Organization caters to special needs animals

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) – One woman’s organization caters to puppies and other animals that may appear to be slightly imperfect, but could eventually make your perfect pet.

Rochelle Steffen’s passion for unique pups dates back to when she was a child. Then, her first rescue became a puppy by the name Mac, which is where Mac’s Mission got it’s name. From Mac, she says, she found her calling, a calling to be a super hero for special needs animals.

“Honestly, these are the kind of puppies I like to adopt, because they’re just so full of love and heart. They were given no chance, and you give them a chance and they just fill that with even more love,” said Steffen.

Each lovely and unique pup has its own story, some with backgrounds too tragic to envision. Oscar is one of those pups in Steffen’s care. She says he was separated from his litter at just a few weeks old, tossed into the garbage to be forgotten about because he was considered invaluable due to having a hernia, muscle deficiency and heart murmur.

“I don’t even understand how a breeder or any human on this planet can take a living creature that is innocent and reliant on all of the humans to help them, and that person can just throw a puppy in the trash,” she said.

Oscar’s background is just a glimpse at the many puppies who are in dire need of care. Whether they come from hoard rescues or retrieved from being euthanized in the nick of time. That is why Mac’s Mission is one of few organizations of its kind.

“They’re usually critical when we get them,” said Steffen. “If we say no, we’re the last line of yes. So if we say no, they’re more than likely going to die without us. And we say yes every chance we can if we have the resource to do that or the fosters to do that.”

Along with a NICU and pods are volunteers and fosters for the pups who need additional help with thriving. Summer Rister is one of those volunteers who proudly gives a helping hand.

“Training as a nurse has helped me to be able to help the mission, provide healthcare to the puppies and vaccinate them….to be able to check on them and make sure that they’re ok,” said Rister. “We can listen to their lungs and whatnot. I learned how to feed the cleft puppies that need assistance feeding.”

Though Rister is a registered nurse, she says her calling isn’t just for people. Ever since discovering Mac’s Mission, she has found fostering the fur babies to be therapeutic to not only them, but to her as well.

“This is an outlet, an outlet for mental health and providing comfort and love to another being. To make yourself feel like a normal human being again, ” said Rister.

Mac’s Mission is strictly donation-based. Steffen hopes to build an even bigger platform for puppies, dogs and other unique animals in the future. She hopes the community will become a part of this labor of love.

For more information on how to donate, volunteer or foster a unique pup, visit macsmission.org.