Rita Korener, who rescues dogs, brought some of her current canines to the Hero’s Hope fundraiser on May 7, 2011, with her own hope – to adopt out one or more of them.
Not all rescue groups are large organizations. Some are comprised of rescue homes and people who have the space and the heart to rescue animals from conditions they often find deplorable. People like Korener, who jokingly said her husband has a real job so she can rescue dogs and find them permanent homes, are also on the frontlines of the rescue mission.
Korener has help from family and friends, as well as other people who own rescue homes. Even though she doesn’t have a large organization, along with the donations, Korener said all of her doge are spayed or neutered and have their shots before they are adopted.
Kahner Tabor is all smiles as his mom, Marcia Tabor, gets his newly adopted puppy ready for the trip home.
At the fundraiser, Korener brought dogs rescued from different circumstances. She pointed at two of the puppies, one black and one blond, which she kept in a large pen under the awning to protect them from the heat. One slept and the other barked each time another dog strolled by with its owner. She said she rescued them from a puppy mill that was shut down.
“These are the last two out of 15 puppies we rescued,” Korener said.
St. Joseph resident Cynthia Jeney, who has fostered and adopted golden retrievers, said she has a particular disdain for puppy mills and unethical breeders. Her third foster dog was from a puppy mill, which was also shut down.
“The pup was quite a little hellion,” Jeney said.
However, the puppy calmed down and became quite obedient before going to its permanent home, she said. Two of the puppy’s brothers had heart murmurs, which is something Jeney said an ethical breeder would have caught earlier and retired the dam or sire from the breeding program.
Puppy mills are but one of the circumstances under which Korener has rescued dogs. She had one puppy with her that had lived with an animal hoarder.
One of the dogs ready for adoption that Rita Korener had at Hero's Hope fundraiser.
Sometimes even with the best intentions a dog which is adopted ends up back with the rescue group or home. Such was the case with a miniature pinscher that Korener adopted out. She said the new owners didn’t check on the dog for four hours after bringing it home. By then, the dog had escaped and ran the streets.
“(The dog) went to doggy jail,” Korener said.
She paid the fines to get the dog out, and the owners made her buy the dog back.
Korener’s wish came true the day of the fundraiser. Marcia Tabor adopted the black puppy that was so vocal for her young son, Kahner Tabor. After the dog, which Korener had named Big Ben, was out of the cage and on his leash his barking stopped.
If interested in adopting a dog, contact Korener at 816-790-3480.