By: Carmen Leal

When I decided to adopt, I thought dogs were free and that I was doing them a favor by taking the pooches off their hands. I learned that before they go to their new homes, all dogs are spayed or neutered, appropriately vaccinated, dewormed, heartworm tested, given flea and tick preventatives, and microchipped for identification. The adoption fee also helped to cover any additional medical treatments that may be needed and they did all of this through donations, with no government funding. 

I started volunteering in a marketing capacity and helped the rescue for four years. Sadly, on September 30, 2022, ten years and 12,000 dogs after they opened, they closed for good and the ripple effects of COVID were absolutely the biggest factors in their decision. 

COVID kicked off the perfect storm and we lost staff who needed better-paying jobs with benefits, our volunteer pool dried up, and giving plummeted. It’s a miracle we stayed open as long as we did.

Mandatory closure of our daycare, boarding, and grooming meant that the income from those profit segments were no longer there to pay the rent, utilities, and salaries. We reopened but never bounced back. Clients who were unemployed or working from home didn’t need daycare. Travel came to an abrupt halt so our boarding business all but disappeared for a couple of years.  

During our final year we had the largest number of owner-surrender dogs ever. These weren’t pandemic puppies that people decided they no longer wanted once they returned to the office or they discovered how expensive it is to be a responsible dog owner. Some were surrendered because of the expense or divorce or relocation, but there were many people who got caught in the COVID crunch and could no longer keep their beloved family members. 

The number one reason was housing-related. The saddest ones involved landlords selling their properties and in too many cases the new owners would not allow dogs. If they did, there was a weight limit or a breed restriction. 

There are many costs to rescuing and only a tiny fraction are paid for through adoption fees. Veterinarians, vaccinations, gas prices to transport dogs, utilities, rent, dog food, and even small items such as microchips skyrocketed. 

A lack of funding for animal welfare organizations is not new. There will always be financial challenges for independent recues and shelters who do incredibly important work within their communities.

The good news is the number of heroes who are dedicated to ensuring no healthy animal is euthanized and that the sick and wounded receive the treatment they deserve. Thank goodness for people who want to create a world where every dog can be surrounded by love. You don’t have to adopt to save a life. You can volunteer, foster, give money, or in-kind donations. Every little bit truly does matter. 

Carmen Leal is a storyteller and the author of multiple books, dozens of articles, devotionals, and human-interest stories. Carmen relocated from Hawaii to Oshkosh, yes, there is a story behind the move, and has become an awesome dog mom. Carmen and her husband have become reluctant gardeners and know a crazy amount about Wisconsin weeds. She is the mother of two sons, two incredible grandsons, and Coconut, the best imperfectly perfect rescue dog in the world.