My 'why'

Organization Image

A nonprofit fundraiser supporting

Rescue Network Inc
Fundraiser image

Wondering how this all started? You will find out here.

$250

raised by 3 people

$1,000 goal

If you know me, you know my 'why'. My why for Rescue Network - Shasta. If you don't then you will soon. 

Shasta was found on a South Dakota reservation with her 6 puppies on a mattress almost 3 years ago. I offered to foster two of her puppies, which turned into three as one of her puppies was hit by a car before the volunteer arrived. 

Her puppies were full of worms and mangy and at that point, I didn't know anything but a photo of their mama, that was until we were at an adoption event with her puppies and I saw her... I looked over at my husband and he said no, but I knew we had to - I won that debate. 

There is a photo of her in our car that just looked defeated. She was mangy, skinny, and just sad. She was already in rescue for a few weeks at this point but her face still had her story. 

Shortly after she arrived at our house, we quickly learned that she was not cat friendly and the thought of adoption just never crossed our minds. I begged my friends and family to adopt her so I could still see her and nothing was panning out. Until one day, I just filled out the application and paid the adoption fee and she was ours. Just like that. Not much thought went into it, to be honest, and here we were with two cats and just adopted a dog that wasn't good with cats. 

It took about six months of training until we started to trust Shasta with our cats. It wasn't too long after that, that she and one of our cats became the best of friends. 

As time went on, she started to grow her hair back and turn into this beautiful dog. But she was so much more than beautiful. Her personality could light up anyone's day. She is the dog you trust with any child or person regardless of what humans did to her in her past. She walks up to you and gives you a gentle kiss and then probably an adorable howl after. 

She is an A+ cuddler and her snores can be heard from the other end of the house. 

Shortly after adopting Shasta, I reached out to the two ladies that had rescued her and her babies. I wanted to know everything. A dog and puppies just living on a mattress in winter?! No way! But that was very much exactly it. After learning of her story, I knew I needed to help more. If she had that much love to give after what she went through, all the other homeless dogs deserve a chance as well. 

Things started out slow as I became to learn how everything worked and got to be a little more known in the community. We started with just giving out dog and cat food and taking any surrenders. That led to partnerships. I started working with rescues to send these animals and vets that would be willing to work with our crazy amount of animals. 

I would beg for money all the time to rent a van, for gas, or to spay just one mama dog. I knew it couldn't go on forever like that as the demand became more and more. 

I had two friends through all of that journey that had the same passion as me. We put everything into making Rescue Network happen, and it did. I always said I would never start my own non-profit, I just didn't think I could. But we did. 

Now today, almost three years since Shasta was rescued and one year since we have started Rescue Network, the things we have done are what would have seemed unimaginable in the last couple of years. 

We still need donations to survive, but we have our OWN big old blue van that takes weekly trips to South Dakota, we are fixing peoples animals weekly, we have a network of rescues that we are so fortunate to work with, vets that are there for us at all times, emergency cases for animals that would not survive if they had not been brought to the vet, and a group of volunteers that I think about every day that makes Rescue Network what it is. 

To this day, I look at Shasta and I thank her. She helped me find my true passion in life but also helped save many animals. She is my 'why'. 


Giving Activity

Comments

Log in to leave a comment. Log in