Learning Center
At the Famous Fido Rescue Learning Center, we harness the power of education to strengthen our community and bring about a new way of thinking about adoption, rescue, interventions, the ongoing care of companion animals, and spread awareness for issues that affect all our world’s animals and the planet we share.
Our ultimate goal is to promote compassion and respect for all animals and the environment.
Learn about our campaigns, CARE , GUARD , SPEAK, and HOME that are part of our plan to reach that goal.
Adoptions
Our rescue does not look at adoption as just a transactional process, but rather an opportunity to build our community up and prepare animals for success in their future homes. Our adoption program provides structure and guidance for people looking to welcome a companion animal into their family.
For adoption, we always aim to prioritize the needs of the animal. While they may have been surrendered for reasons that were no fault of their own, they do still come with their own individual baggage that an adopter should be prepared for.
We will always aim to be transparent with adopters about behavioral issues and medical ailments and offer advice ahead of their adoptions. We will be also there to continually support them even after they go home, so they can be set up for lasting success.
Interventions
There is nothing linear about the way we all go through life, there are ups, downs, and in-betweens, but what does that mean when there are animals that rely on us to be their pillar of support?
Famous Fido Rescue’s Intervention program was chartered to help people navigate difficult times in their life and develop solutions, so their animals do not have to be fronted with the possibility of entering a shelter.
Many people call the center when their animal’s needs have stretched beyond their means, meaning that things such as emergency or even basic veterinary care is unaffordable, or they are unable to traverse through training solutions for behavioral challenges.
The Intervention program helps our community have access to these resources, along with the care and compassion of our experienced counselors to work through solutions with them.
Where it is not possible for the animal to remain with their family, the Intervention Program will also help in the responsible rehoming of the animal, so their original family can be involved in the process to find the animal’s forever family, by following Famous Fido Rescue’s Adoption process.
Resources
We want our community to be prepared for whatever curveballs life throws at them, so they can help their animals or animals they might find. Some of the reasons we are approached with when people are looking to surrender their animals include:
- Moving/ Housing restrictions
- Animal is sick/ Injured
- Allergies
- Disobedient/ Behavioral issues
- Incompatible with other animals
- Children/New Baby in the home
- Unwanted gift
- Divorce
- Death
To answer some of these issues, we have provided responses for the most frequently asked questions from our community.
- What do I do if I find an animal?
- What low-cost veterinarians are in Chicago?
- What do I do if I or someone else in the house has allergies?
- What trainers are available for certain issues?
- Where can I find housing where animals are allowed?
Animals and the Planet
To be as successful as we can be to see our mission to help all animals through to fruition, we have partnered with organizations from across the globe to speak on a number of topics covering: cats, dogs, farm animals, birds, horses, rabbits, wildlife, and the environment.
We have always believed that forces working together can achieve a greater and more lasting impact. The Celebration of Life is Famous Fido’s annual event that brings these organizations together to work towards the change we want to see.
Below is our virtual library, showcasing videos from our partner organizations.
Speaker Videos
The Celebration of Life brought together many amazing speakers speaking on diverse topics of animal welfare.
Misi Stine for the International Wolf Center
What About the Dog?
Robert Grillo from Free From Harm
Dog by Dog
Chicago Bird Collision Monitors
FOUR PAWS USA Fighting for Big Cats
Dr Kenneth Welle – Rabbit Care
Danielle Carnahan – The Call To Conserve – Asian Elephants
Paul Barton – Elephants
Crate Free Illinois – Farm Animals
Sarvin Clark – Ethical Fashion
Midwest Horse Welfare Foundation – Horses
CARE
At Famous Fido Rescue, we believe that adoption is a commitment that should be honored and respected for the duration of an animal’s entire life. Our organization sees this through by thoroughly screening potential adopters, and fitting animals to their best match according to their individual needs.
Our adoption process is designed to understand how an animal’s life would look like with you. By answering our pre-screening questionnaire and participating in meet and greet conferences, we hope to build a relationship, grow trust, and set you up for success with your new companion animal.
We will always endeavor to provide you with information surrounding the animal’s behavior and medical history, along with advice moving forward on how to best care for their needs, so you are prepared to take on the responsibility as their carer for the rest of their lives.
Life does have its complications though, and we often hear how moving, having a baby, developing allergies, or the person passing away can have an impact, and shatter an animal’s entire world, as many are discarded for these reasons.
This program was developed to consider solutions with these complications in mind. The CARE program asks potential adopters to consider these life events and arrive at decisions with the animal’s best interest as a top priority.
By making a life plan, we are ensuring these animals never have to face the prospect of entering a shelter ever again. Solutions take time, consideration, and brainstorming, and that is why we are here as a source of support, counseling, and guidance.
Please do not hesitate to lean on us when you need someone to talk to about caring for your companion animals, as we genuinely CARE when it comes to their wellbeing.
GUARD
Acknowledging the lack of support there is for families experiencing personal struggles that result in the abandonment of their companion animals, Famous Fido Rescue brought about a program that offers support and counseling for community members to help animals to stay in safe homes rather than be relinquished, which would result in overcrowded shelters and potentially mean the animal is put in harms way.
Utilizing our experience in overcoming problems, we offer counseling and resources as a means to save animals and reduce stressors for families or individuals. Our mission is to decrease the number of animals brought to shelters, by encouraging education about the alternatives to abandonment.
As a first step, we are working to change the language used when speaking about animals and are distancing ourselves from words that identify animals as being some form, or extension of property. Instead of using words such as “owner” and “pet” we promote the terms “guardian” and “companion.” By changing the terms in which we use, we hope that others will follow, and view their companion animals as family members, and retire the easy out of abandoning them, and instead look to ways they can build on their potential, like they would for their human family members.
In certain cases, we aid with veterinary care, and training resources, which can consequently impact on our rescue’s budget. Sponsorship for our GUARD program is very much needed to keep the number of animals brought to shelters under control. Please consider donating in honor of this especially important and necessary program.
HOME
Senior animals are an especially at-risk group to be euthanized at kill shelters to clear space for their younger, more adoptable counterparts. The HOME program was therefore developed to protect our older, homeless, and abandoned animals.
With this program, Famous Fido Rescue aims to offer safe space and sanctuary for senior animals for the remainder of their golden years. Many of the senior animals surrendered to our center had their guardians pass away or move into assisted living. Experiencing such trauma is a lot for any animal to go through, let alone an animal that is in their elderly years.
To spare them from experiencing further distress, these animals are cared for in our center’s sanctuary. The Famous Fido Rescue sanctuary is a space where animals can relax, be comforted by our volunteer team, and loved as part of the Famous Fido family.
SPEAK
We often wonder what animals would say if they could speak, so with this program, Famous Fido Rescue is inviting those who are passionate about animal advocacy to lend the animals their voice.
Famous Fido Rescue is actively seeking writers, visual artists, musicians, or any other creative individuals and groups to share their gift with the world to help animals.
We offer a platform on our social media channels, website, and in our newsletters to bring animal and environmental issues to a head.
If you have something to say, reach out by directly contacting our center.
Contact:
Famous Fido Rescue and Adoption Alliance
3124 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 907 0305 | fido@famousfidorescue.com