It's an animal rescue here in Phoenix, and they do amazing work, adopting out 2,500
animals a year!
Orientation was outside (at 1PM when it was literally 110 degrees) because the inside was
totally filled up with animals. It worked out well though. There was shade for cover and
that way, we didn't crowd the furry babies inside. Afterwards, we got to go in, see all the
animals and get acquainted with the place.
Here are a couple photos that the event organizers sent out. I couldn't get the pictures to
save any bigger but you get the idea ...
HALO gets all their dogs and cats from county. These are wonderful animals that are slated
to be euthanized. HALO saves them from certain death. They get or keep these animals
healthy, and they give them a safe place to stay until they find a forever family.
HALO is a non-profit organization that lives off donations and volunteer work. It started with
a mother-daughter team that did it out of their house. One of the women runs a thrift shop
that brings in about $35,000 a year, after they pay for all the expenses it incurs. She works there, every day, without pay. What a woman! They now have a public space (an old DMV
office) to work out of, and they are able to lease it for $1 a month. But they figure they
spend about $345 per animal. What they ask people to pay for adoption doesn't cover that
cost. So, volunteers and donations become very important to their cause. It's just a cool operation with incredibly sweet people trying to do as much good as they can on limited resources.
We were really moved by the whole thing. Like they said at orientation, it's not a sad place.
These animals are loved and well taken care of. This is their opportunity for a better life --
way better then the alternatives of living on the streets or being put to sleep.
Still, I hated seeing them in their kennels, knowing they weren't getting snuggled everyday.
I'm planning to go there next week to help out, and I can't wait!
4 comments:
That is so sweet, Sam. Makes the heart feel good ;)
I would want to take them all home with me
Sam, congratulations!! This is a great great thing to do. We over here feel we help a little bit when we adopted Luci, she comes from the county. We are happy that we gave her a home but received much more in return, she is our little baby :)
Very cool!
I'm a little scared for you and D though. I'm scared that you're going to adopt one too many little fuzzy ones because, "He was just too cute!". I can totally hear you say that! Anyway, keep us updated with your volunteer work here. :o)
Sam, I think your activity with this program is so great! I wish I had the time and the strong will to do something like this. As your friend Kristi said, I would want to take them all home!
We have programs like this in Michigan. But the secret code words are "pets that are healthy or capable of getting healthy." Many local government programs will euthanize before making a serious attempt to save a sick pet. That is so sad. Thank goodness for private programs!
We had a stray show up at our doorstep this winter. By all means, the county would have put him down if they got their hands on him. We started with feline leukemia testing. Negative. Good. Then shots and de-worming. Antibiotics given for good measure. There were still issues we dealt with. Vomiting and diarrhea. After x-rays, we found his kidneys were inflamed. His colon too. The doctor said he probably went for over three months eating only weeds, vermin, bugs, and feces from wild animals to stay alive. His stomach was a total mess. We are still dealing with the problem, using pro-biotics and special foods, but we are sure things will work out soon. If the county had their way, they would have exterminated him.
But here he is with us - Mr. Tommy Butters we call him - gaining weight, and so very loving. He is a wonderful addition to the "Crazy Pet Lady's" family. His problems will eventually work themselves out. We have the patience. (I do, anyway.)
Tommy tells me everyday how grateful he is for our love and determination.
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