Brown County Animal Rescue
Putting paws and claws in good hands since 2022
How it all started
The beginning
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In 2021, we came together to solve a problem: no organization existed to help lost, stray, and unwanted cats and dogs in Brown County. We developed a plan, and by Spring 2022 Brown County Animal Rescue (BCAR) became a certified 501(c)3 and licensed Animal Rescue organization. Once established, we created a foster and adoption program, adopting out our first animals in November & December of 2022
How it's going.
Since BCAR's official inception in 2022, we've been hard at work. We currently offer select programming to the Brown County community and surrounding counties. See further info below!!
As a foster-based rescue, BCAR can only take animals into our care if a foster home is arranged. We work diligently with the community, recruiting foster homes to fit the needs of the animals. Once a foster home is lined up, vet care is provided, and the animal moves into the home until their forever family is found.
To ensure we have the right home for our animals, both fosters and adopters are required to submit an application. These applications are reviewed, and reference checks are made. At BCAR, we want to ensure our animals are going to the perfect home for them and the people providing their care.
Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) Program
The purpose of Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) Programs is to humanely catch a cat using a live trap, transport to a veterinary clinic where the animal is sterilized and vaccinated for rabies, then release back to the location they were captured. Cats are returned to their original location to prevent the vacuum effect. The vacuum effect is when animals are permanently removed from an environment, a territorial opening is created, causing more animals of the same species to replace them. Therefore TNR programs are a more effective approach than euthanization to stabilizing the population while simultaneously reducing the ability to add to the population.
The BCAR TNR Program focuses on stray & feral cat colonies in Brown County. Community members notify us of cats in their neighborhood that need fixed. We then proactively reach out to residents living in the area, communicate we'll be trapping in the area and when. This is to prevent resident's pets from being potentially trapped in the process. We then work with local veterinarians to have the cats sterilized, rabies vaccinated and ear tipped to help identify they've been fixed. The cats are then returned to their neighborhood.
Although our primary focus in Brown County, we do support surrounding county needs on an as-needed basis and as funds allow.
Blessing Box Food Pantry
Foster & Adoption Program
The Blessing Box Food Pantry, currently located at Mt. Sterling Foods (200 Pittsfield Rd. Mt. Sterling, IL) is a pet food pantry stocked by BCAR on a monthly basis. Products vary each month, but through monetary and product donations, BCAR is able to provide an additional resource to community members in need.
Community Cares Fund
The Community Cares Fund is dollars set aside as part of the BCAR yearly budget to assist families in need when unexpected pet expenses arise. Some examples of potentially qualifying situations are emergency vet care costs or unexpected pet-related expenses the owner was not prepared for. Each request will be reviewed the BCAR Board. Funds will be distributed on a case-by-case basis and are not guaranteed.
Contact us
