Let your appetite do the giving while you support the St. Augustine Humane Society by dining at the local Columbia Restaurant during the month of September. When the Humane Society is selected as a recipient, the restaurant will donate five percent of all guests’ lunch and dinner checks to the charitable organization in the form of gift certificates to the Humane Society. The process is for lunch and dinner customers to put a check mark next to the name of the non-profit which will be listed on a ballot provided by the restaurant. The promotion is available at the St. Augustine location, 98 St. George Street and at any of the Columbia locations in Florida. Visit the website at www.ColumbiaRestaurant.com.

According to Carolyn Smith, St. Augustine Humane Society’s Executive Director, the gift certificate program continues to help the non-profit recognize a variety of supporters including the top fundraisers who participate in the Pin Up Paws Photo Contest at www.pinuppaws.com. The Columbia Restaurant serves as a major sponsor of the calendar effort along with Clear Channel Outdoor which donated a billboard campaign to promote the fundraiser. “Since 2011, we are very proud to be selected as a local participant in the Community Harvest program,” said Smith. “The restaurant and its patrons show their generous support by helping to prevent the needless relinquishment of pets to shelters through our charity services and low-cost spay neuter programs,” she said.

The Community Harvest program began in 1998 as a way to help non-profit groups in all of the Columbia Restaurant locations including St. Augustine, Tampa, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, Clearwater Beach, and Celebration. To date, the Columbia Restaurant Group has given a total of more than $1.8 million to worthy charities. For more information, contact Carolyn Smith, St. Augustine Humane Society’s Executive Director at (904) 829-2737. Visit the website at www.staugustinehumanesociety.org.

The St. Augustine Humane Society’s spay, neuter and surgery clinic is open every Tuesday from 8:00 am to 4 pm. The wellness clinic is open every Wednesday and Thursday from 9 am to 4 pm. Pet owners must pre-register for spay and neuter surgery.

St. Augustine Humane Society promotes healthy responsible lifelong pet ownership by serving the medical and rehabilitative needs of companion animals in our community.  Our programs are designed to strengthen human-pet relationships and reduce the need for pets to enter shelters.  Our goal is to ensure all pets have access to quality veterinary care, prevent overpopulation, and end animal suffering. The Humane Society’s resource center includes a wellness and preventative care clinic, low-cost spay and neuter clinic, grooming facility, and a pet food pantry. These and other services enable local pets to live happily and healthfully in their homes for life. Business hours are Monday through Friday from 9 am until 4 pm. Open Saturday by appointment. Closed Sunday.