Blog the Change for Animals: CPCRN

Used with permission from CPCRN

This is a very exciting post for me!!  First, because I get to Blog the Change for Animals and second, because I get to shine a spotlight on a cause that I have come to love - Col. Potter Cairn Rescue Network (CPCRN).

Most of you know that I am a Cairn Terrier and I have wanted to do something to help CPCRN for a while now...but I just didn't know what to do!  Then , I met (via Twitter) Erin at CPCRN and I asked her if I could include adoptable CPCRN Cairns in my Friday posts and she said "YES!".

Then, being the brave terrier that I am, I asked Erin if I could interview someone about the rescue for this post.  Erin happily agreed and put me in touch with a wonderful lady...and the Board Chairman of Col. Potter Cairn Rescue Network, Amy Robinson.

I hope you all will see the wonderful work that CPCRN is doing and come to love them as I have!

And now, without any further ado...An Interview with Amy Robinson, Board Chairman of Col. Potter Cairn Rescue Network.

How did CPCRN get started?  What year did the rescue officially start?
Col. Potter began as the result of ONE little Cairn boy (named Col. Potter) that was tragically killed - as donations began to come in, in his honor to some Cairn club members - so many wanted to help - the process began so that the organization was formed (Octover 2001).  Since that time, Cairns or mostly Cairn mixes have been rescued and brought into CPCRN.

Has the mission changed in any way since the founding of the organization?
It truly has not - our priority is still finding Cairns in need of homes, with homes in need of Cairns.

Who runs CPCRN?
We are 100% volunteer run.  Our volunteers, strictly volunteers, are all over the US and even some in Canada.  Our unpaid officers and board of directors are all across the country.  They are:
Danielle Rackstraw - Founder/President - Menifee CA
Amy Robinson - Chairman - Mehoopany PA
Pam Burt - CFO - Harrisville MI
Corinne Herron - Secretary - Savage MD

We have teams for all aspects of the rescue and adoption process.  We have a Home Visit team, Foster Home Team, Contracts Team, Match Maker Team (yes, that is right - matching the right home for the right Cairn), Transport Team, Promotion/Fundraising Team, Communications Team, Medical Team and the first stop for a rescue Cairn, the Intakes Team.

How many volunteer work with the rescue annually and what skills/services do they provide?
Between 200 and 225 - it takes a village.  Administration, communication (phone calls, reference checks, etc), transporting the dogs from point A to point B and beyond, making products such as belly bands for the boys, bandanas, pullovers.  Organization of public education events, shipping our products to our customers...

Is there a need for more volunteers?  Is so, in what area(s) is the need the greatest?
ALWAYS - in all aspects - requiring from 10 minutes a day to 10 hours a week to full time and everything in between.  CLICK HERE for Volunteer Information!

How do you coordinate rescues and volunteers on a national level?
We have many communication tools - from Yahoo Groups (our main means of communication to all our teams, volunteers, intakes) to Facebook (2 pages), Twitter, Pinterest; as well as our main web page at www.cairnrescue.com

How and where do you find the Cairns that need assistance from CPCRN?
There is a link on our website that can be used when someone wishes CPCRN to contact them to help them find a home for their Cairn OR someone reporting a Cairn that is in trouble and needs our help.  CLICK HERE to ask for assistance.

Someone can also email our Intakes Team at THIS EMAIL
(All information available as well as photos should be shared in either matter of contact.)

To date, how many Cairn Terriers and Cairn mixes has the organization rescued?
3,480 - which sometimes boggles the mind.

What do you tell someone if they ask "Why should I adopt a Cairn Terrier"?
First, knowing that a terrier, any terrier, may not be the breed for everyone.  Once they understand the special personality traits of the breed, and determine that they have done their homework (read a book or two, looked the breed up online, etc) and they truly want this breed - we tell them the Cairn is a dedicated, loyal, thoughtful breed that can truly be anything you need/want it to be.  if you want to be a couch potato, so be it; an exercise partner, you have it; a working dog (i.e. therapy, agility, obedience, lure coursing, fly ball...)so be it.  The Cairn can do anything.  They require minimal grooming if maintained and can be clipped professionally or manually by the owner.  They are basically a healthy and hardy breed that will give you 14+ years of love and devotion.

From where does CPCRN's funding come?
Fundraisers (auctions, cookbooks, calendars, ebay sales, Amazon sales), Private donors.  We do not currently have any corporate sponsors.

Do you currently have any fundraising activities/events scheduled for people to participate in?
Currently, we have our Main Web Mall for grooming supplies, toys, etc.  We have a jewelery store, our health care (wormer, etc) and other wonderful items such as our calendars.

Our beautiful cookbook (series of 3) - Volume II and II available.  Volume II is nearly sold out, Volume I sold out in 2004.  They are currently on sale HERE

Our Eclectic Corner for furniture quality products for your dog/home as well as THE BEST fleece pullovers around

Our Ebay Store

Our Amazon Spot

Our Affiliate Stores (companies/individuals that offer a % back to Col. Potter just by clicking their link on our page)

If there is one thing that you wanted more people to know about CPCRN, what would it be?
That we are the best there is because of our volunteers.  That we need more volunteers.  We need help to market our products, build our website up, to get the word out, to educate people that the puppy in the window is from a puppy mill and no matter how their heart strings are tugged - DO NOT SHOP - ADOPT!  That rescue dogs are NOT misfits and they can make your life whole.

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Thank you Amy Robinson, Board Chairman of Col. Potter Cairn Rescue Network, for taking the time to answer my questions.  And thank you to Erin for helping me connect with CPCRN.

This post is part of Blog the Change for Animals where bloggers join together to Be, Blog and Read the change for animals in need.