It's a situation that every pet owner dreads - a beloved pet requires veterinary attention, but the owner can't afford the treatment. For many seniors, people with disabilities and women at risk of abuse, this fear is a terrible reality.
The Farley Foundation was created specifically to help these individuals out. It was established by the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA) in 2001 to assist seniors and disabled persons on limited incomes with the necessary treatment of their pets, according to the foundation's brochure. In 2007, the Foundation expanded its eligibility criteria to include women at risk of abuse who are entering shelters and who are participating in OVMA's SafePet program, which finds temporary homes for their pets.
The Baxter Animal Hospital hosted a barbecue on Sunday afternoon in front of Duma's Your Independent Grocer on Lorne Street, to help raise funds for the Farley Foundation. The barbecue was one of many events being held across the province for the month-long fundraising campaign, Fundraise for Farley.
Rhonda Ranta, receptionist at the Animal Hospital, said the fundraiser is in its fourth year and has been a success in past years.
"Our goal was $1,500 last year and we raised about $1,300," she said, adding the barbecue, which is their main fundraiser, usually brings in about $500.
Farley is the name of a character developed by Canadian artist and Cartoonist Lynn Johnson, who created the comic strip, For Better or For Worse. The name is a tribute to the Patterson family's sheepdog, who eventually died in the comic while attempting to save April Patterson after she had fallen into a ravine.
For more information on the foundation, or to make a donation, visit www.farleyfoundation.org .
