Excellence in Animal Rescue
Each year millions of animals are euthanized in shelters due to lack of space, lack of finances and lack of access to other organizations to turn to for help. Most of these animals are adoptable. There are nearly 20,000 rescue organizations in the USA, yet until now, there has been NO professional association to help standardize the animal rescue industry, provide listings and outreach to shelters.

This is THE professional association for animal rescue organizations.  Our goal is to foster and build the animal rescue industry so that ultimatly we, as members, will have a greater impact on the euthanasia rates of unwanted, neglected and homeless animals.

From our Northwest headquarters in Portland, OR and with the help of local rescue organizations, we have launched a grass-roots effort to build membership and expand across North America.  The Association will benefit all rescue organizations and asks in return that all members help in making the Association become a powerful resource.  On sign-up for membership, we ask each new member to look over our volunteer project list and consider helping with at least one project.  To maximize our breadth and coverage, we ask all members to spread the word to a few of their animal rescue contacts.  We hope that this grass-roots, hands-on member involvement will create an active and collaborative force in the animal rescue industry so that ultimately we will impact euthanasia rates.

Member benefits will grow and include:

• Help for start-up rescue organizations
• Best practices via standard forms and operations manuals
• Certification (quality assurance for shelters and others)
• Recognition through certification and awards
• Mediation services
• And more (suggestions and ideas always welcome!)

Membership Benefits
Since our group is in the beginning stages, our tangible membership benefits will grow over time and will be based on what our members find most useful and helpful.  There is power in numbers, so negotiated discounted rates with vendors will be a great benefit to members.  Our benefits will be based on what members find most useful, but some planned benefits include:

• Discounted insurance rates
• Discounted web-based animal management system
• FREE standardized forms for:
  • Applications (fosters, volunteers, adoption)
  • Veterinary service orders
  • Owner or shelter release
  • Volunteer waivers
  • and many more
• Newsletter (stories about members, volunteers, helpful info)
• Much more to come, based on surveys of members

The immediate benefit of membership is to be among the first in the nation to show your support of an association dedicated to supporting the animal rescue industry.  There are thousands of rescue organizations in the country, yet there are still almost 10 million animals that are euthanized in the USA each year.  It is our mission to reduce that number by bringing together shelters, rescue organizations (members) and veterinarians, by educating the general public, and by increasing the credibility of the animal rescue industry.

Key members of our team have personally been involved in breed rescue for almost ten years from start-up to multi-state coverage.  They understand the complications that are involved and have formed the Association to help.  Currently there are no paid positions...all of us are volunteers.

The Story Behind the
Animal Rescue Association of America

The Association has been formed out of a need.  Rescue organizations, as a whole, are run by those who are passionate about animals and who want to make a difference.  Many rescues have had the forethought to set up and operate the organization properly.  Unfortunately, there are others who have the best intentions and want to be animal rescuers but have no systems in place, no finances to take care of medical necessities and supplies, and no insurance.  And still others who have ulterior motives (hoarders, “selling” dogs picked up from shelters, etc.).  These individuals make it harder for those of us who have worked in rescue and have given our souls, energy...and checkbooks to help animals.  Many shelters we have been in contact with don't want to or are hesitant to work with rescue organizations because they have had bad experiences with poorly run operations.  Who suffers? The animals.  

Additionally, we feel there is no group that works harder than animal rescuers...all on a volunteer basis, yet there is no national forum to honor them.  The animal rescue industry is one of the few left with NO national association...until now.  The Animal Rescue Association of America was founded to:

• Help new rescue organizations in their start-up phase to ensure they have best practices in place, and to offer assistance to existing rescue orgs.
• Bring together animal rescue organizations (members) to support each other through networking.
• Set standards, best practices, and systems (with member input).
• Offer a certification program for rescue organizations (the first in history for our industry).
• Offer shelters a sense of security in working with our C.R.O.’s (Certified Rescue Organizations).
• Honor and recognize rescue organizations and volunteers for their passion, hard work, and for making a difference in the lives they save.
• Educate the public regarding the benefits of spaying/neutering their companion animals.
• And ultimately, to help our member rescues increase animal adoptions and decrease animal euthanasia.

Key members of the Association have personally been involved in breed rescue for almost ten years from start-up to multi-state coverage. They understand the complications that are involved and have formed the Association to help. Currently, there are no paid positions...all of us are volunteers.