No animal shelter ever wants to euthanize its abandoned cats and dogs, but a lack of funding and space often means that they're faced with no other option. It's a sad fact of life, but animal shelters are doing the best they can with the resources they have access to.
New Beginnings Animal Rescue in the Bronx is a home for abandoned cats and dogs with a no-kill policy. Founded in 2011, New Beginnings was the project of Pedro Rosario, a former worker with animal control for some sixteen years. Having spent much of his career deciding which animals would have to be euthanized due to budget or space restraints, Rosario was adamant that his new venture would care for every animal that it came across. A boarding kennel, NYC Top Dog, is operated alongside the shelter, and was supposed to provide extra income for the shelter.
Now, however, Rosario and New Beginnings are facing an uncertain future, as increased bills and rent, emergency veterinary costs, and growing numbers of abandoned animals has led to the shelter falling behind financially. There are currently 40 dogs and 25 cats awaiting new homes, while some clients of the boarding kennel have actually abandoned their animals and left the project with further debts.
Rosario and his dedicated team of volunteers have done all they can to help the shelter, with its founder taking on a second job and applying for numerous grants. However, he estimates that the shelter costs over $10,000 a month to run, and the options available are gradually waning. The 65 animals at New Beginnings now face uncertainty; euthanasia or being placed in public animal homes could become their reality.
If you would like to learn more about the campaign, or lend your support to Rosario and his volunteers, please click through to their GoFundMe page. We are heartened to see that so many supporters have stepped forward already, and more than $40,000 has been raised so far. However, there is still a long way to go before New Beginnings is out of the woods completely.
Photo ©iStock.com/EvgeniaBolyukh
