How to Start Up (and Run) an Animal Rescue
I wrote about a topic I knew well (and wanted to see just how much I knew about it). It turned out that it’s basically thirteen parts in six areas. It covers most, if not all, aspects of running an animal rescue operation.
Twelve years ago, a switch flipped in my brain when joy followed by grief entered my personal life. I became a “rat mom,” and when the rat got sick and died out of our ignorance of what would have been better living conditions for her, I resolved to make amends. I began a rodent rescue. I ran it for three years. Here are the notes of what I can say about how to use your home, your time, and your skills to help animals in need.
“If academic papers have not been written on the economics of the pet trade and animal sheltering, then there needs to be.” — Me, 2007.
Then I did nothing about it.
I figure an outline of a book on how to start up and run an animal rescue would contain the following headings, and on this quick tutorial, I’ll deal with each in summary form.
Parts 1–3: Getting Started in Animal Rescue
Parts 4–5: Adopting Out Your Rescued Animals
Parts 6–7: Finding the Money and Getting Help
Part 8: The Daily Business of Running an Animal Rescue
Parts 9–11: The People Aspect of Animal Rescue
Parts 12–13: Managing Growth, Working with Other Rescues, and Transitioning Out
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I would love to hear of anyone else’s rescue operations experiences and advice!
Best regards,
Jane
