Today we’d like to introduce you to Tina Wallace.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Tina . So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
After several of my animal family members passed away I had space at home so I decided to foster. I offered to take in 2 “pit mix dogs”. I picked up 2 filthy, skinny beings from the kill facility to take them home. They were so scared they belly crawled out of my car, cowering and flinching at normal human movements. I had to wonder, what level of abuse had been inflicted on these 2 souls?
In addition to my witnessing the effects of abuse on these 2 dogs, I had also stepped up to help a cat that was going to be taken to the city pound, another kill facility. I didn’t want her to be killed so I decided to foster her. She was so scared, she crawled into a box spring in my guest bedroom and would not come out for 6 months. She was afraid of humans, flinching and hiding when I even walked in the room.
All of these animals just needed time, patience and love to heal, which they received. I “foster failed” and they are prospering and still with me!
The vision of these abuse victims stayed with me and my heart broke. I knew I had to do something to stop the cruelty. I wanted to start helping animals get out of kill facilities to safe havens and help animals in abusive situations, including domestic violence animal victims find safe harbors… so I founded Barriers Against Repeated Cruelty aka BARC Chicago.
Having been a career real estate broker in a successful boutique family brokerage, established over 55 years ago, I knew how to network and market, plus had the ability to raise some funding. A list of rescues was built, guidelines were formed and funds were put out for medical and training needs. If there are funds available to help, a rescue is in a much better position to help. BARC Chicago’s funds are paid directly to veterinarians and trainers to immediately benefit the animals we sponsor. We have been able to save over 2300 lives in Illinois and neighboring states simply by funding
BARC is also involved in community outreach on several levels. We assist at pet clinics in under served areas, bringing food,microchips, rabies vaccines and helping hands. Our program Compassionate Companions, teaches compassion and kindness to our animal companions. Our team, including Junior Board President Maura Gibbons, go to schools, Boys and Girls clubs and similar organizations with some of our best trainers and dog(s) to make learning fun and to engage our younger generations. Through this program we hope to break the patterns of abuse. As sentient beings we all feel fear,pain, love and kindness. When we show a child that animals “feel” and then that animal then shows unconditional love to these kids, a bond is created that we hope lasts a life time.
BARC Chicago supports positive change for our animal companions on every level including supporting legislation to stop abuse and killing. We also advocate for Domestic violence shelters to welcome all pet family members.
BARC Chicago has a small but wonderful team of people committed to work for change.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The road to facilitate change is bound to have struggles.
Unfortunately, there are many people who are against change,even when it is for the greater good and improving lives. The “status quo” is accepted and it takes effort to make a difference, be it policy or practice.
We need more hands to help and donations to keep coming in. BARC Chicago is 100 % volunteer based and dependent on donations to continue saving lives.
These are ongoing challenge that we will continue to battle.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
The mission of Barriers Against Repeated Cruelty, BARC Chicago is eliminating cruelty and encouraging compassion for our animal companions. We support and encourage the human-animal bond by education, outreach and understanding for animals as sentient beings.
BARC Chicago provides emergency funding and urgent resources for animals in immediate need, with a primary focus on animals in kill facilities and domestic violence situations. We adhere to and support the NO Kill philosophy and the value of every life.
I am very proud of what we have accomplished and the lives we have saved. We are known for stepping up when no one else has… As a whole, we have yet to find another organization that covers the bases we cover. We need to stop the cruelty and save lives at the ground level and at the higher legislative levels.
I am honored and grateful to have such great people on Team BARC!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.BarriersAgainstRepeatedCruelty.org
- Phone: 312 809 5201
- Email: BARC@BARCChicago.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BarriersAgainstRepeatedCruelty/
- Other: www.BARCChicago.org
Image Credit:
Maura Gibbons, Trainer Garret Mercado and Arnold at the Union League Boys and Girls Club, Suzy Thomas, MaryKay Phillips, Jody Haile
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