For no-kill shelters such as the Humane Society of Dallas County and the DFW Humane Society, every donation is critical. Neither receives state or federal funding and both rely solely on private donations to help support the hundreds of dogs and cats that are rescued on a regular basis.
The average cost to operate an animal care facility in Dallas County is approximately $25,000 a month. This includes money for staff to care for the animals on a daily basis, spays and neuters and life-saving vaccinations. As Executive Director of the DFW Humane Society, Sarah Kammerer, told us: “We take in about 800 animals a year. Having monthly money coming into the shelter helps cover regular expenses.” Felicia Kalish, of the Humane Society of Dallas County, added: “Private donations can be very sporadic. When there’s some consistency, we know what funding to expect and can budget better.”
Thanks to the efforts of one company, shelters are receiving regular charitable donations to help defray costs. AxiaRx is a free prescription card available to Dallas Metroplex residents who may be having trouble paying the high cost of prescription drugs. Every time this card is used, a donation is made to area humane societies. As an added benefit, not only does the card cover prescriptions for people, but many pet prescriptions are discounted as well.
“It’s a win-win,” Kalish said about the AxiaRx program that helps animal welfare organizations, while helping those in the community, at the same time. According to the American Community Survey released in August by the U.S. Census Bureau, more than one million Metroplex residents are uninsured while many thousands more are forced to pay full price because their insurance doesn’t cover their prescription.
The program has the potential to help many residents afford their prescription medications while also providing thousands of dollars in donations to rescue, rehabilitate and adopt pets throughout the county.
Currently, the average AxiaRx card carrier saves 49% off of prescription drugs. One customer wrote: “I just picked up my prescription from Walmart. It only cost me $24.25! You saved me over $250! Thank you so much. Words cannot express my gratitude.”
Nearly 4,100 retail pharmacies in Texas participate in the prescription card program as well as national retail chains such as Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, Target, Tom Thumb, Kroger and many others. There are currently over 50,000 drugs available for a discount.
“We are so grateful for his wonderful program. This kind of regular support is essential to keeping the shelter afloat,” said Kalish.
Looking to adopt a dog or cat this Christmas? Or, to find out how to support your local animal shelter, visit one of these great websites for more information: Humane Society of Dallas County, Collin County Humane Society, Taylor-Jones Humane Society and DFW Humane Society.
To learn more about AxiaRx and obtain a free prescription card, visit AxiaRx online.
In these Photos: Alton is a one-year-old Terrier mix and would love a new home for the holidays. You can adopt him from the DFW Humane society. Sunflower is a short-haired Calico up for adoption at the Humane Society of Dallas County.
