Shirley Zinder, founder and volunteer, left, and Charlotte Tunstall Pearce, founding board member and volunteer, both with Dogwood Animal Rescue.
Together, local nonprofits and veterinary care businesses are finding new ways to be creative and assist one another. Methods range from spotlighting an organization’s spay and neuter services to steering new owners to vets’ offices. The two groups are also finding new ways to work effectively with the University of California, Davis (UC Davis), home to one of the largest veterinary hospitals in the country. UC Davis assists the two groups in numerous ways, such as offering shelter training and performing complex veterinary medical procedures. Usually, the beginning of a relationship between a rescue organization and a vet’s office starts with the rescue organization selecting a vet. Organizations typically look for vets who value compassion and avoid euthanasia unless absolutely necessary. “Our mission is saving animals’ lives. We don’t let the financial picture become a factor in our decision. We’re prepared to do whatever we can up to a certain point,” says Deborah Blum, executive director and founder of Goatlandia in Santa Rosa. Goatlandia has two Sonoma County sites that are home to a wide range of animals, including chickens, cows, goats and two livestock guardian dogs. After establishing a relationship, rescue organizations use fundraising to support their work and pay for veterinary care. Some fundraising is general, for all animals under the
organization’s purview. Other fundraising is targeted—on one animal or a set of animals with a specific condition. The success of an operation or effort can highlight a vet’s skill. “Our work requires deciding which animals are most in need,” says Charlotte Tunstall Pearce, a founding board member and volunteer with Dogwood Animal Rescue in Santa Rosa. “That is a hard choice. Usually, it’s the dogs on the euthanasia list at overcrowded shelters. We also accept dogs with serious injuries like a fractured pelvis or a gunshot wound. We believe they deserve a chance at recovery and adoption too.” Dogwood places dogs and cats in foster homes and arranges adoptions. When vets and rescue organizations work together, they can take steps to prevent overpopulation, increase animal health and limit the displacement of animals during emergencies. Significant services include spay and neuter, owner education, microchipping, flea and tick prevention and vaccines, says Ashley Armstrong, executive director of We Care Animal Rescue in St. Helena. We Care is currently home to cats, dogs and rabbits. “Also [joint efforts help] organizations get medical grants or donations from the community. Then we can hire vets to help our animals in unanticipated ways. This is how we were recently able to help a number of older cats get dental care to improve their quality of life,” says Armstrong.
36 NorthBaybiz
January 2024
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