for several years. She saw firsthand some of the difficulties shelters faced in finding homes for wonderful dogs because they were located in remote or poorly perceived locations. While people in New Jersey and Pennsylvania were on waiting lists for companion dogs at better known tri-state shelters, the shelters in rural areas of Pennsylvania and West Virginia had too many dogs and too few people interested in dog adoption. In areas such as Newark , New Jersey , companion animals were overlooked as people were uninterested in visiting an inner city shelter. Over population and low adoption rates forced these shelters to euthanize healthy companion animals ready for adoption on a daily basis—one shelter took in over 700 animals in one month alone.
Animal rescue activity and awareness was gaining momentum, but many rescues were breed specific. Anne Marie wanted to join a group that would incorporate some of the best practices she had seen work for other successful rescues. Keeping these best practice ideas in mind, she founded her own rescue in the summer of 2002. Rogers ' Rescues was and continues to be an "all-breed" rescue, meaning that dogs of any breed or mixing are welcome in the rescue. Rogers ' Rescues is also a virtual rescue, meaning that the administrative operations utilize the internet rather than a physical shelter. The majority of the rescued dogs are pulled from environments and reside in the homes of foster volunteers until they are adopted. |
An application process was designed and implemented to screen potential adopters, ensuring that the home was a good match for the dog, and creating a positive experience for the applicant. The process, which remains in place today, is much more thorough than most shelters and rescues. In addition to an online application, applicants submit two personal references and a vet confirmation that existing pets are cared for; undergo a general interview on the phone and an interview with the foster home; and receive a home visit—all prior to adopting a dog from us. The emphasis throughout the entire process is not only placed on finding best fit homes for our dogs, but also on courteous and professional treatment of applicants, which includes regular and timely communication.
The adopter approval system proved itself enormously successful. By the fall of 2002, the rescue grew to twenty volunteers, had its own Website, and established relationships with seven shelters.
 By 2003, Rogers ' Rescues began holding adoption days at local pet stores and venturing into the world of Pet Expos. An official motto, “Until there are none…Rescue one” was adopted and a governing Board was formed to balance the workload of the ever-expanding group. Rogers ' Rescues established relationships with local vets to provide basic care, vaccinations, and alterations for their foster dogs. Rogers ' Rescues also initiated proactive pre-adoption preventative vetting.
In 2004, the rescue continued to flourish under the direction of the Board and through the work of its dedicated volunteers. Founder Anne Marie Rogers departed the rescue mid-year due to a relocation to Texas . The application process was further streamlined to include a full adoption team responsible for phone and home interviews under the direction of an adoption coordinator, who is responsible for tracking all applicants and potential adoptions to make sure everyone receives personalized attention. The network of shelters expanded to include shelters in Kentucky which required the creation of a shelter liaison role. Rogers ' currently works with 12 shelters in West Virginia , Kentucky and New Jersey . By the end of the year, the number of volunteers in the rescue doubled, as did the number of dogs rescued.
As of year-end 2005, over 730 dogs have been rescued and adopted into loving homes. That's an average of one dog adopted every two days! The group has about sixty unpaid volunteers who work in several different capacities: screening applicants, working with shelters, fostering dogs, coordinating adoptions, transporting animals from shelters, and providing advice on transition, training, and other issues.
Through all of the changes, the key mission of the rescue still remains unchanged. Rogers' Rescues still opens its doors to dogs of any breed, and all dogs are cared for in loving foster homes prior to their adoption. All volunteers are unpaid and the rescue still relies 100% on donations and adoption fees to cover the basic expenses of food, transportation, and veterinary care.
Rogers' Rescues has been described as an "ever-growing circle of friends" and they take pride in the great things accomplished in just a few short years. Dogs that were unwanted have become treasured companions in homes across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maryland and New York. Adopters continue to keep former foster homes updated on their adopted dogs through emails and pictures. Rogers' Rescues maintains active contact with their "circle of friends" through the their Website and mailing list.
Rogers' Rescues past successes continue to inspire the volunteers. In 2007, Rogers' Rescues hopes to increase its network of members, shelters, and adopters; and raise more funds for taking care of those special medical cases that tug at everyone's hearts. And, of course, Rogers' Rescues will continue to help with the problem of pet overpopulation by rescuing as many dogs as possible and finding them wonderful forever homes. As the Rogers' Rescues motto states, "Until there are none..." there is work to do! |
