Rescue Matters: How to Find, Foster, and Rehome Companion Animals: A Guide for Volunteers and Organizers »

Part I of Rescue Matters! covers the legal, organizational, and paperwork needs of rescue groups, as well as finding and working with volunteers. Part II deals with the animals themselves: how to evaluate (health issues, personality assessment, type of home needed) foster homes and veterinary care, assessing potential adopters, training, and dealing with behavioral problems. The book offers something for everyone interested in saving homeless pets, from those wanting to help out a few hours a week to those willing to provide foster homes or volunteer their organizational, office, or publicity skills.

Foreword Dean Koontz vii

Preface ix

Acknowledgments x

Introduction xi

Part I People and Policies 1

Chapter 1 Getting Organized 3

How to Organize 4

Who's In Charge Here? 4

Where are You? Points of Contact 5

Incorporation 9

Establishing Policies and Procedures 11

Legal Documents 15

Insurance 15

Chapter 2 Volunteers: The Hearts of Rescue 17

Fostering Animals in Transition 18

I Can't Take in Animals What Can I Do? 21

Before You Leap: Pitfalls of Rescue Work 23

Burnout 26

Chapter 3 Finding, Training, and Managing Volunteers 28

Where Are You Now? 28

Recruiting Volunteers 29

Screening Potential Volunteers 32

Organizing, Training, and Empowering Volunteers 34

Chapter 4 Financial and Materials Support 39

Not-For-Profit and Tax-Exempt Status 40

Raising Money 40

Soliciting Support 43

Cutting Costs 45

Chapter 5 Spreading the Word 49

Networking on the Internet 50

Networking Face to Face 50

Publicity and the Media 54

Additional Ideas for Publicity 57

Teaching More than Rescue 58

Delayed Reactions 60

Part II The Animals 61

Chapter 6 Animals in Need, or What It's All About 63

Animal Management Basics 63

Phone Calls and Paperwork 66

Points of Origin 70

Chapter 7 The Human Side of Rescue Work 76

The Cultural Setting 77

Preventing and Correcting Pet Problems 78

Supporting Your Adopters 80

Chapter 8 Health Screening for Rescue 81

Setting Up Standard Procedures 82

Health Issues 85

Preventing Disease 91

Parasites 92

Altering 96

Chapter 9 Temperament and Behavior 99

Temperament 100

Aggression 100

Health Related Behavioral Problems 102

Other Common Behavioral Problems 102

Chapter 10 RehomingRescued Pets 109

Attracting Adopters 109

Screening Adopters 110

Matchmaking: The Right Person for the Right Pet 115

Adoption Contracts 115

Going Home 117

Follow-up Procedures 118

Chapter 11 Optimism 120

Appendix 1 Sample Documents 123

Adoption Application 124

Foster Caretaker Application 129

Appendix 2 Resources 135

About the Author 141

Index 143