Raymour & Flanigan Hosts EG Animal Protection League Dogs Friday

Warwick, RI – You can meet some eligible canines seeking homes Friday morning at Raymour & Flanigan‘s quarterly real estate mixer, and help the East Greenwich Animal Protection League find its own permanent home while you’re at it.

The 9 a.m. event at the 444 Quaker Lane furniture store draws area business people serving new homes in the area, said Carrie Pepler, store manager at Raymour & Flanagan. Business people from the insurance, finance and real estate industries will network that morning.

Members of the EG APL will also attend, along with a few dogs the shelter is seeking new homes for.

The dogs aren’t the only ones in need of a home. The shelter itself has been seeking a permanent home for about three years, and are fundraising to make the long-time goal a reality. To help them, Raymour & Flanigan’s mixer will also feature raffles to benefit the organization’s building search fund.

“It’s an ongoing process,” said Tammy Flanagan, president of the EG APL and dog adoption chairperson.

While the organization would prefer to find a spot in East Greenwich, the real estate market there has forced them to consider buildings in Warwick and West Warwick. They’re not interested in locating outside that area, though, Flanagan said.

The EG APL was founded about 30 years ago, and were based inside the Greenwich Bay Animal Hospital, until March, when they moved to the East Greenwich Animal Hospital at 4302 Post Road in Warwick.

Flanagan said if they do wind up in Warwick or West Warwick, they’ll keep the name, and their commitment to servicing East Greenwich, accepting and placing surrendered pets, as they have done for the last three decades.

Flanagan said a permanent home for the organization would free up funding so they could help more animals.

Now, the EG APL can handle 10 dogs and 20-25 cats a month, which cost the organization about $16,000 to care for. With a permanent home, Flanagan said, they could save enough on monthly costs to care for 30 dogs and 40 cats.

The last property they were attempting to buy, Flanagan said, was a property in Apponaug, but they were beaten by a cash offer they couldn’t compete with.

The organization’s building purchase fund stands at about $8,000, Flanagan said, but donors and honorary co-chairs of the capital campaign Alan and Marie Price have pledged $25,000 to the cause.

Pepler said she invited EG APL to the mixer during a conversation with a member at the last event. She said it seemed like a good opportunity to help the dogs, and the EG APL, find homes.

If you can’t make the mixer Friday morning but still want to contribute to the EG APL’s building search, you can donate directly at their website, www.egapl.org. You can also send checks to The East Greenwich Animal Protection League, PO Box 184, East Greenwich, RI, 02818.