Brown Paper Tickets uses cookies to provide the best experience on our website. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy

Cookie Settings

Non-profit of the Month: One Tail at a Time

Good Causes >

After spending some time with different animal shelters, foster programs and animal help clinics, I ran across this organization in Chicago: One Tail at a Time. They are a non-profit foster program that is a no-kill, all-breed dog rescue program.  This is their mission statement:

One Tail at a Time…serves to lower euthanasia rates in the greater Chicagoland area and provide education on the humane treatment of companion animals. The rescue concentrates its efforts on dogs that are in danger of being euthanized, or those that are physically and/or mentally deteriorating in a shelter environment, works to rehabilitate them, and then matches each dog with a permanent home. Focused on keeping pets as a part of our family, One Tail at a Time offers fosters and adopters continued support and education on how best to keep dogs happy, healthy and part of the family.

What is very unique about this dog foster program is they pay for everything a person needs (food, medical, dog walkers, daycare, etc.) to ensure that all the dogs in their program are well taken care of. They don’t just go out and pick the best of the best animals from the shelters for quick adoption turn-around, they find the best in all dogs and try to give as many of them as possible a chance at a better life. If, for some reason, the adoption isn’t a good fit, they will take the dog back into their program. In fact they prefer it! This allows them to ensure that the dog finds the best family possible. Even if a family can no longer keep the dog years after the adoption, One Tail at a Time will take the dog back into their program and find it a new, happy home.

A current foster for One Tail at a Time, Juli Zagrans, stated: “I’ve been volunteering and fostering for OTAT for about 2 years. I’ve had 17 of their dogs in my home and consistently work with this organization because they make doing the right thing easy. It was started by a group of friends with a vision that they could offer something to the Chicago rescue community, and they have. They choose quality over quantity, and once an OTAT dog, always an OTAT dog.”

She went on to say: “They pull from city shelters, rural county pounds, and everywhere in between. It’s a group of smart, responsible, young professionals who are fun to work with and are intelligent about running their organization. They host a lot of different fund-raisers, some that happen annually, that are dog friendly and a blast to go to. Being a volunteer with OTAT is like being a part of a crazy family of dog lovers. I’m a proud member.”

Currently, One Tail at a Time is involved in a contest through Sliderocket where they could win $10,000 to continue to do their good work. They need your help! All you have to do is play and share this video to give them your vote!

How else can you help One Tail at a Time? You can VOLUNTEER or ADOPT if you are in Chicago or surrounding areas, and anyone can DONATE!

Where would your money go?

$10 helps with transportation costs from an urgent situation
$25 provides 2 weeks of healthy dog food
$75 covers treatment for kennel cough, parasites, or other common shelter illnesses
$150 offsets costs of routine spay/neuter surgery, microchipping, and vaccinations
$300 defrays treatment costs of extensive medical issues, such as for heartworm, pneumonia, or surgery

For more information: http://www.onetail.org/