Sharing the Love (Part 1)
This month we are sharing a great success story about how one committed and very energetic person, Laura Prechel, is saving the lives of so many TN shelter dogs. Read her story below and lend financial assistance, if you can, by visiting her Go Fund Me page: www.gofundme.com/save-a-shelter-dog. And please share Laura’s story with family and friends so she can keep this mission alive. Volunteer co-transporters/drivers are always welcomed. Or perhaps you have an out-of-state connection that can meet up with Laura to share the transport effort and ensure the safe delivery of shelter dogs to DE, NJ and IA. I know you will truly enjoy being a part of Laura’s mission and be able to write your own LOVE story in the near future.
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Laura’s Story (as found on her Go Fund Me page) (Part 2)
Have you ever wished you could help save a dog that is going to be put down simply because a shelter doesn’t have enough space or adopters? Me too! Have you thought “I’m just one person, what can I really do to help?” Me too! But here’s the great news; you can help!
I’m a volunteer at a shelter in Maury Co, TN that is over-crowded and has the need to publish “urgent” lists of dogs that will be euthanized if no adopters or rescues can be found for them by a certain date. All dogs are young, healthy, behavior tested and highly adoptable. I have fostered many of these dogs for a local rescue and can attest to that. The problem is that our local rescues are so overwhelmed with rescue requests that they’re not able to pull all of these urgent dogs. I’ve been able to establish relationships with several out-of-state shelters that are willing and able to take these dogs in. These shelters have lower populations and higher adoption rates, so they’re able to successfully place these dogs in a short amount of time and give them a second chance at life.
So why do I need your help? Because pulling dogs from one shelter and sending them to another requires money! The fee to pull a dog is anywhere from $27-$75, depending on if the receiving shelter requires that the dog be spayed/neutered prior to transport. If I’m able to drive the dogs, the cost of a van rental and gas is somewhere in the ballpark of $600 per trip. If we have to use paid transport it’s anywhere from $130-$150 per dog. That adds up in a hurry! This is an on-going campaign to continue to raise the funds to get these TN shelter dogs to safety! I started the fund in December and have raised over $5,000 to date which has helped to cover some of the transport costs and all pull fees of the 122 dogs that have already been sent from this shelter to shelters in DE, NJ and IA. Within about three months, nearly all of those dogs that have languished in a TN shelter for months on end have found their homes in other states, many within a few days or a week of arriving. Those results are amazing and make this mission so worthwhile. The current need is to raise funds for another van load of shelter dogs to travel to DE and IA in April. Any contributions toward this trip are greatly appreciated. NOTE: Tails of the Trail has stepped up to fund the pull/transport fees for 10 of the 20 dogs that arrived in DE April 13th. We can’t wait to post their smiling faces and the faces of their soon-to-be adoptive families.
It would mean the world to these dogs, and to me, if you would be willing to help. No donation is too small. Together, we can make a difference and save some lives. Who’s with me?!?!? We certainly support all your hard work…100%!
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Interested in understanding what it takes to transport dogs from a local shelter to the Delaware receiving shelter?
Laura has provided the below journal on this week’s trip (April 12 – 13); now you can grasp the dedication and energy it takes to succeed with this mission…and this is just the driving part of her daily work efforts. Read on…
The road to Delaware Journal (Part 3)
Wednesday April 12, 2017
5PM– Leave work and pick up full size rental van. Drive to friend’s house to get help removing the obnoxiously heavy and awkward van seats to make room for the pups. (What have I gotten myself into?!?) Yes, Laura is starting her 28+ hour transport journey after working a full day!
6PM– Arrive at home and take care of my two foster dogs as well as my own two dogs. Load up the van with crates and other supplies and head for the shelter.
7PM– Arrive at Maury Co shelter where a few shelter staffers have graciously come back after hours to help me load up the 20 dogs that are headed to a new life in DE.
8PM– All loaded up and ready to hit the road!
8:01PM– Are they really going to bark the whole trip??
8:10PM– Everyone has settled in and quieted down!
12AM Thursday, April 13– I’m really still in TN?!? How long is this state???
1AM– Virginia! Finally! Is it really for lovers? (On Eastern time zone now)
4AM– Just a few more hours until dawn. I’ve got this!
6AM– Seriously, is it ever going to get light out?
7AM– Yay, daylight! Just in time to screech to a halt around the Capital Beltway area. Love rush hour traffic towards the end of a 12.5 hr drive!
8:30AM– Finally through traffic! Just paid my toll and I’m headed across Bay Bridge. My favorite part of the journey. Only one hour left!
9AM– How is it possible that this last 30 mins feels longer than the entire 12 hours I’ve already driven? Two lane roads, 45 mph and construction…Will I ever get there?? Hang on guys…just a little longer.
9:30AM– Pulling into the Delaware SPCA! Let’s get these pups unloaded! I’m greeted by the smiling faces of staffers and volunteers who are here to help me unload and are so thrilled to fill their shelter up again with adoptable dogs. From unwanted in TN to loved in DE!
10:30AM– Pups are settled in their new abode and will be adopted within days. In the meantime they’ll get lots of love and attention from the wonderful volunteers at the DE shelter. Mission Accomplished!!
10:31AM– Oh wait, now I still have another 12.5 hr drive in front of me… Laura can drive the hours as well as any professional trucker!
12AM Friday– After a few stops to sleep, I have finally made it back to TN. (back on Central time zone) Exhausted but feeling the satisfaction of moving 20 precious lives one step closer to their forever families. Can’t wait for the adoption photos to start rolling in!
Laura, we are in awe of your ability to do this 28+ hour road trip as a solo driver and hope many readers will step up to help you out on future trips as well as provide funding to your mission…it is so well deserved!