Friends for Life

Compassionate care for rescued dogs and cats

The Arc of Appalachia Preserve System

    Friends for Life is a program run by the non-profit Arc of Appalachia Preserve System that helps to find homes for stray or abandoned domestic dogs and cats that are found within the 3000 acre preserve system. Removing domestic animals from natural ecosystems is an act of compassion for both the domestic animal, and the wild ones which the preserve system serves.

    Becoming a Friend for Life means taking responsibility to provide an adopted animal with a loving and permanent home—one that is for the life of the pet. In the case of a female, if the animal is too young for us to spay before acquiring it, a Friend for Life pledges to have the operation accomplished at the appropriate time. A prospective Friends for Life also needs to anticipate that, because the animals in our program have been abandoned, many of our animals can be a bit needy at first until they relearn security. They need to have their cup filled to the brim!

    If future events occur in your life that make you unable to continue to competently and lovingly care for your friend, then as a Friend for Life you will pledge to find a new and excellent home for their pet that exceeds or equals the environment you have offered in the past. These are the pledge of all Friends for Life. Anyone who is unwilling to make these pledges will not be eligible for adopting one of our rescued friends. A donation for each adopted pet is requested to sustain our program, an amount that will at least cover the previous vet bills incurred on the animal's behalf. If you can afford to donate more, it will help support this valuable program. All adoption fees are tax-deductible.  By the way, Rocky, above, was found an excellent home.

    Please know that rescuing domestic animals is not the main purpose of our organization. Our main purpose is to acquire and steward land for Ohio's native plants and animals, which have even less homes available to them than domesticated cats and dogs. We are not funded nor staffed for the work we do on behalf of cats and dogs. We do what we do because if your heart is open to any one animal species, it is open to them all. However, please do not refer abandoned pets to our organization as we can not handle more projects with our very small staff.

    IF YOU WANT TO HELP BUT CAN NOT ADOPT AN ANIMAL, PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING A DONATION TO OUR ORGANIZATION TO HELP PAY FOR CAT FOOD FOR OUR RESCUED BARN CATS, AND VET BILLS FOR NEW RESCUED CATS AND DOGS. BE SURE TO WRITE FRIENDS FOR LIFE ON THE CHECK. WE ARE CURRENTLY IN DESPERATE NEED OF FUNDS.

    Black Berry is in need of a home after she was found abandoned on the side the road in our preserve system with three adorable kittens. A young mother, only one year old herself, she served her offspring courageously and competently, even though when we found her the effort had left her skin and bones.  Black Berry had some awesome offspring, two of which we named Thomas Berry and Wendell Berry after famous environmental authors! Black Berry's babies have found homes, now we are looking for hers.

    Black Berry is now the picture of health, and has been recently spayed.

     She was obviously raised in a home and is happier indoors than out, where she can be loved and adored. She is litter-trained and exceptionally affectionate. We sometimes call her Miss Universe, because she is so versatile and attractive. She would make a great companion and solo pet for a single person, or she could just as easily meld into a big family and share space with children and dogs. 

 

    One thing for sure, we want Black Berry to go to a home where she is appreciated and can get lots of loving and gentle attention, ...for life.    

    If interested in adopting Blackberry, please call Kathy at 937-365-1440.