Animal Welfare Professionals

I love all animals and when I see one being neglected or homeless I take them in on top of all animals are drawn to me. So with out knowing it I stared my own rescue but the thing is it's just my mom,brother, daughter,and partner who take care of all the animals and it's out of my home. Im not sure exactly what to do.

Hi Anna!   It sounds like you and your family have wonderful hearts!  I hope this is the start of a rewarding adventure in compassion for all of you.

Many people start out with good intentions, but things quickly slide into disaster and overwhelm because of the number of animals in need and the lack of a specific plan and budget for operating.  To avoid this, you will need to do some intentional planning and learning--hopefully before you commit to another animal, or find yourself drowning in obligations.

Some areas to pay close attention to: 

• A business plan and reasonable budget --even charities must function as businesses, just without "profit"
• Nonprofit/charity functions in your state 
• Proper animal care (keeping them healthy isn't always simple)
• Ongoing fundraising plans, tied to the number of animals you can commit to and the reasonable starting budget you have set
• Finding good vets to partner with

There are lots of good resources here in Maddie's Fund.  But resources don't make the hard decisions you need to make, or set the boundaries you need to keep this work healthy for you and your family, the animals, and your finances.

Good luck on your journey!

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April King
Volunteer and Board Member
Kotor Kitties
+1 206 407 5336
http://www.kotorkitties.org
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Thank you for your heart! I've been in the same shoes briefly before moving, and I agree that the right partnerships and support, and networking/fundraising will help a lot. The animals are so blessed, and please also take care of you!