Illinois English Bulldog Rescue is a charity that has the support of Erin and Kevin Bell, owners of Drake’s most beautiful bulldog in 2009. Their dog, Porterhouse, was selected as the official mascot for the 100th running of the Drake Relays. IEBR does not find dogs for people – its mission is to find great people for wonderful dogs.
One of the numerous bulldogs that have been saved by IEBR is Faith. Faith was originally offered for free on Craigslist but thankfully ended up finding her way to IEBR. Once she arrived, she went to a veterinarian. She had to have eye surgery, get teeth pulled, get sprayed and needed quite a few other things. She will probably need ear and eye medication for the rest of her life. She was in pretty bad shape before getting rescued. Faith is now receiving the love and attention she deserves for the first time in her life thanks to IEBR.
Bulldogs end up at IEBR for a variety of reasons. Quite a few are saved from shelters while many others are strays. It is unfortunately common for bulldogs to be surrendered by their owners due to a move or change in their life circumstances.
In order to help so many bulldogs, IEBR requires quite a bit of help, both from volunteers and donations. Volunteers can do a variety of things such as helping with transportation, conducting interviews over the phone or at a home and assisting with events. They can also provide bulldogs with temporary homes. IEBR utilizes foster homes in order to provide the dogs with the best care possible. Students at Drake cannot easily volunteer for the organization due to the distance, but they can still make a huge difference.
Bulldogs need more than just love. In order to provide them with the care they deserve, quite a bit of money is needed. Rescued dogs often need special medical attention, surgery or vaccinations. At the very least, the dogs need check-ups. On top of this, IEBR has to provide for a dog’s day-to-day needs. This all adds up quickly, and this is how students can help. They can raise awareness for IEBR and the wonderful work they do. Bulldogs are very important to Drake, and students could really do a lot for IEBR through fundraising. Donations help pay for all medical care rescued bulldogs need to give them a second chance at happiness.
If any organizations are interested in fundraising for IEBR or assisting with publicity, please contact Erin Bell at erinebell@gmail.com. The Bells would love to help you in any way they can. Students should also check out the IEBR website at www.ilenglishbulldogrescue.org.
