MIDWEST PETS FOR LIFE

Issue #3
Spring 2015
PSSST!! HAVE YOU HEARD?? EVERYONE’S TALKING ‘BOUT
MIDWEST PETS FOR LIFE
In April of 2014, Midwest Pets For Life was no more than an idea. By May, the
Articles of Incorporation had been filed, a Board of Directors was in place, and
the By-Laws were signed into effect. By July, we had received our 501 (c)(3)
tax-exempt status from the IRS and from that point on, it has been full steam
ahead. We began our operation with a once-a-month spay-neuter clinic in June.
This proved to be very successful and we found the need for low-cost
spay-neuter services in the area was far greater than we could have imagined.
In February 2015, we began holding
the clinics twice a month and are still
booking out a couple of months in
advance. People from both sides of
the river are utilizing the clinic and
have come from the counties of
Clinton, Jackson, Scott, Whiteside,
Carroll, Rock Island, and Jo Daviess.
To date, we have spayed 98 cats and
18 dogs. We have neutered 123 cats
and 23 dogs. And we have
administered 168 rabies vaccinations, 41 DA2PP vaccinations and 125 FVRCP
vaccinations. Our Dietary Food Bank program was also opened to a limited
number of clients. This has resulted in MPFL being successful in keeping 100%
of those animals in their homes with the families who love them most. With
our numbers growing rapidly and requests for our other programs on the rise,
we are now in desperate need of a piece of land and a building (cont’d on pg. 3)
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Table of Contents
Cover Story
MIDWEST PETS FOR LIFE
Pg. 1,3,4
Board President
Pssst...Have You Heard???
Paul Sparks
Board of Directors & Mission
Pg. 2
Chris’s Corner
Pg. 5
Thanks to our Sponsors
Pg. 5
Parasite Prevention
Pg. 6
Board Secretary
Go Fund Me
Pg. 7
Jessica Alvarez
Board Vice President
Open Position
Spay-Neuter Commuter
What is AmazonSmile?
Board Treasurer
Pg. 8,9
Dana Sparks
And how does it benefit MPFL?
Spay-Neuter Clinic Dates
Pg. 10
MPFL Wish List
Pg. 11
A Pets Thoughts on Life
Pg. 12
Board Directors:
Rachel Anderson
Sandi Bartels
Jessica Bielema
Kim Bielema
MPFL Veterinarian
Dr. Jeanne Hedges
Volunteer Coordinator
Open Position
Fundraising Coordinator
Open Position
Enrichment Coordinator
Open Position
The MPFL mission is dedicated to assisting the
elderly, the disabled, and low-income pet owners
in times of need by offering pet retention
programs, services and education, while
implementing sustainable programs and services
that enhance companion animal ownership. And in
doing this, we keep pets in their homes...with the
people who need them the most!
Visit our website and keep up to date with Midwest Pets For Life
www.midwestpetsforlife.org
And follow Midwest Pets For Life on facebook!!
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(Cover story - cont’d from page 1)
so we can begin our boarding
operation, which in turn will fund the
MPFL programs. The building will
include, as funds become available, cat
and dog boarding areas, Animeals and
Dietary Rescue Bank Food Storage
area, Office, Veterinary Surgical area,
Grooming area and Education Center.
The boarding facility will be open to the general public and exemplary services
will be provided. People who utilize this service will be pleased to know that by
boarding their pet at our facility, they are helping to fund our MPFL programs
and helping to keep other less fortunate pets in their homes with the families
who need and love them the most. There will always be room for clients who
are hospitalized, in nursing homes for rehab or who are transitioning or
relocating and need temporary housing for their beloved pets. We feel there is
a need for this sort of facility in Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois and look
forward to providing these services. Certainly our goal is to keep the pet with
the family who loves them and needs them. But when this is no longer an
option, rehoming the pet becomes essential. Whether it be due to the death of
the owner, untimely relocations and/or financial struggles that become more
than a temporary hardship, MPFL can be instrumental with rehoming
assistance. Currently, our fosters, shelters, rescues and social media have
played a major role in assisting MPFL with our rehoming efforts. Once a
building is secured, we will be able to take the pet into our care, providing
immediate temporary placement while proceeding to find the best new forever
home possible. Please consider helping us secure a piece of land and a
building so we can begin providing
these much needed services. With
your help, pets will remain in their
homes for as long as possible,
shelter numbers will drop, and
euthanasia will become a thing of
the past. Sometimes, the pet is the
reason we get up in the morning and
the last thing we say good night to
at bedtime. It’s a (cont’d on pg. 4)
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(Cover story - cont’d from page 3)
known fact that a pet’s companionship reduces anxiety,
stress and depression. People with pets tend to have
lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels and they also
have a lower risk of dying from heart disease. People
who own dogs are generally more active and cat
owners have fewer strokes than those without cats. If
you can make a donation of land, building, or cash
towards these items, keep in mind that all donations are tax
deductible since we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Please help us help the pets who need us the most!!
Monetary Donations are also extremely necessary in keeping our programs
available. If you can find it in your heart to make a monetary donation, they can
be mailed to:
Midwest Pets For Life
P.O. Box 3205
1854 410th Avenue
Clinton, Iowa 52733-3205
***All donations will receive a receipt for tax puposes.***
DONATIONS CAN BE DROPPED OFF AT DON’S JEWELRY, 200 Main Avenue in
Clinton, Iowa. Or you can call the numbers below to schedule a pickup.
KIM - 563-321-2247
SANDI - 563-243-3106 OR 563-249-2206
Big Shout Out to Linda Cook & The Quad City Times!!
We would like to thank Linda Cook and the Quad City Times for
the wonderful article about our organization!! This was the boost
we needed and brought awareness of Midwest Pets For Life
services to the Quad Cities and surrounding areas! It also
yielded much needed donations to fund our programs. We will
be using some of these donations for matching funds for grants.
We are so glad that Linda, being the animal lover that she is, took an interest in
our organization enough to tell the community our story. Thanks again, Linda!!
You are truly the best!!
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Chris’s Corner
Recently, I began volunteering at Midwest Pets For Life and it
has been a very rewarding experience. This group of
volunteers surely shows compassion for what they do. I have
seen firsthand the care they give to each cat or dog and know
they are in good hands.
As a new volunteer, I was able to observe what they do at the clinic, to see if
this is something I would be interested in. After I observed, I definitely wanted
to come back to learn what I needed to do to volunteer and to be able to help
on clinic days.
The many things a volunteer can do is: help set up, check in, paperwork,
copying of documents, trim nails, clean ears, clean up and most important,
give comfort to each furry friend after they have surgery. This being a new
experience for myself, I felt comfortable volunteering in what I was taught to do
by the others who volunteer there. If I didn’t feel it was something I could do, I
was reassured this was o.k. I was to do only what I felt I was able to. I believe in
giving back to the community and this is one way that I can. I myself have two
furry friends, a puppy named Rani and a cat named Jelly.
If you would like to volunteer at Midwest Pets For Life, please give them a call
or send them a message. They are more than willing to have new volunteers
join them. Do what I did… come and observe to see if this works for you and
the first time you volunteer, shadow a volunteer as they take care of the cats or
dogs after surgery. Something I learned is do not be afraid to ask questions,
they are happy to answer any of them.
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS
Put Trust In Your Love
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PARASITE PREVENTION
How important is it??
With the weather getting warmer, it brings to mind the threat parasites can
pose to our pets. While the risk of parasites such as heartworms, fleas, and
ticks may be greater during the warmer months, pets can still become infested
throughout winter. This makes heartworm preventative and flea/tick
preventative a necessity all year long. With the many diseases caused by such
parasites, some of which can be life threatening, monthly preventatives are an
easy and affordable way to prevent disease.
Did you know?
Dogs and cats often get parasites at some point in their life.
Some pet parasites can infect and transmit diseases to humans.
By working with your veterinarian and having your pet tested for parasites
annually, you can protect your pet and your family.
Aside from preventatives, here are some additional ways you can
prevent parasites from infesting your pet:

Regularly examine and groom your pet, if you spot a tick remove it
promptly. To remove a tick: using tweezers grasp the tick as close to
your pets skin as possible, pull outward in a straight, steady motion.
Make sure that you have removed the entire tick, since anything left
behind could lead to an infection. Clean the pets skin with antiseptic and
disinfect the tweezers with rubbing alcohol.

Regularly clean your pets bedding.

Do not allow standing water to accumulate in your yard. Mosquitoes lay
their eggs in any standing pool of water they can find. Heartworms are
contracted by pets through mosquitoes.

Bring your pet to the veterinarian for regularly scheduled checkups.

Ask your veterinarian for further information regarding fleas, ticks,
heartworm, mites, and other pet parasites.

Also, monitor your pet for changes in behavior, appetite, or water
consumption that could mark a problem. Contact your
veterinarian with any concerns regarding your pets health.
Some information included in this article was obtained from:
*www.petsandparasites.org*
*www.itsajungle.co.uk*
*www.humanesociety.org*
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CAN YOU HELP??
Go to the link at the
bottom of the page to
make a donation
towards the
Spay/Neuter
Commuter!!
Midwest Pets For Life is a 501(c)(3) animal welfare non-profit organization created to
help the elderly, disabled, homebound and low-income pet owners with programs and
education that will enable them to continue their companion animal ownership.
One program that is open to everyone is our low-cost spay/neuter clinic. Since the
inception of Midwest Pets for Life in May of 2014, we have made a dramatic impact on
the exploding cat and dog population.
Currently, we are working with One Spay At A Time, a mobile spay/neuter operation
under direction of Dr. Jeanne Hedges, DVM, from Buffalo, Iowa. We have been fortunate
to host our clinics in donated space. That being said, we are in desperate need of a
place to store our equipment. The SPAY/NEUTER COMMUTER will provide storage
area and transportation to and from clinic locations. Our future goal is to take our spay/
neuter clinic into underserved rural communities in eastern Iowa and Western Illinois.
Because we do not have a building to call home at this time, the enclosed cargo trailer,
similar to the one pictured, will enable our spay/neuter clinic to thrive as we will then be
able to take the SPAY/NEUTER COMMUTER to areas where our services are greatly
needed.
If you can make a donation towards an enclosed trailer such as the one pictured above,
please visit the following link to help us reach this milestone goal. Thanks to everyone
for helping us help the pets!!
http://www.gofundme.com/ni4zcc
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IF YOU SHOP ON AMAZON, MIDWEST PETS FOR LIFE MAY BENEFIT!!
What is AmazonSmile?
AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support Midwest Pets For Life
every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the
exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com,
with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to Midwest
Pets.
How do I shop at AmazonSmile?
To shop at AmazonSmile, simply go to smile.amazon.com from the web browser on your
computer or mobile device. You may also want to add a bookmark to smile.amazon.com to
make it even easier to return and start your shopping at AmazonSmile.
Which products on AmazonSmile are eligible for charitable donations?
Tens of millions of products on AmazonSmile are eligible for donations. You will see eligible products marked “Eligible for AmazonSmile donation” on their product detail pages.
Recurring subscribe-and-save purchases and subscription renewals are not currently
eligible.
Can I use my existing Amazon.com account on AmazonSmile?
Yes, you use the same account on Amazon.com and AmazonSmile. Your shopping cart,
Wish List, wedding or baby registry, and other account settings are also the same.
How do I select Midwest Pets For Life to support when shopping on AmazonSmile?
On your first visit to AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com), you need to select Midwest Pets
For Life from the list of charitable organizations to receive donations from eligible
purchases before you begin shopping. AmazonSmile will remember your selection, and
then every eligible purchase you make at smile.amazon.com will result in a donation.
How much of my purchase does Amazon donate?
The AmazonSmile foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price from (cont’d on pg. 9)
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(AmazonSmile cont’d from pg. 8)
your eligible AmazonSmile Purchases. The purchase price is the amount paid for the item
minus any rebates and excluding shipping and handling, gift-wrapping fees, taxes or service charges. From time to time, Amazon may offer special, limited-time promotions that increase the donation amount on one or more products or services or provide for additional
donations to the charitable organization.
Remember– this program will benefit Midwest Pets For Life at no cost to you!
It’s a simple, easy way to shop online, get the things you need and help our
animal-welfare non-profit at the same time with no added expense!!
Next time you’re shopping on Amazon, remember to type
smile.amazon.com
By doing this, you can help Midwest Pets For Life keep pets and their families
together!!
Midwest Pets For Life thanks you for shopping smile.amazon.com
Thank-You
Midwest Pets For Life would like to thank Precious Cat for
donating cat litter and Cat Attract to be used within our
program guidelines. We are grateful to all who can help
us keep pets with the families that need & love them the
most.
It’s affordable and it’s the right thing to do!!
563.321.2247
or
www.midwestpetsforlife.org
563.249.2206
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MPFL CALENDAR OF UPCOMING SPAY-NEUTER CLINICS
DOGS ONLY
CATS ONLY
1st Thursday of each month
3rd Thursday of each month
May 7th
May 21st
June 4th
June 18th
July 2nd
July 16th
August 6th
August 20th
September 3rd
September 17th
October 1st
October 15th
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MPFL
WISH LIST
Dog & Puppy Items

High Quality dog Chow

High Quality Puppy Chow

Leashes

Treats and Toys

Kongs and Nylabones

Kuranda Beds

Dog Crates
Cat & Kitten Items

High quality Cat chow

High Quality Kitten Chow

Cat Litter

Treats and Toys

Cat Beds and Scratching Posts

Pet Crates
Operational Supply Items

Towels & Blankets

Hand Sanitizer

HE Liquid Laundry Detergent

Bleach

Aerosol Air Fresheners

Trash Bags (Tall kitchen and 50-gal.
Heavy Duty)
Office Supply Items

8.5” x 11” White Printer Paper

Colored Printer Paper

Post-It Notes

Avery 5160 Mailing Labels 1” x 2 5/8”

Postage Stamps

Paper Clips

Permanent Markers & Highlighters
Gift Cards

HyVee

Farm & Fleet

Wal Mart, Target, Paul’s

Office Max, Office Depot, Staples

PetSmart, PetCo

Gas Cards

Amazon
Large Items

Pallet Jack in good condition

Animal Stretcher in good condition

Hav-A-Hart Traps in good condition

Extra Heavy Duty Shelving

Lint Rollers

Utility Trailer in excellent condition.

Oster Clipper & Clipper Blades

Large Storage Shed

Latex Gloves (small, medium & large)

New Spray Bottles
WON’T YOU HELP
US IF YOU CAN??
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Midwest Pets For Life
P.O. Box 3205
1854 410th Avenue
Clinton, IA. 52733-3205
MIDWEST PETS FOR LIFE
A HELPING HAND...NOT A HANDOUT!!
A Pet’s Thoughts On Life
1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful.
2. Give me time to understand what you want from me.
3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.
4. Don’t be angry with me for long and don’t lock me up as punishment. You have your
work, your friends, your entertainment, but I have only you.
5. Talk to me. Even if I don’t understand your words, I do understand your voice when
speaking to me.
6. Be aware that however your treat me, I will never forget it.
7. Before you hit me, before your strike me, remember that I could hurt you, and yet, I
choose not to bite you.
8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be
bothering me. Perhaps I’m not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long, or
my heart might be getting old or weak.
9. Please take care of me when I grow old. You too, will grow old.
10.On the ultimate, difficult journey, go with me please. Never say you can’t bear to watch.
Don’t make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there, because I
love you so.
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