It is a no-kill, no shelter organization named SparKy (Saving Paws Animal Rescue of Kentucky), which believes in saving rescued dogs and cats by placing them in foster homes to be welcomed with warm, loving arms until they are adopted into a family of their own.

Motivated by their deep love for animals, John and Bridget Austin of Owensboro created this animal haven just several months after attending a Best Friends No More Homeless Pets Conference in Portland, Oregon in 2005.

Best Friends Animal Sanctuary Changed Their Lives

"It's really easy here to become worn down by the whole animal rescue effort, because it's a lot of work," Mr. Austin concedes. "But after the Portland conference, we were so excited we took another flight and made a beeline straight to the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary at Kanab, Utah where we signed on as volunteer dog walkers.

"It's so impressive - the scope of what they're doing and how they're doing it - it's hard to imagine, but there are all these volunteers who come and take time out of their lives to just walk the dogs and clean the litter boxes."

After this uplifting experience, the Austins even entertained a fleeting thought that it would be great to leave their home and hightail it to Kanab to stay permanently.

"So gung ho were we after spending just one day at the sanctuary's Old Friends home with the senior dogs, we were at the point we really wanted to live there, work and take care of the animals," Mrs. Austin remembers. "It was one of the most peaceful places - it's so beautiful and it's almost overwhelming to think about how much it has grown."

As it often does, reality crept into this scenario - and they focused on a different plan - the development of SparKy in their hometown of Owensboro. As Oprah would say, it was their "aha" moment.

SparKy Is Fueled With Volunteer Help 

Besides taking in animals from shelters, SparKy also handles five or six calls a day, mostly from people who want to surrender their animals. It adopts out about 100 dogs and cats each year to permanent homes - making certain they are all spayed or neutered before they leave, of course.

 At this time there is a small group of individuals, six foster homes in all, who accept the responsibility of primary caregivers; in addition there are five dogs that reside with state prisoners in the Substance Abuse Program (SAP) at the Daviess County Detention Center. These dogs receive positive feedback along with some basic obedience training, and in turn the inmates experience what it's really like to bond with dogs (some for the first time) creating a mutually supportive environment.

Volunteers, Kenny and Debra King, became involved with SparKy a year ago after their beloved cocker spaniel, Annie, died. They couldn't bear to think of replacing her, so they use their spare time to shoot free photographs of the animals since Mr. King is a professional photographer.

"We run our business out of our home, and we don't have room to foster," Mr. King states. "So, building the SparKy website and taking photos is what we can do to contribute. (The Kings have since adopted two SparKy rescue dogs of their own.)

It's obvious SparKy's greatest asset is the love and personal care its animals receive from its dedicated foster families, who are always mindful that these are living beings whose lives they are trying to improve.

Mrs. Austin says, "We heard a lot of cool ideas at the No More Homeless Pets Conference, and it's amazing that Best Friends began simply because the founders wanted better lives for animals. I would love to go back again."

For More Information

To learn more about SparKy, adopt a pet,  volunteer or make a donation, click here: SparKy.   SparKy is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization.

Visit Best Friends No More Homeless Pets campaigns to find out what you can do to help.

Register for the upcoming No More Homeless Pets Conference October 23-25 in Las Vegas.

Photos of some of SparKy's adoptable pets by Kenny King