If you are lucky enough to live in Austin, you may have heard about a cool event called the Dog Beard and Moustache Competition. The Austin Facial Hair Club hosts this party and this is the Fifth year. Every year, there is an animal charity as a beneficiary and this year, Bully Ranch will receive the proceeds. We are so excited!

Often, donations are given to animal rescues and people don’t know exactly how money gets used. We know quality rescues and shelters help animals get care and get healthy, learn some manners, and get homes. All of those steps require time, talent, people, and money.

The first things donations go to are veterinary care, food, and shelter. Vet care, for even a healthy animal, can add up. Spay and neuter costs, tests, treatments, and vaccinations are just the basics when working with a new animal in the rescue. Food and shelter, the minimum of these, can also add up quickly.

Another cost donations help support is training animals. Even with a volunteer, there has to be leashes, collars, harnesses, equipment, and most importantly, TREATS! And while volunteer trainers provide love and quality classes, it is necessary to hire trainers and behavior specialists from time to time. These people are experts in their field and train animals for a living. They like to be able to pay for food, shelter, and medical care, too. So, we pay them.

Animal shelters often house a few different kind of animals, requiring specific things for each species. Some, like Bully Ranch, hope to really expand the scope of services they provide. We are looking to have a variety of animals. That means more food, more treats, more land, and more experts (because I sure as heck don’t know how to deal with a cow!!).

There are some behind the scenes needs that rescues have, too. Have you heard the phrase, “It takes money to make money”? That can be true for animal care. When we want to spread the word for adoptions or ask for assistance, we often have to advertise, share our website, attend events. We have to host a web page, pay for ads, secure someone to make a new logo, promote our services. We need to fuel our cars to drive to rural shelters, we need to print things like board meeting minutes and flyers. We need reliable technology and equipment. And we need to reward volunteers for work well done. AND, we need to pay our staff. Keeping our staff happy means keeping our animals happy. All of these things come from donations.

Sometimes people say, “I don’t have extra money.” That’s okay. You probably have a talent. Can you write a blog about your adoption story? Do you know how to update a website? Can you walk a dog? Can you PET a dog? Are you a grant writer? Could you foster a dog? All of these things cost time and talent and would make a big impact for a rescue and in the life of an animal or two.

The support that is offered to animal rescue is always welcome, no matter the form. If you are in Austin, come to the AFHC’s 5th Dog Beard and Moustache Competition on October 20th. This is the most fun dog event you will attend all year. If, for some sad reason you cannot come, you can find out about donations here. If you fit one of the talents I mentioned, please let us know. We can use your skills for good.

Remember, it takes time, talent, and resources, and any form of those things will be appreciated by an animal you help save.

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