Founded in 2003 by unwavering animal lover Sue Brown, Little Victories Animal Rescue is a no-kill shelter for dogs and cats in Ona. Little Victories believes each animal should be treated for its individual needs and each one deserves to live a loving, protected life. The LV staff works daily to rescue homeless animals, provide the means for their rehabilitation and give them a chance to find a permanent, loving home.

Little Victories is a private rescue that receives no government assistance; its funding relies solely on community support and grants. 

One of the most important parts of Little Victories’ mission is to help reduce animal overpopulation in our communities. It does so through rescue and sanctuary, adoption, education and community outreach, and, most importantly, through spaying and neutering. 

The number of animals in need is overwhelming and creates the biggest challenge for any rescue organization. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, about 6.3 million dogs and cats enter animal shelters nationwide every year. Of that 6.3 million, about 390,000 dogs and 530,000 cats are euthanized.

Hundreds of thousands of healthy animals are not given a chance to live because national animal welfare organizations cannot handle the volume. 

Little Victories is a no-kill organization, meaning every animal taken into the shelter is guaranteed a safe home until it is adopted. Some LV sanctuary sweethearts have spent their entire lives at the shelter (the longest resident for 13 years), where they receive the medical care, food, shelter, and love they need for as long as it takes. 

With room for 55 dogs and 35 cats, Little Victories stays full year-round. When one animal is adopted, another dog or cat in need immediately takes its place. But there is only so much a small shelter can do. During 2023 Little Victories received 1285 requests to take in dogs and nearly 2,221 requests to take in cats.

Spaying and neutering are the most effective ways to help ease the massive numbers of unwanted animals. Unplanned litters contribute greatly to the alarming number of intake requests shelters receive. Stray populations often develop and grow when left unmanaged in neighborhoods with limited access to affordable spay and neuter services. A cat can become pregnant at 4 months old and a dog at 6 months, causing them to multiply at an overwhelming rate.

Before it can be adopted, every animal at Little Victories is required to be spayed/neutered. Ensuring the animals’ inability to produce more dogs and cats is an essential part of Little Victories’ efforts to keep more from entering shelters. 

Little Victories also uses what resources it can to provide free spay and neutering to the community through its Cause for Paws program. While this program is extremely limited, any efforts to curb overpopulation make a difference.

It costs $1,585 each day to operate the shelter (barring emergency), but it can only do so with community support. To donate or discover other ways to support Little Victories and its lifesaving mission, visit littlevictories.org.