Tim Lydon is a person with a plan that’s simply beginning to come into fruition. The co-founder of the fledgling Harmony Dog Rescuea rescue dedicated to offering short-term foster look after dogs whose homeowners are fleeing violence and abuse, simply took within the organization’s first two dogs in October.
He and his fiancee, Molly McAleer, have been engaged on this concept for a number of years. His life expertise led him to this calling. “I went to a small liberal arts school. … I graduated and traveled for about 10 years, and I taught English and worked on farms. I ended up at a dog sanctuary in Ireland. [The owner] turned her horse farm into a dog rescue.”
She had 40 acres and functioned completely with the assistance of volunteers. Seeing that instance gave Lydon the belief {that a} principally volunteer organization might work.
To make their new rescue a actuality and put together for what’s forward, Lydon says, “We have been on a listening tour, [talking to] other rescue founders, lawyers, accountants to figure out how to do it right.”
He additionally has labored at Humane Animal Rescue. It was there that the thought crystalized to focus initially on serving to victims of abuse by fostering their pets. Part of that’s reducing via the paperwork that at the moment stalls individuals from getting assist.
“I was surprised that there weren’t any organizations dedicated to emergency boarding and temporary foster care,” he says. As a end result, “We are prioritizing domestic violence victims.” Responding instantly to these in want and eradicating obstacles for getting assistance is Harmony Dog Rescue’s mandate.
The public doesn’t perceive the hyperlink between home violence and animal abuse, he says. “Many times a victim won’t leave a pet [in the home] because they are afraid of what will happen to the pet if they go.” Add to this that shelters often won’t soak up pets, leaving victims in a troublesome state of affairs. As a end result, Harmony Dog Rescue has developed a partnership with three home abuse shelters. “We just went to them and asked how we could help them serve this mission,” he says.
Right now, the Wilkinsburg-based organization has the capability to absorb about 12 dogs whole, but it surely hopes to extend that quantity. Recently a mentor of Lydon’s gave the organization access to 7 acres in Harmony, Beaver County, with the stipulation that or not it’s used as a rescue operation.
The three- to five-year objective for that land, says Lydon, is to build a kennel on the property in order that they don’t must refuse anybody assist. Lydon hopes to interrupt floor on a building there subsequent yr.
The fledgling organization has huge goals, however it’s studying to walk earlier than it runs.
“We have volunteer dog walkers, we have transportation volunteers and we have our fosters. … Next year at this time we hope to have a volunteer number that is exponentially larger.”
Building a sturdy volunteer program can take time. Lydon emphasizes that Harmony Dog Rescue can use assist in all kinds of positions, so anybody who can’t bodily foster an animal can do different issues. The rescue has a social media presence and is reaching out in additional private, face-to-face methods. “We want to make connections. … We want to build neighborhood networks,” he says.
The organization may also have to determine the parameters of its protection. “We say the Greater Pittsburgh area, [and] that could include all seven counties,” he says. But Lydon has already gotten calls from as distant as Philadelphia and Kentucky. “We are mindful of mission creep.”
Back to the primary two fosters: The couple have two dogs that belong to a homeless girl who was residing in a tent, however now she is in rehab and searching for pet-friendly housing. Her story illustrates the way in which home violence, dependancy and homelessness all are interconnected, says Lydon.
In such a divided society, Lydon sees animal welfare as a problem that unites individuals of all stripes.
“Pets transcend all of the bitterness in our society. They transcend hate. … I can’t consider another matter that unites individuals so shortly and simply. We assume that dogs convey individuals collectively. They heal individuals. I sincerely imagine dogs can heal society. “
Anyone wanting to assist can name or textual content Tim Lydon at 412-565-9789. He might be reached by electronic mail at [email protected] or by way of a Facebook message (Harmony Dog Rescue) or Instagram (@harmonydogrescue). The organization’s web site is www.harmonydogrescue.org.
Susan Banks was a duplicate editor on the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette who was on strike from October 2022 till she retired on the finish of 2023. Email her at [email protected].
