The Oconee Humane Society in Seneca, South Carolina, has made it their mission to help animals in need, for little or no cost. Under the leadership of vet technician Abigail Arellano and Dr. Paul Black, the shelter has performed more than 13-hundred surgeries in a little more than a year, many of them completely free. "Surgeries are free for shelter animals and community cats,” Arellano explains, “Pet owners can come to the humane society and purchase a low-cost voucher."
They offer two types of vouchers, one income-based and another that’s a flat rate. The vouchers are good for a range of surgeries including spays, neuters and dental extractions. Last year alone, the shelter brought in more than 2-thousand animals, nursing them back to health and putting them up for adoption. And they do all this without any government funding, operating entirely on donations and grants.
Arellano documents the shelter’s work on social media and shares profiles of some of the animals in need of adoption. But she admits that none of what they do would be possible if it weren’t for Dr. Black, who dreamt up the concept, volunteers his time, and has performed all the surgeries without pay. And she says, “Because of his selflessness, we are able to do all these wonderful things."