Opening a Reptile Rescue in NE Ohio
 

I have been a herpetology educator for 35 years and have always taken in unwanted and abused animals. Over the last couple years, the rescue/adoption mission has grown exponentially. We are currently in the process of spinning off the rescue into a 501(C)3. We have a Board of Directors in place and are close to renting a space.
Obviously, anyone with experience running a dedicated rescue (not just taking in some animals here and there), I would love your suggestions.
We are running a crowd-funding campaign at Indiegogo to help raise the funds to get this thing open. I have committed $5K of my own money annually.

Here is the direct link to the Indiegogo page- http://igg.me/at/herpsalive/x/4003557
Here is more information- http://www.wanderingherpetologist.com/rescue-2/
Our Facebook page- https://www.facebook.com/pages/Herps...5873433?ref=hl

Business plan is to raise funds through donations; grants; sale of used and donated equipment and bu hosting events (school groups, scouts, even birthday parties); rehoming fees and sanctuary fees (we agree to keep an animal and not adopt it out, owner pays a fee to assure that). Anything I am missing? Thanks for any suggestions.

Got a little write up in today's Cleveland Plain Dealer- http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index...e_news_42.html

It took us almost a yea, but we have a lease on a 4000 sq foot building and our 501c3 gets submitted Monday. More info in the attachment

Best of luck Keith!

Quick update- renovations have taken forever (volunteer based organization), but we are moving our first animals in tomorrow and should have all of them in around mid-June. Still a few hurdles with the landlord, but meeting with the city on that this week.

I would love to see pictures or a video. :)

Still a lot of empty space, lol, but here are a few pics as we bean moving in some things over the weekend.

It would be awesome to have a shake rescue in my Facebook group. I aim to bring people from all around the U.S. Together. I'd like to get anybody that has snakes, anybody that's experienced with snakes, and anybody selling snakes to join my group. Having a snake rescue would also be cool. I would love if you joined. Any of your expert advice would also help any newbies that join :)
Snakes! The pets that slither.

Keith the place is HUGE!!!
I think once stuff gets moved in, maybe a new coat of paint, a few reptile posters, it will look very appealing.