Hello everyone!
You may have noticed a bit of quietness on our social media and website lately. No need to worry; everything is well here at ARK. I'm delighted to share that I recently welcomed my second son, Jonah James Veenstra, into the world. I've been taking these past few weeks to recover and bond with this precious little one. Meanwhile, my firstborn, who is 16 months old, is adjusting to sharing the spotlight. We are all doing fine and gradually easing back into our routine. So please bear with us if our response to emails or website updates is a bit delayed.
While we are still in our current location, there's a concern that our rent might increase soon. It's a bit unsettling, but we have faith that if it happens, we'll find a way to make it work. We're also learning how to keep our new landlord satisfied, even though some of their demands seem a bit unreasonable. Here's a funny yet somewhat puzzling message from our landlord that I thought you might find interesting:
In our back area where we keep our sick animals, we don't have heating, so we rely on space heaters to keep them warm. We maintain the temperature between 65-68 degrees, which seems quite reasonable to me. We often turn it off during the day and back on at night. I'm not sure how to explain to our sick residents that they might need coats because the owner prefers them to be cold... Little Banana even had to be wrapped in a blanket when our space heater broke!
When ARK first opened in 2021, we had limited resources and supporters. We did our best with what we had, but now our QT enclosures are showing signs of wear and tear. Some have holes from unruly dogs, and others are beyond repair. We operate with just 8 cages, and we're aiming to raise over $11,000 to purchase 18 new QT enclosures for our rescue cats. This upgrade not only improves our facilities but also significantly enhances our capacity to help homeless pets.
Take a look at our current quarantine space, complete with a troublesome AC unit that leaks water and causes mold, something our landlord refuses to address. We're looking to upgrade the white powder-coated cages, with new cages that can be interconnected to create super suites for mothers with babies and provide a better environment for our sick kitties to recover in.
This is what we hope to upgrade our current QT cages to!
The total cost for the 18 new cages will be $11,128, with each cage unit priced at $595. We're offering unit sponsorships, allowing individuals to dedicate a unit in honor of someone, with the sponsorship lasting the unit's lifetime. However, we'll need everyone's support to raise the funds needed for this significant upgrade. Even a $5 donation would be greatly appreciated!
Wanting to donate? You can do so by clicking here:
We're currently renovating our new tack consignment shop and aiming for a grand opening on the first weekend of May. We're in urgent need of volunteers to help keep the shop open during our operating hours, as we're unable to hire staff at the moment. The shop will be open from 12-5 pm, Fridays through Sundays. If you're interested in volunteering, we would greatly appreciate your support, especially as I navigate caring for my newborn and entertaining my 16-month-old.
Enjoy some photos here of our renovation process.
You can visit our website for equine exchange here: www.equinexchange.org. We do have some saddles and other tack for sale at this time.
That is all for now friends. We hope you guys are all doing well.
Many Blessings, Daria Veenstra
Oregon Pet Project
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