CARE

Financial stability and its supporters are what set CARE, or Central Arkansas Rescue Effort for Animals, apart from other rescue groups.

“I think we have been very fortunate, with a dedicated group of volunteers and contributors over the years to keep us in business,” said Harry Light, who was president of its board for 12 years and now serves as board secretary. “And we have a lot of people that have just big hearts, big hearts, and they want to give up their time and their money to help these animals that a lot of people didn’t think twice about.”

CARE was started by Light and two others with a fundraised $1,500 that was deposited with veterinarian Tim Paladino at Allpets Animal Hospital in Little Rock.

Since then, the nonprofit’s philosophy has been to rescue only as many pets as it can afford to pay for without going into debt with veterinary offices or others, Light said.

The rescued pets are placed in foster homes because CARE doesn’t operate a shelter. They are microchipped and assigned to one of about 20 volunteer caseworkers. The microchips ensure that pets rehomed by CARE return to CARE if surrendered to a shelter.

Light said that having the pets go to foster homes instead of a shelter is a “selling point” too, because foster parents can tell prospective owners what the animals are like as household pets.

The nonprofit aims to have 30-50 pets placed at any one time, he said.

CARE has another focus as well. It offers low-cost spay and neuter services.

Since it was founded in 1998, the nonprofit has helped sterilize more than 10,000 pets and rescued 4,500, Light said.

CARE also partners with the Arkansas Department of Corrections on Paws in Prison, which places shelter dogs within the prisons for approximately eight weeks of obedience training and socialization by inmates.

CARE carries out its mission with just three employees: its executive director, volunteer coordinator/assistant to the director and rescue/spay and neuter program coordinator.

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