I'm trying to start a rescue...

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gentle giants

gentle giants

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2005
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Location
, Illinois, USA
Ok, here is what is going on in my little world,LOL. I want to start a rabbit rescue in my county, becuase we reallydon't have one around here. I have contacted the Animal Welfare Deptabout licensing, but I have to have my premises ready for inspection 60days after I send in the application.

But. My rabbits are now sharing a corner of my father's polebarn, and needless to say that is not enough space for a recue, norwould it pass inspection. So I want to start fundraising, but I can'tdo that until I have my tax exempt status. I have contacted severaldiffernt rescues, but non of them have been able to tell me how to dothat! It's not like I can afford to go to a tax attorney, so I am doingeveything I can, and contacting everyone I can think of, to try andfind out how to do this.
My goal is to have a temp controlled, well ventilated, fairly spaciousbarn set up by this winter. If I can't get my tax exempt status, andthen my license, that dream goes out the window. I'm not asking for anymoney or anything, just any help with information that anyone can giveme. Thanks a lot in advance if anyone can help!
 
I am sorry, but I don't have any experience in that area. I wish you good luck, though!

Looks like those links might help out. How many other rabbit rescueshave you tried contacting for advice? If none are helpful, you couldtry other local rescues. They would have to go through similar steps.
 
Thanks a lot for the links. I will check out theALDF, that looks promising. I'm feeling pretty frustrated over this,it's something that I want soooo badly to do, and it's not even doingit that is being difficult, it's not knowing how to do it! If thatmakes any sense. Plus the price of the spay/neuter for rabbits has goneup ten bucks at my vet's, and they said the only discount they can giveme is a ten percent for bringing in more than one at once.
 
I don't know how to get grants and stuff - butyou may want to do some sort of a search to see about trying to getsome grants to help out?

Peg
 
http://www.avianprotectors.homestead.com/Mentoring.html

Avian Protectors has a lot of very useful links. The linksinclude Best Friend's manual for starting a non-profit, as well as,allthe infoyou need on starting a501C3. There is info on checking out your localzoning, fund raising, tax issues, etc.Another place to go forfree information and help is the IRS - either online or make anappointment at an IRS office. They can help you get thepaperwork stared. You may also want to check your state'sgovernment page for info from the state tax office.

Check the Illinois AG"s office web site for info on forming a non-profit. They also have quite a bit of info

http://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/charities/index.html
 
Thanks for those links, seniorcat, that reallyhelped! Now I have phone calls to make tomorow, LOL. The only thing Iam worried about is the fact that I have very little out-of-pocketmoney to spend. I would be relying almost totally on any donations andadoption fees I got. Is that incredibly nieve of me? I thought of alsoasking a fee for ower surrenders, like even ten bucks would help. Mybunny vet told me yesterday that the only discount they could give mewould be a ten percent for bringing in multiple rabbits at a time, notthat that will be a problem. I have six waiting right now.

Oh, BTW, zoning is no problem, I live waaay out in the boonies, LOL.

Also, if anyone has ideas for fundraisers, I would love to hear more ideas on that too! :D
 
gentle giants wrote:
The only thing I am worried about is the fact thatI have very little out-of-pocket money to spend. Iwould be relying almost totally on any donations and adoption fees Igot. Is that incredibly nieve of me? I thought of also asking a fee forower surrenders, like even ten bucks would help. My bunny vet told meyesterday that the only discount they could give me would be a tenpercent for bringing in multiple rabbits at a time, not that that willbe a problem. I have six waiting right now.
Click to expand...


Oh boy....there is alot ot consider when stating a rescue and it's pretty late here, so I'll be brief fo the moment.

As for the money aspect, prepare to be in the holeBIG time - we always run about a $3500 -$4000vet tab at any given time and literally thousands of dollars come outof *your own* pcoket - it is unavoidable.

Within our rescue, I myself, personally pay to feed over 100 rabbits,13 chinchillas, 21 degus, mice, rats, guinea pigsetc - manyof the foster parents can't afford to pay for food themselves so unlessI buy it myself, the rabbits won't be fostered or fed. I alsobuy food for alot of well cared for rabbits with people in low incomesituations that couldn't afford to care for them otherwise.We also routinely pay for most of the vet bills associated with thesebuns. That total is also only what I pay for, there are manyother foster parents and volunteers who also pay for more animals outof their pockets as well. The cost is HUGE. Lastyear our vet bills alone were over $21,000.

Another *hot* potatoe you should be careful of is where you housebunnies if you are doing rescue since many rescues and rescue relatedpeople or organizations are completely against outdoor housing - theyare more in favor of indoor house bunnies. Just a thought asI know you'll be called on it at some point by someone down theline.
In rescue most of the bunnies come from outdoor hutch, neglect typesituations so most rescues only promote indoor house bunnies etc.

My advice always to people wanting to start a rescue or help out inthat way would be to foster for a rescue needing help or volunteer forone first so then you get a sense of how much it will cost, time& work involved etc. All those factors needconsideration since most of the bunnies that come into rescue aregenerally not straight forward, healthy, well socialized typebuns.....the ones needing help will often need alot of $$ and timespent on them. Donations are also more readily given if youhave your charity status so without that you also stuggle with peopleviewing you as less credible.

Rescue also grows increadibly fast.....there are always more needing tocome in than can be helped and once the word is out, you may findanimals dumped on you or people call for you to take in theirbunnies.....unless you are prepared to somehow handle & dealwith it, it's very tough and emotionally draining.

Anyways, that is only my comments from my experiences andonly a tiny portion of the things to consider. Maybe juststart out helping those you can without being a so called *rescue* andif it goes well, then you can morph yourself into a rescue?Keepus posted as to how it goes.
Lisa
http://www.smallanimalrescue.org
 
I have done the helping out, like you said, Ihave a half dozen rescues right now. I do expect to have things likevet bills, etc. I have gotten lucky so far, only two of my rescues haveneeded vet care. All but one, however, have had emotional issues fromneglect and abuse.
I am planning on having my rabbits/rescue setup in a temp controlled building next to my house. I really couldn'thave them inside my house as it isn't big enough. The thing is, Ialready have people call me asking me to take thier rabbits, I turnedone down last week because I could tell it's owner's weren't going todump it if I couldn't take it. I am hoping to stay a small rescue, ifpossible.
I would like to have foster homes, once things get rolling, but theywould have to be able to pay for at least feed for the rabbits theyfoster, it would be a requirement. I want to ask my feed store if theywould be wiling to give me a discount on my feed (I know, don't counton it) in return for me sort of splashing their name around whenever Ido a fundraiser of something.
I am also planning on getting my tax exempt status, (that is what youmeant by charity status, right?) because I think around here you reallyaren't supposed to do fundraisers without it, plus then I can tellpoeple, "If you donate, it's tax deductable!"
Does all that sound right to you? I am trying to sort of covereverything, please let me know if I missed anything. Oh! I almostforgot, I can't foster for a shelter, there aren't any within about 200miles of me. Another reason I want to do this.
 
Well it sounds like you have thought about it alot which is good.

Two things I'd do to get started....1) go to Petfinder.com and start upa website....you can put a plea for foster homes, donations of food,vet bills and adoptive animals onto it. You can also getvolunteers that way as well.

2) start working on your foster network as this ithe most important aspect of rescue - IMO.

Foster parents are your volunteers, supporters, donors, fundraisers, networkers etc. You can never have enough.

Start gathering cages & suppleis that you can provide to fosterparents who are interested in helping....they are more willing to helpif you can provide the housing. We don't have a shelterourselves so each and every one of the animals listed on our site is ina foster home....and that's alot :shock:

Once you've done that, start a relationship with your vet - explainwhat you are doing and why and how you intend to operate or pay forthings. Ask for his/her support in order to make an adotionfee affordable to people but still be able to recover some of yourcosts for the speuters.

Start putting together some educational pamphlets/posters/brochuresabout your rescue and proper care & husbandry of rabbits aswell as why there is the problem with them needing help - a bit ofeducation & advocacy

As for the tax stuff...our first step was to register our group withthe province (state) and then once we were registered we applied forthe tax exemption. In Canada you need a board of directorswith a minimum of 5 people. We also had to come up with aname, do a search on it and then if it wasn't taken, have itregistered. Also remember - CHOOSE your boardCAREFULLY and stay small.....that is the biggest pitfall many rescuesrun into at some point.

I'd follow Best Friends info since they are in the states.

Start researching grant & funding opportunities n the meantime.....lots to do and in the midst of it all, the animals still needthe same amount of attention ;)

Good luck & keep us posted
 
The tax thing is hard. Most people can notafford the lawyer to help them. Also $1000 to process theapplication. The rescue I work with said sevral times they have beenclose to getting it done and than a bunny comes in that needs help. Sodo they do that or help the bunny? Help the bunny of course.
 
Do I have to have a lawyer to process theapplication, or can I do that myself? I contacted the IRS today, andthey said I don't have to have my tax exempt status to start myfundraising, which definatly makes everything simpler. I think I willmake some of those jars with pics of my bunnies on them and put them inthe different vet's offices around town. That won't bring in more thana few bucks, but it's a start. Oh, I also contacted the CharitableTrust Bureau, and they are sending me the forms or whatever toregister. I don't know what kind of fee that takes, though, I will haveto wait until the forms get here to find out.
I hadn't heard aboutthe board of directors thing in any of the research I have done, couldthat be something that is just in Canada? The thing is, I have to getmy buiding put up before I can really start taking in more rabbits.

An idea I had for a fundraiser-I am going to put up posterstelling about a rummage sale, and offering to pick up any gently useditems for the sale. It would say something like: "Get rid of all thoseold clothes and donate to a good cause at the same time! I will come toyour door and pick items up!" Would any of you go for that? Or doesthat sound like a good idea at all?

Edit to add: Thanks for the Petfinder idea, Rabbit Hutch, I will checkthat out. Thanks so much for all your ideas/suggestions, this is reallyhelping!
 
I'm moving this to the Rescue forum, others arelooking for support re: non-profit status, so I'm sure all thediscussions will benefit everybody.

You've been a great member here, GG, I hope we can help round up the help you need!

:hug:



sas :)
 
To set up a website - may I recommendwww.dsr4.com? They do my website - she designed it for free - I pay $18per year plus something like $8.95 or so for the domain name.

She's awesome - her name is Toni...great customer service...really one to one help...

Peg
 
Pipp wrote:
I'm moving this to the Rescue forum, others are looking forsupport re: non-profit status, so I'm sure all the discussions willbenefit everybody.

You've been a great member here, GG, I hope we can help round up the help you need!

:hug:



sas :)
Click to expand...


:blushan: Awww, shucks....
 
TinysMom wrote:
To set up a website - may I recommend www.dsr4.com? They do mywebsite - she designed it for free - I pay $18 per year plus somethinglike $8.95 or so for the domain name.

She's awesome - her name is Toni...great customer service...really one to one help...

Peg
Click to expand...


Ok, keep in mind I am a computer illiterate here-but-the computer I amusing is really old, my DH said once something like we don't have thesoftware to handle a website? I have no idea how that works. I wantedto start a website for my rabbitry, and Hubby said we couldn't, so I'mnot sure. Thanks for the link anyway, though, LOL.
 
Ok, I looked up the process for getting awebsite started with Petfinder, they need a letter from my vet's officeand such before I can get started. So I will see about doing thattomorow, I have to call them and make an appointment to get Charity andMolly spayed anyway. Keep us in your thoughts, guys, I have only gottenone doe done before, I am kinda nervous!
 
Ok, Petfinder wants a copy of my adoptioncontract along with my vet reference, so I wrote up a tentative onetoday. Tell me what you all think of it.

Adoption Contract

I, theundersigned, do hereby promise to provide full veterinary care for myadopted rabbit, including regular checkups and, if needed, emergencycare. I will provide the proper food and housing for my rabbit, asrecomended by the rescue facility or by a vet. If, for any reasonwhatsoever, I should have to give up my rabbit, I will bring it back tothis rescue facility along with any medical records and pay a $10 fee.I have read all information given to me by the rescue facility, andunderstand that rabbits can live up to ten years, and take fullresponsibilty for the rabbit's lifelong care.
I further understand that, as rabbits are considered exotic pets,veterinary care can become very expensive should the rabbit become ill.I have provided veterinary references, and a permanent homeaddress/phone number where I can be reached.
I know that as rabbits are a prey animal, they are easily frightenedand traumatized. I will never leave my rabbit unsupervised with anycat, dog, or small child. With my signature, as an adult over the ageof 18, I take full responsibility for this rabbit's care and comfort.


So how does that sound? Did I miss anything? Is the wording ok? Istill need to finish writing up my adoption application, too, any ideasfor questions I should ask on that would be great. I am going to lookfor pamphlets on things like greens and treats that are good forrabbits to hand out to adopters. Would $50 as an adoption fee be toomuch? Keep in mind, this is a little podunk area, and people down heremostly don't know jack about rabbits.
 
Looks good. Do have to say if I saw the partabout not leaving it alone with child, dog or cat I wouldn't do it.Also most will ignore that one I bet. Other than that just somerepostioning some stuff....



Adoption Contract

I, the undersigned, do hereby promise to provide full veterinary carefor my adopted rabbit, including regular checkups and, if needed,emergency care. I will provide the proper food and housing for myrabbit, as recomended by the rescue facility or by a vet.I furtherunderstand that, as rabbits are considered exotic pets, veterinary carecan become very expensive should the rabbit become ill. I have providedveterinary references, and a permanent home address/phone number whereI can be reached.

I have read all information given to me by the rescuefacility, and understand that rabbits can live up to ten years, andtake full responsibilty for the rabbit's lifelong care.

I know that as rabbits are a prey animal, they are easily frightenedand traumatized. I will never leave my rabbit unsupervised with anycat, dog, or small child.

If, for any reason whatsoever, I should have to give up my rabbit, Iwill bring it back to this rescue facility along with any medicalrecords and pay a $10 fee. With my signature, as an adult over the ageof 18, I take full responsibility for this rabbit's care andcomfort.
 
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