Our
History
The first meeting of ART was in January of 1999. Our members came together initially because each was involved in improving the lives of, and finding homes for, orphaned animals. Some individuals took in stray and/or unwanted animals, restored them to health as needed, and placed them in permanent homes. Others in the group focused most of their efforts on supporting local shelters like the city funded Animal Control and privately funded SPCA. We decided that we wanted to continue and enhance these diverse efforts and have done so quite well.
During our short history, ART’s impact on the community has been profound. In addition to developing a solid network of foster homes, which allowed members to rescue and adopt out an average of 23 animals per month, ART members played a pivotal role in the revision of the animal welfare laws in Norfolk. Further, ART is an approved rescue with nearly every shelter in the region and, in fact, has substantially enhanced the volunteer base at the Norfolk Animal Management Center. One of ART’s most pivotal initiatives, with the help of $75,000 in grants from the Norfolk Foundation, was the formation of the Animal Welfare Coalition of Hampton Roads which includes representatives from virtually every animal service provider group in the region, and whose goal is to increase spay/neuter and quality adoptions, and to end the euthanasia of healthy, adoptable animals in Hampton Roads.
ART is incorporated and a 501 © 3 as designated by the IRS.
Our
Achievements
Rescued/adopted out approx. 1800 animals from 1999- Dec 2007
We accept unwanted animals from individuals, or, when an animal's “time is up”, from the SPCA and area Animal Control shelters. The animals are placed into our network of foster homes, they are brought current on vaccinations and spayed/neutered, ads are run, potential owners screened, and, ultimately, permanent homes are found.
Recognized by every shelter in the region
We are an approved rescue organization with the Norfolk SPCA and Norfolk Animal Control, the Chesapeake Humane Society, Suffolk Animal Control, Virginia Beach Animal Control, Portsmouth Humane and are known as credible members of the rescue community by the other shelters.
Celebration Garden, Old Donation Episcopal Church, Virginia Beach
In 2005, Animal Rescue of Tidewater and Old Donation Episcopal Church created a special garden celebrating animals and animal lovers that touch our hearts and lives. The garden is filled with spring blooming bulbs, each planted to recognize a special animal or animal lover. The garden also includes a Kousa dogwood, a bench for peaceful meditation and a plaque commemorating the dedication of the garden. Bulbs are planted each fall as requested by anyone wishing to celebrate their “Forever Friend”. |
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Founded Animal Welfare Coalition of Hampton Roads
ART invited all animal service providers in the region to a meeting on 9/30/01 to engage in a discussion, the ultimate goal of which was to create a plan to end euthanasia as a means of controlling animal over-population in Southside Hampton Roads within the next five years.
After only two such meetings, the group unanimously agreed to endorse ART’s application, on behalf of the Animal Welfare Coalition, to the Norfolk Foundation for a grant to fund a year long process of data gathering and community building in the area of animal service and animal welfare, to be lead by the professional team of Joseph Riddick and Associates.
In mid-December 2001, the Norfolk Foundation approved the grant application. It is noteworthy that the application included thirty-eight letters of support, including letters from three city managers on the southside and letters from different levels of city leadership in the other cities; as well as letters from Best Friends and Alley Cat Allies. Suffice it to say, there was universal support for this approach to bringing the service providers together, identifying the services available, the unmet needs and a plan for coordinated service deliver to address those un-met needs.
In early 2003, with the needs assessment complete, Riddick and Associates delivered the State of Animal Welfare 2002 to the Coalition and general public in Council Chambers at norfolk City Hall.
Currently the Coalition is focused on developing partnership initiatives and securing external funds to develop programs to address the region's unmet needs.
Grants Received
ART has been the recipient of Spay/Neuter Grants from both Petsmart Charities and the Virginia Federation of Humane Societies and we are proud of the trust these donors have placed in us to use those monies to save the lives of hundreds of animals in Hampton Roads.
What
We Do
- Rescue and find homes for stray, abandoned, shelter-released and owner-released animals
- Advocate for improved animal welfare
- Educate the public about animal welfare and animal issues
- Focus on spay/neuter as the underlying solution to animal population control
- Work to build coalitions with our animal welfare partners
- Raise funds to support our work
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