Support keeps rescue group going
FUNDRAISER HELPS WINDY CITY FIND OLDER CANINES NEW HOMES
You may have noticed more dogs than usual at Henderson Park Saturday and many of them were searching for their forever home.
The annual Bark in the Park fundraising event took over the horseshoe pit area and all the proceeds raised go towards the Windy City Canine Rescue. There was a charity barbecue and agility performances. Prairie Pit bull Rescue, Better Chance Animal Rescue and the Lethbridge Animal Shelter were also present with some of their dogs in need of adoption.
The Windy City Canine Rescue group was started in 2009 and is a volunteer-based organization that works to help dog, mostly the older ones, find their homes.
“The older dogs are great, too because you don’t have a lot of the behaviour issues like chewing and potty training to worry about,” said Bobbi Davis, president of the Windy City Canine Rescue.
“Just because they’re older doesn}t mean that they’re not going to give you years and years of love in the future.”
All the dogs that make their way to the Windy City Canine Rescue are housed in a foster home first where they work on house training and basic obedience until they get adopted and they all have their veterinary needs dealt with.
They are all sprayed or neutered, their vaccinations are updated, they get microchipped and all other issues that need to be addressed are taken care of prior to adoption.
This can become expensive, which is why fundraising events like this are so important to the organization. The funds raised will be used to help cover the costs of the veterinarian bills, food and other operating costs for the program, according to Davis.
She stressed the importance of holding fundraising events like this and was thankful for the continued support. Without the help of the community, she said she feels that these dogs would otherwise be placed in shelters where they could be put down.
“Where as if we keep them in our program, they go into homes, they are kept in foster homes and treated like family members until they get to a new home. So, it’s an easier transition for them. It’s less stressful.”