As a part of our commitment to giving back to rescue groups, we select two organizations every month to be the recipient of our Buy One Give One (BOGO) program. Our BOGO program is based on online sales from two of our leash and collar collections (I Am A Rescue or Support The Underdog). For every collar/leash purchased from these collections, one is donated to a rescue group.
We are thrilled to announce that Five Acres Animal Shelter is our BOGO recipient from September 1-15. We asked Director of Development, Lauren Bosecker, a few questions to get our supporters familiar with the impact FAAS is making on the animals and people in their community.
PBC: What is your organization's story?
Lauren: Five Acres Animal Shelter is the only no-kill shelter in St. Charles County, Missouri. We were established in 1973 as a foster-based organization and we currently operate on an old farm on 5 acres. We find loving homes for dogs and cats that have either been surrendered to us by owners that can no longer care for them or pulled from shelters where they face euthanasia. All of our animals are spayed or neutered, microchipped, vaccinated and tested for heartworm disease, FIV and FelV before they are adopted. Our mission is to end pet homelessness, promote responsible pet owners and advocate for animal welfare.
PBC: How many dogs did you save last year? Tell us about a memorable rescue.
Lauren: In 2015 we found loving homes for 816 animals. 648 of them were dogs.A memorable rescue of 2015 was Tres, a one year old Pit Bull Terrier mix with a leg deformity. Tres was transferred to us from a local animal control facility after he had been found running as a stray. His leg deformity only affected one leg, and though it was difficult for him, he never held back trying to run and play on his three good legs. It took Tres a little longer to get adopted but the right person came around eventually. Before he found his forever home though, he made everyone fall in love with him, including a bystander at a 4th of July parade that he was in. She saw him walking in the parade and decided to send Tres a wheelchair so he could get around easier. After it was delivered, staff and volunteers assembled it and worked on helping Tres learn how to not run too fast and roll over people's toes! See the video documenting Tres' story below or follow this link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=vPk1QjwYNR0
PBC: Tell us one of the most challenging moments in the rescue and how you guys got through it. 
Lauren: When it takes an animal longer to get adopted than the average shelter animal, it is easy for them to develop unwanted behavior traits like aggression, anxiety, etc. Fortunately we did not have this issue with Tres though it can be common. Many of our longer residents are paired up with a shelter buddy to hopefully prevent them from developing certain behaviors that make then harder to adopt. A shelter buddy is an active volunteer that dedicates at least one day of the week to the animal they are paired with so that animal gets one on one special attention. The volunteer will work with that animal on things like obedience, tricks, socialization and simply just taking them outside of the shelter environment so they can take a break. Because we are trying to find homes for these animals, that volunteer will also take their buddy out in the public to meet new people and hopefully find their forever home.
PBC: Let us know anything else you wish to share about Five Acres Animal Shelter.
Lauren: Five Acres Animal Shelter is unlike any shelter in the area. When you walk in the door there is a much different feeling that what you would get walking into another facility. Animals typically are not hiding in corners, our facility is very clean and does not have a very sterile feeling. The animals, staff and volunteers are all very happy and you can see that as soon as you walk in the door. We are also unique because we are one of the only shelters in the area that will care for and find homes for special needs animals, specifically FIV and FelV positive felines. We also have several dogs throughout the year that undergo heartworm treatments. Many of these animals would not be given a chance at an underfunded and overcrowded facility, but Five Acres Animal Shelter believes in giving second chances.
Support Five Acres Animal Rescue by getting a collar and/or leash from our BOGO collections, and one of their adoptables will get one too!
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