The Cost of Saying Yes

There’s something we don’t talk about often enough in animal rescue: saving lives is expensive. Really expensive. And over the last few years, it seems the costs keep rising with each passing month. The cost of veterinary care continues to climb. Medications, vaccines, supplies, fuel, insurance, vehicle maintenance, boarding, food, you name it, we’re paying more for it. The cost of doing the work we do has increased significantly, even as the need for rescue continues to grow.

And the needs of the animals have not changed.

Shelters are still reaching out to us daily about dogs who have run out of time. Puppies and kittens are still being born faster than communities can care for them. Families are still struggling to afford veterinary care and pet food. And every week, we are faced with dozens and dozens of animals who need someone to say, “Yes. We’ll take them.”

We want that someone to be OPH. But saying yes comes with a price tag.

You may have noticed something new... If you’ve been following along, you may have noticed our new twice-monthly sponsorship emails, highlighting animals who are on their way to OPH and asking our community to help sponsor their journey. We started these emails because we want to make the connection between a rescue pet and the resources it takes to make that rescue happen more visible.

Before an animal ever arrives at an OPH foster home, there are transportation costs, veterinary expenses, vaccinations, testing, medications, spay/neuter surgery and more. And that’s before we even begin the work of helping that animal settle in, heal, learn, and ultimately find a family. Your sponsorship helps make that journey possible. And every dollar matters.

We’re putting a renewed focus on fundraising.

Fundraising has always been an important part of OPH. But as the cost of rescue continues to rise, we need to make fundraising an even bigger priority. That means more opportunities for you to be part of the work, not just when there’s an emergency, but all year long.

Our Annual Autumn Online Auction is coming up, and this year we’re setting an ambitious goal: $50,000. That may sound like a big number and it is. But so is the number of animals who need us.

The auction is more than a fun way to shop, bid and find some great items. It’s an opportunity for our entire community to come together and help fund the everyday work of rescue. Every winning bid, every donated item and every share helps us move closer to that $50,000 goal.

And then, once the auction wraps up and the year begins to wind down, we’ll turn our attention to Giving Tuesday and year-end giving. Those year end gifts are especially important because they help us begin the new year ready to say yes.

Because 2027 is coming soon. We don’t know yet which dogs  and cats will need us in 2027 but we know there will be no slowing down. We don’t know the names of the dogs who will be sitting in overcrowded shelters, the kittens who will be born into uncertain circumstances, or the families who will need a little help keeping their pets at home but we know they’re coming. And we want to be ready.

We want OPH to have the resources to answer the call when a shelter partner calls. To transport an animal who needs a way out. To provide the veterinary care that makes adoption possible. To support a family who just needs a little help. To step into a community where animals are struggling. And, most importantly, to keep creating happy endings.

Fundraising makes it possible to keep saying yes.

So if you’ve been looking for a way to make a difference, this is a really important moment to jump in.

Bid in the auction. Sponsor an animal. Save the date for Giving Tuesday on December 1. Become a monthly donor. Make a year-end gift. Share our campaigns with your friends.

You don’t have to do everything. But if everyone who loves OPH does something, together we can make an enormous difference.

Because the truth is, rescue is more expensive than it used to be.

But the value of a life hasn’t changed. And neither has our commitment to saving them.

Thank you for helping us keep saying yes.

Thanks,

Rebecca