Reporter: Rachel McGreal Producer: Alexander Winton
Moore's Rescue Ranch, an animal shelter located in Champaign, has a unique mission to find homes for pets with disabilities or a history of abuse.
Kimberly Dalluge, the president and CEO of the shelter, knows firsthand the love and affection that these pets can provide. Dalluge's Chihuahua Paco is just one example of a disabled animal with a tragic past that turned into a treasured pet. What was supposed to be one night of Dalluge fostering Paco quickly turned into an adoption.
"When Paco came out of his kennel, he would bite people, he was scared. He had been terribly abused. And when he smelled my hand and he knew it was me. He came running out of that kennel. He jumped in my arms and there's a picture of him and me, and we both have these big smiles," said Dalluge.
Those kinds of experiences are what Dalluge hopes to bring to Central Illinois families and pets through their own adoptions. "When we place an animal with a family. It's truly a high," she said.
Ellen Baxter, a foster for Moore's Rescue Ranch, believes the most rewarding part of volunteering is seeing the pet go to their forever home. "It doesn't just make the dog happy. It makes the humans and that family very happy. They feel like their family is complete," said Baxter. For Baxter, fostering is what makes her feel complete. "I hope I can do it for at least another ten years," she added.
Dalluge says there is always a need for fosters at the rescue, and it's a great way to find out if adopting is a good fit for you. "If you’re meant to be a mom or a dad of a cat or a dog that has disabilities you'll know right away, and 99% of the time you're gonna say, ‘Yeah. This is who I
want to live with me," she said.
For those interested in adopting a pet with a history of abuse or disabilities, Moore's Rescue Ranch is always looking for more fosters.
Comentarios