Athens Canine Rescue

Our next featured charity is Athens Canine Rescue! Athens Canine Rescue is a non-profit organization of foster homes in Athens, Georgia. They have no other facility, and rely upon a network of foster homes to house the dogs until they are placed in permanent happy homes of their own. As rescue dogs, ACR pups have often been neglected by previous owners, and rarely arrive impeccably trained; however, they are very trainable! Whether young or adult, ACR dogs are invariably loving, willing to please and incredibly grateful.

Their foster homes give the dogs a safe place where they can receive all needed medical care, enjoy a healthy diet, work on training and learn what it means to be loved. In 2011, we were able to help 80 deserving dogs find their forever homes.

Leslie, from Athens Canine Rescue, was nice enough to answer some of our questions about the organization to help spread the word and inform our shoppers!

1. What inspired you to start Athens Canine Rescue?

None of the current board members were actually around when Athens Canine Rescue was founded in 1989. However, we know that the organization was formed due to the fact that a lot of good dogs in the area were never making it out of the pound, due to the overpopulation problem and a lack of any sort of temporary placement options for them.

2. What is the one thing you would want the public to know about your organization if you could ay nothing else?

While we love the work we do, everyone involved with Athens Canine Rescue would love to see a day when we can shut down our operations. Wouldn't it be great if there were no more animals without good homes? That will not happen until the overpopulation problem is under control. So, our message is the same as Bob Barker's: Have your pet spayed or neutered!

3. If someone wants to donate or contribute to your cause, what is the best way, or the thing you need the most?

To be blunt, we can always use cash. In 2011, our average expenses per dog was slightly over $300. We rely on donations for that. If anyone is interested in making a monetary donation, those can be mailed to us (P.O. Box 7064, Athens, GA 30604) or can be made through the PayPal link on our website (www.athenscaninerescue.com). All donations are tax deductible.

4. National organization or charity that inspires you the most?

We really appreciate how, in the past few years, the American Red Cross has also considered displaced or injured animals in their disaster relief efforts. It's nice to see them considered as being "part of the family," too. We also appreciate that they have added a Pet CPR/First Aid course to their course offerings and they annually present an award to a community member who has made a significant effort to save the life of an animal.

5. How can students or members of the community get involved with your cause?

Obviously, we can always use good foster homes, but that is a big commitment that needs to be carefully considered. If people want to get involved on a smaller scale, we can always use a few volunteers at our monthly Adopt-A-Pet Day, or our fundraisers. Participating in some of our fundraisers, such as our annual 5K and our annual bike ride is also a great way to help us. If people are interested in any of these opportunities, just take a look around on our website and then contact us if you have any questions. Of course, you can also indirectly help us by (again) making sure any pets you have are spayed or neutered and microchipped, and by considering a shelter or rescue animal the next time you are considering bringing home a new furry friend!