Jessica Farrish
Eighteen “orphans” are looking for a home this Christmas season.
Today at Tractor Supply at Raleigh Mall in Beckley, seven cats and 11 dogs are waiting for a new family to “adopt” them.
The animals were recently rescued, vaccinated and wormed by Angel Wings, a Raleigh County animal rescue group founded by Shirley Selleck of Ghent in September.
Volunteers in the group have been serving as “foster parents” for the animals over the past several weeks, caring for them in their homes.
“I’ve been an animal lover for years, and I’ve picked up just about every stray that has came,” Selleck said. “I pick up as many as I can.”
Selleck, a former volunteer with Raleigh Animal Rescue, said she and a group of friends organized Angel Wings because there was an overwhelming need for animal rescue groups in the county.
“We’ve basically just gotten some animal lovers together and we rescue unwanted animals,” she said. “Either neglected or abused, or people just don’t want them.”
The dogs for adoption today are mixed breeds. There are several 8-week-old puppies, which are a beagle and terrier mix.
“Neither of the parents are big,” Selleck said. “I’m not looking for (the puppies) to get extremely big at all.”
A litter of 7-month-old redbone Beagle mix pups are also looking for homes, she added.
Selleck encouraged those who are looking for a pet to come to Tractor Supply today from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., where Angel Wings will also be hosting a fundraiser hot dog sale.
“We go through a screening to try to place them with the best animal for their living conditions,” she said. “They would be required to sign a contract and a spay-neuter agreement.”
Selleck said Angel Wings advocates neutering and spaying pets.
“We feel if you spay and neuter, you reduce the unwanted pet population,” she said.
There is a $75 adoption fee, which includes the cost of vaccinations and worm medicine.
The group is also in search of new group members.
“We work strictly with foster parents, so the more foster parents we can get, the more animals we can save,” she said. “We are looking in the future to build a no-kill shelter, but that’s way down the road.”
Angel Wings pays for the care of the animals while they are in foster care, she added.
Fosters can sign up today at Tractor Supply.
Angel Wings will also be accepting donations, including donated pet food, at Tractor Supply.
“Tractor Supply has been awesome to us,” Selleck said. “They give us a place to have our adoptions, our fundraisers.
“We get all of our vaccinations through Tractor Supply.”
Tractor Supply assistant manager Jamie McLain said the store hosts various community fundraisers and was pleased to partner with Angel Wings in serving the community.
“We want to help control the pet population and help out the community,” McLain said.
More information on Angel Wings is available at 304-673-0504.
— E-mail: jfarrish@register-herald.com
