During the coming months, I will be blogging occasionally about the women who founded Pet Allies Network (PAN) in the fall of 2012. Who are they and what do they do? I hope you will enjoy learning about PAN and the small but dedicated group of individuals trying to ensure positive outcomes for homeless pets. These articles will examine some of the ways PAN tackles that challenging issue.
Pet Allies Network consists of seven people: Sandi, Faith, Lisa, Roni, Kim, Alana, and me. Several years ago, Best Friends Animal Society allowed volunteer writers to contribute to the Best Friends website. That’s how we all “met” and became virtual friends. Only Alana and I live outside Orange County (OC). Alana is our Facebook guru and I focus on writing.
The remainder of the group is scattered throughout OC where they facilitate rescues of deathrow dogs and cats from area shelters and aid private parties who need to rehome their pets. Although PAN networks with numerous shelters and organizations and provides resources and guidance for individuals, PAN is not a 501c3. Nor does it arrange adoptions or have a facility to house animals.
Since I have no involvement in the hands-on process, I asked Sandi to tell me more about it. PAN connects people, provides sample application forms and sample home check questions for individuals. Sandi draws heavily from her year-long experience as a paid employee of Best Friends and utilizes that knowledge for PAN.
Sandi earns her living as a writer and donates her free time to animal rescue. She doesn’t consider herself an animal activist. "I don't know if I'd call it activism - just a belief in kindness to animals. I believe animals deserve a chance to live full lives just like people do.” She sees animals as partners, “just of a different species.”
Next week you’ll read about some of the animals PAN seeks to help.
by Elizabeth Sundstrom
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