Can You Help These Rescued Animals Find Permanent Homes?

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Tiergarten Sanctuary Needs Help

Can You Help Find Homes for these Animals?

Tiergarten means "zoo" in German, but literally translated, it means "animal garden," and that is exactly what Jim Willis and his wife Nicole have developed, both in the United States and in Germany. The Tiergarten Sanctuary Trust was established by Jim and Nicole for their animal welfare efforts, which have been funded almost exclusively by their own work. Many animal lovers would have no idea who Jim Willis is, but if you were to read the following piece to them, they'd immediately recognize it as one that has been published all over the Net, as well as in shelters, humane societies, and rescue organizations, often as "Author Unknown.":

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"Thank you so much for allowing Jim to post "Beloved of Bast"--I caught his "How Could You?" yesterday, and printed it out. After mopping up (I couldn't see, I cried so hard!), I printed out some copies of it to take down to the No-Kill Shelter, because I thought they might like to have some to pass out. He's obviously a talented writer, with a deep and abiding love of the small people in fur we're all so blessed with. "
Susannah

Related Resources

• Beloved of Bast

"The Animals' Savior"

I looked at all the caged animals in the shelter...the cast-offs of human society.
I saw in their eyes love and hope, fear and dread, sadness and betrayal.
And I was angry.
"God," I said, "this is terrible! Why don't you do something?"
God was silent for a moment and then He spoke softly.
"I have done something," He replied.
"I created You."
Copyright Jim Willis 1999

Two other pieces of Jim's, The Beloved of Bast and How Could You? , have also become anthems to rescue workers.

Jim and Nicole plan on moving back to Germany later in 2001, and need to find homes for some of the rescued animals under their care. They have been placing around 200 animals a year, many who had been refused by breed rescues, or were sick or with behavior problems when Tiergarten took them in. In addition, there are usually about 20-24 permanent residents, many of whom can't be placed because of a health or behavior problem, or simply age.

I asked Jim for permission to print his email here, in the hopes some of my readers might help. The cat pictured at the top is "Mischa," 5-6 mos. old, "Russian Blue" color domestic shorthair neutered male. Mischa is good with other cats, loves dogs, very sweet and loving disposition, and extremely playful. To be placed as an indoor cat only and not to be declawed. Many other dogs and cats are available, and pictured here.

Greetings Everyone -

We hope wherever you are, you are enjoying Spring weather.

I've written a new prose piece, "The Messenger," and added it to our website; there's also now a links page which may be useful to you:

http://jimwillis0.tripod.com/tiergarten/

We're working hard on our plans to return to Germany. This e-mail account will be closed as we get closer to our target date, September, and tiergarten@onebox.com will remain our permanent address.

**I'm also pleading, begging, groveling for ANY and all help to place some of our foster animals - most are pictured on the Animals for Adoption page on our site. We'll be adding a few more later who are in the process of regaining their health. As mostly mixed breeds in an area overflowing with unwanted animals, the responses have been dismal, even though we've blanketed our local area (southwest PA) and the internet with ads about them. We may even consider offers of long-term foster care for some of them until we can approve some adoptive homes in Germany and fly them over later. But with 20-24 permanent residents to ship, including a horse, we already have our work cut out for us (not to mention the tremendous expense!). I'll have to deal with all the packing and shipping arrangements at this end alone - Nicole will be in Germany as of early June making the arrangements at that end - so moving some of these animals to permanent or foster homes soon would give me a bit more breathing space.

If you have room in your hearts and homes for another animal, please consider one of our fosters. (*We are waiving the adoption fee to all qualified homes, and all animals are spayed/neutered, vaccinated and heartworm negative.) Please distribute our website address to your address books and any e-lists you subscribe to. And if you are affiliated with any no-kill organization which might undertake to help us place some of these special creatures, please contact me!

We also still need large and extra-large sizes of airline-approved shipping crates, such as Vari-Kennel. If anyone has one to donate or sell for a good price, please let us know. We lent out most of our original crates and haven't had any luck getting them returned.

We wish you all a pleasant summer, and hope if you are ever in Germany, you'll stop by. We've been very appreciative of all the efforts to publish and distribute "How Could You?", and for all your education and other efforts on behalf of animals that you've told us about.

Thank you!

Jim & Nicole
The Tiergarten Sanctuary Trust
tiergarten@onebox.com
http://jimwillis0.tripod.com/tiergarten/