Twelve years ago, Neil Moore went to a shelter in Phoenix to pick up an older German Shepherd, but as fate would have it the dog wasn’t able to be shown and he instead met a Boxer Lab mix and fell in love at first sight and brought his new pet, Rascal, home.
After a decade together, Moore unfortunately experienced the pain that so many people have when he had to put his best friend down after Rascal’s battle with diabetes. This heartbreaking event led to some deep introspection about animal care. These thoughts ended up bringing some light to his dark days.
Moore started thinking about the extensive cost of veterinary care and about the people who were in situations where they are unable to afford these expenses. He felt fortunate that this wasn’t a problem for him personally, but upon reflection of the cost he started considering the elderly and lower income families that simply didn’t have the financial means to provide proper animal care for their four-legged friends.
There is a saying that once you recognize a problem it becomes yours and for Moore this stands true. He decided that in honor of Rascal he was going to start a non-profit organization, and thus Rascal’s Foundation became official in September 2021.
“After several weeks of proper grieving, I formed the charity and named it after my late friend,” Moore said.
The goal of the nonprofit is to provide a safe haven to low-income and in-need pet parents and families in the local community. They intend to help relieve the stress and financial burden of veterinary bills by partnering with local veterinary offices in Arizona. Their overarching goal is to help all families and animals who need assistance and eventually expand their services outside of the state and across the United States.
“With a staunch dedication to provide free and excellent medical care for animals, we are guaranteeing that no family will have to suffer the unnecessary loss of a pet because they don’t have the financial resources,” Moore said. “Our organization will strive to help families keep peace of mind and enjoy the time they have left with their pets for years to come.”
They have put into place a systematic processes that will implement when the funding is complete that will allow them to assess financial needs of potential applicants and they couldn’t be more excited to get started helping the lives of animal.
The nonprofit is hoping to offer this funding as soon as possible during 2023. As a startup, the nonprofit Rascal’s Foundation really needs community support. They are working on grants, but are actively seeking donations as well as volunteers.
For more information about Rascals Foundation or to make a donation, visit rascals-foundation.org.
