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Appalachian Animal Rescue Friends Rt. 1, Bo x 78 Delbarton, WV 25670 |
April 2004
Join AARF's capital campaign to buy 6 acres in Mingo County, West Virginia! We have great plans to build an adoption center and sanctuary. We need devoted friends to help us reach our goal of $20,00 by May 31st, 2004. If you can donate to our campaign, please reference the
"Building Fund" and mail to AARF * Rt.1 Box 78B * Delbarton, WV 25670
If you have any ideas, or connections with organizations that can help, please feel free to contact us at aarftalk@yahoogroups.com
Due to the increased involvement of volunteers from other states, we have had a huge increase in the number of dogs we have saved. As of April 10th, this year we have adopted 70+ dogs, ranging from Puppies to our Sanctuary Seniors. They have found loving homes in Il, PA, MA, NJ & FL. This growth is a result of the hard work done by AARF volunteers in these states. Our exposure is growing, & many animals lovers are coming to our aid.
The troubling news is the W.V. State legislature once again failed to pass the statewide spay & neuter bill promoted by the Humane Societies of W.V. The legislature has also curtailed the activities of the mobile spay & neuter van which was fully funded by animal charities.
Shelters state wide are overflowing with unwanted animals. Thousands are put to sleep. We hope our AARF members will write letters to the Governor of W.V.
to let our voice be heard. West Virginia needs to implement a statewide spay & neuter program to reduce the number of animals needing to be transported elsewhere to avoid death.
Email Governor Bob Wise at Governor@WVGov.org
Write to:Governor Bob Wise * 1900 Kanawha Blvd., East * Charleston, WV 25305
On behalf of the animals, we thank everyone who helps by transporting, fostering, adopting, donating money, and extending constructive support . Without you, AARF could not continue with this crucial work.
PAST NEWS
December 2003
We have many exciting things happening with our rescue. Volunteers from PA & NJ are helping Alexis create a more secure, no-kill shelter for the abandoned, neglected & abused animals. This area of WV is very poor. Mingo County has no money for animal rescue. Many folks in Mingo County are on assistance programs themselves.
Alexis she has been operating this rescue by herself for the last 6 years. She feeds, vets, & cares for up to 40 dogs & 20 cats at any one time. The animals currently live outdoors in doghouses, without protection from the deep snows of winter. Several times a week Alexis single handedly removes the dirty straw from each kennel, burns it, & replaces it. This is a daunting task. The attached pictures show the current shelter conditions.
Veterinarian, Dr. Linda Knowles, generously allows Alexis to bring sick & injured animals for treatment, even when unable to pay for the services. The vet fees are paid from Alexis’ own salary. This has created great hardship for her personally, spending nearly half her annual salary on the animals. She needs funds to pay this ever-mounting veterinarian bill. An operating fund for food, veterinary fees, & part time help are some of our long-term goals.
Alexis transports each adopted animal, long distances in her aging truck, thus racking up 250,000 miles. Her truck does not have a rear cap, making it unsuitable for transporting animals in freezing weather. The rescue needs a "King Cab," 4-wheel drive truck, with a sliding rear window, & a rear cap to transport multiple animals safely & warmly. A truck would allow for thorough disinfection of the cargo area. This is really important with all the viruses like Parvo. It would be wonderful if a car dealer would donate a gently used “King Cab” truck to our rescue.
FALL 2003
In late September 2003, an animal hoarder in Delbarton passed away. At the time of her passing, she had over 100 dogs & cats. The relatives of the animal hoarder called the county to "remove" the animals from the property. A dozen dogs were taken by the Logan county animal control to be killed. Alexis saved 75 by finding emergency shelter on a friend's land, She loaded them one by one in her truck & drove them to safety. We are in dire need of help from other rescue groups.
December 16, 2003: We have received tremendous support from other rescuers & animal lovers! Thank you everyone! The good news is we have placed 39 dogs since October 2003. The bad news is cold weather has arrived and our animals are in outdoor pens.