News
Rick DuCharme of FCNMHP Does It All!
September 02, 2008, 2:26PM MT
By Denise A LeBeau
Jacksonville tackles homeless pet problem head-on thanks to one maverick.
Jacksonville tackles homeless pet problem head-on thanks to one maverick.
Rick DuCharme is the founder of First Coast No More Homeless Pets, an organization that has seen a radical drop in pet intake at their local shelter facilities through their rigorous low cost and free spay/neuter program. Their vision continues to break new ground!
The ball got rolling in 2001 when Rick was asked to serve on the Mayor’s Task Force for Animal Care and Control in Jacksonville, Florida. The impetus to include Rick in this important team came from a letter he wrote to Mayor Delaney, his goal was to bring low cost spay/neuter, sprung out of necessity, to the area.
“I put in a proposal and I got it,” Rick explained. “We had started by doing adoptions at the local PetSmart. It was the height of kitten season, and there were 3 weeks in a row where we were filled to capacity with kittens. We weren’t making a big difference (i.e. – the kitties were coming in as quickly as they were going out), that’s when we realized that we needed to switch our focus to spay/neuter.”
Rick’s ultimate goal was to see the number of animals dying in the shelter system drop dramatically. He cited Peter Marsh the director of Stop Overpopulation of Pets (STOP) and Lynne Fridley of Maddie’s Fund as two major influences. (Peter also serves on the board of FCMNHP and Mr. Marsh’s program is a flagship in the movement.) However, the seeds of inspiration were sprinkled years before when Rick heard Bob Barker mention spay/neuter on television, a quip that subsequently launched over 30,000 surgeries in Jacksonville!
Getting to the Heart of the Problem!
A widely quoted study most likely from Firepaw states that 80% of the pet overpopulation is attributed to 3% of society – indicating that bringing low cost spay/neuter to the people that really need it, also addresses the origin of animals winding up in a shelter! These statistics sent a clear message to Rick that he had to get in there and help the most disadvantaged and at-risk demographic to the best of his ability.
“For the most part a high percentage of the population wants to spay and neuter their pets – no one wants to deal with litters of puppies or kittens: feeding them, finding homes for them, veterinarian bills, etc. People want it but many people can’t afford the cost – some places charge $150 – 200 per surgery. If you’re on a budget, or a single income household, you can’t afford that! If you offer the program to the people that need it, you’ll find they’ll take it. ”
Sustainable Change!
FCNMHP has made considerable progress in Jacksonville over the last 7 years. Debbie Fields, their Vice President and operations manager is a volunteer, and Rick said he couldn’t do it without her! They also have 12 people on staff. Their current clinic is 2,800 sq ft and it’s mostly run by volunteers. They’ve partnered with 9 veterinarian clinics around town and additional vets support them through donations & referrals. They have a great relationship with Jacksonville’s Animal Care and Control and the Jacksonville Humane Society; and while there has been a steady reduction of animal euthanasia – there has been a decrease of the area’s intake: 44% less puppies and 52% less kittens! While that’s an amazing difference, there is still one area that needs to be addressed: feral cats!
“If we could keep feral cats from entering the system we would immediately reduce euthanasia in the shelter by 20% in one year! While we have been focusing on cared for cats, if we can help nuisance outdoor cats with TNR (trap-neuter-return), we would be fixing the bigger problem,” Rick shared.
“We have a huge program in the works, but I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag just yet!”
The Future
One big step is opening up a super clinic a la Humane Alliance! The new 16,000 sq ft facility would have the capacity for 200 surgeries per day, ramping up their spay/neuter program into overdrive. The $1.2 million project is close to securing the building!
Their new clinic could come in handy for their soon to be unveiled feral cat program! While a substantial part of the funding for the new structure is in the bank, taking the FCNMHP to the next level is still a costly endeavor.
“Funding is the toughest part of the job – it’s a struggle,” said Rick.
They use creative means to raise money, such as running the drink concessions at Jacksonville’s Planet Fest and by holding innovative fundraisers like Dogtoberfest. If ever there was a program that looks to be leading the homeless pet crisis out of the woods, it’s FCNMHP, and they deserve all our support!
How You Can Help!
By working with the public, city officials and other animal organizations, First Coast No More Homeless Pets has proven what it takes to stop killing healthy pets in shelters!
Show your Support!
Make a Donation or Volunteer now!
Check out Dogtoberfest, October 11, 2008!
by Denise LeBeau, Best Friends staff
Photo courtesy of Rick DuCharme