Just about everyone is familiar with the local pound, animal shelter, or humane society. Most also know that many of these organizations are overcrowded and usually need to euthanize animals if they have been at the facility too long. Unfortunately, euthanization is sometimes necessary because of supply and demand and not all pet adoption organizations can be no kill, although many do try to euthanize as few animals as possible (such as our local Oconto Humane Society). Thanks to adoption websites such as http://www.petfinder.com/ and promotion by stores such as Petco, and Petsmart, the public is also becoming more familiar with animal rescues. However, judging from the calls we get when someone needs to find a home for their pet, it seems many people don’t realize that not all animal organizations are “shelters” and that rescues have far fewer resources.
An animal rescue is definitely different from a shelter or humane society. With the exception of big name organizations such as Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, a majority of rescues are small, grassroots organizations run by private volunteers that are themselves animal lovers and have limited funds, resources, and space. These can be run by one person, or they can have an army of 100′s of volunteers and/or employees. Animal rescues are normally no-kill (meaning unadopted pets are NOT euthanized unless it’s medically necessary) and much of the housing consists of volunteer foster homes that care for pets in their own homes until the pets find their forever home, which means available space is rare and waiting lists can be long because only so many pets can be housed in a home without jeopardizing the health of both the pets and the humans in the household. While it is very difficult to say “no” when getting a request to take in an animal because the owner has to find another home for their loved one, it is necessary to say no.
Critters Companion is actually working on getting a facility put together, but we currently operate out of our homes like most small animal welfare organizations. We are working hard to be able to provide a larger adoption space, along with low cost spay, neuter, and vaccine options. In addition, we also hope to expand to taking care of feral cats—especially TNR (trap, neuter/spay, and release).
What Can You Do To Help?
The most important way to help the homeless pet problem is to be a responsible pet owner! Spay and neuter your pets, microchip them the event he/she gets lost, make arrangements in the event you can no longer care for your pet, and don’t forget about your pet when preparing your family’s disaster preparedness plans. When looking at a new pet to add to your family, look at the shelters and rescues instead of a breeder. Doing your part will help us tackle the seemingly impossible task of eliminating euthanizations at the shelters, as unwanted litters is the main reason the homeless pet population is so high.
Another way to help is to volunteer. Whether you want to learn more or if you have specific skills and strength, just about every animal rescue organization can use you! Do you love pets and like to have them in your home? Foster homes are always greatly needed. Social networking, fundraising, and grant writing are always needed skills as well. No matter what your expertise, your skills can be put to use. Whether you are simply being a responsible pet owner or are volunteering as well, we can ALL work toward a no-kill environment one homeless pet at a time.
Yours, Tina
Critters Companion
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