Sweet Bowie made a little bit of history as the very first spay surgery completed through the Osawatomie Community Care Fund (OCC). She did wonderfully, and seeing how happy and relieved her mom was to have her safely back in her arms reminded us exactly why this program exists.
The Osawatomie Community Care Fund, or OCC, is a neighbor-helping-neighbor veterinary care program created by Always & Furever and St. Francis Outreach Veterinary Rescue Collaboration. It helps Osawatomie families access veterinary care so their pets can stay healthy, stay home and remain with the people who love them.
Through OCC, eligible pets may receive wellness exams, vaccines, spay or neuter surgery, dental care and treatment for common medical concerns approved by our veterinary team. This is not bare-bones care. Every animal receives the same proper anesthesia, monitoring, diagnostics and follow-up that we would want for our own pets.
Osawatomie residents may apply between the 1st and 20th of each month. The application takes less than three minutes, and applicants must be an Osawatomie resident and the owner or caretaker of the pet. Because the number of appointments is limited, recipients are selected through a fair monthly drawing. No donation is required to apply or be chosen.
Every OCC visit is paid for by donors, local businesses and sponsors, and a $250 sponsorship funds one complete Community Care appointment. Your support could provide a spay like Bowie’s, needed vaccines, a wellness exam, dental treatment or medical care that keeps another beloved pet from suffering or being surrendered during a family’s difficult season.
Today, Bowie went home safely with a mom who loves her. Tomorrow, another Osawatomie family may need us, and together we can make sure a hard moment does not have to become a goodbye.
