hart

Pawsitive New Beginnings

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What we know of Mira’s story begins with a tussle with a porcupine. A quill protruded from the centre of her left eye and her owner decided to pull it out, without regard to any long-term effects on her vision or her eye. With no treatment, her eye became severely infected and that infection began to spread to her other eye. A concerned field volunteer for hart, the humane animal rescue team, convinced the owner to surrender Mira so that she could receive the medical care that she so dearly needed. It was soon discovered that not only did she have an extreme eye injury, but she also was pregnant. Without further delay, Mira and her puppies were brought into a volunteer foster home.

hart is a shelter-less society that relies entirely on the compassion of volunteer foster parents to provide one-on-one socialization and training to rescue dogs in their care. Foster parents open their homes and hearts to rescued animals until loving, permanent homes are found. Welcomed with open arms and open hearts, Mira saw kindness and experienced gentle touches.

A veterinary eye specialist soon confirmed that the milky appearance of Mira’s injured eye left that eye with no vision or chance of recovery. The good news was that with immediate treatment, her right eye could be saved. With the infection under control, Mira spends her days in comfort and is able to see the faces of the volunteers who have given her a new chance at a life filled with happiness and warmth. The harsh conditions Mira once knew have been replaced by a healthy diet, medical aid, and a warm and snuggly place to curl up in. Mira’s puppies will never know the same cruelties that she endured.

Positive new beginnings like Mira’s would not be possible without the commitment of hart volunteers. Every step of Mira’s journey was made possible by volunteers – the volunteer who identified that Mira was in need, the volunteers who transported Mira to her vet appointments, the volunteers who fundraised to cover Mira’s medical expenses, the volunteers who opened their home to Mira and her puppies… all contributed to a new and better life for these innocent and loving canines.

Founded by a group of animal lovers in 2003, hart’s strength is the dedication of its volunteers. Collectively, hart volunteers have been able to give over 600 dogs a new “leash” on life. hart is a registered charity that works to rescue, rehabilitate and re-home dogs in need from rural and reserve areas surrounding Edmonton, as well as run outreach and education programs to promote responsible pet ownership and combat the overpopulation problem.

hart relies entirely on donations and fundraising to provide medical treatments, and on the generosity, skills and compassion of its volunteer network to:

• respond to calls for animals in need by travelling to rural locations to perform rescues
• provide food to field volunteers for the animals who cannot yet be rescued
• provide foster care, socialization, and basic training to prepare rescued animals for adoption
• coordinate the adoption of rescued animals through a matching process of animal needs to lifestyles and personalities of adopters
• prepare and deliver outreach programs that promote responsible pet ownership, such as spay and neuter clinics at a reduced price
• raise funds to support hart activities
• build awareness about hart

No hart dog is left behind. Several months ago, a young pup named Hootie came to hart with a severe case of parvo, a serious viral disease that can be deadly even with treatment. He had a slim chance of recovery, but the volunteers refused to give up on him. Treatment cured his parvo but left him unable to move his hind legs. Regardless, he was placed into a foster home. Much to everyone’s surprise, with the love and care from his foster parents, Hootie made a full recovery in just a few short months. He was adopted by his foster parents and has grown into a healthy boy. Hootie is a testament to hart’s devotion to each and every single dog.

hart was named the dog charity of choice for Edmonton’s 2010 Pet Expo. Throughout the expo weekend, they brought attention to the overpopulation problem and introduced the public to some of their adorable adoptable dogs. Volunteers worked tirelessly to organize a silent auction and two 50/50 draws, with all proceeds going to help neglected and abused dogs.

To find out how you can help hart help dogs in need throughout the year, please visit www.humaneanimalrescueteam.ca. Consider how your time and talents can help hart help dogs in need. Your contributions can make the difference of a lifetime to a homeless hound.

Adopt a hart dog

hart has a strict adoption process. Each dog becomes an extended member of the hart family, and as a result, each adopter must submit to a home visit to ensure placement into a loving and stable home.

A few of the adoption guidelines:

• Adoptions are not done on a “first come, first served” basis. Some hart animals have special needs that must be taken into consideration and our matching system allows us to find the best environment for each animal.
• hart animals are adopted out as companions, not working dogs.
• hart dogs will only be adopted out to homes with permanent, secure fences or other secure structures (e.g., dog run with a to or cover, and shelter or dog house).
• hart does not condone leaving dogs outside and unsupervised for extended periods of time. Dogs are social animals who thrive in a healthy family setting and may become bored and problematic if left unsupervised.
• Potential adopters who rent will be required to submit written proof from their landlord that pets are permitted (a lease or written permission signed by landlord). Owners of townhouses or condominiums may be required to provide proof their bylaws allow animals.
• hart does not allow its animals to be adopted as gifts. Instead, we encourage a review of the animals available for adoption so the best match can be made between the potential adopter and the animal.