Today we’d like to introduce you to Susan Edstrom.
Hi Susan, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
When you have a passion for something, it is usually not just one thing that gets you there. For me, it was three things. First, the company I work for runs adoption events with the Humane Society of North Texas. I happened to be walking from one building to another during an event and I asked how to get involved. I joined that committee at work and then HSNT opened a facility in Keller, so I started volunteering there every Sunday. My nieces, nephews, and daughter would come with me, and on holidays the whole family would come help so their staff could get home to their celebrations. I don’t remember what year that was but the person running the adoption event left the company and I was asked to lead it and have been doing so since then. Sabre events have adopted out over 450 animals since the inception of the event.
Around 2012, there was a need in our community to help our animal control officer reunite lost and found dogs. We went from a full-time officer to part-time four days a week, four hours a day! I created a Facebook page and presented it to the Chief of Police with the ACO. He was a bit resistant but, in the end, he said I could create the page as long it was clear that it wasn’t associated with the police department. Thus, my Facebook page was started.
Finally, around that same time, there was an incident in my home state of New York with a dog named Patrick. He is a red pit bull terrier and the horrors inflicted on him were horrendous. It opened my eyes to the abject cruelty people perpetrate on animals every single day. He survived and is gorgeous today, but it was a road to get there. Found on the Brink of Death, Patrick the Miracle Dog Is Thriving 6 Years Later – NBC New York. And of course, there’s M. Vick, I can’t even talk about what he did. If you haven’t read the Lost Dogs, you really should.
Ultimately, my passion led me to do some rescue on my own. I had one or two fosters but mostly took in kittens in my home. It grew and eventually, because of the costs, I knew I needed to start the process of becoming a nonprofit organization. Four Paws One Heart, Inc. received its 501c3 designation on September 27, 2019! I now have a very large foster team, the best in the Metroplex in my opinion. They make our rescue work possible and help each other when we have a medical situation or something we’ve never seen before. Our adoptions have grown, and I’m very proud of the work we do and the way we give back to animals in our community and the surrounding communities.
2020 – 200 adoptions
2021 – 480 adoptions
2022 – full year was 538
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When you are working in rescue, there are always obstacles and challenges. Our biggest obstacle right now is not having enough fosters. I’m tagged in 10-15 posts daily on animals in need – either in a shelter or in the community at large. We need fosters willing to open their homes for the 6+ weeks they are needed. It doesn’t mean you foster around the clock. If you can do one or two litters a year, I’ll welcome you with open arms! The second biggest obstacle is getting tweens (older than three months, but not a year) and moms adopted. Everyone wants the kitten, but our moms can take six to nine months to find a family. Our moms are typically 1-3 years old – they are young, playful, and sweet. Fostering a mom is also a huge help as it opens a foster home willing to take more kittens. Lastly, funds are always a challenge. Our adoption fee only covers the spay or neuter, shots, and microchip. Everything else is covered by donations, including food, litter, medicine, vet visits, and more. We set up fundraisers once we knew the total of the bills, but unfortunately, ours didn’t hit the goals we needed this summer with so many people traveling again. There were a couple of weeks where I wasn’t sure we would cover expenses.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up.
I think my favorite childhood memory is baking with my mom. She was a wonderful baker and cook. When we were in school, she made cheesecakes for a local cheese shop. I don’t know how early she got up to get those done but by the time we woke up, they were lined on the counter to take there. She and I spent a lot of time cooking and baking. After my parents retired and moved to Texas, she and I would bake together at Christmas – 20-30 different varieties. We always tried at least one new cookie. She and I would sing Christmas songs and bake all day from the day after Thanksgiving to Christmas. After she passed away that first Christmas, I had such a hard time getting started. My sidekick wasn’t there. I would take out the butter but not bake anything. I am back to baking and I talk to her about what I’m making and share memories aloud. I also do one batch with my granddaughters, and there are usually sprinkles everywhere! I hope they hold onto the tradition. What do I do with all those cookies? My husband and I spend two days delivering more than 20 tins to friends and families in need that could use some Christmas cheer!
Pricing:
- Adoption Fee for boys $120
- Adoption Fee for girls $130
Contact Info:
- Website: www.fourpawsoneheart.com
- Instagram: @fourpawsoneheartinc
- Facebook: @fourpawsoneheartinc
Image Credits
Maggie
Sheila
