It must be Spring...
The calls just keep coming...
"I am going on vacation and I don't want my cat anymore..."
"I am moving and can't (won't) take my dog...."
"I found a cat (that I have been feeding for 3 years) under my porch and she has 8 kittens now (again)..."
"My dog had puppies (again) and I can't find homes for them..."
"I am allergic to my cat/dog (that I have lived with for the last 10 years)..."
All the "Can you take them?" calls that make rescuers feel so tired and inadequate
Project Jessie was originally created to work with pounds and shelters - mostly the pounds and shelters that still send their animals to research. If we have space, we also work with pounds that we have good relationships with that just need a hand - with socializing young animals, with a creature that is sweet but isn't coping with the busy shelter environment, with a gentle, sweet but traumatized animal. We help with all ages, all conditions and all species. Rarely do we take in owner surrendered animals, but sometimes we can't help but be suckered by a particularly sad story.
We try and help the maximum number of animals that we possibly can at any particular time.
We have foster homes - we don't have a central shelter where we go to work and come home again at night. That means that every new animal taken in, every mom with kittens, every senior dog with medical needs that make them not very adoptable, every messy, active wonderful group of puppies - every single one of those animals is going into someones home (and heart) and making their life richer but busier.
It also means that sometimes we have to say no. We know which shelters are overflowing with cats and kittens and will be killing if we can't offer help. We know which shelters have dogs that really just need sometime in a quiet environment to let them blossom. We know which shelters have creatures that need some vet care to be healthy and ready to adopt.
We also know that sometimes, we don't have the space to take in even one more.
That makes me sad.
Each of us is only one person.
But if each of us did something to help, it all adds up to something huge.
This time of year, the biggest issue is cats and kittens. Most shelters are drowning in kittens right now, and that means that the awesome adult cats often get overlooked. Senior kitties don't stand a chance.
And every day we get the "Can you take this litter I found?" calls.
I usually say to people that we are really, really full, but if they are willing to foster that litter, send me pictures and I will post them to the website, Project Jessie will spay mom and get the kittens vaccinated and help to get them adopted from THEIR home.
Very few people ever take me up on the offer - Why?
"I don't have time for that..."
"I can't have them in the house because I already have one cat (or dog)...."
"It isn't MY cat/dog/bunny/fill in the blank..."
Want to really help?
- Offer to foster for your local shelter or rescue group- or for Project Jessie if you are in southern Ontario. It is a lot of work - but means the world of difference to every individual animal you help.
- Adopt your next friend from a shelter or rescue group. Do not buy animals from pet stores while others are being killed in shelters. No matter what species, breed or age you are looking for you can find them in rescue. Maybe not this very second - but given a little patience - your next best friend is waiting. http://www.petfinder.com is a great resource and is North America wide.
- Have your own animals spayed and neutered! And make sure your friends do too.
- If you truly do need to rehome your pet, take some responsibility, and have some compassion, and find them a home yourself. It will be easier on them (no bouncing from home, to foster home, to adoptive home), and leaves the foster homes to do what they do best - help animals that would be killed tomorrow if not for the space available today.
There is nothing magical about finding animals homes - it is just plain old hard work, networking, getting the story out there, and using every opportunity to talk about adoption and what great companions that shelter creatures make.
Ruby is a foster girl pictured above. She was abandoned with her mate, and a few days after being turned into the shelter, she gave birth to 9 puppies. The shelter is one of the good ones - but baby animals have a tendency to pick up whatever illnesses are going around, it is hard to adequately socialize that many puppies in a shelter environment, and the shelter is noisy and scary for most new moms. So - she came into foster care.
Her foster mom did a great job and most of the pups are in new homes now - but momma is still waiting.
Ruby is an awesome girl. She is quiet and gentle, she is good with other dogs (although she will guard her food from them), and she will play ball for ages.
She has been spayed and is looking for her new family.
If you are looking for a new companion and think Ruby might be a gem for you, please email or call. One more animal in her new home, means one more animal we can take in.
Thanks,
Shelly and crew
posted by Shelly @ 06:23
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