White Whiskers - Frequently Asked Questions
Are you a 501c3?
Yes, we are!
Where is your location?
We will be searching in Northern Erie and Southern Niagara Counties. The place will need to be somewhat rural, but not too off the beaten track so as to be all-weather accessible.
How soon will this happen?
As soon as we can raise the necessary funds to ensure we can purchase a house, retro-fit it for our purposes and provide the needed insurance, medical attention, etc. We do not want to start up before we can guarantee we can remain open for at least two years with the funds we have.
What kind of a facility will it be?
We want an old farmhouse, large enough to allow us to separate those dogs less compatible from others. NO KENNELS! No concrete floors! Big old comfy sofas and dog beds for all! Because we want it to be available to humans who can benefit from interactions with dogs, we will have a meeting room, a kitchen area and retro-fitted bathrooms, compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act’s Guidelines.
How many dogs will you serve?
As many as we can safely and securely accommodate. We will start out somewhat conservatively to ensure the well-being of our initial residents.
Will you allow adoptions/fostering?
Adoptions – yes; fostering, possibly. This is a work in progress so things will modify as time goes by. We do know that bonding between person and animal is more likely to occur over time, so the upside here is person and dog will really get to know one another first!
Will there be volunteer opportunities?
Right now, it’s about fundraising and networking and recruiting new partners. When we have the house, there will be lots of chores and opportunities to love our dogs!
Will you be hiring?
No. We will all be volunteers – no employees or stockholders.
Will you be holding events?
Frequently, as we intend to keep this up and running for a very long time. Support will always be needed and appreciated!
If you don't get enough funds to purchase a property, what happens to the money you raised so far?
We will use remaining donations to pay off debts and divide among local animal rescues as determined by our board of directors.
What do you mean by “community partner”?
We intend to work with local non profit agencies and populations that will benefit from the therapeutic nature of dogs, including but not limited to Autism Services, People Inc., literacy groups, and other social service organizations. We also want a free Memorial garden, open to all, and ongoing, on-the-premises self-help group grief sessions for those who are mourning lost pets. And we will have free spaces for dogs in emergency situations like house fires, accidents, deaths of owners and domestic abuse situations. We also want to offer veterans who need medical procedures a free, safe place to stash their dogs while they are in the hospital. And for military folks being deployed, space permitting, we can keep their dogs as well.