FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, May 8, 2006

Veterinary Medical Association of NYC Raises Funds for Newly Adopted Pets

Over $60,000 Will Provide Some Needed Health Care

New York, NY – Monday, May 8, 2006 – For the first time ever the Veterinary Medical Association of NYC (VMA of NYC) did more than honor some outstanding members during the course of its annual awards dinner dance, held April 29, 2006, at the Jumeirah Essex House in Manhattan.

A raffle, silent auction and special journal advertising raised funds which will provide some necessary veterinary care for newly adopted pets from the city's shelter system, Animal Care & Control  of NYC (AC&C) whose new owners/families are not able to pay the costs involved.

As part of the silent auction, AC&C cardboard pet carriers were decorated and autographed by celebrities such as former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani , Peter Max, and Donald Trump. Jon Stewart (host of The Daily Show and the 2005 Academy Awards Show) also lent his talents, not only to design and decorate a pet carrier, but to perform at the event, which was attended by some 280 veterinarians, their clients, and event sponsors.

Monies raised will be administered by NY Save Animals in Veterinary Emergency, Inc., a nonprofit charitable organization, the VMA of NYC helped found in 1998. Generally, its limited funds are used to provide care for critically ill or injured pets whose owners are unable to afford veterinary care. Veterinarians participate in this program from all five boroughs of New York City and discount their fees by 50% or more in order to treat these companion animals.

There is an ever increasing demand for NY SAVE's dollars now that a program has been instituted to end the killing of shelter pets in New York City. The Mayor's Alliance of NYC is working with the City of New York toward the day when no New York City dog or cat of reasonable health and temperament is killed merely because it does not have a home. More pets are being adopted than ever before and some go to homes headed by low-income wage earners, or people on small fixed incomes. A number of newly adopted pets need veterinary care almost immediately. Both the VMA of NYC and NY SAVE want to help as many as possible.

It may be some time before the final dollar is turned over to NY SAVE for this special project, but a minimum of $50,000 is anticipated and it has already received over $10,000 in contributions from individual New Yorkers who support NY SAVE's efforts but were unable to attend the event.

Members of the VMA of NYC who received awards during the evening included: Dr. Jay Kuhlman (Distinguished Life Membership); Dr. Alexandra van der Woerdt (Veterinarian of the Year); Dr. Jeffrey Levy (Merit); and Dr. Amy Attas (Outstanding Service to Veterinary Medicine). Also recognized was Katharina Otto-Bernstein, who received NY SAVE's first Humanitarian Award for her ongoing financial support of that organization.

Sponsors who helped make the evening possible were: American Veterinary Supply Corporation, Antech Diagnostics, ASPCA, Bayer, Ft. Dodge, Hartz Mountain, Hill's Pet Nutrition, IAMS, Merial, Novartis, PCI Animal Health, Pfizer Animal Health, and Royal Canin Veterinary Diet.

Contact:

Effie Cooper, Executive Secretary

Veterinary Medical Association of NYC

Phone: (212) 246-0057

E-mail: vmanyc@aol.com

Web: www.nysave.org/vmanyc.html

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