My name is Karen Hemker. I am wanting to open an animal rescue in our town. We currently have two county shelters and one place that has foster homes around the area. They are so busy they just can’t take in anymore. I like to dedicate this animal rescue to my granddaughter Luna. “Tails of Hope Animal Rescue “ is what she decided on.
Why, you may ask? Well she has been through a lot, the biggest was from losing her mother in July of 2022. Her mother was only 30 years of age.
I have always had a long time passion to care for animals. I have always had a way with animals since I was little. As of now I have a few strays that I am taking care of. They seem to know where to come. God's creations give us so much love and they don’t ask for much just food, love and a warm place to lay their heads.
I had taken care of my mother after she had her stroke and when she passed, I had taken care of few elderly people afterwards. I have witnessed a lot of sadness over the last year. So I am now pursuing my life long dream of taking care of Gods creations big or small. I have done a lot of research and I have found the perfect place in my community to help animals. It is a place with 4 acres, fenced in pasture, 4 stall horse barn and a horse arena. There is also a very big building where dog kennels can easily be placed with fences in areas for them to run. Also place to build a building to board and groom the animals. They will be well take care of them never turning any animal away. We have a great community that will help in finding forever homes and a wonderful veterinary clinic that strives to help every animal they can. I really want to help and provide for the less fortunate animals.If you could find it in the kindness of your heart to donate so I am able to help and provide for our best friends (animals) I would greatly appreciate it and pay it forward. Thank you for the bottom of my heart and God Bless.
Our Team
Our team. Right now I am the owner and operator of the Tails of Hope Animal Rescue. When we have funding to expand I have 2 more people that will join our mission. I also have a few foster home that will take in the animals till they are adopted. Once our other building is build for the grooming and boarding. I will have additional team members to assist in the grooming area.
Problem
We have too many strays producing offspring and we need to get our population down. Taking in lost, stray or animals that needing a new home home. Can help our population. Our area shelters are always to full. Having to leave people to other resources to help with their animals. Some animals sadly get dumped off somewhere out in the country only able to fend for themselves. Others get put down. It is tragic loss for the animals not knowing what they have done wrong to deserve this kind of treatment.
Solution
With each and every animal that comes into our rescue. They will go our local veterinary clinic and get a through checkup, microchipped and spayed or neutered. This will help keep the population of strays down in our community. Every bit helps our animals. They will have acres to run and play getting their daily exercise several times a day. We will give them some one on one quality time, so we get to know them. To help them with the transition of being with us. In hopes we will better understand the situation each animal has and help them to overcome so they will better adjust to the families that adopted them. We will have events to share our animals with the community. So they may have a better chance of being adopted. We will be screening applicants throughly so we do not have a misfortune and the animal returned to us. There will be a week long program “ Get to know your new family member”. That way we/ they will know if the animal is right for them. We want nothing but the best for our animals. They give us so much unconditional love that they deserve it also.
Business Model
We will be having fundraisers to help out with our animal rescue. There will be adoption fees and a small surrender fee to help make sure our animals only have the best life possible. Merchandise such as T-shirt, coffee mugs, koozies, pens, hats, tote bags, stickers they will all have our logo on them. Flyers will be placed at local businesses and veterinary clinics to spread the word about our rescue. We will be making yearly calendars that highlight our animals as well as highlighting the families that adopted one of our animals. Making homemade treats for the dogs, cats and including treats for rabbits and horses offer at our rescue, online and having a bake sale. When the second building is finished we will have grooming and boarding animals. There will be an enclosed area for therapy. Clients can come relax and unwind by listening to kittens purring in the headset they are provided. There will be compartments where we will release some kittens to help the clients to relax even more while playing with the kittens. Another event will be having play dates with our animals.
Competition
We currently have a few shelters in our area . Do to the over population, they are always full and have to turn down animals. We won’t really be competing against each other. We are all there for one thing helping our unfortunate animals. Providing them with the best life possible.
My Vision
We are here to help as many animals as possible. To help our community and by helping the animals by reducing the population of stray animals by spaying and neutering as many animals as we can. Help by microchipping the animals that we adopted out so if they become lost we will be able to find their owners sooner. If they are surrendered we will find the animal a forever home after a waiting period. Wanting to make sure they are healthy. Make sure they weren’t abused and neglected. Those animals will take awhile to gain their trust back. I have seen and experienced dogs that were abused when I worked at the Human Society. No animal will be turned away no matter their history.
Traction I have worked at Human Societies for several years. This is why I want to have my own rescue. I have seen many animals come and go. Some to families and others sadly not. I don’t want to put any animal down unless their quality of life is compromised by their health. It takes awhile once animals are in rescue to come over the initial shock of either being separated from their families or being out on their own most of their lives. They only want to be loved. All animals deserve unconditional love. I have foster a few dogs and cats over the year, till they found their forever home. The recent years I have had 7 stray cats and 6 dogs as family members. Callie was a 10 year old very skinny cat that came to me. She lived another wonderful 3 years. I had a 3 month old kitten come to my door step. He unfortunately had a missing piece of his diaphragm. We took him home and he lived another 4 months till his issue took his life. We tried everything but no veterinary clinic would do surgery on him. He was loved very much even if only for a short time. My other cats range from 6 months to 3 years old. We also have had 6 dogs. Porscha was a German shepherd she was 14 years old when she passed. Princess was our Rottweiler she was 10 years old when she passed she had cancer. We had a mixed pit bull she was 8 years old when she passed, she had a brain aneurysm. Our others dogs range from age 4 months to 7 years. We have 2 rabbits and 2 parakeets. I know the animals find me because they know I would never turn them away.
Funding
Please see below for our “ Start up cost for our Animal Rescue.” I have broken down the estimate cost for the items needed to open the Animal Rescue. Here is an estimate cost of Veterinary Services for checkups, spaying and neutering animals, plus a microchip $260.00 per animal.
Projections
To make a difference in the animals lives as well as our community. To care for as many unfortunate animals as we can. Helping them to have the live they deserve. To help slow down the animal population strays/homeless animals. To nourish them back to health so they are able to live a long and full life, finding their forever home. To give back to God’s creations.
Closing Slide
I am grateful for any assistance to help fund our expanding Animal Rescue and giving every animal a chance for a better life. Giving our community the assistance they need when they find or lost an animal. Giving a spa day to our animal(family). Give relaxing therapy to our community with our animals. So that everyone can grow and give our animals the best that they deserve to be unconditional loved and have a long and happy life.
Funding (break down of estimated cost)
What the funding will be used for to get our Animal Rescue opened:
Purchase of Property | $329,000.00 Realtor Commissions | $9,870.00 Title search and survey | $500.00 Insurance every 6 months | $2,000.00 License fee to beable to adopt out animals | $500.00 20 dog kennels indoor | $8,000.00 24 cats units | $5,428.00 30 x 50 building for grooming and boarding | $25,000.00 Installing a kitchen to bake treats | $15,000.00 Dog and cat bowls | $800.00 Merchandise/ marketing | $10,000.00 Dog bedding | $500.00 20 more dog kennels when new building is done | $8,000.00 Mini cargo van | $20,000.00 Enclosed therapy room | $10,000.00 Advertising | $500.00 Animal food, supplies and rise of some projects that may arises | $54,902.00 TOTAL | $500,000.00
Tails of Hope Animal Rescue Start up Funding
If you have any questions concerning feel free to ask. Feel free to visit our website for latest updates and our animals.
