About AAMC
Mission Statement:
Animal Advocates of Moore County is committed to all aspects of animal welfare including spay/neuter, animal cruelty, and animal rescue, accompanied by community education and diligence toward humane legislation. We promote compassion and protection for all animals.
Animal Advocates of Moore County is not a shelter. It is an organization dedicated to the animals and animal-loving people of Moore County.
Maureen Burke-Horansky was the founder and first president of the organization. When she “retired” in June 2007, she sent the following message to her beloved friends, neighbors and volunteers. It best describes the origins and accomplishments of the organization and is reprinted here with Maureen’s permission.
In the year 2000 a group of eight women met in a home in Pinehurst to stop 65 dogs and cats from being euthanized monthly at the new Animal Control Center across from the hospital. These passionate, dedicated women were determined that the Control Center would and should open its facility for animals to be adopted in lieu of being killed.
After one full year of negotiations they accomplished their goal. From that tiny glow of success, a small organization was born, Animal Advocates of Moore County, Inc. (AAMC). They had no money, no members, no building, no kennels, and no volunteers! What they did have was a deep, abiding love for animals. They would speak for those who had no voice!
In six short years that tiny organization grew to 1100 members, bringing in a yearly income of $100,000 to pay for programs. A golden workforce of volunteers came forward to help raise funds, and transport animals to Belk and the Ice Cream Parlor to be adopted. They followed a Board willing to get down and dirty in the field of rescue to get the work done. Yes, and some of that work was trapping 1000 cats in the middle of the night and then building the one and only Feral Cat Station on the East coast to house many of them.
After five years they moved out of the Pinehurst home and rented an office in Aberdeen, where they purchased a van to make transport to PetSmart easier on the animals, and the volunteers. The organization expanded to on call duty for Animal Control on weekends, which entailed picking up injured dogs and cats hit by cars and rushing them to emergency vet care. They initiated a LOST & FOUND program with a 98% success rate.
Animal Advocates began the very first Spay/Neuter Clinic in Moore County for low income and disabled residents, sterilizing over 4000 companion animals. Each spring they hold a Spay Day for Feral Cats, sterilizing over 40 wild cats in one day using a mobile vet unit.
What does all this mean to the residents and animals of Moore County? I pray that it means we have made changes for the greater good. I pray that the organization continues with the support of the public as it has in the past.
With your help, AAMC will continue its mission.
