We love our furry friends here at 914 Orthodontics and some of our team members are proud parents of adopted pets. That’s one of the reasons why Dr. Kothari and the rest of the 914 family are huge fans of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), especially our local SPCA of Westchester County, NY. The no-kill, non-profit animal welfare organization saves abused, homeless, and abandoned animals and protects them from cruelty and neglect by educating the public and enforcing humane laws.
The SPCA of Westchester has so many amazing programs, including a shelter, a low-cost spay and neuter clinic for dogs and cats, pet therapy, rescue and transportation, humane law enforcement, education and kids outreach, foster care and more. They rely on the kindness of us humans to do their amazing work. Are you ready to lend a hand? Here are some purr-fect ways to support the SPCA of Westchester (or your own local SPCA):
1. Donate Supplies
It takes a lot of supplies to keep things running at any organization, let alone one that also houses animals. Luckily, the SPCA of Westchester has a wish list of supplies they’re in need of, so you can find out what will be helpful before you donate. They have an Amazon Wish List as well if you’d like to have your donation shipped directly to them. In addition to standard items, the SPCA also accepts vehicle donations and offers free pick-up. Donate your car, van, truck, RV or boat and get a tax write-off you can feel great about.
2. Be a Pet Foster Parent or Adopt a Pet
The SPCA of Westchester relies on foster parents to help some of the animals transition from the shelter to their forever home. For animals that need socialization, are too young and require a lot of hands-on care or who aren’t thriving in the shelter environment, a foster home can be the ideal safe place for them to recover, bond with humans and learn to trust or mature.
You can find details and dog foster and cat foster applications here. Shelters and organizations across the country are looking for people to foster animals, so even if you’re not in the Westchester County area, there’s a good chance there’s a local program you can take part in.
If you want to add a four-legged buddy to your family for the long haul, adopt don’t shop! The SPCA of Westchester has loving, adorable cats and dogs deserving of a happy home. The adoption donation fee even goes to help the other animals in the shelter, so it’s a win for everyone.
3. Have a Birthday Party
You can actually hold a birthday party at the SPCA. That definitely takes the cake (pun, absolutely intended) when it comes to Westchester County birthday party spots for kids. There are several different party options with minimum donations ranging from $200 to $250. For each, setup and cleanup is taken care of by the SPCA.
You just drop off your decorations and supplies the night before and bring your food, drinks and cake to your celebration and they’ll do the rest. Kids will meet the animals and take an educational tour and depending on the package you choose, they’ll play games with prizes and make dog treats and/or cat toys. For a DIY approach, follow the lead of some kind-hearted kids who have been having animal shelter donation birthday parties. In lieu of presents, they ask for wish list items for the SPCA.
4. Speaking of Kids, Get Them in Involved
Education plays a key role in preventing animal abuse and neglect. The SPCA of Westchester has programs geared towards teaching children how to be safe around animals, responsible pet ownership and compassion for all living things. The Humane Education staff and volunteers are available to go to schools for free (donations welcome) to give presentations. Or, for an adventure, go to them for a tour or a field trip. They also have a Reading to Dogs Program where they arrange for students to come in and read to the dogs in the shelter. Contact the SPCA to set something up and encourage attendees to bring an item to donate.
Book a treatment and we’ll donate $50 to the SPCA until April 19!
5. Become an SPCA Shelter Angel or Give a Monetary Gift
No donation is too small to have a positive effect. You can become an SPCA Shelter Angel and set up a recurring monthly donation in the amount of your choosing. It will help cover the cost of food, veterinary care, shelter and support for the animals in the organization’s care. You’ll even receive quarterly updates about an animal at the SPCA of Westchester that your donation is helping support. If giving monthly isn’t an option, the SPCA also accepts one-time, general donations and has programs like Mend a Friend (an emergency fund for animals that need special surgery or expensive care), SPCA Special Funds (goes towards specific efforts or programs), planned giving and matching gifts and a fund just for equine rescue.
6. Walk in the SPCA Dog Walk and Pet Fair
Grab Fido’s most stylish leash and walk for a good cause on Saturday, May 5 at the SPCA Dog Walk and Pet Fair. The event will be held at FDR State Park in Yorktown Heights (2957 Crompond Road) from 10am to 2pm. You can signup to be a walker and create your own fundraising page to get pledges in support of your efforts.
You and your pup will walk along a scenic 2.5-mile path and then wrap things up by strolling through the vendor village, which will be complete with food, music, kids’ activities, doggy tattoos, agility demos, the SPCA photo booth and, the best thing we’ve ever heard, a puppy kissing booth. The event will benefit the SPCA of Westchester. Unfortunately, cats can’t attend. However, don’t let that stop you from walking on your feline’s behalf, especially since the funds will help cats as well!
7. Honor a Special Pet or Human
You can donate to the SPCA of Westchester County in remembrance of a loved one or a pet and they’ll send an acknowledgment card to the person of your choosing. You can also purchase a memory stone to commemorate a cherished pet that will be engraved and placed in the SPCA Memorial Garden. Both options are heartwarming ways to honor the memory of humans and furry friends while helping support the programs at the SPCA.
8. Volunteer
The SPCA of Westchester has all sorts of volunteer opportunities, including dog walking, cat socialization, grooming, animal care, taking part in the Golden Outreach Pet Therapy Program, shelter beautification, administrative work, event planning and more. If you have a special skill like photography or you happen to be super handy, the organization would love to find a way to work together. Volunteers have to be 18 years of age or older. Fill out a volunteer application to get started. For younger animal lovers, don’t despair; the SPCA of Westchester County also has a special junior volunteer program for those aged 10 through 17.
9. Do a Service Project With a Group
Make helping out the SPCA of Westchester County a social thing by doing a service project with a school or community club, group or organization. Currently, the following service projects are available:
- Wish List Collections
- Bake Sales
- Shelter Beautification
- Car Washes
- Tag Sales
- Lemonade Stand
- Penny Collection
- Can/Bottling Recycling Drive through the SCPA’s Cans for Critters Program
- Cat and Dog Toy Drive (or make your own)
- Towel/Blanket Drive
Contact the service coordinator if you’re interested in one of those ideas or submit a proposal for the SPCA to review if you have something else in mind.
10. Start Orthodontic Treatment at 914 Orthodontics Through April 19
Right now, 914 Orthodontics is teamed up with the SPCA of Westchester County. If you’ve been thinking about achieving your dream smile with braces or Invisalign in Tarrytown, Sleepy Hollow, Briarcliff, Ossining or the surrounding area, you can straighten your teeth and make a difference in the lives of animals at the same time.
We’re donating $50 to the SPCA of Westchester for every new patient who starts treatment now through April 19. Call our Sleepy Hollow, NY orthodontic office at 914-332-0900 to book your free consultation.
