Paw Jam will support animal rescue efforts

Animal cruelty and rescue event Paw Jam will be held in the Tri-City area for the first time from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Civic Center near Patterson.

Several people in the community, including those involved in animal rescues, collectively decided to host and organize an event of this nature, said Paw Jam organizer Jenny Bailey.

All of the proceeds from the event will go to the Humane Society of Louisiana.

The Humane Society of Louisiana pays the salary of many animal rescue workers. In addition, emergency veterinarian services have to be paid for. These services almost always are administered to rescues.

The Humane Society of Louisiana is a nonprofit animal protection charity. The organization is a leader in the fight against cruelty to animals working to prevent abuse and neglect in all its forms.

One of those animal rescuers is Toney Wade. He is the lead investigator with the Louisiana Animal Criminal Investigation Taskforce. He’s been doing animal cruelty work for approximately 25 years.

“I handle cases all over the state of Louisiana,” Wade said. “But primarily in St. Mary, Iberia, Assumption, and all these areas. The Humane Society of Louisiana pays me, but we have emergency vet bills.

“We have to do a lot in our cases to call on a vet. That’s where the problems are and we’re trying to generate a go-to fund. It goes to the Humane Society of Louisiana but it comes back to our local area.”

As of Jan. 1, Wade had seized 193 animals between St. Mary and Iberia parishes. Horse rescues total around 120 to 125.

“There’s a lot of animal neglect and cruelty that happens in our area,” Wade said. “It’s kind of staggering, to be honest with you. We get great support from St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Department.”

An awards ceremony will begin at the Paw Jam event at 1 p.m. St. Mary Parish Sheriff Mark Hebert is receiving a Golden Heart Award for “going above and beyond.”

“Mark pushes the animal welfare issue,” Wade said. “And we thought he deserved an award for it.

“It’s unbelievable how well they work with us. They call me out. I call them out. We work really well together. The animal abuse cases in St. Mary Parish are getting out of hand. It really is.

“I have zero issues with them. They’re doing well on their own. Most of the deputies that have worked enough cases with me, they understand the law now and all of them are doing it on their own now, which I love.”

In addition to rescuing animals, rescue workers provide free law enforcement training to police agencies and advocate for new legislation regarding animal laws.

“And all those things are funded through donations,” Wade said. “Education is one of the biggest things we’re looking into now. We’re developing some kind of program for schools.

“So, we can try and teach children at a young age that you don’t kick dogs or that kind of stuff.

“But the primary reason is emergency vet care. It gets kind of expensive. And the funding helps us more.”

Donations are low and animal cruelty is high in this area which is why supporting the event is important.

“Somebody has to be the voice for these animals to stop it,” Wade said. “Without funds, then unfortunately we just can’t do that. We don’t get very many donations, especially in this area.

“People in this area just don’t donate. But if you hold an event where they can buy food or listen to music, drink a beer, they’re going to come out and support it.”

“Once you start getting the awareness out there to people and educating them on this, how real this is in their own backyard, we really have the power to do something,” Bailey said.

“And this situation, with all of us coming together and buying something as simple as an $8 dinner plate … it all adds up.”

Food, drinks, and beer will be available for purchase at Paw Jam. Jambalaya dinner tickets are on sale for $8.

Flashback, South 70, Jus Cuz and Anytime are scheduled to play at the event. Additional music will be provided by DJ J.J. Starbuck.

Children can enjoy a bounce house and face painting in the gym.

A fun play jail will be on site, lots of door prizes and gift certificates are up for grabs. Items, such as a barbecue pit and table topper grill, are set to be raffled off.

For more information about Paw Jam, contact Bailey at 985-397-2816.