Skip to content

Jumpers needed to help save animals lives

As the time for the Polar Bear Dip nears, the clock is ticking for some charitable organizations to round up jumpers for fundraising.
32196sylvanlakeWinterFest_7236
Polar Bear Dip – The Sylvan Lake and Area Serenity Pet Shelter Society is still seeking out jumpers to help them fundraise for the society this year.

As the time for the Polar Bear Dip nears, the clock is ticking for some charitable organizations to round up jumpers for fundraising.

This is definitely the case for Sylvan Lake and Area Serenity Pet Shelter Society. This society operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is run by volunteers. They take in dogs and cats, spay or neuter them, and provide them with the veterinary care they need.

The society receives no government funding and it is run by volunteers, and veterinary bills are expensive and add up.

The society deals with at least $3,000 per month in costs said president of the society Melanie Crehan, and said the cat problem is horrendous in Sylvan Lake and Area.

“Cats are at a critical mass in Canada,” Crehan said. “There are so many unwanted cats because spaying and neutering is not at the top of the priority list and hasn’t been fora long time, long before the economic downturn.”

She said it has been a hard winter and kittens have been found freezing and starving in the snow.

When animals get sick it is expensive to get them back to health.

“It has been a very rough year for that,” Crehan said.

Dog owners have been affected by the economic downturn. Many people are not able to keep the puppies their dogs are having.

Another issue trending is that seniors are either passing away or have to relocate to facilities that won’t allow animals. The senior’s families aren’t in the position to take those dogs. This is when the society ends up with senior pets.

This is why the Polar Bear Dip is one of the society’s bigger fundraisers. Last year the event raised around $1,300 with several people jumping.

“(The money) goes as quickly as it comes but we’re able to do a lot with that,” Crehan said.

This year Crehan hopes to raise $3,000. If they are lucky enough to raise $6,000 she said she would be thrilled.

This year Crehan hopes to have 10 jumpers raise money for the society. She currently has six jumpers signed up.

There are 10 T-shirts available for the Polar Bear Dip for 10 jumpers.

“More jumpers will give us more pledges. If everybody decides to pledge to the people who are jumping already that would be marvellous too,” Crehan said.

One of the society’s supporters Trish Donnelly has set up pledges at the Coverdale’s No Frills and this is where people can drop off money and other items of use.

People can also donate by going to the society’s Facebook page and following the instructions.

For those who do not wish to jump but wish to donate money to the society, they can do so online at http://sylvanlakeserenitypetsheltersociety.blogspot.ca/.

All the money raised goes towards the well being of the animals the society is currently caring for.

The benefits that people can look forward to if they are jumping or donating are the charitable tax receipts and a great deal of gratitude from the society.

To become a jumper visit the Sylvan Lake and Area Serenity Pet Shelter Society Facebook to download the form.

reporter@sylvanlakenews.com