|
Petland Wesley Chapel is doing its part to help find homes for healthy, homeless kittens.
"We want our Adopt-A-PetSM program to grow stronger in 2008 so we have invited the Free Spay Society to take advantage of this Petland Corporate initiative locally," said Vickie Sargent-Kler, President of Petland Wesley Chapel. "We devote some of our highly visible retail space at Petland Wesley Chapel to showcase kittens fostered by the Free Spay Society.
In addition to contributions made by Petland Wesley Chapel, participating Petland stores around the country have placed more than 270,000 homeless pets in similar programs since the Adopt-A-PetSM program’s inception in 1998.
On most Saturdays from noon until 5pm a representative of the Free Spay Society staffs a kitten adoption booth directly inside the front door of Petland Wesley Chapel. At this booth, area residents who stop by can adopt a kitten, make a contribution to the work of the society, or receive education about the health benefits of having their pets spayed or neutered. The adoption fee to take home a kitten ranges from $79.00 - $110.00, but includes the spay / neuter, feline aids and leukemia test, a complete State of Florida health certificate, microchip implant and more.
Why be involved?
"For many reasons," said Sargent-Kler "It’s the right thing to do. Many community shelters are overloaded with litters of unwanted puppies and kittens, and very often, the professional pet industry is accused of helping to fill them. I want to demonstrate that we at Petland Wesley Chapel are part of the solution, not a part of the problem. The truth is that communities and shelters are overloaded with unintended litters from mix-breed dogs and cats that people cannot afford to have altered. I believe working with the Free Spay Society will help change that." said Sargent-Kler "and I believe we need to help provide access to free or very low cost pet alterations to the people whose pets need it the most"
What is the Mission of the Free Spay Society?
"Our goal is to provide reimbursement, or pre-procedure vouchers, to needy families, that will cover, or supplement the cost of having their pets spayed or neutered." said Free Spay Society President, Kendra Servello. "Petland Wesley Chapel’s generous donation of retail floor space will help us to help more pets and more pet owners. I appreciate their generosity. We [the members of the Free Spay Society] have been helping pets with our own private resources, but now we have officially organized and are in the process of applying for tax-exempt status." said Servello.
What would you like people to know about the Free Spay Society?
Even small contributions make a difference," said Servello " Individuals donors have the power to help us prevent the spread of canine reproductive cancer and to help the pets of low income families lead healthier, happier lives. To date our members have funded the spay or neuter of over 850 pets, but together we can do more. The Free Spay Society receives no state or federal funding, so our work depends completely on the generous donations of individuals."
Learn More
If you would like to make a contribution, or learn more about the work and mission of the Free Spay Society visit the Free Spay Society website: www.freespaysociety.com
Each month, Petland Wesley Chapel selects a charity to which a portion of the pet store’s proceeds are donated. The proceeds from the store’s Memorial Day weekend grand opening event and June’s proceeds went to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Petland Wesley Chapel recently donated $1,500 to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.
The pet store, which held its grand opening during Memorial Day weekend, donates a portion of its proceeds each month to a local charity, said Vickie Sargent-Kler, who co-owns Petland Wesley Chapel with her husband, Joe Kler.
The Klers have a longstanding relationship with Petland, as well as St. Jude. They owned and operated the Petland in the Lakeland Square Mall for eight years before moving to the larger location in Wesley Chapel. The Lakeland store donated regularly and participated in fundraising activities for the research hospital, which is supported by Petland stores nationwide.
Petland Wesley Chapel will donate a portion of its July proceeds to Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo.
"We also want people to come in and make donations to Lowry Park Zoo," Sargent-Kler said. "They really do an awesome job in the community and they need our support."
Introducing a new puppy into the home requires more than stocking up on food, treats and toys.
Routine visits to a veterinarian for health checks and immunizations are key to ensuring puppies grow up to be healthy dogs.
Petland Wesley Chapel gives puppies a healthy head start by including six months of free follow-up veterinary care at Seven Oaks Pet Hospital in Wesley Chapel with each puppy it sells, said Vickie Sargent-Kler, who co-owns the pet store with her husband, Joe Kler.
"I think that's a good value, and as far as I know we're the only Petland in the state that offers this benefit," Sargent-Kler said.
She said this health care plan is designed to take care of "any bumps in the road" for new pet owners, so that their out-of-pocket expenses can be directed to regular pet maintenance such as fecal examinations, flea preventatives and routine vaccinations.
Why offer such a deal? "Because it's the right thing to do," she said. "It's the best gift that I can give my customers and my puppies- knowing they're not going to get short-changed on post-sale care."
Dr. Sree Reddy, who owns Seven Oaks Pet Hospital, said he is unfamiliar with anyone else who offers a veterinary benefit like the one offered by Petland Wesley Chapel.
"Even breeders don't offer more than a 14-day warranty," Reddy said.
There also is a realistic reason for the generosity. Young animals, just like babies, are susceptible to ailments because they haven't yet built up immunities. Since that is a foreseeable possibility, it's important to approach the situation from a prevention standpoint.
Preparing for Success
Having a healthy puppy begins long before a customer purchases it from Petland Wesley Chapel.
Sargent-Kler hand-selects all of the puppies sold in the store, and has done so for eight years. Having this depth of experience and the contacts that come with it allows Sargent-Kler to offer some of the finest companion animals available.
"I trust in Vickie," Reddy said. "[The puppies] have good genetics and a good history of breeding."
Each pet is certified "fit for sale" on a State of Florida Official Certificate of Veterinary Inspection by Dr. Reddy before it can be offered to the public.
When puppies reach Petland Wesley Chapel, they are housed in "see-through" kennels that feature glass walls and "open view" rear doors so customers can see first-hand how they are cared for.
"We have two to four people caring for the puppies behind the scenes always," Sargent-Kler said. "It's an ongoing process and we treat it like a baby nursery."
Every puppy is handled, bathed, cuddled and played with on a routine basis to promote socialization and a favorable pet ownership experience for the puppies and their eventual owners. Reddy also makes weekly visits to perform health certifications and to make sure the puppies are thriving.
"Those are things I'm really proud of," Sargent-Kler said. "The greater part of my day I spend doing things for my babies."
One key to having and keeping happy customers is maintaining a good working relationship with a reputable local veterinarian. She has found that in Reddy.
"That relationship is important because with live animals anything can happen," Sargent-Kler said, "and our truest pleasure is to see puppies go home happy and healthy."
Puppies need various boosters and vaccines during their first six months. Even the healthiest puppies can experience a bit of stress when being moved to the pet store and eventually to their permanent home, Reddy said.
"Owners are anxious and we want to give them piece of mind that we are here to back them up with any questions or concerns they have," he said.
Sargent-Kler warns new puppy owners not to be surprised if puppies experience minor colds and cold- like symptoms in the initial adjustment period. The key "is to catch any issues early and treat them before they develop into something else," she said.
Prior to being purchased, puppies in the store typically have been held by lots of people and their immune systems aren't yet as strong as they will be when they reach adulthood. Petland Wesley Chapel asks customers to sanitize their hands before holding puppies, but "like everything in life, there is a limit to how much protection we can provide," Sargent-Kler said. "We encourage customers to handle our pets and help us socialize our puppies and we want to know if the puppy will be a good match for their family."
Unfortunately people can unwittingly pass along germs that young puppies are susceptible to.
With its emphasis on post-sale health care and its commitments to assisting local charities, it appears Petland Wesley Chapel quickly is building a good reputation for healthy puppies and excellent customer service.
|
