SARF's Breed Rescue Program
by Donna Lindsey
Most Haywood County residents have heard about the work Sarge’s Animal Rescue Foundation (SARF) performs to help save animals in the County animal control facility from euthanasia. SARF’s goal is to establish and operate an adoption facility where animals from the county shelter may be housed pending adoption, gaining precious days not available now due to facility overcrowding.
Many people are not aware, however, of the number of animals saved through SARF’s Breed Rescue operation. During the first five months of 2007, SARF arranged and coordinated the transport of 170 cats and dogs from the Haywood County Animal Shelter to rescue groups in Arkansas, Maryland, Virginia and throughout the Carolinas. These never-kill rescue groups receive the animals and begin the process of finding them suitable “forever homes”, providing medical care and behavioral training as needed, and rigorous screening of applicants interested in adopting a pet. The acceptance of an abandoned, neglected or abused pet into one of these rescue groups guarantees that the animal will never be put to sleep and will receive every opportunity for adoption.
The term “Breed Rescue” describes breed-specific rescuers who recognized decades ago that certain purebred animals were winding up in shelters because owners did not understand and were ill-equipped to deal with particular breed traits. These groups began an intensive effort to rescue those purebred animals and find them new homes with owners familiar with characteristics of the specific breed. As the public has become more aware of the plight of shelter animals and has chosen to adopt their family pets from county facilities, more rescue groups have been established that accept and find homes for all animals, purebred and mixed breeds alike.
SARF’s Breed Rescue program needs volunteers to help transport Haywood County shelter animals to various rescues (we generally provide the first leg of the trip), as well as helping perform other essential tasks.
All shelter animals are photographed and posted with short bios on the website www.petfinder.com, where many rescue groups, as well as the general public, find and select pets for rescue and adoption. Vet techs are needed to administer occasional tests and vaccinations.
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Doyle Teague, Haywood County Animal Control and Herb Trenka, SARF volunteer, prepare to transport 13 animals from the
shelter to STAAR (Save Them All Animal Rescue).
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Posters are printed weekly with photos of animals currently in the shelter and placed throughout the community in stores, banks, veterinary offices and other locations. Animals sometimes need temporary housing in local homes for several days between transports.
Booths are set up at local events with information about SARF and Breed Rescue for community education and donation opportunities that need to be staffed. There is help needed to match the interests of anyone wishing to volunteer.
We often hear people say that they could never work in the animal shelter because it is too depressing. It is a realistic sentiment and not everyone is able to do it. But there are many other areas where volunteers can help save our forgotten animals. In the end, there is no better feeling than loading the last cat or dog onto a transport vehicle leaving the hopelessness of the shelter for a second chance at life.
If you would like to volunteer with SARF’s Breed Rescue effort, please go to www.sargeandfriends.org and complete a volunteer application or email the Breed Rescue Committee at breedrescue@sargeandfriends.org. You may also phone 828-646-3957 and leave your name and number, stating your desire to assist with Breed Rescue. If you would like to help out by providing a donation to offset transportation expenses, medical evaluations, printing materials, etc., your tax-exempt gift may be submitted to SARF at P. O. Box 854, Waynesville, NC 28786, attn: Breed Rescue.
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