If there’s one thing that could be said about the staff and administrators of the Central Pennsylvania Humane Society, it’s that they care about the health and well-being of the animals.
Yesterday, board members of the CPHS showed this unwavering dedication with the announcement of the hiring of Kenyon J. Brewer, VMD. The announcement marks a first in CPHS history with the hiring of an in-house veterinarian.
“Over the years, the health and well-being of caged animals at the facility has been a concern for all of us, as it is at shelters everywhere,” said Dave Hopkins, executive director of CPHS. “With Dr. Brewer on staff, we’ll be in a position to assess every animal that comes and goes.”
According to Brewer, her services will be available each Wednesday and will most likely schedule other “office hours” throughout the week. She will continue with her current employment at Richland Veterinary Hospital in Johnstown, where she serves as staff emergency veterinarian and performs other related duties.
“It’s been a huge pleasure to be asked by the Central Pennsylvania Humane Society to work here for them,” said Brewer during a brief press conference yesterday morning. “It really speaks a lot for the generosity of the people here and their dedication to the health of animals. There’s a lot of money and time that goes into making a decision like this. I just need to thank this group for allowing me this wonderful opportunity.”
The program is being funded through money saved at CPHS. According to Ingrid Bilotto, director of operations, CPHS officials set aside all spay/neuter deposit funds that customers donated back to the organization after their animals’ procedures. Bilotto said the program would then be self-sufficient after the saved money runs out.
“Taking (this) step will mean a necessary re-structuring of our fee schedule,” said Bilotto. “We’ll be increasing our adoption fees, however the people adopting the pets will actually be getting a better deal since they’ll now be able to do ‘one-stop-shopping’ for an animal.
“We’ll perform necessary procedures at competitive or even lower rates that they might find elsewhere…and we’ll make sure every pet has his/her shots before they go to their new homes. And doing that, we’ll be eliminating the need for a deposit which will save us a good deal of paperwork and time, and be more efficient for the adopter as well.”
Long-time CPHS Board Member Bernice Levinson said she was delighted when she and other board members were presented with the opportunity to hire Dr. Brewer.
“I’ve seen so many changes in the agency over the years,” she said. “But this is certainly a major accomplishment and I’m very excited about it.”
CPHS cares for an average daily ‘census’ of about 100 animals, nearly all cats or dogs. The agency has been in existence for more than 100 years, serving the residents of Blair County, and surrounding counties when needed.
Area veterinarians who have worked closely with CPHS for many years are reacting positively to the move, according to CPHS President Rob Terdiman.
“We have spoken to many and they all seemed please,” he noted
Dr. Brewer will be serving CPHS and staff veterinarian in part-time capacity. She will continue to be employed by Richland Veterinary Hospital in Johnstown where she serves as staff emergency veterinarian and performs other related duties.
“I am very excited to have the opportunity to assist CPHS in its mission to improve the lives of both pets and people,” said Brewer. “I hope that my involvement with CPHS will help to renew awareness of the valuable role CPHS plays in the community.
“Our vision for the Altoona area is the fostering of responsible pet ownership through education and ethical care of the animals placed under our guardianship.”
Dr. Brewer is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. She holds a B.A. degree in English and a B.S. in Biology from the University of Pittsburgh, Johnstown.
She has also served a college internship with Priority Veterinary Consultants in Yardley and served as a laboratory technician at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.
Dr. Brewer resides in Johnstown where she lives with her dog “Daisy,” who was recently adopted from the CPHS shelter.
