Hello, friends! It’s a snowy day here in Northeast Indiana, so I decided to make the most of it and compile a list of my favorite animal organizations-shelters, clinics, rescues, and advocacy groups for y'all to like/follow/donate/adopt/etc.
If you’re not in the market to add a new member to your family, these organizations are always taking donations and most have wish lists for items they need to care for animals. You can also like/follow them on social media and share their posts.
(Logos and pictures belong to each organization-originated from websites and/or social media)
In no particular order:
1. Humane Fort Wayne
Shelter: 4194 S. Hanna Street, Fort Wayne, IN
Clinic: 1333 Maycrest Dr., Fort Wayne, IN
Formerly known as Allen County ASPCA and H.O.P.E. for Animals
Humane Fort Wayne is a newly formed organization that combined two rockstar groups here in Northeast Indiana-Allen County ASPCA (shelter) and H.O.P.E. for Animals (spay and neuter clinic). Find yourself a new furry friend AND get affordable vaccines and preventative care.
2. Allen County Animal Care and Control
https://www.cityoffortwayne.org/animal-care-and-control.html
3020 Hillegas Road, Fort Wayne, IN
Animal Care and Control is the city shelter here in Fort Wayne. They are open access, meaning, even if the shelter is full, they don’t turn animals away-it’s a tough job. They are the people you call when there is a stray in your neighborhood, a dangerous animal, or suspected animal abuse and/or neglect.
ACC is taxpayer funded (locals may remember in 2021 when they were denied funding for a building expansion) which means they need citizen advocacy at the city council level.
3. Dekalb Humane Society
https://dekalbhumanesociety.org/
5221 US Highway 6, Butler, IN
Growing up in Waterloo, Dekalb Humane Society was the local shelter when I was a kid, and they are still close to my heart. They are located in a mostly rural county, which comes with its own challenges. They are currently fundraising and building a new, larger, modernized shelter to save the lives of even more animals. Consider making a donation!
4. Lennoxs Legacy Rescue
https://www.lennoxslegacyrescue.org/
Decatur, IN
Lennoxs Legacy Rescue specializes in horses and dogs-though they rescue cats, too. When this post was being written, they were on the lookout for a home for Bingo-a cute, spicy-looking pup!
5. Steele City Adventure Cats
https://www.steelcityadventurecats.com/
North Hills, Pittsburg, PA
Located in Pittsburg, PA, Steel City Adventure Cats began as a foster family for kitties, but turned into its own rescue operation. In 2021, they took in and re-homed a bundle of cats from the Middle East. When this post was written, the rescue was on hiatus as a new human baby was entering the family.
6. Humane Society of the United States - Indiana
https://www.facebook.com/HSUSIndiana/
The Humane Society is a fabulous advocacy group for animals in the United States at the governmental level. If you want to have an impact at the state and local level, I suggest following the Indiana chapter on Facebook (if you’re not in Indiana, your own state probably has one). They keep the public abreast of state level legislation that has a big impact here at home.
When this post was written, a piece of legislation introduced to the House was HB 1160 http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2022/bills/house/1160#digest-heading which would prohibit the retail sale of cats and dogs in the state unless they came from a shelter, rescue, or governmental agency. Call your representative!
7. Black Pine Animal Sanctuary
1426 W 300 N, Albion, IN
A Northeast Indiana favorite, Black Pine is known for rescuing tigers, though they specialize in all captive-raised exotic pets and wild animals, giving them refuge for the REST of their lives. Black Pine offers tours of their facility throughout the spring, summer, and fall for a small fee. It’s worth the trip!
What are some of your favorites and why?