United Animal Friends Inc

Our primary goals are:
- Saving the lives of adoptable dogs and cats
- Finding the best home for each animal in our care
- Reducing pet overpopulation through our spay/neuter programs
- Feeding hungry animals through our Community Pet Food Bank
- Relieving suffering of pets and stress on their humans, as well as facilitating the compassionate treatment of animals through our Emergency Medical Program and Courtesy Listing Program

Through our network of contacts, we are able to rescue adoptable pets from overcrowded, high-kill shelters and place them in loving homes. Most of the animals we rescue are placed in foster homes until the best adoptive home for that animal is found. The pet's foster parent plays a critical role in getting to know his or her needs and personality to ensure the perfect match for that animal.

Because of its huge impact on pet overpopulation, spay and neuter is one of our highest priorities, with a large portion of our budget being devoted to our Spay/Neuter Certificate Program and our Community Cat Program. In addition, all of UAF's rescued animals are spayed or neutered.

Our Community Pet Food Bank is well supported by the community and a network of other charitable organizations. The Pet Food Bank works hand in hand with our Spay/Neuter Certificate Program, since having all pets in the household spayed or neutered is one of the qualifications for eligibility.

Our Emergency Medical Program and Courtesy Listing Program both work to relieve suffering of pets and their owners. The Emergency Medical Program helps with the cost of critical veterinary care to pets whose owners cannot afford to pay for it, which allows them to keep their pet rather than relinquishing it to a shelter. At times, individuals who need to use the Courtesy Listing Program do so because they need to go into assisted living or otherwise cannot adequately care for their pet, and this program allows them to be a part of the rehoming process rather than surrendering the pet to an uncertain future. Participation in both programs is contingent on the pet being spayed or neutered, and this is where UAF's Spay/Neuter Certificate Program can be of assistance.

UAF has approximately 200 volunteers who take part in our various programs. In addition, UAF works collaboratively with other local, state and national rescues and shelters, veterinary clinics, businesses and nonprofits to carry out our mission. We are able to rescue adoptable pets from overcrowded shelters because of our relationships with people at those shelters. We are able to find homes for those pets because of our reputation in the community and because of our volunteer fosters, who take the animals into their homes and find the right matches for the pets. We are able to run our successful spay/neuter programs and Emergency Medical Program because of our relationships with area veterinary clinics, which are willing to reduce their costs and provide the pain medications we insist on. We're able to provide free food through the Pet Food Bank because of our relationship with local retailers and with Purina, which donates thousands of pounds of food each year.

Since UAF's inception in 2003, we have rescued and found forever homes for approximately 6,400 unwanted animals that were scheduled for euthanasia, abandoned, found in hoarding situations, etc. In addition, we have covered part or all of the cost of spay/neuter for over 21,000 dogs and cats; distributed 260 tons of food to clients who otherwise couldn't afford to feed their animals; and paid for emergency vet services for 1,200 pets of low-income households.