Today we’d like to introduce you to Suzy Hollenbach.
Hi Suzy, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
When the economy tanked in 2008, I noticed the stray problem increase and I began putting out makeshift shelter for stray dogs in inclement weather. A friend reached out to me and asked if I could help a dog chained to a tree curled up in low temperatures. When we delivered a doghouse for the dog that evening, the children in the home showed us their aunt’s dog a few doors down. This dog was tangled on a chain so badly it could not even sit down, and was standing in ice. Faced with this horror, realizing that only the children saw it as wrong and knowing we were her only hope, I felt in my gut there must be so many more dogs suffering this fate in Memphis. I had no idea. I have not stopped since then, working to improve life for dogs at the ends of these chains and reaching the children that can change the next generation.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
This road has been anything but smooth. 15 years into my work with animal welfare, I never expected to see our city go backwards but that is exactly what happened here in Memphis. During this time, welfare in the underserved areas has drastically declined, as has the dynamic of animal welfare not only in Memphis but nationwide. So many families have been displaced after covid and the economic downswing. Memphis’ underserved areas are struggling and the number of displaced or homeless families is at an all time high. So many of these families had pets and needed a safe place to surrender their pets, only to be turned away at Memphis Animal Services. MAS, like so many shelters nationwide, adopted policies of large non-profit organizations with a no kill agenda known as HASS (human animal support services) and utilized Covid to launch a limited intake approach to animal welfare. This left strays to roam and multiply, offered no assistance for displaced families so dumping dogs was basically encouraged, and neglect and abuse situations were overlooked to avoid intake. This failure in policies by authorities caused an explosion in the animal population and an incredible amount of suffering for the animals. These policies left already struggling communities vulnerable to the dangers of stray overpopulation while city officials looked the other way.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
All 4s Rescue League is actually a community outreach organization. We do rescue dogs when possible but our focus is providing assistance to pet owners to help dogs get off chains and back into the home. We have grown this effort to also assist the families when possible and build bridges for them with desperately needed resources. I am very proud of our friendships and relationships with so many families in the underserved areas. These communities have been overlooked for so long, I think because of warranted and unwarranted fear. These are people, real people struggling in ways I wouldn’t have imagined in this day and time. You hear athletes talk about being in the “zone”, that place you are so focused and nothing else matters, a state of euphoria followed by a big hell yeah when you finish. In those backyards helping owners with their pets, that is my zone. When you drop by and that chained dog is in the house, or the children are walking the dog with their new leash, that is my zone. That is real change, however small. It is change for the better.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love that when we address and satisfy a need of a family we get a great response from Memphis. I know that if Memphians are aware of an issue we can and do pull together. That says so much about us as a community.
What I like least I will say with confidence: how people are allowed to treat their animals with no consequences. While city officials for the last 7-8 years purposely neglected the animals this unfortunately taught our residents to do the same. “We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals.” Immanuel Kant
Perhaps if we lead the way with humane treatment to animals we would also see an increased sense of humanity in and towards our neighbors.
Contact Info:
- Website: all4srescue.com
- Instagram: all4srescue
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/all4srescueleague
