The Guardians of Rescue, an organization headquartered in New York, has teamed up with Animal Aid USA, and is headed to Hinesville, Georgia, to help rescue over 170 dogs from a high-kill shelter. They will be visiting the shelter to rescue the dogs on Saturday, January 19, 2013. This particular shelter is located near the Fort Stewart Army base where, unfortunately, many soldiers end up having to surrender their dogs as they feel there are no other alternatives while they are away on duty.
“Sadly, many soldiers simply don’t know what to do with their dog when they are serving our country, so they take them to the shelter,” explains Robert Misseri, president of Guardians of Rescue. “The problem with the shelter is that it is not open to the public for adoption, and the animals that enter the facility are ultimately destroyed. Our goal is to help save the lives of these animals.”
The group will be teaming up with Animal Aid USA to rescue over 170 dogs from the Liberty County, GA area. This weekend’s rescue is the largest animal rescue operation in the history of this community. They plan to identify the animals and then relocate them to Miracle Ranch, which is run by Animal Aid’s volunteers. The Guardians of Rescue are committed to helping soldiers care for their pets when they are called up for duty. They are currently in the process of creating a national service to help soldiers care for their pets, so that they don’t have to give them up to shelters when they are serving.
Guardians of Rescue have been active in several states around the country, including New York and New Jersey, helping people care for their pets by providing a wide range of services, as well as helping with spay and neuter programs for feral cat populations. They help provide food, shelter, foster care and veterinarian services, and routinely rescue animals in need.
There are alternatives to giving up a pet to a shelter, if it is deemed necessary to find someone else to care for it while military personnel are on active duty. These options include:
- Reaching out to military Websites, blogs, and support groups with photos of your pet, and a pet history.
- Search for, and contact, all local rescue groups.
- Post flyers in local pet supply stores and veterinarian offices to find a responsible person who can take the pet.
- Try to encourage a local Boy or Girl Scout group to take on the job of caring for the pet.
- Contact your local newspaper and see if they can help spread the word.
“Our military serve and protect us, yet they are routinely forced to give up their pets when they are called up for duty,” added Misseri. “We want to help, to the best of our ability. We can help keep these soldiers’ pets safe and cared for. The soldiers watch out for us, so now we need to pay back the favor and watch out for them and their pets.”
“It’s important that we take measures to help reduce the number of animals that are being surrendered to shelters,” explained Prince Lorenzo Borghese, of Animal Aid USA. “But to also help people find viable alternatives to that option to start with.”
“By teaming up with Guardians of Rescue we can help meet the needs of both the animals in the area, as well as those who need to find homes for them,” said Karen Talbot, of Animal Aid USA. “We believe our efforts this weekend are a big step in the right direction.”
Guardians of Rescue provides assistance to animals out on the streets, helping to rescue them, provide medical care, food and shelter, and find foster home placements. Many families are still struggling, such as from Hurricane Sandy, making it difficult for them to care for their pet, either financially or while living in temporary housing. To learn more, get involved, or to make a donation to support the Guardians of Rescue, log onto www.guardiansofrescue.org.