Pet rescues

Would you, or do you, run a rescue? Whether it be a non-profit or just an unregistered rescue I would like to hear from you!

I rescue animals and find them good homes, but I don't run a registered pet rescue. My friends have begun to think of me as the place to get good pets or home pets they have or see that need better homes. I have paid for or gotten some off Craigslist and rehomed them for no fee.

I had 7 ferrets at one point that I was working with socialization and health before rehoming. I am happy to announce the last one has finally found his forever home (he was 7 so harder to place). I also had 9 snakes (corns, kings and balls) that I have rehomed. I do this out of love of animals, never for any monetary gain; most of the time I pay to get them off Craigslist from people who don't deserve them anyway and then give them to their new home. Of course I always check out the prospective home and owner and have been known to turn some down.

I don't run an animal rescue, but I want to applaud you for doing such a noble, selfless good deed with all the creatures you rescue and find good homes for. We had a realtor who rescued stray cats with a friend. She housed them in her garage until they could find better homes. If I had acres of land and lived in a more rural area, I'd love to have a sanctuary for animals, like the big cats (panthers, tigers, lions, etc), that have been abused or given up by their owners who should never have had them in the first place.

(07-18-2012, 02:53 AM)laurasav Wrote: I don't run an animal rescue, but I want to applaud you for doing such a noble, selfless good deed with all the creatures you rescue and find good homes for. We had a realtor who rescued stray cats with a friend. She housed them in her garage until they could find better homes. If I had acres of land and lived in a more rural area, I'd love to have a sanctuary for animals, like the big cats (panthers, tigers, lions, etc), that have been abused or given up by their owners who should never have had them in the first place.

When I started I lived in the country and my landlord was an animal lover so she went easy on my hoard LOL I have since moved to the city, and although my landlord loves all my pets, I can't have any more pups so I stick to smaller critters. I just don't understand how someone can treat a family member (I view all pets, regardless of size, as family) in the ways that they do. I have an iguana I rescued that has one foot missing in the front and the other weak due to a bone disorder. They had him living in a parrot cage, he is around 4 feet long...I talked them into giving him to me and I don't plan on sending him elsewhere

I just posted some off my thoughts on this in another thread. I take in animals from time to time, and find them homes. Mostly reptiles. I would like to start a legitimate reptile rescue. Especially bearded dragons. My local craigslists are full of them. And almost all of them are in bad shape. Its amazing to me still, that they are still touted as an easy to keep, beginners reptile pet. I don't have any now, because, to keep properly, 1 bearded dragon takes up as much time, effort, and money [maybe more), than every other reptile in this house.

But, I do have "high end" reptiles, and I do plan on breeding some of these, so there would be a clear conflict of interest if I ever wanted to establish an N.P.O.

Its allot of work, and I applaud you for what you've done. Especially with the animals you've done it with. The mistreatment of lizards is a large problem. And it its almost completely due to a lack of preparation by the owners, then the problems start, and they no longer want the animal, but somehow want to make money on them.

I posted on your thread on your rescue iguana. But if you need help treating his MBD, I can give some good advice, and torn you on to some good online resources.

(07-18-2012, 03:21 PM)Fishbone Wrote: Its allot of work, and I applaud you for what you've done. Especially with the animals you've done it with. The mistreatment of lizards is a large problem. And it its almost completely due to a lack of preparation by the owners, then the problems start, and they no longer want the animal, but somehow want to make money on them.

I posted on your thread on your rescue iguana. But if you need help treating his MBD, I can give some good advice, and torn you on to some good online resources.

I did get your MBD thread and looked it up, I am happy to say he has been using that foot more and more every day! The person I got the bearded from had her in a 10 gallon tank So I know what you mean about people not knowing how to care for them. She now has her very own 75 gallon tank; it took her almost a month to realize she had all that space. I would be happy to hear some advice about MBD, I want to help him get total use back

I've been known for rescuing a bit. The hardest one for me was ALL the baby turtles as there was too often little chance or the time to rehabilitate them before they passed away. Most were just too far gone by the time someone brought them to me and there was a constant flood of them.

Also have worked with some other various reptiles, rats and other rodents and small animals, exotics and dogs of course. For the exotics I also used to do educational programs and speak at schools and other public events about the animals, conservation and keeping exotics as 'pets'.

The paperwork to become legit non-profit can be a trial but if it's something you find yourself doing often and a gaggle of rescues you are trying to care for the tax deductible donations are not just helpful but often necessary for continuing. Rescuing and caring for animals is not cheap by any means.

(07-19-2012, 01:58 AM)Mudd04 Wrote: The paperwork to become legit non-profit can be a trial but if it's something you find yourself doing often and a gaggle of rescues you are trying to care for the tax deductible donations are not just helpful but often necessary for continuing. Rescuing and caring for animals is not cheap by any means.

I had considered filling out the paperwork but haven't actually followed through yet. You are definitely right in saying it isn't cheap! Especially with reptiles and lizards because of the "specialty" diet and vitamins and lights needed. I have been lucky so far and much of my equipment has been found on Craigslist for free, or trade for something I wasn't using.

It's such a lot of work. I could give money or help some hours a week. But I think run it would be way to much for me.

How do you find families for animals? I have tried with some cats but it's so hard, nobody wants to adopt them

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Unfortunately there are little (if not none) way to advertise on Internet in Belgium. Except with Facebook, hoping that people will shae and someone will take the cat/dog. That's at least one good point for Facebook

(07-20-2012, 06:10 AM)Laura Wrote: It's such a lot of work. I could give money or help some hours a week. But I think run it would be way to much for me.

How do you find families for animals? I have tried with some cats but it's so hard, nobody wants to adopt them

Yea cats seem to have "over-saturated" the pet market so to speak. I do not rescue cats unfortunately; it would be hard to have cats with the different types I do have.

I use Oodle.com, Ebay, Craigslist; I heavily screen with home visits and picture ID so I know who I am dealing with. Most of them I have the people come to my house to meet the pet and see if it is a fit, ask them about care and such, then I make a home visit taking the pet just in case it is a good place. If they have pets I do call their vet just to make sure they didn't give me just any name; I like to know that they have a go to in case of emergency.

And for the first month I actually call once a week, visit once to see how the pet interacts and basically if they aren't comfortable with the process then I turn them down. I don't normally charge anything for the adoption.