A-PAL - a brief history
In 1978 a group of animal loving Amador County residents created A-PAL Humane Society with the goal of promoting the humane treatment of animals in Amador County. A-PAL Humane Society has accomplished many positive changes and some of these early changes are following:
In 1999, the "Save the Kittens" program was started with kittens being removed from the shelter to foster, spay/neutered, given age appropriate shots, dewormed and placed in retail locations for adoption.
In 2002, A-PAL actively promoted a certificate program whereby Amador County residents could obtain a certificate to obtain a reduced price spay/neuter for their cat or dog.
In 2003 A-PAL began offering the public free spay/neuter for feral cats that they trapped and took to one of our local vets.
In 2004, the Barn Cat program was started to adopt, at a reduced price rather than euthanize, those cats deemed "unadoptable" due to their age, appearance or demeanor.
In 2005, Twin Cedar K9 began removing dogs with behavior problems from our shelter, training them and making them acceptable for adoption.
In 2006, the free pit bull dog spay/neuter program was begun to offer residents breed specific spay/ neuter support because the pit bull dog was the most common breed entering our shelter.
In 2006, A-PAL worked with county staff, the Chamber of Commerce and the Amador Community Foundation to build a new shelter. A-PAL was also instrumental in hiring new animal loving, professional shelter staff.
In 2008, a free dog and cat spay/neuter program was started for low-income, Medi-Cal recipients and the County agreed to fund this program, with A-PAL administering and advertising it. The goal was to reduce shelter intake.
In 2013, the Community Cat program was begun with feral cats that were turned in to the shelter in traps. These cats were previously held for 72 hours and then euthanized. The cats are now spay/neutered, rabies vaccinated and returned to their colony, or if appropriate, placed in barn or pet homes.
A-PAL Humane Society has worked with shelter staff and volunteers to move the shelter intake from 2400 animals annually with a save rate of only 15% in 1988, to 865 animals in 2020 with a save rate of 88%. With your help and assistance we will work to continue to reduce shelter intake and to SAVE THEM ALL!
*note the shelter was closed due to COVID so numbers were unusually low. We never closed and began doing direct intake of animals.
- Volunteers were allowed to assist county workers at the shelter with dog walking and cat and dog adoptions.
- A certificate program was initiated to assist residents with spay/neuter costs.
- Animals were transported out of area to rescue groups.
- The spay/neuter deposit program was discontinued and animals did not leave the shelter or A-PAL without being spayed or neutered prior to adoption.
In 1999, the "Save the Kittens" program was started with kittens being removed from the shelter to foster, spay/neutered, given age appropriate shots, dewormed and placed in retail locations for adoption.
In 2002, A-PAL actively promoted a certificate program whereby Amador County residents could obtain a certificate to obtain a reduced price spay/neuter for their cat or dog.
In 2003 A-PAL began offering the public free spay/neuter for feral cats that they trapped and took to one of our local vets.
In 2004, the Barn Cat program was started to adopt, at a reduced price rather than euthanize, those cats deemed "unadoptable" due to their age, appearance or demeanor.
In 2005, Twin Cedar K9 began removing dogs with behavior problems from our shelter, training them and making them acceptable for adoption.
In 2006, the free pit bull dog spay/neuter program was begun to offer residents breed specific spay/ neuter support because the pit bull dog was the most common breed entering our shelter.
In 2006, A-PAL worked with county staff, the Chamber of Commerce and the Amador Community Foundation to build a new shelter. A-PAL was also instrumental in hiring new animal loving, professional shelter staff.
In 2008, a free dog and cat spay/neuter program was started for low-income, Medi-Cal recipients and the County agreed to fund this program, with A-PAL administering and advertising it. The goal was to reduce shelter intake.
In 2013, the Community Cat program was begun with feral cats that were turned in to the shelter in traps. These cats were previously held for 72 hours and then euthanized. The cats are now spay/neutered, rabies vaccinated and returned to their colony, or if appropriate, placed in barn or pet homes.
A-PAL Humane Society has worked with shelter staff and volunteers to move the shelter intake from 2400 animals annually with a save rate of only 15% in 1988, to 865 animals in 2020 with a save rate of 88%. With your help and assistance we will work to continue to reduce shelter intake and to SAVE THEM ALL!
*note the shelter was closed due to COVID so numbers were unusually low. We never closed and began doing direct intake of animals.
FOR YOUR TAX RECORDS
A-PAL's Tax ID is 94-2462789
A-PAL's Tax ID is 94-2462789