Hello All!  I am involved with a group in Shawnee, OK that is working to create an adoption friendly city.  Our ultimate goal is to achieve an environment where only viscious or terminally ill dogs are put down.  We almost have our 501C non profit status.  We currently have a board and regularly scheduled meetings.  We have had several small successes in shutting down some of the puppy mill people that were selling dogs within the city limits.  We are beginning to get some much needed public attention so that we can get more public involvement.  Once the non profit status is secure, we will begin doing more advertising and public awareness programs and solicitations for donations.

My whole point of writing this is to elicit any and all suggestions and/or help from anyone out there that may have experience in achieving this kind of status.  I would be grateful to anyone that might have some helpful ideas so that we can benefit from others mistakes or suggestions.  If you have had success in something that is cost effective or even something that didn't work, I would love to hear about it.

Our main thrust is to get an adoption center built ASAP so that we can house as many of the strays as possible.  In addition, making spay/neuter a major focus and talking point is our primary goal.  If anyone has some good ideas about how to achieve this other than the usual billboards and local newspapers, please let me know.  I guess I'm asking for innovative ideas that we might not come up with locally.

I know everyone in this group is here for the same basic reason, you love your babies.  Help us save more of them and ultimately get everyone possible to spay/neuter their pets.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

DocVicki

DocVicki - I applaud your efforts. 

You are right, we are all here because we love our pets.  When we work together it is amazing what we can accomplish.  We can help the cause by being responsible owners.  We can and should promote spay/neuter programs.  We can foster and adopt. 

There are so many opportunities, in each of our specific locales,  to help the animals.  I challenge everyone to take one new step toward helping animals in need.

Just like you are doing in Oklahoma.  Good for you, and best of luck.

I'm sorry I don't have any advice for you.  But I do have a question.  I am a HUGE advocate of no kill with open admission as you described.  I'm just wondering how you got your group started?  How did you find people in your area who all wanted the same goal?  So many people are against this philosophy.

Honestly, there were so many rescue groups around the area, generating interest wasn't really our problem.  We simply had to find a way to get organized so that everyone could come under one umbrella and work together.  That's not as easy as it sounds either.

We had a few people that were much like you.  The thing that seemed to make the most difference in our situation was the introduction of a new resource within the Shawnee Police Dept. This gentleman is a true animal advocate and the perfect liason for us.  He has been instrumental in working with the city leaders along with the local animal shelter guys.  With his help and support we have been able to dialogue with the city commisioners, etc. and gotten much more done in a short time. 

All of our rescue groups have been invited to be included in the board, although few stepped up.  Everyone has been invited and our meetings remain open to everyone. 

My suggestions are to get someone in the local city government involved, if you can.  Someone within the police department which is usually involved in your local animal control would be a good choice.  The main thing is to find someone who can act as a liason to work with the city on your behalf.  Advertising in some fashion in your local paper is a must.  You can start by simply writing opinion pieces or something.  I think you will find there are a lot of like minded people in your area that you just don't know of.

Good luck with your efforts.

Hi DocVicki!

It's wonderful what you want to do and I hope that you have great success with it!!!

Here in Utah we have an outstanding rescue organization called Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, they are doing the same thing you want to do and they offer lots of advice and I believe they even have seminars you can attend to help you achieve the organization that you're looking for.  The website is www.bestfriends.org

Best of luck!!!!

wild4animals