Animal Advocates of St. Mary's role is as a facilitator

Joy Sanders, president of Animal Advocates of St. Mary in Morgan City, began her address to Franklin Rotary at the Forest restaurant Tuesday by stressing that AASM is not a rescue and that they have no adoption program.
She said this was a common mix-up made by those wishing to secure homes for wayward parish animals.
AASM is a non-profit charity that facilitates the sheltering of animals.
Their Facebook page states that they are “working to raise awareness of animals in need in St. Mary Parish.”
“Animal Advocates is not a rescue, and we do not function as a rescue,” said Sanders. “Ultimately, what we do is: serve as the middleman between parish shelters, sick or injured animals and larger rescue organizations in larger areas.
“So, we do anything that the rescues need us to do, so that they can take the animals in. This typically includes heartworm tests and transportation as the two most common things.”
However, Sanders said that AASM also stands ready to serve in getting animals vaccinated, having them treated at veterinary clinics, temperament tested, photos taken and even fundraising for the animals, if necessary.
She said that AASM’s immediate mission is to help shelter animals, even and especially sick or injured ones.
Their long-term mission, she said, is to educate the community of St. Mary Parish on proper pet care. “We discourage outside pets, but we do try to educate people who do want to keep pets outside, on what is required for legal shelter,” she said.
Other distinctions Sanders cited as AASM public education goals are: breed-specific laws, how they vary from city to city throughout the parish and what is particularly allowed, and/or required in each case. They also promote vaccination support, the use of heartworm prevention and the importance of spaying and neutering programs.
She emphasized of spaying and neutering, “This is the biggest thing we push. The words ‘spay and neuter’ come out of my mouth so often because it is so important to get a grip on the overpopulation crisis that we (parish) have. That is the biggest key to reducing the population, spaying and neutering your pets.”
AASM was founded in 2013 by Sanders and current Vice President Ann James.
It operates by virtue of volunteers and donations, presided over by a four-member board.
“We are all volunteers,” Sanders said. “We are a 100 percent, all-volunteer organization, which means that all of our donations go directly toward helping the animals.”
Though Sanders did not yet have the parish records for the number of animals sent to the St. Mary Parish Animal Shelter in 2017, she said that the number of animals that AASM rescued for the parish shelter last year numbered over 100.
While their relationship with the parish shelter has had to foster over time, AASM now works so closely with SMPAS that they are fundraisers and donors, as well as contributors to the ranks of the shelter’s resident animal population.
Sanders mentioned that AASM is accepting donations on behalf of the parish shelter, as well as themselves for things such as: a new weight scale for the animals, veterinary costs, food and vaccinations.
AASM holds an annual fundraiser in October. However, they accept donations year-round.