• Thank you for choosing to sponsor an out-of-state SPAR Transport.
• Our SPAR Transports take dogs to out-of-state adoption partners. The trips typically run every two weeks during most months.
• $350 covers the fuel costs and van maintenance for the trip. To keep costs low, the two volunteer drivers do not stay overnight. They drive 12 hours to the destination, hand over the dogs, then another 12 hours to home. A 24 hour turnaround.
Why Does SPAR transport Dogs Out-of-State?
Written February 2019
Saving Pets at Risk, Inc. partnered with the Humane Society of Boulder Valley in Boulder, Colorado in 2014. We sought this relationship to give our rescue a better chance at finding homes & living long, safe lives with loving families of their very own. At the time, we were saving around 100 pets a year. It became clear we could save so many more lives by driving SPAR Dogs to areas in need. In Oklahoma, this meant going out of state.
We discovered The Humane Society of Boulder Valley
while researching new adoption partners. And, the
SPAR Transport Program was born.
The HSBV team has been terrific to work with in every way. The care, attention, and commitment to their shelter pets fall right in line with SPAR values. Our partnership has been everything we hoped it would be. Boulder is a pet-friendly area where dogs are valued and treated with TLC. We couldn’t be happier with what we’re now able to accomplish! Today, our rescue finds homes for 400 to 500 dogs annually.
Dedication to healing the pets in our care, and running SPAR Transports every two weeks has made our SPAR Transport Program a success. To date, we've placed over two-thousand formerly homeless dogs with wonderful Colorado families.
Finding enough good homes in our area is extremely difficult, based on the high number of abandoned pets we have on a consistent basis. One thing that adds to the problem is that states like ours expect very little of pet owners and offer little when it comes to the consideration of the animals. For example: weak regulations for breeders, ineffective management of local pet laws/ordinances, minimal support from shelters and city/county officials, no spay/neuter support or expectations, etc.) There is usually very little community awareness regarding spay/neuter practices.
Many years of negligence in controlling the pet population in Pottawatomie County created a situation where so very many dogs become neglected and abandoned, often both. This problem is now worse.
Changes in policy at animal control and the animal shelter have led to large numbers of pets, especially dogs, to be abandoned (AKA Dumped) to fend for themselves. The change is because the pet owners that are no longer able to care for their pets do not know what else to do. To our surprise, the shelter tells citizens asking them for help, to contact us, instead. The rescues are overwhelmed 100% of the time.