From: The New York Times
DISABLED and living on a limited income, Rebecca Sahin said financial constraints once forced her to cook rice to feed her two beloved cats.
“They just looked at me and walked away,” said the Vernon resident, 33.
That was before a friend told her about the Kado Pet Foundation. Now her cats, Domino and Jazzy, are official “Kado Kids,” and Ms. Sahin knows the pets will receive nutritious food, kitty litter and proper veterinary care for as long as they live.
“For me, Kado was a sense of relief,” she said.
The nonprofit foundation was established three years ago by Kathy Hartmann of Windsor, a lifelong animal lover who said she wanted to help elderly, ill, disabled and low-income pet owners who might otherwise be forced to give up their animal companions or choose between buying food for themselves or their pets. Named in honor of her pet Rottweiler, who died in 2003, the charity helps to care for 50 dogs, cats and one bird with the aid of a dozen volunteers who travel to pet owners’ homes in central and northern Connecticut.
“The whole idea of Kado is to take the stress away,” Ms. Hartmann said. “Once an animal becomes a ‘Kado Kid’ they never leave, so people know their pets will always be taken care of.”
Because she saw that her dog Kado brought joy to many people, Ms. Hartmann said that when the dog died, she wanted to find a way to help other animals. At first, her quest took her to the local dog pound, but after she heard stories about pet owners who were struggling financially to care for their animals, she decided to start the charity.
She now gets referrals from local animal rescue organizations, social services, veterinarians and others. She and other volunteers spend many weekends in front of local supermarkets or at pet-related events raising awareness of the foundation and its financial needs, she said. It costs up to $2,000 a month to provide the necessary care for the pets in the program now, she said.
Alexis Soutter, a veterinarian in Manchester who provides care for about a dozen foundation pets, said many of those helped by the group are people for whom pet ownership is vital.
“Many of them are permanently disabled,” she said. “Many studies have shown that having animals can have a profound impact on these people.”
Kado has paid for health care for pets that otherwise would never have visited a veterinarian, Ms. Soutter said. In at least one case, the foundation’s intervention saved the life of an elderly cat suffering from thyroid disease, she said.
“Most people want what’s best for their animals and when they’re in a situation where they can’t afford that care, it can be devastating to them,” she said.
Ms. Hartmann, who owns a dog and three cats, said while her original vision for the foundation focused on helping animals, she now realizes how much the foundation also helps people.
Many of those whose pets have gotten help from the Kado Pet Foundation now help each other. Some attend fund-raising events, while others help deliver food, walk dogs or pet-sit when clients are not at home. If a client must be hospitalized or needs nursing home care, their pets are found good homes and brought to visit their original owners. Ms. Sahin helps by sharing with others what she has learned as she has navigated her way through the bureaucracies of social service programs.
Ms. Hartmann, who operates the foundation full time, said she hoped it could become a nationwide organization someday. Still, she says that the daily tasks are so time-consuming that it is difficult to focus on other needs, like seeking grants and updating the group’s Web site — helpforpets.org — so that it can accept donations. She worries that the 1986 Toyota Tercel she uses for pet care calls will soon be beyond repair, or that the group’s ancient computer equipment will finally crash.
“We’re always fielding curveballs,” she said. “But we always try to be there for people.”
Comments(0)
