MALONE — Several animal-welfare groups have joined forces to educate the public and combat the region’s overwhelming problem with stray and abandoned pets.

The North Country Animal Coalition of Franklin, Jefferson and St. Lawrence Counties hopes to eventually secure a $200,000 grant for its programs through the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

The funds would pay for educational projects and broad networking to ensure all adoptable animals find homes and that spaying and neutering continues, according to the agency’s Web site.

The national society recently launched Mission Orange, an initiative to form humane communities across the country, with the goal of saving animals from euthanasia.

The society believes pets without homes are killed because there is not enough money to continue their care and that too few people are aware of the animals’ need for homes.

Gary Mageean of Malone, chairman of the North Country Animal Coalition, said networking among the three counties will help focus their efforts and gain support from a wider base.

Among the agencies represented at the coalition are Caring for Cats, a rescue group from Jefferson County; Jefferson County SPCA; St. Lawrence Valley SPCA; Potsdam Humane Society; and the Franklin County SPCA.

Coalition members will meet next from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19, in the conference room at the Potsdam Village Police Department.

Its plan is to establish a World Wide Web presence and e-mail database to spread its message and gain support for its mission of promoting animal welfare throughout the tri-county area.

For more information, call Mageean at 483-4912.

E-mail Denise A. Raymo at:

draymo@pressrepublican.com