON has a working relationship with other low-cost clinics so we can pass on the savings to our clients.
- The animal intake rate at Animal Services has decreased over the past 10 years.
- Animals euthanized in 2022 is equal to 20% of those abandoned. That means 414 dogs and cats were killed. Not as many as in 2011, but still precious lives.
Why continue to provide services to the low-income pet owners in Burke County? Ask any REASON volunteer and they can give you 414 reasons.
