2018 BCSP Report

Annual Report on INTAKES

Overall Recap:

  • Dogs 194   
  • 2 dogs returned to owner
  • 16 dogs and 1 cat euthanized = 17  
  • 2 more dead, not counted who died by surgery
    (Buddy from neuter surgery at Lacroix) or by cancer from internal bleeding from a tumor on aorta learned by an autopsy by Dr. Retz.  
  • Cats 1 counted above in the number of 17 euthanized sick… at Lacroix.   

The number of dogs and cats the Bollinger County Stray Project (BCSP) took in 2018 as pets totaled 194. Only one intake was a cat. 

This is the second year we have assisted less than 200  animals as “Project Pets,’ which is very disappointing to us. Last year we only assisted 145 animals because we had so many heartworm positive dogs in 2017 (30) and no one wanted to adopt them before they were treated.  Sadly too, many callers were not interested once they learned we had treated the dogs for heartworms. So they waited and waited… 

We had assisted an average of 230 to 270 dogs from 2013 to 2016.  We hope that this year we can maintain a “RESCUE FRIEND” FaceBook base that will help share our adoptable pets and increase our adoptions and donor base.    

The total dogs which we adopted out and received an adoption fee for were 29 the first quarter, 22 the second quarter, 22 the third quarter and only 20 the fourth quarter for a total of  93 paid adoptions. 

Many of our intakes went to other rescues because they were not getting calls to adopt or were becoming too bored here due to long term containment and developing dog to dog issues.  Some dogs were not improving in social behaviors to get adopted in our market:  They don’t get the time and physical contact like they can get from a small foster based rescue or home.  

This place is too busy, too dog active for many shy or semi-feral dogs to develop socially in a timely manner.  So we end up giving many of them away to other rescue groups when we finally, yes finally, find help to help them.  We gave away about 78 FULLY to PARTIALLY VETTED dogs, that is 40%, to other rescues in 2018. Fully vetted dogs cost us between $175 to $250, not counting their food and monthly prevention: additional costs. 

Rescues who take vetted dogs from us generally do not pay us back for our vetting money. 

Many more dogs which we did not count as “Project dogs” in our total annual numbers were assisted by us (not vetted by us) to find other rescue groups to accept them.

Because we started 2018 with low income due to the 30 Heartworm positive dogs in 2017, we purposely took in fewer adult dogs.  We needed young dogs and pups to help pay the bills or we could have shut down our doors. We had no choice but to be picky in 2018, yet our adoptions fell short of normal…  Our donations have been good in 2018, but our bills for injured dogs were very high.  Even though we tried to be picky, the dogs that were stressed and causing issues in their pens were again, about 78 dogs…that we gave away.  Many were longtime residents too: hard to adopt. 

We took in five dogs with broken legs in 2018. Those dogs cost us an average of $750 to $1000 each this year. That is about 10% to 12.5% of our budget just for five dogs. A pregnant Pit Bull / Shar Pei mix who was about to give birth was the sixth dog,  She went to another rescue near Kansas City after we paid several hundred dollars on board and medical care. 

We had one C-section this year (over $500 plus the spay). She had four live pups. 

We took in one ER cat which was a Siamese that was dying, and so we also humanely euthanized the cat.

We also helped some other dying pets from severe injuries or stage 3 Heartworms or that owners asked us to accept that were so sick they were dying.  Two had congestive heart failure and were filled with fluid, and one had liver failure. We took them to end their suffering.  

Those dogs and that single cat brought up our total euthanize number to 17 or 8.8%.  That figure is 2% higher than in 2016 and 2017.  

Two more dogs died that were Project dogs.  One adult male passed after his neuter surgery. He apparently was too sensitive to the meds or had an allergy to them when sedated.  The other dog was a young female who had a tumor burst on her aorta causing her to peacefully bleed to death. We paid for an autopsy to find out what happened to her.  

Since we have been a rescue we have taken in over 2500 dogs and cats.  We have lost three pets from sedation for surgery. That would be .012% of our total pets assisted. 

Zion had an infection we could not control while dealing with a pin in a broken leg and Erhlichia. After 8-weeks of trying he gave up so then we let him go with help. 

We took in seven elderly dogs in 2018. Elderly Amerimart had cancer.  Elderly Felix had Congestive Heart Failure. Both of these dogs were kept comfortable here for several months. Elderly Beagle Lucy, a resident for several years, died of old age, possible cancer.  

Several dogs had full-fledged, stage 3 Heartworm.  

Four youngsters had Parvo. 

A Lab mix female, partially vetted, was with a foster, waiting for an opening here when she was hit by a vehicle so severely injured she had to be euthanized. Another rescue adult had lost all elimination control after being run over by her owner and was aggressive.

One large dog was human aggressive. 

Now, reading this you can understand why it is so hard for us to make ends meet. You can read why we so desperately need your help for the special-needs dogs and cats as well as to help us find adopters.  

You also know we care deeply about the dogs in our charge.