Saturday February 14th was the launch date of a new program for DDR and our partner The Rescue Train.  Based on the success of our South LA Shelter Intervention Program, LA Animal Services (LAAS) agreed to allow us to start a pilot program at the East Valley Shelter.

The program will run the same way our program at South LA runs.  Shelter staff members at intake will identify pet owners who are looking for an alternative to surrendering their cat, dog, rabbit to the shelter.  Our counselor Maddy will offer a variety of services to assist more families in the East Valley keep their pets.  Some of the services we will offer are medical assistance, humane euthanasia, dog training, repair of fences/gates, installing dog runs, paying for dog licneses and free spay/neuter + vaccines as just some of the many services that we offer to families in need who have pets.  We also offer to assist pet owners with redemptions, which reunite pet owners with their pets that are in the shelter but they can’t afford to get them out.  Think of all the pets that are in the shelter that have an owner but the owner can’t afford to get the pet back.  Imagine a day we could send them all back home.

Pug was one of those dogs.  The fees to redeem Pug were $147.  Pug, a one eyed, senior dog who had  a senior owner living on a fixed income with only $60.  DDR paid the balance and another dog went back home.  Our total for our first day was 5 cases.  While we will be there just one day a week, our goal is to continue our partnership with The Rescue Train, who is learning how the program runs, and turn the program over to them to run 2-3 days a week by June!  The Rescue Train understands that there are lots of families who need help, that need additional resources, that need more information so they can keep their pets.  Like our Facebook Page and read our stories of success on this program and more!