Misha May Foundation

Background Statement

In The Beginning:

The Misha May Foundation was founded by Lorraine May in memory of her black Labrador Retriever mix Misha, a typically sweet and bright, but exuberant adolescent dog, who was rescued as she was being taken to a shelter. May recognized Misha and her precarious situation in many of the shelter dogs she worked with when volunteering at local shelters. May decided to create an organization to help the at-risk shelter dogs who were falling through the cracks and being euthanized for medical and behavior issues, and for lack of space and time. There would also be an emphasis on education and networking with the community.

Rescue Community:

As the organization formed, and previous to having foster homes, Misha May raised funds, hosted adoption fairs and provided training advice for rescues such as Ho-Bo Care Boxer Rescue, Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies, Front Range German Shepherd Rescue, and Great Dane Rescue.

Rescued Dogs: Misha May's first rescued dogs were those deemed by Denver Municipal Animal Shelter to be out of time or unadoptable. They would have been euthanized if a rescue could not have been found to take them. Each dog went into a Misha May foster home and was soon adopted. Young Joseph was a brindle mutt who had run out of time at the shelter, but found a new home with Misha May in just seven days! Elder Baby Bear had a cancerous growth on his foot. He received non-invasive treatment, which his adopter continued, stretching his life by years. Tomo, a pure bred German Shepherd with anxieties and allergies, found a new family to love and care for him, most likely more than he had ever anticipated. Sydney, a young Rotweiller mix, was mourning the loss of her first litter of puppies. She was adopted by an adoring woman and her two dogs.

During the next years, Misha May continued to grow, to yearn for a home of our own, and to provide care and new homes for any breed or mix of dog, who would otherwise have been euthanized in shelters. There were also dogs surrendered to us who were incompatible with certain children, dogs, cats, situations or people, instead of being surrendered to shelters where they may not have been easily adopted. We saved strays, dogs offered for free on Craig's List without a thought to their safety, and dogs freed from abusive or neglectful situations. Each dog received the care and training needed, and was adopted to a new home.

Hurricane Katrina:

In 2005, Misha May was the only rescue from Colorado to make two trips to save Katrina animals. Funded solely by individual donations with a volunteer crew, we collaborated with Louisiana shelters to target 80 homeless animals with little chance for survival because they would soon be euthanized to accommodate the arrival of displaced owned animals. Each animal was vetted, including dozens of heartworm treatments, and then adopted out.

Many of the animals required special care and adequate time to heal. Priscilla and Peanut were among the most traumatized. Both heartworm positive, it took them each multiple foster and adoptive homes before they were accepted, and accepting. Frosty, blind and needing medication, elicited tears from many volunteers as they considered how much pain he had suffered. Curly and George, stunning but traumatized brothers, growled the entire trip to Colorado. We had our doubts about their capacity to recover, but, recover they did. They are together in a wonderful home.

Twelve of the animals rescued were cats, who promptly became deathly ill upon our arrival in Colorado. All were treated, survived and were adopted.

Expansion:

Misha May and our Katrina rescues received help from hundreds of volunteers, vets and vet hospitals, foster homes and adopters, holistic practitioners and donors. It was at this time of greater visibility due to our Katrina rescues, that we experienced expanded interest from prospective Board members, from shelters and individuals needing help with their animals, and from donors and volunteers. The organization was maturing and realizing we could play a larger role in our community. We examined our sustainability, our dependence on an all volunteer staff and our heartfelt commitment to education.

We received greater and greater numbers of requests to accept animals who needed help as the community heard of our ability to successfully rehabilitate dogs and our commitment to keep them as long as was needed. We collaborated to the best of our ability with every group that asked. Abbey, from Broomfield Animal Control, needed immediate emergency care as she was carrying a deceased litter, and suffering from a potentially fatal infection. Bruiser, a tiny puppy purchased from a local pet store with unhealthy dogs and a no-return policy, was not only sick but no longer wanted, so he came to us. Chyna and her eight puppies found a foster home with us after being left at the Mesa County Shelter. Koh-Koh, a Chesapeake Bay Retriever who spent a year with us, came from Wyoming after being attacked by local dogs. Lila, a Black and Tan Coonhound, was released to us by Table Mountain Animal Shelter as unadoptable due to food guarding. Max, a runaway intact Dachshund, came from Brighton Animal Control. Roxi, an older lab mix, came to us from the Adams County Shelter. We saved Wendall after he was abandoned in a Utah desert and left to die. Each of these dogs was rehabilitated and adopted.

Nineteen Puppies:

In 2007, we were suddenly alerted to the situation of nineteen puppies who needed to be rescued. We raised funds, found foster homes, and arranged to accept all nineteen! Most of them needed medical care well above and beyond what we had planned for. One litter, in particular, was very sick, and eventually Oggie lost his battle to parvovirus. The other eighteen puppies survived, thrived and were adopted, but Misha May had extensive bills to pay. We never considered euthanasia as an option. We spent the next three years, paying off the debt while continuing to operate the rescue. With the added slowing of the economy, we saw our donations, volunteers and foster homes dwindle. It was a time of reflection, reorganization and recommitment to address the underlying problem of discarded pets, at its core. We renewed our emphasis on community education.

Sanctuary, Training and Adoption Lodge:

We believe that when we are able to create our home-like facility, we will make an even bigger difference for dogs and their people. We would have a stable, healing environment within which to teach classes, and rehabilitate those dogs who need more time or who do not fit well into available foster homes. Dogs from other rescues and shelters would still be welcome in our classes, as would the community as a whole.

We see the public as our partner and believe that in partnership we can succeed. The problem is not that there aren't enough good homes, as pet stores and puppy mills continue to make a profit from their customers. The problem is more complicated and definitely relates to a common belief that pets are disposable. Just today someone told me that his son was choosing a sport instead of his dog, so the dog needed somewhere to go. I was heartbroken for the dog, but also greatly concerned for a child who is not taught the value of commitment and caring for a living being who was entrusted to him and depends on him. He might someday be someone's father. I wonder what type he will be?

2011:

Misha May currently needs board members with a commitment to our vision, volunteers willing to work towards it and foster homes to save as many animals as possible. The futures of their paws are in our hands. Please join us as partners in compassion and education.