January 2022 - Planned PEThood of Georgia

Superhuman Spotlight – Dr. Christina Simpson

Our 2021 campaign encouraged people to become a “Rescue Superhero.” When running our year-end numbers we discovered impressive numbers about our veterinarian, Dr. Christina Simpson, almost superhuman numbers. Here are just SOME of the things she accomplished in 2021:

5,023 spay/neuter surgeries

2,111 exams at vaccine clinics, outreach events, and our new Wellness Clinic

27 special surgeries such as amputations and eye removals

Fostered multiple pets and SO much more!

Dr. Simpson is such a blessing to the animals we serve. Please join us in thanking her for her superhuman efforts to help the animals of Georgia!

If you want to send her a thank you note, please comment below! She would love to hear from you.

Petco Love Gifts Community with Free Pet Vaccines

As Part of Petco Love’s Initiative to Provide 1 Million Free Pet Vaccines, Planned PEThood of GA Will Distribute Free Pet Vaccines to all patients through the end of February. This includes patients here for surgery, vaccine clinics, or our new Wellness Clinic.

The free vaccines are made possible through Petco Love’s new national vaccination initiative, which is providing 1 million free pet vaccines to its existing animal welfare partners, including Planned PEThood of GA for family pets in need.

Parvovirus and distemper in dogs, and panleukopenia in cats, are some of the most prevalent deadly diseases impacting pets that are preventable with a simple vaccine. An estimated 30% of pet parents do not take their pet to a veterinarian annually for preventative care. To address this critical need, we are partnering with Petco Love to make pet vaccines free and accessible in an effort to ensure the health and wellness of our beloved pets.

Planned PEThood of GA aims to vaccinate 3,000 pets through this effort. In addition to offering it for free to animals visiting their Duluth clinic, they are hosting a free community outreach event in Habersham County on February 26th to aid a heavily underserved area.

“Thanks to Petco Love, we can offer these important vaccines at no cost to pet owners,” said Lauren Frost, Development Coordinator. “We urge community members to take advantage of this free resource and ensure the health and wellness of our community’s pets.”

Vaccines distributed through the Petco Love initiative will be the DAPPv Canine and HCP Feline vaccines and do require a veterinarian exam ($15-$25) or surgery at the time of vaccination.

“It is heartbreaking when any pet suffers or dies from a disease that could have been prevented. It is further exacerbated when unvaccinated pets come into busy shelter kennels, where these deadly diseases can spread quickly, resulting in multiple deaths, skyrocketing expenses, and hindering saving pet lives,” said Susanne Kogut, Petco Love President. “By creating greater awareness and making this crucial preventative care more accessible to pets not currently receiving these lifesaving vaccines, we can prevent the dangerous spread of disease.”

To learn more about Petco Love’s lifesaving impact, visit PetcoLove.org.

A little more about Petco Love:

Petco Love is a nonprofit changing lives by making communities and pet families closer, stronger, and healthier. Since our founding in 1999 as the Petco Foundation, we’ve empowered animal welfare organizations by investing $300 million in adoption and other lifesaving efforts. We’ve helped find loving homes for more than 6.5 million pets in partnership with Petco and organizations nationwide. Today, our love for pets drives us to lead with innovation, creating tools animal lovers need to reunite lost pets, and lead with passion, inspiring and mobilizing communities and our more than 4,000 animal welfare partners to drive lifesaving change alongside us. Is love calling you? Visit petcolove.org or follow at Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn to be part of the lifesaving work we’re leading every day.

Maybe she’s born with it. Maybe it’s Maybelline.

Meet Maybelline and Dior! Their tale from rescue to adoption will warm your heart. While filling in at the Gwinnett County Animal Shelter a few months ago, Dr. Simpson met a tiny pair of kittens. They were only 0.5 lbs!!!

Immediately she developed a special connection to the pair, and felt a strong need to help Maybelline and her kitty sister, Dior. Maybelline was born with Cerebellar Hypoplasia and developed seizures before she was 4 months old. If that wasn’t enough, she was also born with weak eyes and her lens popped out of place after one of her seizure episodes. Without surgery to remove the lens, Maybelline would eventually have painful eyes and go completely blind. While Dior is not a special needs kitten, she has been a seeing eye cat for Maybelline since kittenhood. The two truly complete each other.

Maybelline (left) and Dior (right)

Dr. Sigmund and Maybelline after surgery

Maybelline was given her fabulous name because the catchy jingle, “Maybe she’s born with it. Maybe it’s Maybelline,” rang in Dr. Simpson’s head during her examination at the shelter. Maybelline had eye issues that would eventually cause her pain and loss of vision if not corrected. The lens on both eyes needs to be removed by a specialist. Unfortunately, she had a seizure disorder that needed to be managed carefully or she could not only lose her vision. She could lose her life. The Gwinnett County Shelter was not a place for such a fragile and special needs animal, so Dr. Simpson took the pair home as a foster project.

It took a few months of medication trials, but her seizures are now under control thanks to the medical team at Planned PEThood of GA. In early 2022 Maybelline finally got her eye surgery, and both lens were removed successfully. We want to send a big THANK YOU to Dr. Sigmund, ophthalmologist at Blue Pearl, and to our donors who have made it possible to save Maybelline’s vision. Maybelline and Dior have a bright future ahead of them!

Today, Maybelline is in her foster home recovering with her sister by her side, and it appears that her outlook is good. You may be wondering how Dr. Simpson will be able to give the pair up after the strong bond they shared…

Well… she won’t have to find out. The Simpson family decided to add this precious sister pair to their family. She will now be their rescuer, veterinarian, and MOM! Happy life girls. You struck gold!