PEACEAnimals Newsletter: New Name - Same Great Services to Our Community Gretchen DeWitt - PEACEAnimals
go to original May 24, 2013

When I moved to Puerto Vallarta almost seven years ago I was struck by the overpopulation of unwanted cats and dogs.  Since then, I have been an active and passionate supporter of animal organizations in the area. I co-founded the SPCAPV and later joined the board of directors of PEACE.   During my three-year board term, from July 2009 to July 2012, my fundraising efforts were focused almost entirely on the spay/neuter clinics.

As you may or may not know, PEACE´s programs in Punta de Mita are now being run by a group of donors under a new organization called Peace Punta de Mita, AC. The board of directors has decided to focus primarily on activities in the neighborhoods of Punta de Mita and will no longer run PEACE´s spay & neuter clinics. When that decision was made, I asked a small group of animal advocates, business people who have been physically and financially involved in animal welfare, to help plan for the continuation of the mobile free spay/neuter clinics. Brischa Borchgrevink, Ron Ragsdale, Matt Messner,  Neil Sechan and I compose the membership of the PEACEAnimals fundraising committee.

Sterilization programs do the greatest good for the greatest number of animals and are the only solution to reducing animal suffering caused by overpopulation. Last week we met with an accountant and lawyer for PEACE and with Amy Welch, treasurer of PEACE (USA), whose husband Bill Welch acts as the pro bono accountant and lawyer for PEACE (USA).  The intention was to better understand Mexican legal and fiscal considerations involved in supporting clinics. Based on the advice we received, we have determined that the best option is to work with the PEACE vets as independent contractors who will provide spay & neuter clinics as a service to the community. We will provide oversight and raise visibility and funds for the clinics. We are confident we have the right business model for success.

Read the rest at Gretchen on Peace and PV blog

Gretchen's blog covers free mobile spay and neuter clinics held weekly in Puerto Vallarta and neighboring towns. These clinics have resulted in the annual sterilization of over 4,000 cats and dogs over the past few years. More than 20,000 animals have been spayed and neutered since the Ayuda a los Animales program, now known as PEACEAnimals, was founded in 2001. Information is also provided on animal adoptions and other efforts to help the pet population in the area of the Bay of Banderas.

  Learn about PEACEAnimals Free Mobile Clinics