Maras BG Dogs & More (2024)

29/02/2024

mini goldendodle, cocker spaniels, lhasas
available thru The Charlie Project Dog Rescue

06/02/2024

puppies need furever homes. Poms, sh*tzu, poodle, beagle

03/01/2024

This is my view today

19/11/2023

https://thecharlieprojectdogrescue.com/events/chicago-dog-adoption-event-kenneth-ludgwig/

Join us at Kenneth Ludwig on 12/2/23 from 12-4pm!

30/10/2023

I recently read a post about what actually happens behind the closed doors of an animal shelter and what people think happens. Tonight behind our closed doors I cried in the lab while euthanizing the kitten I had taken home (and subsequently fallen in love with) the last two nights. So many people think euthanasia in an animal shelter is cruel and unnecessary when in reality it was the best kindness I could give Odie in his final moments even though it literally broke my heart. On any given night or day there are staff members or volunteers trying to finish the piles of dishes and laundry that never seem to end. There's someone returning phone call messages- everything from lost pet reports, to donation requests, to adoption inquiries, reference checks, wildlife questions, animal neglect concerns and everything in-between. Someone else is giving fluids to the cat who has stopped eating; sometimes the stress of the shelter and the loss of the life they once knew proves to take a very harmful toll. Someone else is taking extra time to feed the feral cats canned food- they'll do this on a daily basis to help build their trust and work on socializing them even though they might not ever be able to be a companion cat. There's someone who is saying goodbye to the pet who is going to be getting adopted tomorrow because they won't be on shift; even though the staff member won't actually be in the building when that pet leaves, a part of them will be walking out the door tomorrow, too. There's someone taking extra time to fill Kongs so the dogs have special treats and enrichment, they will also be researching other ways to keep the pets stimulated and comfortable in this place that is nothing like home, they might even buy items with their own money on their own time to make a difference. Still someone else is spending extra time with the fear reactive, misunderstood dog who hasn't been able to let her walls down yet; if they can just spend a little time everyday they know they can make a difference. Someone is rushing to stock the animal areas, scooping p**p, topping off water bowls and taking a little extra time to snuggle the kittens in nursery. Someone else is thinking about the stray cat they saw earlier in the parking lot and will be checking the live trap out back before their shift ends. Someone else is making a TikTok video or got a great picture or is coming up with some other outside the box idea to help promote that awesome cat or dog who for some reason still hasn't been adopted. Someone else will stay late to help set up kennels and draw vaccines for the animal seizure coming in from the Sheriff's Department, usually on a Friday night, even though they had plans with family or just needed a break. Someone else can't stop thinking about the phone call they took earlier where someone threatened to shoot their cat if we didn't take it. Someone else will look at the upcoming surrender calendar full of appointments and get anxiety about the coming days or weeks; is kitten season over yet? Someone else is thinking about taking a second job because the bills are piling up and they love the animals but it's not always enough. Someone else will talk with an angry customer and try to keep their cool. Someone else will read a negative comment on social media and think about it for the next 5 weeks and what could have been done differently or wish that the actual truth had been told. Someone else is literally doing the job of 3 people because there aren't enough staff or will be giving up their day off to cover a shift so there's enough people to get the animals cared for, or maybe their 8 hour day just turned into 12. Someone else isn't at work right now but is monitoring the page or taking a call about the animal at the vet's office or scanning lost and found reports on Craigslist or any other of the lost/found sites or answering a shelter related question from a friend. Still someone else will stay late to make sure someone can reclaim their dog tonight- they had been out looking for him for hours and the kids won't stop crying. A volunteer is loading their personal vehicle full of 10+ cats and driving across the state to give them a change of scenery and a new chance at adoption. Someone will reach out to one more rescue for the cat with the severe medical issues who hasn't improved despite the last 3 months of trying and treatment- she knows this is his last chance. We will have to make the decision that someone else should have and will let a suffering animal leave this world with dignity. Someone will cry on their way home tonight because saying goodbye and turning out the lights is hard. But we'll all be back for our next shift, having washed this day off of us and ready to bring our best selves forward for the animals (and the people) that need us and who don't need to carry the burdens of today.

When I first took my role as Executive Director at HSMC someone told me it would take 5 years for people to really see and understand that changes have been made. We have worked hard to increase our life saving efforts, to implement new programs and to refine our processes all in an effort to make the shelter a better place to call "home", though it is anything but. This is not the same shelter it was 5 years ago.. We work so hard to help the pets remember the potential they may have lost sight of, to see themselves as we see them and to give them all that we can and everything that they deserve- and sometimes even we don't feel like we can ever give or do enough. Remember when you see all of us - the animals, the staff and the volunteers- that you haven't seen what we have seen or been where we've been, but we hope you'll offer us the same chance and understanding. And whatever you do, don't diminish what we are doing day in and day out and don't tell me that all we do is "kill animals". You are sorely mistaken and you're always welcome to roll up your sleeves beside us.