Playful companions

By Joanne Gonnerman
jgonnerman@kannapoliscitizen.com
Cabarrus Pets Society is more than an animal rescue group that saves cats and dogs from unnecessary and untimely death.
It is a non-profit organization run by volunteers that fosters abandoned animals or pets that can no longer be kept in loving homes until someone adopts them. Public education about the importance of controlling animal population is also a priority of this group.
Cabarrus Pets Society began nine years ago when some of its current board members and volunteers realized they were each trying to finds homes for abandoned animals.
“We wanted to work with a good rescue group,” said Laurie James, president of Cabarrus Pets Society. “Individually, we were traveling around, setting up cages in various locations for people to see the animals. Cabarrus Pets Society came about because of that.”
Today, nine board members and upwards of 20-25 foster homes lead the non-profit group in its mission to place the right pet in the right home with the right person or family.
“We want to rescue as many animals as we can and find them the right home,” said Ann Cannon, Cabarrus Pets Society board member, volunteer and foster home provider. “We want to promote that animals have feelings and they’re more than a yard ornament. They have spirits. Animals are our friends and we have responsibility for their lives and we need to rise to that responsibility.”
Cannon takes her advice seriously. She has 13 dogs of her own.
Cabarrus Pets Society operates through financial donations, fundraisers and animal adoption fees. Those funds cover utility costs at the adoption center in Kannapolis and medical care and food for the animals.
Each dog available for adoption receives its parvo/distemper and rabies shots, as well as heartworm testing and preventative medicine. The adoption fee for a dog or puppy is $110.
Adoption fees for a cat are $60 if it’s younger than 6 months. Older cats are adopted for $50. Like dogs, all cats have current shots up to the day of adoption, plus feline leukemia testing. Both dogs and cats available for adoption are free of worms and have been spayed or neutered. If the animals require additional medical care, donations and adoption fees cover that as well.
“What we love to do is rescue the animals,” said Cannon. “Dogs are healing teachers. They teach us things about life … how to be loyal and forgiving, about running, playing, enjoying our health and life.”
Weekly Adopt-a-Pet events are held each Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 207 S. Main St. At the event, people interested in pet adoption can see and play with the animals that are available for adoption.
The organization also has a photo gallery on its Web site complete with descriptions of the animals that are in foster homes. Adoption forms are also available online at www.cabarruspets.com.
Once an adoption form is completed, a Cabarrus Pets Society volunteer will talk with the applicant about the adoption process and may even ask to arrange for a home visit. Some applicants have been turned down.
“We want to make sure that our pets are being adopted by people who really will take care of them,” said James. “We check veterinary references for current and past animals and we do home visits to see if there’s a fenced yard for medium or large dogs. We want to know about the potential owner’s exercise plan for the dogs. We even look at the energy level of the animal, and if there are kids in the family. We want the right fit. It’s better to find the right family the first time.”
James said the Cabarrus Pets Society would like to have more foster homes help the organization.
“We always need good foster homes,” said James. “Especially for cats. We do screen foster homes, just like we do our adopters.”
The organization is planning its fall fundraiser called “House of Barkula.” The event will be held Oct. 18 from 3-6 p.m. at the group’s adoption center at 207 S. Main St. Details are available online.
A golf tournament to benefit the Cabarrus Pets Society is planned for May 2009.
“Our previous two golf tournaments have been very successful,” said James. “We raised $21,000 our first year, and about $19,000 last year.”
To learn more about either fundraiser, contact Ann Cannon at 704-786-7729.