Sometimes, we are a little optimistic about how much of our food we can sell and we make a little bit too much. When this happens, we end up with bags of food in our warehouse that will spoil if we don’t move them. What a waste of perfectly good food! So, what do we do? We give it away to local rescues.
We’ve worked with Animal Aid and Rescue Foundation before. Besides the obvious reason to like them (who doesn’t like organizations that rescue animals!) we also love AARF for their generosity to other rescues. When we give food to AARF, it doesn’t just go to AARF it also goes to a bunch of other rescues.
We’d like to feature some of the rescues that we work with directly, as well as some of those that we give food to through AARF. Since we are located in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, all of these rescues are local to that area. So if you live here, please consider rescuing a dog from one of these fine charities. There really is a rescue for whatever you are looking for, from the very young puppy to the senior dog.
Let’s start with AARF, also known as Animal Aid and Rescue Foundation. Since 2007 AARF has rescued and found loving homes for over 350 animals (dogs, cats, turtles and guinea pigs), with over 70 dogs adopted in 2012. They specialize in taking in animals that are typically overlooked or take longer to find homes for, such as: Bully Breeds, Seniors and animals with health problems.
Mr. Pace is a perfect older gentleman looking for a quiet retirement home.
One of the things that makes AARF a little different from a regular rescue is their belief in helping good people KEEP their animals. There are so many cases where people surrender their animals to shelters because they can’t afford to feed them or had to have their animals euthanized when they got ill or injured because they couldn’t afford the medical care.
“It’s become a very important part of our mission to help these people through food/supply donations and paying for medical care when needed. In 2012 we created a special fund for these cases, called the AARF Angel Fund. Because of the nature of the animals we take in, our vet bills are very high and the adoption fees seldom cover it. When you add in funds spent through the ‘AARF Angel Fund’ program, our vet bills exceed $25k per year. We don’t have a facility, so we rely on foster homes. When we have an animal in need and no foster home available, we have to place them in a boarding facility. Our boarding costs exceeded $15k last year.” says Heather E., one of AARF’s dedicated volunteers.
AARF is run by a handful of dedicated volunteers. They have no paid staff and they depend on donations and foster homes. If you’ve thought of fostering, it’s a great way to help out an organization like AARF and get to know a dog. AARF covers all food and medical costs for it’s foster dogs.
The other thing AARF does a little differently is their outreach program, where they donate to food banks and other rescue groups. They have donated over 10,000 pounds of pet food each year to food banks and rescue groups since 2008. It’s this spirit that makes us proud to partner with AARF to get food to multiple rescues.
This is Calvin! He’s a fabulous family dog, ready for adoption!
If you’re looking for a new addition to your family, consider one of these cuties now available through AARF. You can also find more information at http://www.myaarf.org/.
