| If you are passionate about animals and want to | | | | that has to be filled. Yet sadly, some organizations |
| help alleviate their suffering, you may have | | | | call themselves "shelters" when in fact they are |
| thought about starting your own rescue or | | | | actually hoarding animals or running pet shops for |
| sanctuary. Your heart may very well be in the | | | | the purpose of turning a profit. |
| right place, but there is much to consider before | | | | Making money is the goal of any savvy |
| taking on this enormous responsibility. | | | | entrepreneur, but this cannot be the main |
| Get field training before making an investment | | | | motivation for starting a rescue. True, running a |
| The best way to know if operating your own | | | | rescue is similar in many ways to running a |
| rescue is a good match is by volunteering at an | | | | profitable and successful business, and you will |
| animal rescue or shelter. If possible, take on as | | | | need money to fund your rescue. A true rescuer |
| many different responsibilities as you can. Handle | | | | puts the needs of the animals first. |
| daily operations such as regularly cleaning up after | | | | Can you make a long-term commitment? |
| animals, feeding and caring for them. Take sick | | | | For the sake of the animals, running a rescue has |
| and incoming animals to the veterinarian. Learn to | | | | to be something you plan to commit to for years |
| match animals with proper homes. Get involved in | | | | to come, and quite possibly the rest of your life. |
| planning fundraisers and writing grants. Answer | | | | If you are not sure this is something you can |
| phones and run errands. These are tasks you will | | | | work at tirelessly, year after year, consider a |
| likely be responsible for if you operate your own | | | | different career or business opportunity. |
| rescue, so it's ideal to have a solid grasp of what | | | | Are you ready to change your lifestyle? |
| it takes before investing your time and resources. | | | | Do you enjoy time to yourself? How about taking |
| Consider being part of a foster network | | | | sporadic vacations or trips to the mall, restaurant |
| If you are not up to the job of running a | | | | or movies? I ask this because running an animal |
| sanctuary, you may want to consider starting a | | | | rescue is an around-the-clock job, one which will |
| foster network with other caring volunteers. Each | | | | surely change your lifestyle. Rescue operators I've |
| volunteer is responsible for taking care of animals | | | | spoken with report averaging five hours of sleep |
| in his or her own home, and may also be | | | | per night. |
| instrumental in finding good homes for animals in | | | | Do you enjoy working with people? |
| their care. Although a foster network also requires | | | | You may want to start a rescue because you |
| an enormous amount of dedication and comes | | | | love animals, but you still will have to effectively |
| with its own set of challenges, you benefit by | | | | communicate with people. Working with |
| having a network of people to help share the | | | | volunteers, educating potential adopters, making |
| care, financial responsibility and adopting out of | | | | your case to potential donors, and handling |
| animals. | | | | potential conflicts with neighbors, are aspects of |
| Where to get guidance | | | | running a rescue. |
| If you know in the depths of your heart and soul | | | | Do you have support from family and friends? |
| that rescue work is something you want to do, | | | | There will likely be times you are burned out and |
| and are not sure where to start, Best Friends | | | | want to throw in the towel. Seeing animals suffer, |
| Animal Society offers free guides including How to | | | | constantly struggling for funds, watching as people |
| Start an Animal Sanctuary and Getting Your Paws | | | | dump their animals in your lap, can all take its toll. |
| on More Money: Overcoming Fundraising Phobia. | | | | You will need a strong network of people who |
| As of this writing, they also offer a workshop. | | | | support what you are doing, and who can be |
| You can find this information on their website | | | | there to pitch in when needed. |
| bestfriends.org. | | | | If after doing your research and talking it over |
| Ask yourself some tough questions | | | | with your support network, you decide to go |
| Do you want to start a rescue for the right | | | | forward with your dream of starting an animal |
| reasons? | | | | rescue or sanctuary, know that your work is vital. |
| Many people who start rescues do it as a labor of | | | | The animals are depending on you. |
| love. They see a need within their communities | | | | |