I love that so many people are so passionate about posting urgent animals on Facebook, and sharing them with others that might help. Some of these cats and dogs would not have a chance in the world to be seen if it wasn't for the hard work of volunteers and crossposters.
Sometimes, however, the passion overtakes logic, and pictures get posted with a lack of information. Think of posting and crossposting as a form of marketing - would you put a great picture of your product up on the internet, and then not tell people how they can get it or where it's located? I have seen many caring people post pictures of pets on Facebook, with a big HELP! and no vital information. People need to know, in a concise manner, the W's of the situation.
WHO?
Who can potential adopters talk to for more information? Who can help a rescue or adopter arrange to get the dog or cat to safety? Who will know what options are available for transport? Who is allowed to pull from this shelter? Answering these questions ahead of time can prevent the dreaded "I want to help, but I don't know who to talk to!" problem.
WHAT?
What breed of dog is it? How old? What do you know about his or her temperament? Good with dogs/kids/adults/cats/none of the above? Does the dog or cat have any special needs? HW status, health status, shots, spay/neuter status are all very important too, if you have them. These are all questions that help rescues and adopters make the decision on whether or not a pet is right for their situation. If the information is not readily available, they may move on to another animal.
WHERE?
Where does this pet currently reside? Shelter name, address, city and state are very important. This way, a potential rescue or adopter can figure out what will need to be done to save the animal, or if they even can do so.
WHEN?
When is this pet going to be killed? When is the shelter open so that someone can save the pet?
WHY?
If the dog or cat has a story, it's VERY important to tell it! This can differentiate your urgent animal from another. If you don't have a story, try to take the information you do have, and make the plea more personal.
HOW?
How much is the pull fee, and what does that include? How can an out of state adopter or rescue save the available animals? How can one pay the pull fee - over the phone, or does it have to be in person? What payments does the shelter accept? How is the dog handled after that - does it go to the vet for a spay, or is it available immediately?
It helps to post all of the information on each picture...that way, crossposters do not have to hunt down details to add to the picture in order to generate interest in the animals.
Posting as much information as possible is the first step in saving these animals lives.
Some great examples of posts that have the info needed:
Kristin Kucsma, North and South Carolina kill shelters
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.544707235369.2055330.19802242
Petra Kleber Keim, Heard County GA
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1717898661715.2085897.1065694329
Greenville SC Urgent List
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.201057003262674.41760.153272091374499
Urgent Part 2 NYC Area
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.206358356043718.56767.152876678058553
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
ISSUES IN RESCUE: The Cost of Out-Of-State Rescue
I really feel like I want to tackle this topic, because it seems to come up a lot. On my rescue album on Facebook for the Highlands County Florida Urgent Dogs , I list out what it will cost to save a dog from the shelter, both for local and out of state adopters. I have been asked many times lately, "Why do they charge so much for out of state rescues? I want to save a dog, you want it safe. Can't you do it for less/free?"
The answer is, no. And the reasons are all practical, not greed-related (at least for the good rescues out there).
Let's say you want to rescue a dog and you are local. That's awesome - that's what I want! I want that dog to go to a good home. You can come to the shelter, pay the $75-85 pull fee...this comes with rabies vaccine and spay/neuter surgery. You can also opt to ask for a heartworm test once the dog is at the vet, which will cost another $40. In the grand scheme of things, $115 for a neutered, vaccinated, heartworm tested dog is a pretty good deal...it would cost you a lot more at your vet.
Now, let's say you are an out of town adopter, and you contact me, asking me to get a male dog to you. This is where it gets trickier. This means that you are not able to come to the shelter yourself to do the financial transaction, and you are not able to pick your dog up from the vet. Here is a breakdown of what it costs to save your dog:
- Gas to get to the shelter: $varies (and I have never asked anyone for gas money, even though I am 2 hours away.)
- Pull Fee: $75.
- Post-surgery Pain Meds: $10
- Heartworm Test: $40 (and if your dog comes up heartworm positive, I have then taken on the risk that you no longer want the dog, which is now my responsibility...but let's say he's heartworm negative.)
Then, the dog needs an Interstate Health Certificate. This requires:
- Wellness Exam: $28
- Parvo/Distemper Test: $17
- Fecal Flotation Test: $14
- Deworming Medicine: $45
- Interstate Health Certificate Issuance: $12
So far, this is $241, and every step of the way I shoulder the risk that you may change your mind on saving the dog (it happens way more often than you would think).
Then, we have to figure out transport. Let's say you live far away, and it is best to transport the dog via flight. Let's assume that flight costs $300 (I have never had to pay for a flight for a dog, so I am guessing here). Let's say that the next flight that your dog can catch is 3 days after his neuter procedure, and you do not have a local foster in place. This means $15/day for boarding...which comes to $45 total.
Then, someone has to pick up your dog from the vet and transport them to the airport, which is usually Orlando airport in the case of the dogs at Highlands. This is a 3 hour drive round trip, and costs gas money as well. There will also have to be a travel kennel purchased...let's say that's $100.
So in total, assuming that the dog is healthy, assuming that you keep your end of the bargain and don't decide at some point that you have changed your mind...the grand total cost for an out of state rescue (under the given circumstances) can be around $686. If you have asked me to pull this dog and change your mind at any time, disappear from contact, etc...then I have a large financial bill to cover (remember, it's $241 before he even gets on a plane) AND a dog who is depending on me to find him a place to live that is NOT back at Animal Control.
I hate to say it, but I don't know any rescue that can consistently afford to take on $700 per dog bills on behalf of people who only have to say "never mind" when the going gets tough. I know I can't. As I have said many times, animal rescue is not an endeavor that makes any legitimate rescuer money. There are no stockpiles of unused donations sitting around, and whenever I let people know how much it would cost to save a dog - I am NOT embellishing. I am NOT demanding gas money or mileage or repayment for my time, and most of us don't. I am ONLY asking for the hard costs of getting that dog to safety, and I can't afford to cover them, even temporarily, for someone who's only commitment is saying "I want that dog!" on Facebook.
All that being said, though, for those who are truly committed...for those who are willing to contribute to the safety of their future furry children (or start a chip-in themselves to raise money to help defray the rather large cost involved)...for those who plan their transport without demanding that someone else take care of it for them...for those who are willing to take on a dog that may need some extra care, even if they weren't expecting it...I am at your service, and I know several people who feel the same way. Because our goal, above all else, is to get these dogs and cats to homes that really care about them, wherever the location.
Speaking of which, I would like to give a shout out to Wendy Lorden, who rescued one of the Highlands dogs recently. Wendy asked me to pull Diamond, an American Bulldog mix, for her. When I called to give her the awful news that Diamond was heartworm positive, she didn't flinch. When her transport plan fell through, she paid for Diamond's boarding and then drove all the way from Tennessee to Florida to pick up her new girl. She never gave up, or demanded that I figure out how to fix things. That's commitment!
All of us rescuers are committed to seeing every one of these dogs safe. But although it would be nice if it wasn't, money is a factor. Please keep this in mind if you are considering rescuing from out of state, and the whole process will be easier for all involved. :)
The answer is, no. And the reasons are all practical, not greed-related (at least for the good rescues out there).
Let's say you want to rescue a dog and you are local. That's awesome - that's what I want! I want that dog to go to a good home. You can come to the shelter, pay the $75-85 pull fee...this comes with rabies vaccine and spay/neuter surgery. You can also opt to ask for a heartworm test once the dog is at the vet, which will cost another $40. In the grand scheme of things, $115 for a neutered, vaccinated, heartworm tested dog is a pretty good deal...it would cost you a lot more at your vet.
Now, let's say you are an out of town adopter, and you contact me, asking me to get a male dog to you. This is where it gets trickier. This means that you are not able to come to the shelter yourself to do the financial transaction, and you are not able to pick your dog up from the vet. Here is a breakdown of what it costs to save your dog:
- Gas to get to the shelter: $varies (and I have never asked anyone for gas money, even though I am 2 hours away.)
- Pull Fee: $75.
- Post-surgery Pain Meds: $10
- Heartworm Test: $40 (and if your dog comes up heartworm positive, I have then taken on the risk that you no longer want the dog, which is now my responsibility...but let's say he's heartworm negative.)
Then, the dog needs an Interstate Health Certificate. This requires:
- Wellness Exam: $28
- Parvo/Distemper Test: $17
- Fecal Flotation Test: $14
- Deworming Medicine: $45
- Interstate Health Certificate Issuance: $12
So far, this is $241, and every step of the way I shoulder the risk that you may change your mind on saving the dog (it happens way more often than you would think).
Then, we have to figure out transport. Let's say you live far away, and it is best to transport the dog via flight. Let's assume that flight costs $300 (I have never had to pay for a flight for a dog, so I am guessing here). Let's say that the next flight that your dog can catch is 3 days after his neuter procedure, and you do not have a local foster in place. This means $15/day for boarding...which comes to $45 total.
Then, someone has to pick up your dog from the vet and transport them to the airport, which is usually Orlando airport in the case of the dogs at Highlands. This is a 3 hour drive round trip, and costs gas money as well. There will also have to be a travel kennel purchased...let's say that's $100.
So in total, assuming that the dog is healthy, assuming that you keep your end of the bargain and don't decide at some point that you have changed your mind...the grand total cost for an out of state rescue (under the given circumstances) can be around $686. If you have asked me to pull this dog and change your mind at any time, disappear from contact, etc...then I have a large financial bill to cover (remember, it's $241 before he even gets on a plane) AND a dog who is depending on me to find him a place to live that is NOT back at Animal Control.
I hate to say it, but I don't know any rescue that can consistently afford to take on $700 per dog bills on behalf of people who only have to say "never mind" when the going gets tough. I know I can't. As I have said many times, animal rescue is not an endeavor that makes any legitimate rescuer money. There are no stockpiles of unused donations sitting around, and whenever I let people know how much it would cost to save a dog - I am NOT embellishing. I am NOT demanding gas money or mileage or repayment for my time, and most of us don't. I am ONLY asking for the hard costs of getting that dog to safety, and I can't afford to cover them, even temporarily, for someone who's only commitment is saying "I want that dog!" on Facebook.
All that being said, though, for those who are truly committed...for those who are willing to contribute to the safety of their future furry children (or start a chip-in themselves to raise money to help defray the rather large cost involved)...for those who plan their transport without demanding that someone else take care of it for them...for those who are willing to take on a dog that may need some extra care, even if they weren't expecting it...I am at your service, and I know several people who feel the same way. Because our goal, above all else, is to get these dogs and cats to homes that really care about them, wherever the location.
Speaking of which, I would like to give a shout out to Wendy Lorden, who rescued one of the Highlands dogs recently. Wendy asked me to pull Diamond, an American Bulldog mix, for her. When I called to give her the awful news that Diamond was heartworm positive, she didn't flinch. When her transport plan fell through, she paid for Diamond's boarding and then drove all the way from Tennessee to Florida to pick up her new girl. She never gave up, or demanded that I figure out how to fix things. That's commitment!
All of us rescuers are committed to seeing every one of these dogs safe. But although it would be nice if it wasn't, money is a factor. Please keep this in mind if you are considering rescuing from out of state, and the whole process will be easier for all involved. :)
Monday, May 2, 2011
My Three Favorite Dogs This Week at Highlands County Animal Control (Sebring, FL)
This is turning out to be a rough week. I crosspost a lot of different shelters' animals, but my pet project is a rural high-kill shelter here in my home state of Florida - Highlands County Animal Control. They are in Sebring, FL, and their pets get relatively little exposure without the intervention of some dedicated employees and volunteers that are willing to take the information they are given about each animal and post them in Facebook albums. Their dogs are not on Petharbor, and they are not on Petfinder. These dogs and cats have a very low chance of being seen by rescuers or adopters, which is sad, because many of them are fantastic - my Lindy among them.
I crosspost daily, and of course every week I come away with a few dogs that I just can't stop thinking about, and can't stop posting, until I can see or post "SAFE" on their pictures. So today I am going to talk a little bit about my three favorite dogs that are currently on death row at Highlands County Animal Control, and why you should check them (and their fellow inmates) out in the albums I have posted on Facebook:
DOGS
CATS
This is Two Face. I met him last week when I went to help an adopter (my sister) pick up her new friend from Highlands County Animal Control. Two Face is beautiful - the first thing you notice about him are his really cool facial markings. He is a 4-year-old Cur Mix who seems like he has been largely ignored throughout his life, but still has hope that someone will give him a chance. He is calm and loving, and waits for you to extend your hand and calmly accepts any love you might offer him. He is on the bigger side of medium, and would make a great, loving, calm family dog and a devoted best friend. Two Face will die on Wednesday morning if no one steps forward for him.
This little boy is so alone in the world that he doesn't even have a name. He is a 2-year-old Cur Mix who still carries all of the hope in the world in his heart. This is amazing, considering the fact that he is underweight and his nails are long, showing a short life of not being cared for. When I walked up to his cage, he sat and wagged his tail, and as I put my hand through to him, he leaned into it, just so relieved for a person to be touching him in any friendly way. I scratched his face and he sat there, soaking it in like a parched sponge that has never seen a drop of water. This poor little boy is so sweet, but is a total underdog - not a fancy, flashy breed, not gravely ill, not the type of dog that it is popular to rally around...just a great, but overlooked, brown dog full of love that may be snuffed out on Wednesday.
This sweet boy's name is Rocket, and he was abandoned at Animal Control by his family, who said that they were losing their home to foreclosure and just didn't have time to find him a home. Considering how long a foreclosure takes in Florida these days, the "I don't have time" argument doesn't fly with me. But they couldn't have cared much. Rocket spent all of his days being passed around and living outdoors, getting love where he could. He is low-key and gentle, and wants nothing more than to be petted and to lay at someone's feet, INDOORS, who really appreciates his beauty (both inside and out!). Rocket is on his second week (most never make it that far) and likely has no chance of making it past Wednesday without an adopter or rescue.
My work with this shelter, trying to help save dogs and cats that have no voices of their own, and very few advocates, can be very hard emotionally, as anyone who takes on a similar "pet project" can attest to. You get to know the dogs, either through pictures and descriptions, or in person, and you get attached. You take them into your heart and when they lose their lives due to the moronic actions of their owners, or their bad luck, not for anything that they have done...it cuts deep. Especially when you have poured your soul into saving them, in every way you can. I can't imagine what those who work at the shelters daily must feel like.
But I always say to myself, "If I stop acting on their behalf, that is one less advocate these dogs and cats will have, when they already have so few." If I can help save a couple more, maybe there will be more room and others can be held over, and I can try again next week. If I can help an out-of-state rescue take one of the dogs, that dog gets a new lease on life that he/she may not have had. If I can help connect people who want to help financially to those who want to help physically, more lives will be saved. My part may be little, but it adds to the sum of many amazing parts. Each of us put together - crossposters, donors, rescues, transporters, adopters, and rescue-friendly shelter workers make it possible for miracles to happen.
That's what keeps me going, even in the weeks where there seems to be no hope - the fact that I can do my part to help an animal live out a happy life that may not have had that chance. If you can help any of the Highlands County animals, please contact me. Thank you.
I crosspost daily, and of course every week I come away with a few dogs that I just can't stop thinking about, and can't stop posting, until I can see or post "SAFE" on their pictures. So today I am going to talk a little bit about my three favorite dogs that are currently on death row at Highlands County Animal Control, and why you should check them (and their fellow inmates) out in the albums I have posted on Facebook:
DOGS
CATS
This is Two Face. I met him last week when I went to help an adopter (my sister) pick up her new friend from Highlands County Animal Control. Two Face is beautiful - the first thing you notice about him are his really cool facial markings. He is a 4-year-old Cur Mix who seems like he has been largely ignored throughout his life, but still has hope that someone will give him a chance. He is calm and loving, and waits for you to extend your hand and calmly accepts any love you might offer him. He is on the bigger side of medium, and would make a great, loving, calm family dog and a devoted best friend. Two Face will die on Wednesday morning if no one steps forward for him.
My work with this shelter, trying to help save dogs and cats that have no voices of their own, and very few advocates, can be very hard emotionally, as anyone who takes on a similar "pet project" can attest to. You get to know the dogs, either through pictures and descriptions, or in person, and you get attached. You take them into your heart and when they lose their lives due to the moronic actions of their owners, or their bad luck, not for anything that they have done...it cuts deep. Especially when you have poured your soul into saving them, in every way you can. I can't imagine what those who work at the shelters daily must feel like.
But I always say to myself, "If I stop acting on their behalf, that is one less advocate these dogs and cats will have, when they already have so few." If I can help save a couple more, maybe there will be more room and others can be held over, and I can try again next week. If I can help an out-of-state rescue take one of the dogs, that dog gets a new lease on life that he/she may not have had. If I can help connect people who want to help financially to those who want to help physically, more lives will be saved. My part may be little, but it adds to the sum of many amazing parts. Each of us put together - crossposters, donors, rescues, transporters, adopters, and rescue-friendly shelter workers make it possible for miracles to happen.
That's what keeps me going, even in the weeks where there seems to be no hope - the fact that I can do my part to help an animal live out a happy life that may not have had that chance. If you can help any of the Highlands County animals, please contact me. Thank you.
"Saving the life of one animal may not change the world, but the world will surely change for that one animal"
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