Photos and story by Robin Postell
ADEL- Animal House Rescue, Inc., based in Cook County, is the newest kid on the block of animal rescues in the area.
Cook County attorney Anna-Marie’ Carter started Animal House Rescue, Inc. in July 2018. She was already doing it on a personal level. Kittens and puppies were known to pitter-pat their paws across her sprawling, paper-strewn desk in her office at Carter, Carter & Carter – the family firm she shares with her father Jack and brother Frank. Rounding up strays and taking them to be spayed or neutered and vaccinated was another day in her life, in between a steady caseload of family law that is always high pressure and time-consuming.
Carter has established nonprofit status with Animal House to make it easier for people to participate, donate, foster, and adopt. In the case of being an animal rescue, it takes a village, made larger today because of the internet and social media. A network of people dedicated to the same cause, she has found, is essential.
“When I’m on the phone I’m balancing the law firm practice, family responsibilities and virtual animal rescue,” Carter said, regarding the deluge of calls, emails, messages she’s received since she announced Animal House Rescue’s inception. “The internet and social media allows a small town rescue like us to reach beyond our small hamlet.”
As soon as she put the word out that she was creating a rescue, people immediately began dropping animals off with her – not the ideal situation. “I now feed 24 animals a day,” she said. “People need to understand I’m one person with a cage not a big fancy kennel. Much of what I do is virtual, using Facebook to share posts of pets needing fosters. A rescue is a network, or needs to be – it’s not one person.“
.
“There is no rescue without fosters,” Carter said. “If I had it to do all over again I would have announced what a rescue is, explaining the difference between a shelter and a rescue. If you want a rescue you should be ready to foster. This is not a few animal lovers’ problem. This is everybody’s problem. If we don’t tackle spaying and neutering with low-cost programs the problem will continue to increase.”
Plans for a kennel are pending as Animal House evolves.
Since diving in the deep end, she has met many people eager to help, donate, volunteer, but Carter sees that the needs currently exceed the resources. She’s had everyone from UFC fighters to law school buddies chip in by sending food or helping network homes for animals.
Carter encourages everyone to foster. “Think of fostering as like having your nephew or niece over,” she said. “You get to love a different pet with a different personality and then let their parents have them back. I’m basically learning a lot. Looking back, I wish I had researched it more before starting – but it’s okay. I’ve hit the floor running.”
Animal House, Inc.’s Facebook page took off from the first moment of inception about a month ago. https://www.facebook.com/PetRescueAdel/.
The accompanying website, www.animalhouse.org, is currently under construction, which will feature interesting and innovative virtual options for acquiring a pet, either through fostering or parenting permanently. “I’m working on a promotional campaign for fosters and adoptions,” she elaborated.
If you are interested in fostering or contributing to the cause you can contact Anna-Marie’ Carter at 229-506-1267 or email her at vonbadapple@yahoo.com.
