Frequently Asked Questions about Old Souls
Where does Old Souls get the animals that they rescue?
We take in animals, first and foremost, from shelters in Arizona. Here in Pima County, the number of homeless animals is astounding so we don’t need to go far to find animals who need us. That’s why we don’t take in animals from shelters outside of Arizona. On occasion, we take in animals from owners in Arizona who are very ill, and have no family or friends, and are themselves going into nursing homes or hospice care. We do this to prevent those animals from unnecessarily entering overcrowded shelters.
How does Old Souls decide which animals to take in?
We are asked many times every day to take in animals, so deciding which ones to take in without sacrificing the health and safety of the ones who are already here is a big decision that weighs heavily on us. When we have space, we take in the animal who we believe most needs to be here, and will best fit in with the pack. In most cases, we will take in an urgent hospice animal who doesn’t have much time left, or we will take in a geriatric animal who has been at a shelter for a very long time.
Nothing is more important to us than the well-being of the animals in our care. Hospice animals who come to Old Souls will peacefully live out their days with us, surrounded by love and receiving the best care possible. That is a huge responsibility and one that we don't take lightly. As a result of limited resources, we cannot take in every animal that people want to surrender to us. We are a completely volunteer-run organization, and the rescue is located in our home.
Bringing an animal into your home is a lifetime commitment. If you genuinely need to find a new home for your animal, consider what you are asking of us or of any rescue that you contact. Think of the time, effort, people, and funding we will need to keep your animal (and every animal in our care) truly comfortable in their final days. If you have an emergency or an urgent need that falls within our mission statement, please contact us and we will do our very best to help you.
Thank you!
Paula Rivadeneira, PhD
Executive Director and Pack Leader
Old Souls Animal Rescue and Retirement Home
(520) 334-5966
oldsoulsrescue@gmail.com