By Mary Owen
A decade ago, Danielle Black’s mother started rescuing animals, a legacy that Black carries on today.
“Since I was 6 years old, I always helped her,” the Mill City woman said. “Her dream was for a nonprofit that would last far beyond her.”
So in 2004, the charity was formed, and three years later, after relocating from Central Oregon to the Santiam Canyon, underwent a name change to become GoodFellas Pet Rescue. Its mission is to rescue, rehabilitate, re-train and re-home dogs as well as to provide community awareness through outreach and education programs.
“We operate under the idea that you can save 100 dogs today and still have 100 dogs to save tomorrow – unless you work on the reasons that dogs become homeless,” Black said.
She also believes in giving owners the tools and resources they need to keep their pets. To raise the necessary funds for programs to facilitate pet ownership, GoodFellas Pet Rescue recently hosted a benefit concert that raised funds for veterinary costs, training and daily care of rescued dogs.
“We hope with the funds raised to get some of our programs up and running,” Black said.
“We have one program until the end of winter that provides dog food to local families who are having a hard time. Since December, we’ve given out about 700 pounds of dog food to feed some 30 dogs.”
Black’s dream is to provide free or reduced-cost basic training for owners of bully breed dogs in low-income areas as well as spaying and neutering through its SnipPit program.
“We also want to provide bite prevention presentations to local elementary schools,” said
Black, who has partnered with Doggone Safe to present the seminars.
Another goal is to help train local law enforcement agencies about dealing with animals at calls as well as provide free obedience classes for owners of bully-type dogs. Black’s hope is to educate people to help reduce abuse, neglect and the numbers of animals sent to shelters, many of whom are euthanized.
“We are a small rescue with big goals and dreams,” said Black, who has taken in and placed about 25 dogs since moving to Mill City. During the course of the organization’s existence, more than 250 dogs have been rescued.
“We are looking for trainers, veterinarians and other business professionals that can come together and help make these programs a reality,” she tells people through her website. “We can’t make it without community support. Donations are always welcome and are essential to getting our rescue to a position where programs can be launched while still providing care to current rescued dogs.”
GoodFellas Pet Rescue has a flat-rate adoption fee of $150 for adult dogs and $200 for puppies. The fee includes veterinarian costs, spay/neuter fees, micro-chipping, worming and all vaccinations. Volunteers and foster homes for dogs are also on the list of needs.
Dogs, cats and a few birds, including an Amazon parrot, have also been and continue to be helped in Marion, thanks to Phil and Patty Lane. The couple opens their hearts and their home to feral cats and other animals needing help.
“Phil started building feral cat houses after doing some for our neighbors and for the cats we had Salem Friends of Felines get fixed for us,” said Patty, who has four Pekingese dogs and several cats of her own. “We’re thinking of doing it for dogs, too, as there seems to be a need.”
Phil builds the “houses” out of plywood, insulation and other donated materials to tend to the cats after they are fixed prior to finding forever homes. He has also built smaller abodes to tend to the many baby squirrels around their rural home that need a little hand up. The couples’ latest effort was to bring Fences For Fido to the neighborhood to build fences for dogs that needed more room to run and adequate shelter from the cold.
“We had 21 volunteers that came out to help with Bow’s fence,” said Lynda Sievers, from Fences For Fido, of the dog helped by the organization’s most recent project. “That’s a little more than our typical build, but we wanted to ensure Bow had a good sized area to run.”
The average fence build is $700, including fencing material, an insulated doghouse, and a spay or neuter, said Sievers, who has been volunteering with the organization for one and a half years.
“Each build is funded entirely on donations,” she said. “Fences For Fido has no paid staff, so 100 percent of the donations go to the dogs.”
Sievers believes the “mere two to three hours” of her time can impact a dog’s life dramatically.
“The moment a dog is freed from the restriction of a chain, some experiencing freedom for the first time in their lives, is pure joy,” she said. “You can instantly see a change in their demeanor.”
To assist with Fences For Fido’s outreach, visit www.fencesforfido.org. For more information on GoodFellas Pet Rescue, visit www.goodfellassrescue.org.
