Gambier rescue keeps helping pets despite funding setback

It has been a challenging start for Jennifur’s Helping Hands Farm. The Gambier-based non-profit, dedicated to giving temporary shelter and care to pets, whose families are going through difficult times, is encountering some difficulties of its own.

Plans to construct dog kennels on the site, hit a bump in the road, when a committed funding source had to step back, due to unexpected circumstances.

“It was kind of a hard hit,” said Jennifer Heran, founder and president of Jennifur’s Helping Hands Farm. “We definitely weren't expecting it, but we understand that things happen.”

That has left Heran seeking other donors, while she finds creative ways to provide temporary shelter to displaced pets.

“We finalized the cat colony area, and we have had upwards of, probably about 20 cats, that we are taking care of,” said Heran. “The crazy part is that the majority of the cats we have taken in, unfortunately, had to be surrendered to us, because of different living situations, not allowing (some of our clients to keep) them.”

Not only is Heran taking care of them, but she is also responsible for finding forever homes for about 10 of them.

“We're still working at it,” she said. “We still have nine more and they are all adoptable. Also we are on baby watch. We got a cat in very recently and she was pregnant.”

Because of the funding shortage, the construction of the dog kennels has had to be delayed. To build those kennels could cost over $15,000. In keeping with their belief that, "Every pet deserves a second chance, and every person deserves peace of mind knowing their loved one is safe," Heran has been working around the problem.

"What we were doing is, we did have some horse stalls, that were not being occupied,” Heran said. “We had a pair of emergency cases. One was a woman who literally called and said, 'I'm fleeing my abusive husband right now. I really need someone to take these dogs immediately.' It was the dead of winter and I was so proud of her for making this decision, that I asked my husband, ‘How do we make this work?’ We put our heads together and decided to take a couple of the horse stalls that weren't being used. Then we took some old fencing that we had. There was enough to make it work.”

They were able to make a spot for both dogs for almost two months.

“We blew through $1,100 in kerosene alone, just trying to keep those dogs warm, because it was so terribly cold and we had to keep them safe,” Heran said. “Once that woman was able to come back and be reunited with her dogs, we had to come to a decision that we didn’t have sustainable enough funds to do that (until permanent dog kennels are built.)”

The plan has been for AdeoPets to build six, 5-by-10-foot indoor kennels with six, corresponding, 5-by-10 outdoor kennels, giving dogs the access to get in and out. That includes galvanized panels between the kennels. The $15,000 price tag does not include the concrete flooring or the drains, which were already installed by Central Ohio Concrete.

“So, we’re back at square one, when it comes to that,” said Heran. “We were really hoping that we would have the dog kennel portion of this, up and running by the summer.”

Jennifur’s Helping Hands Farm is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal rescue organization, that believes no animal should be left behind, due to circumstances beyond their owner's control.

Jennifur’s mission is to provide a safe, loving place for animals affected by domestic violence, substance abuse recovery, and elderly individuals who can no longer care for their pets. Through compassionate rescue, foster, and adoption programs, we ensure that these animals receive the care, stability, and love they deserve. We work closely with shelters, social services, and community partners to support both animals and their owners during times of transition, offering resources and solutions that prioritize the well-being of all involved.

For people, who want to adopt a cat or a kitten, there is an adoption fee of $75.

“We make sure, before any cat or kitten leaves our facility, that they are vaccinated, spayed, or neutered,” said Heran. “We make sure that happens. The adoption fee covers our costs to spay, neuter and vaccinate. The majority of our animals have had these services done through SOS in Columbus, but we’ve also had a few go through the Knox County Humane Society. It depends on which one can get the cats in the quickest. We also have them tested for the FIP and FeLV. That way, we know what needs to be done. Of course, they’re all vaccinated for that as well. We are happy to say that all of our cats are negative on all of that.”

For more information or to donate to Jennifur’s Helping Hands Farm, please go to jennifurshelpinghandsfarm.com or call (614) 551-8558.