One of the most powerful commercials I recall seeing was of children following adults and imitating their actions. It ended with the tagline: Make your influence positive.
It’s a simple concept, but it requires adults to be conscious of their acts and consistent in providing good examples. That is what Mandy Celt has done. Mandy runs ASAP Rescue, which quite literally takes small animals from the euthanasia lists at animal shelters – abandoned pets, the injured or old, the throwaways.
Mandy brings them home, gets them medical treatment with her longtime partner Dr. Raul Figarola and his staff at the ASAP Animal Clinic, and then finds loving homes for them. Some she brings home to socialize, some go to foster homes. Mandy posts pictures on the Facebook page of the dogs needing homes, and then of their happy faces when they are matched.
“Love is the answer” is Mandy’s life statement. The number of lives she has changed is amazing, and the number grows daily. But she started changing lives with her own children. Mandy’s youngest, Harrison, has grown up with animals coming and going, and has learned that each one leaves its pawprint on your heart.
Harrison, who is 10 years old, spends time at the clinic often. He has a fondness for senior dogs, especially his dog, Rosie. Terrified dogs find a friend in Harrison, who approaches them calmly and slowly, earning their trust over time with patience, love, and treats.
Harrison has seen animals at their happiest, and at their lowest. This is a young man who sees the reality of the shortness of animal lives, and the benefit good vet care can provide. Harrison also knows that not everyone can afford vet care.
This summer, Harrison was in the clinic when an older woman was told the cost of treating her sick cat. It was more than she could afford. The woman called everyone she could to ask for a loan, but in the end, could not pay for the surgery. She had enough to euthanize the cat to prevent it from suffering further. Harrison saw all of this, and knew this happens all too often to people who truly love their furry friends, but cannot afford the cost of treatment.
Mandy does not accept donations for ASAP. She and Dr. Fig absorb the cost of medical care and food for all the animals that they help. When Harrison approached her with the idea of raising money, she hesitated. Harrison persisted.
Over the next few weeks, Harrison began to perfect the idea for “Dollars for Dogs” in his head. He designed logos for shirts, saved birthday money, and worked odd jobs. Besides helping to pay for vet care for pets with responsible owners, Harrison decided to sponsor the treatment of medicine for heartworm positive dogs in shelters so they could be adopted, too.
Mandy set up a YouCaring account for Harrison’s Dollars for Dogs program and donations began to come in. Shirts were sold and fundraisers were held to increase the amount of money available. Mandy told me that one client donated $5,000 in memory of his wife, who loved dogs.
I met up with Harrison at a photo shoot for pets adopted from the ASAP Rescue, so they could have a picture with Santa. I brought one of my dogs, also an ASAP rescue, for her photo. (That’s a story for another issue.) The photo shoot was also a fundraiser, with vendors and some of Harrison’s shirts for sale.
So far, Harrison’s Dollars for Dogs initiative has raised more than $8,000. Saturday’s event brought in $1,315.00. Eleven dogs and cats have benefitted from Harrison’s help. Eleven pets loved by people with limited resources. And this is just the start.
Harrison said, “It’s been a really fun experience to do this.” He told me he had a lot of fun designing the t-shirts and likes helping people and their dogs.
Looking for a unique gift? You can buy one of Harrison’s shirts. They are available for sale at the clinic for $25.00. They have long sleeves, but an order for short sleeves is on the way.
Donate to the Dollars for Dogs program in memory of a pet or loved one this Christmas. Any gift is appreciated and will directly impact someone else’s life. Every penny goes to pay the medical costs for a pet. You can contact Mandy directly at 352-584-2287, stop by the clinic at 837 Broad Street, Brooksville, or donate securely online at https://www.youcaring.com/dollars-for-dogs-595036