"Saving Lives, One Animal at a Time." That's the message behind a new non-profit that's reaching out to communities without a shelter for animals. A local UW veterinary medical student founded the organization, which is making tails wag -- and people take notice.
"He's an 85-pound lap dog," Tracey Hageny says of Rocky.
Rocky used to worry more about survival than about a back rub.
"He was from Red Lake, MN. When I first met him, he was extremely anemic. He had hardly any hair and he was quite, quite sick," Hageny says.
Hageny and her organization nursed the young shepherd-husky mix back to health.
"You can see his hair is growing back beautifully."
Hageny says Rocky is one of the first dogs saved by Animal Rescue and Veterinary Support Services -- a new, local organization which recently earned federal non-profit status.
"It gives us credibility," she says, "the other thing that it does is, it allows us to apply for grants. It allows for donors to give us money as a tax deduction."
Hageny is a senior veterinary medical student at the UW in Madison.
She founded the organization, which networks to find animals in need, in areas without a local shelter.
"These are animals that are well-adjusted, happy and outgoing and they deserve a home too."
Hageny plans to return to Red Lake this month for another rescue mission.
"The animals up there who don't have a house have a very hard time surviving the winter so we want to go up there and save as many animals as possible."
But she says the rescue is limited due to the number of available foster homes.
"Not only are they medically healthy but socially sound as well," she says of animals rescued and eventually adopted by families.
Susie Reichard has opened her home to foster puppies for years but still struggles when they find a permanent place to rest their paws.
"Everybody always says, how can you give them away? Well, if you don't give them away, you can't save anymore," Reichard says.
Debbie Holmes understands.
"He's just cute, aren't you? He's got quite the personality on him," she says of her dog.
... Which is why Ollie's going home with her...
"Everybody should adopt a rescue dog because they need good homes," Holmes says.
Adopting a dog requires an approval process. The organization is in need of donations as well as volunteers to foster animals.
You can learn more about it by logging onto the website:
www.arvss.petfinder.com
ARVSS
P.O. Box 306
Stoughton, WI 53589