Kelowna-based rescue group pauses intake of new animals as financial stress grows

Marc Lazarus has fostered more than a dozen dogs for Kelowna’s Paws It Forward animal rescue, including his latest Cali, a three-legged Dutch Shepherd mix. He does it “to give back to society and speak for those who can’t speak.”

But the Kelowna-based animal charity is no longer able to take in a dogs in need, at least not for now, as rising medical and care costs force it to pause programs.

“It’s a tough dilemma,” Lazarus says. “I don’t envy for  people on the board to make that decision.”

Chelan Stubbs, a longtime Paws It Forward volunteer and board member, called the decision “awful and heart-wrenching.” “It keeps our volunteers up at night.”

The charity relies solely on donations to fund its expenses and financial pressures have been mounting. Stubbs says it ran its first deficit last year. “So we are trying to figure out new funds and new fundraising opportunities… The dog need is only getting larger and larger every day. We’re being asked every day to help.”

Paws It Forward was founded in 2011 and typically has upwards of 100 dogs in its care. But it’s not the only rescue feeling the strain. Animal organizations across the region are seeing a surge in surrendered and abandoned animals, a trend that began during the pandemic and has only gotten worse.

“It’s not stopping,” Stubbs says. “We’re just finding that people are still breeding to a very, very high level and then not able to sell those dogs… Then they dump them.”

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Paws It Forward says it needs to raise a minimum of $30,000 before it can consider resuming intakes. The rescue fears it could take months to reach that goal, leaving major gaps in local animal welfare.

For now, it is putting out an urgent appeal for donations and volunteers, such as Lazarus, to help foster animals. “It feels good to help out and, you know, do what we can,” Lazarus says.

You can visit the Paws It Forward website for more information, to make a donation or become a foster.