About Us&History

Saving Two Lives

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P.O. Box 194, 2102 80th Ave, Algona
IA 50511
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A few words about us

We are the Animal Rescue Family; a small group of caring individuals who have the best interest of animals in our hearts. Organized in 1997, the Animal Rescue Family is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to promoting responsible pet ownership, finding homes for lost, abused, and unwanted pets, promoting the humane treatment of animals through education, and advocating pet population control.

Behind the Scenes

Behind the scenes ARF members are helping animals one at a time; sometimes more than one at a time! Many, many animals have come through our volunteer's hands/homes/hearts and it would be impossible to try to count. There is a LOT going on in Algona and Kossuth County where animals need and receive our help. Sometimes it's getting vaccinations spay/neuter arranged, sometimes it's watching over sick animals, or feeding newborn kittens, getting animals re-homed, transporting them to other shelters, and the list goes on.


Our History

  • The history of the ARF group begin we believe in 1997. Documents show in 2004 the group got the dog park up and running at Veteran's Park in Algona. They also cleaned up and improved the city pound and worked to get an animal control contact person. They frequently had spay and neuter clinics.

  • In 2009 there was a shift in members. The Homeward Bound group combined with Kossuth Animal Rescue between 2009-2010. This created a special savings project for a shelter and another project for operations (spay/neuter/vet care, insurance, other expenses).

  • Animal rescue can be extremely stressful and can become overwhelming. This comes from a lack of support and resources. Often volunteers are inundated with animals who need care. Other people don't necessarily understand the strong desire to help however you can. Sometimes at extreme personal sacrifice. This is why rescues sometimes have large turnover. We hope to keep this group successful by dividing work evenly, working with our partners.

  • We encourage you to contact your city and county leaders to support our mission and cause. We are reducing stress and resource needs but not receiving any assistance or even thanks in return.

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meet our Volunteers

 

Coming Soon

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Useful info & advice
Are you ready to own a pet?

Owning a pet is a huge responsibility and is something that should be thought about seriously before adopting. All too often, a pet is adopted only to later be abandoned because an owner decides that caring for the animal is too big of a responsibility.

What kind of pet is right for you?

Depending on your living situation and lifestyle, different pets may be better suited for you. The following links provide some information to help you decide.

Problem behavior

Providing an insight into why the behavior is occurring in the first instance, and how it can be tackled and hopefully solved.

General care

Essential information on caring for your cat. Everything you need to know about getting a cat and how to keep it happy, healthy and safe.

Nutritional Tips

We all want our pets to be happy and healthy, and proper nutrition plays a huge part in that. Good nutrition enhances pets' quality - and quantity - of life by helping prevent diet-associated diseases.

Dental Care

Proper dental care can detect dental disease that not only affects the mouth, but can also lead to more serious health problems such as heart, lung, and kidney disease.

Read more tips