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-Why Rescue Makes Temp Move Back to So. Florida (08-2024)

 This blog title was so simple to type, much simpler than the process of bringing this planned move into fruition!      ~And maybe 50 people read the rescue's blogs, it's certainly not a big audience, but still: even if one person reads it, and it helps that person and/or their pet, then it's worth it.     Why The Move (broken down into 3 categories):     1.) For approximately 4 years I worked at Miami Dade Animal Services when I lived in Miami Beach the first time around (circa 2010), mostly via an ASPCA-grant-funded-position which was aimed at increasing our live release rate… which I did quite well, but boy it was a lot of work!      Because of my time working in animal welfare while in Miami, I have some great rescue contacts there.     And I’ve always wanted to get Paw and Feather Plan ‘rooted’ in South Florida… where the idea for this rescue was born.         I know several individuals in and around Miami that could serve as temporary or permanent pet caregivers- a
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Recent posts

Do NOT Feed Your Dog Grain Free Full Time...

  Unless you want to put it at direct risk of dying prematurely of heart failure.      Yep, you read it right.  There are no 'ifs, ands or buts' about it:               Feeding Dogs a Strictly Grain Free Diet puts them at non-hereditary risk of dilated cardiomyopathy.      Thankfully, Janine, a PAFP foster and adopter, enlightened me to this fact.       Once Janine's 3rd whippet had late stage symptoms of advanced heart disease, she had reached her wits' end.  Her first two whippets had succumbed to heart disease too.  -And she just didn't get it: her dogs enjoyed top shelf dog food, Acana, had plenty of daily exercise, and regular vet visits.       That was it : beloved dog number 3 was going to a veterinarian-cardiologist.  -Enough with unexplained heart disease for Janine's dogs... and heartbreak for Janine!  Janine's foster, June, that almost was fed grain-free      It's the food- straight from the good cardiologist's mouth.      This doctor ex
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Policy Changes Affecting Individuals Requesting Rehoming Assistance from PAFP (changes do not affect our pet plan clients)

      As of 01/31/2024 these are PAFP's new SOPs (last revised on 02/13/2024):     -As PAFP currently has a hospice foster that did belong to a plan client, the rescue isn't able to take in other fosters at this time for the most part.      -The rescue  tries to pull/rescue pets from our high intake municipal shelter, Louisville Metro Animal Services, exclusively .  The rescue pulls pets only when we have a confirmed, volunteer foster home for pets.       -Any rehome cases we do take on will be charged a rate of $17/hour, and the ability to pay the $17/hour is not a guarantee we'll be able to 'say yes' to your particular rehome case.  Additional Notes in Regards to these New Standard Operating Procedures:     In a continued and consistent effort to remain as transparent as possible for the rescue's small-but-mighty following, I offer detailed explanations on the why of each of the above new procedures, implemented immediately:     -Our hospice  foster is So
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Give For Good Louisville Annual Fundraiser Recap (GFG Feels A Lot Like Playing the Lottery)

 - And I don't play the lottery.   While I don't judge others for gambling ( most everyone has his or her vices and/or diversions ), I for one don't gamble.       OK, you'll catch me buying a scratch off  maybe twice a year, when I've received birthday money   for example.   And naturally, it's rare that I win.  And when I have won, it's never been for more than $20.00.        That's all fine and well.  It's no big deal, but for the fact that I don't like it.    I'm a very passionate and engaged human being, so it's in my nature to 'go there' quickly and with an almost-pre-conceived notion that, 'I'm gonna win.'   If I'm scratching off for a potential $20,000 grand prize, try as I may to reel myself in, I'm seeing myself winning that $20,000 prize as I scratch away ~not the $20 one.        Then the let down is so... disappointing .  It's so icky to feel like you've lost, when you've invested time,
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Part II: What Does Having a Nonprofit Really Mean

  To pick up where we left off ( and if you don't know where we left off, you may read part I here ):   https://thepawandfeatherplan.blogspot.com/2023/07/what-does-having-non-profit-business.html     Taxes: 1.) 501c3 non-profits do pay sales and use tax.  -We pay the same 6% sales tax that every other business in the state of Ky. pays... quarterly, via  https://onestop.ky.gov/Pages/default.aspx .       In simple terms this means you pay 6% of any and all profits you generate through sales of goods or services (pet adoptions, dog training, sales of collars, anything like that would be taxable).  -You do not  pay S & U tax on donations received ( sometimes I wish I were more of a fundraising-type! ).  2.) 501c3 non-profits do pay employer taxes and must issue W-2 forms to W-9 employees at the end of each year.       We're responsible for calculating federal, state, city and social security withholdings from employee's pay.  Then we pay the 'difference' that we &
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What Does Having a Non Profit Business Really Mean? ~Read on to Find Out!

This is a big one; it's a big topic that I'll try to simplify and clarify for the reader as much as possible.      The  Wikipedia  Legal Definition of a nonprofit is a good place to start: a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in contrary with an entity that operates as a business aiming to generate a profit for its owners.       That seems pretty clear, right?  -While the basic definition of a nonprofit isn't particularly confusing or convoluted, it somehow lends itself to so many misconceptions, misinterpretations and misunderstandings.       That in and of itself is part of why I wanted to blog on this topic.      So, according to the above definition a nonprofit must exist to serve some positive social purpose, right?   -That is right, but let's not forget that the positive impact of a nonprofit can be highly focused and concentrated on a teeny-tiny fragment of the general population.      Here's an example of that:
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Not All That Seek to Rehome a Pet... are Willing to Lift a Finger

  Funny title huh? Funny life sometimes, funny people sometimes...      On the same day this week, I had 2 different cat owners reach out to me for assistance with rehoming their respective cats.      The first, a young lady had sent a brief email on Sunday that went like this (literally copied and pasted here):   Help to re-home my mom cat Your message:   Hello my name is Summer and my mom has cancer and no longer can take care of her cat As you may notice, there's no info about the cat, no picture, and no contact number. -So I emailed her back, requesting a pic of the cat, and her phone number. -She sent me the info., and followed up later on Sunday evening, asking when I'd call her. ~So there was an implied sense of urgency to the situation. I nicely responded that I'd call her on Monday morning (I try very hard to not do too much rescue stuff on Sundays) to explain how we could help out in this particular situation. Here's the sweet little kitty On Monda
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