Indiana-PAW Helps Animal Shelters & Rescue Groups Through Our Programs & By Sharing Resources & Information
We've had a number of successes since we launched Indiana-PAW in November of 2004, and we share them here, so our volunteers, foster families, and partners in the animal welfare community and media (i.e., the folks who have helped bring about these successes) can share in our celebration! Click photos for larger versions.
- Collaboration! Indiana-PAW is partnering with dozens of Indiana animal shelters and groups, including featuring their Pets Of The Week, providing them access to our Foster Roster, posting their events to our Super Calendar at their request, sharing our resources with them, and more! In addition, Indiana-PAW volunteers often step-up to fill voids for local rescue groups and shelters. For example, Indiana-PAW volunteers have performed "home visits" as part of the application process for several rescue groups, such as Northern Lights Sled Dog Rescue, Casa Del Toro Bully Breed Education & Rescue, and the City of Rushville Animal Shelter. Laurie Adams, Founder/Director of Casa Del Toro, had this to say:
"Indiana-PAW folks are absolutely wonderful, and play such a KEY role in helping to support rescue groups. We are so fortunate to have you."
Steve Abbott & Kathy McGriff, Indiana coordinators for Bearded Collie Club of America (BCCA) Rescue, sing Indiana-PAW's praises:
"[H]ow valuable a service we have found the Indiana-PAW network to be. As an organization committed to the rescue of our breed we have employed both the Indiana-PAW Super Database and the Indiana-PAW Foster Roster to facilitate our own needs. Both have been extremely useful. Most recently we have used the Foster Roster to locate a special-needs foster for a mixed breed dog with specific behavior problems. The foster was able to resolve the dog's problems and make her "placable". It is unlikely her fate would have been so benign without this valuable contact. I know of no other service like Indiana-PAW available to animal welfare workers anywhere. In the years we have worked with the Indiana-PAW staff we have found them to be friendly, courteous, and, above all, extremely effective at what they do. I encourage you to find ways to open appropriate collaborations with this highly useful organization in order to expand and improve the animal welfare community for all of us."
- Transport Team Success! Our Transport Team is allowing us to help overcrowded Indiana shelters and rescue groups save pets by transporting them to adoptive families or to other shelters/rescues with space. Transport Team members drive "legs" handing off pets from driver to driver to help get those pets to their happy destination.
Indiana-PAW volunteer Katie Lemmon participates in a transport of a puppy and a collie in March 2008. Read Katie's thoughts about helping out by being a transport volunteer below.
Here is a photo of Pepper, a dog who was rescued from a horder, then transported (in part) by an Indiana-PAW volunteer to his new home in Wisconsin in early 2007.
Mia was transported from a shelter in Indianapolis to a foster home in Evansville for Casa Del Toro Bully Breed Education & Rescue.
The Conner family participates in a transport for the Henry Co. Shelter on July 29th, 2006. 
The dogs from the Henry Co. Shelter being passed on to the next leg in the transport on July 29th, 2006. 
Members of Indiana-PAW's Transport Team drove several legs of a transport across Indiana on July 31, 2005, helping move 9 puppies from an overcrowded shelter that was going to have to euthanize them to a rescue group where they'll be placed for adoption! In March, 2008, Indiana-PAW volunteer Katie Lemmon participated in a transport. Katie had this to say about her experience:
"Max and little Katie were the passengers on our third transport. The puppy was a last minute add-on we learned about the night before. We set out and all went fine, until we reached flooded-out roads near Nashville. Thus we were forced to turn around and back track to reach our starting point of Seymour. Fortunately, we arrived at the meeting place only a few minutes late and got our furry charges. Once loaded both dogs were fine. Katie happily chewed a rawhide chewie, not a care in the world. Max watched the passing cars out the back window and occasionally poked his head up front between us to watch the highway. The switch over in Indy was quick, as usual. The fur-kids continued on their way again northbound - Katie to her adopted family and Max to a Collie rescue.
We find transports offer a great reward in exchange for a few hours of driving. It's good to be part of the solution, rather than part of the problem. Rescues and transports must work together to get the job done. We plan to continue driving transports for a long time to come."In October, 2007, Indiana-PAW volunteer Beverly Bourn Marker, Esq. participated in a transport. Beverly had this to say about her experience:
"I drive a PT Cruiser, so the back seats will fold back for a transport, but the space suits smaller dogs best. Earlier in the summer, I offered to transport 4 Lab mixes to Muncie. The average weight of each was over 40 pounds. Just before I picked them up, I was updated on their progress. It seems that Bob was a chewer. He had chewed through his tether, and started on the first transporter's car seat. So on the next leg, a crate was added for him. When I began my leg of the transport in Indy, it was pouring rain. I had Bob and his crate taking up half the space in my car. One female and another male were on the side opposite Bob. The other male, who was rather chunky, started leaning over the passenger side seat as we began our leg. The rain just beat down on us, and I began to hear a thumping noise on Axel's side of the car. It scared him, so he pushed back farther into the car so that I had stacked Labs. I swear I could not have even gotten a Chihuahua in the space left open! As we drove, I worried about the thumping, and strained to see better as the Labs began to fog up my windows. It turned out that I had a leash hanging out the door causing the thumping that worried me and scared Bob! Everyone arrived safely in Muncie."
In June, 2006, Indiana-PAW volunteer Jan Myer and her husband participated in a transport. Jan had this to say about her experience:
"I was confidant these animals would be quickly adopted once they reached their final destination in Plainfield, IL. Even though we were with these animals a total of only two hours it was hard to say good-bye, but knowing they were getting an opportunity to find their forever home made the transport all the more rewarding and a great way to help our furry friends."
- Indiana-PAW E-Newsletter! Shelters and rescue groups across the State routinely turn to Indiana-PAW when they need to "get the word out" about important animal topics, or when they need help from the public. Click here to see some of the newsletters we've sent out with information from our animal shelter and rescue group partners!
- Linking The Animal Welfare Community! When HELP The Animals, Inc., a shelter in Richmond, Indiana, asked Indiana-PAW about resources to help their staff socialize some of the exuberant, large dogs at the shelter, we introduced them to respected local dog trainer Warren Patitz (of Doggone Connection and Move To Act) with great success! Here's the feedback Indiana-PAW received from HELP The Animals' President, Monica Kinley-Kuhn:
"Warren and his crew were unbelievable! I cannot begin to thank you enough for sending him our way. He gave us new direction and hope that we can help our "challenging" dogs become more adoptable. [S]ometimes we get to feeling really alone out here in "the boonies" but thanks to folks like [Warren] and Tom and Eileen, and you folks at Indiana-PAW and our dear friends at IndyFeral, we are feeling so much more supported and connected! [T]hank you so much for connecting us with Warren . . . We cannot tell you what this has meant to us."
- Purina Weight Circles Success! Citizens who feed their pets Purina food send Indiana-PAW their "Weight Circles" from the bag. We then send them to shelters, and the shelters redeem them for rebate checks from Purina that help the shelters feed the animals there! Here's great feedback from Walt Robbins, Jr. of Countryside Animal Rescue on our program:
"[Indiana-PAW's] forwarding of the Purina weight circles was very much appreciated. I have sent an order for a $75.00 vet check using the weight circles you sent along . . . Indiana PAW is providing many much needed programs and services - THANKS from us to you for all you do for the animals and animal welfware groups."
And similarly great feedback from H. Lewis Heller of Heller's Angels:
"Just a quick note to let you know how much we appreciate receiving the 'weight circles' from [Indiana-PAW]. As you are well aware, running a dog rescue is anything but profitable. Last year we spent over $12,000.00 on our dogs and received $4,700.00 in donations and fees. The difference came out of our pension money. We opted to [redeem the weight circles Indiana-PAW sent us to] receive a 'check' for our Veterinarian for $75.00. This is a wonderful plan and is a much appreciated help. Thank you and keep up the great work!"
- Super Calendar! Our Super Calendar is the most comprehensive animal-related calendar in Indiana, and lists hundreds of events benefitting local shelters/groups. Angie Loudermilk, Executive Director of the Morgan County Humane Society, tells Indiana-PAW:
"I think we've been getting a lot more people coming to our events because of [Indiana-PAW's] plugs."
 Indiana-PAW Staff member, Audrey Lenz, assists Dr. Andrew Mills of the Franklin Animal Clinic in the spay/neuter of one of the kittens she was fostering as part of the Indiana-PAW/Rushville Shelter Project. |
