Andrea Kochensparger with her three dogs: Merry, the deaf all white girl, Boomer, the red merle Aussie, and Samson, the black Aussie Husky mix.
Dogs are more than pets – they can help people with depression or impairment, they may increase owner exercise levels with daily walks, and they’re all-around great snuggle buddies. Sometimes though, the dog needs a caring touch.
Thankfully, a local organization is helping dogs get back on their paws.
Introducing Speak for the Unspoken, a Grove City-based volunteer group that rescues mostly disabled dogs all over the country and from puppy mills. More than just saving dogs, the group also educates the public on proper breeding practices and helping break the stigma of impaired canines.
Starting out Small
The organization formed several years ago with a focus to help double merles – a white-coat, blue-eyed breed that occurs when two merles mate. When this happens, there is a 25 percent chance that the offspring will be a double merle, in which case the dog is at very high risk of being born deaf, blind or both.
Grove City resident and a lawyer by trade, Speak Executive Director Andrea Kochensparger, says double merles result from unethical or uneducated breeding, but Speak refuses to abandon the breed.
“We want to advocate for the fact that (double merles) shouldn’t be happening and they shouldn’t exist, but while they do exist we’re going to fight to find them the right homes,” she says.
Today, the group’s passion has grown to encompass helping all types of disabled dogs and now save more than 300 canines annually. Through fundraising activities and weekly events, it’s able to provide medical care and essentials to all its furry friends. One big goal though: showing the public that impaired dogs can make excellent companions.
Speak for the Unspoken teamed up with Grange Insurance in German Village to host an event at which Grange provided Speak with dog treats, food toys and other important pet supplies.
“Until a few years ago, maybe 10 or 15 years ago, most vets would advocate that deaf and blind dogs just be euthanized because they didn’t believe that they had any real quality of life,” says Kochensparger. “And that’s just not the case. These dogs are amazing. … And we want to educate the public that deaf and blind dogs are no different than any other dogs.”
Kochensparger – who owns a deaf double merle named Merry – says because deaf or blind dogs don’t comprehend that they’re impaired, they easily adapt to their surroundings. Deaf dogs can also interpret sign language commands, and blind canines usually have a great sense of direction, as they have to rely on senses like smelling and hearing.
“People are often like, ‘Oh my gosh, she’s deaf, that’s so sad,’ and no, it's not sad because they’re amazing dogs and they do just fine,” says Kochensparger. “If I didn’t tell people that (Merry) was deaf, you wouldn’t know she was deaf.”
Getting Involved
As a 501(c)(3) organization, Speak puts 100 percent of fundraising profits toward helping its dogs physically, mentally or emotionally. So, to save on costs, the group operates on a well-monitored foster system to provide the best comfort and safety for its dogs.
Kochensparger says some people fear they'll become attached to their foster dog, but she’s found a different emotional reaction.
Event at Grange Insurance
“I think people often time say, ‘Oh I couldn’t foster a dog because I couldn’t let that dog go,’ but you find out that you can when you realize that dog is going to an amazing home,” she says. “I think we provide a really great opportunity in Grove City and central Ohio for people to find a way to give back.”
Kochensparger says the organization is more than people who foster, it consists of many volunteers and is always looking for more because the organization is growing.
“We’re like a small business,” she says. “The paperwork, adoption contracts, agreements, medical information, bills and the invoices ... all the things you don’t think about when you think of animal rescue, we need people to help.”
Expanding the Mission
With social media in full swing, Speak has successfully spread its message around the nation. The group even obtains dogs as far as Texas, which involves multiple people driving and passing the canine off from state to state.
“I don’t know how these rescuers got anything done prior to social media,” Kochensparger says. “But people find us because of our mission and our presence in the public.”
Speak already has an impressive support system locally, and Kochensparger says its people are proud to call Grove City home. One of their biggest goals right now, though, is getting more local sponsorships to help the dogs medically.
Rain the dog digs into a box of dog treats and supplies provided by Grange Insurance.
Kochensparger describes a recent rescue hit by a car, left on the side of the road with spinal fractures that required amputation of one of her legs. The medical bills were more than $5,000, but Speak is determined to help all dogs that come its way, regardless of the expense.
“We have never said no to medical care for an animal because of finances,” says Kochensparger. “We spend a lot of our resources fundraising. So, one of our goals for 2018 and 2019 is to get some local, corporate sponsors. That would free us up to spend time with the dogs and then we wouldn’t have to worry about fundraising all the time.”
Always Stepping Up
Apart from overseeing the organization and creating promising goals, Kochensparger says the best aspect of Speak is the group of volunteers involved.
“I know I’m biased, but bar none, we have the best group of people,” she says. “The people that work in this organization – and I’m getting teared up here – they’re amazing. They lead with their hearts, but they’re smart and they’re always willing to step up. And these foster families, it’s not necessarily an easy thing to bring a new animal into your home every four to six weeks, and that’s what they do. … It is like a big family.”
Although Rain is a Speak dog, she is not disabled. Her pregnant and deaf mother was acquired by Speak, so Rain became a part of the family.
Lydia Freudenberg is a contributing editor. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
Mark Your Calendar
For more info and events, visit Speak for the Unspoken’s Facebook page
Rescue Runway Fundraiser
Sept. 9, 12:30 p.m.
Franklin Park Conservatory
Speak! At the Dublin Pet Fair
Sept. 30, noon
5200 Emerald Pkwy.
2nd Annual Golf Outing Fundraiser
Oct. 6, 1 p.m.
Safari Golf Club
Howl-o-Queen
Oct. 13, 11 a.m.
King Avenue 5
