Like most states, Alabama has a huge problem with stray and unwanted animals. This is why Kevin Harrington, District Leader at PetSmart, chose the Birmingham nonprofit Animal Assistance & Rescue Foundation (AARF) to receive a PetSmart Charities grant.
“They rescue every pet they can from being euthanized and find homes for them,” Harrington says. “And because they have no shelter to house the pets they rescue, they find fosters for each one. They’re simply amazing.”
Addressing the Causes of Pet Homelessness
According to Sara Shirley, CEO of AARF, the pet rescue is addressing the root causes of this epidemic.
AARF is staffed completely by volunteers who scan social media sites for posts offering litters for sale and try to get them into good homes.
“We will contact the poster privately and offer to spay the mom and take over the medical care of the puppies or kittens,” Shirley says. “Overall, this is extremely successful; most people jump at the opportunity. But there have been a few who reply that I should mind my own business, that they are not getting the mom fixed.”
Funds Needed for Spaying and Neutering
Getting funding so they can continue to provide help with spaying and neutering and other medical costs is a continuous need. That’s why the PetSmart Charities grant is so important to AARF.
The grant will go directly to the care of animals, helping them to find new homes.
How effective is their program? Shirley recalls one story that stuck with her about a dog named Lassie.
“We were contacted by our area spay and neuter clinic, who had been contacted by a lady who had found a stray dog,” says Shirley. “Of course, the dog was pregnant. The family wanted to keep the mom but needed help with the puppies.”
The dog — Lassie — ended up having nine puppies. Thanks to AARF, she was spayed after giving birth and soon found a new home. She was adopted by a little boy and his family, and now they’re the best of friends.
Success stories like Lassie keep Shirley and the other volunteers going.
“With kindness, compassion and common sense, we assist pets in need and the people who care for them,” she says.
