Meet Carly Hitchens | President & Founder of The Bridge Between Animal Rescue

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carly Hitchens and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carly, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I was involved in the animal rescue world for a few years as a foster, volunteering with shelters and rescue organizations repeatedly before deciding to start my own nonprofit rescue organization. When I first started fostering, I thought to myself “one day a long time from now when I’m retired and my future children are grown, I want to run my own animal rescue”. However, the more involved I was and the more aware that I became of the severity of the animal welfare crisis in our country, I decided not to wait for “one day”, and instead, made the decision to start my rescue at just 24 years old. It was no simple task, as I found it extremely hard to find professionals to help me begin my nonprofit business, but I persevered and accomplished starting my organization almost entirely on my own. I went into my first year as a nonprofit founder hoping to save a total of 25 animals. We actually tripled that our first year, and I was blown away by the support my rescue received, and incredibly grateful I decided not to wait for “one day” to start my rescue.

There are many reasons and stories that I could talk about that explain why I started my own rescue organization. There is one dog in particular who I always talk about, as she played a big role in the start of my rescue. This dog’s name was “Moxie” and she was what they call a “feral” dog who found herself in a very rural and overcrowded shelter. Dogs like that don’t stand a chance of making it out. I begged different rescues to let me foster her, but when I finally found one to say yes, we were too late. That was one of the biggest deciding factors for starting my rescue. I knew that I couldn’t be “too late” again for the next dog that I wanted to save. In addition to my experiences of wanting to be able to help the dogs no one else could help, it was also important for me to bring my own philosophies and beliefs into the rescue community to create an enjoyable experience for those who want to get involved. For example, as a foster myself, I knew how important it was to be able to have a say in my fosters’ forever homes. I wanted fosters for my rescue to be able to be a bigger part of the adoption process, and I have found this to be extremely likable and successful with our fosters. We have a very low return rate in adoptions.

I am now approaching my fourth year of running my organization, and I have learned a lot along the way. My biggest message to share with anyone thinking of starting their own business, is don’t wait. Do the research. Save your money. Ask for advice. Choose the name. Build the website. Start the business. There is no such thing as too many people doing what you want to do. You are needed, and what you can provide will be appreciated. You are capable now.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The Bridge Between Animal Rescue is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that began in January of 2022. I came up with the name long before the rescue officially began. Back in college, I was emotional after handing off one of my foster dogs to their adoptive family, because no matter how many times you do it, it can still be an emotional process. A family member of mine said to me, “why do you keep doing this if it makes you sad?” and I told them, “because they are never meant to stay with me. I’m meant to be the bridge between where they came from and the rest of their life”. That saying to this day helps me cope with letting my fosters go into their forever homes, and has helped our foster families truly understand their mission and the importance of their role in these animals’ lives. We are what gets them from a horrible past to a beautiful future, one they may not always get without us. Almost 400 animals have been saved, rehabilitated, and adopted through our organization thanks to the foster families who have been their “bridge between”.

I don’t think I was necessarily ready to start my animal rescue when I did, but I felt like there wasn’t much of a choice due to the dire need of more rescues in our community. Starting up was not easy for me. Fueled by my passion, I researched for months and spent countless hours creating so many things on my own. It was very hard for me to find professionals to assist with starting the organization, but it was very important to me to make sure I did everything right. Thankfully I was able to find a lawyer to help with some of the tasks. In addition to help from my lawyer, the hours spent on research and applications paid off, and everything was approved. The day I got my approval letter from the IRS was such a rewarding moment, especially after I had so many road blocks in the process. I was extremely proud that I was able to accomplish starting the organization almost entirely on my own.

There are many reasons I decided to start my rescue after being involved in the rescue community for many years. I knew that there was a great need for more rescues, and I also knew that I wanted to do more than just foster. I learned a lot as a foster myself, and there were a lot of things that I did and did not see in the rescue world that impacted me. It was very important to me to create a program that was very enjoyable, rewarding, and successful for both the foster families and the adoptive families, and beneficial to the rescue community as a whole.

One of my beliefs is letting our foster families play a bigger role in choosing adoptive families because they do know the animal best. I want foster families to feel confident that the animal they have loved and nurtured is going to a home that they believe is a great fit. Another one of my biggest beliefs is the importance of matchmaking versus first-come first-serve adoptions. We don’t have a “one size fits all” process. We match animals to families that are great for each other, and we don’t turn people away because they don’t have a fenced yard, have kids, or live in an apartment. Instead, we help choose one of our rescues that is a great fit for them.

We also want to make fostering as easy as possible for families, and such a rewarding experience that they will continue to foster. We provide all supplies, cover all vet visits, set up transportation as needed, and are accessible 24/7 for advice and assistance. We also believe in the power of a strong community, so anyone who joins our foster team is welcomed with open arms and immersed into a group of like-minded people who also share a passion for rescue and are available for assistance and companionship at all times. We have been thrilled that so many people have become friends through our organization. It is incredibly important to have a strong community, especially for a mission like ours. We are always sharing ideas about how we can make more changes in our community and how to do bigger and better things for the animal rescue world.

Another important belief/philosophy that I wan’t to mention that was very important to me when starting my rescue, is the belief that everyone in the animal rescue world is on the same mission. If it is one thing about me, I believe in coming together for the greater good. I do not believe that there should ever be competition in the rescue world. We are all here because we believe in saving as many lives as possible and want to work toward tackling the animal welfare crisis in our country. We will always stand by and support our fellow rescues and shelters.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Since our animal rescue organization operates in both Charleston, South Carolina and the suburbs of Charlotte, North Carolina, we have endless places we love to take our animals to across the Carolinas.

Here in Charleston, some of our favorite places for walks with adoptable dogs include popular spots downtown such as The Battery, Hampton Park, or King Street, and some places farther out such as James Island County Park, the West Ashley Greenway, or Daniel Island Waterfront Park. Of course we can’t forget our dog friendly beaches! We love taking adoptable dogs out to Folly Beach, Sullivan’s Island, and Isle of Palms.

In Charlotte, some of our favorite places for walks include the Rail Trail in the city, the Whitewater center, or Freedom Park. Our favorite dog friendly businesses in Charlotte include local breweries such as Noda Brewing and Brewers at 4001 Yancey, and we can’t forget the businesses made for pups such as Lucky Dog Bark & Brew or SkipTown!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I truly would not be where I am today, nor would my rescue organization be as successful as it is without the volunteers and supporters. No one on my team makes money operating this mission. Everyone has families, works full time jobs, has other hobbies, and their own pets to care for, yet they all spend countless hours helping our mission. We rely 100% on foster homes to provide love and care for the animals that we save, and we also rely 100% on donations to provide the medical care and supplies needed to rehabilitate these animals. We truly could not operate without the incredible people who show up and put in the work. They foster, they transport, they plan events, they donate items, they donate money, they advocate, and there is no doubt that they are the backbone of this rescue.

Website: https://bridgebetweenanimalrescue.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bridgebetweenanimalrescue/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bridgebetweenanimalrescue