Recently Pets Alive was contacted by Justin and Dr. Corry Key, who operate a veterinary clinic in Atkins, AR and were working with a local rescue group that had fallen on hard times. Started by a couple who began to rescue area dogs following a tornado, the rescue had grown to an unmanageable size and money was very scarce - and then one of the two founders became sick with a cancer that would later become terminal. The vet was concerned for the animals at the rescue and the founders were desperate for help. Pets Alive agreed to help and Pets Alive Middletown Executive Director Kerry Clair and volunteers Pat Whitacre of Best Friends and John Sibley travelled to AR last week to assess the situation and the animals and talk to the rescue's founders.

Peg, who is very ill, does not have much time left and Jim does not want to continue rescue alone and does not have adequate funding to continue. Pets Alive agreed to take all of the dogs to begin new lives in New York. Many of the dogs will first go to Pets Alive Westchester, which has more space, and some will go to Pets Alive Middletown. By and large the dogs are small and medium breeds, well socialized to people and to dogs, friendly, and healthy. They're one of the nicest groups of dogs we've ever met! Here at Westchester we keep a few kennels empty for just this reason - so we can step up and assist with mass rescues when we're needed, and we are needed now!

The first transport of approximately dogs will arrive at both locations on Tuesday, Dec 20, and the dogs will be available a short time after that.

Pets Alive is an organization well familiar with this scenario - when the founder of Pets Alive Middletown, Sara Whalen passed away of cancer, Best Friends stepped in to assist us with getting back on our feet. When the Elmsford Animal Shelter was in danger of dissolving, Pets Alive stepped in to help and created Pets Alive Westchester. We are proud to carry on the tradition of paying it forward and assisting rescues in need.

We have partners assisting us with this rescue including the ASPCA and Justin and Dr. Correy Key of Southwind Animal Hospital, but we still need your help - we can't do this alone. More than $3500 has already been spent to plan this rescue and we're nowhere near done; the dogs will still need veterinary care, dentals, food, toys, grooming, and staff assistance - not to mention keeping the lights lit and the heat on! We are appealing to you to become our partners in rescue - even $5 would help. Please help us show these dogs that we "got their back", that they're safe now, and that they will soon be going into their forever homes to be loved and cherished.

Thanks to you, dogs like Ducky will get the chance at a home and a family that they so dearly deserve. Thanks to you, dogs that were once discarded will know love and warmth and comfort.

Thank you for being our partners in rescue.