Ohio River Pet Help and Nurturing Network

"For every animal that dies in the shelter, there is a human somewhere responsible for it's death... Please remember to spay and neuter your pets and that a pet is a lifelong commitment."

Thank you to everyone who made 2009 a success! 60 pets were adopted into new, wonderful forever homes this year. Their lives were irrevicably changed for the better. Without the help of many caring individuals along the way, they would not have been afforded a second chance. We would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to them. Most importantly, we would like to thank the adopter's who opened up their homes & hearts to adopting a rescued pet. Making the choice to save the life of an animal in need instead of buying one from a pet store or breeder is a noble endeavor that you should all be very proud of. Thank you to all of the generous donors who graciously offered their support. They include Ed & Linda S., Tony & Amy M., Ed L., Linda S., Shirley & Pat L., Eric & Karen M., & Maurice C. Many thanks to the Alpha Chi Omega sorority & the Fairland High School students for volunteering their time. Thank you to the caring individuals that brought the plight of each animal that we received to our attention. Thank you to all of the caring people who silently go about their work to help the animals of our community. They are the ones who feed & water the stray dogs & cats or give them a home, adopt a pet that is being given up by their owner or one from the shelter. You are truly making a difference. To all of the responsible pet owners who spay & neuter their pets, thank you for not contributing to the pet over-population problem. You are making the biggest difference of all. Many, many thanks to each & every one of you!

Who We Are

We are the Ohio River Pet Help and Nurturing Network, or ORPHAN. We are an animal rescue organization located in the Ohio River Valley in the tri-state area of Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky.

Mission Statement

To rescue animals in need, to provide the nurturing needed to restore them to both physical and mental health, and to place them in loving forever homes.

To help prevent the needless suffering of future generations of animals for whom there are not enough homes through spaying and neutering.

To educate people on responsible pet ownership, training, and problem resolution, in order to prevent more animals from needing rescue.

In this website, we will offer information about our organization, as well as information about pets which are currently up for adoption, and general information on working through problem behaviors with your pets.

Our animals come from many different backgrounds -- many are strays which were picked up off the street, many are sick or injured, many have been abused or neglected. They are fostered in loving home environments where their wounds can be treated and their personalities assessed, but are waiting anxiously for forever homes to call their own. All are spayed or neutered before leaving the rescue.

Our One Year Anniversary for the Website

The Orphan Network Website recently had it's one year anniversary. A big thank you to all our regular visitors and those just stopping by for the first time. You helped make the website a success and have provided us with the motivation to continue our efforts online. The website had over 6000 visitors this past year viewing over 32,000 pages! Needless to say this exceeded our most optimistic estimates and more importantly your patronage helped place more pets in a safe and loving home. Thank You.

"Roc"

Roc is a shining example of what animal rescue is all about. When he first came to the rescue as a young adult male he weighed a mere 50 pounds. Having failed guard dog training due to his good nature and sweet disposition he was no longer wanted. Despite mistreatment from people on numerous occasions Roc still greets everyone with a wagging tail and a happy smile. And NO you may not have him as he has already found his forever home!

However, you can experience the pride and joy that comes from adopting a rescue dog by contacting ORPHAN Network today.

Roc's Picture Is Published In Bark Magazine!

Roc was recently published in Bark Magazine on the "Smiling Dogs" page. Evidently the folks at Bark think Roc's as great as we do. Roc was sporting a cape (well, really a bath towel) in the picture while doing his best superhero imitation for his owner. A big thank you to Bark Magazine for allowing us to post these images on our website.

Adopting From ORPHAN

Nothing is more rewarding than the unconditional love that an animal gives so freely. They ask very little in return for the unconditional love they give to us. Our goal is to place animals in loving forever homes. For this reason, we screen all potential adopters. Adoption is a commitment throughout the life of the animal. With good veterinary care, a cat or dog could live to be 15-20 years old or more.

By the time most of our animals have come into rescue, they have already been through rough times -- many have been abandoned, abused, or neglected. We as rescuers want to place them into stable homes in which they can live out the rest of their lives. Pets are by nature social animals that form very close bonds with their families. It is vital for their emotional health that they be a part of the family.

Screening is not meant to be invasive or judgmental, but simply to make sure that the animal is well matched with his or her potential home, and that the potential adopter realizes and is willing and able to take on the responsibilities of having a pet, for the rest of the pet's life. Change is very hard for any animal - they thrive on stability, therefore we ask that once a pet is adopted, there be an expected adjustment time for the pet to become familiar with new surroundings, routines and be allowed time to bond with his/her new family.

The fee to adopt a pet from ORPHAN varies as it depends on age and the medical expenses.

The Process To Adopt Is

Fill out an application. This can either be submitted online or printed and mailed.

We will contact you for the initial interview.

Upon approval of the adoption application, there will be a home visit scheduled at your convenience. In most cases the pet is brought along to see his/her prospective new home.

Upon final approval the adoption contract is signed, adoption fees are paid, and the pet comes home with his/her new forever family.

We will follow up periodically, to make sure that things are going smoothly, and to answer any questions or help with any problems you may be having. We welcome questions, and are always happy to offer advice or do whatever we can to help with behavioral issues or any other problems or concerns you may have, at any time throughout the life of the pet. All animals will be spayed or neutered before they are adopted, and all adopters are required to sign a contract agreeing to return the animal to ORPHAN should they be unable to keep him or her for any reason for the entire life of the pet.