The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting shutdowns throughout our nation have been tough on individuals, families, businesses, and the overall economy.  Though our country has mostly re-opened, we continue to feel the effects of the pandemic.  Most economists agree we will continue to do so for some time in many sectors, including the veterinary world.

Beginning in March 2020, some animal shelters and veterinary providers across the country closed their doors, while others reduced the size of their teams and service options. The length of these shutdowns and reductions varied, but the overall effect was a large decrease in the number of spays and neuters provided for community pets during this timeframe.

Historical Information Vs. COVID Pandemic

The availability of low-cost, high-quality spay and neuter providers has been shown to decrease the number of animals euthanized in shelters across the nation.  TCAP, joined by similar low-cost providers, helped reduce pet euthanasia in animal shelters nationwide from an estimated 13.5 million in 1973 to 1.9 million in 2019.

A retrospective study of patient data from 212 spay-neuter clinics using Clinic HQ practice management software was conducted from January 2019 through December 2021. This study found a decrease in sterilizations performed by 13% in 2020 and 3% in 2021. In total, just among these 212 clinics, the study found that 190,818 fewer surgeries were performed in the 24 months from January 2020 through December 2021 than would be expected had 2019 levels been maintained. If a similar pattern was experienced by other spay/neuter providers in the US, it would suggest there is a deficit of more than 2.7 million spay/neuter surgeries that animal welfare organizations have yet to address. When we consider that an unspayed female dog can give birth to 8-14 puppies each year and an unspayed female cat can birth 10-20 kittens each year, we begin to see the true impact of these shutdowns.

The Good News

At TCAP, our team was acutely aware of the problems that extended shutdowns could bring.  We committed ourselves to remaining open safely from the very beginning of COVID-19 shutdowns. This meant dramatically changing our operations and revamping our staff training. Through support from our leadership, staff determination, increased team work, and continued community support, TCAP increased our sterilizations performed in both 2020 and 2021 respectively.  In short, despite a nationwide pandemic, TCAP remained mission-centered and working.

TCAP is committed to ending euthanasia in North Texas, but we need your support to bridge the COVID-19 Spay/Neuter gap and begin to recover the lost ground in our fight to end euthanasia in North Texas. North Texas Giving Day is on September 22^nd, 2022 and our goal is to raise $30,000 this year.

Pledge your gift to help North Texas Pets.

At TCAP, we love Bravecto Topical Solution for Cats! Bravecto is an FDA approved brand of flea/ tick preventative developed by Merck Animal Health. Most of our team at TCAP uses Bravecto for flea/ tick protection of our personal pets. But what makes this product so special?

Benefits of Bravecto

Bravecto starts working fast! Bravecto starts killing fleas within 8 hours and ticks within 12-48 hours of being given. And because Bravecto is prescription strength, it works very well to protect cats no matter their lifestyle.

Bravecto for cats is a highly effective and long-lasting flea and tick treatment. This prescription medication is available in a tasty chewable form, making it easy to administer to even the pickiest of cats. Bravecto starts working within hours of administration and can protect your furry friend from fleas and ticks for up to 12 weeks. By regularly treating your cat with Bravecto, you can help prevent infestations in your home and protect your pet from the harmful effects of fleas and ticks. 

Ease and Convenience

One thing that makes Bravecto Topical Solution for cats special is that a single dose protects your pet for 12 weeks! Bravecto is applied to the skin above your cat’s shoulder blades. Just apply it and relax knowing that your feline friend has the best protection available for the next 12 weeks.

How to Get Started with Bravecto

To purchase Bravecto from TCAP, your pet must have visited a TCAP location or event within the last year. If your pet needs to come in for a visit, you may bring them to one of our many convenient events spread throughout DFW: [https://texasforthem.org/hours-locations/vaccinations/]. No additional purchase is required in order to purchase Bravecto. TCAP simply needs a new weight check for our records. If you need to bring your pet in for a visit, TCAP carries Bravecto Topical Solution for Cats in-clinic so you can purchase the medication that your pet needs while you are at TCAP. Or, if your cat has been to a TCAP event within the last year, you may order Bravecto Topical Solution for Cats from TCAP’s Online Pharmacy: [https://texasforthem.vetsfirstchoice.com]

To Celebrate 20 Years of Success, TCAP Announces Grant Opportunities For North Texas Animal Shelters/ Rescue Partners.

[Denton, TX]: Texas Coalition for Animal Protection (TCAP) today announced a grant competition for its shelter and rescue partners to earn up to $12,500 in TCAP’s low cost spay/ neuter and vaccine services. This grant is to celebrate TCAP’s 20 years of success in providing affordable services for pets in need in North Texas.

“No one has provided us with more support and assistance over the past 20 years than our North Texas shelter and rescue partners, “ says Stacey Schumacher, Executive Director at Texas Coalition for Animal Protection. “We want to give back to the groups that have consistently helped make TCAP the most reputable low-cost provider in the North Texas area.”

This grant competition is open to all of TCAP’s current shelter and rescue partners. Participants in this competition will make and share a short video testimonial about their unique relationship with TCAP on popular social media platforms. The winner will be the group that makes the most compelling video.

– Grand Prize: $10,000 in Free TCAP services
– 1st Runner Up: $2,500 in Free TCAP services

Shelters and rescue organizations interested in competing may submit their application to participate starting on August 1, 2022. The winners will be announced at TCAP’s birthday party on November 26, 2022 in Denton.

About Texas Coalition for Animal Protection: TCAP is a recognized nonprofit, 501c3 organization that provides compassionate solutions to pet overpopulation and community animal welfare. TCAP accomplishes this goal by making affordable, high quality preventative services available to Texas pet owners. Since founding 20 years ago, TCAP has spayed and neutered more than 643,000 North Texas pets.

As summer approaches and temperatures rise, tick activity will increase. They may be small, but ticks can cause a big problem for you and your pets. It is important to educate yourself on these pesky parasites and ensure your pets stay protected year-round.

What are Ticks?

Ticks are parasites that feed on the blood of their hosts, which are often times dogs and cats. These pests can transmit a number of fatal diseases to your pets if not treated. Here in North Texas, the Lone Star tick, black-legged tick, American dog tick, and brown dog tick are the most common species of tick.

Where Do Ticks Come From?

Tick-infested pets can easily transfer their ticks to any pets that come near them. Ticks often “hitchhike” into homes on other animals, on human clothing and shoes, and on infested bedding, furniture, and rugs. Ticks also live outdoors and can easily be transferred from yard to yard. North Texas provides a perfect environment for these parasites because these troublesome pests prefer warm and humid environments.

What are the Symptoms/Effects of Ticks?

If bitten, ticks can transmit a number of tick-borne diseases to your pet. These diseases include Lyme disease, Ehrlichiosis, Anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Babesiosis, Bartonellosis, and Hepatozoonosis. Several of these diseases can be fatal if left untreated. Symptoms of tick-borne disease can include vomiting, fever, swelling around the joints, lameness, and lethargy.

How do I Prevent Ticks?

TCAP offers two options for low-cost flea/tick prevention during our walk-in vaccine events! We also carry a wider variety of brands on our online pharmacy. If your pet has been to TCAP within the last 12 months, you can order through our online store and have your pet’s tick prevention shipped right to your home. If not, come visit us during our walk-in vaccine events to start your pet on this necessary prevention.

TCAP is a 501(c)3 non-profit, that was founded by Stacey Schumacher in November of 2002. Stacey’s vision for TCAP was to end animal overpopulation by providing low-cost preventative services throughout North Texas. From the very beginning, Stacey knew that making spay and neuter affordable and accessible, she and her team could positively impact North Texas animal populations.   Fueled by this compelling cause, Stacey set to work at a single humble clinic in Denton. From there, TCAP and our veterinary team built a reputation in the Denton community as a competent, effective high-volume clinic. As time passed, TCAP began to spread our essential services to more communities in Dallas-Fort Worth and our reputation as subject matter experts grew. In the course of 20 years, TCAP has opened eight stand-alone clinics, has established and maintained a M.A.S.H-style travel program, and has set up a weekend vaccine event program that services more than 40 locations each year. TCAP, while not a full-service veterinary clinic, provides accessible and essential basic wellness services such as vaccines, microchipping, heartworm testing/ prevention, deworming, and flea/ tick prevention.

Since TCAP’s formation in 2002, TCAP’s dedicated veterinary team has been able to provide more than 630,000 low-cost spays and neuters. It is no exaggeration that the surgeons on TCAP’s team are some of the most knowledgeable and experienced in the world. In that same timeframe, the same TCAP veterinary team has provided more than 1,225,000 rabies vaccines. The impact that TCAP’s program had on animal welfare in North Texas cannot be overstated. With each spay/neuter, Team TCAP eliminates the possibility of a litter of puppies or kittens without a home.  With each low-cost wellness service provided, TCAP helps alleviate the cost of pet care for owners struggling to make ends meet. These efforts combined have resulted in keeping hundreds of thousands of pets in loving homes and out of animal shelters.

TCAP’s consistent, mission-driven commitment to animal welfare has allowed us the pleasure of partnering with like-minded groups of animal caretakers at city animal shelters as well as hundreds of animal rescue organizations throughout Dallas-Fort Worth. Our veterinary team is proud to be an essential component of this network of organizations all cooperating for the benefit of animals in our community. We are truly inspired by the passion and dedication our partners bring to the service they provide to our community. Our accomplishments thus far were made possible in no small part to the tireless work of our friends in the animal rescue and animal shelter industries.

As always, TCAP looks to the future of animal welfare throughout the North Texas area.  Despite all we have accomplished, there is still much more to do. We need partners who are just as passionate about ending euthanasia in North Texas as we are.   If you are interested in helping, there are many things you can do!

Here are some ways you can partner with TCAP to make North Texas a better place for people and their pets:

Join Team TCAP

TCAP is a great place to work! We offer competitive pay, paid holidays and vacation, a company matched 401K program and insurance.

Donate

Support TCAP Financially with a Tax-Deductible Donation.

Volunteer

Contact our Denton Volunteer Coordinator – [[email protected]]

Everyday Support

Support TCAP with everyday purchases by selecting TCAP as your charity of choice through corporate donation programs

Select TCAP as your Amazon Smile Charity.

Select TCAP as your Kroger Community Rewards Charity.