Tyler Animal Shelter Partners with CASA for Kids East Texas to Help Children and Animals | Local News

Tyler’s Animal Control Supervisor Mary Fowler, who has worked at Tyler’s Animal Shelter for 17 years, has volunteered at CASA for Kids East Texas for almost three years in different fundraising capacities.

She recently asked what CASA’s greatest need was and the response was immediate: backpacks and school supplies.

That’s when Fowler kicked in, forming a partnership between the Tyler Animal Shelter and CASA for Kids East Texas.

For the month of July, all adoption fees will be waived when a future fur family donates a backpack containing at least five school supplies to the shelter, located at 4218 Chandler Highway in Tyler.

“It was on my heart to do it, and luckily I have the means and the support to do it through the animal shelter,” Fowler said.

The standard adoption fee for dogs is $ 120 and $ 80 for cats, which includes adopted animals spayed or neutered, microchipped and vaccinated.

CASA’s director of community relations and development Katherine Elliott said the agency was able to help 734 children in 2020, a number that increased by 100 from 2019.

Elliott highlighted the challenges many families face as the start of the school year approaches.

“When children are taken from their homes due to abuse and neglect, they are rarely able to take much with them. In general, they also change schools. Many are placed in family homes with fixed-income parents who were not financially prepared for one or more children, ”Elliott said. “The need for a backpack and school supplies is great. “

Fowler said the shelter was dedicated to serving the community and it seemed like a perfect way to give back.

“It’s a win-win situation. A homeless animal finds a forever family and a young child receives needed supplies that might not otherwise be available to them, ”said Fowler. “If we have the opportunity to go out into our community, help children in need and find homes for our animals, why not do it. “

Fowler hopes this becomes an annual event that continues the partnership over the next several years.

Elliott said that for kids in these situations, getting a cool new backpack can be a very bright light in a dark situation.

“You have these children who are being taken out of their homes through no fault of their own. It’s a scary time, ”Elliott said. “If we can send them to school with the supplies they need and a new backpack, all the things that most other kids have, we can give them a sense of normalcy during a very difficult time.”

CASA for Kids East Texas serves children in Smith, Wood and Van Zandt counties. The required supplies to be included in the backpacks are yellow Post-It notes, pencils, headphones, shirts with pockets or Parisian ties, index cards, manila paper, notebooks, notebook paper, pencils and pens # 2.

For more information about adopting or donating a backpack and school supplies, call 903-535-0045.