Foster Spotlight

Coronavirus

COVID-19 response and information

Pawfect Match Rescue & Rehabilitation is focused on protecting the health and well-being of the animals in our care, our staff, volunteers, and the community we serve. We will update this page with any new developments; we appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate this situation together with the communities we serve. 

3/27/20: Who will care for your pet?

While it’s not fun to imagine, now is an important time to create a plan for your pet in case you get sick. This weekend, we strongly encourage you gather any members of your household and walk through the following steps to ensure your animals will be well cared for in the event of an emergency.

1. Know the facts: According to the CDC, there is no evidence that people can get COVID-19 from pets. The best place for your animal is inside the home they know and love. If you aren’t feeling well but are still able to provide care for your pet, please keep them at home with you where they’re most comfortable.
2. If you do become too ill to physically care for your pet or you need to be hospitalized, who can take over for you? Is there anyone else in your home who could help? Maybe a neighbor, friend, coworker, or family member who could take them in? Even a groomer, daycare, or boarding facility may be able to help in your time of need with advance notice. But the most important thing you can do today is come up with two potential pet plans and talk directly with those people so they’re prepared in case they’re called to action.
3. Prepare a pet supply kit. It may not seem necessary today, but we promise it will be hugely helpful if you find yourself in an emergency situation without the ability to track down the proper supplies. Your kit should include the following, as best as you’re able:

• Name and contact information for the person who can care for your pets
• Name and contact information for your back-up in case your go-to is no longer able to help
• Food, treats, a leash, a couple of toys, and any other supplies necessary to care for your pet for at least two weeks
• A crate or carrier to transport your pet
• Vaccination records
• Collars with ID tags (and don’t forget to make sure your pet’s microchip information is up to date)
• Medications and prescriptions, along with a list of instructions
• Daily care instructions
• Contact information for your veterinary clinic

With your whole family on board and a plan in place, you’ll feel a bit better about your pet’s safety knowing they’re in good hands no matter what challenges may arise. ❤

3/30/20: Update regarding statewide Safer At Home order

Safer At Home Update: Pawfect Match Rescue & Rehabilitation will remain hard at work during the statewide shutdown! We applaud the Governor and state officials for recognizing that shelters are truly essential to the welfare of the animals and people we serve. “Businesses that provide food, shelter, and other necessities of life for animals, including animal shelters, boarding, rescues, kennels, and adopting facilities" are all explicitly defined as “Essential Businesses” under the order.  This means not only can our volunteers travel to work to care for animals, but that our community is also allowed to travel to access critical services, including adoption and foster care. (Please remember: adoptions are now by appointment only and we have limited volunteers so please be patient.

Can potential adopters and fosters still schedule meet and greets? Yes, we are still open for limited meetings and adoptions (by appointment only) and only by utilizing strong social distancing and hygiene practices; we appreciate your patience with our new process.  To further limit interaction, we have moved to “curbside fostering” in which foster parents will remain in their cars while volunteers bring animals and/or additional supplies to and from their vehicles.

Can PMR&R still take in animals in need? Yes, the need is greater than ever before and we will continue to help as long as we have available foster homes to do so.  If your family has been hit hard by the Covid 19 shutdown and you are in need of help to support your personal pets please reach out to us via email at pawfectmatch@gmail.com.  While we are not in a position to help everyone we may be able to help with food and other supplies or veterinary care.

Can PMR&R outreach work continue? Our outreach team is continuing its vital work with a great deal of social distancing, focusing on telephone support, leaving food and supplies on porches, and finding other ways to help our neighbors from afar.

Adoptions, Strays, and Surrenders

ADOPTIONS DURING COVID-19 RESPONSE

• Adoptions are by appointment only.  All correspondence will be held via telephone and/or email.  Please be patient as we have limited volunteers and many of us have “essential” paying jobs as well. 
• Strays and surrenders will be helped as we have room.  We typically only pull from shelters but during this time we will make exceptions on a case by case basis on owner surrenders and strays in the community.

-DONATE-

Monetary: The critical work of PMR&R is continuing in order to ensure the care and health of our animals still in residence. If you are seeking a way to help animals and our community in the midst of uncertainty, we would be grateful for your financial support. Click here to help our animals today.

In-kind donations: Yes! We can take in-kind donations via our Amazon wishlist Our highest needs right now are puppy pads, dry puppy food, dog toys, paper towels, hand sanitizer,crates and/or puppy pens. Your support is greatly appreciated during this challenging time. 

Coronavirus response and information

We hope you and those you love are staying healthy and managing the uncertainty we’re all sharing as we work through challenges we’ve never seen before.  Many of you are asking how we’re doing here at PMR&R. The answer is: we’re able to keep up our most critical work serving animals and people, and are embracing social distancing - and practicing even more stringent cleaning and disinfecting processes - to keep ourselves and our community as healthy as we can.  All Public meet and greets have been cancelled until further notice.

If you intend to visit we are asking you to do three things:

• Stay home if you are sick, coughing, sneezing, or feverish. We want to keep our volunteers, and our potential adopters/fosters as safe as possible. Please don't be offended if we ask you to leave if you come to visit sick.
• If you have an appointment to come in and adopt, great! We have a lot of awesome pets looking for new homes, and we are excited to work with you. At this time, however, these appointments are to adopt a specific dog. If you just want to “shop” around, we respectfully ask that you wait until the stay in place order is lifted.
• We are choosing social distancing whenever possible as we respond to this situation, so when you visit, please respect personal space, and don’t be surprised if we offer an elbow bump or air high-five in lieu of shaking your hand! 

We appreciate your support! And if you are interested in becoming a foster parent, we need you more than ever. Click here to learn how to sign on and save lives! 

Other Resources

https://www.uwsheltermedicine.com/news/2020/3/animal-services-role-in-covid-19-support

COVID19 FAQ for pet owners, AVMA: https://www.avma.org/sites/default/files/2020-03/covid-19-faq-pet-owners_031620.pdf

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/ 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, If You Have Animals

 World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/