Start an animal sanctuary

I loooooove animals. We have a shelter in my town, but I don’t think that it’s no-kill. I mean, it’s just that there are so many pervs that are constantly dumping animals that the shelter couldn’t possibly see all the animals adopted or keep them.

The biggest part of me that wants to do this isn’t the intelligent part. That part keeps reminding me how much money and work and people would have to be involved. Plus, I’d have to be rubbing betadine (or whatever that red stuff is) on more scratches and picking up more poop.

I did some research, and I would have to become a non-profit organization, which you have to clear with all sorts of people, I’d have to get a board of directors, I’d need vets in my Rolodex, volunteers, and professionally trained animal caretakers. By the way, non-profit means NO MONEY. So I don’t know how the heck I’m coming up with the $$ to pay vet bills, property taxes, etc. And I’m sure I’d have to get the right kind of building and make sure it was up to code. Whatever the codes are for animal facilities.

Basically, none of the research I did really encouraged me. But still, I think this is the secret dream of my heart. You know, the dream you have but don’t ever really expect to do. I guess I just found mine. I will just get a little older, gain a little more experience, and then see where to go from there.

If I’m meant to do this, God will help me make it happen. He’ll open some door, window, whatever. Or He’ll make sure the secret dream never dies. I don’t know what will happen. I’ll just keep researching, keep my options open. See how the rope unravels.

When I lived in England I used to help out at my local animal sanctuary CAWS and I learnt a lot. I would spend my whole summers there and there were all kinds of animals. We had dogs, cats, rabbits and chinchillas. Two white donkeys, a naughty shetland called Dennis and a jersey cow. Every day was different, moving and rewarding. It has been my ambition for a long time to open my own animal sanctuary. I know it will be hard work, but I know it is something I have to do. I live in Sydney and an awful lot of dogs end up in the pound, as so many people impulse buy their pets in pet shops and then can’t look after them. If you go to PAWS website you will see there are already people trying to rescue these dogs who have 7 days to be rehomed or 14 days if they are microchipped before they are put down. My aim is to try and help some of these dogs, especially the older ones, or ones with special needs. Later on I would like to expand to a farmed animal sanctuary. I know it is a very expensive operation and a huge commitment, so I am currently trying to get savings together.

I think I’d like to start visiting animal sanctuaries to get an idea of what exactly they entail. I know of the Best Friends’ Animal Sanctuary in Utah. I know of a tiger sanctuary in the Kanchanaburi province in Thailand where they let the tigers roam free with the visitors. Sounds dangerous, but I still want to see it.