Update: November 1st
We are on week 7 of the Operation No-Kill Nashville and we are close to reach the number of 100 animals saved!!!
As the time progresses we are facing a new number of challenges to which we are trying to find creative solutions…
1. We have a shortage of foster homes in Nashville and around. The volunteers there are amazing, and I cannot think of a better partner than our friends at Nashville Country Animal Friends but we need to find ways for them to grow their network locally so that we can rely on more short term fosters.
2. Winter is here. The arrival of winter is complicated things from a logistical point of view. Some airports are closed to animal transport, airlines request acclimatization certificates, snow and ice closes airports completely. Circulation and transport by road becomes somewhat unreliable. A possible solution I see here is to try to find more fosters and adoptants in Florida and California. Sadly, this will increase our costs significantly.
3. We are rescuing a number of animals that need more than just simple vetting and health certificates. In order to best deal with those cases we need to increase our network of veterinarians across the USA capable of offering the level of service we expect from our partner clinics. If you know an outstanding vet in your area please don’t hesitate to email me and give me his details. We will get in touch with them.
4. Funds: the total cost per life saved, including vetting procedures, transport and kennels/carriers is right now on average, close to 700 USD per dog, and about 400 USD per cat!, at times much more. We need to figure out ways to get our community involved, and to involve them in our fund raising efforts. For now, our Chipin is the only way we have to pay for all of this, and sadly, we are nowhere close to raising enough funds, which means we are permanently operating in the RED. We don’t know how long we will be able to sustain this rhythm, it basically depends on our community to make it happen. To this effect we have just started our November Chipin.. all our expenses will come out of it… Please, if you are in a position to help, please do… YOU are making this miracle happen. Many thanks!.
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It’s been a month since we started our Rescue Action from the Gas chamber in Nashville. I cannot begin to tell you how hard we are working on this..
Here are some numbers:
– In the first month we have rescued 62 animals in total, 22 dogs and a whopping 40 cats!.
– When in Kill Shelters around the USA dogs and cats die for lack of adoptants in Nashville this month only 1 adoptable animal died, and this happened on the first week of our campaign, when we were not yet organized. Since then, no animal has died in Nashville. Each and everyone of them has been adopted, either by us or by other rescues. Whomever says that there are not enough homes for all animals in shelters doesn’t know what he is talking about. No-Kill is possible, if a group with as few resources as us can achieve this everyone can.
– The shelter, however, has killed many animals that we never got to see, many of them feral cats and animals handed over by their owners with the precise instruction to be killed. The gas chamber has not stopped working in Nashville. This is completely unacceptable and we are starting talks to be able to rescue each and every animal delivered to the shelter, including feral cats and animals needing medical treatment.
– In the first month we have set up the bases of a formidable nation-wide network of foster homes. The search for fosters continues every day. This map will give you an idea of how far we have gone in just one month.
View Let’s Adopt Foster Network in a larger map
– Our two biggest challenges are:
1. To increase the number of short term fosters in/around Nashville. Short term foster homes are crucial, they are the ones where they animals go whilst definite transport arrangements to their long term fosters or final homes.
2. To increase the number of available Funds: After a month rescuing we have made a quick calculation. On average the cost-per-life saved in Nashville, including basic vetting and transport is 180-200 USD. This amount doubles in cases when we have to spay/neuter and can become much much more if more veterinary treatment is needed.
The cost of saving those 62 animals has been close to 12.000 USD. Sadly, we have only been able to raise 4.000 USD. Still, we are managing.
As you all know Let’s Adopt NEVER applies an adoption fee to the adoptants. This is a matter of principle. We will never be put in a position where anyone gets to say that they have bought a dog from this group. We believe in creating a relationship of partnership with our adoptants and Fans instead of one based on a fee transaction. Many organizations can’t understand this logic and continue applying absurd adoption fees. Adopting our animals is not a right, it’s a privilege that cannot be bought by payment of an adoption fee.
We need to find a solution to those two problems. The team of the Nashville County Animal Friends is working hard on increasing their network. From our part we need to be able to continue raising funds in a systematic way otherwise sooner or later the rescues will stop and that gas chamber will start killing animals again.
Let’s Adopt Global is committed to continue saving lives and together with NCAF achieve No Kill in Nashville.
We don’t make promises in vain, but the only way to achieve this is to do it together.. please continue supporting our rescue program in the gas chambers of North Carolina. Thousands of animals are counting on us…