AC Pup says you can show you care, too

Have you ever stopped to think about how important nonprofit organizations are to our Georgia communities? There are so many meaningful ways nonprofit groups promote important causes that benefit people and pets. This Thursday will be a day to recognize them all across our state and a chance for everyone to help them.

Of course, I think one of the greatest nonprofit organizations in our state is my own animal welfare group, Central Georgia CARES. Maybe I’m a little biased but I have observed the work our volunteers have done for years helping animals and the people who love them.

CARES’ mission is to help homeless animals, eliminate euthanasia of healthy, adoptable pets, promote spaying and neutering, eliminate animal cruelty and abuse, and promote humane education. This is why we exist, this is what we do and this is what we have done for years.

CARES made a substantial historic community impact from its inception, leading the campaign to demolish the archaic gas chamber that operated for decades at our local municipal animal control shelter. We followed the demolition by funding the construction of much needed space for the animals at the shelter.

Because of the concern about significant overpopulation of homeless animals in our area, CARES conducted low-cost affordable spay and neuter clinics so pet parents could have this important procedure to prevent unwanted litters at a price they could manage. We continue to assist with spay and neuter to reduce the numbers of puppies and kittens.

We’ve been instrumental in relieving suffering of animals through our Unchain Macon initiative, in which CARES provides and assembles large kennels, houses and bedding for dogs who previously spent their lives inhumanely chained to trees. We’ve been able to help numerous families free their dogs from chains.

We’ve always believed that in order to make a cultural change in raising awareness of the need for kindness to animals, humane education should be taught to our school children. That’s why we developed humane education curriculum for several grade levels and taught thousands of kids in Middle Georgia.

CARES has been a trailblazer in the world of animal welfare. And we will continue to do even more in the future with exciting plans we have to work on an even larger scale.

You can help CARES continue its mission Thursday on Georgia Gives Day, when the nonprofits in the state of Georgia invite those interested in their causes to support them. So I’m asking you to encourage everyone you know to participate in the animal welfare work we’re doing by contributing on that day.

Even though it’s the Georgia organizations in the spotlight Thursday, anyone in any state can participate by going to www.gagivesday.org/c/GGD/a/ac-pup to make a contribution to CARES. So share with your friends on Twitter, Facebook and even on the telephone. This is the one day out of the year you can easily help the animals.

The timing of Georgia Gives Day also is perfect for those donors who choose to make a gift before the end of the year. You can make your year end gift during the Georgia Gives campaign while it’s convenient.

CARES has a spectacular promising future for the benefit of animals. Won’t you be a integral part of that future by contributing Central Georgia CARES on Georgia Gives Day? The animals will thank you.

This story was originally published November 12, 2016 at 10:35 AM with the headline "AC Pup says you can show you care, too."