Shaker Heights , Ohio

F.I.D.O., or Field Intervention for Dog Owners, is a pilot program that puts volunteers in touch with pet guardians throughout the Greater Cleveland area who are in need of temporary assistance such as tackling minor behavior issues, feeding, basic grooming, timely and appropriate veterinary care, landlord/neighbor disputes and plans for their beloved companions should serious illness or death occur. Although there are a number of fine animal shelters in the area, relinquishing a pet to one does not need to happen until all other options have been exhausted. Many people are simply not aware of the resources available to them or they can become overwhelmed by their situation. Our volunteers reach out to establish and maintain respectful relationships with dogs and their people. Through referrals from local Animal Control Officers, clergy, concerned citizens, social workers, veterinarians, neighborhood councilpersons and participating area shelter personnel we visit at-risk pet guardians. Our approach is simple: loaded with gifts of donated food and other supplies such as dog houses that can be constructed on the spot, cable runners, hay or other bedding material, toys, instant I.D. tags, crates, humane dog collars and leashes we introduce ourselves to the pet guardian. In an upbeat, positive non-threatening manner we establish dialogue in order to build a relationship that we maintain through continued home visits and phone calls. We demonstrate training techniques that will help the guardian better manage his dog so that, such as in the case of an outside dog, the animal may eventually be incorporated into the household. We will offer low cost spay/neuter vouchers, low-cost immunization referrals and help locate pet-friendly housing in the event a move is in the family’s future. In addition to our home visits we hope to soon set up tables at neighborhood health clinics to reach low-income dog owners and encourage them to approach us with questions and concerns they may have. Our personal goal is to help one dog each month remain in his/her forever home. At year's end this could mean 36 dogs have not been given up to shelters! Each one of us at Lucky Dog! is a F.I.D.O. volunteer and a portion of our income from the services we perform for hire is donated to F.I.D.O. Each time you use our Supply Run Service you too are donating to F.I.D.O. as the entire $10.00 surcharge is earmarked for the purchase of low-fiber dog food and spay/neuter vouchers. (Using our Supply Run Service once a month for a year provides the funds to alter 2.5 dogs or buys 150 pounds of food). F.I.D.O. is not a non-profit organization and does not receive any money in the form of grants or endowments at this time. We are not supported financially by any government agency or tax dollars. Your donations of food, equipment, and lumber are not tax-deductible; only an intrinsic value can be attached to your generosity. However, we do feel we are accountable to each and every person who donates an item or bag of food. Each month we will post how the money and donations are dispersed and photos of the progress some of the dogs and their families are making. Our personal goal is to help one dog each month remain in his/her forever home. At year's end this could mean 36 dogs have not been given up to shelters! [view full description]