Talking Animals

Art Shaul—founder-director of Safe Paws Rescue, a small but mighty rescue serving the Tampa Bay Area—recalls growing up watching his Dad bring home ill, injured, sometimes “bedraggled” animals, caring for these critters, then making them family members. Observing these paternal acts of kindness clearly made a profound impression on Shaul (he gets a bit emotional recounting one of those dogs), who mirrored those acts decades later, launching Safe Paws Rescue in 2018.Tellingly, though probably not surprisingly, across the various stages of his life—and spanning geography: living in Pittsburgh, multiple areas of Chicago, Michigan, eventually settling in Saint Petersburg, FL—Shaul notes that he’s always had a dog at his side. Shaul explains that he began considering creating his own rescue when he became intrigued noticing a woman in his neighborhood walking a different dog every day. A conversation with the woman revealed that she, and the dogs, were part of a rescue, which Shaul began helping. There was another nearby rescue, which he also started assisting, before realizing he had ideas about building a better mousetrap, so to speak, unveiling Safe Paws Rescue. Which is distinctive in multiple ways, exemplified by their slogan of sorts: “We have no buildings, no employees, no benefactors–just a handful of hardworking volunteers.” Indeed, applying business acumen that Shaul developed over the course of his professional career, Safe Paws Rescue reflects a minimalist philosophy–there’s no shelter (no physical structures at all), no salaries, carefully-controlled expenses befitting a 501 (c )(3) nonprofit organization—yielding outsized results. By now, it’s probably obvious that Safe Paws is strictly volunteer-powered. But it may be less obvious how heavily this rescue relies on those willing to foster, and is perennially seeking more of them. He outlines the array of enticements offered to those who step up to foster, including food, toys, veterinarian care—items commonly provided by rescues to foster-parents—and more singular perks, such as consultations, if needed, with an animal behaviorist or trainer. In other words, while caring for Safe Paws animals, these foster folks don’t spend a dime. And the hope is that fosters beget adoptions. Shaul describes additional ways Safe Paws serves the local animal—and human—community, most notably, perhaps, by providing dog food and other resources to families who, contending with a financial strain, might be otherwise unable to afford to keep the animal(s) in their home. He points out that this effort extends to a handful of veterans. Safe Paws underwrites all these good works—including food and veterinarian care—chiefly through donations, but also by holding fundraisers, including its 2nd Annual Pups & Pumpkins Fundraiser, on Oct. 13, at Pinellas Ale Works, in Saint Petersburg. (https://safepawsrescue.com/, https://www.facebook.com/SafePawsAnimalRescue/, https://www.instagram.com/safepawsanimal/)
ALSO: I spoke briefly with Keith Overton, owner of OCC Road House & Museum, in Clearwater, which he described as the largest restaurant and venue in the Tampa Bay Area. OCC Road House is further distinguished, Overton explained, by being an exceptionally pet-friendly operation, not just welcoming dogs (and other critters) on any random day, but on a quarterly basis, playing host to Pet Adoption Sunday. With the next one slated for Sunday, Aug. 11, running noon to 4pm, he noted, Pet Adoption Sunday offers among other elements, vendors, raffles, music, food, and, of course, rescues with adoptable animals. While the number of available adoptable animals varies from event to event, Overton said, attendees can explore other adoption options with representatives from the rescues on hand. And, he added, all those who turn up at Pet Adoption Sunday are welcome to bring their own pets. (https://www.occroadhouse.com/, [...]