'Rallying for Rescues' in Lower Burrell brings financial support, awareness to animal rescues in the region
Sometimes, it’s those who do the saving that need the help.
That’s the idea behind Rallying for Rescues, first held in 2024 and brought back for a second year Sunday at Derek Kotecki Memorial Park in Lower Burrell.
Proceeds from this year’s event are benefiting 16 rescues, primarily for dogs and cats, up from 13 last year, said Monica Young of Lower Burrell. She is with Dog Gone? Search, Trap and Rescue, which helps people find their lost dogs.
The event began last year at the request of Carley Logan, manager of the farmers market in Lower Burrell. She approached Young, because of her work with animals, to create something to benefit animal rescues.
Proceeds from the $25 setup fee charged to participating vendors and food trucks are split evenly among the rescues. Raffle baskets are the biggest source of money. There’s also a 50/50 raffle.
For the rescues that rely on donations, volunteers and fosters, the rally was helpful in many ways.
“I think it’s wonderful,” said Theresa Hajko, of Wilkins Township and a volunteer with Kitten Scoop Cat and Kitten Rescue, which has a shelter in Greensburg. “I appreciate that someone is getting involved. We need whatever we can get. Every little bit helps.”
Bark About It Rescue, which is foster-based and has no physical location, was started to save dogs from euthanasia in the Houston, Texas, area by bringing them to the Pittsburgh region for loving homes. The all-volunteer group is marking its second anniversary, said Cheyenne Pelligreno, of New Brighton, a board member and application director.
Bark About It has volunteers in Pittsburgh and Houston who last year saved 270 dogs from BARC, one of Houston’s two municipal shelters, Pelligreno said.
With Houston facing a crisis of strays and no-questions-asked surrenders, BARC is always full, she said. Bark About It is always looking for foster families in the Pittsburgh area.
Katelyn Mickey, of Somerset, and Kelsey Noble, of Evans City, started Bark About It after seeing a video online about a healthy, 6-month old puppy that could have been adopted but was euthanized only because of a lack of space.
Pelligreno said a rally showcasing the many rescues is a great idea.
“Most rescues have different missions so it’s great to bring them all together,” she said.
With many people bringing their dogs to the rally, it afforded members of some rescues a chance to see again the dogs they saved. That was the case for Steph Davis, of Plum, a volunteer with Cross Your Paws Rescue in Greensburg. The dog rescue is foster-based, handling strays, local humane cases, and from shelters in West Virginia and Kentucky.
“It’s wonderful,” she said of seeing their alumni, which after surviving trauma, abuse and neglect are now healthy, happy and wagging their tails. “That’s what we do it for.”
For many of the rescues, the awareness the rally gave them was just as valuable as the money they take home to support their missions.
“We love to meet people and get out in the public and spread the word of adoption,” said Mindy Maryai, owner of Whiskey Acres Animal Rescue & Sanctuary in Young Township, Indiana County. She was among the new attendees this year.
Located on a farm, Whiskey Acres is named for a rescued Shetland pony. In addition to dogs and cats, the rescue has had companion horses, guinea pigs, rabbits, ferrets, chickens, ducks and even a cow, Maryai said. Their focus is to rescue, rehab and rehome.
At the rally, she had a pen of four 6-week-old kittens, who a Good Samaritan had rescued from a road where one had already died. Ready to adopt at the end of the month, they were drawing much attention.
Awareness and education were most important for Sue Stein, of Munhall, a volunteer with Fur All Kittys Cat Rescue in West Mifflin, where she and fellow volunteer Stephanie Roberts, of White Oak, said there is a severe problem with homeless and stray cats and a lack of knowledge among Mon Valley residents about how to prevent it.
They have saved more than 500 cats already this year, Stein said.
“It’s all about ending suffering and breaking the cycle,” Stein said. “It’s sad, the suffering that we see, and it’s all because of us, we humans.”
Brian C. Rittmeyer, a Pittsburgh native and graduate of Penn State University's Schreyer Honors College, has been with the Trib since December 2000. He can be reached at brittmeyer@triblive.com.
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