Fort Myers Florida Weekly

Gulf Coast Humane Society receives $250,000 donation


 

When Jerry Brown adopted his German Sheppard from Gulf Coast Humane Society in 2011, he walked away impressed.

That feeling hung with Mr. Brown for the rest of his life, as he and his wife Judy were happy with their dog Shana.

“Shana means ‘beautiful’ in Yiddish,” Judy Aronson said. “There wasn’t anything extra special about the time Jerry adopted Shana from GCHS, but he always commented on how the staff was helpful and how the process of adopting went so well.”

Mr. Brown died recently and one wish he had was to donate to GCHS, at 2010 Arcadia St. in Fort Myers. He did so in the amount of $250,000.

The donation will be turned into a fund dedicated in Mr. Brown’s name to help people in Lee, Hendry, Charlotte and surrounding counties who can’t afford to care for their pets with spay-neuters, shots and microchips.

The details of the program are being finalized, but the program will start in a few weeks, said GCHS Executive Director Jennifer Galloway.

“This was an overwhelming gesture by the late Jerry Brown and his wife, Judy,” Ms. Galloway said. “I cannot wait to share the stories of the pets who were helped because of Jerry and Judy’s generosity. We are so happy Jerry was able to adopt Shana and come away feeling the way he did with GCHS.”

Spay-neutering is an initiative of GCHS because since August 2015, its Spay and Neuter Clinic eclipsed the 15,000-mark, with 5,840 this year alone.

“The Brown donation is a game changer for GCHS and its initiative of spaying or neutering your pet,” Ms. Galloway said. “Pet overpopulation is a major problem and this donation will make it possible to help those pet owners who want to do the right thing, but do not have the resources to do so.”

Of the $250,000 donation, $50,000 of it will extend to help the German shepherd Rescue in Punta Gorda, which has had more than 1,100 rescued dogs in the last 12 years.

“We hope that many members of our community will see this gift as just the starting point in what Jerry wanted as his Legacy,” said GSR Executive Director Erik Hoffer.

“Jerry loved German shepherds and he wanted to create a fund for them and for all animals through his will. This is quite an extraordinary gift, but more so that his legacy will help many dogs of all breeds, as well as his favorite, the German shepherd,” Mr. Hoffer said.

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