The Churchill Animal Protection Society’s limited space doesn’t give enough room to hold the many dogs that have been surrendered to the nonprofit agency.
Even with a $20,000 infusion, the Churchill Animal Protection Society told county commissioners Aug. 17 the nonprofit group still needs help housing and providing adoption services for the area’s cats and dogs.
Executive Director Julia Ameil, along with board member Rebecca Dugan, outlined the impact CAPS had undergone during and after the coronavirus pandemic and increasing costs of food and veterinarian services. The $20,000 has been the customary amount commissioners have provided over the years to CAPS, a nonprofit organization.
The annual budget is $155,000 which includes money derived from fundraisers and donations from individuals and companies. Donations derived from Facebook totaled more than $12,000 for 2021. Other contributions and donations exceed $32,000 for the same period.
Additionally, Ameil said CAPS has a pet food pantry that gave away 2,000 pounds of food to 23 families in 2021.
Since 2020, Ameil said the number of impounds has jumped to 107 dogs and 85 cats at the no-kill shelter. Ameil said people who stayed at home during the pandemic but have or are returning to work are surrendering their pets to CAPS. Additionally, CAPS receives dogs and cats from the city’s animal shelter.
Steve Ranson/LVN
Many kittens are available for adoption at the Churchill Animal Protection Society.
Another situation requiring more funding includes puppies coming down with parvo or cats with respiratory problems. Ameil said puppies and kittens incur more costs with the veterinarians than the older animals.
Ameil pointed out vaccines and neutering cost CAPS $40,000 in 2021 for 85 puppies and kittens. She said the average cost to neuter or spay a kitten ranges from $80 to $100 and for $180 to $300. She said area veterinarians keep raising their prices, which has also placed a strain on the CAPS budget. In 2021, CAPS paid veterinarians more than $57,000 to neuter the animals.
“That’s the bare minimum,” she said after giving commissioners the various costs.
Dugan said CAPS has stopped neutering their animals because of the lack of funding.
Ameil, who oversees both a paid and volunteer staff, oversees the day-to-day operation. Two attendants care for the cats and two additional attendants care for the pooches.
Not only is CAPS struggling with donations for food and neutering but also with the condition of the CAPS building on Pasture Road near Naval Air Station Fallon. Ameil said the cost associated with products to keep the floors clean has climbed to $2,500.
A major problem other than the floors faces CAPS.
“The old building has a lot of use over the years,” Ameil said. “Various areas are falling apart. The cat quarantine is teeny.”
“Our big goal is to get a new building,” she added.
CAPS began in 1986 when a group of concerned residents banded together to provide care and adoption of cats and dogs to Churchill County residents. Eventually, CAPS secured a facility on Crook Road before moving to the present location.
For information, the CAPS Facebook page is
https://capsnevada.com. The address is 5894 Pasture Road, and the telephone number is 775-423-7500.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
