Central Arizona Animal Search and Rescue in Camp Verde is seeking donations to be able to continue their search and rescue operations and hospice care for senior and disabled dogs.
Mitzie Christian founded CAASR in 2010 when she started doing search and rescue missions for lost dogs with Mark Happe from Pets Return Home. They would hike into the wilderness and set humane traps to try to capture missing pets that were lost during incidents like storms and car accidents.
As Christian got older, she wasn’t able to continue the physical labor of hiking into the woods carrying cages, but she has found a volunteer to help her with this project while Christian runs the rescue portion of CAASR at her home.
Christian offers what she calls hospice care for senior and disabled dogs, although she will help any dog in a bad situation.
“Those are my heart,” Christian said of the older and disabled dogs she houses. She has dogs in wheel carts that have lost use of their back legs, a dog born without front legs and dogs that have seizures. She rescued a pregnant dog that was shot and left to die on the side of the road. The dog had a litter of six puppies; two of them still reside at the rescue, as one is deaf and is dependent upon the other dog to get around.
Running the operation is a 24-hour job for Christian, although she now has a vice president who runs the internet end of the rescue.
“The whole idea is for them to have happiness and love while they can,” Christian said.
One of the dogs Christian rescued, Miracle, could fit in the palm of her hand when she got her. Miracle was covered in ticks to the point where she was anaemic. Miracle is now 2 years old and thriving.
Little Man, a Chihuahua-dachshund mix, was found crying in a ditch on the side of a road in Camp Verde. He lost the use of his back legs and Christian’s husband made a wheel cart to allow him to get around. Another large dog was rescued from an abandonment situation and was down to 28 pounds when Christian received him.
“I do this because there’s so many people out there that just don’t care,” Christian said. “They think animals are disposable. It’s just getting worse. There are so many that are just being dumped and we find them all over the place.”
Christian added that many dogs are being dumped because people can no longer afford the price of dog food.
“I see them and I just can’t leave them like that,” Christian continued. “It’s not in my makeup. I can’t do it, so I take them in. That way I know that they’re being fed and taken care of. They’re a living, breathing thing just like we are. They’ve got to have a place to live.”
Christian said that when people bring her dogs, she tries to persuade them to keep the animal while CAASR helps them with food and finding the dog a permanent home. She stressed that the rescue and shelters everywhere are overflowing. CAASR also helps out with vet care and dog food for people in the community who can’t afford it.
The operation is supported solely by donations, and Christian is feeling the financial burden of the rising cost of dog food. Her two biggest financial expenses are dog food and vet bills.
Christian said that everyone has to work together, local humane societies and community members, and that it will take a village to get all of these animals to a safe home.
CAASR currently has a litter of five puppies in need of fosters or adopters. CAASR is seeking donations, which can be sent through Zelle to Mitzie Christian or mailed to CAASR, P.O. Box 4394, Camp Verde, AZ 86322. Donations of dog food are also greatly appreciated. For more information, visit CAASR on Facebook or email myCAASR@outlook.com.
