C.A.R.E. has. since its inception, worked hard to help save lives not only at the local county run kill shelter, but before the animals go into the shelter. While this can sometimes cause a huge headache, it is worth it in the long run as it helps save more lives.
You may ask why a headache? Many times people first want to surrender to rescue, rescue gets everything set up and then people change their minds. That could mean other animals could have been saved while time was spent on those that the people changed their minds about. Many times we will go on sites trying to convince people to give to rescue, and some people do not understand the reasons why rescue is the best choice. 1)Rescue vets the animals no matter what is needed and makes sure animals are spay/neutered before going to forever homes. Dogs receive heartworm treatment if needed and are on preventive. Injuries are treated. 2.) Most rescues do vet checks, reference checks, and home checks. 3,) Rescues have adopters sign contracts which bind them to return the dog if the adoption does not work out. 4.) And most importantly, are willing to take the time to wait until the right adopter comes along for each dog. Why would you want to give any animal especially new puppies or kittens, to a complete stranger with no checks whatsoever? How does one know who they are giving them to without checking references and doing home checks? Are their lives not worth it?
No matter what the headache, what the issue, C.A.R.E always puts the animals first. That is what rescue is about. All the pictures you see in this blog are animals that were in need of rescue in the community. None of these babies were at a county shelter. We worked with the people in our community to take them into either our rescue and/or one of our rescue partners. Many of the adults were injured, some having thousand of dollars of surgeries. Many had to be treated for heart worms. Puppies that broke with parvo, had coccidia, mange. It does not matter what the problem, we do our best to provide whatever is needed to help them.
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We also believe in pet retention and will try to help the people in our community keep their animals if at all possible by providing food and vet care whenever possible. ( we are volunteers and depend on fundraisers and donations) We would much rather you baby stay with his or her family than have to be uprooted if possible. When not possible, we will try our best to help find a place in our foster care until we can get the dog fully vetted, and then start the adoption process. We do not have our own facility ( yet) so we have to depend on volunteers to help foster the dogs in our rescue in their homes. That is why fosters and volunteers are so very important to us.
I think another very important point that many shelters overlook is how this helps them. How many more would be in the landfill if not for rescues taking these babies before they wind up at an open intake shelter. How many times do you already hear, ” we are full”, ” we have no empty kennels”. Rescues taking in animals before they take up space at the county facilities and/or helping the public actually keep their animals is another way to help save lives.
It is past time that shelters and rescues check their egos at the door and start focusing on the animals. I am very tired and disgusted with county run shelters who play the part of the victim instead of doing everything possible to save the lives of the true victims… the animals. WE CAN SAVE THEM ALL…. please take a moment to read the attached ” No Dog left Behind” A Publication of the No Kill Advocacy Center, Meeting the Needs of Behaviorally Challenged Dogs.
Click to access no_dogs_left_behindv2.pdf
( All the pictures in this article are animals that were rescued that never entered a shelter by C.A.R.E and/or our rescue partners. These are just a handful of the ones we have done through the years. We will try to put together a gallery of them and add until we get them all together. We are here for the animals and we will always advocate for the animals)