OLBH is in the business of saving lives. A need for a no-kill rescue in our area was recognized after observing high kill rates at local shelters and a large number of animals being abandoned in the community. In an effort to provide a positive solution, OLBH first organized in 2006. Since then, we have found homes for over 350 dogs, built a very strong base of dedicated volunteers, and continue to expand our sustainability and visibility throughout central and southern Indiana communities and surrounding states. Over the past year and a half, economic times in our community have been increasingly difficult and the value of our organization has become more apparent than ever. The number of animal surrenders is at an all-time high and despite our 46 adoptions in 2009, we continue to be at or near maximum capacity  We rescue dogs regardless of their breed and do not charge individuals or families who relinquish their pets. Because many local rescues and shelters either charge a fee, are breed-specific, or do not employ a no-kill philosophy, we fill a gap that otherwise exists in this community. We have taken in animals from every situation imaginable and have had dogs left at our doorstep in the middle of the night. Despite the circumstances, each of the dogs that come into our facility is provided individualized treatment, care, and rehabilitation as needed. All of our dogs are spayed/neutered, micro-chipped, and provided monthly heartworm and flea/tick preventatives. We go above and beyond to fulfill our mission. When our rescue is full, we employ a program that enables us to help financially strapped families care for their pets while we search out a new home for them. As part of this program, we post the pet on our adoption website and provide the family with pet food, medication, and preventatives until we find a suitable home for their pet. This program provides the added benefit of only one transition for the animal (from their current home to a new home), omitting the transition to a shelter environment. Completion of the remaining building projects at our new location will enable us to maintain compliance with state requirements and allow us to continue to address the needs of our community and neighboring areas. It will also enable us to begin focusing more resources and efforts on our long-term goals of expanding the no-kill philosophy and more broadly teaching the principles of responsible pet ownership.

Dear Friends of Our ‘Lil Bit of Heaven,

I’m Hobo and I was the lucky dog to be the very first resident of OLBH. That was back in 1995. I was found by a man who worked on the railroad, lost along the road as he walked to work. Hence, my name Hobo. There were responsibilities connected with being ‘first’. I needed to meet and greet the new dogs as they arrived at OLBH, letting them know they were in safe and caring hands now and everything would be okay. I had no idea there would be so many! But Joyce always took the best care of us and none of us ever had to worry again that there would be no food, no shelter, no one yelling or beating us. Some of us would go to other homes where there were families for us to take care of and love but not all found those homes. But, you know what? That was okay too because we never lacked for love with Joyce.

I was one of the dogs that never got another family. But I lived happily at OLBH. Sometimes things are hard for Joyce. We have gotten used to eating a meal of good dog food every day, we go to the vet whenever we get a ‘boo-boo’, we get all our shots (NOT our favorite thing but Joyce says it’s going to keep us from being sick so I guess that’s good), we also get monthly treatments for those nasty fleas and ticks and also for heartworms that can be so bad for us. We have some very nice people at some big places that will donate dog food to us but sometimes there isn’t very much on the trucks and Joyce worries that she will run out of food.

I crossed over the Rainbow Bridge in 2010. I was pretty old in dog years and as much as I’d like to have stayed to keep greeting the new guys my body just got tired. Now I have to watch from over the bridge and sometimes I get scared for all my buddies at OLBH. Scared that there won’t be enough food, medicine or what you humans call money for our vet, heat and stuff – Joyce says it takes a lot of that to keep everyone safe, healthy and warm. What could I do? Well, I’m asking my human friends to help me by being my angels and helping all my good friends at OLBH.

How, you ask, can I be an angel? Well really it’s easy. You can pledge a certain amount each month to OLBH to help with all the expenses. There are two ways to do this. If you have a good memory, like us dogs, you can write a check to OLBH each month or if you might not remember to do that (a memory like a C-A-T), you can ask your bank to set up an automatic withdrawal that will go to OLBH bank. That’s all there is to it! It would mean so much to Joyce and to all my furry friends not to have to worry about taking care of everything each month.

If you have questions I know Joyce would be happy to answer them. It’s easiest to use your computer thingy and send her a note at ownedbycaninesandloveit@yahoo.com . Please be one of Hobo’s Angels and pledge today. If we could, we’d all give you big sloppy kisses and high five paws for helping to make sure Joyce has one less thing to worry about.