Animal rescue seeks long-term fosters after flooding

CLINTON TWP.

By Susan Smiley

A pipe that burst during Wednesday’s thunderstorms has displaced some 50 animals at the ReJoyceful Animal Rescue in Clinton Township.

Bedding, toys, food and other items were destroyed and, shelter director Michelle Heyza discovered, the shelter’s renter’s insurance does not cover the cost of replacing the items.

The landlord’s insurance will cover the cost of fixing the broken pipe and making other repairs.

It will likely be several weeks before the shelter space is ready for animals to move back in and in the meantime, long-term foster homes are desperately needed. According to a post on the shelter’s Facebook page, all shelter animals were placed in foster homes, however many are only able to foster short-term so adopters and long-term foster families are needed.

ReJoyceful Animal Rescue, a no-kill dog and cat rescue, will be posting pictures and information about animals that need long-term fosters. On Friday afternoon, a plea for dogs Nutmeg and Barney was posted. The two dogs have been at the shelter for eight months and bonded so the hope is to place them together or in homes that are close together so that play dates can be planned.

Shelter personnel advise that if someone is interested in fostering they visit the ReJoyceful Animal Rescue website and fill out a foster questionnaire online.

Those who can’t foster but wish to support the shelter’s efforts can donate through Venmo, PayPal and Ziffy on the ReJoyceful Animal Rescue website and through a GoFundMe managed by shelter worker Emily Karolski. As of Friday afternoon, the GoFundMe had raised $19,000 of a $30,000 goal. To donate go to gofund.me/9fe8a0bf.

The Lucky Puppy Boutique is also running a fundraiser for ReJoyceful Animal Rescue with 50% of the proceeds from each order going to the shelter. Visit luckypuppyboutique.company.site/A-Rejoyceful-Animal-Rescue to make a purchase.

A social media post advised that while all of the damaged items including beds, toys and shelter equipment will need to be replaced and many people have offered to donate items, the shelter is not ready to accept those types of donations today due to storage challenges.