CNL Member since 2016
Founded: 2004
Website: sammiesfriends.org
Facebook: facebook.com/sammiesfriends
Telephone Numbers:
-Sammie’s Friends @ Nevada County Animal Shelter:
(dogs) 530-471-5041
(cats) 530-274-1955
-Sammie’s Friends Community Program 530-913-4810
-Sammie’s Nifty Thrift Shop 530-273-0603
Mission & Purpose:
Sammie’s Friends contracts with Nevada County to operate the Nevada County Animal Shelter. Sammie’s Friends provides medical care and support for the disadvantaged animals of the Nevada County Animal Shelter, making them adoptable and avoiding euthanization.
Each year the shelter intakes, supports and adopts out around 2000 animals. Frequently, these animals have been neglected, abandoned and/or abused and are not in good condition. We provide medical care to address their injuries or illnesses, and before adoption, ensure that they have been spayed/neutered, vaccinated, de-wormed, de-flea-ed, heart worm-tested (dogs) and given any needed basic medical attention. We also provide behavioral rehabilitation for animals who would have difficulty getting adopted because of poor behavior.
We care deeply about our animals and do everything in our power to rehabilitate them and get them into loving homes.
Success Story:
Sammie’s Friends is known as “animal central”. We provide information and guidance to people for their pets and have reduced the Shelter euthanasia rate from 68% to less than 1%, saving the lives of almost 30,000 animals. We support the less fortunate people in our community by providing care for animals owned by low-income people and save hundreds of thousands of dollars in spay/neuter vouchers to help reduce the number of unwanted pets. Each year our community program provides medical care for approximately 800 animals who below to low income families. Each year, we provide spay and neuter vouchers for approximately 200 cats and dogs in our community.
Our program began as an all volunteer effort in 2001. Sammie’s Friends opened in 2004 as a nonprofit organization to pay for the medical care of animals. Sammie’s Friends began operating the Shelter in 2010. Sammie’s Nifty Thrift Store was opened in 2013 to generate revenue for the animals. In addition, we write grants, have events and receive donations and bequests to support both the shelter operation and our community program.
How our organization benefits from being a member of CNL:
We have taken some great CNL classes and found a fabulous facilitator for our board offsite and attend Executive Director Round Tables.
How to get involved:
We always need volunteers to walk the dogs, cuddle the cats, and clean kennels. There are volunteer opportunities for office work and for people to work in the Thrift Store. We take donations and welcome grant writers. Over time, we are always looking for new board members.