Below you will find a list of the local rescues in our community along with the best way to contact each organization. We have also included ways for you to donate or volunteer, if you are interested. Please read our helpful Q & A for tips on what to do if you have found a lost pet.
***Please note, in order for us to provide quality care for sick and hospitalized patients, we cannot take in/accept stray animals. Please see the Q & A below for what to do if you have found a lost pet.
BARK- Boudreaux’s Animal Rescue Krewe
Contact: Message on Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/barkanimalrescue/
Email: longj1003@aol.com
http://barkanimalrescue.org/DoggieDollars.html
Wish List: http://barkanimalrescue.org/WishList.html
Website: http://barkanimalrescue.org/
U Care Project (Sponsored by New York State Retriever Rescue and Little Rhody Rescue)
Contact: Message on Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/U-CARE-Project-368234650229076/?ref=br_rs
Email: theucareproject@gmail.com
https://www.gofundme.com/LittleRhodyRescue
CAFA- Cenla Alliance for Animals
Contact: Message on Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/4cenlaanimals/
Website: http://www.cenlaallianceforanimals.com/
Heart of Louisiana Humane Society
Contact: Message on Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/hlhumane/
Website: http://www.hlhumane.org/?fbclid=IwAR0fOWEWCNjPel7-UupUjATHBpGtXMPemCdkF5Y4BGxn30AkEd2soHBdkzA
Alexandria Animal Shelter
***We do accept spay/neuter certificates from this shelter.
Contact: 318-473-1229
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlexandriaforAnimals/
Website: http://coaas.org/
Pineville Animal Shelter
***We do accept spay/neuter certificates from this shelter.
Contact: 318-449-5674
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PinevilleAnimalShelter
Q & A
What does a spay/neuter certificate from the Alexandria or Pineville Animal Shelter cover for my pet?
The shelter certificates covers the 1st combination vaccine(sometimes given at the shelter), a rabies vaccination, the spay or neuter, a wellness examination, and an intestinal parasite exam. The shelter certificate DOES NOT cover the capstar(24 hr flea pill), antibiotics, or pain injection needed at the time of the spay/neuter. Please give us a call for an estimation of cost for these items. 318-473-8177
What is our recommendation if you see/find a pet?
If you encounter a stray dog or cat, before you pick it up, consider the following:
- Check your surroundings. Are you in a residential area? Could this pet belong to someone nearby?
- If I pick this pet up, do I have a place to house this pet? This could mean either in your own home, a friend/foster, or a boarding facility.
- Can I financially care for this pet until a more permanent solution is available? Immediate needs will include food, water, shelter, and vet Care.
Once you have considered the advice above and decide to pick up the pet, take these steps to responsibly care for the pet:
- Take the animal to your veterinarian. The veterinarian can check for a microchip in hopes of reuniting this pet with his/her owner. They can also do a thorough examination to make sure the animal is not injured or ill.
- Imagine this pet has a loving home that really misses him/her and do everything you can to find the owner. Make a post on the local lost and found page- https://www.facebook.com/groups/210301622482404/. Post flyers around the area where the pet was found. Call local shelters, rescues, and animal hospitals.
- If no owner can be found, please consider updating vaccinations and heartworm prevention for this pet. This is important to do before bringing this pet home around your other animals as some illnesses and diseases are very contagious. This is also very helpful when looking for a more permanent home for this pet. Shelters, fosters, or even potential new owners are more likely to take in a pet when it has already been vaccinated and spayed/neutered.
- If you are unable to keep this pet on a long term basis, you can check with the local shelters or rescues listed above to see if they are able to assist you with finding this animal a loving “fur”ever home. Keep in mind that these organizations stay at capacity and offering to foster the pet until a home is found is a tremendous help to them.
Why is it important to spay/neuter my pet?
Spaying and neutering plays the biggest role is decreasing the number of unwanted/unhomed cats and dog. In 7 years, one unspayed female cat and it’s offspring can produce 420,000 kittens. An unspayed female dog and offspring can produce 97,000 puppies. Spaying and neutering also has many health benefits such as decreased chance of mammary tumors, decreased chance of testicular cancer, and decreased chance for uterine infections. Talk to your veterinarian if you have questions about the benefits or risks of spaying/neutering your pet.
What is a microchip? Why should I microchip my pet?
A microchip is a tiny computer chip with a unique identification number that can assist in reuniting you with your pet. They are placed under your pet’s skin with a needle and syringe, much like when your pet receives a vaccination. When an unidentified pet is found a special scanner is used to retrieve the identification number from the pet’s microchip. This number is then entered into a database that will provide the owners contact information.
The American Humane society estimates that 1 in 3 animals will become lost during its lifetime. A study of 7700 stray animals in shelters showed that dogs without microchips were returned to owners 21.9% of the time while pets with microchips are returned to owners 52.2% of the time. Microchips double your chances of being reunited with your pet. For microchipped animals that were not returned to owners, most of the time it is due to incorrect information in the microchip database. If your pet is microchipped, please make sure your information in the database is up to date. If your pet is not microchipped, talk to your veterinarian today about the benefits.
What should I do if I am considering adding a pet to our family?
Before adopting or purchasing a new pet, please be mindful of the commitment you are making. Consider your environment, work load, and daily responsibilities. Think about your children and current pet/pets. Will this pet need a large fenced in back yard or require monthly medications? Are you equipped with enough time and finances to adequately care for this pet? Think hard about these things and make a lifelong commitment to your pet.
Before purchasing a pet, consider adoption. Most people think these pets are in shelters for a reason such as aggression or behavior but that is most commonly not the case. Many people also believe that you will only find mixed breeds in shelters but there are pure-bred animals as well. Along with a variation of breeds, shelters have pets of all ages. While puppies and kittens are adorable, they require a lot of work. Some families may find an adult pet to be a better fit for their family. Adult dogs may already be house trained and know some basic commands. Above all, you can find gratification in knowing that you saved a pet’s life and became part of the solution to the over population of pets in our community.
If my pet becomes lost, what should I do?
- Be proactive. Search your neighborhood.
- Contact local rescues and veterinary hospitals to see if they know any information about your missing pet.
- Post flyers around your community.
- Make a post on the Lost and Found Pets of Cenla Facebook Page- https://www.facebook.com/groups/210301622482404/