My Nonprofit Reviews

I have been a volunteer with this amazing organization for the past 3 years, and watched it grow from caring for 60 cats and kittens to now over 400 cats, kittens, dogs and puppies in its care. They take in the abandoned, injured, orphaned and unwanted animals that have no place else to go. The staff, dedicated volunteers and fosters take care of these animals with compassion, love and respect, treating each one as a special family member...which they all are! Each animal is given a name at time of intake, and is never "just a number". The magic of True Rescue is that the animals are housed in a cage-free environment (except for medical cases and small kittens), giving them the freedom to find their own space in this 7000 sq. ft. facility. On their own time, the residents gradually accept the warmth of human hands keeping them safe; they make friends with the other felines and sometimes canines; they greet us at the door every morning; they start to cuddle with us instead of hiding under blankets and couches. The transformation is amazing to watch and be part of. Every week we have double-digit adoptions, thanks to weekly events at a local Petsmart and at the True Rescue facility, enabling the public to see our beautiful animals in a relaxed and playful state. The building feels like a large home, with brightly painted rooms with special names like "Lilac Lounge", "Skyrise", "Sunnyside","Pink Palace", and "Purrplaza". True Rescue does not receive city, county, state, federal or grant money, but survives on the adoption fees and donations from animal lovers. They have started a Fospice program for senior felines to live out their lives in a foster home environment. They have started a Phoenix Rising Fund, for stray animal emergency medical cases, like cats found in burn pits; abandoned, emaciated cats found at vacant houses with wounds and no food or water. They have aided in shutting down puppy mills by taking in these dogs that desperately need a new life (and sometimes their babies too). They have rescued animals from hoarding situations. They have gone to areas of natural disasters in Arkansas, Kentucky, Florida (Hurricane Ian), and parts of Eastern and Western Tennessee, bringing food, blankets & supplies to the stricken area shelters and bringing back animals that have not been adopted, to make room at the local shelters for emergency intakes from the storms. They have started a True Patron program for donors who choose to give monthly. They accept any amount, ranging from children donating part of their monthly allowance to seniors naming True Rescue in their wills to help take care of their animals along with funds to do so. They have created two 5K walk/runs - in the spring called "Whisker Walk", and in the fall called "Wags to Witches" with a Halloween theme. Bake sales, rummage sales, cat yoga - community events help spread the word of True Rescue to allow it to grow even stronger and save even more animals. A new clinic will be opening soon called Hava's Heart, that will offer low-cost spay/neuters, vaccinations, and other medical treatments to the public as well as caring for the animals at True Rescue. This is truly my "happy place", knowing I am making a difference in the lives of these beautiful animals in our care. If you are an animal lover, and looking for a worthy cause that will definitely appreciate your donation in any amount, please, please, please consider True Rescue!

I have been a proud volunteer with ARC for the past year, and it has been one the most heartwarming thing I have ever done. Animal Rescue Corps’ mission is to end animal suffering through direct and compassionate action, and to inspire the highest ethical standards of humanity towards animals. We conduct rescues of animals who fall victim to abuse and natural disaster.

2019 & 2020 have been rescue after rescue, with the hurricanes, overcrowded shelters, and horrible abuse cases. In "Operation Feline Freedom", we rescued 100 cats from a hoarding situation, all living inside a 1200 sq. ft. house (one came home with me after a month of medical care - see his "before & after pictures below!). They all arrived with various medical conditions and lack of nutrition, but have all successfully been placed with new families.

We worked together with law enforcement on "Operation Caged Hell" and saved over 200 dogs, cats and rodents that received medical care, fresh food, water & clean beds while in our care as we worked tirelessly with our partners to place them in foster homes, shelters, and sanctuaries. We rescued over 165 senior dogs from an overcrowded sanctuary on "Operation Seniors Saved" - they were treated by our medical team, loved on by our volunteers and successfully placed in new homes. We recently rescued group after group of animals affected by the hurricane damage in Louisiana and Alabama, bringing them to the facility in Middle Tennessee for medical/ nutrition care and warm housing while we worked tirelessly to find them forever homes. The need is non-stop, and we never say no...

In a recent case, Operation Last Wish, ARC responded to an urgent request for assistance for animals that had been left alone in a home when their guardian was hospitalized with a serious illness. The homeowner is unlikely to return home or ever be able to care for the animals again and has surrendered the animals to our care. Fifteen dogs, mostly Pomeranians, and one cat were found living in and around a home in desperate conditions. All of the dogs exhibited signs of neglect, poor nutrition, internal and external parasites, dental disease, skin conditions, fur loss, and cataracts among other health concerns.

Every animal has received through veterinary exams, medical grooming and all necessary medical treatments. In addition, they are receiving tons of love and attention from our compassionate volunteers. ARC will continue to provide daily care until they can be transferred to shelter and rescue organizations that will place them into loving forever homes. Animal Rescue Corps' Executive Director Tim Woodward notes: "Thankfully this woman had several friends who were able to seek help for the animals and care for them until ARC could arrive. this is a strong reminder how important it is to plan for the care of your companion animals in your end-of-life planning or in the event of an unexpected emergency."

We work closely with government institutions, law enforcement agencies, other animal protection organizations, and communities to improve and strengthen relationships between humans and animals. Animal Rescue Corps seeks to inspire a fundamental idea: that our responsibility to animals is vital, and all lives have value. This ideal benefits us all in many ways — our physical safety, our economic systems, our mental health, our emotional well-being and our environment.

ARC brings the professional expertise, human resources, tactical equipment, and financial backing necessary for its rescue operations, including investigations and permanent placements. ARC works with communities that don’t have the resources to confront the cruelty themselves, especially when large numbers of suffering animals are involved.

ARC further addresses animal cruelty by generating public awareness, training volunteers, increasing community involvement and other measurable actions. Ultimately, ARC works within the legal system to affect lasting change from the inside out.

Animal Rescue Corps is unique because of its streamlined internal structure and its well-proven methods of external operations. Efficiency, effectiveness and expertise make ARC a leader in rescuing animals and serving communities.

“When it's bad, what do you do?” said ARC's Michael Cunningham, “You call Animal Rescue Corps, we are that resource to help when there is no one else!”

Please watch the last video "From Noah's Ark to Storm's End", the story of 191 animals rescued from a cruel breeder/puppy mill situation. It took over a year to win the case, but the results were a complete success.

The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, TN (an hour from Nashville) provides a lifetime of care for female elephants . I have volunteered at the Discovery Center, which serves to educate the public on the specific stories of each of the 28 elephants that have lived at the Sanctuary and how staff cares for them, as well as sharing the important role elephants play as a keystone species. Their Distant Learning Program connects with people all over the world to educate about the complexities of wild and captive elephants and to share the incredible stories of each of the Sanctuary elephants.

As a donor, I have had the honor of working at the Sanctuary among the elephants and witnessing first-hand the care they receive. I have watched them live their lives on 2600 acres of beautiful trees, ponds, and pastures with heated/air conditioned barns they freely enter/exit at will. I have helped make enrichment items for their enjoyment, painted stalls and studied up-close these beautiful senior ladies as they gently wander their habitats, finally at peace forever, and free from chains and abuse they suffered in circuses and previous lives. Pictures show my time with Flora, one of the African elephants at The Elephant Sanctuary plus the Sanctuary's presentation video.