Just like humans, pets can find themselves in unfortunate and unforeseen situations. Luckily, there are local organizations ready to help pets and pet owners navigate these circumstances. If you're looking to volunteer or make a donation, here are three worthy causes.
HUMAN EVACUATION ANIMAL RESCUE TEAM
The Human Evacuation Animal Rescue Team of Spokane, HEART for short, was founded in 2006 in the wake of Hurricane Katrina upon the realization that many people refuse to evacuate from disasters if they can't take their pets with them. HEART provides assistance to animals during emergencies or disasters, whether it be wildfires or cases of neglected farm animals.During the Gray Road and Oregon Road fires last summer, HEART played a crucial role in evacuating and caring for over 500 animals. Because HEART is a nonprofit, volunteers are vital to its mission.
"We need more members. We need more people. We had never had an event of this magnitude before," says Marian Ortiz, president of HEART. "It's always been such that we could handle it on our own, we had enough people to take care of the animals. But this was huge, and we realized we really need more people."
There are two main ways for people to volunteer: Tier one involves hands-on work with animals including evacuation and caring for animals at temporary shelters, while tier two is for those who prefer administrative tasks.
"[Last] August we were in desperate need of more volunteers, and there were lots of people that wanted to help, but we were unable to accept everybody who showed up because we had to vet them," Oritz says. "We had to turn away the vast majority of people that came. For that reason, we are asking that people sign up."
If you want to help during emergency events such as wildfire evacuations, HEART encourages applying for the preapproved volunteer list to be vetted before an emergency arises.
To help cover operational expenses, HEART hosted a spring fundraiser. Funds raised enabled the organization to buy a new cargo trailer.
"People have been very, very generous. Not just people but businesses as well," says Jill Carding, a HEART volunteer. "The people of Spokane County have a true heart for animals, especially livestock."
Those interested in volunteering in any capacity, whether it be ongoing or only in case of an emergency, should email [email protected] with relevant information and how they'd like to volunteer. (CB)
RESCUE4ALL
Jamie McAtee has been obsessed with animals since childhood, when she says she was always bringing home stray animals.
Decades later, in 2013, she founded her nonprofit Rescue4All, fostering cats and dogs to prepare them for loving families.
Today, McAtee runs the animal rescue of her dreams, with sponsors from local businesses like the Urban Canine, Haase's Greenhouse and more. Visitors to the rescue's website can see all dogs currently available to foster or adopt, and can fill out application forms if they find the perfect match. Before any dog goes to a new home, Rescue4All spays or neuters, vaccinates, and gives it both an identification microchip and a deworming treatment.
"I will stand up and champion for ALL animals, and that is why Rescue4All exists — to help the voiceless, the innocent," McAtee says on the website. (MO)
PARTNERS FOR PETS
Upon landing on Partners for Pets' website, visitors are immediately hit with an image of an adorably fluffy cat and the question: "Are you ready to meet your best friend?"
Since 1996, the feline-centric rescue based in Spokane Valley has been committed to saving cats and kittens, board President Hayley Steward says.
"When you're volunteering your time and you all have a collective thought of that, everyone's there for the same thing, and it doesn't feel as heavy," Steward says.
Everyone chips in at Partners for Pets' volunteer-run adoption center to care for, clean up after and even foster the cats.
"That's the big thing, is the passion of our fosters," Steward says. "That's the big backbone of the organization."
A downside of many high-volume shelters around the world is the need to euthanize for time and space, but Partners for Pets is a completely no-kill shelter. For those who adopt a cat or kitten there but later find they're unable to provide proper care, Steward says the organization will accept the animal back to find them a new, loving home.
"More commonly lately, it's [animal returns] due to loss of housing or changes in housing," Steward says.
Thankfully, owner surrenders due to housing aren't Partners for Pets' primary reason for intakes, but situations like that illustrate how much the organization cares for animals' well-being and ability to live a safe and long life.
If you want to help out Partners for Pets or adopt a cat from them, visit their website and fill out the adoption application. (MO) ♦
