Adams County Pet Rescue, dedicated to finding good homes for animals

Since 2008, Adams County Pet Rescue has found forever homes for 978 dogs, 10 horses and about 30 cats. The 2011 Adams County Pet Rescue annual report located in rural Eastern Washington State is an all volunteer non-profit organization that is dedicated to the rescue, rehab and re-homing of our companion animals.

In 2011, accomplishments included: 246 dogs, five cats and two horses were re-homed. The group spayed/neutered 202 dogs, 23 cats and had 42 discount vouchers for the procedures turned in by owners. There were 323 dogs taken in, 63 animals claimed by their owners, 51 transfers, nine dogs and two cats euthanized, ten deaths, eight escaped, four stolen and ten returned. We currently have 25 foster homes and a 20-dog temporary shelter facility in Othello.

Over 84 dogs and cats are available and are listed on www.Petfinder.com. Our partnerships with other non-profit animal welfare organizations include: Saving Paws of Washington, North Idaho Boxer Rescue, Washington Malamute Rescue, Jenny’s Hope, Grant County Humane Society, Eastern Washington Siberian Husky Rescue and Doggie Superhero’s.

We are currently registering on the Washington Charities Program register and becoming voting members of the Federation of Animal Care and Control Agencies. As a fundraiser we contract with the City of Othello to care for and maintain their six-kennel dog pound. Volunteers care for the pound and our shelter daily. Our shelter kennels are located next to the city pound until we are able to rebuild our permanent facility.

This year volunteers organized Jr. Pet Rescue, an organization focused on youth between 10-18 years of age, teaching them responsible pet ownership. There are 20 students that are current members and last year they participated in a workday at the shelter, assisted with the Adopt-A- Thon in October, made apple pies as a fundraiser, and manned the booth at the annual Othello Community Bazaar.

During meetings they helped prepare for the events listed above and learned about responsible pet ownership. Of course at every opportunity they walked, groomed and loved on as many dogs as possible!

We have a Jr. Pet Rescue member whose senior project is to assist our adoption coordinator with adoption applications and re-homing our dogs. Delaney worked with several dogs, taking them into her home and working with a professional dog trainer to rehabilitate these dogs. Several dogs have been re-homed during Delaney’s project.

In October, we held our first Adopt-A-Thon event. The Othello Rotary Club gave us monetary support that enabled us to advertise regionally and have door prizes, new adopter bags and fun activities for all who came to the event. As a result, we re-homed 18 dogs! It was a great success for us! We are looking forward to another event this spring! Other Adopt-A-Thons events we participated in this year: Woodstock, Pullayup Adopt-A-Thon and Tri-Cities.

Our members support us in many ways. They came together and helped us participate in many county wide community events: Adams County Fair, information booth Ritzville Bazaar, raffle and information table Othello Community Bazaar, raffle and information table Ritzville Dog Walk, Adams County Fair parade, Washtucna Car Show, Othello Community Yard Sale, aluminum can recycling, Wheat land Communities Fair Ritzville, Santa pictures with your dog, Ritzville Artist Gallery Christmas Ornament Contest, and two local weekly papers run ads featuring our pets. Each newspaper sponsors the ad for us!

We are dedicated to supporting our local law authorities with the housing and transporting of animals during court cases brought against citizens for cruelty or neglect of their companion animals or farm animals. We support their efforts to protect our animals. As part of our fund raising, we were awarded grants from The Handsel Foundation, Caring Neighbors and American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. These grants were critical in our ability to spay and neuter our wards and provide discount vouchers to the community.

2011 saw progress for us in the acquisition of ground to rebuild our facility. Adams County Commissioners are in the final stages of preparing a lease that will allow us to establish a new facility. Over six acres have been designated for our long-term use. We are in the process of getting estimates for a well, utilities and a septic system. We have prepared and are distributing a pamphlet describing our project and funding campaign. As spring arrives, we are ready to break ground.

A website, http://www.adamscountypetrescue.com, has been established and we have a great Facebook page that helps us keep in touch with our members and fellow animal lovers. All in all we have been very, very busy!