TulsaPets Magazine May 2021

18 TulsaPets • May/June 2021 possible,” Paul says. “There are a lot of costs and overhead, and they help close the gap. They allow all this to happen. We don’t want cost to be a barrier to a dog having heartworm protection or a cat or dog being on flea and tick prevention.” In addition to the clinics, the Tulsa SPCA also organizes foster and adoption services. “We have a pretty robust foster program,” Paul says. “We have even been doing transport to other states. Believe it or not, there are states out there that don’t have enough adoptable an- imals. Oklahoma is not one of them, so we will transfer to other states that have a need.” The other component of the Tulsa SPCA’s mission is in its name, fighting animal cruelty. The organization employs a cruelty investigator whose job is to investigate and educate. “A main component of his job is really edu- cation,” Paul says. “We find that the majority of cruelty isn’t intentional–they might not have the resources. We do accept cruelty calls, and he’ll go out and investigate. If it is intentional cruelty, he helps the city to investigate and prosecute.” As part of the program, the Tulsa SPCA also does food delivery every month. “If there are pet owners who feel like they can’t afford high-quality food for their pets, we will deliver it for them,” Paul says. “We share that information with agencies, so we do provide a food bank and try and spread the food love as far as we can get it.” Before COVID, the organization participated in a lot of community outreach, holding local adoption events and visiting schools and nursing homes with pets. Paul says they’re looking for- ward to resuming a normal schedule soon. With many animals and people in need right now, the Tulsa SPCA is trying to help as many as possible. “We don’t restrict services based on any geo- graphic or income limits that we set,” Paul says. “So you can come to us, and if you live in Bartlesville, we will still offer you services. Interest- ingly, we definitely have a lot of clients that come from the actual city, but we do have a lot of people coming from outlying areas. We’ve had people come from Arkansas for our neuter program.” Tulsa SPCA veterinarian Dr. Megan Buford adds, “Here at the Tulsa SPCA, we understand many people struggle with the rising cost of pet care. Unfortunately, this leads to incredibly hard decisions to either surrender an animal to a local shelter or euthanize. One of our goals is to help animals remain with their loving family by removing the financial barriers to medical care. I truly believe the Tulsa SPCA is making a meaningful and impactful difference by provid- ing low-cost services to our community, and I’m proud to be a part of it.” For more information about the Tulsa SPCA, visit the website or check out its Facebook, Twitter and Instagram profiles. Donations can be made online. The organization also has an Amazon Wish List of items needed for various services. C EDARWOOD V ETERINARY C LINIC ROBERT W. POTEET, D.V.M 1412 S Harvard Ave • Tulsa, OK 74112 • 918-749-6588 • Fax 918-749-6695 Mention this ad for a FREE tooth brushing or specialty shampoo 918-933-6060 In Scissortail Square 41st & 129th E Ave “We don’t restrict services based on any geographic or income limits that we set. ... So you can come to us, and if you live in Bartlesville, we will still offer you services ...”