What is an AMA Angel, you may ask. Hopefully this article will clarify that and the questions we receive on a daily basis from our followers.

With all the scandals surrounding charities’ financials, it’s no surprise that people have become more reluctant to fork over their hard earned cash. Many people now believe that their money only goes toward lining the pockets of organization’s CEOs and presidents, and in most cases that sadly has become the truth.

But we are proud to say AMA is not one of those charities. Our organization runs solely on the generosity of our followers and animal lovers who open their hearts and wallets to us. All donations received go directly toward saving and caring for our animals. Each animal saved by us costs up to $350 in basic fees; which includes vaccinations, rabies shots, spaying/neutering, micro chipping, grooming and boarding until we find a suitable foster. These are just the absolute most basic costs involved in saving an animal. We often however have severe cases that require a lot more medical attention and in turn run up our veterinary bills. Of course we don’t spare any expenses when it comes to saving the life of a fur baby and without generous supporters we would never be able to cover all these expenses.

In June 2015 we had three severe rescue cases in the span of a few weeks. Norman was one of these cases. He was covered in mange, severely malnourished as well as being deaf and half blind. The poor boy could barely walk. His medical costs alone amounted to a total of $2469.12 even after the discount we get from our vets. Yes, we do receive substantial discounts at our vet’s office for the treatment of our animals, but the costs still add up. Now imagine if we didn’t have the financial support of our followers… Norman and the other severe cases wouldn’t have been saved and they certainly wouldn’t have ended up in wonderful forever homes.

Our team at AMA consists of two co-founders, three committee members and volunteers. No one within our organization draws a salary or benefits financially from the organization. The only compensation we receive for the hours of hard work and dedication we put into AMA, is knowing that we save lives on a daily basis. There is no better feeling in the world than seeing a once abused and neglected fur baby finding their happily ever after because of the work we have put in.

As a non-profit the only way we can keep doing what we do is through the generosity of the public. We ask for donations for specific cases, these donations are a once off and supporters donate whatever amount they see fit. This is our primary source of income. We also have the Angel’s club. This is our ongoing donation “club” where supporters sign up for a monthly donation to the amount of their choosing.

The Angel’s club is vital to our organization as the more Angels we have, the more animals we can save. It gives us the financial security of knowing exactly how much we can afford in veterinary bills each month and ensures that the day to day running of the organization goes smoothly. In short, the more Angels we have the more four legged angels we can save. So even if you’re only willing to pledge $5 a month, it would make all the difference to us and those in need of saving.

What does $5 a month mean to you? Maybe it means having an extra latte from Starbucks. Maybe it means having a McDonald’s happy meal or two slices of pizza. What does that same $5 a month mean to AMA? It means one more happy ending. It means ending one more animal’s suffering. It means restoring a once neglected and abused animal’s faith in humanity. Now ask yourself if you can spare $5 a month. You’d be amazed at the answer you give yourself!

Article by Zerelda Daniels