Urgent: Keep dog rescue operating, keep dogs alive

Hi, my name is Kyle Kesterson. I have established this GoFundMe to help my mother, Tamera, and her passionate endeavor of rescuing dogs from being euthanized.

Donating will help stop 70+ dogs from immediately going back on the euthanasia list and forcibly shutting down her rescue. -- A $120 donation sponsors 1 dog

In her 13+ years of rescuing, rehabilitating, medically treating and rehoming over 4,200 abandoned, abused, injured and given-up dogs, she has not seen anything like what has happened during and after the pandemic. With shelters and rescues being at 3-4x over capacity, the results are overwhelming and crippling the rescue world. Yet, through it all, my mother has worked tirelessly to avoid this from happening to such a degree. Still, she has reached a moment that needs the community to come together to keep providing this invaluable, life-saving service for these animals.

If you’d like to skip the background information, you can jump down to ‘DETAILS OF THE REQUESTED SUPPORT.’ Thank you so much for reading.

OVERVIEW OF DOG RESCUE

For many years, there has been a significant need for adoptions of homeless and abandoned dogs, typically given up to 30 days before being placed on a “last call” euthanasia list. Today, so many dogs are surrendered, or abandoned strays brought to shelters that they have hardly a week before being euthanized. Whatever dogs have been there the longest are at risk. This often includes full-term pregnant dogs and puppies only days old.

Shelters are where discarded, injured, abandoned, and otherwise unwanted dogs typically end up. They are the most publicly visible, having direct relationships with Animal Control and being funded by the county or city. As shelters are overwhelmed beyond capacity, it is up to small, independently run rescues to alleviate their burden. These rescues are private organizations of people that volunteer because of their heart for animals and their welfare.

The current rate of euthanasia throughout the country is 4,000 to 10,000 animals per day, with 9 out of 10 being healthy, adoptable pets. Conservative reports state that 11 to 25 million animals each year are euthanized.

Due to the pandemic and post-pandemic overwhelm, many facilities and shelters are closing their doors because they can no longer help at the capacity needed, and the financial burden has become too great. Through it all, I watch my mother work tirelessly to avoid this from happening. The only way she can continue is for the community to come together to keep providing this invaluable, life-saving service for these animals.

ABOUT HER RESCUE K9RR

On average, Tamera's rescue K9RR Rescue & Rehabilitation finds homes for 280-350 per year but will place over 400 dogs this year.

She is popularly known as one of the few rescues which takes the dogs that all other shelters and rescues reject, often due to behavior issues or medical expenses. This includes dogs that require long-term behavior modification to be adoptable and completely feral dogs that have never been domesticated. For example, she has had some dogs for up to 4 years before being ready and able to find the perfect match, including a brother/sister pair of Pitbulls, or two blind German Shepherds she still has. Some dogs she knows she’ll never find a home for, she adopts herself, two of which she’s had the entire 13 years she’s been running the rescue.

Her work days for years of 10 hrs have become grueling 15+hr days, seven days a week all year with no time off, and it personally devastates me to see her unable to rest while also sinking further into debt. It seems that no matter how hard she works and how many dogs she saves, the need is too great, and the expenses keep multiplying.

K9RR RESCUE BY THE NUMBERS

For 2022, her total operating expenses are approximately $187,000. Between adoption fees and donor support, up to the point of this GoFundMe, the rescue has generated $161,000.

Her typical adoption fees range from $200-$600.

Spays and neuters, required on all dogs who don’t have them, for her are $300-$350. For the general public, these surgeries are now $600-$1000.

Other standard expenses include microchipping, flea and worm treatments, dental work, nail clipping, vaccines, food, dog beds, shampoos and detergents, toys, treats, and grooming.

Then there are the more significant case-by-case expenses, including amputations (7 already this year), antibiotics for infections, heart medications, x-rays, echocardiograms, severe dental work, cancer medications, hip replacements, prosthetics and more. She has also had to take four dogs to various specialists, such as the cardiologist and others, to the 24hr care vet hospital for Parvovirus treatment. When she hospitalizes a dog for the deadly Parvovirus, it costs $3,000 to help heal them and prevent a contagious spreading.

EXTERNAL SUPPORTERS

Luckily Tamera has developed an incredible relationship with Dr. Ivy Engstrom, DVM, at A Valley Vet in Auburn, Washington. For years Dr. Engstrom has offered discounts to the rescue that my mother could not find elsewhere, which has saved over $125,000 just this year. Dr. Engstrom even comes in on weekends and squeezes my mom’s rescue dogs in any available window to help keep up with the need. Despite the massive bill, Dr. Engstrom continues to let her bring dogs in for services. She also allows her pay down her bill by coming in a few hours each week to support at the vet clinic in between taking care of the rescue.

Tamera also has a couple of external private donors who understand my mother’s service and have been a fantastic support. From providing a vehicle for her to transport dogs in, reducing her recent vet bill already by $16k, and one that puts dogs directly on her bill at the vet, which has covered another $30k+ in expenses.

If it weren’t for these supporters and this vet, she would have had to close down the rescue years ago.

DETAILS OF THE REQUESTED SUPPORT

My mother’s rescue currently has a remaining balance of $27,000 for the vet services, which has to be closed out by the end of the year, as the vet is changing ownership, and she has to start with a 0 balance. Otherwise, she loses the ability to bring dogs in for services, which means losing the ability to rescue dogs from the euthanasia lists.

Goal 1 is the core expense of what we are trying to find support with now.

Starting in January, she has $27,540 worth of services scheduled in the first three months and will need to come up with this secondary amount, so this is my desired stretch goal for her and the dogs.

Currently, she has scheduled:

IN CLOSING

In her 13 years of doing this, she has never asked for or would have allowed a public effort like this. But given the unique circumstances with the pandemic return rates and what is at stake, I feel this is the appropriate time to ask.

We would be incredibly grateful to receive any of your financial support, and if you could pass this link along to your family, friends, and social media, we would be greatly humbled and so appreciative.

Thank you so much!