Event to Honor Melvin Gordon, DVM

Atlanta, Ga. (May 25, 2011) – On Saturday June 18, 2011, friends, volunteers, sponsors and adoptive families will help Furkids (www.furkids.org) celebrate the organization’s 9th birthday by honoring its dedicated veterinarian, Melvin Gordon, DVM.  The party will be at the Buckhead location of Maggiano’s Little Italy (http://www.maggianos.com).

Committed to combating pet overpopulation, Furkids operates the largest cage-free, no-kill shelter for homeless cats in the state.  Neutering is a keystone of the organization’s program.  Furkids sterilizes all of the unaltered animals in its program before placing them in adoptive homes.  The organization placed 614 cats and dogs into permanent homes last year.  Since its inception in 2002, Furkids has rescued and altered more than 6,000 animals.

Dr. Gordon has been the part-time Furkids veterinarian since 2005.  At the veterinary surgical suite at the Furkids animal shelter in Gwinnett County, he spays, neuters and provides medical care for the cats and dogs in the Furkids program.  He joined Furkids after retiring from 26 years of caring for animals in his private practice in Dekalb County.  Before Dr. Gordon became part of the Furkids team, Furkids utilized medical services at outside veterinary clinics, which required a complex logistical schedule of volunteers ferrying animals to the clinics and returning them to the shelter after the surgeries.

“Having Dr. Gordon provide basic medical care on site helps us significantly reduce stress on the animals and lets us provide a higher quality of care, especially for post-surgical observation,” said Furkids executive director Samantha Shelton.  “His professionalism and kindness to animals – and the people in the Furkids program — are unparalleled.  Under his skillful care, Furkids has helped thousands of vulnerable homeless animals become healthy, strong and unable to produce more homeless animals.”

The birthday celebration, a combination of fun and fundraising, and a silent auction with a full array of bid items – such as pet products and services, jewelry, home furnishings, artwork, restaurant and personal services gift certificates, travel packages and other merchandise.

The party is scheduled for 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.  Tickets, which include an all-you-can-consume Italian feast and non-alcoholic drinks, are $50/person.  Partygoers can register and donate in advance at www.furkids.org.  Proceeds from the event will support the Furkids operation, including spaying and neutering.

Furkids cares for approximately 500 dogs and cats in its shelter and foster program, handling more animals on a daily basis than any other local organization, including the Atlanta Humane Society.  In addition, it operates the adoption centers at five PetSmart locations (Mall of Georgia, Midtown, Northlake, Perimeter and Smyrna) and two PETCO locations (Holcomb Bridge and Edgewood) in metro Atlanta.

The Furkids mission is to help end pet overpopulation in Georgia through sterilization, high-quality adoption and by providing valuable spay/neuter services and pet care education to people in the community.   To that end, Furkids nurses and neuters all of its rescued animals, keeping them healthy and happy in its cheerful, cage-free shelter or in foster homes until it can place them into permanent homes.

Furkids was founded in 2002 when then-Equifax executive assistant Samantha Shelton found a mother cat depositing three newborn kittens in her back yard.  What began simply as a quest to find shelter for four cats in a place where they wouldn’t be euthanized has grown into a nonprofit organization that today operates the largest cage-free, no-kill shelter in Georgia.  The organization has been confirmed as one of the top charities in America by Independent Charities of America.  Of the top six animal rescue organizations in metro Atlanta, Furkids has the lowest percentage of its budget dedicated to administrative expenses.  And for every $1,000 Furkids accepts in donations, the organization places more pets into permanent homes than virtually every other organization.

“Furkids doesn’t just rescue, neuter and shelter homeless animals, but we use a scrupulous adoption process to place them into permanent homes,” said Shelton.  “It’s rewarding to see the loving relationships that blossom when humans open their hearts to homeless animals, and it’s humbling to recognize the numbers of volunteers and donors who help Furkids bring people and animals together.  For nine years, this organization has grown to help more and more animals because of the generosity of people like Dr. Melvin Gordon and our volunteers and sponsors.  On our 9th birthday, it’s my honor to thank all of them.”