SCNS welcomes “SNIPPP’s Snaps” to the North State community reporting family
When an escaped campfire at an illegal homeless encampment erupted into a swift-moving vegetation fire that forced the immediate emergency evacuation of nearly 50 homes in the small Intermountain area town of Burney last month, homeowners were forced to flee for their lives as a wall of flames sped toward their homes.
With deputies going door-to-door issuing urgent immediate evacuation orders on several streets directly in the fire’s path, many homeowners were given mere minutes to grab whatever they could and evacuate to a Red Cross shelter established at nearby Burney High School. The speed at which the families had to evacuate forced some desperate horse and livestock owners to put out social media cries for help in safely trailering their animals away from the oncoming blaze.
The call for immediate evacuations triggered Spay & Neuter Intermountain Pets & Pet Placement (SNIPPP) volunteers to begin preparations to assist with any needed animal evacuations. Within minutes of their offer to help, which was shared exclusively in an SCNS Live Incident Log online, (and can be viewed in its entirety below), the organization had already dispatched the first truck and trailer to the area to evacuate two horses that were stranded at a residence that was in immediate danger of being consumed.
Although no homes were destroyed and no animal – or human – lives were lost, thanks entirely to the hard work and aggressive fire attack of local fire crews, the crisis proved just how fast SNIPPP is prepared to act in the event of a fire or other emergency.
LEADING THE SCNS HEADLINES:
Drugged Burney couple arrested outside Redding Aquatic Park, child taken into protective custody
Five arrested at known drug house, “active POP project” – Home deemed uninhabitable, shuttered
Fight with violent parolee leaves Mt. Shasta officer with minor injuries
Anderson man arrested after arranging to meet with minor for sex
“It exploded! It’s totally engulfed in flames!” Terrified witness films numerous explosions during Burney barn fire
Beginning this week, Shasta County News Source (SCNS) will be proudly featuring a new Community Reporter’s column, “SNIPPP’s Snaps“. The bi-weekly column will feature different kittens, cats, and dogs available for both fostering and adoption, with photographs as well as full and detailed descriptions of each animal and what their individual needs are.
Located in McArthur, SNIPPP is a no-kill animal welfare and spay/neuter organization that was created in March of 2007 by Cassel resident Suzanne Kane. The California non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization has a local Board of Directors as well as a community of volunteers who donate their time, money, homes, and loving care to provide the services SNIPPP offers.
Operated completely by volunteers with no paid staff whatsoever, SNIPPP serves a large area of approximately 1600 square miles, covering parts of Shasta, Modoc and Lassen counties. Their areas of coverage range from Old Station up to Adin, over to Bartle then down to Oak run, though their main service area is the Intermountain area of Eastern Shasta County.
Jesse Johnson of Burney Grocery Outlet is seen with Michelle Titus and Larry Burns of the SNIPPP Board of Directors at a May fundraiser that provided the nonprofit, all-volunteer organization with much needed and always appreciated dog and cat food, along with blankets, beds, and even toys, too! Michelle Titus/SNIPPP photo
“SNIPPP’s mission is to address the issue of domestic animal overpopulation through funding spay/neuter voucher programs, re-homing of lost animals and rescue and placement of at-risk or abandoned animals,” SNIPPP Vice President Michelle Titus recently told SCNS; adding that in 2020 SNIPPP funded 453 Feline (cat) spay/neuter procedures, and 299 Canine (dog) spay/neuter procedures.
“We also provided medical services and foster care to over 25 dogs and 20 cats before finding appropriate long-term placement for them,” she continued. “Our foster providers are all SNIPPP volunteers who generously bring these animals into their homes and often pay for all their food and non-veterinary care and training.”
Although their primary focus is dogs and cats, SNIPPP has been known to help with more specialized animal rescues, some of which have included two llamas, a cow, and a mini donkey – which Michelle ended up adopting herself. They have also rescued a number of peacocks, rabbits, turkeys and chickens.
“We typically stick to dogs and cats, but we will always try to help when anybody calls,” she explained. “Although some things are out of our skill set, we have lots of contacts to direct people to other resources if we can’t handle it.”
“What we really need are foster volunteers!”
According to Michelle, two of the biggest challenges currently facing SNIPPP are sustaining volunteer participation and attracting new volunteers, especially those willing and able to take on short-term foster placements of dogs and cats awaiting adoption.
“Currently, a single SNIPPP volunteer is housing two rescued dogs and 25 rescued kittens,” Michelle described.
“That is far more than any individual should be doing,” she explained; saying, “What we really need are foster volunteers!”
SEE RELATED: SNIPPP’s Snaps – July 5, 2021
In addition to volunteers who take foster placements, other volunteers and Board of Directors perform a number of essential duties, such as staffing the organization’s phone lines; rescuing, tracking, managing and placing abandoned animals; authorizing veterinary care; taking animals to adoption events; maintaining the SNIPPP website; and managing the courtesy listing page on the website for both SNIPPP rescue animals as well as animals being placed by their owners.
They also manage Lost & Found services; coordinate with local veterinarians; coordinate with other Northern CA rescue and adoption agencies; stay up to date on CA and local animal regulations; issue spay/neuter vouchers; handle advertising; coordinate fundraising and grant underwriting; perform all administrative duties.
“It’s a lot to manage each day,” Michelle admitted. “Especially for a completely unpaid volunteer staff, who put their hearts out there for these animals every day.”
Feeding time for some of the rescue kittens that are awaiting adoption at SNIPPP. Michelle Titus/SNIPPP photo
She went on to explain that in addition to all their other duties, the organization’s Board of Directors has put their money where their mouths are and have all adopted rescue animals of their own.
“Our founder, Suzanne Kane has two rescue Basset Hounds living with her, our President Larry Burns has four rescue dogs he’s adopted and our Secretary Barb Lawson and Treasurer Sandi Kaul both have rescue dogs they have adopted,” she described. “Plus, I am currently housing and caring for 22 kittens until they are big enough to be spayed/neutered, in addition to three rescue dogs who are living in my home with my three dogs, one of which is a rescue I adopted.”
“I also have horses, mini donkeys and mini horses – most of which are rescues or adoptions – to care for. So, it’s kind of a zoo here,” she admitted; saying that was one of many reasons why she is so grateful when members of the community step up to foster or adopt a rescue animal.
“As volunteer participation has waned over the past few years, the fostering duties have become overwhelming,” Michelle explained. “That’s why we have such a need of volunteers for fostering kittens, cats and dogs.”
“We also need volunteers willing to help with weekly phone duty once every eight weeks and can participate in adoption events or fundraisers,” she continued. “Of course if they are interested in volunteering their time and effort in other areas or ways, we welcome that too!”
As if confirming that there is never an end to the need for animal rescues, on the very day of this article Michelle got an urgent call for the rescue of “Diesel” a three-and-a-half year old, mixed-breed cattle dog. He is microchipped and all his vaccinations are current.
“He’s great with kids and other animals, is very friendly, loves attention and loves to run,” Michelle said, with hopes of a quick adoption placement. For more information about Diesel, call Shelley at (530) 771-5829.
All SNIPPP animal services are funded completely through donations, fundraisers and grants, and the organization plans its activities after funds are received and bases its expenditures on actual receipts according to Michelle; who explained, “We can use this approach because we have no paid employees or office space, so our fixed costs are limited to insurance premiums, legal and accounting fees and administrative costs related to advertising, fundraising and basic office supplies.”
If you’d like to join the SNIPPP Team, can provide a foster home to dogs or cats, or are interested in knowing more about ways you can help support the organization call them at (530) 336-6006 and leave your contact information. A SNIPPP Board Member or volunteer will get back in touch with you as soon as possible.
Contact the writer: [email protected]
Trevor Montgomery, 50, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source (RCNS) and Shasta County News Source (SCNS).
Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County-based newspapers Valley News, Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; the Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County; and Mountain Echo in Shasta County. He is also a regular contributor to Thin Blue Line TV and Law Enforcement News Network and has had his stories featured on news stations throughout the Southern California and North State regions.
Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.
Trevor has been married for more than 30 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 18 grandchildren.