Focus on Cumberland County Animal Safety is introducing a new way to help the rescue organization save animals.
The new Paw Pals program helps the organization known as FOCCAS defray the cost of care for animals in its longterm custody.
“FOCCAS has many animals in our care, and some are here permanently, by no fault of their own,” said FOCCAS representative Diane Osowiecki. “These pets may be older, have medical or behavioral challenges, or have already stayed with us longer than average, and for some, we are their permanent home.”
Paw Pals offers the public the option of a $20 monthly gift or a one-time $240 donation to sponsor a pet and help cover their care costs.
“Your sponsorship provides essential resources, including medical treatment, preventive medications, food, and enrichment,” Osowiecki said. “It’s a wonderful way to be a champion for a pet who needs a little extra love while at the rescue.”
She explained how to participate in Paw Pals:
1 Choose an animal: Browse FOCCAS’s available animals; there are currently 27 dogs available for sponsorship. “These pets may face challenges related to age, breed, size, or behavior,” Osowiecki said. “You can choose either a dog or a cat from our list.”
2 Sponsor the pet: Click the “sponsor” box for the selected pet. “If the animal is already being sponsored, the button reads, ‘I’ve been sponsored,’” Osowiecki said. “You can indicate in your PayPal donation which animal(s) you will sponsor.”
3 Check out and save a life: Paw Pals participants’ $20 monthly gift or one-time $240 donation covers the care for the selected pet. “If the pet leaves the rescue during your sponsorship month, your contribution will be redirected to the FOCCAS General Operating Fund,” Osowiecki said.
4 Stay Connected: Paw Pals participants will receive updates on their sponsored pet, “including photos and progress reports, so you can follow their time here at FOCCAS,” Osowiecki said.
FOCCAS is a fully volunteer-staffed animal rescue, based in Crossville. It relies on adoption fees, donations, and community fundraisers for income.
Last year, the organization rescued 259 dogs and puppies and 95 cats and kittens and placed 235 dogs and puppies and 58 cats and kittens into new homes.
“Our mission is to inspire our community to cultivate the values of kind, compassionate, responsible, and humane care of the county’s animals, including stray, feral, and owned, through education and community-based programs, and to prevent animal cruelty wherever we find it,” Osowiecki said.
Visit https://foccas-tn.org/paw-pals to view animals available for sponsorship and for more about the Paw Pals program.