Meet The Rescuers! Part 4, with Donna Darrell of Rebound Hounds!

Welcome to the 4th Edition of my Frost/Nixon-esque interview series, Meet the Rescuers! Today, we're talking to Donna Darrell of Rebound Hounds...

First of all, I can't believe how fast you responded - Do you have some sort of obsessive gene?

I do!

How many years have you been rescuing animals and why did you start?

Since Nov 2010

How many years has Rebound Hounds been around?

Since Nov 2010

So, wait, you didn't know anything about rescue and started a rescue? Like how did you even learn about the whole rescue "business?"

Nope i didn't know anything about rescue. In 2002 i even bought my bulldog from a pet store. when he died in Nov 2009 i was ready to go to another pet store to buy one then found out about puppy mills.

I went on Craigslist late Nov 2009 and looked to foster a dog and began fostering with Loren who is now my rescue partner. She was working with different rescues and we just liked each other. She always wanted to have her own rescue and asked me if I wanted to be part of it. I didn't like the woman Paula who was going in on it, so i declined. In the end, they told Paula that they couldn't work with her. So by Oct - Nov 2010 we started pulling.

I learned whatever i know from Loren.

How many animals has Rebound Hounds saved?

From Oct/Nov 2010 to today 7/25/12 we saved 413 animals from the ACC.

How do you get most of your funding?

100% of our funding comes from private donations.

How do you find homes for your dogs?

We find homes for our dogs via PetFinder, Craigslist, Facebook, Adopt-a-Pet and word of mouth.

How do you decide which animals to pull?

We'll (my rescue partners) talk about the dogs that are out there, but mostly it happens when someone reaches out to us and wants to save that particular animal.

The last person I interviewed, told me that the ACC is getting better (see Susan Cava's interview) - Do you agree, disagree or have no comment?

I really don't know if the ACC is getting better. They aren't funded properly so they cannot be doing better by the animals.

We are getting dogs that have been so sick and it has not been communicated to us.

Actually by pulling these sick dogs (we pulled 6 that had pneumonia in May/June) they didn't tell us therefore burdening the rescues.

So i would then need to disagree. I think they are fine tuning things as far as communication, but don't see an overall improvement.

Do you have goals for your rescue? If so, what are they?

Well we haven't really been discussing goals but we are definitely learning by experience. I mean ultimately, having a "place" where we can keep our dogs instead of boarding would be ideal, but that's not a revenue making opportunity. We would have no way of funding that.

How often, and for how long, do you follow-up with people who have adopted your dogs?

We follow up with many many adopters. They keep us updated with pics on Facebook, emails etc. We just got one today that a foster took 2 cats (to adopt) and a dog to foster in April. She told us that she had to remove the eye of one of the cats because the vet said it needed to come out. They got back the results of the tests they did and they said had they not removed the eye (it was cancerous) it would have metastasized and it could have been a lot worse.

Just last week an adopter of ours stepped up to foster Bubby. We vetted her but she wasn't getting better. So our foster took her to her vet and spend $1200 of her own money and in the end we had to put her down.

She had possible brain damage, fused vertebrae, kidney failure etc. We didn't know anything about her health issues from the shelter.

What do you do when you're not rescuing animals?

Walking dogs, boarding dogs and doing lots administration duties for the rescue.

Whats your favorite TV show?

Actually a lot of the "reality" shows on Bravo (head held in shame).

How would you spend all the free time you'd have if you never got into rescue?

I remember before I was in rescue, I would do lots of soul searching trying to figure out what is it i wanted to do. What were my hobbies.... This is it now.

Name something about you that most people don't know...

I finished high school six months early.

Well, aren't you something! BTW - you have an interesting name - three letters are repeated and both names start with the same letter (I'm guessing you already knew this)

My whole life, I have been told I had a movie stars name. LOL.

I've been told I have an accountant's name.

You do! LOL.

Thanks.

To learn more about Donna's work with Rebound Hounds, go to their website here.

Harris Bloom

Founder/President

Stewie to the Rescue

Meet The Rescuers! Part 3, with Rescuzilla's Susan Cava!

Welcome to our third edition of our award-wnning (ok, not really) smash hit series, Meet The Rescuers, where I talk to some of NYC's (and beyond!) movers and shakers in the animal rescue world (Who cares about the other world?). To see other interviews, click here. Today's Q and A is with Susan Cava , who runs the awesomely monikored Rescuzilla!

Hey Susan...How many years have you been rescuing animals and why did you start?

Well, you don't walk into New York's Animal Care and Control and walk out without a desire to help the animals there.  I adopted my dog Juno, who has since passed, in 1996 and started volunteering with Pet-I-Care and the ACC shortly after.  With experience and passion some years later, it was a natural evolution into Rescuzilla.  

How many years has Rescuzilla been around?

Rescuzilla has been around for three years...but the current version of it with Katherine Good, Carolina Leon-Duarte and Lesli VanSchaick is around just over a year.  I was ready to hang Rescuzilla's little hat when these three amazing friends and ladies said they were ready to be partners in the rescue.  We have been able to save far more animals together and stay slightly sane while doing it.

What do you do when you're not rescuing animals?

Nothing.  I kid, I kid.  I just moved out to the beach and am really enjoying biking, running, soon surfing and hanging with friends and family.

Whats your favorite TV show?

Hmmm...I am loving Archer and Mad Men right now.  And I hold my head in shame while admitting I am hooked on Celebrity Apprentice...probably because I want to go on the show, do it better and win money for our rescue!  But oops, I'm not a celebrity! haha.

Who were you rooting for on Celebrity Apprentice this year? I can't stand the show (I hate most of the "celebs" as well as Trump and his brood) but my wife watches it, therefore, I watch it. Even though I'm a comic, I thought Lisa Lampanelli came off really poorly, and I thought that Miss World (or whatever) handled herself very well.

Yeah, Lisa came off like a weirdo but that's ok - better to have some passion than none! =)

Weirdo? More like an asshole, but, more importantly, something I've always been interested in - How do you decide which animals to pull?

The core of Rescuzilla - myself, Katherine and Carolina - are hands on volunteers at the ACC.  We get to know the animals there and find animals that would match up with our fosters.  Sometimes people need a low-energy dog or a cat-friendly pooch - we get to know the animals first hand and figure out what works...then you meet one that matches up to no one and grabs your heart and all logic goes out the window!  But generally speaking we try to focus on dogs that match up to our resources - vetting and age are not major factors - but behavior is the big one. 

Are you vegan?

Yes, I am vegan and don't understand the disconnect most rescuers have between saving some animals and eating others.  There is little difference between a pig and a dog, they have the same capacity to feel and to learn. Running an animal rescue while eating animals seems like a convenient type of morality.  I'm just saying!

I'll take a stab at that ...


1 - We don't see pigs every day - its tougher to get that emotional attachment when we never see them, and when we do, they aren't wagging their tails or rubbing up against us

2 - It's how most of us grew up - Sposedly, Obama ate dog as a child, and you know what, I don't hold that against him - That was his culture...our culture is eating meat, though not dog

3 - We all get into animal rescue for our own reasons, but some are very specific, like I got into it partially to overcome guilt I felt about my own dog being killed - It actually had nothing to do with animals in general... of course, the more I got into it, the more of a "lunatic" I am becoming....

I haven't eaten meat or chicken for a month and don't plan on going back to it, but I don't condemn those that do -

Well...I'm not sure how we grew up dictates who we are and yeah, I don't see pigs each day but when animal flesh is in front of me it is still a dead animal. I don't see the difference at all with eating dogs or eating cows - they are all living, feeling, helpless animals in hellish conditions prior to slaughter. 

Assuming current management stays the same and the budget does not increase, whats one change you would make if you were in a position of power at the ACC?

Well my dear Harris, let's deal with reality instead and note that there are way more volunteers and a lot more organization at the ACC nowadays.  The ACC still needs a bazillion changes (specifically the actual shelter itself [bigger cages in the overflow area being numero uno in my book]) but as long as the Board of Health is there to veto anything that requires logic or money, I'd like to see more people at the ACC volunteering. 


It's a basic orientation, some training online and a few hours being trained in the shelter - it's really not that complicated.  So people can donate as little as two hours of time each month to walk dogs or people can sew beds at home and drop them off - there is just so much that people can do!  Rather than daydream about the changes we'd like to see if we were in charge of the ACC, how about we simply do those changes as volunteers?  Rescuzilla is part of the force that is there doing it - let's see more people be part of it!

Wait... There's more organization now? In what way? 

There are more volunteers? Then why are some dogs still going days without getting outside (http://shelterreform.org/blog1/?p=1015)

There are far more volunteers there - easily, hands down, the Level 1's are always in and out and now Level 2's are growing. Little things like Lindsay, the vol coordinator, sending out pleas for vols or making sure the bins are stocked with walking logs or treats are stocked at all times. There are now shelves for the clean dishes - places for the dirty bowls. All the cats always have toys. The dogs often have kongs. Small diffs that those who hung on prior to Julie cannot deny. The place still needs oodles of work but for those who are physically in the shelter, there is certainly improvement.

  

I'm not in the trenches so I can't argue, but I think some would (comment if you disagree). How would you spend all the free time you'd have if you never got into rescue? 

Open a vegan baked goods line.  If people come to our fundraising events, I try to always have my killer cookies there!

Where are you originally from?


Yorktown Heights, NY.

Name something about you that most people don't know...

Before I volunteer at the shelter, I blast Alice in Chains in my headphones so I can get charged up to deal with all the lonely animals I am about to encounter...many of whom will die the next day.  It breaks your heart every single time...but this world of animal rescue we are in, it is not for the meek of heart.

I agree. Thanks for your time!


If you want to learn more about Rescuzilla, visit their website at www.rescuzilla.com.

Susan Cava with Babe, her favorite foster pittie of all-time.

Harris Bloom
Founder/President
Stewie to the Rescue

Meet The Rescuers! Part Two, w/Lori Carpino of Heavenly Angels!

Welcome to our second edition of our smash hit series, Meet The Rescuers, where I talk to some of NYC's (and beyond!) movers and shakers in the animal rescue world (Who cares about the other world?). Today's Q and A is with Lori Carpino, who runs Heavenly Angels Animal Rescue!

How many years have you been rescuing animals and why did you start?

Its been about 6 yrs I've been doing rescue, I started out as a volunteer at ACQ , then became manager.

I've always loved animals, a lot more then I've ever liked people. I've been through a lot in my life and almost lost it twice. I believe strongly in second chances , rescuing to me is like breathing, I have a very strong connection with animals and have been able to rehab dogs that looked like they would never be able to find homes. In the 6 yrs I've been rescuing I've placed about 2000 dogs/cats in homes. 

Dunno if you wanna answer but what happened at ACQ and why did you move it to Heavenly Angels?

I took over ACQ because my previous boss got tired and I had not been working full time the year prior to me taking it on. It became too much for him and I needed to just do my own thing.

How many employees do you have? Volunteers? Do you also have fosters?

We have 2 employees, about 10 full time volunteers and about 20 more volunteers that help when they can, as well as fosters. In addition, we have many high school students who do internships with us as well. 

Cats and dogs? Anything else?

We have guinea pigs and an occasional rabbit as well as dogs/cats.

How many pets do you have? What kind?

I have 11 of my own dogs. 2 pitbulls, 6 chihuahuas, a dachshund , a shih tzu, and a JRT/Doxie mix.


How do you choose which animals to pull?


So many people ask me how I choose, really I don't know, I guess depends on the space we have first. I'll take any little dog , old or young, mean or nice. I love Pits and Chihuahuas , which is mostly what we have at our place.

What do you do when you're not rescuing animals?

Running an actual facility is full time for me , I work 7 days a week . There really is never a time I'm not rescuing LOL.

What's your favorite TV show?

I hardly ever watch TV.

Favorite books?

Desperation by Stephen King.

Favorite movies?

I am a horror movie lover, prefer zombies over vampires.

Fast moving zombies or slow... And most importantly, do you consider 28 Days Later (and it's sequel) a zombie movie or not?


Yes I would consider both zombie movies. Either speed is ok , but fast movers give me chills, they're super skin crawling scary.

How would you spend all the free time you'd have if you never got into rescue?

I honestly don't know what I would do if I wasn't rescuing, probably catch up on sleep. :) 

Where are you originally from?

I was raised in Tribeca NY, but now live in Brooklyn.

Tell us something about you that most people don't know...


Most people don't know that I majored in Forensic Psychology and have an affinity for Serial Killers and their behaviors. 

Do you have favorite serial killers?


Charles Manson and Richard "The Night Stalker" Ramirez.

I love that you bothered to write his nickname too...you're obviously a big fan. And I'm now officially a little scared of you. Thanks for your time!

You can LIKE Heavenly Angels on Facebook by clicking HERE

You can check out their website HERE.

Harris Bloom

President/Founder

www.stewietotherescue.org

Meet The Rescuers!

Welcome to our brand spankin' new series -  Meet The Rescuers! 

I'm gonna have interviews with people involved with the various animal rescues located in NYC, and beyond! Why? I think it's a good way to find out what makes these people tick, and I think it'll be fun. How long will I be doing this? As long as I'm in the mood! Can your rescue be part of it? Damn, you ask a lot of questions! But sure, just write me at stewietotherescue@gmail.com. Thanks!


Our first Q & A is with Jennifer Brooks, who runs Second Chance Rescue out of Queens, NY...


How many years have you been rescuing animals and why did you start?


I have been rescuing animals since I am 18. It started with kittens on the streets. I have always had a passion for animals. When i was 5 years old, while most kids are playing house, I used to play "animal shelter"- this is why I think I was destined to be a rescuer. I started pulling from ACC after adopting my 2nd personal dog, in 2006. I adopted her from a small rescue, and it was explained that she came from a place called "NYCACC"- I had never heard of such a place. I went on a visit to NYCACC with the rescuer who I adopted her from. I will never forget that day- it changed my life. The rescuer explained to me as she pointed to cages, that all these animals will be killed tomorrow, I cried, and vowed to do something more to help the animals in ACC.

How many years has Second Chance Rescue been around?

Second Chance Rescue was established in 2009. Before I started my own rescue, I worked closely under some of the other rescues who have been around a long time. this is how I learned what i know now, they taught me the ropes. Once I felt confident, I said I want my own thing now, its time, and SCR was born.

What do you do when you're not rescuing animals?

When I am not rescuing, I am working as a full time teacher at a JHS in Queens teaching 7-8th grade US History. I also take care of my own personal 5 pit-bulls, who are my babies. Then I eat, sleep, catch a tv show here and there, hang out with my fiance, who has a ton of patience for putting up with my insane life.

Whats your favorite TV show?

Real House Wives or anything on Bravo.

Real Housewives? Really?

Lol.  Yes, I love that show. Also I like Pit Bulls and Paroles too..

Okay, you redeemed yourself with Pit Bulls and Parolees (slightly). How would you spend all the free time you'd have if you never got into rescue?

I have no idea what I would do with so much time.

How many hours a week do you think you devote to rescue?

Hmmm... this is hard to say- lets see I would say 5 hours a day during week (5x5)=25, and one full day on weekend, plus a few hours on the other weekend day ( between computer, transporting animals, doing adoption events, going to the vet, doing adoptions, and home visits, talking dogs on the phone)  I would estimate 35-40 hours, wow that is a second full time job!!

How do you decide which dogs to pull out of the shelter? Do you look at the euth list?

Yes, sometimes euth list, sometimes it is pleas that New Hope sends to me, sometimes it is what volunteers say about a dog, or just a picture that gets to me. 

How many fosters and volunteers work with you at Second Chance?

Hmmm, we have about 6-7 fosters  and about 5 solid volunteers. We can always use more help and volunteers, and we can really use some more foster homes.

How many dogs is your org currently responsible for?

Right now we have 22 dogs, both in foster and boarding. We really need to get our numbers down so we can help more dogs, we are very full at the moment.

 

How many dogs do you personally have? Do you also have fosters?

I have 5 personal dogs. All of them are MINE. Two of them were failed fosters. Unfortunately due to the number of Pit bulls we have in the house (3 girls, 2 boys) I can't foster anymore. If I could do it over again, I would not have kept so many dogs, so I always had room for 1 or 2 fosters- advice to newbies, dont keep your foster dogs!! My first dog I rescued from North Shore when I was 23, his name is Tyson ( he is half a pit) My other 4 dogs are all former Brooklyn ACC dogs ( Jake, Bubbles, Lexus, and Lacy-Mae) all pitties.

How does your fiancé feel about all of this? 

 Humm, well, it is a constant struggle. He puts up with it. He loves our dogs, but he just doesn't understand the amount of time that I need to dedicate to rescue. He is supportive at times, and other times, not so much. It takes a lot of time away from our relationship. However, he has learned to deal with it.

What if he gave you an ultimatum... It's me or the dogs?

You mean him or our dogs? or rescue?

Either way, dogs win.

Tell us something about you that most people don't know...

I am a great skier and figure skater.

Awesome! Thanks for your time!

You can reach Second Chance Rescue by emailing them at rescue@nycsecondchancerescue.com

You can "friend" Second Chance Rescue on Facebook here.

You can also support Second Chance Rescue at our joint comedy fundraiser at Gotham Comedy Club on May 2nd - DETAILS HERE...

Harris Bloom

Founder/President

www.stewietotherescue.org