Plans for Moate and Midlands Dog Rescue (MMDR ) are a step closer as local volunteers come forward in their droves to offer financial and practical help.
Their Facebook page shows the offer of a cement mixer and block-laying help, which Maria Drinan and Gary Farrell will take advantage of as soon as their Buy a Brick fundraiser which launches tonight (Friday August 9 ) in P Egan’s in Moate raises €30,000 to build the shelter and run it for a year.
Maria says electricians, plasterers, tilers, and others have offered their services on a voluntary basis, and a local groundworks company will even do the heavy groundwork for nothing.
She hopes that the animal sanctuary will open in Moate early next year on a site they secured earlier this year just outside the town.
In 2012, 200 dogs were destroyed in Westmeath and in the final 12 months before Maria and Gary left their last rented premises, they re-homed 200 dogs, with some going to the UK when homes could not be found for them in Ireland.
But first they need €30,000 to make MMDR happen. Bricks cost €10 each and Maria says they’ve sent a book of 10 tickets to every family who has previously adopted one of their stray, abandoned, or surrendered dogs.
“Even if they sell two tickets, that would be great,” she says.
Each person who buys a brick will have their name or their pet’s placed on the Lifesaver Wall at the new sanctuary which will have space for 40 dogs from a wide area.
Already Maria has taken dogs from as far away as Edenderry in Offaly and she’s thrilled with the local support so far, with lots of ideas and donations being offered.
“Moate people are very good for fundraising and a lot of people want this. They don’t want to see dogs go to the pound,” she says, adding that Mullingar’s new dog warden has been very encouraging to them.
“Strays are still fairly rampant and a lot of people are giving up their dogs,” says Maria, who gets up to eight calls a day.
She puts the dogs on Moate and Midlands Rescue’s Facebook page for re-homing and supportive foster families help with abandoned dogs found “in a bad way”.
The couple have operated from rented premises since 2009, but it’s time for a permanent home for the non-profit organisation.
Other local shelters also offer great support, she says.
There’s no money to be made in caring for and re-homing dogs, and Maria, who has three dogs herself, says they do it for “hardship and a love of dogs”.
The service will be run by volunteers, and will continue to offer home-checks and follow-up checks.
For more information find Moate and Midlands Dog Rescue on Facebook.
