Are you thinking of starting a rescue? If so, there are some questions you’ll want to consider. 

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Why? 

Rescues are a vital segment of the animal welfare sector, providing care and helping to find good new homes for animals that need a fresh start in life. However, before starting your own rescue, you might want to consider other ways of helping animals in your community. 

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The time and effort involved in starting and operating an organization is considerable. If your goal is to work directly with animals without having a large percentage of your time taken up by administrative duties, perhaps volunteering with an existing organization might be an option. Do some research on the existing rescues and animal shelters in your area before deciding how you can best help animals.   

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What/How:

Next, think about what your rescue is going to be, and how you intend it to operate. What type of animals do you want to help? What resources will you need to provide proper care for these animals, including caregivers, money, and time. Consider also the need for this type of rescue. How will this rescue assist homeless animals? 

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Who:

Who will help you run the rescue? You can’t do this alone. You will need to establish a board of directors and locate volunteers who can help with day-to-day animal care plus other tasks involved in the operation of a rescue (fundraising, special events, transportation, social media, etc.). 

The board should be committed to the organization’s long term goals and help keep the organization moving forward. 
 

Where:

Where will the rescued animals be housed? Many fosters operate using a network of foster caregivers, while some of the larger foster groups have been able to create a “bricks-and-mortar” shelter facility. 

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