We are so proud of the hard work we’ve put in over the last five years. We met and surpassed many of our goals and hit major milestones this past year, allowing us to continue growing and expanding.
Since day one, Wild Hearts has operated as a scrappy organization with a whole lot of heart and kindness. As we celebrate our 5th year, there is no better example of that spirit and tenacity than the 140+ animals we have sponsored since our inception in 2014. In 2019 alone, we surpassed the $200,000 mark in sponsorship funds for medical services and supplies for pets with mobility issues. 46 pets were sponsored in 2019, up 21% from 2018. We now have new #wildheartsfamily members outside of Illinois in Puerto Rico, Pennsylvania, India, the UK and as far away as the Philippines. As we move forward in 2020, we plan to help even more pets while continuing to be resourceful, innovative, and always improving.
We are frequently contacted by local rescues, often because they’ve been referred by another rescue we have partnered with in the past. They reach out to us in the hopes that we can use our experience and resources to help them shelter a special needs pet. Almost all of these pets would be at risk of being euthanized at a high kill shelter because of their need for extra care and financial burden that comes with it. By partnering with Wild Hearts, rescues are able to take the responsibility of special needs pets because they know that we will be there to provide the resources and support they need to help save a life. It’s a common belief that Wild Hearts and our partner rescues share: all pets deserve the good life, and that disabilities don’t define the life of an animal.
We partnered up with ALIVE Rescue again to help out this adorable Boston Terrier named Pat.
Although the initial outreach to Wild Hearts can be stressful and can feel chaotic to pet parents and rescues, the success stories and transformations we get to witness make this cause so worthwhile. Animals are so resilient and adaptive to change; we witness this through the strength and determination of our sponsored pets as they learn to use a new assistive device, or while they begin to tackle progressively difficult physical rehabilitation exercises. We hope to provide you with more spotlight stories and updates in the coming year of our previously sponsored pets, as well as our new pack members like Pat.
None of our work would be possible without the financial support from people like you. Wild Hearts is 100% volunteer run, so all donations go directly to support an animal with mobility issues. Many of you reading this know the importance of the role a pet can play in your life. They’re family, which is why we refer to our sponsored pets, volunteers, and supporters as #wildheartsfamily on social media. Being a Wild Hearts family member means that we will do whatever possible to help pets - and the humans that love them - live their best lives. Together, we’re working to redefine disability.
