Mount Pleasant Magazine July/August 2017

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N O N P R O F I T
I would be willing to bet that most of us have enjoyed the
companionship and comfort of a four-legged, furry friend
at some point in our lives. From the family dog growing up
to the aging cat that settles into life right alongside all of
our twists and turns of adulthood, one thing is certain – our
beloved animals are more like family than pets.
So it should be of no surprise that the amazing staff at
Advanced Animal Care is looking to find new
ways to reach out to the community and pro-
vide additional services to help keep animals
as healthy as possible.
The newest of these services is in fact not
a service but a full-fledged nonprofit, meant
to help people with circumstantial issues that
become a deterrent for proper pet care.
East Cooper Pet Relief – the official name
of the charitable organization headed by Dr.
Leslie Steele – is bringing more than just
hope and checkups to the Charleston area,
however, with a major focus being the critical
number of stray cats and dogs that populate
the Lowcountry. As a result, Dr. Steele and her team will be
providing spay and neuter services for family pets and strays
alike, hoping to take a bite out of the dog-and-cat popula-
tion explosion.
Recalling a quote from the American Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals a few years back, Steele
said, “For there to be no homeless pets in the United States,
every single man, woman and child would have to have
seven personal pets – and it’s only gotten worse since then.”
Dr. Steele said it’s more than people simply not caring.
The problem often is due to circumstances such as unwant-
ed breeding or animals that are in poor health. Sometimes it
is an issue of not having the funds to pay for the care, while
for people it comes down to their access to transportation –
especially for the elderly.
Hopefully, East Cooper Pet Relief, set
up specifically to help pet owners with low
incomes or no means of transportation, will
lead to better health for pets with homes
and fewer animals without homes.
“It’s so important that people continue to
have their pets alongside of them – espe-
cially the senior community that depends
on the companionship of these animals,”
said Dr. Steele, who sees a bright future
for East Cooper Pet Relief and is looking
forward to planned fundraisers and even to
the prospect of making the organization a
mobile venture sometime soon.
I think we can all agree that the animals that come into
our lives make a dramatic impact on us. Whether you’ve
had a puppy from its birth, adopted an older animal from
a shelter or simply befriended the neighborhood cat, there
is a special place in all of our hearts for the simplistic and
honest love of an animal. Now, thanks to Dr. Steele and her
team at Advanced Animal Care, we can help take care of
these furry friends better than ever before. U
PET
RELIEF
East Cooper
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Our Four-Legged
Friends
By Krysta Chapman
PETS 30