FURRY FRIENDS REFUGE

Furry Friends Refuge is working to bring the no-kill equation to the entire Des Moines metro area, beyond the three cities in which it has already been established (West Des Moines, Clive, and Urbandale).

The no-kill equation aims to end euthanasia of any non-irremediably suffering animal; in the past, the benchmark had been set at a live-release rate of 90 percent, but adherents to the equation — including Furry Friends — have recognized that rates of 95 percent and more are absolutely attainable.

We are working to form partnerships with all cities in our area in which any animal that might otherwise be euthanized would come to us for care and adoption programs.

This partnership has already been established in West Des Moines, Clive, and Urbandale. In 2011, we became involved in a citizen committee exploring animal control in those cities, and realized that over two thirds of the cats being impounded were euthanized because there was no adoption center or program for them. Animal control gladly accepted our offer to provide those options for all pets.

In 2013, we began formally taking in all unclaimed strays in those cities, in addition to the owner surrenders we had already been accepting. Since then, we have maintained a live-release rate of around 95 percent every year while keeping our doors open to every single animal from those cities.

We use several innovative care programs to ensure that these animals can become healthy, loving pets: bottle-feeding for orphaned kittens; education about FIV and feline leukemia, plus lifelong supportive vet care for FeLeuk adopters; placement in barn homes for feral cats; playgroups to keep dogs mentally stimulated and to gauge their real-life actions; and rehabilitation for dogs with behavior challenges.

All members of the public are welcome to adopt from us, make appointments to have their pet altered at our low-cost spay/neuter clinic, and seek advice on how to keep their pet in case of any behavior or medical challenges.

We welcome volunteers from all walks of life to come work with and care for our animals, and we routinely send them out into the community to explain the no-kill equation and other aspects of humane animal treatment.

Furry Friends' commitment to no-kill has prompted the organization to build a remarkable medical program, since advanced care is needed for a significant portion of our intakes, who would otherwise be euthanized at traditional facilities. This ranges from checking blood sugar of and injecting insulin for diabetic pets; tube-feeding critical-care animals four times a day; and administering medication for a large array of other conditions including heart disease, seizures, infections, kidney disease and more. At least one vet tech is scheduled to work every day of the week to ensure medical concerns are addressed quickly and properly, and the medical staff, including the veterinarian, is on-call for any emergencies.

All Furry Friends staff members receive training and mentorship that far exceeds what is typically received in an animal shelter environment; this ensures that all staff can recognize animals' medical and behavioral needs as well as accurately and professionally relay information about our animals and programs to customers. Additionally, we benefit greatly from a dedicated group of volunteers to assist with daily tasks, from cleaning to socializing to welcoming customers.

We believe wholeheartedly in the power of partnerships to achieve our goals. This includes years of coordinating services with animal control staff; helping other area rescues through access to Furry Friends' medical program; and recruiting and retaining a large, grassroots network of volunteers who all share Furry Friends' vision to help every community animal.

We are proud to say that we, with great help from our community partners, adopters, donors, and volunteers, have created Iowa's first and only open-admission no-kill community in West Des Moines, Clive, and Urbandale.

Since 2013, all animals in those cities, from owner surrenders to unclaimed strays, have come to us, regardless of behavior challenges, medical issues, or perceived adoptability. This partnership, which animal control actively pursued and supported, has dramatically reduced euthanasia; nearly two-thirds of unclaimed cats used to be euthanized because animal control was not able to offer an adoption program.

Now, at least 95 percent of all intakes (from our jurisdiction as well as outside of it) are able to leave our shelter alive each year, destined for a loving forever home. Euthanasia is only used in a situation where the animal is suffering excruciating pain and stands no chance of survival, or where the animal is deemed a true danger to people and other animals — never for space or length of stay.

We believe that Des Moines and its other suburbs want to see this same no-kill guarantee for their animals, and we are working to establish relationships with those cities to do so. Until then, we continue to mind the gap, as best as we can, between traditional shelters and smaller rescue organizations to save as many animals as possible.