Oregon animal rescue saves hundreds of dogs from San Bernardino City Shelter

Oregon Friends of Shelter Animals (OFOSA) is doing something extraordinary. They are refusing to let the arbitrary delineation of a state line determine what animals live or are made to die. Since January of this year they have made the arduous sixteen hour drive many times over to Southern California’s San Bernardino City Shelter to rescue as many as 600 dogs in total. All of which are immediately placed in foster homes. OFOSA does not institutionalize any of their animals.

“And we brought dog food for the San Bernardino shelter. We always try to bring something when we come,” offers good-natured co-founder and president Cathy Nechak.

OFOSA, an all volunteer 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, co-founded by Bill Nechak, Cathy Nechak, Sue Woodson and Loretta Flemming, is dedicated to animal rescue, animal welfare, community assistance, shelter assistance and humane education.

Through partnerships with other rescue organizations such as Southwest Washington Humane Society, Last Chance for Animals (LCA) and The Jason Debus Heigl Foundation, OFOSA has committed to lessening the 80% kill rate among dogs at the San Bernardino City Shelter (96% among cats). A spike due in part to economic hardship which renders the unscrupulous (and there are many) into believing that abandoning an animal family member is an acceptable quick fix instead of a very last resort. At its core shelter “overcrowding” reflects a deadly attitude of frivolity and capriciousness human society has maintained toward animal companions and many Southern California city and county shelters tragically bear the fruit of such a perspective.

Sue Woodson emphasizes the need for greater public awareness and involvement with animal welfare issues in Southern California, “You cannot go a day up north without seeing a program, a commercial on TV about vaccination, about helping your shelters, about the animals that need help and want help. You can’t go a day without having that at least once or twice on the TV any day of the week.”

On August 10, with financial backing from The Jason Heigl Foundation, OFOSA made its most recent visit, rescuing a whopping 87 dogs. One little black and white puppy, who had to snort away the malingering flies in the dry, desert heat of the day, was found to be suffering from a bleeding nose, likely due to rough-housing between him and his other kennel mates. The OFOSA vet carefully inspected him and treated him accordingly. Fortunately, his injury did not reflect a more serious injury or disease; otherwise his adoptable status might have been impinged. Infirm conditions often threaten even the public exposure a shelter gives to an animal. The assumption being that no one will want to bother with a debilitated animal so why bother listing him or her. However, OFOSA is not one to shy away from accepting dogs with severe medical needs. On their April 3rd trip, they brought back a San Bernardino shelter dog with a broken pelvis.

“Oregon and Washington are primary because we both have, what I call, the medical chops, the resources to take on the dogs that have medical [needs],” explains Cathy Nechak. Indeed, replete with a fully operational surgery RV each time they make the trip down south, they come well-equipped to take in the types of animals others would refuse.

The vet continued to inspect and issue health certificates for many fortunate dogs that day of their last visit. However, hundreds of dogs are presently still remaining and will undoubtedly be put to sleep unless people adopt them and/or organizations like OFOSA continue to help them, something they cannot do without public support and funding.

To help fund more trips and to ensure the continued care of these rescued animals, see their website. And please remember to share this article on your Facebook, Myspace or Twitter page so as to increase the likelihood that people are informed of their mission.

One can view OFOSA’s dogs available for adoption by clicking here. To fill out their adoption application, click here.

One can adopt any one of the hundreds of remaining shelter dogs at the San Bernardino City Shelter by clicking here.

________________________________________________________________________________

Please remember to spay/neuter, tag and microchip your companion animals.

Foster. Adopt. Donate. Recirculate. Help increase the chances of an animal's continued life.

If you'd like to stay up-to-date on animals who immediately need your help and other animal rescue information, click SUBSCRIBE at the top of page. It's free! Each time I write a new article or post a new adoption plea, your e-mail inbox will automatically receive a copy. Subscribe to my RSS feed by clicking on the RSS icon. Thanks for reading!