Nearly 100 animals are about to have their lives changed for the better thanks to a rescue organization in Barrie, Ont. Lost Boys Hope Rescue is an independent, not-for-profit, foster-based dog rescue organization that addresses the dog overpopulation, with rescue efforts focusing on the Northern Canadian Reserves where veterinary care and resources are scarce. After a four-day rescue mission that wrapped up Dec. 30, 90 dogs and 6 cats are safe and sound in the care of Lost Boys Hope, with these animals being eventually ready for adoption into loving homes. Those numbers are unheard of, according to the founder of the organization, Kelley Ward. “Generally rescues will take one to two or maybe five. Lost Boys generally will pull in ten to thirty,” she says. “We haven’t taken 90 in years but it’s not because the dogs aren’t there. We have to work with what we have for open foster homes.” One reason the number was so high for this rescue was that there were large litters, so multiple dogs could go to one foster home. “A lot of these dogs were puppies so they are usually doubled or tripled up - sometimes more - with fosters. One of our litters was a litter of 13 and 10 that makes the numbers higher fast!” Ward explains. The organization says all animals it rescues go directly into foster homes. From there, they go into a two-week quarantine period, after which they see veterinarians, get vaccinated, microchipped and spayed or neutered. Following these procedures, they will go up for adoption. The mission began well in advance of staff heading out on the road to various northern communities. Tasks like making crates, packing the vans and preparing large quantities of food needed to be accomplished. The team ventured up to deliver food to a dog and cat rescue organization, Northern Reach Rescue Network, in Thunder Bay. Then they headed west to Winnipeg, Manitoba where they picked up 20 dogs. Back in Thunder Bay, they rescued 13 puppies and headed back out to Winnipeg to load in more dogs and a few cats. The back and forth between locations is in “true rescue fashion,” according Ward. “Once others hear we are coming, it’s a frantic placement process to see who else we might be able to take,” she says. The rescue organization says all the animals were either stray or from northern reserves where resources were stretched to the max. The organization, in its 10th year of rescuing animals, credits partner rescues and the generosity of the community for donating, adopting and supporting. Ward says the organization just recently started taking in cats, citing the cat overpopulation is just as much of a problem as the dog one, that being the reason Lost Boys started taking them in. She says the organization doesn’t have a large foster base for them yet. Lost Boys Hope is always looking for help from the community stressing the need for financial contributions to go towards much-needed veterinary care, treatments and recovery costs. To donate or find out more information about Lost Boys Hope Rescue, go to their website.
