NO VACANCY - THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY
Now that I have your attention, we can talk about the other side of the story.
As Alice stated on a KFVS segment yesterday evening, Safe Harbor currently has 12 volunteers. While our current volunteer numbers are few, they are MIGHTY. The volunteers both past and present at Safe Harbor, Silverwalk and Bollinger County, are the salt of the earth. You work hard, you work sweaty, you work in cold, heat and humidity to ensure the safety and care of our adoptables. Volunteers, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! You truly make a difference for our animals to which Farrah and I can attest thanks to the dog walkers we have had in the past from Tri-Sigma at SEMO - Farrah went from staying 20 ft away from them to goosing them and demanding walks when they came. This would not have happened without your time and attention to the dogs at Silverwalk. Not only the volunteers with animals but I know for a fact those who volunteer in hospitals, nursing homes, in community organizations are greatly and humbly appreciated and needed. Please, never say "I am just a volunteer." Volunteers are the lifeblood making our town and region a community instead of just a bunch of businesses and houses. I also cannot forget those who donate materials & their expertise to ensure our adoptables live in a sanctuary as pleasantly functional as possible; those who offer venues for adoption events to promote our adoptable, particularly Petco, Bucheit and Busch Pet Products. The only reason I am not listing names for donated materials is I don't know them - hopefully, someone will share them in a comment. This past spring, Silverwalk benefited from community hours by Notre Dame students; Safe Harbor has had Boy Scout, Girl Scout and Eagle Scout projects and help. THANK YOU ALL!
Here is something I experience and I believe others in rescue do as well: occasionally at work, in a restaurant or where ever, someone will come up to me, ask if I still rescue and feed dogs to which I, of course, reply affirmatively. They then will press some cash into my hand, telling me to use it for food or whatever the dogs need. Many times I do not know these people; sometimes I know them very casually; some I work with - THANK YOU for your ongoing care, thoughtfulness and sharing. These funds usually go toward my vet bill. You always make my day.
Life happens. Unplanned for changes happen. Disruptive, sad, distressing things happen. Any time I adopt out a dog, I inform the adopter said dog is to come back at any time during her life should they be unable to keep her - no questions asked. While most adopters don't like to hear or think about this, they need to know it because life happens. Illness, job loss, disability, many things can impact a person or family's ability to continue to care for their beloved adopted pet. WE KNOW THIS. I have had to relinquish pets in the past due to illness and life change. At least I thought I had to at the time - had I received some counseling and help to keep my pets, it may have made a difference in a lot of pain to me and to my pets. Should you find yourself in this situation, call your rescue or breeder. Responsible breeders want their puppies back, too, if necessary - but the crux is, let us know what is happening, share what you feel comfortable sharing and let us help you find a way to keep your pet if at all possible. If, after talking it over with your rescue or breeder, you truly are unable to keep your pet, we want them back - this is in the contract you sign when you adopt from Silverwalk and I know Safe Harbor has the same expectations. We want to help - we want to help! I am not only speaking of animals adopted from Safe Harbor or Silverwalk but anyone who feels they can no longer care for their pet - let us know! We currently are closed to admissions but we have resources in other rescues, food, supplies, training - we want to help - we are here for you and your pets, adopted or not. Just do NOT, do not dump them - please.
I listen to NPR via KRCU almost exclusively. I hear about the economy not re-bounding as projected by those in the Washington beltway. No matter what politicians and experts may say, many do not apparently live in the real world of those still losing homes, job benefits, needing to move in with relatives, etc. I UNDERSTAND THE ECONOMIC SITUATION in this country. People and family must come first and believe me, I know and appreciate the pain of choosing food for your family or your family pet. Again, we can help and in those situations where we cannot directly, we can refer and work with you. In the comments for my previous entry, the last commenter is offering dog food and supplies - THANK YOU!
Speaking of my previous post, I warned you I was upset, distressed and angry. The post was over the top for a very good reason: previous posts addressing the same issues made no impact, and then, this summer, the intakes and potential intakes to rescues not only here but throughout our region have sky-rocketed. You bet a lot is due to irresponsible owners who can't, won't manage their pets, allowing them to breed indiscriminately and then, flooding shelters/rescues with puppies, dog they no longer want, leaving them in the heat w/o water or food or even the assurance they would be found before they died....Somehow, attention was needed and needed in a big way - thank you all for reading, discussing, commenting, acting....animal rescue is hard, dirty work but the rewards are priceless.
What can you offer to help us out in caring for these precious animals? A lot of you have already offered in previous comments. THANK YOU - and thank you for the validation of the real truth in that post. For those of you who cannot have a pet at home, you can get your "pet fix" by volunteering! Volunteer work is not always utterly in the trenches - we can accommodate:
- poop scooping - tough on the back, hard, smelly and the cats use the clean box almost right away - just like kids; the yard at Silverwalk is very large...lots of walking to find the piles :).
- crate cleaning - bleach, wash, rinse - many times, particularly now, we leave them in the sun to dry and be sun-cleaned as well.
- filing - rescues like all "businesses" have paperwork needing to be filed and maintained.
- doing laundry! before I started doing rescue, I wondered why all rescues had bleach and detergent on their wish lists - now I know; folding, stacking, not so heavy work.
- washing dishes - lighter work, greatly appreciated.
- brushing cats and dogs; only dogs at Silverwalk and Bollinger.
- FOSTER - if you cannot afford to adopt but have time and space, Silverwalk will take care of food and vetting if you can offer a dog a temp. home. Safe Harbor and Bollinger have their own means of using foster homes - please ask! Dogs and kittens who have already lived in homes are often more adoptable because a foster home can tell a potential adopter what they have seen in their home; yes, my dogs are in my home but they are a pack of 19 - much different than a "pack" of 2 in a foster home.
- TRANSPORT - no space for a foster? how about participating in a transport on the weekend or during the week. Using a few hours and gas, you meet with a group or person, exchange the dog(s) or cat(s) including the paperwork, then drive them to a meeting spot usually a 1-2 hrs away to send them on with the next driver. We have contacts!
- landscaping! - I am no gardener but a friend moved my irises from their overgrown shady spot to the front of my fence a couple years ago; they are lovely in the spring and make Silverwalk so much more attractive to adopters and those driving by; my fence covers over an acre, though - that's a lot of flowers. Safe Harbor is always sprucing up here and there - we are now working on a "catio" outside the main building. Bollinger needs help w/mowing and weed control as well as flower bed maintenance.
- prayer - I was taken to task for bringing in religion in my previous post. Ah, the Southeast Missourian has a prayer every day on the opinion page. This entire region practically boasts of its faith commitment. If you cannot do anything else, you can pray - not only for animal rescue but for all those in need in our community, state and the world. Prayer works. If you really want to talk about God, meet me on another blog, Blessed Silence.
We know many of you truly care for your animals. Thank you. I thank and applaud all those who care, love, rescue, foster and work with all of us in rescue to save both human and animal lives. In doing so, we are enriching our own souls.
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