Crazy Lady Rescue helps place animals in homes
A local animal rescue group is seeing an increase in the number of animals needing homes. Crazy Lady Rescue in Pocatello said in just the last few months alone they’ve had more than 20 puppies come through needing a home.
The rescue group takes in as many animals as it can. After taking them in, it places the animals into various volunteer foster homes until they can be adopted out to permanent homes.
Currently, the rescue group has about 20 different animals, both cats and dogs. The group said there just isn’t enough help to go around.
Both Stephanie Wheatley and Treena Morgan have a passion for animals. And it was that passion that brought them together for the same cause. Last year, Wheatley and Morgan decided to start Crazy Lady Rescue to help animals find homes and help with the demand on local shelters.
“We do have a huge overpopulation issue and if there aren’t resources and help available, the animals do end up in a situation where they have to be put to sleep,” Morgan said.
“There’s a big need in the area,” Wheatley said. “We constantly have animals in need – animals that are dying because there’s no places for them to go.”
The group sees all types of animals come through. There are animals from abusive homes, abandoned animals left in various places, and sometimes they even get owner surrenders. Wheatley said a lot of the owner surrenders are due to overbreeding.
Crazy Lady Rescue said it focuses a lot on high-risk animals, meaning those who otherwise would likely not make it out of shelters. Both Wheatley and Morgan foster pets, as do several other people in the community. Crazy Lady Rescue even extends help and foster homes up through Idaho Falls and Rexburg.
Wheatley said one good thing about a foster home versus a shelter is it’s a better chance to socialize the animals and show them love, especially those who come from bad situations.
Wheatley and Morgan said it’s a lot of work but it’s very rewarding for them.
“I think the best benefit of all is giving of yourself to someone who can never physically say ‘thank you’ but shows you ‘thank you’ in so many different ways,” Morgan said.
“We’ve made a big difference — a huge difference I would say — for as small as we are,” Wheatley said. “And even when there’s sad moments, there’s hundreds of happy.”
Crazy Lady Rescue is completely operated with volunteers and donations. Wheatley and Morgan also pay a lot out of pocket to support the animals. They’re hoping to be able to find more people willing to foster so they can take on more animals.
More information on how to donate, or apply to foster or adopt an animal, is available on the Crazy Lady Rescue Facebook page.
