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What's new with Friends for Animals, and what others are saying about us.

• It's Christopher Lowell

  "Downtown Dog Rescue: We visit staff members at Modernica, a classic modern furniture store and manufacturer, who have started Downtown Dog Rescue, an organization that helps stray dogs in the downtown Los Angeles. They also discuss Friends for Animals." - DiscoveryChannel.com
  Do Gooders, Part 2: Episode #546

• Los Angeles Times, Skid Row Strays Have Best Friends 12/02

• Friends for Animals Rescue, Simply 4 Pets 1/01

  January 2001, By F. J. Ogaz

  Animal and pet lovers in Southern California may find some comfort in knowing that there is a remarkable and dedicated woman who has devoted her time and effort in a labor of love for many unfortunate stray cats and dogs. Her name is Sondra Davis, a vivacious and determined woman who is the founder and President of a newly licensed pet rescue, Friends For Animals. With the help of her trusty sidekick and Vice President Sandra Harrison, another dynamo whose tireless efforts and vast knowledge help make this organization a success, Friends for Animal's sole purpose is to provide aid to animals in need. They believe that no animal should have to suffer.

  Friends for Animals is a nonprofit pet rescue that relies entirely on contributions, both monetary and manpower, to provide medical treatment, fostering and eventual adoption to homeless, abused and unwanted animals. They wish to educate the public on the importance of spay and neuter programs, encourage dog and cat owners to be responsible owners, to assist low-income and disabled people with their pet problems and to work with feral cats by utilizing spay and neuter programs to prevent further overpopulation. They have no kenneling facilities, operating on a pet-fostering program. This enables animals to go into a loving environment while receiving medical or other attention needed for rehabilitation. All of their volunteers have experience with animal rescues and fostering of animals. At Friends for Animals, cats or dogs are fostered by screened and qualified individuals until an appropriate adopting family is found. "We have the adopting family sign an adoption agreement with the promis that when they can no longer keep the animal, they must return it to us," Sondra states about her adopted pets. "We really want to make sure that the animals receive the proper care and medical attention they need when leaving our organization throughout the pet's natural life span. We won't adopt to anyone who is going to keep the cat outside, and declawing is a big no-no."

  Sondra Davis has dedicated her money, time and effort to her cause for over 25 years. "It started when I was working for the studios," she comments. "There were feral cats that lived on the sets and grounds. I used to watch the older women put out bowls of food for them every day. One day I just started doing it myself and since then I have become more and more involved." Sondra has worked at all the major studios, where feral cats are in abundance, along with abandoned and "dumped" animals. It was at the studios that she came to realize that there was a need for trapping the animals so they could receive medical attention, be spayed or neutered and relocated. Her efforts escalated over the years and have become more than a full time job.

  Vice President for Friends for Animals, Sandra Harrison has a 5 year background dealing with animals and the problems often associated with stray and feral cats. During my interview with Sondra, Sandra soon arrived with her latest find: a feral black and white kitten that she had rescued just moments before. Unlike feral cats, kittens can be socialized and placed in a home as a pet, "But you have to work on them," says Sandra. "This kitten, as you can see, is hissing but he is letting me hold him. He will be going to a foster home as soon as I leave here. We should be able to adopt him out after he spends some time with the adoptive family."

  Both Sondra and Sandra obtain their animals from individuals in need of assistance or by going out to public parks and other areas where strays and ferals live, and trap them. "When we trap a feral cat, we have it neutered or spayed, give it medical attention and often re-release the cat at the same location. We know a wonderful veterinarian who donates a lot of his time to our cause. If we trap or obtain an animal that appears to get along with people, we will place that pet with a foster family and hope to find an adopting home. We also help low-income and disabled people in need of assistance with pet food or medical needs," explained Sondra. "I recently had a lady who was paying the cost of her vet bills in installments of only $6.00 a month because that was all she could afford. We not only helped her with the pet bills but also assisted her with food for her cat," Sondra also wanted to let the public know that Friends for Animals not only assists with cats, but dogs as well. "We can also refer people out to other groups and organizations that aid animals," states Sondra. "Right now we're small, but over time and with contributions, we hope to expand our assistance."

  ...Sondra and Sandra are always in need of financial support, as they rely entirely on contributions to keep going. No one receives a salary, so all money donated goes directly to the the costs and care of their animals.