by Jamie Lewis | photos courtesy Operation Animal Rescue
How much do you know about being a responsible pet owner? Where would you turn to learn more? Here in Middle Tennessee, you can turn to Operation Education Animal Rescue (OpEd). From humble beginnings in Christiana, their network of volunteers has made it their mission to provide a safe haven for abused, neglected, and unwanted animals. As a rescue, they always have dogs in various stages of the foster to adoption pipeline, but they don’t stop there.
As the name implies, a substantial part of their operation is to educate the public on caring for their animals, coming up with alternative ways of taking care of and training them instead of giving up on the pup. Far too many dogs are given up or abandoned simply because their owners don’t have the tools or knowledge to properly train their furry friends. In these circumstances, OpEd partners with various local training companies that they are happy to recommend. They will also offer various supplies like crates and leashes that people may not have thought to purchase. The hope is that the dog will be able to stay with their family and provide years of love and companionship.
Unfortunately, there will always be those cases where an animal must be surrendered. When these arise, OpEd has a network of foster homes who can open their doors to the dogs until a forever home can be found. They also partner with multiple boarding and doggie day care facilities to provide training for the dogs so hopefully, when they go to that forever home, they stay, well, forever! Their work continues even after the adoptions are completed. They will often stay in contact with each puppy’s new family, even if only for the adorable pictures!
Now, if all that wasn’t enough of a reason to check these good people out, here’s another: Rockin’ 4 Rescue is an annual fundraiser that brings food, music, and beverages together to support OpEd. This year’s event will be held on September 27th from 6 to 9 PM at Copper Ridge (3957 Betty Ford Road Murfreesboro, TN 37130). If music, local cuisine, and a margarita truck (yes, you read that right) aren’t enough to get you there, perhaps the $1,000 raffle with $10 tickets will be.
If you’re interested in fostering or have questions about what you can do to help, definitely check out opedanimalrescue.com and facebook.com/OpEdAnimalRescue. Whatever your dog needs are, they are here to help, today and tomorrow. If you are thinking about a new fur-baby, they may have just the one you need.
As board member and foster dad Jason May said, “The right dog can save your life.” You know what, he’s absolutely right!
