PET PREVENT A LITTER PALS OF CENTRAL TEXAS
Helping People and the Pets They Love
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
PALS mission is to end pet overpopulation and euthanasia and that is the problem we are addressing in Hays County, Texas. Our county human population is growing daily and so does the pet population. There is no other organization working to end this problem here by providing free and low cost spay and neuter services, just PALS.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
PALS Spay/Neuter Program
PALS provides vouchers for free spay/neuter to economically disadvantaged and disabled individuals and families, and families of deployed military in our community.
PALS TNRM
The TNRM, Trap-Neuter-Release-Maintain, group has been a part of PALS since 2008. This dedicated group of volunteers diligently locates free-roaming cats within San Marcos, Texas. They spend countless hours setting traps, driving the cats to Austin Humane Society in Austin, Texas for spay/neuter and vaccination, driving the cats back to San Marcos, providing recuperation facilities, returning the cats to their colonies, and providing food for the colonies. Kittens and tame cats are brought into PALS foster program, vetted and adopted.
PALS Pet Pantry
PALS Pet Pantry provides pet food to the pet guardians who cannot afford these necessities for their pet. This is a new program for PALS that is an expansion of our mission to end pet homelessness in our community. The program is funded with donated pet food
Humane Education
The goal of PALS Humane Education program is to educate the next generation on proper treatment of pets. We are providing materials to our community to encourage them to see the importance of caring properly for their pets.
PALS Spay/Neuter Clinic
PALS newest program became operational in October 2010. With our own veterinarian and staff we began to spay/neuter Street Cats from specific neighborhoods of San Marcos, Texas. In our first year of operation we sterilized 552 street cats. Now in our second year we have added owned cats and in 2012 we sterilized 351 cats. In 2016 we sterilized 292 cats and our program is going strong! In 2019, we expanded our program by partnering with the San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter to add additional clinics.
Low Cost Vaccinations & Microchips
Monthly clinics to vaccinate and microchip cats and dogs.
Where we work
External reviews
Photos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of animal adoptions
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
PALS TNRM
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of animals spayed or neutered
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
PALS Spay/Neuter Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
The number of spay/neuters we can perform in a year is directly tied to the amount of grant and donation funds we receive and to the amounts charged to PALS by our partner veterinarians.
Number of community events or trainings held and attendance
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
PALS holds at least two events each year. Our main event is Pet Fest held in the Fall, a celebration of pets and the people who love them and our biggest fund raiser of the year.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
PALS ultimate goal is empty shelters and every adoptable cat and dog in a loving home; the end of euthanasia of healthy animals.
Our aim to reach that goal is to continue our outreach to the community, our spay/neuter program. A community should be judged by its treatment of animals and its support of programs to end their senseless killing. To end this disturbing trend we offer free vouchers to cats and dogs whose owners would not otherwise be able to afford the surgeries. We rescue kittens and cats off the streets of San Marcos. We have an emergency pet food pantry to help keep pets in their homes. We provide low cost vaccinations and microchips.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
PALS Spay and Neuter Program offers the best solution for the underprivileged to keep their pets in their homes and prevent unwanted puppies and kittens. PALS Spay/Neuter Program provides income-based pet sterilization services for those in need. It is a proven fact that pets live longer and healthier lives if they have been spayed or neutered.
PALS spay/neuter program is ran mainly by volunteers with many years of experience. We make a constant effort to improve our efficiency. In 2012 we implemented a google drive voucher spreadsheet to replace mailed, paper vouchers. The online spreadsheet is shared with our veterinarian partners. This dramatically reduced our costs of postage, paper, ink and envelopes. Our clients don't have to wait to receive paper vouchers, can make an appointment immediately, and don't need to worry about lost paperwork.
PALS has a dedicated phone line (512) 754-PALS for applicants to call to provide information to determine eligibility for vouchers. Applications are also available at our office and at many locations throughout our community. Clients can also apply online at our website, www.preventalitter.com. Our Voucher Managers interview these applicants. Those determined to be eligible are provided a voucher. Those who are not eligible are given other low cost options.
In order to improve responsible pet ownership and raise awareness about spay/neuter in the community: We have posters, brochures, and flyers (Spanish and English) posted in densely populated areas of mobile home parks and apartment complexes; we post literature in human service agencies, libraries, feed stores, bookstores, pet stores, and veterinarian offices. We publish articles in the university and local newspapers related to pet overpopulation. PALS works with Animal Control officers to target high-problem areas and to engage their cooperation in encouraging the residents of those areas to spay/neuter. PALS volunteers carry our message of the benefits of spay/neuter to the community on a daily basis; at our community events, at pet food distributions, at vaccination clinics, at our annual Pet Fest, and in conversations with our neighbors. Funding for our Program comes from grants, direct mail, online donations, memberships, and fundraising.
By continuing our efforts our community moves one step closer to the ultimate goal of ending euthanasia of healthy pets and every adoptable pet is in a home; a “no-kill" community.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
PALS community support is accomplished with the help of strong management and leadership provided by wonderful volunteers. PALS working board of directors and team of volunteers provide countless hours as their schedules allow. PALS volunteers include well-educated and experienced professionals. Our volunteers are PALS core resources.
We are innovative and forward thinking, trying new suggestions or ideas in order to do whatever it takes to help people and the pets they love. For example, technology has allowed PALS to reach more clients and operate with lower costs. In 2012 we started an online document share with our veterinarian partners to replace the old method of paper vouchers. This greatly reduces the time between the clients' initial call and their veterinarian appointment. The online system saves money in printing and mailing costs. It allows our clients to immediately make an appointment for their pet's surgery while the process is fresh in their mind and eliminates the problems caused by undelivered mail or lost forms. It increases the redemption rate of our vouchers.
PALS collaborates with other agencies that serve the same clients in order to make individuals and families aware of the availability of its spay/neuter services. These organizations include Community Action Inc. of Hays, Caldwell and Blanco Counties, the City of San Marcos Animal Shelter, the Hays County Area Food Bank, and local offices of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. The City of San Marcos and the County of Hays support PALS programs.
PALS contracts with several local veterinarians who have supported our programs for many years. Their partnership has encouraged other veterinarians to contract with PALS. As PALS is the only organization providing low-cost and free services in our local community, these partnerships are an essential resource.
While PALS does not own property, our collaboration with multiple local agencies and businesses and our dedicated volunteers will provide our capability to continue our mission.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Our region of Texas is one of the fastest growing in the United States. As human population grows so does the animal population. This makes it difficult to assess the progress PALS is making to curb animal homelessness and euthanasia. However, we are dedicated to continuing to our goal of no more homeless animals, educating the public, and working with other related entities in our community untill our goals are achieved.
Because of the continued growth and our hometown having a major university, there is a constant influx and exit of residents. This constant flow of people makes it more critical and more difficult to reach everyone with our mission. PALS hosts our annual Pet Fest in order to reach out to our community and spread our message. We have a board member dedicated to reaching out to the press, we attend community events, and hold tabling days at local businesses.
We have succeeded in reaching our target population to the extent that requests for assistance exceed funding to help each of them. PALS usually has a waiting list for spay/neuter vouchers, help with feral cats, and requests for pet food.
Efforts to raise the funding to help everyone who requests assistance is ongoing. Grants provide a large percentage of our funds, but we are always trying new fund raising opportunities. These include online fundraising, an active facebook page, direct mail, and sales of pet supplies through our clinic.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
PET PREVENT A LITTER PALS OF CENTRAL TEXAS
Board of directorsas of 02/27/2023
Mrs Lauren Foye
Michele Donnelly
Dale Nave
Kelli Keenan
Norma Kelvin
Lauren Foye
Nancy Gustafson
Alethea Maldonado
Jayme Cibik
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Not applicable -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as: