No-kill sanctuary seeking committed, loving homes

The Nevada Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals mission is to save and protect animals in need in the community. The Nevada SPCA, founded in 1982, operates a no-kill sanctuary that promotes humane education, makes referrals for low-cost spay-neuter and vaccination services to the public and serves as an advocate by encouraging people to be the best possible guardians for the companion animals in their care.

The Nevada SPCA, located at 4800 Dewey Drive at South Decatur Boulevard (just north of Russell Road), provides shelter up to 800 animals on any given day, including cats, dogs, rabbits, ferrets and potbellied pigs. Each are spayed or neutered, vaccinated and microchipped prior to adoption by the public.

The organization helps the public find low-cost alternatives for spaying and neutering, vaccinations, microchips and general health care for animals. This represents thousands of animals every year that receive spaying and/or neutering while a sanctuary resident at Nevada SPCA.

Dog training is offered for public animals and sanctuary residents, with the goal of helping animals to "get home and stay home."

Its humane education program challenges people of all ages to include animals as members of the family. Currently, Nevada SPCA has humane education presentations scheduled at a minimum of one school every week, ranging from elementary schools to presentations at University of Nevada, Las Vegas and College of Southern Nevada.

Nevada SPCA welcomes invitations to any schools and organizations to help encourage the message that all animals are family members. To request a free presentation to a school or group, call the Nevada SPCA at 873-7722 or e-mail nevadaspca@aol.com.

Due to limited space at the Nevada SPCA, the public is encouraged to work with the knowledgeable staff and/or other local rescue groups to help keep the animals safe and off of the streets. The sanctuary asks pet owners not to surrender their animal unless they truly have emergency circumstances. And, have their companion animals spayed or neutered, microchipped and properly vaccinated.

Nevada SPCA is a nonprofit organization. All funding is provided through private donations and contributions from solicitation to individuals and businesses by way of donations of money and/or supplies, and memberships to Nevada SPCA.

The public is encouraged to make donations, including electrician and carpentry services, blankets, bedding towels, cleaning and laundry supplies, grooming supplies, medical supplies, office supplies, animal-safe toys. Donations for cats include canned and dry cat food, cat furniture and litter boxes. Donations for dogs include canned dog food, dog pens and crates.

The Nevada SPCA invites the public to attend its third annual Family, Fur & Fun Festival on Oct. 10 at the Summerlin Centre Community Park. Adoption and sanctuary hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

For more information, log on to www.nevadaspca.org, call 873-7722, or e-mail nevadaspca@aol.com.