Not One Dog or Cat Forsaken

In the canine welfare world her struggle is akin to that of Nelson Mandela or perhaps Mahatma Gandhi. Let us introduce you to an amazing woman deserving of not only our accolades, but our support. Her story is summarized in the sharkonline.org video below (have tissues handy).

One of the great heroes of dog welfare, Tammy Grimes’ story of rescuing a dog named Doogie is both heart wrenching and infuriating. Whether Tammy was morally right or legally wrong, she needed a great deal of help.  A nationwide vocal and responsive organization with intense public backing would have made a tremendous difference for her, and would have put a national spotlight on the challenges our country faces in creating an environment in which our dogs and cats no longer suffer. A K9Nation that we envision would have immediately assisted Tammy and have been beside her at every step of her struggle. At the same time, K9Nation’s communication network would have been overloaded as we made sure that as many Americans as possible became aware of what had happened.
 
This is why K9Nation prioritizes widespread public support and unbridled growth of Citizen numbers. With the immense challenges the welfare of our best friends, the best hope for our mission and our dogs and cats is the coming together of all concerned Americans. We can create the voice and muscle to attract the attention of the perpetrators of cruelty and overcome their thoughtless, shameless, and self-centered agendas.    

The fundamental purpose of this division is to establish and coordinate a nationwide rescue and adoption system as a cooperative effort of local R&A groups, shelters, and K9N Kommunities. Rescue and Adoption include day-to-day adoptions of disowned pets, disaster situations, and emergencies involving law enforcement (personal and public emergencies, puppy mill seizures, dog fighting raids, etc.).
 
Another purpose of the division is to partner with anti-cruelty groups (with missions similar to that of K9Nation in regard to dogs and cats) in order to work together for greater public awareness. The division also monitors violations of animal cruelty, and to investigate cruelty reports.  
 
A long-term goal of the division is to establish K9N shelters where adequate shelter facilities do not exist. 

K9N Community Animal Protection Initiative (CAPI)

A K9N founding position is public involvement in animal control, and to this end the division sponsors the K9N Community Animal Protection Initiative (CAPI), a blueprint for tapping public support and volunteer involvement for a new generation of shelters operating on a system of best practices that emphasizes adoption without killing animals.

An innovative 21^st century approach must be adopted to end the wholesale killing of shelter dogs and cats. The initiative is intends to bring  public shelters and the public together to establish a foundation for public involvement in shelter operations with the following goals: (1) to create a positive public image and physical environment, (2) to create community outreach efforts that involve pet owners and prospective pet owners in educational and training activities; (3) to establish optimal and measurable conditions for the humane care and treatment of pets; (4) to devise a creative adoption program methodology that eliminates the need to kill.

IN A TYPICAL KOMMUNITY any person may contribute ideas or their background experience to the National CAPI Development Committee that is in charge of creating the initiative. A volunteer CAPI Kommunity Representative serves as the chairman of the CAPI Kommunity Advisory Council made up of anyone interested in providing input as members of the council. In this way, individuals from across the nation actually contribute to the initiative.

Operation Second Chance:  K9Nation’s Nationwide Adoption Transport System

A K9N founding goal is the establishment of a national system for safely moving pets from one part of our country to another for purposes of adoption, moving to less crowded shelters, and to receive medical treatment. The system depends upon cooperation among R&A organizations, shelters, and K9N Kommunities.

IN A TYPICAL KOMMUNITY any person may assist in the efficient operation of the nationally coordinated operation of transporting homeless pets from overcrowded shelters to available ones; from shelters where death would be their only option to adoptive homes; and from shelters to available medical services. The Operation Second Chance (OSC) Kommunity Director oversees local responsibilities. Any person may help as OSC Kommunity Associates. Volunteer OSC Transport Providers actually transport animals in cooperation with other providers in other Kommunities.

K9Nation Kommunity Shelter Auxiliary

K9Nation envisions armies of volunteers from K9N’s Kommunities throughout the United States, working with local shelters as the K9N Shelter Auxiliary assisting in shelter care and adoption operations. K9N Shelter Auxiliary’s services include:

IN A TYPICAL KOMMUNITY any person may volunteer as the Kommunity Coordinator for any of the three Shelter Auxiliary programs: Adoption Brigade, Pet Parent, or Pet Hospice.  The Kommunity coordinators work with the National Coordinators for each of the programs, and with coordinators in other Kommunities in establishing and maintaining effective operations.
 
Anyone willing to work with adoption may serve as a Certified Adoption Counselor. Volunteers who oversee placement of homeless pets and their well being serve as Pet Foster Parent Program Counselors. Those who offer to look after pets in their homes qualify as program Providers. Volunteers willing to be trained in caring from old pets nearing the end of their lives, and who have been abandoned or surrendered to a shelter, may learn to serve as a Pet Hospice Counselor or Counselor. Counselors oversee placement of pets into providers’ homes, and handle procedures with dignity after death.  Some volunteer position require completing online certification training.
 

K9N Public Services

Public services provided by K9Nation Kommunities provide assistance to needy animals and their owners that help to alleviate factors contributing to pet overpopulation.

• K9Nation’s Spay & Neuter Offensive.  Volunteers promote and assist in community spay and neuter efforts, and coordinate K9Nation’s low-cost program.

• Pet Pantry. A pet food bank program for needy pets.

• Homes of Refuge. Qualified Citizens may volunteer to provide short-term, temporary, and loving homes for pets in need. Temporary housing at Homes of Refuge providers are needed when no other options exist.  Examples include (1) pets endangered in domestic disputes, (2) rescued dogs from puppy mills, dog-fighting rings, or hoarders, and (3) disasters. Preparedness training is available for Homes of Refuge providers.

• Services Surrogates. For our military personnel who are deployed outside the U.S., K9Nation Service Surrogates volunteers find families willing to provide temporary care for their pets when otherwise the pet would have to be relinquished to a shelter. Safe and loving care is available, too, for individuals or families needing extended care for their companion animals in medical, family, and personal emergencies.

• Fido Friends. Seniors benefit from health and wellness advantages by responsibly caring for a pet, especially dogs. Fido Friends volunteers encourage seniors, especially those living alone, to adopt a lifestyle-compatible pet, and help establish loving and caring relationships. Volunteers learn how to foster activities that reduce stress, increase exercise, and introduce seniors to new human friends and interests by way of their dogs.

IN A TYPICAL KOMMUNITY any person may volunteer to serve as the Kommunity Coordinator for any of the four K9N Kommunity Public Services: Homes of Refuge, Pet Pantry Program, Services Surrogates, and Fido Friends.  The Kommunity coordinators work with the National Coordinators for each of the services, and with coordinators in other Kommunities in establishing and maintaining effective operations.
 
Homes of Refuge: Anyone willing to help to oversee the placement and monitoring of pets in need of care in emergency situations may serve as a Homes of Refuge Advisor. A volunteer willing to take in needy pets and care for them during an emergency situation may serve as a Homes of Refuge Provider.
 
Pet Pantry Program: In a Kommunity where several pantries may be established, the Pet Pantry Program Kommunity Coordinator oversees all operations. A person volunteering to be responsible for the general operation of an individual pantry is the Manager. Those assisting the manager serve as Pat Pantry Associates. The manager and assistants work with local residents, manufacturers and distributors, restaurants, and grocery stores in obtaining food for both the pantry and shelters.
 
Services Surrogates: Volunteers may serve as Counselors in working with families needing placement of pets, and with families receiving pets. Counselors also monitor the care of pets and ensure service personnel are kept informed as to their animals’ well being. Those providing temporary homes for the program serve as Services Surrogates Guardians.
 

Fido Friends: Volunteers who locate those who could benefit from caring for a dog or cat may serve as Fido Friends Certified Placement & Assistance Specialists.

Abuse Prevention and Emergency Hotline (Pet Hotline)

As a “pet 911,” our pet hotline can assist callers with various kinds of help when nothing else is available. No dog or cat should suffer abuse or be put in harms way when law enforcement or animal control are unavailable.  Whether it is three o’clock in the morning or on a weekend or holiday, a suffering pet should be able to receive immediate rescue and loving care. The purpose of pet hotline is to provide immediate help when it seems there is no other way to turn, and to receive leads if callers wish to remain anonymous. Coordinated from our central command, K9Nation will be able to alert local help including Kommunity volunteers (Watchdogs, Homes of Refuge providers, etc.) who can muster up an immediate response.

IN A TYPICAL KOMMUNITY a volunteer serves as the Kommunity Liaison working with the Abuse Hotline National Director and other Kommunity Liaisons. As currently planned, the hotline is handled in a central national location. Kommunity Liaisons oversee local response and supplies the national center with continuously updated lists of resources to which callers can be referred. At any time that a problem may exist, the Liaison serves as an on-the-spot resource person to lend local assistance. Volunteers willing to help may serve as Hotline Associates.

Disaster & Emergency Response

Disaster Response. The loss of 600,000 pets with hurricane Katrina (according to the Congressional Friends of Animals Caucus, 2006) is a tragedy that only happened because we humans simply did not plan.  This must never happen again. K9Nation is committed to helping establish effective rescue response that is coordinated at the national, regional, and local levels in the event of emergency and disaster situations. It is our goal to track and provide housing for rescued animals, and have a plan in place to reunite pet owners with their animals.

Emergency Response. An emergency situation is one that involves one or several animals that need temporary housing because of a house fire, accident involving the owners, etc. when care cannot be provided by friends or relatives. This differs from disaster response which refers to natural and other large-scale situations (for example, raids on puppy mills, dog-fighting operations, etc.) involving large numbers of animals needing rescue and temporary housing.

IN A TYPICAL KOMMUNITY volunteers are always prepared to respond to local emergency and disaster situations. Whether man-made or natural disasters, a rescue force is available to give assistance to dogs and cats. Kommunity efforts are coordinated by the E&DR Kommunity Director who works with the National E&DR Director and other Kommunity directors to have in place regional cooperative plans to bring all Kommunities into a unified and well coordinated effort for widespread disasters and emergencies.

K9NBI (K9Nation Bureau of Investigation)

The K9NBI investigates criminal cruelty and partners with local law enforcement in responding to reports of cruelty.  K9NBI investigators seek out potential cruelty violations, and scrutinize reports of cruelty. It is a goal of K9Nation to establish a cooperative program between Kommunities and local law enforcement to enable K9NBI officers to respond to cruelty reports with limited enforcement capabilities. Certified investigators may also assist in investigation of animal cruelty cases through crime scene analysis, gathering of facts and evidence, and forensics.

IN A TYPICAL KOMMUNITY volunteers willing to be trained in investigative procedures including legalities may do so to serve as K9NBI Certified Investigators in tracking down perpetrators of cruelty in cooperation with local law enforcement. Kommunity activities are under the direction of the K9NBI Kommunity Director. Under the guidance of the K9NBI National Director, Kommunity Directors cooperate in establishing effective nationwide and local investigative systems targeting those who inflict cruelty upon our best friends.

Watchdog Squad

Watchdog Squad volunteers learn how to recognize cruelty and animals needing help as certified Cruelty Investigators.  They maintain vigilant observation while reporting and assisting in helping local law enforcement. With additional training, Cruelty Investigators may also serve as “first responders” serving with local law enforcement in rescuing animals.

The Watchdog Squad Director, or Alpha Watchdog, oversees the Kommunity’s activities, monitors cruelty laws and enforcement, and assists in the placement of pets for care in emergencies.

IN A TYPICAL KOMMUNITY any person willing to learn about cruelty may become Certified Cruelty Watchdogs and serve in the Kommunity’s Watchdog Squad.  Watchdogs observe and report cruelty, help the community to understand cruelty and to prevent it, and to advise residents as to the consequences of inflicting cruelty upon animals.