Love Every Animal Rescue Shelter was started in 2009 in Dickson, Tennessee. The owner and president, Randi Hedges decided to make rescuing and helping animals her mission after rescuing a dog here in Tennessee. Randi and her family has actually been rescuing animals for as long as she can remember but Randi never really thought about making rescuing and saving animals into a full time project until she moved to Tennessee in 2009. Her family had already moved to Tn. Several years earlier and had been rescuing animals ever since but they never considered adopting out the animals that they were rescuing, they just rescued and gave every animal that they rescued a forever home with them.

When Randi finally decided to move to Tn. with her family, she was looking to make some serious life changes and rescued her first dog, but still thought about pursuing other careers until she started rescuing other animals, strays and mistreated animals that needed help, and she saw how many animals were in need of help and started to investigate the animal rescues, shelters and sanctuaries in Tn. and found that there just are not enough of them to help as many animals that need to be rescued or helped here. Every single rescue, shelter and sanctuary was constantly full to the brim, low on funds and had to put a great many animals to sleep because of the out of control population of animals here in Tn. and the animal abuse that was just to rampant to describe. It was also very obvious to her that there were too many people that didn’t know that there are programs here in Tn. and in other states as well, that help with, educate and promote lost cost spaying and neutering to help people to be responsible pet owners as well as to help control the animal populations so that we can get to the point that every single rescue and shelter is not overwhelmed to the point where they just can’t keep up all the animals that desperately need help or maintain their rescue due to over crowding and severe lack of funds.

It didn’t take much more for Randi to realize that opening a rescue shelter was what she was meant to do with the rest of her life after all she just couldn’t remember a time when she didn’t have at least one pet (usually more) and she couldn’t think of anything, aside from her family, that she loved more than animals, so, with that she decided to make educating people, rescuing and sheltering as many animals as possible her life’s mission. The only other mission that Randi has in mind and that will be one her projects after she becomes a non profit/tax exempt (which will be very shortly) and sets up a proper facility that will allow her to expand Love Every Animal and to pursue this other project or mission which will involve helping children, teens to young adults that are in trouble with the law or just plain old having difficulties or behavioral problem either with family or just with life in general.

Randi is very passionate and so is her family, about both of these causes. She is very tirelessly dedicated, determined, and driven to make a difference in Tn. for animals and for children in trouble, and she is very experienced in both areas. Randi has been training dogs for years as a private hobby and has followed several trainers along the way, but the one that has really made her want to make training dogs as well as rescuing is Cesar Milan, The Dog Whisperer. Randi has studied his techniques and followed his instruction, his shows, and tapes, etc… for years and has implemented his techniques in the training of all of the dogs that she has rescued her personal dogs and when time before an adoption allows, with her rescues as well so she is also incorporating dog and cat training into Love Every Animal. It is currently a side project but that will change when they acquire a proper facility which will allow for an on site area for that as well.

Love Every Animal is Absolutely a NO KILL rescue shelter, (unless an animal is suffering and there is no medical way to help), if any animal that LEARS rescues or takes in is considered unadoptable by them, they have a permanent home for the rest of it’s life with them. LEARS is currently being run out of Randi’s home and with the help of foster families it has grown so much since it was started and has become known in the public eye as well as the rescue shelter community that it has no choice but to move quickly to become a non profit, tax exempt organization which they are working to accomplish very shortly with the help of donations and the private work that Randi does. LEARS is also looking for volunteers to help with various fundraising functions, hands on jobs with the animals, fostering animals, as well as people to sit on the board of their organization.

Love Every Animal Rescue Shelter (also known as LEARS) is very excited about the future and so looking forward to the next year or two as they continue to expand and move toward their goals. They welcome the public and all of the businesses in Tn. to get involved and help them grow. Anyone that is interested in finding out more about them is welcome to look them up on Facebook, Adopt a pet and Petfinder.com. Everyone is more than welcome to call Randi at any time with questions, as they have an open book and open door policy (and will continue an open book policy always) regarding donations, rescues, adoptions, spay and neuter information and of course they always ask and pray that when someone sees or hears of an animal being abused that they call us, anytime, as well as if you see a stray in trouble or in need of help. Right now LEARS rescues mainly dogs and cats but they intend for that to change in the near future as well. Please if you hear or see something, SAY SOMETHING, make that phone call and help save a life that could be lost or if you want to make a donation of any kind, LEARS phone number is 615-878-9007 if you get the voice mail, Please leave a detailed message, the voicemail is checked constantly and phone calls are returned as soon as possible, Randi does work an outside job to help support LEARS so please leave that message and you will get a phone call back as soon as possible.

 LEARS is also taking applications for a part time temporary to possible permanent position starting in the 3^rd week of March for approximately 6 to 8 weeks to start. The position will involve errands, some cleaning, dog walking, etc… The individual MUST be dependable, own a car, be able to be flexible with hours. The position will be for our Nunnelly location. LEARS is taking phone calls and applications for this position as of immediately. References, the absolute love of animals and lots of patients are an absolute top requirement in order to be considered for the position. Anyone interested can call Randi – 615-878-9007.