14 May | Posted by theanimalleagueofbirmingham@gmail.com | no comments |
Animal League of Birmingham isn’t a rescue, but it rescues plenty
By Joey Kennedy | al.com
The Animal League of Birmingham has no animals. Sure, its members do. But some people think The Animal League is a rescue organization. Or a shelter. Or something.
Well, it is something. It’s a young nonprofit that has animal welfare at its very core. It’s a valuable resource for shelters and rescues. It’s caring people doing amazing work, but often under the radar and out of the spotlight.
The Animal League’s mission: “To help animals in need, with any medical issues,” said Sandra Varallo, president of the organization. “To help small humane societies and small rescues.”
The Animal League’s reach is Jefferson County and those counties that touch Jefferson County.
Varallo, who served as secretary of the organization for a couple of years before becoming president, said The Animal League organized in 2010 and really got going in 2011.
Animals
In that short time, the 501c(3) organization has given around $30,000, mostly to support heartworm treatments and surgeries for animals that are in area rescues and shelters.
“We’re pretty excited to be such a small group and to have done that,” said Varallo.
“We try to help everybody we can, as long as they put their request through us and work through channels,” said Peggy Cropp, a vice president and director of grants for The Animal League. “We try to help everyone, as long as they’re in good standing.”
In other words, rescues or shelters with poor histories and “iffy” reputations need not apply. There is a vetting process before funds are disbursed.
“We ask them for a letter explaining who they are,” Cropp said. “We ask them to explain the situation, what the animal needs. We try to figure out what’s up with them.”
And, Cropp said, “We have denied people.”
The Animal League has made a difference in many animals’ lives — including whether some have lives at all — but one particular case stands out.
Some folks saw a sack thrown from a moving car to the side of the road, and then noticed that there was movement in the sack as it bounded to a stop. They pulled over found three kittens in the sack. One of the kittens, now known as Popeye, had one of his eyes knocked out of the socket in the cruel event.
These good Samaritans gathered up the kittens and turned them over MomaKat Rescue. Funding from The Animal League helped cover the medical treatment for the kittens, including the surgical removal of Popeye’s eye. Popeye was eventually adopted and lives a comfortable life today.
Cropp said The Animal League gets one or two requests for funds each month, but “a lot of people don’t realize we have the ability to help. They don’t have a clue we’re here to help.” The group hosts fundraisers throughout the year, including the upcoming Birmingham’s Big Ice Cream Festival at Avondale Brewing Co. on June 7 at noon.
Still, as The Animal League becomes better known and develops a higher profile, it’s likely to get even more requests for aid. Won’t that stress the organization’s limited resources?
“That’s OK,” Cropp said. “It’ll just give us a reason to have another fundraiser.”
Have you or your rescue or shelter used the services of The Animal League? Tell us your experience in the comments below.
