ANIMAL RELIEF & RESCUE FELLOWSHIP,  PO Box 66,  LELAND, MS 38756, desperately needs your help to complete a new and much more humane facility to replace the antiquated structure that currently houses the lost, abandoned, and abused dogs of the Leland/Washington County, MS area.  I beg you to take a minute to read our story.

THE DOG POUND IN LELAND, MISSISSIPPI, WAS BUILT OVER 65 YEARS AGO AS A PLACE TO "STORE" STRAY DOGS UNTIL THEY COULD BE DISPOSED OF. Until 2001, when our organization formed, the dogs that were picked up by animal control were taken to the pound, given a few short days for their families, if any, to find them, and then shot, right in front of the other dogs. Their limp bodies were bagged and carted off to the dump.   

The few dogs that did have homes were rarely reunited with their families because this dog pound was LELAND'S UGLY SECRET, hidden down a gravel road behind a factory, and known of by very few. It was run exclusively by the dog catcher, who cared nothing for animals, with no oversight by anyone.  

BEFORE ARRF:
·        No care was given to the sick or injured.
·        No dogs were separated into runs according to age, sex, size, or disability.  
·        No attempt was made to actively locate the dogs' families.  
·        Fresh water was poured into buckets on top of dirty water with no rinsing, much less cleaning.
·        Fresh food was added to buckets over food that was often wet and molded.
·        No thought was given to starting an adoption program to give the dogs a second chance.
·        Dogs were stolen or “came up missing”, leaving us to fear that they were being used by dogfighting rings.

THE ONLY EXPENSES INVOLVED IN “CARING FOR THE DOGS” WERE FOR CHEAP DOG FOOD AND A BULLET…..OR TWO…..FOR EACH DOG.

All of this changed when, AFTER BATTLING THE CITY FATHERS FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND PUBLICLY EXPOSING THE HORRORS THAT WERE TAKING PLACE, ARRF was finally given complete control of the shelter.  With the perseverance and absolute determination of a handful of dedicated volunteers,

            98% “KILL" BECOMES 98% "ADOPTION"   

 AFTER ARRF:  All dogs are now:  
·        Treated for any illnesses or wounds they have when they arrive  
·        Completely vetted (including spays/neuters and heartworm treatments)
·        Given preventive medicine on a monthly basis
·        Handled with only love, kindness, and respect
·        Adopted into loving forever homes where they get a second chance to have the life they deserve
·        Reunited with their families, if they can be found

To date, ARRF dogs have forever homes in 38 states. The 1% (or less) that are put down are either too sick to save or too aggressive to safely and responsibly place in a home. When a dog must sadly be euthanized, and this decision is not made lightly, it is by the hands of a gentle veterinarian and more often than not, in the loving arms of an ARRF volunteer. 

THE MAIN THING THAT ARRF HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE  for these noble creatures is a new and more humane shelter facility.  

OUR NEW SHELTER WILL HAVE:
·        A heating and cooling system that allows the dogs to live in comfort where they are cool and free from mosquitoes in the summer and warm and cozy in the winter,  
·        A quarantine area that will isolate sick dogs and new dogs from the general population for a period of time, keeping exposure at a minimum,  
·        Dog Runs with a separate drain, instead of several runs sharing a single drain, as the existing facility has, creating the problem of cross contamination with which we are currently dealing, 
·        Smooth, sealed, easily cleaned and dried flooring, instead of cracked and crumbling concrete
·        Individual Dog Runs that are separated into two sections by a doggy door, one indoor and one outdoor, to ensure that the dogs will no longer get wet during daily maintenance…..and much more.

ARRF'S REGULAR FUNDING COMES SOLELY FROM DONATIONS, memberships, fundraisers, grants, and a small annual allocation from the City of Leland and goes directly to the care of the dogs as we prepare them for their new homes.  Because it is so expensive to properly care for the limitless number of dogs coming into the shelter, it has been impossible for ARRF to realize this final dream of building a new shelter. 

 Through the generosity of AWL, a sister organization, funds have been raised toward this goal over a period of several years.  CURRENTLY, ARRF HAS $109,000.00, WITH PLEDGES OF AN ADDITIONAL $55,000.00,        and CONSTRUCTION HAS BEGUN!!  
                        (SEE PICTURES BELOW)

We estimate that it will take $25,000.00 more to be operational and an additional $92,000.00 to totally complete the project which will include a dog walk and fenced areas where volunteers can interact with the dogs off leash.   As you can see, we are still quite a bit short with our funding. We are continuing with our fundraisers, but our community is in the poor Mississippi Delta and resources are limited. This is why we are reaching out to caring animal lovers to help us complete this much needed shelter that will allow these deserving animals an opportunity to live in a healthy, comfortable, safe environment while they are made ready for new lives in their forever homes.  

We offer our sincere thanks to you for taking the time to read our lengthy plea.  It is our hope that you can find it in your heart to make a donation, large or small, to help these precious animals. Our organization is a 501 (c) 3 tax exempt organization and all donations are tax deductible.  

These helpless dogs that have been neglected, abandoned or abused deserve a second chance and WITH YOUR HELP, they will get just that. Thank you.