New Foundation Will Help Pet Owners Keep Their Animals

Contributed by BirchBark Foundation

Some pet owners face a terrible choice—unable to cover the cost of veterinary care, they may be forced to give up a beloved animal and unfortunately some may be euthanized.

Preventing such heartbreaking dilemmas is the core mission of the BirchBark Foundation, a new nonprofit organization based on the central coast of California.

Founded by local veterinarian Dr. Merrianne Burtch, the organization will provide financial assistance to pet owners in need, along with discounted care by partner veterinarians. Grants will be provided for animals with life-threatening or life-compromising medical issues.

"As vets, we are above all driven to save animals' lives," Burtch said. "Now we'll have a way to save more of them and to keep them with their loving owners."

Applications will be reviewed by a panel of veterinarians, who will assess the seriousness and urgency of the pet's condition, along with likely treatment options and long-term prognosis.

This service makes BirchBark unique among local animal-care services, according to Executive Director Bunny Tavares.

"There are many organizations doing important work to protect animals," Tavares, a non-profit marketing and communications consultant formerly with the Public Broadcasting Service, said.

"But we're filling an unmet need: keeping people and their pets together," she added. "That can be crucial for both the pet and the person."

The goal is to provide $50,000 worth of grant assistance in the first year.

But help will not end there. BirchBark also plans to provide education on pet health and to help build and strengthen the community of people who care about animals.

The organization's website will feature pet health tips, blog posts and links to resources, among other features. BirchBark-organized events will bring together pet owners and experts to share information, assistance and friendships -- human and animal.

Similar connections will be made online via Facebook and on Twitter.

Burtch and Tavares began organizing the foundation in March of last year. That included coming up with a name that captured what they had in mind.

"We were playing with word combinations and when someone came up with 'birch' and 'bark,' we all chuckled," Tavares said. "Then it struck us that birch bark grows naturally, like the community of support we plan to build, and at the same time is such a helpful resource, in so many ways. It just seemed to fit."

People seeking help can fill out a simple form at BirchBarkFoundation.org. For more information can contact Bunny Tavares at (831) 462-6004 or bunny@birchbarkfoundation.org.