Ten years ago, Joanne Bonicelli, a complementary therapist at Pikes Peak Hospice, had a problem. People were entering hospice care and worried about who would take care of their pets. At first, Joanne placed animals with staff members, but soon the animals in need outnumbered the staff.Together with three women who shared her concerns, Bonicelli founded Safe Place Colorado. One of the women, Kat Percival, also the founder of All Breeds Rescue, donated $500 to get the group started.The group’s mission is to foster and find new homes for pets in El Paso and Teller counties whose owners can no longer care for them because of terminal illness or entry into hospice care. Since its founding, the group has found new homes for more than 300 cats, dogs, birds and one rabbit.Ellen May, the chairman of the placement committee for Safe Place, talked about their guidelines for accepting a new pet into the program: “The pet must be spayed or neutered, be up-to-date with its shots and pass a behavioral evaluation,” she said. Once a pet is accepted into the program, the owner decides when the pet leaves the owner’s home for a foster home. “But many times the owner of the pet has died, and the family can’t take the pet because of their own pets or because their children are allergic,” May said. “When the owner makes arrangements ahead of time, the pet has an easier transition.”When placing a pet in a new home, we do a home visit to make sure the pet is getting the best home possible to fulfill our obligation of trust to the pet’s original owner and to make sure the adopting family is getting the most appropriate pet.”To make sure the adopting family is sure their new pet is right for them, Safe Place does not allow the adopting family to sign an adoption contract until the pet has been in the new home for two weeks.Safe Place does not charge any fee to enter a pet into the program or to adopt a pet. Once an animal is adopted, Safe Place is prepared to help with veterinary bills and any other problems that may arise. When necessary, Safe Place will take back a pet the adopting family can no longer care for.Mary Morris of Colorado Springs recently adopted Truffle, a long-haired chocolate Dachshund. Truffle needs to have her teeth cleaned, and Safe Place is taking care of the vet bills. Morris learned about Safe Place from a friend who fosters pets for the group. “It’s a fantastic program,” she said. “The last dog I had was a young cocker spaniel, and after eight years, she died of tick fever. I couldn’t bear to have another pet for years, but when I met Truffle, I couldn’t resist. I don’t want to see a little dog like this get abandoned again, so it is comforting to know that Safe Place will take care of Truffle if she outlives me.””Our animals are unique in that they have been pampered pets, and their medical histories are well known,” May said. She said many people ask if pets grieve for their former owners.”Animals know when things aren’t right,” May said. “When they get to a new home, they become puppies and kittens again and are happy to be with people who love them.”Safe Place Colorado is a 501(c) 3 charitable organization that relies solely on donations and volunteers to provide foster homes and to spread the word about Safe Place Colorado.If you need to make arrangements for your pets or you are interested in volunteering or adopting a pet, call Safe Place Colorado at 719-540-0947 or visit the Web site at www.safeplaceco.org.
