What’s New?

We Did It!

Not only were we approved by the State of Florida to receive donations, but we have been recognized by the IRS as a charitable organization, i.e., a 501c3 tax-exempt rescue.  Woo Hoo!  This took a lot of work to prepare and file.  I want to thank Jennifer Grady for her help in getting the ball rolling, and my CPA/Accountant, Kingsley Shinner for his help.

Being approved as a 501c3 generates a lot more paperwork and fees, but the dogs we rescue will not know that anything has changed.  The general public believes that if you’re not an approved non-profit organization you’re not a reputable one, and that isn’t so.  If you find a dog or stray cat on the side of the road, bring it into your home, care for it and find it a good home, believe me, you are reputable!

I want to thank all of our volunteers, for their work is appreciated.  In the next few days, I will be announcing new members of our team, which I’m very excited and proud of!  I especially want to thank all of our new Georgia volunteers!  Their help and impact for Georgia dogs has been huge!

Since mid-December, I’ve been trying to scale down to take a much needed break.  During this time, I will be working on increased communication, and reviewing our procedures and protocols.  This will help us make an even greater impact in the rescue community.

We are always looking for volunteer transporters, and fosters, but no offer to help is too small.  If you are interested in volunteering for The Dog Liberator, please review Volunteering 101, and send me an email describing your interests, thedogliberator@gmail.com.

We are also looking for ways to increase funding, by requesting Grants so that we can create new programs that will help our communities.  If you have experience in Grant writing, and are interested in helping, please email me!

In the past few months, we’ve experienced many set backs:

McCartney‘s botched neuter produced a high fever which took one week of hospitalization to control

Boyd being heartworm positive

Curry’s Leg Surgery

My deep sadness when we lost the Christmas Collie

Parvo Exposure with the Top Gun Puppies

Einstein’s unexplained fever

Magpie’s disappearance (she was stolen and returned)

The recent news that Bonnie Collie will not only have to have surgery on her knee, but doctors will have to explore why her spay surgery was unsuccessful.

All of these incidents are normal in rescue, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not emotionally and financially draining.  Even though we’ve had to take our lumps, we did place many awesome dogs in wonderful new homes.

Like many other organizations, the economy has effected rescue.  Adoptions are slow, vetting prices are hard to afford, gas and food prices are going up, and the challenges are great.  Yet more and more people are leaving their animals behind as they find that they can’t afford to keep them.  There simply aren’t enough rescues, and until the general public cries out for affordable spay/neuter, until we stop supporting pet stores and the puppy mill industry, the help that we offer is a drop in the bucket.

I’d like to thank all of you for your prayers, support, and donations.  I looking forward to the new and improved Dog Liberator!

~Gisele

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