On this day, six years ago, Reagan lost her brother, and we lost our son. At 42 years old, it was a rather high-risk pregnancy, but I had tried so hard to get pregnant, trying acupuncture, hypnosis, a variety of herbs and supplements, special diets and exercise, and lots of prayer. When I witnessed his little heartbeat after feeling ill every day since conception, I was joy-filled that Reagan would finally have the sibling her heart longed for and we would have our son, our second child that would complete our family. God had other plans and took Rowan home before he had an opportunity to breathe his first breath outside of my womb. This is a tragedy that I have never and will never totally recover from. However, a few years later, God blessed us with an adopted child that Reagan has grown to love and who has enriched our lives beyond measure. We had the honor of adopting Delaney, then Ni Yang Jia, from an orphanage in Zhejiang village in Hongzhou, China, where she had resided since the day she was born, after being found abandoned outside of a train station. She was born with a hole in her heart that self-healed by the grace of God. God took our metaphorical holes in our heart from Rowan’s loss and Delaney’s physical hole in her heart and plugged them both by bringing us together when I brought home our four-year old little girl on November 19, 2015. Notice the date pattern? God’s timing is impeccable. Reagan, who has my rescue heart, has always loved animals. I was not allowed to have animals growing up, so when I became an adult, I knew that they would become a big part of my life at some point. What I did not know, is that I would have a rescue heart for the difficult placements. By this I mean, the seniors, the blind, the ones with seizures, the terminal, the bonded pairs, the unadoptable, and by many people’s standards, the unlovable. My family has welcomed several dozen animals that would have otherwise been euthanized. I do not mean that in an unkind nor critical way, but special needs animals require a lot of time and money, and often result in a lot of heartache, and not everyone is cut out for that. However, it is my passion. In the deep caverns of my soul, I am trying to right wrongs, and bring justice to the injustices I have witnessed and endured in my 54 years of walking this earth. We live on a farmette, and have welcomed several dozen senior and/or special needs animals including miniature horses, pygmy goats, pot-bellied pigs, chickens, cats, and dogs. While God has also blessed me with a good education and a great job, in order to sustain being a home for some of the most severe animal displacement cases, I have created this non-profit in Rowan’s honor to continue to help the unfathomable number of animals who need us the most. All animals will be rehabilitated and will transition no longer, but rather, live out their days, months, years, enjoying the deepest empathy and love their little hearts can endure. Additionally, this non-profit will allow us to continue to domesticate and alter feral cats and return them to their natural environment, while providing them with ample food, water and temperature-controlled shelter. Founders: Reagan Hope, our eldest daughter, is fourteen years old. She was named after the greatest President (in our humble opinion) ever, Ronald Reagan. Her middle name comes from the first greyhound we lost, Hope. Hope, our third greyhound, who we adopted at the age of six, developed Osteosarcoma at the age of nine. To extend her life, we opted for amputation and chemotherapy, which was the only option outside of pain medication followed by euthanasia. When I was eight months pregnant with Reagan, Hope succumbed to this horrible illness. We decided at that time that Reagan’s middle name would be Hope, in memory and honor of her. Reagan is a huge animal advocate, and I am so proud of the compassion for all living beings that so freely exudes from her very soul every day of her life. I am Jennifer, mother to Reagan, Rowan, and Delaney, as well as the multitude of fur kids I have had the pleasure to share my home with. I hold a Doctorate in Business with a concentration in Strategic Management. I also hold a Doctorate in Metaphysical Sciences with a focus in Energy Healing and Clairsentience, and a Doctorate in Naturopathy with a concentration in Ayurvedic Medicine and Yoga Therapy. My animal modalities include licensed vet assistant and dog groomer, licensed small animal massage therapist and acupressurist, and many other holistic modalities, including but not limited to flower essences for pets, essential oils for pets, and homeopathic remedies for pets. I value life in every being and believe that most of us live myopic lives that rob us of all that God has equipped us with in order to optimize the short time we have on this earth to make a difference. In an effort to practice what I preach, but mostly because it brings me great joy, my mission until the end of my days is to be that person that makes a difference. Please support me in this cause if your heart calls you to do so. May you be richly and abundantly blessed, Jennifer
On average, 3,300,000 dogs enter shelters each year, of which 710,000 are strays who are returned to their owner but sadly, 670,000 of them are euthanized as they are either deemed unadoptable or do not get adopted. A significant number of the poor souls that make up that staggering percentage are senior and special needs dogs. Both categories can require time, patience, and money. That is why proactive education is so important. Families that are interested in adopting an animal, should take the time to research the breed, and be prepared for the medical care that is required as their conditions change and their bodies age. Additionally, families should consider the amount of time they will have to spend with the animal and properly care for him/her. Adoption is a life-long commitment. Their lives are much shorter than ours, and each and every one of them deserves a happy and healthy life. They are essentially helpless and at our mercy. Of equal importance is how critical it is to spay and neuter. Fortunately, most shelter animals are altered prior to adoption. However, negligence only adds to the overpopulation and subsequent needless death of thousand upon thousand animals each year.
My family has taken in several seniors and special needs dogs, including but not limited to dogs that are bonded pairs, chronically ill, terminal, blind, and many golden-year dogs. They all come with their own story and it is my mission to conclude that story with the best chapter of their lives. They all hold a special place in my heart. Although we have been able to provide a number of them with the second chance they longed for and so desperately deserved and an unlimited amount of tenderly loving care, they have taught me patience, resilience, and most importantly, unconditional love, and for that, and to them, I am eternally grateful.
By definition, a feral cat is a cat that has been born to other ferals or from stray cats as opposed to domesticated cats. These ferals are unaccustomed to human interaction. Did you know that any given time there are approximately 860,000 feral/stray cats in the United States? Even more staggering and devastatingly tragic is the fact that approximately 73,000,000 cats are euthanized annually in the United States. Shelters are busting at the seams with cats and kittens. If a cat survives kittenhood, their lifespan is two and half years on average without human interaction. With human interaction (i.e., food and water at a minimum) or residing in a colony of cats, a feral cat can survive for 10 years on average. Conversely, a well-cared for, indoor cat can live 15-20 years on average.
In addition to making a dent in overpopulation, it is fairly simple and inexpensive to provide outdoor shelter, which may make the difference between life and death during extreme winter temperatures. A plastic tote with a lid and straw for bedding is by far the easiest solution to protect outside cats from harsh environments. The tote lid provides a seal to keep the heat in while the straw keeps their body temperature regulated. By cutting a hole in the side of the tote, the cats can easily come and go. Additionally, to keep water from freezing, use a Styrofoam cooler to house a water bowl. Finally, cut a door into the cooler for easy access.
Our rescue has sheltered, altered, and domesticated several dozen cats that are now free to roam while having access to shelter and plenty of fresh water and food, all while being loved on every opportunity they allow us to.
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