Fido Fixers was developed in 2011 by three animal advocates,
and started with one mobile spay-neuter truck. For years, Lisa Wysocki and her friends, Suzanne Steinberg and Susan Maounis, were involved in transporting dogs from the south up to shelters and adopters in their hometown of Greenwich, Connecticut. They soon discovered a strong resistance to spaying and neuter- ing pets in parts of Georgia, Eastern Tennessee, the Carolinas, Texas, Arkansas, and Florida. Transporting trucks full of adoptable dogs from the South did little to solve the pet overpopulation problem occurring in those areas. The three friends became increasingly frustrated with the never-ending supply of unwanted pets being euthanized at high-kill shelters. Their transporting efforts, they realized, were having virtually no impact on the larger dog overpopulation problem. The three friends are board members and the major funders
for Fido Fixers, an all-volunteer, not-for-profit corporation. They work together to provide low cost spay/neuter to pets in eco- nomically distressed areas. This is achieved by the use of donated mobile spay/neuter clinics made available through a leasing program to approved humane societies and rescue groups. Fido Fixers leases the mobile units to their approved partners for $1 a month, with Fido Fixers also paying for insurance, maintenance and repairs. No one takes a salary at Fido Fixers.
community – be they adopters, donors or business partners. Several years ago, knowing the shelter would need new facil-
ities, they embarked on a capital campaign. Finding a piece of property on which to build the new shelter proved to be more daunting than raising the money. Then, one day, Phil came upon a piece of property just down the road from the current shelter. Eleven and a half acres, zoned for office use, and in foreclosure. Phil called several numbers for the out-of-state bank before reaching someone familiar with the property. “Make us an offer. We want out of Florida,” the banker told
Phil, who made a ridiculous offer. “Hey, why not? It certainly couldn’t hurt to try,” Phil told us. His offer, nowhere near the $1.5 million dollars the property sold for before the real estate crisis, was accepted. With much of the capital campaign funds raised and the property owned, free and clear, Phil hopes to break ground before the end of 2019. They won’t have to interrupt operations at the current shelter during construction, and the close proximity of the new shelter will make for a relatively stress-free move. Before becoming executive director
Suncoast Humane Society’s No Birth Campaign
There is virtually no overhead and all funds raised go to the cost of the vehicles and insurance. Wysocki and her partners do plenty of research before partnering with a non-profit. “They must be legitimate and have community contacts,” said Wysocki. The Suncoast Humane Society became the seventh animal
care organization in the country, and the only one in the state of Florida, to be approved by Fido Fixers. Shelter staff members picked up Fido Fixers #7 straight off the assembly line of La Boit Specialty Vehicles in Ohio. Staffing, supplies and medications will be provided by the Suncoast Humane Society. “We’re eager to build and send out more,” said Wysocki. “We
have a waiting list of animal welfare organizations who have requested a Fido Fixers vehicle. We’re considering placing our next vehicle in either North Carolina or Texas.” Fundraising is a constant challenge for the Fido Fixers team, and they’re always looking for innovative ways to fundraise. As of February 14, 2019, Fido Fixers traveling clinics have performed more than 50,000 spay and neuter surgeries since rolling out its first mobile unit in 2013. Meanwhile, excited to get the Fido Fixers unit rolling, Phil
told us his staff is developing a schedule to take the mobile clinic out to the community. They are working with animal services shelters in Charlotte, Sarasota, Lee, and DeSoto counties to deter- mine and prioritize the neediest areas to be served. The Shelter’s goal is to complete 200 spay/neuter surgeries per month. The Suncoast Humane Society was established in 1970 at its
current location as Englewood Animal Aid Society. Over the years, structures have been added to the main building to meet the needs of the shelter. Phil’s small office sits just off the lobby and is accessible to anyone – staff, volunteers and members of the
www.TheNewBarker.com
Spay/Neuter = No Birth = Less Euthanasia
of the Suncoast Humane Society, Phil spent 15 years as Regional Director for The Humane Society of the United States. He has worked with local and state governments, and emergency manage- ment agencies in developing disaster plans for animals. He also has been a responder to several natural disasters. Having been granted the #7 Fido
Fixers vehicle has been serendipitous for Phil and his staff. Things have been falling into place ever since. Persistence and patience appear to be reaping benefits for the shelter. “Good luck is the result of hard work, preparation and
recognizing opportunity,” said Phil. “All that we’re doing now continues to bring us closer to our mission of reducing the number of homeless animals while improving their quality of life.”
U Suncoast Humane Society - 6781 San Casa Dr., Englewood
Dogs About Town - Every week, the Suncoast Humane Society features one or more dogs at a local dog-friendly restaurant or business. Dog’s Day Out - Suncoast Humane Society dog-walking volunteers take dogs for outings. The dogs wear an “Adopt Me” vest that lets the public know of their adopt- ability. Taking the dogs out of the shelter environment for short periods of time exposes them to more people who may have never thought about going to the shelter. The dogs are livelier and happier, giving them a better oppor- tunity to show off their best side.
Editor’s note: As we were heading to press with this issue, we received word of Phil Snyder’s resignation. He’s leaving to take on a new role as executive director of Hamilton County Humane Educational Society, Chattanooga, TN. A national search is underway for the next executive director of Suncoast Humane Society.
THE NEW BARKER 35
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