There seems to be some misconceptions about animal shelters and animal rescue organizations in general. I was actually shocked that some people think we are in rescue to make a profit. Nothing could be further from the truth, so I would like to set the record straight.
When you surrender an animal to a shelter or rescue there is a surrender fee which is minimal. Someone has to pay for the animal you surrender to go to the vet and get a health exam, someone has to pay for their food and care while they are looking for a new home. These things cost money, so the minimal drop off fee you pay is not for profit it is for the care of your animal.
Yes there is an adoption fee and that fee does not even begin to cover the expense of the neuter or spaying of your pet, vaccinations, deworming and flea treatments. When an animal is surrendered, that rescue it has to make sure all of these things are done to ensure they are adopting out a healthy pet.
We cannot and will not adopt out unaltered pets. We do not adopt out sick animals or animals with fleas or worms. From the time an animal enters a facility it gets nothing but the best care and all of that comes at a cost. It is not free.
Most rescue organization operate in the red. There is no endless money supply. Many of us use our own money sometimes to get the animals what they need or money comes from very loving caring individuals who sincerely know what we are up against financially.
For many rescues there are no paychecks. They volunteer their time to make a difference in the lives of so many animals. Their paycheck is knowing they are making a difference in the lives of so many animals.
We are out there on our time raising money to do the work we do and yes we are out there in the rain, snow and below zero temperatures fundraising to get the money we need to care for the animals. Most of us work full time jobs and we do this in what little free time we have left.
You cannot walk into a rescue and walk out with a free dog just because you think you can give it a good home. We would never adopt an animal if we thought that it would not get the proper vet care and if you can’t afford that, then you can’t afford the animal. The adoption fee that you pay goes towards the medical expenses of the animal you are adopting, it does not go into anyone’s pocket as profit.
We are the ones that preach neuter and spay and the importance of it, and we are the ones that take in all of those unwanted cats living on the streets that are pregnant and sick. And yes we are the ones that take in the litters from your cats that you did not neuter or spay but instead let get pregnant and have litter after litter.
Every year hundreds of thousands of cats die in shelters because there are simply not enough homes for them all. This is heartbreaking and unnecessary. We have become a society where we think pets are disposable. They are not. Each one of them are living breathing souls. We need to put an end to this madness. If you want a cat or a kitten go to your local shelter most of them have an endless supply. Save a life and get a cat that has already been altered and has a clean bill of health. Make a difference be a part of the solution.
Many people let their cats get pregnant intentionally because new baby kittens are so cute. Those kittens are only tiny for about 5months and then they too can start reproducing. Having litters of kittens especially when there are so many out there that need homes just doesn’t make sense and it is not the responsible thing to do.
In the words of Jane Goodall ” What you do makes a difference, You just have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.
This is something that everyone in the rescue world takes very seriously and for anyone to suggest that we do it for profit goes straight to our hearts. We do what we do to make a positive change in the world, to help the animals. We are very passionate about what we do and we believe that every animal’s life is meaningful.
Thank you for your continued support and as always, thank you for reading our column.
The Ark Animal Sanctuary is located on 101 Old Woodstock Road. To contact Lorraine Monfils call 532-7387 or check out their Facebook page.
