It’s hard to find anyone who has not been, in some way, affected by the current economic state of our country. While people struggle to make house payments, feed their families and keep their heads above water, wonderful local groups are trying to make things easier on the four legged members of society. One such group, Foreclosed Upon Pets Inc. is making a difference in the Las Vegas Valley.
FUPI (rhymes with puppy) was founded in October of 2008. Everett, one of the founders, explained how they got started. “We saw the power of the internet in saving the lives of pets. Information would be gathered about abandoned and homeless dogs and then emailed to a long list of animal lovers throughout the valley. It had great results!” FUPI wanted to take it one step further, turning available pet information distribution into a movement. The Animal Cyber Sanctuary was born. This “cyber sanctuary” assists volunteers in forwarding animal emails, creating and posting adoption flyers and getting the word out about pets that need loving homes.
FUPI has taken a pro-active approach to the homeless pet problem. They offer a place for families, who must relinquish their pets due to economic hardship, to list their animals and find them good homes before the pound ever comes in to play. Re-homing the animal before it ends up in a shelter saves countless lives and countless dollars.
In February of 2009, FUPI became a 501 (c) (3) non profit group. With the rising number of animals affected by foreclosure, FUPI realized that they were going to need a physical residence to house all the pets. In May of this year, they purchased a house (FUPI House) to act as a staging area for the animals before they head out to foster homes or forever homes.
Everett spoke about FUPI and the importance of community involvement. “This organization is about people. We are here to save animals, but with over two million people living in Clark County, if even a small percentage of people stepped up to help, we could make such a difference.” How can you help? There are many things you can do: foster an animal. These pets need a place to stay while they are waiting for forever homes. Adopt: If you are looking for a pet, browse their website for available cats and dogs or come down to one of their adoption fairs held Saturdays from 11 am to 3:30 pm (please see their website for details). These wonderful animals deserve a loving family. If you don’t have the space or can’t take on another pet, you can always volunteer. FUPI is always looking for animal lovers to staff their adoption events. Please visit their website for more details on volunteering or donating to this amazing group.
Stay tuned for a fabulous fundraising event to benefit FUPI!
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