Texas Border Business
| EDINBURG, Texas – Palm Valley Animal Society is asking the community this month to #giveaheart to the thousands of pets that will come to the shelter this month and test positive for heartworms. Most closely resembling a spaghetti noodle, heartworms are transmitted by mosquitos and set up a home inside the hearts and lungs of unprotected dogs. Allowed to reproduce, the worms eventually cause death of the pet. Monthly preventatives that kill off young larvae before they are allowed to grow are the only way to prevent untimely death in pets. At PVAS, nearly one quarter of all adult dogs that enter the shelter test positive for the disease. With treatment costs averaging about $125 per pet, the cost quickly gets beyond the financial capacity of the shelter. “Heartworm is preventable, and in addition to encouraging the community to work with their veterinarian to make sure their own pets are protected, we’re reaching out to the community to ask for help in curing shelter pets who come to PVAS,” says PVAS Executive Director Donna Casamento. Animals who have been treated for the disease are much more likely to get adopted or selected for rescue transport, so not only does heartworm treatment save the health of that pet in the shelter, providing treatment for pets reduces the length of time a shelter pet must wait for a new family. All month long, the shelter has been promoting a fundraiser through social media channels, asking community members to donate at least $5, and after donating, they get to put a heart on our wall at the shelter so everyone knows that they #giveaheart about PVAS pets. We’re also currently hosting an online auction with art from local artists that is heart-themed. Artists of all ages contributed their work to the auction, and participants will have until April 30, 2022 to bid for their favorite pieces. |
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