We were lucky to catch up with Tracey Abrams recently and have shared our conversation below.

Tracey, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

As the Director of an animal rescue and 501c3 non-profit, I can say it feels as if every animal we take in is a risky proposition.

Each animal control facility posts dogs or cats with a fact sheet, for lack of a better term. It includes things like sex, age, breed and other relevant information. Sometimes important conditions are omitted for an unknown reason even though the details are plainly obvious when the animal is seen in person. Other times, the animal breaks with an illness they were exposed to at the shelter. For example Parvo or an upper respiratory infection. Those types of illnesses can spread rapidly throughout any shelter, rescue or facility.

I will never forget pulling a dog who had no medical issues listed, in this instance, as soon as the dog arrived, we found a tumor that was not disclosed. Granted, it may have been undiscovered because of the location of the growth but it still presented an issue that had to be addressed. Another time, a litter of puppies came in. One of the puppies began vomiting immediately and tested positive for Parvo. In this case, we were able to isolate the puppy quickly and none of the others got sick but isolation is not always the answer. We could just as easily have lost the entire litter. Thank goodness we didn’t.

Each animal we accept may be a risk but that’s what we do. We gamble on the cat being healthy and the do being friendly. We take a chance and save a life that needs saving. We take the risks and pray everything will go well. Because that’s what rescue is.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I’ve always loved animals, especially dogs. Many times, I have found lost dogs and reunited them with their owner. Then there have been the instances where I had to find the dog a home because an owner couldn’t be found. It’s always nicer to reunite rather than rehome.

I didn’t begin volunteering with a rescue until my kids were grown but I loved it. There is something so satisfying about helping an animal that can’t help itself. Giving a homeless animal a safe place to live, good food to eat and a soft bed to sleep in is so rewarding. But placing them in the right home with a family to love them is the icing on the cake. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not always easy to let go but it’s awesome when a dog you rescued and fostered comes back to visit or when the owner sends pictures.

My husband and I volunteered with the same group for years before deciding it was time to start our own animal rescue group. We enjoy helping people find a companion and animals find a loving family. When an application comes in, we make sure that the animal is a good fit for the home that applied for it. We want the adoption to be for the life of the animal so it’s very important for us to make a good match.

Some rescues and shelters adopt out animals without attempting to make a good fit. They simply adopt to the first person 5hat comes along. Using this practice, does put an animal in a home but may not take into consideration the personality and needs of the animal. Making sure there is a good match between the adopter and the animal doesn’t guarantee the bond will be perfect but it really does get very close.. We want the best for all our babies.

If I could say anything to our adopters I would say , thank you. I would ask them to please send us a picture every so often. When we’ve had a hard day and a picture comes in, it makes the day not so hard. There are many wonderful rescue groups in Georgia. I think the care we put into fostering and loving these animals, along with our desire for the right home, might set us apart just a little from some groups. We aren’t perfect but everyday we just try to do the best we can and help as many as we can. The animals we help have no one but us and we just want to do what’s right for them.

Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?

When I’m really having a hard day, I tell myself I wouldn’t do it if I had to make the choice again. However,, in my heart I know that isn’t true. I can’t help it. I love animals and want to help the ones I can. It’s so hard to say no but that’s just part of it. We can’t help them all. The best days are when one of our babies gets adopted. It makes all the sweat, worry and hard work worth it.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

Kindness, along with honesty is always the best way to go. I try to help families find the perfect fit in a new pet, I share all the info I have and everything I have learned about the personality and habits of the animal. Most people appreciate that honesty. Even when they don’t like or agree with our decisions kind honesty is preferable to treating someone badly. No one wants to adopt an animal and have it not work. I do my best to prevent that from happening.

Contact Info:

• Website: wetnosesanimalrescue.org
• Facebook: @WetNoses2020