Dog Outreach

24/7 Outside Dog Outreach

A.S.K. inspires compassion & strengthening of the human-animal bond through distribution of free relief supplies to underserved families and their dogs in Calhoun County, Michigan, prioritizing outreach in the cities of Battle Creek and Albion.

Reaching dogs that are 24/7 outside is our passion, and A.S.K. accomplishes this by scouring city streets searching for dogs forced to call a doghouse “home.” Thanks to this proactive, direct-outreach approach, over 90% of our cases are found.

A.S.K.’s outreach van is a mobile relief unit packed with seasonal essentials, like straw bales (in the winter) to properly insulate dog’s houses, in addition to hundreds of pounds of dog food, padded collars to replace choke and/or pinch collars or illegally wrapped log chains, light-weight cable tie-outs to replace short, heavy chains, treats to brighten lives, chews and toys to alleviate boredom, doghouses to replace dilapidated shelters and even preventative parasite medications. All of these in-kind items leave dogs in a better state than we found them in. And that is goal #1.

Secondarily, the distribution of supplies facilitates conversations and plants essential seeds of change towards the effort of getting 24/7 outside dogs integrated into the home, as members of the family. Free positive training advice, spay/neuter offers and even fence builds are offered on a case by case basis to clients who are ready to take their caretaking standards to the next level. And most importantly, A.S.K. is there to help, no matter how long it takes.

Pet Food Support

No companion should have to face hunger due to unexpected hardship or financial struggles faced by their caretakers. Many of A.S.K.’s clients live at or below the poverty level with multiple animals. Instead of insisting that human bonds be broke and animals sent to already over-full shelters and rescues, A.S.K. enables the family to keep their companion in a state of good health during struggles.

Dog food is also distributed to locations where our street team volunteers see the need for bodyweight improvement. Some of the most severely in-need dogs do not have guardians willing to ask for help. That’s what makes our direct-outreach services so fundamental!

Dog food is never re-sold.

Fix-It Blitz

Over 50% of dogs and cats, including puppies and kittens, are put to death in Calhoun County, Michigan as a result of poor adoption rates and limited shelter space. These are healthy animals that became homeless or were confiscated through cruelty cases.

The most straightforward response to addressing this high death rate is to offer free spay/neuter to high-risk, 24/7 outside dogs. A.S.K.’s service is the only of its kind in Calhoun County and on-the-street offers are made directly to clients with dogs being backyard bred either intentionally or “accidently.”

This community service is funded 100% by generous donations, and availability of this service is contingent on funding.

Last Resort Dog Rescue

Traditional rescue services are offered if a dog’s guardian is unwilling to reform their caretaking standard, or has a legitimate barrier to transitioning their dog inside. Emergency rescue services are also conducted for dogs found in life-threatening condition.

All dogs are found through street outreach. A.S.K. is unable to remove dogs from shelters, or from other rescue groups.

A.S.K. partners with adoption-focused nonprofits to transfer dogs that are easily adoptable and able to pass shelter evaluation assessments. A.S.K. also conducts re-homing services for dogs that require more extensive rehabilitation, but this is not our primary focus. As such, we only utilize a small number of special-needs foster homes for dogs that require socialization and adaptation to inside living.

Dog Adoption

A.S.K.’s dogs are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, microchipped and parasite-free prior to adoptions. Adoption rates are $150 which helps to offset the costs of vet care. A.S.K.’s adoption process involves the following steps:

1. Complete our dog survey so that we can help you find your match! Email your completed survey to liberatanimls@hotmail.com or snail-mail to A.S.K., PO Box 4055, Battle Creek, MI 49016.
2. A.S.K. will contact you upon receipt of your completed dog survey. We cannot guarantee an adoption match, but will give you the courtesy of follow-up contact.
3. If there’s a dog available that matches your interest, we will arrange a meet n’ greet at a public location in Battle Creek, Michigan. We encourage all human members of the household to attend the meet n’ greet. This is very important.
4. Is it a potential adoption match? A.S.K. will collectively discuss your case with you and the dog’s foster parents. If we collectively choose to proceed, we will request a meet n’ greet in your home, with your animals present. If you have no companions, we will still request an in-home meet n’ greet.
5. If the match seems like a good fit for all parties involved, we’ll sign an adoption contract! This generally does not take place at the in-home meet n’ greet, but a few days, to one week after, allowing all parties to further discuss whether or not the dog is a good fit.

*Due to our in-home meet n’ greet requirement, adoptions are restricted to within 150 miles of Battle Creek, Michigan, unless special circumstances exist. If you are out of state we encourage you to adopt from your local animal shelter or rescue!
See our adoptable dogs at: http://www.adoptapet.com/adoption_rescue/87684.html#featured

Scooby Fund Essentials: Help Us Help Outside Dogs!

All relief supplies and vet care services are made available thanks to generous donations. All products are purchased at regular rates; nothing is free unless you donate it!

$3-$4=one bale of straw to keep a dog insulated for 2 weeks

$15=bag of chews

$32=two prescription intestinal parasite treatments to achieve a state of good health

$24=20ft cable tie-out

$50=a tank of gas to keep the outreach van rolling

$60=pack the van full of straw

$58=48’’ dog crate to help train dogs transitioning into inside lives

$90= female dog spay to prevent the birth/deaths of hundreds of future dogs

$70 =male dog neuter

$110 Large Petmate Igloo doghouse for “pitbull”-type dogs and Shepherds

$150 XL Petmate Igloo doghouse for Rottweilers, Mastiffs and large breed dogs

Report Animal Neglect

1. Identify if local or state laws are being violated.

Check out:

Battle Creek City Animal Ordinances

Calhoun County Animal Ordinances

If there are violations of the law, contact Animal Control

1. In Calhoun County, call central dispatch 24/7 @269-781-0911 with the address of the animal, and brief summary of your concern. Keep it simple and to the point.

2. Leave your name and number to receive an officer follow-up. This is not required. However, you will not understand their action/inaction without getting an explanation from them. All calls can be made as anonymous reports *even if you are asked to provide your name or location* by the dispatcher.

3. If you do not receive a follow-up from Animal Control within 48 hours, call dispatch again and request Animal Control voicemail. However, if the dog is in life-threatening danger (ZERO shelter in extreme weather, illness, low bodyweight) your concern should be remedied on the same day and resolved by a regular officer, or sheriff deputy.

4. If you are unsatisfied or question the decision of Animal Control/officer and illegal conditions are seen, elevate your concern to Animal Control’s supervisor.

Tips:

To be most effective, you should photo or video document what you see from public property or with permission. Include a date stamp on photos that show the conditions. Also record the dates you reported the incident and what the response was, if any, from an officer. Note who you spoke with.
5. Call A.S.K. if your concern is within Calhoun County: 877-596-7776. We can provide hands-on help and free resources.

2. No laws are being broke; the animal I want to help simply lacks attention, or does not have adequate protections via laws (farm animals/birds)

Contact A.S.K. @ 877-596-7776. We will cater a solution to your specific concern.