With colder weather creeping in, more dogs and cats are being brought into shelters. For Broken Promises Rescue, that means their already limited resources are being stretched paper-thin.

LangfordB次元官网网址檚 Pamela Saddler co-founded the non-profit, volunteer-run rescue service three years ago with Kathleen Davis. The pair focused their efforts on helping animals that had either been abandoned, were difficult to adopt or had medical issues.

B次元官网网址淲e focus on helping the animals that others wonB次元官网网址檛 take,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e pretty much their last shot.B次元官网网址�

The organization, which Saddler says receives B次元官网网址渘o government funding at all,B次元官网网址� takes animals slated for euthanasia from overcrowded B.C. shelters, those with major or minor medical issues that need addressing before adoption and those that may have behavioural challenges.

Broken Promises spends about $90,000 a year on veterinarian costs. Any animal that passes through their doors is fully vaccinated, spayed or neutered, microchipped and brought up to their best health possible.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檒l actually take the ones that are old and have medical issues. They might not have long, but I want them to have a good six months of love before they go,B次元官网网址� Saddler says.

Whether itB次元官网网址檚 into a B次元官网网址渇orever homeB次元官网网址� or the rescueB次元官网网址檚 palliative foster program, every animal is placed into a home environment, she says.

Kristina Patterson is one of the many people who have opened their homes to foster animals through the rescue. She says itB次元官网网址檚 a very rewarding experience, and not as hard as some people may think.

B次元官网网址淚f you adopt, then youB次元官网网址檝e saved one or two animals and thatB次元官网网址檚 wonderful,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淚f you foster, you can help dozens of animals. Everybody always asks me how I do it and I look at it like IB次元官网网址檓 just looking after them until their perfect home comes along. ItB次元官网网址檚 really awesome seeing them go off into their forever home.B次元官网网址�

Having the animals in foster homes as opposed to cages at a shelter gives prospective adopters an advantage too, as they can see what the animal is like in a home environment.

B次元官网网址淵ou know if thereB次元官网网址檚 any behavioural problems or issues with other animals or kids,B次元官网网址� Patterson says. B次元官网网址淵ou know what theyB次元官网网址檙e like when the doorbell rings. You know if theyB次元官网网址檙e affectionate.B次元官网网址�

Broken Promises currently has about 30 animals in foster homes throughout the West Shore and Greater Victoria, including PattersonB次元官网网址檚 current fosterling, Storm, a three-year-old feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) positive and asthmatic cat.

Saddler says regardless of financial strain on the organization, the animals in her care will get what they need. She adds, B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 always an ongoing struggle. WeB次元官网网址檙e pretty much out of funds for Broken Promises at the moment.B次元官网网址�

SheB次元官网网址檚 seen dozens of animals come through the rescue in the last three years and go on to forever homes.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 so rewarding to look back and think it might not have happened otherwise. Everybody gets adopted.B次元官网网址�

For more information on adopting or to donate, visit .

acowan@goldstreamgazette.com