It’s Easy to Save a Life
Want to help a dog? Now’s your chance!
By Sarah Valek
Want to save life? Love dogs? Looking for a companion? Your HELP is needed! Cleveland Animal Control has several dogs that need homes (temporary or permanent). These dogs are labeled URGENT and need foster homes or permanent homes ASAP! Cleveland Animal Control aka Cleveland City Kennel, located in Tremont, rescues dogs off the streets or from abusive situations. Remember the 27 dogs rescued from that East Side dog fighting ring? Cleveland Animal Control rescued them and many were adopted out, yet eight still await rescue (like the ones pictured above).
If you feel at all bad about the pet overpopulation problem and the fact that healthy dogs are being euthanized simply because they’re homeless, now is the time for you to help. Every week the Kennel takes in new dogs and posts them to its Facebook page. (Others are transferred to the Cleveland APL or Cuyahoga County Kennel for adoption.) Only exceptional, well-behaved (read: non-violent) dogs are posted. These dogs have approximately a week to find a home/foster home. Hardworking Cleveland Animal Control volunteers do everything they can to find placement for these pooches. (Personally, I’m impressed with how well networked Cleveland animal lovers are.)
If you want to help but aren’t in the position to adopt, consider becoming a foster. If you can provide some love and attention, you can save a dog’s life. The first step to becoming a foster is to contact Cleveland Animal Control and arrange a meet-and-greet with the dog(s) you’re interested in. Bring your own dogs, your kids, and anyone else to see if everyone gets along. Have cats? Kennel volunteers will test any dogs around cats beforehand. If your meet-and-greet goes well and you wish to foster, that dog will be marked as SAFE until a rescue group steps in. The rescue will, in most cases, provide food and any veterinary care. So, really, all you need to provide is a home, love, compassion and a little patience until the dog finds his/her forever family.
Still don’t have room for a dog? All dogs are desperately in need of donations to cover medical care. The more donations a dog takes in, the better chances it has of rescue.
Click here to view Cleveland Animal Control’s URGENT dogs needing rescues and fosters.
There are dogs from the fighting raid still in need of rescue! Many of the 27 have been adopted or placed in foster care, but, as of this moment, eight remain in cages at the Kennel.
View dogs from “The Final 8 – Hope for the 27” here.
From Cleveland Animal Control’s profile: “We are collecting funds that will help with medical expenses as well as basic health needs such as heartworm tests, Rabies shots and spay/neuters. You can donate any amount to these dogs and every bit really adds up. If you donate $300 you will have naming rights to the dog of your choice (granted it is not already named).
“To donate online please visit http://FriendsOfClevelandKennel.com and click on ‘Make a Donation’ and type your donation amount and ‘Hope for the 27’ in the description box.
“To send a check you can address it to ‘Friends of the Cleveland Kennel’ with ‘Hope for the 27’ in the notes section and send it to:
Friends of the Cleveland Kennel
PO Box 770423
Lakewood, Ohio 44107
“If you are a rescue interested in pulling any of these dogs, please email juliemaykono@gmail.com and we can send you an application. If you are interested in fostering or adopting any of these dogs, please email juliemaykono@gmail.com so that we can add you to a list that will be shared with the rescues that pull. If you would like to volunteer to walk or bathe these dogs please contact 216-664-3187; jbaird@city.cleveland.oh.us and tell him your experience with dogs (especially with larger breed dogs).”
The better networks we create, the more dogs we can save.
Cool Cleveland editor Sarah Valek graduated from Ithaca College with a double-major in arts and writing. After graduation, she came back to her beloved city and served as an AmeriCorps*VISTA with the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless. She currently spends her days chasing after her toddler-age son, drinking soy lattes and digging up the coolest events around town. Contact her at CoolEditorATCoolCleveland.com.