Shelter Transport Animal Rescue Team | START Rescue | Get Involved

YOU can advocate for animals.

Of all of the states, California has the highest rate of euthanasia in the entire country (2022).

Animals are dying.

Since the pandemic began several factors have negatively impacted what was already a crises-level pet overpopulation level in California. Currently, all shelters are full and overflowing, and in California alone, hundreds of animals are euthanized every single day. Others are abandoned in the streets and deserts. The end to this is nowhere in sight.

Even in Los Angeles, a city very ironically branded a "no-kill" city for animals, our four-legged friends are dying in the streets, Shelters are refusing to take in animals due to lack of space and resources, and the forgotten needy animals in the shelters are suffering greatly.

Recently, START Rescue launched a huge city-wide billboard campaign to peak awareness about overflowing shelters. Thankfully, city leaders and the media are finally asking questions and tuning in to the crises at hand. See some of the recent articles and opinion pieces in the L.A. Times (paywall):

Dogs sit for weeks or months without walks. - July 2022
Horrified City Council Members React to Animal Shelter Crises - July, 2022
Animal shelter volunteers do work of staff - July 2022

WHY IS THERE SUCH A BIG CRISIS RIGHT NOW?

1. People are struggling financially and leaving pets behind: As inflation rises and people struggle to keep up, pets are being dumped at shelters.

2. Pet owners are abandoning their unwanted animals in cruel ways: Pets are being dumped in rural areas and left to die.

Dumped Pets - Bakersfield, CA

3. A Veterinarian Shortage Leads to Massive Delays in Spay/Neuter: The Pandemic led to a surge in veterinarian retirements leading to an international shortage of veterinarians. In turn, we're facing months-long wait times for spay/neuter appointments, sky-rocketing prices, a dearth of vet access, and not surprisingly a boom in new puppies and kittens.

3. Breeders are still breeding.

How YOU can help.

HANG A FLIER IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

Our board members frequently hang fliers while they are out and about in order to remind people that the shelters are full, and to adopt their next pet. Now you can too!

Click here to access a printable PDF.

STOP supporting breeders. With the crises at hand, it is now incontrovertible that we must take a pause (PAWS!) on breeding.

Would-be parents will wait months for a pet from a breeder and pay thousands of dollars for a special dog when with just a little patience and focus, you can find and ADOPT that same four-legged cutie, for a couple of hundred dollars in DONATIONS to a rescue group near you.

PETFINDER is your friend! Or just adopt a mixed breed or a large breed. There are literally thousands of large-breed (and yes purebred) dogs in the shelters RIGHT NOW.

When you adopt your pet from a shelter or a rescue group, then you will not only save THAT animal, you will immediately open up a slot and window of time for ANOTHER animal to be taken in and kept ALIVE. It's two-lives saved for one every ONE adoption!

ADOPT YOUR NEXT PET &

SHARE YOUR OPINION ONLINE

Write your local Council and Congress person

Send them an email, or fill out an online form on their website and tell them that YOU care about what is happening to the animals in your city and that you want them to find solutions and funding to support animals in your community.

Donate to your favorite rescue group

Saving lives is expensive. Your donations will truly help.

Support charity at zero-cost through Amazon

Whether that is us at START Rescue or somewhere else!

See if your favorite charities have an Amazon Wishlist and buy products directly.

Whether that is us at START Rescue or somewhere else!

Volunteer at your local shelter or rescue group

Shelters and rescue groups need volunteers now more than ever. There are a ton of different roles and positions at a variety of locations, many at home too, including dog walking, exercise, and enrichment, data entry, answering phones, writing thank-you cards, petting cats, building websites (hi!), and more. Find a place that is the best fit for YOU and make it happen.

Foster Animals

Did you know that many people who foster, decide what types of and how many, of which animals they would like to foster? For example, foster a litter of kittens and watch them play all day! Or foster two adult cats that are bonded and see them snuggle. Or foster small dogs only, or large breeds only, or learn to train a dog. There are many different fostering options and giving them up to a foster home can be difficult, YOU are stronger than you think! We KNOW that you too can be a foster! It is TRULY a LIFE-SAVING ENDEAVOR. Every foster home SAVES LIVES. As I sit here writing, I am saving FIVE lives! A momma cat and her kittens.

Get active on social media!

For every "share," "like," comment, and\or other positive interaction, YOU are helping the rescue organization to be seen and heard. The more active an organization's followers, the more the social media platform will share them with others! So, get active, have fun, and make a difference online!

More ways you can help

Fundraise

ONLINE: Create a GoFundMe campaign, or through Social Media, Facebook, Instagram Stories.

EVENT: Host an event, i.e. designate a table at a Birthday, Wedding, Anniversary, etc. Please ask us how we can help with online campaigns, materials, or setting up a table / booth.

For more info please contact: Rene@startrescue.org

Spread the word by posting, sharing tagging on Social Media, or by driving people to our site and donation link.

instagram.com/startanimalrescue

facebook.com/startanimalrescue

twitter.com/startrescueteam

https://www.tiktok.com/@startanimalrescue