Dear Editor:

Hello all. It is Saving Gaffney Pets Rescue again.

I would like to start this letter by making a big apology to the residents of Blacksburg. I have heard many complaints about the name of my rescue and these complaints are justified. The rescue should have been named Saving Cherokee County Pets but unfortunately I cannot change it now because of my non-profit status. I am very sorry for this oversight on my part, but trust me, I have attempted to save, and have saved, just as many Blacksburg pets as I have Gaffney pets. I have made many trips to Blacksburg taking pictures to post on the Internet and actually have sent many Blacksburg dogs on transports up north. I am sorry if any feelings were hurt because of the rescue name.

Now, that being said, we are again desperately in need of donations. We have gotten quite a few puppies in lately and of course these need shots. One round of puppy shots is $75 and of course the dogs have to be wormed too. We have an excellent foster home with Christie Patterson and we are buying all of the food for the animals that she fosters for us, and lots of these are puppies. Christie is fostering adult dogs and puppies awaiting transport to other rescues, or dogs and puppies just too nice to be euthanized. Because of her, we have been able to save lots more animals, and these animals are being loved and socialized, which helps in getting them placed in homes.

We are trying very hard to save lots of the cats/kittens that come into the shelter because usually once they come through the door at the shelter, their fate is sealed and it is not a good fate. We are starting a cat/kitten campaign. We can get a male cat neutered, shots, and a microchip for $38. Anyone willing to sponsor a male cat, please send a donation of $38 to Saving Gaffney Pets Rescue, P.O. Box 263, Gaffney, S.C. 29342.

We are willing to place these cats, once you are approved, with an elderly person who would like to have a pet, a disabled person, or someone who would love to have a pet but just cannot afford the medical expense to have vetting done. We would also be willing to place these cats as barn cats, also once approved.

We are also starting a name-the-animal campaign. We have so many that we save, it is hard to come up with new names. If you would like to submit a name for an animal with a small donation of $20, we will name that animal the name you submitted and send you a picture of the animal with a history (or what we know of the history) of that animal. Please help us come up with better names than Abby, Spot, Maggie, etc., etc.

We are working closely with Meals on Wheels, trying to get food donations for the people on their routes who have pets. If you would like to donate dog/cat food to Meals on Wheels, please take it to their location on 403 W. Montgomery St. Meals on Wheels is in the process of collecting animal toys to give to the pets of their clients for Christmas, so if you would like to donate pet toys, collars, leashes, etc., they would be very happy to get them.

Please help us help these animals, they depend on us so much and give so very much to us in return. The love and loyalty of an animal is like no other love, so please help.

Again, donations can be mailed to Saving Gaffney Pets Rescue, P.O. Box 263, Gaffney, S.C. 29342.

Mary Carpenter Saving Gaffney Pets Rescue

Gaffney, S.C.