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Grant ID:
1780
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SNIP, Inc. Grant Request |
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Non-Profit |
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$25,000.00 |
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SNIP, Inc. |
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Application Information |
Demographics
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SNIP, Inc.
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Gwen Hawtof
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President, Medical Director
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[email protected]
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Gwen Hawtof, M.D.
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[email protected]
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1037 United St
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Key West
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FL
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33040
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305-587-7647
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305-292-7818
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305-304-8905
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Agency Details
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01/20/2012
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Begin:
01/01/17
End:
12/31/17
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$54,002.23
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$59,751.19
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Full Time:
0
Part Time:
0
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10
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53.00
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License plate, previous recipient 2016
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| Years Funded: 2016 Year(s) denied/incomplete:
n/a
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| Grant # | Proposal Year | Proposal Title | Status |
| 1688 | 2016 | SNIP, Inc. Grant Request | Funded |
| 1780 | 2018 | SNIP, Inc. Grant Request | Funded |
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Describe your Organization:
Applicant Qualifications
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For your organization, in the last complete fiscal year:
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0
cats and
0
dogs were admitted.
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85
cats and 2
dogs were adopted. |
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0
cats and 0
dogs were euthanized. |
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525
cats and 329
dogs were sterilized. |
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Briefly describe your animal programs:
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If your program performs adoptions, are all animals sterilized before adoption?
Yes
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If not all, what percentage of animals are not currently sterilized before adoption?
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If not all, how are animals selected for sterilization before adoption?
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If not all, describe your sterilization policies and procedures for assuring sterilization
after adoption:
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Give additional background information on your organization's programs as they relate
to this application and the qualifications of the personnel who will be in charge
of this program. Show that you have the ability to carry out this program.
SNIP is now in it’s sixth year of providing donation-based spay/neuter services to the Florida Keys. Our veterinarian, Dr. Brian Huntsman, remains committed to providing his services at least every other week and is available for other clinic days, as needed. (Several times, he has done an extra clinic when our trappers found a large, unfixed colony so we could trap every cat at one time to get it under control immediately. We have caught as many as 26 and 29 cats, respectively, on two separate occasions). Our volunteers are committed to helping at every clinic they can, so we can provide experienced, compassionate care during the entire surgical experience. Our director continues to provide the organizational skills required to keep us on track with supplies, scheduling, repairs, etc in spite of a very challenging environment this past year.
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If you currently have a program for sterilization of cats and/or dogs, describe
your current level of funding and productivity and why additional resources are
needed?
SNIP remains the only low-cost spay/neuter clinic in the Florida Keys available to everyone. We do not have a residency requirement or proof-of-low income requirement to use our services. (We feel a fixed pet is part of the solution, not part of the problem!) We remain donation driven, giving people the option of covering the cost of the surgery that we pay our vet, giving less or none, or giving above our cost to help other pets to get fixed. This model has served us well until this past year, with the arrival of Hurricane Irma.
We were thrilled when we realized our clinic had floated through the storm and we were able to resume clinics 3 weeks after the storm. People were grateful we were still in business and clinics remained booked with people wanting to get their pets fixed as well as people who had rescued abandoned/stray/left behind cats and dogs they wanted to get altered.
A donor picked up the cost of two of our first clinics for our clients, which was greatly appreciated as many of our citizens were trying to get basic supplies and utilities in line, let alone paying to get the dog or cat fixed. But it turns out that floating in a tidal surge of salt water is not conducive to keeping the lights on, so to speak. We now have to replace our clinic and have decided to invest in a mobile modular unit, which will be built to Miami-Dade hurricane codes. We hope to have it in place by this summer. This is a tremendous additional financial burden we were not planning on.
Meanwhile, our clinics remain booked, and for the first time in six years, we are booked 2 clinics out. We have always been able to accommodate appointment requests at our next clinic (so, within a 2-week time period) but are now looking at a month to 6 weeks out. That is not acceptable in our minds, with the gestation period of dogs and cats being 63 days. The great gap in this scenario is the Florida Keys SPCA’s continued lack of a public spay/neuter program and only intermittent feral cat TNR clinics, while they wait to move into their new $8.4 million shelter. We desperately need more money to respond to this pressure for affordable spay/neuter services.
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Target Population |
Geographical target area (name of city, county, zip codes, geographical Information service (GIS), etc.):
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Monroe County, FL |
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Total human population in target area:
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79,077 |
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Percent of residents living below poverty in target area:
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11.5% |
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Estimated number of pet cats in target area (human population divided by 3.3):
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23963 |
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Estimated number of pet dogs in target area (human population divided by 4.0):
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19770 |
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Estimated number of feral cats in target area (human population divided by 6.0):
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13180 |
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Number of cats admitted to animal control shelters in the target area last year
(if known) |
n/a |
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Number of dogs admitted to animal control shelters in the target area last year
(if known) |
n/a |
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Number of cats euthanized in animal control shelters in the target area last year
(if known) |
208 (estimated) |
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Number of dogs euthanized in animal control shelters in the target area last year
(if known) |
60 (estimated) |
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Please explain if you believe your target area animal population is significantly
different than above.
Though the Florida Keys has less land mass for feral cats, our climate allows for longer breeding seasons and fewer predators. The numbers would be accurate. |
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Please explain what you believe are the most substantial sources of dog and cat
overpopulation in the target area:
Accidental litters seconary to lack of regular spay/neuter availability and education about dog and cat biology (e.g.. dogs and cats do not go through menopause but remain capable of reproducing their entire lives.) |
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What kinds of spay/neuter services are currently available in the target area
and in what ways are these resources currently insufficient to meet community needs?
At present, there are 3 spay/neuter programs in the Florida Keys. The Humane Animal Care Coalition non-profit runs the Key Largo Shelter and has had a spay/neuter program in place for more than 20 years, but is open only to residents of their service area (Mile Marker 70-120).
The Florida Keys Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals states they have a regular spay/neuter program but for many months, it has not been open to the public. They state that they have been having trouble getting a veterinarian to commit to doing public clinics and have only been able to schedule the shelter’s animals for surgery. Since IRMA, they stated they haven’t been able to have clinics because of the hurricane. Now, they are telling the public that no clinics will be scheduled until after they move in to their new shelter in the next few months. At present, your name can be added to a list, after going to the shelter to fill out a form and leave a $20 deposit.
Some people making appointments with SNIP after waiting for the FKSPCA have stated they have waited months, even up to a year and a half, for an appointment to have a dog or cat fixed. That is a setup for accidental litters and even more puppies and kittens.
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Florida Animal Friend is highly supportive of proposals that are focused on
animal populations that are identified as substantial sources of dog or cat overpopulation
rather than being diluted over too broad of a geographic area or diverse animal
populations. Describe the specific target animal population of the spay/neuter project
proposed for this grant:
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TNR Managed Colony Feral Cat Program/Community Cats (Free-Roaming and/or Owned) Program
Define the precise boundaries of the colony or targeted area, including estimate of square miles.
N/A
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What is the criteria used for determining the target area(s) and/or eligibility for this program?
N/A
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Describe whether the targeted area is rural, suburban, or urban. Is it commercial, residential, agricultural, or a designated special land use?
N/A
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Estimated number of cats in the target colony area
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0
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Estimated number that are currently sterilized: 0
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Projected reduction after utilizing the grant: 0
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For TNR program, describe the ability to maintain lifelong care for remaining cats, commitment level of volunteers/organizations, etc.
N/A
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Do current city/county ordinances address TNR or free-roaming cats?
No
Please explain what is allowed:
(NOTE: FAF will not fund any program this is inconsistent with local ordinances.) |
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For TNR program, list any groups or government agencies who support this TNR effort:
N/A
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Describe any effort to lessen the negative impact on local wildlife.
N/A
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Describe efforts that will be made to mitigate current or potential nuisance issues.
N/A
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Will the cats be ear-tipped?
Yes
Will the cats be microchipped?
No
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Provide any additional information that will help the grant selection
committee understand how this program will operate to achieve its goals.
N/A
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Objectives |
What do you hope to accomplish with these funds (objectives should be specific
and quantifiable)?
Frankly, our objective is to stay in operation. After having to replace our clinic 2 years ago when the Florida Keys SPCA evicted us from the middle keys shelter in 2015, we were thrilled to land in the front yard of Arlington Electric in the care of Mr. Ron Brown. Mr. Brown made it possible to continue our mission of providing spay/neuter services to anyone, regardless of ability to pay.
But Hurricane Irma caused corrosive damage to the trailer, requiring us to replace our mobile clinic again. After some discussion and investigation of our mobile options, SNIP Board of Directors has decided to make a substantial investment in a “hurricane proof” mobile modular trailer that meets Miami-Dade code. This unit will cost more up front ($35,000) as opposed to a light-weight travel trailer but will be able to accommodate our increased need for space and reliability better than our present trailer in the same amount of space available to us by Mr. Brown, our wonderful landlord.
We have already had 2 donors step up with 2/3rds of the price of our new clinic and hope to have the rest raised in the next several months. It’s a challenge as our local government shelter, the Florida Keys SPCA, has been fundraising for several years to raise the $8.4 million they required to build a new shelter. They continue to ask the community and county and city governments for money for this project, so we have stiff competition for animal welfare dollars.
When SNIP was first started in 2012, we were committed to provide spay/neuter services to anyone, regardless of their ability to donate. This model has served us well and we have been able to meet that need 100% so far. But a FAF grant would insure that we could continue to meet the increased need we are seeing after the storm. People are working hard to get their lives back together, repairing their homes and businesses, and trying desperately to hold on to their families, including their pets. Pets have been an integral part of the emotional healing for our community and SNIP wants to be a part of keeping that bond strong.
We project that there will continue to be an increased need for our services for the next 12-18 months, at least. At present, more than 2/3rds of the cats fixed at our clinic requires some or complete monetary assistance. It remains steady at about 15% of dogs requiring some SNIP support. We remain the only low-cost spay/neuter clinic available to anyone in the Keys. and we are already experiencing an increase demand, as we are booked more than 2 clinics ahead now. Our amazing vet, Dr. Huntsman, is committed to scheduling more clinics as needed.
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How does this program increase the number of sterilization surgeries above the
existing baseline?
We are already experiencing an increase demand this spring, as we are booked more than 2 clinics ahead now. Our amazing vet, Dr. Huntsman, is committed to scheduling more clinics as needed. He is available to stay over to do 2-day clinics. Also, one of our local vets has committed to be available to do clinics, particularly for the stray cats in our community. |
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Methods |
What criteria will you use to determine eligibility for your program?
Our criterion for eligibility remains “need”. We have no income barriers, size barriers, or number of animals to be fixed barriers. If you have a dog or cat that needs to be altered, you are eligible. |
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How will you advertise the program? Explain how the advertising will reach the target
audience.
SNIP is a word-of-mouth recommended community program. More than half of our calls are from the friends of someone who used our services. Another quarter of our calls is referrals from the animal shelter, other vet clinics or our local pet store. We will expand on that and continue to add SNIP flyers and business cards to our post-op paperwork to make it easy for our clients to make a referral. |
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How will you address barriers to full use of the program such as transportation,
illiteracy, and cultural hurdles?
SNIP continues to offer free transportation to anyone’s pet on the day of clinic, picking up the pet at his or her home early in the morning and returning it at the end of the day. We remain challenged by the cultural mentality of some men (both Latin American and Southern USA) who remain opposed to neutering their male dogs. But we are seeing a decrease in this thinking as the wives and girlfriends challenge their thinking and the health and behavior benefits are becoming better known. (I also like to ask the men if they need to define their manhood by their dog's balls!) |
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Does this project involve the transportation of animals by someone other than
the client? If so, describe the vehicles, methods for confinement, personnel training,
liability releases used to assure the safety of the animals and handlers.
Since SNIP started, we have provided transportation to those clients in need. Our clients are already stressed out balancing 2-3 jobs to live here without being able to take a day off to take their pet to the vet. We pick up at their home, place the pet in a size-appropriate kennel and return the pet to the home at the end of the day. Plans are made when the appointment is made so as to accommodate as many pets as we can in the director’s van. Pet owners sign a surgical consent form prior to transport. The director has 25+ years experience handling dogs and cats, and often has the owner assist in placing the dogs in the kennels. We ask cat owners to already have their cat in a kennel prior to pickup. If they don’t have a kennel, our director will drop off a kennel prior to clinic day so they will be prepared. |
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Veterinary Services |
What arrangements have you made with veterinarians to perform the surgeries?
Dr. Huntsman remains committed to our mission and has made himself available for clinics every two weeks. We rountinely schedule 35-45 surgeries each clinic. Additional clinics will be scheduled as needed.
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Veterinary Practices
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Fee Range
What is the fee range to be paid for spay and neuter and what is the distribution
to be paid by the client vs. the grant program? Keep in mind that Florida Animal
Friend grant funds may only be used for costs directly associated with sterilization
surgery (including anesthesia and pain control) and not for other items such as
vaccines, testing, licensing, and capital purchases.
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Please check each item below to indicate additional services offered at the time
of surgery, whether the client is required to pay for them, and if so what the fee
is. For example, if an examination is required for surgery but is not charged to
the client it would be marked: Required
Yes, Fee to client
No
None of the anticipated grant funds can be used for any of the above services, except for pain medication.
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If necessary, please explain the procedures and fees described above:
Pain meds are included in the surgical experience, and E-collars are included for all dogs. HW testing and FeL/FIV testing are available to the rescue groups.
Spay/neuter funds are paid directly to the veterinarian who performs the surgeries for low cost, depending on cat or dog, male or female. SNIP also pays the vet a small additional amount if the animal is in heat or pregnant, or crypt orchid. The animal owner is then asked for a suggested donation for the cost of the procedure. Animal owners will pay SNIP nothing, part of the suggested donation, the total suggested donation, or sometimes-far more than the suggested donation. Any funds that are donated in excess of the actual cost of the procedure are placed into SNIP’s budget to help pay for animals whose owners are unable to make the full payment. This process has proven sustainable, and will work the same way in the next fiscal year if Florida Animal Friends elects to support SNIP’s operations.
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Is this a voucher program?
No
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If so, how will you assure compliance with the program?
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For your voucher program, how have you determined the capacity of the veterinarians listed above to handle the projected capacity?
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Will you have the ability to report the number of vouchers issued and the percentage that result in S/N surgeries?
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To assure the success of your program, are there any local groups (such as rescue groups, animal control agencies, TNR groups, local businesses, local media, social service agencies,etc.) other than your organization and your cooperating veterinarians who are committed to assist?
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Please list them and detail their level of involvement with the proposed effort.
| Casting for Cats | Casting for Cats had an active spay/neuter clinic several years ago in the Upper Keys. They no longer have a separate clinic but have relied on private vet practices in recent years. They have collaborated with SNIP to continue to respond to communtiy requests for help with cats and kittens and the occasion dog by utilizing our clinic and making their donation dollars go further. They also volunteer at our SNIP clinics so we benefit from their years of experience. |
| Dogs in Crisis | Dogs in Crisis is a rescue group in the Homestead area. Their emphasis is on dogs but also rescue cats and kittens. They work with SNIP to get them altered and adopted. |
| Forgotten Felines | Forgotten Felines is a volunteer organization in the middle keys concentrating on stray cats and feral cat colonies. Their volunteers respond to community requests for help with cats, kittens, and sick or injured cats.They have an active volunteer base to help the community trap cats to bring to SNIP clinics. They also refer the community to SNIP when citizens require help with dogs. They regularly volunteer at SNIP clinics to help with surgery and recovery. |
| This is the Dog | This is the Dog is a rescue group in the Homestead area. Though their emphasis is on dogs, they also help rescue cats/kittens and collaborates with SNIP to get them altered and adopted. |
| Whalton's Pet Store | Whalton's provides adoption services for our cats and kittens. They house the kittens on site in their store and provide food and litter while the kittens are there. They provide expert advice to those interested in adopting our SNIP kittens. They also refer store patrons to our clinic when they discover an unfixed pet in the household. |
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Other Information |
Provide any additional information that will help the grant selection committee
understand how the program will operate to achieve its goals.
SNIP is dedicated to improving the lives of animals by providing spay and neuter services. The veterinarian and volunteers devote their time and energy to ensuring that any client with an animal needing to be spayed or neutered is able to obtain that service. Since its founding SNIP has held 155 clinics, and has sterilized over 4363 cats and dogs as well as 39 rabbits and guinea pigs. Historically, SNIP has covered full or partial costs for 15% of dog and 61% of cat sterilization surgeries. Given additional funding, SNIP could afford to reach out to our community in need after Hurricane Irma, where SNIP expects to have to fund a much larger percentage of the cost of surgeries. |
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Budget |
Total number of sterilization surgeries projected:
Cats:
500
Dogs: 300
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Total budget requested (Budget should not exceed $25,000):
$25,000.00
Average cost/surgery projected:
$32.00
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Describe any expenses that are not included in the grant and how they will be paid for (for example, vaccines, microchipping, ear notching, etc.):
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Describe any other funding sources for this program, i.e. other grants, targeted fundraising efforts, budget allocation, etc.
SNIP's primary funding source is the clinic itself. We have been the recipient of local fundraising by local bars, exercise groups, social groups, etc. which adds to a cushion to help balance the budget. With our requirement for a new clinic trailer, we will be appealing to our past clients to spread the word for donations.
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What percent of the total cost of the program would this projected grant cover?
35-40
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Timeline |
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All projects must be completed within 12 months of receipt of funding. |
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Projected start date:
08/01/18/
Projected end date:
07/31/19 |
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Unexpended funds
Any unexpended funds must be refunded to Florida Animal Friend within 30 days of the end of the project.
Requests for extensions
Requests for time extensions are discouraged and not often granted. If it is imperative to request an extension, such request must be made in writing at least 30 days prior to the end of the project. It is FAF’s policy to seldom grant more than a 30-60 day extension.
Failure to submit reports and requests within the required time period will impact your agency’s future grant applications. |
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Future Funding to Sustain Public Spay/Neuter |
*Explain how the organization plans to fund this program in the future. Having sustainable plans
including other grants, local donations and other services generating revenue enhances the chances of receiving this grant.
SNIP is an essential program in the Florida Keys to provide spay/neuter services and low-cost vaccinations. We will continue to solicit donations from our clients using our services as well as local organizations seeking to support local non-profits. Local rescue groups rely on SNIP’s services and are a steady income that can be relied upon to continue funding SNIP’s efforts. We are exploring a "sustainer" program to provide reliable monthly funding for the support of the unfunded. |
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Promotion of Florida Animal Friend Spay/Neuter License Plate |
*Applicants selected for funding are expected to publicize their grant in support of their spay/neuter program and promote the sale of the Animal Friend license plate via press releases, newsletters, website links, social media, etc. Please describe your plan to promote the Florida Animal Friend Spay/Neuter License Plate. Grantees are required to submit documentation of promotional endeavors with their final report.
We have been sharing the Florida Animal Friend brochure with our post-op instructions since our previous grant. We explain to people how much we benefited from our grant and how that support translates into healthier pets, safer wildlife, and fewer animals in rescue and shelters. We would continue that outreach as well as renewed attention on our Facebook page and website. |
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