FOUNDER'S MESSAGE UPDATED OFTEN

This is one of the pics of ReGina taken for the authors blurb of The Conrete Steps

ReGina Edmondson is a house wife of 24 years, a mother, a crafter, a cake decorator, a writer of self published books & grants, an animal rescuer and the founder/director of our organization. She is the 11th child of a career military man and a retired school teacher. She has spent her youth working with both humans and animals in a voluntary manner and her education consists of human resources, business management and accounting. Real estate & event planning & office management.

It is through her dreams and wishes and personal goals for this organization that we work so hard to try to gain the funds to build the Whiskers and Tails All Inclusive Animal and Human Assistance Facility. She has helped animals all of her life and her passion has extended to helping humans as well. Preparing food baskets during the holidays and delivering them along with gifts for the family and their animals too.

Here is a note from our founder:

In the world that we live in today there is absolutely no reason why there has to be abuse and abandoment of animals. There are far too many humane resources at our finger tips. I will never understand why some people choose to dump an animal near a busy highway or why they choose to take out an ad to give them away to some person that they have never met before. In Bates County they are dumped by lakes and raveens where they is no way out to get to food or to get help. People drive by and see them and most never even stop.

These are living breathing beings and I for one know that we can all do so much better. On this site alone there a ton of humane links that will take you through finding low cost or free spay/neuter clinics. There are links that will help you with behavior issues, allergy issues and even animal friendly housing.

There are no good reasons to give up a companion animal other than the fact that you might be dying or you can no longer care for him or her. There is just no place for them to go. There are not enough good homes out there for them to go to. More people are giving them up than taking them in.

If you would take one moment to stop and think about it you too would see that there are better ways to handle your humane issues. For example, if you live in a rural area and people are constantly dumping animals on your property start paying attention. Turn them into the proper authorities. In Missouri and several other states it is against the law to dump an animal.

Post signs on your property that you will prosecute. Post that you are watching and that you know who is doing the dumping because nine times out of ten it is the same person. Put in a little effort to stop the dumping. Don't take it out on the innocent animal. He or she is a victim like you are of uncaring, irresponsible people. Most every home in the world now has a computer. Look up humane assistance or rescue or anything that involved animals and surely you will find some help or advice.

Next, if you do not want any more animals...get them fixed! Quit letting them roam the country side without being spayed or neutered. It is too dangerous for them to roam free in the country any way. Too many people out there are taking the matter into their own uncaring hands. Shooting them, drowning them, putting out poison or even worse. STOP IT! IT IS AGAINST THE LAW TO ABUSE OR INHUMANELY KILL AN ANIMAL.

Like I said before. If you don't want more animals, get them fixed. If you do have unwanted animals do not give them away on the road sides to people you do not know. HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE SHOVED IN THE CAR WITH A PERFECT STRANGER AND NOT KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING OR WHY? IMAGINE HOW SCARED YOU WOULD BE? NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT MORE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FOUND GUILTY OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT AND INHUMANE TREATMENT IN MISSOURI THAN YOU WILL EVER KNOW. Did you know that over 100 people were found guilty of actually having sex with small dogs and killing them? Look it up and you will see the inhumane and sickening things that these little ones have to suffer through and usually neighbors do not want to get involved or by the time they do it is often too late. Just because you work with someone or have met them out somewhere does not mean that you know them. Get references. Ask to do a home check. Visit their place before you let that innocent living being go anywhere with them.

The chances that you are giving that animal to one of those horrible people is pretty high. Running ads in those crappy newspapers that allow free to good home ads is a horrible way to find a really good home for an innocent animal. How do you know that it's a good home? Do you ever go and check it out? Do you get references from their vet? There are stories that would curl your hair about animals that have been given away in the parking lots of department and grocery stores. Send me a letter and I will be happy to tell you about them in the hopes that it will end this cruel activity.

Let me tell you this... Chomper was about six months old when we rescued him. A beautiful black lab puppy. I wanted to find him a good home and started looking around. A man called me and said that he loved big dogs and had had several of them over the span of his life time. He went to the same vet that I used so I inquired about him. Oh he was a great guy and they really raved about him. I thought that I had found a wonderful new home for the Chomp. Unfortunately, the animals that he took in had some serious issues that no one could explain.

Low and behold when he came out to see him for the first time he preceded to tell me how he had lost all of his dogs. Busted larnyx on one. Broken spine on another. Dislocated jaw on yet another and believe it or not one had actually broke his neck somehow. TRUST ME WHEN I SAY THAT I COULD NOT GET THAT MAN AWAY FROM THE CHOMP SOON ENOUGH.

Look at this cute little face

"The Chomp Playing and staying alive"

How could all of those "accidents" have happened? Don't know. All I know is that there was one dog that none of it would happen to. Believe me when I say that you must be extremely careful when finding a new perspective home for an animal. There was a family out in the country in Bates County that was getting tons of cats from free to good home ads or just anywhere they could find them and using them for snake food and bait. Another family used the cats that they found to throw on their chained up dogs to make them mean.

Gross? You bet cha. I would rather that you know all of this before you do it than to find out about it later.

I get calls and e-mails all of the time from people with all kinds of stories to tell me about why they have to "get rid" of their sweet loving animal that they have had for five, ten or even fifteen years. Death, moving, allergies. We have never taken in owner release animals and probably never will. The reason is that we would have so many animals that we could not afford to feed them, care for them or have enough hours in the day to keep them clean and vetted. ( and, contrary to sites that like to list us as a shelter - we are not).

I do my best to talk to people to let them know that they do not have allergies to the animals but what is on their fur. The more you clean and the little things that you do could allow you to spend the rest of your life with your favorite companion. There are tons of things that you could do and don't forget that there are allergens in many of the plants, furniture, foods and more in the world. Pets just get blamed first.

Death. It is a good excuse but unless you are the one dying it really should not effect the housing situation of the animal. I know that sounds harsh but you have to think that almost every single rescue or shelter in the world is full to overflowing and the only way out for many shelter animals is death. It is not fair. My nephew gave me a kitten that he found before my son was born. I lived in an apartment that did not allow animals so I made arrangements with my Mother to keep her there until I could find a place where I could have the kitten. We moved, I was pregnant at the time and since than I too have lost more than a few family members. Almost twenty years, five moves, ten deaths and lots of life later she stayed with us until kidney failure took her a few years ago.

There are answers out there for your humane issues and I hope that you will take the time to find them before making any big and possibly harmful decisions in regards to animals. They truly need our help. If no one speaks up for them they often suffer in silence. I don't know about you...but I cannot live with that. My voice is loud and strong when it comes to making sure that they have all of the love that they need. Please help us to help them.

Did you know that the humane society web site has tons of great links that have some wonderful information on housing, behavior, allergies and more? please go and check it out. We have a link to them right here on our web site.

Helping animals doesn't take much other than time, love and someone that cares.

This little girl was with from the age of around two weeks until she passed away at the age of twenty. Death, moving, family issues, money, no matter what the situation was I never thought of giving her up.

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Books

For the ones we have lost.

Cera - Ran over by a drunk driver

Ditto - contracted incurable diseases from being forced to live outside

Bandit - Ditto's Dad. Forced to die from incurable diseases.

Romeo - He contracted every disease known to cats and distemper and pan lu finally claimed him.