Heartland Animal Rescue Team In Need Of Financial Help

Heartland Animal Rescue Team (also known as H.A.R.T.) in Brainerd is in need of help. The nonprofit animal rescue has faced financial changes and is asking for immediate financial help and donations. H.A.R.T. was founded in 1987 and has been providing services to unwanted, stray, neglected and abused animals of all kinds in the community ever since.

“We are an open-door shelter, which means we take in all animals. We don’t turn them away,” said Donna Wambeke, H.A.R.T. Executive Director. “We take in the injured, sick.”

They provide the animals shelter as well as medical services such as spaying and neutering, vaccinations, and more.

“They get vaccinated for distemper, flea and tick preventative, heartworm prevention, heartworm testing,” explained Brittany Nelson, H.A.R.T. Shelter Manager.

“People can adopt the animals and give them a good home and give them a chance to actually have a home to live in,” said Diane Eldredge, who volunteers weekly at H.A.R.T.

The shelter cares for around a thousand animals each year and has already had almost 500 adoptions in 2018. But H.A.R.T. has recently faced financial challenges after the shelter lost several of their impound contracts.

“Unfortunately, in the last year and a half we have lost probably five or six impound contracts, which makes up a big portion of our annual budget,” explained Wambeke.

Several municipalities voted to use a shelter that did not charge for their services, leaving H.A.R.T. in need of financial help.

“All the money that we have to survive on we gets used daily, so that’s why we’re kind of in need,” added Nelson.

The shelter is looking to the community to step in like the have in the past and allow them to keep offering their important services to area animals.

“We take care of the animals here as if they’re our own. We love them and show them a kind hand,” said Nelson.

“It just gives the animals a chance to have love, because some of these animals are on the street so they don’t get to experience the love they get when they’re inside of a shelter,” said Eldredge.

“We help the stray, unwanted, neglected, abused animals,” said Wambeke. “It’s a great service that we provide to the community.”

There are multiple ways to donate to H.A.R.T. To donate online, visit their website at www.hartpets.org. Donations can also be dropped off at the shelter or mailed to their address at 15494 Dellwood Drive, Brainerd, MN 56401. Donations can also be given over the phone by calling (218) 829-4141.