How a new fund will act as a safety net for Centre County pet owners, and how you can help
Centre County veterinarian Dr. John Thomas cared for animals until the day he died, and a new emergency fund aims to carry on his legacy by supporting local families and their pets.
“He was not only a great veterinarian and a great friend to animals, but he was a great person,” Dr. Fred Metzger said at a press conference Wednesday. “When we lost John last year, it was very devastating.”
To honor his mentor, Metzger established the Dr. John Thomas Veterinary Emergency Treatment Fund. The VET fund, which is the first of its kind in Centre County, will provide a safety net for those who have exhausted their finances in order to care for their cat or dog.
“Being a veterinarian is very difficult because when we have animals that we can fix but there’s a financial problem and people can’t afford an expensive treatment, as you can imagine, it’s devastating for us and our staff,” Metzger said.
Centre County PAWS will serve as the grant administrator. Though the organization won’t benefit directly from the fund, Executive Director Lisa Bahr hopes it will prevent unnecessary surrenders, euthanizations and provide area veterinarians and rescues with resources for emergency care.
“Animal shelters are moving away from being just a facility that houses animals,” Bahr said. “We want PAWS, and we want animal shelters in our community to become a resource for community members and to be a last resort for people who need to surrender their animals.”
PAWS operates an aggressive spay and neuter program as well as a pet pantry. The VET fund, Bahr said, is just the next level of community support. Since the pandemic began, Bahr said PAWS has seen an increased need in basic care and food assistance requests. On the medical side, Metzger said veterinarians have seen a 20-25% increase in caseloads as more people are home with their animals.
Tax-free donations can be made online at www.centrecountypaws.org/donate until April 15, and the program is expected to be fully operational by April 30. Hoping to raise $100,000 in support, Metzger has pledged up to $100,000 in matching funds. A limited number of grants will be available monthly to Centre County residents and full-time students who demonstrate need.
“This is such a great opportunity for veterinarians and veterinary hospitals to partner with their local shelters,” Metzger said, saying that no one wants to see an animal surrendered, especially from a problem that can be fixed. “We’re hoping this goes on forever.”
