Save Our Salty Dogs(and Cats too) 

by Bo Shurling

Many of us in the Atlanta Parrot Head Club (APHC) dream of living at the beach or on an island. 

Wayne and Felicia Myers, long time members and former leaders of the APHC, made that dream a reality when they moved to St Croix several years ago. 

The couple, In keeping with the club’s motto of “Party with a Purpose,” has always embraced investing time and money in multiple charities. 

That did not change with their move to the tropics. 

Wayne now works with the St. Croix Animal Welfare Center (SCAWC). 

The 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization’s mission is to provide and promote the humane treatment of animals through humane education, animal protection, community service and their Paws From Paradise Program. 

This year the APHC will be raising funds throughout the year to provide assistance to the animals at the Center. The club will also be holding other fundraisers and events for other charities throughout the year. 

Below are more details about the services provided by the SCAWC. 

Community Clinic 

For many pet owners on St. Croix, the cost of veterinary care is a struggle and some pet owners are unable to seek care at all.  When a pet becomes sick, it is often abandoned or surrendered instead of taken for treatment. A once loved pet gets thrown outdoors at the first sign of mange or forced to suffer through this and other treatable conditions.   The SCAWC provides a community clinic that provides low cost spay and neuter programs as well as medical care and treatments, which encourages individuals to keep pets in their homes and to promote humane and responsible pet ownership in the community.  The result is healthier, happier animals that live longer lives and remain in their homes and a community that seeks care for their pets instead of abandoning. 

Paws From Paradise  

Because there are not enough people to adopt the number of pets that arrive at the shelter, The Center also has an off-island pet transfer program called “Paws from Paradise.”  This program has been an important part of their life-saving efforts for many years.  Transferring pets from one shelter to another  has become common practice in the mainland, where a shelter or rescue group in one area has a need for adoptable pets, while another has an abundance of pets but few adopters.  The Center has partners all across the states that understand the plight of abandoned and unwanted animals in our islands and are willing to help. 

Humane Education 

The St. Croix Animal Welfare Center has always had humane education as a core part of its mission.  Changing the way animals are treated is essential to stopping the problems of pet neglect and abuse, abandonment, and pet overpopulation.  The SCAWC provide humane education through elementary school visits, community outreach, adult education and social media advertising. 

Animal Protection Services 

The SCAWC provides animal protection services through 1) A compassion call which is when a stray animal in immediate need of medical attention (for instance, a dog or cat hit by a car). The Center responds to as many of these calls as possible but response is sometimes limited by resources and 2) Open Acceptance -Although SCAWC cannot always respond to calls for animals to be picked up, they always accept any animal that is brought to the shelter regardless of the reason, whether it is someone surrendering a pet or a compassionate community member who brings in a stray.