What is C.A.R.E.?
C.A.R.E. is the
Community Animal Rescue Effort, a 501c3 not-for-profit all volunteer
organization dedicated to promoting the humane treatment of domestic
pets through public education and active involvement with the unwanted
and abandoned animals brought to the Evanston Animal Shelter.
Each day, the 100+ C.A.R.E. volunteers assume
responsibility for total care of all Shelter animals. Each volunteer
puts in anywhere from 3 to 30+ hours every week, both at the Shelter
and in activities outside the Shelter, performing functions such as:
- Walking Dogs
- Exercising Cats
- Cleaning cages
and kennel areas
- Bathing and
grooming animals
- Working with
frightened, anti-social animals
- Paying for
veterinary care, inoculations, and vaccinations
- Transporting
animals to and from veterinary clinics
- Working with
veterinarians at the Shelter as part of a testing/inoculation program
initiated by C.A.R.E.
- Medicating
animals as directed by veterinarians
- Feeding &
watering animals on evenings, weekends, and holidays
- Washing bowls,
toys, towels, bedding, etc.
- Working with
Evanston Animal Wardens as needed to comply with city rules &
assure accreditation by the Department of Agriculture
- Interviewing
all potential adopters in-depth and then matching appropriate animals
with adopters
- Conducting all
adoptions, filling out required paperwork, administrating follow-up
program
- Supplementing
city food budget with volunteer funds to provide higher quality food
for Shelter animals
- Purchasing
additional equipment not in city budget to maintain quality care for
Shelter animals (including such things as cages, kennel fan, vaccine
refrigerator, washing machine, clothes dryer, etc.)
- Conducting
on-going fund-raising to raise monies to cover all expenses
- Conducting
community out-reach programs to educate residents on responsible pet
care
Volunteers are
frequently called upon to take animals into their homes and "foster"
them in times of overcrowding at the Shelter and when animals need
special care.
With only one
visiting room, two washrooms, and a vestibule in which to introduce and
show animals to prospective adopters, C.A.R.E. manages to find good
homes for more than 400 cats and dogs each year. While the majority of
animals adopted out are in the 2-5 year old range, a large percentage
of the animals are older; and a very special goal of C.A.R.E.
volunteers is to find loving homes for these older animals. Puppies and
kittens make up less than 10% of adoptions.
Without the gratis
participation of C.A.R.E. volunteers, it could be necessary
once again to euthanize the majority of animals brought to the Shelter
-- because of insufficient salaried personnel to care for them and
insufficient dollars to continue the programs and services that
C.A.R.E. itself now funds.
C.A.R.E. is licensed by the State of Illinois Department of Agriculture (License 14383).
Your participation
as a C.A.R.E. volunteer or financial supporter WILL make a difference. For more information, please read our FAQ.
