Notes from a rescuer...
that button to the left
"make a donation" click it!
we really need donations, please don't think someone else is going to do it, or my small donation won't make a difference. believe me it does make a difference.
currently, we have three dogs and one cat needing medical procedures, we can't afford to get them done; we have five pens that are dangerous for the dogs due to their state of rust and disrepair, we have 70 dogs needing food daily, it costs an average of $250 per week to feed the dogs.
we are a non-profit, your donation is tax deductible, we survive totally on donations. totally.
so, look to the left, see that button. click it
childhood revisited
yesterday I built forts in yards. in my own back yard and in some back yards where I have fostered dogs. it was a trip down memory lane, gathering up scraps of this and that to provide a "fort" or shelter from the elements for the rescues.
due to our having NO FUNDS for anything other than food right now, i had to use what I had along with a vivid imagination. and what child has not done the same when tasked with fort building.
I gathered up from under my house, my sisters garage, my mothers garage, my brothers basement and my neighbors construction project everything from corrugated tin, a sheet of plywood from a long ago demolition - stuffed in the back of a garage, 2x4's, 2x6's and tarp. lots of tarp. then after the girl-styled construction of said fort was complete, I wrapped forts in tarp in order to block the wind and rain, then I placed several bales of hay in each and then blankets. the dogs now have cozy, warm dry places to be in the coming frigid temps.
when caring for animals, it is important to provide them shelter as well as decent food, clean water and vet care. dogs and cats don't like being in the elements just like humans. We as a society need to be more aware of the safe adequate care of our companion animals and demand the same for them as we would humans. chaining dogs to trees or cement blocks with no protection from weather is not acceptable. just sticking them in the yard is not acceptable and just letting them out the door to roam the neighborhood is not acceptable. if you want a pet for life in your family, take a little time to familiarize yourself with what is required for basic care and then what is a step beyond that for an animal who is your companion.
have fun with it, enjoy it and perhaps you will find yourself out in the backyard having a tea party in your fort with your pets.
Heather needs your help
Heather is a small kitten we rescued from a feral colony. her mother had produced so many litters that this last litter did not develop fully and several of the kittens were tripods. Heather almost got the forth leg fully developed however she has no ankle or foot and she has a bone sticking out at the end of her hind leg.
Heather is going to need surgery to amputate part of her bone and allow the vets to bring some muscle down on the base of the bone to form a pad. this procedure will cost approximately $800 and we don't have it. we are desperate for donations right now. it is the beginning of the year, people are paying off Christmas and don't have extra money, however the running of a shelter does not end. we are out of money, we have to feed our charges and they all need vet care. Heather's care is desperate. We fear she will get a bone infection and then we won't be able to save her.
Please consider helping us by making a donation either to Heather or to the general fund.
The New Year has begun at ARF and optimism runs rampant
It is the new year in the shelter and we are off to a great start. We have had some wonderful adoptions, three dogs who had been with us for a very long time found fabulous forever homes.
Guy had been with us since he was a young pup and now he is living on a farm and having the time of his life. Lou had not been with us as long, almost a year, however as much as we loved her and saw how great she was, it didn't appear that anyone else was going to recoginze it - until she met Nicole. Now Lou is happy in her home and has found her place. And Annie. Annie had been with us since she was a few weeks old. She is now 2 and adjusting to life outside the shelter. It has taken a little while to adjust to life in a home, she was scared of her shadow at first, but now- with a family who will give her the time and understanding she needs - she has started relaxing and is lolling on the bench on her porch, surveying her huge yard that she can run in at will and chewing on all the chew toys she wants. She has a young boy as her best friend and thinks life is alright.
Sometimes people criticize no-kill shelters, and I can understand the difference in philosophy, however, for me - the choice is no kill. I form attachments to each of these creatures of God and see their personality. I believe that there is a perfect home for each of these animals who have had the unfortunate luck of being born in a society that doesn't understand the need for spay/neuter laws and doesn't understand giving the unwanted animals a chance.
All animals have love to give and are just waiting for a chance. Even the throw-aways can find redemption and want someone to love. Given enough time, and enough opportunity - homes can be found. There are people out there who will give them a chance and will love them as much as the animals will return the love.
Annie, Lou and Guy are testaments of that belief.
