Avis A Townsend

Save-A-Pet Kitties abandoned in 2005

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of rescues and charitable organizations all over the United States, hoping to help animals and people in heartbreaking situations.

I can only list a few of them, those I'm familiar with, or those I've heard of, and all are worthy and in need of donations.  I will tell a brief bit about local charities and rescues, and then list links of others throughout the United States.

If you click on the website link, it will tell how you can help.  If you can't find it and want to help, contact me at this site and I will steer you in the right direction.  My email here is avis@avisatownsend.com

ALL FOR PETS:

Anyone wanting to donate to A Lifeline for Pets in Western New York can Paypal me at avisann@wzrd.com or send a donation to A Lifeline for Pets, P.O. Box 10, Appleton, NY 14008.

A Lifeline for Pets was founded by me and another woman to help poor, elderly or sick pet owners who, because of their circumstances, can't afford a necessary treatment or surgery that would save their pet's life.  Services will be requested by the treating veterinarian who is familiar with the owner and knows good care has always been given, but because of an emergency, the pet would be euthanized if money can't be obtained.

I thought of this charity while working for a veterinarian, and a child came in with her male cat.  The cat had a urinary blockage, and the only treatment was an expensive surgery, costing over $1,000.  The girl's mother was getting chemotherapy for her cancer, and her insurance had just canceled her coverage.  So, there was no way the family could pay for human chemotheraphy and feline surgery.  The poor cat was euthanized.  Not only did the young girl lose her kitty, but there is a chance she will lose her mother as well. 

When I mentioned what happened to my associate, Lori, of Lori's Natural Foods in Rochester, NY, she said she'd like to start it with me.  She took my idea and ran with it, hiring an attorney to set up our non-profit status, and collecting donations at her store.  We are still seeking donations, as we have just begun.  If you are in the Rochester area, you can donate at her store, located at 900 Jefferson Road.

Our website is www.All4PetsWNY.org

HORSE RESCUE AND SANCTUARY OF WESTERN NY:

Mike and Chris Dodge of Pavillion, NY, have become stars on the eastern seaboard, and especially in the Western New York area.  They have provided a haven for unwanted horses that were destined for slaughter, and they seek to match horse to home when a candidate comes to them.  If they feel a horse can't be adopted, they will keep it and nurture it for the rest of its life.  It's a sad world for them, as they've seen old horses pass, and a young foal died last year, leaving them devastated and thinking of retiring.  But, just as they thought of giving up, another horse needed their attention, so they took it in, and then another, and soon they were back in the swing of things again.

They have received much notoriety from Rochester newspapers and businesses, and donations have helped them improve their facilities.  Volunteers from nearby Geneseo College help them on weekends and during the summer.

Their website is http://www.hrsny.org

SAVE-A-PET OF NIAGARA COUNTY:

Save-A-Pet rescues cats and dogs in and around Niagara County, and fosters them until permanent homes can be found.  Unfortunately, there are so many unwanted cats in the area, that at times there is no room at all of the inns providing a safe haven.  The people who foster regularly do it at their own expense, although the organization pays for the necessary vet care and sterilization needed for each animal that is taken in.

They have taken in cats thrown from moving cars, dipped in vats of oil, set on fire, and just left alone to starve.  They have taken in dogs that were sexually assaulted by humans.  They hold regular Pick-A-Pet shows where people can see the animals and request to adopt them.

I just became a foster mom for kitties, after hearing over and over that there was no room for anymore.  How can you resist a kitten?  Right now I have a mom and four tiny babies.  Two years ago I took in a mom and six tiny babies, and ended up keeping the mom and one baby.  I am determined not to keep any of these, but there is a soft, fluffy white one I wouldn't mind having.  But I'm sure that one will be adopted in the first few minutes of its showing.

Their website is www.save-a-pet-niagara.com

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So Many Rescues.... All Need Donations...Find One Near You

Check out the following sites:

New England Equine Rescue:

www.newenglandequinerescues.com

Beauty's Haven Farm and Equine Rescue, Inc.
www.beautysequinerescue.org 

Painted Star Stables Equine Rescue
http://www.paintedstarstables.com

Another Chance 4 Horses
www.anotherchance4horses.com

This horse did not survive

This appaloosa horse's leg was allowed to fester and ooze before the owner decided to dump his horse off at an auction where he could get some money for it before it went to slaughter.  My cyber friend, RT, rescued it and gave it love, but it was too late.  The horse was humanely put down by a vet, but it knew a bit of kindness before its life was snubbed out.  This horse was once a registered show horse, and had excellent bloodlines.  No horse is safe from slaughter or auction, from Kentucky Derby winners on down.

Won't you help your local horse rescue today?  Any little bit helps.

Found at a Puppy Miller's Home 

 Silver is still at my place, the evil little monster.  He is over 35 years old, and he's been around the block enough to be pushy and mean to the other horses to get what he needs.  He needs a home where there are no other horses, but at his age, he could live another ten years or die tomorrow.  This summer I am building him his own paddock so he can't beat up horses twice his size.  His last owner traded him to a puppy mill woman, who tied him in her front yard on a rope and locked him in a lawn shed at night.  Silver will be here until he dies.  His teeth are about gone, but he survives on senior food and soft grass hay.

If he had been sent to auction, he'd have ended up in a crowded truck headed for a slaughterhouse. If he survived the trip upright, he'd have been led down a death march to a pen, slammed in the head by a device called a captive bolt, and then hung upside down, had his throat slit, and bled out.  He might have still been alive when this was going on.  They don't all die immediately.

But people don't care.  They just look the other way and pretend it's not happening, and the careless back yard breeders keep letting their mares get pregnant, and if they can't sell the foals, send them to auction and another slaughter house.

Dogs, cats, and horses are all victims of overbreeding.  Until humans can become responsible for their actions, the horror will never end.

I will be adding more rescue sites to this page weekly.  There are so many, but there may be one in your neighborhood you don't know about.  If you can't give money, perhaps you could donate time, or foster a creature until a permanent home can be found.