(originally sent December 10, 2006)

Recently, Mike and I essentially adopted some feral cats. With the help of a very nice lady with a big heart, we were able to trap them all and get them spayed and neutered. Read the full story (with pictures) here:

http://www.photoninja.net/blog/archives/2006/12/outside_kitties.html

During the time when we were soliciting help, we contacted over 20 organizations. One of these organizations was D&S Loving Animal Rescue:

http://www.petintegrity.com/index.php/d-s-loving-animal-rescue/

At the time, they were not able to help because they were caring for over 500 cats, but they did try to get in touch with other organizations who might be able to help and they kept me in mind for the future if they were able to adopt out some cats and make room for ours. It ended up being a moot point when I found the lady who was able to catch them all and get them spayed and neutered for us.

D&S Loving Animal Rescue was very nice, caring, and sincerely wanted to help. Now they are in their own bit of trouble. Their landlord has decided he wants more money for the place they are in and he does not want the animals there any more. They are having to find a place to move all the animals, the pet store, everything. They are not sure what we are gong to do. It is a very sad time for them right now, and a very scary time.

They are sending out the following plea (I am also including a Word document as an attachment in case you want to pring it out and distribute it):

"Donations make it possible.

D&S Loving Animal Rescue began its mission in 1992, started by Dawn Watchus and Shirley Helmick. Both ladies believed that no adoptable animal should be "put to sleep" simply because there were no adopters to take these poor creatures home. Their mission was to offer these furry friends a home for life if no one came to adopt them. To date, D&S has spayed/neutered and vaccinated nearly 2000 animals in the community. D&S is currently working with the City of Ridgecrest to secure a larger facility so that more animals can be saved. The goal is to have no animal in need turned away. (We have recently been given an eviction notice-we need help. We must move right away)

No-Kill animal shelters and rescues are becoming the wave of the future for a caring society that does not believe in treating its animals like throw away items. D&S Loving Animal Rescue is a not-for-profit organization and relies on donations from the community. D&S is operated by an all-volunteer staff who supplies love and care to all the animals.

D&S is educating the community in animal care through their work with the schools, speaking at local organization meetings, and working with the kids and the probation department. Educating family, friends and neighbors about their roles as guardians to their 4-legged friends will help spread the attitude that animals are more than disposable "property" to be discarded when someone tires of them.

D&S Loving Animal Rescue/Pet Integrity receives hundreds of requests from pet owners to accept their pets whom they can no longer afford to support, or whom they cannot keep for various reasons, such as health issues or moving somewhere where they are unable to keep their pets. Additionally, D&S receives numerous requests for financial assistance from pet owners to help with expensive medical bills, including spay or neutering, illnesses, vaccinations or injuries, and has responded to as many of these requests as possible. We also take in abandoned or neglected animals. It takes more than love to save them, which is why we need additional funding and volunteers.

Donations make it possible to keep this rescue operation going. All donations to D&S Loving Animal Rescue are used solely to pay the direct costs of the organization's animal care and placement. D&S Loving Animal Rescue is a non profit 501(c) (3) organization, and all donations are tax-deductible. If you would like to help us in our work to save the lives of these wonderful animals, please mail your tax deductible donation to:

D&S Loving Animal Rescue
925 E Ridgecrest Blvd.
Ridgecrest, CA 93555

Or visit our website at www.petintegrity.com to make a donation through Paypal. You can also visit our store to purchase items for your pets and/or to make a donation and hopefully sign up as a volunteer. All proceeds from the store are utilized to support D&S Loving Animal Rescue.

If you would like to make a Wish List Gift Donation, please send an e-mail to Dawn@petintegrity.com or come by Pet Integrity, located at the address noted above.

Some of the items on our wish list are: Paper Towels, Trash Bags, Bleach, Dove or Joy Liquid Dish Soap, or a Digital Camera.

We need a Volunteer Coordinator, Fundraising Coordinator, and Volunteers to help clean and care for the animals, who also love to be petted and brushed. We also need Foster Families to care for all animals including dogs, cats, and rabbits, and Animal Transporters to take them to the Vet. In addition, we are looking for people who know construction and/or building repair and are willing to donate their time. We have to move at the end of the year and will need help in setting up our new facility.

We are putting this plea out to the community! We have accomplished so much---please help us to continue. We need your assistance!"

Please help them if you can.

-Rebecca