Rutledge-based Rescue Ranch provides Christmas gifts for area animals in need
For the last couple of years, owners Courtney Bryson and Renee Ussery have partnered with a distributor for the rescue’s Rural Outreach Program.
Through the program, they pick up broken bags of delicious pet food that the distributor would otherwise throw away and supply it at no cost to 52 shelters and rescues across the state throughout the year.
“That kind of helps shelters so they don’t have to make euthanasia decisions based on the budget,” Bryson said. “They can spend the money that they have on veterinary care or other things that the animals need, and not food.”
Rescue Ranch personally gives out bags of pet food each week to food-insecure community members and their pets at the Madison-Morgan Community Food Pantry and Joseph’s Closet.
“By providing pet food for these people, who also have to get food at food banks for themselves, they can keep their animals. [That] helps relieve a little pressure from our shelter system,” Bryson said about the local efforts. “People aren’t having to surrender their animals because they can’t afford them.”
The rescue also coordinates free rabies vaccine and microchip clinics with the Humane Society of Morgan County four times a year to serve the same population in need.
But Rescue Ranch does something extra special for needy pets during the holiday season.
At Christmastime, Bryson and Ussery receive seasonal items from partner Pound Puppies ’N Kittens that Petco will discard at the end of the year.
Rescue Ranch packages these sweaters, toys, harnesses, and collars into little gift bags and gives them to local food banks along with pet food at local food banks.
A few other food banks in nearby counties are also supplied with boxes of seasonal items to put together gift bags for their animals.
Last weekend, more than 300 gift bags were given in Morgan County alone during Rescue Ranch’s “Community Christmas,” helping people give their pets something special for the holidays.
“They get really excited when they’re able to provide something for them,” Ussery said about people receiving gifts for their pets. “For many of these families, it might be their emotional support. It might be their family member. We have several that are older, and their partner is deceased, and they still have their dog, or, you know, they’ve got a cat that means the world to them. They’re invested in [their pets] getting something as if it was a gift for themselves. It’s immaculate to see how much these animals impact the community and do something nice.
“Sometimes us supplying the food keeps those animals out of shelters and out of having to be rehomed because the people can’t afford to feed them, and then the Community Christmas is just kind of like a little cherry on the top [for them.]” “It’s really cool to kind of get to give them something extra,” Bryson added. “Getting them something special for the holidays has been really cool.”
Rescue Ranch also spreads Christmas cheer to animals in shelters and rescues, too.
Since about 2018, the rescue has hosted Secret Santa for dogs, cats, and even farm animals looking for their “furever homes.” While the participating rescues vary yearly, the Humane Society of Morgan County’s animals have been covered for the past few years.
This year, 111 animals from the Humane Society, Rescue Ranch, Georgia Canine Rescue and Rehabilitation, and Georgia Peach Pug Rescue received Secret Santas.
Each animal requests something they need (an item to help the shelter or rescue), something they want (food or treats), and something they would love (an extra-special item).
The rescue’s Secret Santa organizer or foster owner completes a Google Form with information about the animal, their breed, their age, something special about them, and their wish list. Then, Rescue Ranch sends a letter to each Secret Santa, telling them about their animal, their list, and where to mail the gift.
When gifts arrive, rescues take photos of the animals with their gifts, and add them to a Facebook album created by Rescue Ranch. The images help Secret Santas follow along with the gifting journey and encourage adoptions.
Bryson said many people sign up to be Secret Santa every year, even from places as far away as California, Canada, and Italy. All Secret Santas, she said, are invested in the animals’ stories and giving them a memorable Christmas.
“We always have people that want to be able to support an individual animal. I think as a giver, it’s fun to get to see what you do that makes an impact specifically for an animal,” Bryson explained. “We have a lot of people that do it every year. They really enjoy figuring out which animal they will be Santa for and picking out their different gifts. It’s kind of like this cool way for a lot of different people to get to make an impact on our animals here locally,” continued Bryson. “There are so many [animals] that have never had something of their very own. These dogs, cats, and [even a couple of pigs and goats] get something just for them.”
Ussery credits the generosity of Rescue Ranch’s social media followers for Secret Santa’s success.
She and Bryson explained how Secret Santa was initially started for Rescue Ranch’s animals. However, so many people signed up for it that it was expanded to help other rescues.
“We are fortunate to have quite a really strong following on social media, and any time that there’s a need or something comes up, they’re always incredibly generous,” Ussery said. “We wanted to try to tie that to supplies for Secret Santa that shelters often don’t receive, whether it’s cleaning products, trash bags, or all the kinds of things that you may not necessarily think to donate … At the same time, people get excited about the animals that they’re assigned, and then they start sharing that animal. So, [animals are] going to be seen by people who wouldn’t typically see them, whether someone in Tennessee shared it or somebody in South Florida shared it. When people can make these connections online, you know you can do some pretty cool things with it.”
Rescue Ranch also hosts Christmas in July for a second Secret Santa opportunity. Anyone interested in getting involved can visit rescueranchpups.org to join the email newsletter.