It’s been 3 years since the bad thing that we must not name took over and changed just about everything in our lives. Even though we were all more than ready to leave this chapter behind, its effects linger and are taking their toll on shelters and rescuers across the country.
In August 2022, the only no-kill shelter in my former hometown declared having to close; in October, a Bully Breed rescue had to make the same decision after 15 years of incredible effort; and just recently this month a rescue marked their 10th anniversary in a similarly unfortunate way. Unfortunately, these stories are far from unique, but we are powerless to stop them. Is not it ?
What are the causes ?
What has changed the most for everyone at the start of 2020 is day-to-day operations. Companies have been forced to reduce office hours due to public safety, which has forced some employees to seek work elsewhere. Additionally, some companies have been forced to lay off their employees simply to maintain overhead costs. If all these employees were now finding a new job or working two jobs to make ends meet, how much time did they have left to take up the torch for animals? How much money did they have to give to keep their local rescue hero going? What resources could they provide for the animal they so desperately wanted to adopt?
Additionally, as the lockdowns also affected veterinary clinics, we saw a drastic decrease in sterilization surgeries, which never really returned to their original level. Research by Frontiers in Veterinary Science in September last year suggests a potential shortfall of more than 2 million surgeries that would otherwise have been performed. Add to that they discovered that some clinics had chosen to avoid closure by converting to a wellness-only practice and stopped doing sterilizations altogether.
How can we solve this problem?
We know how! It’s the same proven thing as before. Collect donations, encourage volunteers, raise awareness.
“But that’s what we did!” Says everyone reading this right now.
I challenge you to think about it a bit. Have you done the same thing over and over, hoping it just takes perseverance?
I’ve reached out to rescues across the United States and one of the common issues I’ve heard is that when new ideas hit the table, the majority of people vote, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Well, let me tell you, my friends, it’s broken.
So let’s fix it.
What is the answer?
Innovation! Challenge the status quo and try something new.
Fundraising is an area where there are no limits to imaginative ideas. Organize a fun run, a color run, a walkathon! There are apps to make organizing them easier. Contact your local Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts troops and see if you can get them involved. are you related? Talk to your kids about getting the school involved in fundraising! Do you remember the fundraisers you did when you were a kid? Smelly crayons, bake sales, car washes, those things were fun!
But children are not the only ones. Those rescues I talked to before? They also have ideas.
- A Rescued Animals Calendar – with so many photos to choose from, how do you narrow it down? By getting your community to vote for their favorites! $1 per vote. The winning photos will be included in the calendar and will be sold.
- A memorial garden – donors can pay to have their extinct animals, but not furry ones, memorialized. There are countless ways to achieve this: a painted stone, a clay disc, a plant. Beautify your space with generous contributions from people who care about animals.
- Partner up with a local artist – whether it’s actual artwork or handmade art. Search your community for underappreciated talent. Ask them if they would be willing to donate one of their auction pieces to a good cause and get a percentage share. Then, identify them, associate them and share them too!
Admittedly, there is not much we can do to directly help the situation of vets, but I have to believe that students are still one of the keys. Perhaps a campaign to bring UC-Davis and Cornell students back to their hometowns to complete their preceptorship locally? Perhaps they will also be more likely to open their own clinics locally. We also need to make people understand that being a non-profit organization is not the only legitimate way to help. Vets can still be paid while being affordable! The Open Door Veterinary Collective is one such program that offers online training courses for veterinarians looking to be more accessible. If you’re a frequent traveler to Maddie’s Pet Forum, you might even recognize some of their team members and advisors. 😉.
Ultimately, try to remember that life is an experience, so why not make it a fun experience? If I sleep a little longer, will I still get to work on time? If I eat or drink this, will I have a better day? If I come up with this new idea or support someone else’s crazy idea, will it really help our cause?
Go find out! Make 2023 the year of exploration.