Bereas Animal Rescue Fund Inc

Arf provides vaccination and microchip clinics at significantly reduced fees for low income families throughout the year. These clinics also serve as screening opportunities to identify other health issues the companion animals may be experiencing that are unknown to the person that cares for them ........ "arf hosts a number of boy scouts, girl scouts and other school community service clubs throughout the year to teach them about the proper care of their family pets and other related animal related education topics. "arf collaborates with several senior living communities to provide regular interactions with our animals. These visits with shelter dogs and cats are typically the highlight of the week for the seniors who are not permitted to keep pets in their living quarters . ........ "arf is able to serve as an informational resource for the community with regard to answering questions related to pet health, behavioral issues, basic pet training advice and how to determine what kind of dog or cat is the best fit for families looking for a new companion animal . ......... "arf currently serves the following communities as their primary animal shelter to surrender and adopt companion animals: avon, avon lake, bay village, berea, broadview heights, columbia station, north olmsted, olmsted falls, north royalton, north ridgeville, rocky river, strongsville and westlake. We also serve many of the outer-ring communities that are immediately adjacent to cleveland. The new location on the border of lorain and cuyahoga counties will significantly extend our reach . ....... Community foster care program: to accommodate young, senior, emotionally or medically fragile animals, arf maintains a network of community foster homes. Arf's volunteer foster families provide dedicated care for these abandoned animals until they are socialized, healed and ready for adoption . ....... Pet pantry: arf is committed to helping families and pets stay together, and we wholeheartedly believe that no family or individual should feel the need to surrender their pet because of temporary financial hardship. Our new pet pantry is here to support members of our surrounding communities who need assistance in providing food for their pets. As our supplies of donated food allow, we're offering dog food, cat food and kitty litter on a weekly basis to families in need.

Arf provides a wide variety of benefits to the communities it serves. Many of these benefits are health-related; like general community health by reducing the number of stray animals spreading diseases to other animals. There are also specific health benefits to individuals that are derived from having a companion animal in their lives, tehse include enhanced mental and phyiscal health for preschoolers through seniors. Some of arf's additional community impacts include: "arf collaborates with the cities of berea, north olmsted, and olmsted falls as their only site to provide shelter for abandoned animals that are picked up by police and animal control officers." "arf runs a summary camp every year with children for the gathering place. These children have had a parent or other family member that has been affected by cancer."