Andy and Laurie Kraft left Pennsylvania and moved to Shelbyville in 2003. Although they love Tennessee and have adjusted well, our state still has work to do when it comes to the care of animals. Laurie said, “Pennsylvania has a lot better laws when it comes to taking responsibility for your animals. I think that is what made us want to help rescues here. We have always been animal lovers. Sometimes, this is a challenge because both Andy and I are animal lovers, so we want to save them all.”
When it comes to animals, we must be their voice. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness. We must be their advocates. Laurie said, “I feel like part of our motivation for rescuing animals is educating others on why they should spay and neuter. One visit to animal control lets you know there is a huge overpopulation of dogs and cats, and the real fix is just to spay and neuter. Rescues would rather help owners buy food and pay for spaying and neutering instead of finding homes for an accidental litter. I just wish people would ask for help before they end up with accidental litters.”
Animals adopted through rescues or from animal control — or those who just show up on our doorsteps and somehow end up curling up on our beds and weaseling their way into our hearts — seem to understand that they were saved from certain death. They spend the rest of their days providing an extra helping of love and affection. Whether they have a registered pedigree or are a mix of several unknown breeds, our pets provide more than companionship. They offer unlimited snuggles, hours of entertainment, and a listening ear without ever sharing our deepest secrets. In return, they trust us unconditionally to do right by them.
When we choose to rescue an animal, they often rescue us, too. Whatever kindness we invest in this world comes back to us twofold. The Krafts understand this principle better than most. Andy was in a near-fatal motorcycle accident while traveling on the bypass in May 2014. After spending two weeks at Vanderbilt in Nashville, he was transferred to Glen Oaks Nursing Home, where he spent three months in rehab.
Although they have been the ones to care for abandoned animals, it was an animal that brightened Andy’s life and made a terrible situation more bearable. Laurie said, “While he was there at Glen Oaks, a lady named Sadie brought her dog in to visit him, which really lifted Andy’s spirits. He has battled depression since his accident, and he says our animals are his therapy.”
Way back in 1998, the Krafts took in two horses after their owner became too sick to care for them. It wasn’t long before others followed. “Right now, we have four horses. Two of them we bought from a ‘kill pen.’ One was given to us by a breeding farm. They only wanted the mom because they said the baby wasn’t worth anything, but to us, she is priceless. We also have three pigs that we adopted from Fable Farm Rescue, as well as four goats,” Laurie said.
“As far as animals who have impacted us, I have Sadie Sue, who is now 14,” Laurie continued. “She is blind and deaf, but she came to us from animal control. She was turned in with her littermates, but they were chewing her tail off. We agreed to take her so her tail could heal. She was supposed to go back, but she is my princess and has been the most loving and loyal dog ever. Andy has a blue heeler named Jack, who used to be his driving partner. Before Andy’s accident, he was a truck driver. Jack would sleep while Andy drove, and when Andy would sleep, Jack would stand guard.”
Before Andy’s motorcycle accident, Laurie operated Clark’s Kennels. She said, “This was a boarding kennel for when people needed someone to watch their dogs while they were on vacation. We loved it! A friend of mine started the kennel, but due to life changes, she asked me to take over. I am, by trade, a truck driver, but I really just want to pet dogs for a living.”
Following the accident, it was Laurie’s turn to take the wheel. With Andy out of work, she became the sole breadwinner and traded her kennel business for the keys to an 18-wheeler.
Animal rescue has always been a family affair for the Krafts. Their daughters, Sam Floyd, Maranda Ferrell, and Kayla Hill, also adore animals. Laurie said, “My oldest daughter, Sam, is our cat lover of the family. She takes in all the stray cats. She actually has a momma and five kittens right now that showed up needing help. And my other two daughters have dogs that started as fosters, but they ended up at their houses forever.”
When it comes to volunteering with local rescues, Laurie said, “I wish people understood how mentally demanding rescue work is because there is such a need. The best way to help is by fostering animals until homes are found.”
Though they adore blue heelers like Andy’s beloved Jack and Jack Russell terriers, they usually don’t have to look for a family pet. Laurie said, “They somehow just show up. I used to tell my daughter that if she could find a man who loves her as much as her dog does, she would be set. Animals give unconditional love. They are completely dependent on us, as their humans, to take care of them.”
The Kraft family reminds us that the love we offer animals never stops with them. It comes back to everyone who opens their heart — and their arms — to an animal in need. GN
