SPCA of Central Florida Unveils New Name and Brand During
National Be Kind to Animals Week:
Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando Launched
|to Save More Animal Lives
ORLANDO, Fla., May 9, 2014 — The almost 80-year old SPCA of Central Florida unveiled its new name and brand, Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando, to the community at today’s first-ever Humane Heroes Luncheon at The Alfond Inn in Winter Park, Florida. A new logo and the tagline “We speak. We heal. We care.” were also introduced at the event, which takes place during Be Kind to Animals Week, the oldest celebratory week in American history. The new collaborative direction for the organization follows changes in leadership that occurred late last year with the announcement of a new executive director by the organization’s board of directors.
“We have a new mission at Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando,” Kerri Burns, executive director, said. “That mission is to save more animal lives in Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties, and we cannot do it alone. We need everyone who loves animals as our partners – our allies – in the welfare and well-being of dogs and cats.” Burns and the staff are transforming the historical role of the animal shelter by more actively engaging the communities surrounding its Orlando and Sanford animal shelters and veterinary clinics with the responsibility of caring for animals.
“By enlisting help from the public, our goal is to keep dogs and cats out of shelters and instead keep them in loving homes with caring families,” Burns said. The organization currently provides adoption, affordable veterinary care and animal sheltering, as well as education and outreach. Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando has already expanded programs to include offsite adoptions at PetSmart and Petco stores, adopting more animals into homes and increasing efforts to sterilize pets, preventing future homeless puppies and kittens from ever being born.
A new partnership with Osceola County Animal Services and funding from private donors has allowed Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando to deploy its state-of-the-art mobile veterinary clinic. The mobile unit will assist underserved communities by providing reduced cost spaying and neutering services. According to Burns, “Thanks to generous support from private donors, free spaying and neutering is available for dogs and cats in qualifying low-income families through our mobile clinic.”
Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando has been selected by Ark Sciences to participate in the launch of ZeuterinTM for male dogs, a new technology that sterilizes pets without general anesthesia and surgery. ZeuterinTM is the first and only FDA-approved injection for sterilizing male dogs aged three months and older. It is administered on an outpatient basis at both the Pet Alliance Orlando and Pet Alliance Sanford veterinary clinics.
“In addition to preventing homeless animals, we have doubled our efforts to provide better care for animals who do end up in our facilities,” Burns announced. “We have also increased our foster home programs to care for special needs animals outside the shelters, and we have created enrichment programs for dogs and cats, all in an effort to help address the mental and physical health requirements for displaced animals in our care.” Burns adds, “Animal shelters are stressful environments for pets and enrichment activities help prepare pets for adoption into forever homes.”
Burns estimates Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando will provide care to more than 10,000 homeless dogs and cats this year alone through its animal shelters and health care services and to more than 45,000 animals through its veterinary clinics.
About Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando
The SPCA of Central Florida was founded in 1937 to promote “the prevention of cruelty to children and animals.” Today, the Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando is laser-focused on saving the lives of dogs and cats. As the “go to” experts, Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando provides sheltering, affordable veterinary care, “meals on wheels” for dogs and cats, and community education, helping tens of thousands of animals each year across Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties. Funding for Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando programs comes from individual and corporate donors within the communities it serves. No funding is received from national organizations.
