What is Few Steps From Home Animal Rescue?
Few Steps from home animal rescue is designed to help abused, unwanted, and stray animals (dogs and cats) find forever homes. We do careful screening on all applicants to ensure the pets are the right match for the household. Our goal is to place these animals into forever homes.
Who founded the rescue and how and when did it start?
Few Steps From home was founded by the president Heather Smith. When Heather was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis she searched for something she could do to make a difference. She started getting involved in rescue work by writing a newsletter for another local rescue. Then she started to foster dogs and cats and decided she would be of more use to start her own rescue. Few Steps From Home rescue was started in 2007.
I hear a lot about the rescue, where can I find articles or more information on it?
We have some articles that have been written about the rescue in our adoption book which can be seen at events. Few Steps From Home has been featured in many newspapers such as the Bay City Times, the Saginaw News as well as the Midland newspaper. The rescue has also been featured in channel 25 news, channel 5 news and Heather herself had been nominated for Hometown Hero last year from the Bay City Times. Articles about the rescue can be found under our link section of the site.
Do you take in only certain breeds of dogs?
Few Steps From Home is an all breed rescue. We accept anything from a Poodle to a Saint Bernard!
I have heard you accept Pit Bulls, do you have someone experienced enough to handle dogs like that?
Pit Bulls are a very misunderstood dog. The actually make wonderful companion pets for families and they love children. They do take a strong leader to handle them and keep up on the training they need. Here at Few Steps From Home Heather is the Pit Bull expert. She knows how to handle these dogs and deal with problem behavior. We also work closely with a wonderful dog trainer who deals with extreme cases of agression as well as many other problems. Between Heather and John our dog trainer, no dog is too much dog for them.
Do you have a facility I can see the dogs or the cats at?
All of our dogs are fostered in Private homes so they can get more one on one attention. An appointment should be made prior to meeting the dogs. Some of our cats are in private foster homes also. We place the cats that need more hands on into foster homes. All of our other cats are in our cattery which houses about 25 cats. All of the cats in the cattery are very well taken care of, fed, and socialized by many dedicated volunteers. But again, you will need an appointment to see any of the animals in our care.
Why does it cost so much to adopt a pet from you?
Our animals only receive the highest quality of vet care. The costs vary a great deal from animal to animal depending on how much we have to put into them medically. All of our animals come with Distemper series vaccinations (dogs), rabies, spayed/neutered (dependent on age), heart worm tests and traetment, treated for fleas, ear mites, tested for FIV/LEUK (cats), and microcipped (dogs). You can see an extensive list of what is put into the animals under the application section. We have to ask the amounts that we do for the animals in our care so we can pay the vet bill and be able to help the next dog or cat that needs us.
Are you tax exempt?
At this time we are not tax exempt under the 501 C 3 non profits. We will be applying for our tax exempt status very soon. Remember however, being tax exempt does not make a rescue better then another. Anyone can get tax exempt.
I adopted an animal from few steps From home, do you take the animals back and is there a time limit you will accept them back into the program?
We accept all animals we have adopted out back into our program. In fact, it is in our adoption contract that by law the animal must be returned to us. Of course, we do try to help you keep the pet through whatever problems you are having with them. There is no time limit for taking the animals back into the system.
MORE Q&A TO COME....................
