Friends of Madison County Animals names Eva Wolf new program assistant; Ruscoe steps down

MARSHALL - While Madison County is fortunate to have a number of organizations that provide food pantries to low-income families throughout the county, the county's pets need to eat, too.

Friends of Madison County Animals is a nonprofit organization based in the Marshall High Studios on Blannahassett Island that offers a pet pantry, as well as spay/neuter clinics, a veterinarian assistance program, pet health clinics, and a trap/neuter/return program, among other programs.

Eva Wolf was named program assistant last month, taking over from Tricia Ruscoe, who had served as the organization's program assistant since 2016.

“The time has come for me to retire after having the privilege of working in the FOMCA office for 7 years," Ruscoe said via Friends of Madison County Animals' Facebook page. "Eva is a perfect fit to take over the keys because of her love of animals and her many talents. She will represent FOMCA beautifully into the future!”

Wolf said she has been thrown into the fire and is learning a lot in a short time, as Ruscoe has a lot of knowledge to impart.

"There's a lot to learn, especially with Tricia trying to teach me seven years of her knowledge in a short time," Wolf said. "But I've worked in rescue and shelters, and this is the kind of program that I'm passionate about, with spaying and neutering and things like that."

Wolf worked with the Key West, Florida, ASPCA for two years prior to her move to Western North Carolina.

Wolf and her family, including her husband Samuel Markowitz, and her children – Jose, 27; Syrenity, 22; and Maddy, 17 – live in Marshall.

While Wolf is particularly drawn to rabbits, as she and her family have a whopping 16 rabbits at home, she said she has known since she was a child that working and caring for animals is her calling.

Wolf, who grew up on Chicago's South Side, said she's "always been an animal person."

"When I was a little kid, I would pick up sick animals and the local vet was this nice man who would let me come in and dust the shelves in the lobby, and he would take in all of my sick, hurt and injured animals and treat them," she said. "He was great. I just remember how much love and passion he had. I was just this little kid and would just let me come in and sweep up the lobby and say that that would pay for whatever the kitten needed.

"It was pretty cool. My passion for animals has always been a thing."

Pia Cash, who was recently named the Madison County Animal Services interim director, formerly served as FoMCA's director.

According to Wolf, despite the many services provided by the organization, the staff is made up of only two people, while the rest of the services are provided with the assistance of the organization's wide volunteer base.

"It's pretty cool. There are a lot of dedicated people that put in a lot of time," Wolf said. "We have a flea and tick medication program and the food pantry. All that helps the community. So, it's great to see and meet more community members when they come in here. But spay and neuter is definitely the heart of the whole program. Spay and neuter has always been the main thing, and helping keep pets in their homes."

FoMCA offers spay and neuter clinics every other week and typically partners with an Asheville organization to help haul as many as 30-35 pets on a Saturday from the island.

According to Wolf, the organization also works with a number of doctors and is able to issue vet vouchers to clients.

"I feel like this is a really important thing," Wolf said. "Everyone's fallen on hard times. I know I have. When a pet you love is really sick and is faced with no options, it's scary. I hope that, and part of what I really love in reaching out to the community and letting them know that the service is here, and that they don't have to think, 'Oh no. What am I going to do?'

"Pets are like a part of the family. I feel like lately, especially, it's been extra hard to make it and to take care. If there's anything that happens and you don't have the money, it's terrifying."

The organization's spay and neuter program is especially crucial in helping to keep animals off the streets, Wolf said.

"It's a huge priority. The more you spay and neuter, the less babies that there will be, the less animals that end up in shelters," the new program assistant said.

In Wolf's first month on the job, FoMCA has received some encouraging news as well.

Last month, FoMCA was one of 90 animal welfare groups selected by The Grey Muzzle Organization to receive a grant to help local senior dogs. The winning groups received $848,000 in grants to help save or improve the lives of at-risk old dogs in their communities.

“Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we’re delighted to help deserving organizations like FoMCA make a difference in the lives of dogs and people in their communities,” Grey Muzzle’s Executive Director Lisa Lunghofer said. “Many senior dogs in Madison County are enjoying their golden years in the company of their loving families thanks to the wonderful work of FoMCA.”

That work is built on the backs of the organization's many volunteers, according to Wolf.

"The wonderful people who started it, who are passionate, are volunteers," Wolf said. "There are so many wonderful volunteers that take their time, and their love and their energy and put it into this county. Everyone always says the same thing: 'This is a special place.' Not just here, but the entire county and the people. I've met such lovely people from all different walks of life here."

Friends of Madison County Animals maintains an office in Marshall High Studios on Blannhassett Island, located at 115 Blannhassett Island Road.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Eva Wolf named Friends of Madison County Animals program assistant