Today we’d like to introduce you to Melia Hipsky
Hi Melia , thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story began many moons ago when it was obvious that I had a passion for animals. As a young child, I was always loving on my dogs and cats. As I grew up, I stayed close to my animals and the unconditional love that they offered. Jenny was a sheltie that I adopted from The Humane Society of TN Valley in 2006, with help from my mom. Jenny was always just as sweet as the day I met her. She had a calming nature that just being around her would make a bad day, turn good. Jenny had the purest heart and sweetest soul and she loved me unconditionally. She was my girl.
Jenny had always done so much for me that after she passed, I felt a void. A void that I could not get over. I felt like I needed to do something to take my focus off losing her and that is when I started venturing into rescue.
I was scrolling through Facebook one day and saw a white, mangey puppy listed as “URGENT” on Cleveland For A No Kill City’s Facebook page. I thought about it and at the time working at Powell Animal Hospital, I knew I could treat that baby and heal her. Stella would be the one to start it all. I had no idea what I was getting myself into but I knew I needed something to get my mind off of things and she was just the one to do it. I rescued Stella 11 years ago and am still in contact with her mom, Cynthia, who has opened her home to two more dogs since Stella.
Years later, I had worked with several different rescue groups and shelters saving many dogs from the “kill” list including my best boy, Meeko. In October of 2016, after a lot of thought, I started Slumdog Rescue Crew.
Slumdog Rescue is a CREW of volunteers that are devoted to the underdogs, the ones that get looked over and just the plain ole’ Slumdogs. I started this rescue because all too often I saw the ones with Demodex, the elderly ones or the ones needing additional medical on URGENT lists that eventually became the euthanasia list. We are dedicated to rescuing the URGENT dogs. We have now successfully rescued and placed over 1100 dogs into loving, forever homes.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Absolutely, I have lost many dogs along the way and have helped even more. I will always remember those that I was too late to help or those that lived horrible lives prior to coming into rescue and were only able to live “the good life” for much less of a time than they deserved. The neglect cases are truly heartbreaking.
Rescue is not for the faint of heart. It is challenging financially, mentally and physically exhausting.
Not to mention, very emotional for all of us that love these dogs as our own.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As my 9-5 work, I am a licensed commercial lines account manager. I am able to work remotely and able to have a work/life balance that allows me to continue to run the nonprofit dog rescue in my free time.
Most people know me because of the dogs and the rescue. A handful would be surprised to know that I do not make any money running the rescue or doing what I do on a regular basis. My 9-5 insurance position is what pays my bills. I run the dog rescue purely to help the dogs in our county because they need it.
What am I most proud of?
I am a hard worker and because of my hard work, I was able to buy my first home at the age of 21 to allow my animals a safe place to live out their days. After I had been in my home a year, I started Slumdog to help the dogs in Anderson County.
What sets me apart from the others?
I take the dogs that no one else wants 🙂
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
My commitment to the dogs. There are a lot of very long days!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.slumdogrescuecrew.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slumdog_rescue/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/slumdogrescuecrew
