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Gail Kaufman Montgomery and Lauren Anchill, both of West Bloomfield, hold wirehaired terrier-mix puppies, Pinky and Wolfy.

They were found in a shopping cart with several other puppies.

Lifesavers!

Mom and daughter save hundreds of pets from euthanasia.

Jeff Kranitz
Special to the Jewish News

L

ogan has no idea how lucky he is.
This gentle giant, equal parts
German wirehaired pointer and
Irish wolfhound, could be on death row.
Fortunately for Logan and hundreds of
other rescued dogs and cats, there is a shelter
in Southfield that will take care of them for
as long as it takes to find a permanent home.
Almost Home Animal Haven is the cre-
ation of Gail Kaufman Montgomery and
her daughter, Lauren Anchill. Both live in
West Bloomfield. It is a 100 percent no-kill
shelter, which makes it extremely rare.
Montgomery and Anchill believe, with-
out exception, there is a way to save every
animal. They've made doing so their mis-
sion at Almost Home after spending years
volunteering at other shelters. They wit-
nessed many animals being put down —
some, they say, from shelters that claimed
to be no-kill.
"We couldn't take it any more
Montgomery said. "We saw so many
wonderful animals being euthanized that
could have been saved."
Anchill remembers how she discovered
the reality behind one "no-kill" shelter
where she volunteered.
"We would come in and say, `Where are

our favorite dogs?' We knew they hadn't
been adopted. Pinky was the cutest little
puppy, and they euthanized her because
she was deaf. We know lots of people who
would want to adopt deaf dogs."
The mother and daughter were eager to
strike out on their own.
Their volunteer work at the shelter that
wouldn't save Pinky came to an end after
they tried to find homes for more than 60
animals they believed the shelter wanted
to euthanize.
Then, after getting legal help from a
close friend in 2006, Montgomery was
able to work out a very unique deal with
Southfield city officials.
In exchange for the monthly rent of $1,
Montgomery and Anchill took over the
city's old shelter, which had been closed
for 15 years.
They agreed to take in every single
animal that rescue workers in Southfield
brought their way.

Daunting Task
Talking with the two women, you can tell
they find the work very rewarding. But they
also admit there's nothing easy about it.
Lurking just behind all the adorable
faces and wagging tails are the high costs
and difficult challenges of operating a no-
kill shelter. For starters, they take in 400

to 800 animals yearly at the location off
Franklin Road, south of 1-696.
Lately those numbers have been up as
people are leaving animals behind in fore-
closed homes. Montgomery says that will
probably lead to a record intake this year.
The length of stay for animals at the
shelter varies. Young, healthy and cute lap
dogs or kittens may come and go within
just a few days. Older dogs with socializa-
tion issues may stay for years.
The shelter staff believes finding the
right match between owner and pet is
extremely important. All families wanting
to take home a furry new friend must par-
ticipate in their foster-to-adopt program.
The animals live with their prospective
new families for a temporary period to see
how they get along. No commitments are
made until the trial period is over.
Adoption fees range from $200-$300 for
dogs, $100 for cats.
On average, Almost Home has an annual
budget around $300,000. Medical needs
account for nearly 70 percent of the total.
Every animal gets a check-up, heartworm
test, all age-appropriate shots and is either
spayed or neutered. That averages $225
per animal.
If a dog comes in with heartworm or
some type of virus, treatment can cost
an additional $800-$2,500. Orthopedic or

heart surgery can cost $3,500.
The shelter has spent up to five figures
to make an animal what Montgomery and
Anchill call "adoptable." They use a veteri-
narian in Washington Township because
he's less expensive.
Food, cleaning supplies and payroll for
six employees make up the rest the rest of
the budget.
Additionally, Montgomery and Anchill
dream about physical improvements and
expansion of the shelter. Those dreams
would add an additional $250,000.
Almost Home receives no funding from
Southfield although the city does provide
for building and landscape maintenance.
Operating costs are funded entirely
through donations. Anchill has generated
funding through partnerships with websites
like www.0yWhataDeal.com and Capital
One credit cards. When signing up for these
programs, users assign a percentage of the
money they spend to Almost Home.
The two women have sacrificed to make
Almost Home a reality for the past five years.
Ten-hour workdays are commonplace.
"Growing up, we would always stop on
the side of the road to rescue stray dogs
or hurt animals:' says Anchill. "There was
never an animal too small. Since I've been
little, my mom has rescued squirrels —
and even butterflies."
When Montgomery reflects back on her
Jewish heritage, it becomes easy to see
where she draws her inspiration.
Her mother's side of the family is from
Iraq, where her grandfather operated a suc-
cessful clothing store. Just before the start
of World War II, he opened up a second
shop in India. When German Jews came to
India to escape the Nazis, her grandfather
provided housing and money for many.
It's in that same spirit of helping that
Montgomery and Anchill find their pas-
sion. Montgomery says the Jewish com-
munity in Metro Detroit reinforces that
spirit. Thousands of floppy-eared critters
can be very thankful for that.

Gail Kaufman Montgomery pets one of

the many cats living in a trailer behind

the facility.

To see the animals Almost Home
has available and to learn more
about the adoption process, visit
www.almosthomeanimals.org .

July 7 2011 11