WISH LIST: Rescue shelters seeks ways to make tails wag
Animal rescue shelters around the Tri-City area have a wish list for Christmas they hope can be filled this holiday season.
"We’re always so grateful when the community remembers us, whether it’s during the holidays or all year long,” said Molli Van Horn, founder of Pet Over Population Prevention.
Her sentiment is shared by other area rescue shelters: Tri-Cities Animal Control in Pasco; Benton-Franklin Humane Society and Benton County Animal Control in Kennewick; Prevent Homeless Pets in Benton City; and Mikey’s Chance and Northwest Tortoise rescue in West Richland.
All need a wide range of donations, including dog and cat food — wet and dry— as well as dog beds, collars, leashes, harnesses, wire crates, cleaning supplies and cash donations.
And if you need more incentive to stretch a generous spirit, then how about a dozen newborn pups and their mother recently rescued by the Benton County Animal Control? Bela, a German shepherd mix, was found a few weeks ago, fully pregnant and wandering homeless in an orchard in Benton City. She gave birth this week to 12 pups, who soon will need homes.
“We are so pleased all Bela’s pups appear healthy and she’s been a great momma,” said Benton County control officer Shannon Gilman. “We truly appreciate any kind of generosity (from the public), and our dogs love it even more.”
Gilman said the shelter, which houses only dogs, can always use bags of dog and puppy food, both wet and dry, as well as blankets, dog beds, collars and leashes. Donations can be dropped at the facility, 1116 Grant Place, Kennewick. For more information, call 509-460-4923.
More Wish List requests:
“Donations made to The Fix are extremely important to help us continue our mission,” said Mikey’s Chance director Justyne Corso. “On average, we spend more money on each dog we take in than what we collect from their adoption fee.”
The shelter does not have a permanent facility, but finds foster homes for rescued dogs until permanent homes can be found. Inquiries and donations can be arranged via email at mc4justyne@gmail.com or online at www.mikeyschance.com.
Terese Meyer, with the nonprofit, said there are more tortoises who need rescuing than one might think, and she’s had successes in nursing neglected tortoises back to health, such as the case of tortoise Girl Sulcata.
“(Her) health concerns included a urolith, which is a calcium stone, metabolic bone disease, clogged nasal passages and severe shell deformities,” she said. “Vets gave her less than a 50 percent change of living. It’s been three years and she’s on the road to recovery.”
More information: www.northwesttortoise.com.
On the agency’s wish list are surgical supplies, wet and dry kitten food, fleece blankets, Post-it notes, forever stamps, paper towels, alcohol, sanitizing gel, digital thermometers, laundry detergent, garbage bags. The agency also welcomes gift cards from Costco, Walmart, Staples, Office Depot and Home Depot.
Prevent Homeless Pets also is planning an open house from noon to 3 p.m. at its clinic at 812 Della Ave., Benton City.
More information: www.preventhomelesspets.com.
“Without the generosity of people in this community, we never would have been able to help all those cats and dogs,” Van Horn, said. “People donate their time, their homes and money to help further the efforts to help these homeless pets and without the compassion from this community, these pets would not be alive living in wonderful forever homes.”
More information: www.popptricities.org.
More information: www.bfhs.com.
This story was originally published December 12, 2014 at 12:00 AM with the headline "WISH LIST: Rescue shelters seeks ways to make tails wag."