With Christmas only a few days past, many families may have welcomed a new pet into their homes.
Sadly, according to a local pet re-homing business, by February, many of those same pets will be in a kennel or homeless altogether.
Stephanie Ouhadi, founder of Storm’s Angels, stressed that getting a pet — whether a dog, cat, bird or other — is a commitment of time, money and love over the next decade.
“They’re not a toy; they’re not there to be something that you open and then forget after the novelty wears off,” Ouhadi said. “These are new members of the family that will require your time — a lot of your time. And if you’re not able to give an absolute commitment to that, don’t get a pet.
“What I see can be absolutely heartbreaking at times. These pets come in to someone’s home and for some reason, they need to be re-homed, many after only a few months. It can be because of the death of the owner, or maybe an unforeseen allergy.
“But more often than not, what I see is that folks take on a pet without the understanding of the commitment of time and effort and yes, money, that is necessary. And, often failing to understand a given breed and their needs, causes the owner to want to give up their pet. They’re not a fashion accessory.”
Ouhadi alluded to the “doodle craze” of a few years ago, as well as the very popular German shepherd as currently dominating breeds in need of rescue.
She said she is seeing a large increase in cats being turned in, pointing to cat allergies as the main reason.
The origin
Ouhadi founded Storm’s Angels in honor of her first dog “Queen Night Storm,” which was rescued from a puppy mill.
She ended up becoming diabetic and then slowly lost her eyesight and hearing as she aged.
Storm lived seven years as a diabetic and was managed at home.
She developed degenerative myelopathy around 11 years old and was in a wheelchair until she died from bladder cancer at nearly 14 years of age.
Storm’s Angels rescue saves companion animals in Storm’s honor, and puts an emphasis on animals that may not be considered adoptable.
The group works to rehabilitate these animals and place them into forever homes.
But Storm’s Angels isn’t your typical pet shelter, in fact, it’s not a shelter at all as there is no physical facility for the nonprofit rescue.
Instead, Storm’s Angels is a confederation of volunteers who foster the pets until a permanent home can be found.
The group is 100 percent volunteer-based and desperately is in need of foster families and donations of money, food, litter, blankets, toys and other pet items.
There is a donation bin at Pet Supplies Plus, 4326 N. Leavitt Road in Lorain, or folks can mail donations to P.O. Box 259, Lorain, Ohio, 44052.
Ouhadi said donations have been down for the past couple years, but the group plans to ramp up fundraising efforts in 2024.
And while donations are down, the need continues to increase, she said.
Ouhadi pointed to the practice of TNR, or trap neuter return, which has become a vital part of the rescue work.
Lorain, alone, is estimated to have more than 9,000 free-roaming community cats, with many feral and some are strays that are lost or have been abandoned, she said.
Those cats that are not sterilized reproduce at an alarming rate, therefore worsening the problem, Ouhadi said.
“You have probably seen them in your neighborhood,” she said. “This life is a difficult one for cats, so stopping population growth is vital.
“We are seeing so many pets that have not been to the vet. They haven’t gotten their vaccines or been fixed, and that’s what we try to say to any new pet owner — get your pet to the vet.
“It’s so important to establish that relationship with a good veterinarian. Get your pets vaccinated and please, please have them spayed or neutered.”
Adoption
Ouhadi said that if someone is wanting to adopt, foster or surrender a pet, the best thing to do is to go to their website at StormsAngelsRescue.org.
Unfortunately, she said, the waiting list is “huge” for surrenders right now and will take time before they can get them into a foster situation.
Ouhadi said she only uses kennels or boarding short term as a last resort because of funding and that boarding “is not a life” for any pet.
Storm’s Angels Rescue provides all the needed supplies and pays for all veterinarian costs up until adoption day.
For fosters and potential adoptees, a meet-and-greet with the pets are available at events and by appointment.
More than 500 pets are adopted through Storm’s Angels each year.
And, while Ouhadi had a maximum of more than 300 pets at the same time recently in rescue, she points with pride that now only 82 currently are in need.
“Which is still more than zero, and that’s our goal,” she smiled. “It is such a rewarding thing to be a part of, and it helps make me feel complete, and that I’m doing what I can to help these wonderful pets and make a connection with a loving family.”
