COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- Anyone who has had a pet, has them around the house: crates, carriers, leashes and bowls.
If you're no longer planning on caring for another animal, they often get donated, or, if expensive enough, put up for sale on Craigslist. That's where Terry Shattuck steps in.
"Our project is called 'So Much For Pets,' and the purpose is to get dogs and cats and gerbils and nice and bunny rabbits into homes," Shattuck said. "A good home for every animal is the ultimate objective."
Shattuck was inspired to help local rescues because of his own rescue dog, Macushla. The name means 'my heartbeat' in Irish.
"It's because I have a dog I love so much, and anytime I look at her, I can't sit on my can; I can't sit on my bed and take a nap. I have to get on with it, so she inspired me, she really did," he said.
Shattuck buys used animal resource s for cheap and, if they're in good enough condition, resells them for a profit. That profit then goes to local rescues.
If the resources aren't in good enough condition to resell, he gives them to those rescues to use for their own animals. The problem is, because he uses Craigslist, not everyone seems to believe Shattuck is actually giving the money to the rescues.
"I do get snotty emails from people who say, 'Oh you're a liar, you don't really do that' despite the fact that I have a book full of receipts and thank you letters from the organizations I've donated to," Shattuck said. "[One woman] continually harps on, 'Don't donate to this person!' I've never asked for anyone to donate anything."
Shattuck said since he started running So Much For Pets like a full-time job, he's raised about $1,900 for local rescues. He doesn't like to give to just one, or just one area.
"I want to spread the money because all of them need some help," Shattuck said.
He's also given to areas in the Midwest that've suffered recent storm damage.
Dream Power is a local organization that Shattuck has given money, resources and his own time to.
"Terry brings us all sorts of goodies: cages, blankets for our dogs. He also brings us some money, which we can always use. He's one of our more reliable volunteers," Bob Rupp, Director of adoption programs, said. "When we hit dead ends in the volunteer organization, they're always hitting a wall, but then you can take a deep breath and realize we've got people like Terry who we can always fall back on when we're in really deep trouble."
To donate to Terry or ask more about So Much For Pets, you can call (719) 632-6806.