Musician Ralph Tourkow is fondly remembered as a talented musician who had a jovial sense of humor and a schedule of dinner dates. His family and friends agree that to meet Tourkow was to instantly meet a friend.This weekend, The Journal Gazette has been publishing the wish lists of northeast Indiana nonprofits geared to helping those in need this holiday season. While there’s plenty of need from northeast Indiana, let’s not forget another important part of our families – our furry friends. Here is a list of northeast Indiana animal-related charities that need a little help this year.
PETS AND ANIMALS
Fort Wayne Pet Food Pantry Inc., 1333 Maycrest Drive, Fort Wayne
Phone: 260-478-4851
Website: www.fwpetfoodpantry.com
Purpose: To provide pet food at no cost to pet owners who are struggling financially and cannot afford to feed their pets
Needs: Dry cat food, dry dog food, canned cat and dog food, dog and cat treats, cat litter, 1-gallon Ziploc bags; volunteers needed to help bag pet food from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every other Saturday
Drop-off: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at H.O.P.E. for Animals Clinic, 1333 Maycrest Drive; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at Pink Poodle, 6244 W. Jefferson Blvd.; 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday and Thursday and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at Pooch Parlor, 3704 N. Clinton St.; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at Pine Valley Pet, 10116 Coldwater Road; 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at Umber’s Hardware, 2413 Lower Huntington Road; and Petco, 315 Coliseum Blvd. E. and Pet Supplies Plus, 4714 Coldwater Road.
Soarin’ Hawk Raptor Rehabilitation, P.O. Box 13698, Fort Wayne
Phone: 260-241-0134
Purpose: To rescue and rehabilitate injured birds of prey and return them to the wild; also provides a raptor education outreach program to schools and community groups
Needs: Heated winter water bowls, 100-foot hemp rope ( 1/4 inch or 1/2 inch), 1-gallon Ziploc bags, 40-gallon garbage bags, scrub brushes, refrigerator, chest freezer, venison, screech-owl boxes, garden rakes, eight 2-by-4 boards, storage totes (20- and 40-gallon), electronic bird scale, insulin syringes, TB syringes, bath towels, battery-operated Dremel, West Nile vaccine, vet wrap, sutures, magnetic signs, 32-inch flat-screen television, van, open-top pet carriers, gas-powered power washer and weed trimmer
Drop-off: Call ahead to make arrangements
Chocolate Box Horse Rescue, P.O. Box 361, Woodburn
Phone: 260-479-7727
Purpose: Home for equines with health-related issues
Needs: Round and square bales of hay, bags or cubes or bags of pellets, oats, beet pulp shreds with molasses, complete senior feeds, bulk bales of bagged bedding, Zimectrin Gold wormer, Vetricin spray, B-L pellets, omega-3 oil, mineral tubs, quad blocks, small toys; volunteers also needed
Drop-off: Parkwood Church of God, Milan Center Feed, Anthony Animal Clinic; monetary donations also accepted; for pickup, call David at 260-414-4189
Black Pine Animal Park, 1426 W. 300 N., Albion
Phone: 260-636-7383
Purpose: Refuge for displaced, captive-raised big cats, primates and other exotic animals; educational opportunities to teach people about responsible pet ownership
Needs: Gift cards (Walmart, Staples, Tractor Supply, Amazon), fresh fruit, sugar-free sweetened drink mixes, Simple Green concentrated cleanser, clumping cat litter, water softener salt, peanut butter, honey, unsalted in-the-shell peanuts, grass hay, straw, wood shavings, electric golf carts, surveillance systems, utility poles, 4-by-4s, 4-by-6s, 6-by-6s, landscape timbers, 6-feet-or-taller chain-link fencing, large hollow tree trunks and cuttings, wood chips, surplus building materials
Drop-off: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, call ahead to make arrangements
Summit Equestrian Center, 10808 LaCalbreah Lane, Fort Wayne
Phone: 260-668-0266
Website: www.summitequestrian.org
Purpose: Improve the lives of children and adults of all abilities through therapeutic horseback riding, equine-assisted learning and interaction with horses
Needs: 18-volt cordless drill, corn whisk brooms, plastic manure pitchforks, dry and canned cat food, digital camera, tech support, handyman support, rider sponsorship funding, maintenance support, gift cards to AG plus, Tractor Supply Co., home repair stores
Drop-off: Call ahead for drop-off times
