NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT: Traveling Tails and Ragamuffin Rescue
Photos by Elissa Ebersold
“We definitely wanted to be foster-based because pets generally do better in a home environment…”
On a typically chilly day in January, I gently stepped into a warm, small blue shed that was filled with blankets and toys and treats. Immediately, I was greeted by the shed’s main inhabitant: a 14-year-old cat with only one eye and one tooth named Milo. After a quick inspection, Milo deemed I was permitted to enter. He let me know by rubbing his face against the side of my hand and letting me into his little house.
Milo is just one of many cats and dogs being fostered for adoption by local animal rescue nonprofit, Traveling Tails & Ragamuffin Rescue. He is currently being fostered by Tonya Stephenson, a volunteer with the rescue. Foster-to-adopt rescues and programs are not uncommon. They allow for an animal that may not be immediately ready for adoption to have a place to live, learn social skills, heal from potential illnesses, and determine what kind of perfect companion they are destined to be.
“We definitely wanted to be foster-based because pets generally do better in a home environment,” Heleen VS, board co-chair and training and behavioral director told me. “But there is a need for shelters, because without shelters, you can't help as many animals.”
TTR Rescue was founded in 2021 when co-founder Jordyn Bucci-Mooney came across stray and abandoned dogs while on a trip to the Four Corner states in the Southwestern part of the country. She found herself unable to leave the dogs behind, and after returning to the Capital Region, her drive to protect these animals grew into something larger. Jordyn teamed up with her best friend and co-founder, Raven Stein, to form the organization and ensure that more animals found safe and happy foster and forever homes.
Now, five years later, TTR Rescue is dedicated to saving and protecting animals while assisting the community with services like owner surrenders when someone is no longer able to care for an animal, or behavioral support when an animal is acting out. All animals that come to TTR Rescue are provided vet care and safe foster homes before they are adopted out.
Milo is no exception. According to Tonya, he "rescued himself,” walking into one of TTR Rescue’s board member’s houses pretty beat up. Due to his injuries, he had to be isolated to avoid potentially getting more injured or making other animals sick. This is true of a lot of stray rescues, since many animals can get hurt or develop illnesses while living outside. Despite his injuries, TTR Rescue was able to provide him the care, medicine and surgery he needed. All of this time and effort has given Milo, a cat who was struggling to live on the streets, a new shot at life. TTR Rescue wants to replicate this success story for as many other animals as they can.
“Right now, we're really struggling with quarantine fosters. When Milo came in, he wouldn't have been able to go right into a foster home with other pets because he needs to go into quarantine. We are really short on people right now who can do shorter term quarantine fostering.”
While it is important to have fosters for special cases, TTR Rescue is also looking for fosters who are more equipped to handle simpler situations, since not everyone has the setup required to house an animal like Milo. For example, during “kitten season” — the period when feral cats tend to have their litters — TTR Rescue takes in as many litters as they can. They also try to do TNR (trap, neuter, release) with local cat colonies to prevent more kitten seasons, but so much of their work hinges on their volunteer capacity and having the people available to trap cats, take them to be fixed, and re-release them.
As you might expect, it’s not just additional fosters that TTR Rescue could benefit from the most.
“We often look for volunteers to help us transport,” Heleen said, watching Milo play with his string toys. “A lot of our foster parents have regular jobs, and then vet appointments also tend to be during the regular working hours. So we need transport to and from the vet, adoptions, homes, and more.”
Traveling Tails and Ragamuffin Rescue is based in Albany and Utica with fosters all over the Capital Region and Utica area. As a nonprofit, all of their work is focused on helping animals in the community and making sure they are happy, healthy, and cared for. They are willing to adopt out-of-state after figuring out logistics. All of their adoptable dogs and cats are listed on their website, where you can also find information about adoption policies, fees, volunteer opportunities, donation options, and more. If you are in need of information on vet services, adoption and fostering questions, or anything else, TTR Rescue has also compiled resources for anyone interested.
For those wondering, Milo purred and played the entire time we were visiting him and his foster mom. If you’re looking for a cat that’s both chill and active, look no further.
Head to Traveling Tails & Ragamuffin Rescue’s website for more information on available pets to adopt or foster, ways to volunteer, and places to donate. They can be found at www.ttrrescue.com. They also have a Linktree with information regarding their Chewy wishlist, Amazon wishlist, and more: https://linktr.ee/ttrrescue