(Devore) – Missy Cunningham is a lady with a mission. That mission began about 10.5 years ago when she found Freddie, along with her littermates, in a box on the side of a busy road.
Freddie was Cunningham’s faithful companion for the next 8.5 years until she died suddenly from cancer in 2010. Cunningham created “Friends of Freddie” on Facebook as a tribute page and began focusing almost exclusively on the Devore Animal Shelter last June.
Devore Animal Shelter is San Bernardino County’s main animal detention facility. It is hidden in the foothills above the San Bernardino Valley in Southern California’s Inland Empire and cannot be seen from any main road or highway.
“Located in such a remote location, I saw that the animals needed as much exposure as possible if they were going to have a chance to survive,” says Cunningham. The shelter has a 25 percent adoption rate.
The Devore Shelter is a source of frustration to many animal welfare advocates. Cunningham puts any differences in philosophy aside and acts on behalf of the animals first.
Cunningham is not a rescuer herself, at least not in the traditional sense of the term. She is more of a facilitator or Devore information guru.
“I create a thread for every animal that is posted on Devore’s website to give networkers, rescues, potential fosters/adopters, and transporters a place to pull together rescue plans.
“I am in contact daily with Devore staff, trying to get any supplemental information about the animals that I can, and they have asked for help in networking some of the animals. I go to the shelter once or twice a week to visit with the animals and take as many photos as possible to add to the page,” stated Cunningham.
Friends of Freddie boasts more than 3900 friends, cross-posters, and readers that contribute to the success. The page is a place to view every animal up for adoption at Devore.
Cunningham says they now have 16 “safe” albums. These are online photo albums filled with dogs and cats who survived Devore.
One of Cunningham’s volunteers is Lois Chisolm, who became involved with the site and effort this past November. “Missy's devotion to these animals is amazing,” says Chisolm.
“I see her updates posted sometimes in the middle of the night. If there is a dog or cat that she has met (and there are many) and knows is a sweetheart, but in danger of losing his life, she becomes that animal's advocate.
”She will rally cross-posters, pledgers, rescues, etc., and work tirelessly to get the animal the attention needed. I have personally witnessed some incredible "11th hour" saves.”
Dogs that have been given a second chance at life are living in San Bernardino, Los Angeles, San Diego, Arizona, Washington, Nevada, and Montana – and Canadian rescues are helping the cause.
But when one looks at all Cunningham does, it could be said she really is a rescuer after all, or a "failed foster mom." She shares this story:
“While at Devore getting ready to do a transport, a couple was prepared to dump a young puppy at Devore, but they agreed to hang on to her while I searched for a new home. They later told me that they planned to keep her and didn’t need any help placing her.
“Two weeks later, I was back at Devore for another transport when the couple came back and dumped the dog. I was outside preventing another puppy from being dumped at the shelter and couldn’t get back inside quickly enough to keep the original dog out of Devore.
“I offered to foster for a rescue, but quickly fell in love and decided to keep her. A few weeks later I brought home another dog that had been labeled as aggressive. She, too, found her forever home with me.”
"A failed foster" indeed! It is a term most animal advocates can relate to time and again and is said with a smile and a happy heart.
“Missy Cunningham/Friends of Freddie is Devore shelter animals' best friend. She should be canonized as the Patron Saint of Devore Shelter animals,” said Chisolm. Floods of formerly frightened felines and forgotten fidos agree.
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