We're passionate about animal rescue, so our shop's revenue helps more animals in need.
Our names are Mary & Charlie Smith, and we're just a couple of newlyweds with a passion for animal rescue using our Etsy shop to help more animals in need.
We foster for the Wake County Animal Center, which is our local county shelter in Raleigh, North Carolina.
We see many animals in need of vet care or other enrichment beyond what the county shelter has funds to cover.
For example, we unfortunately have many heartworm positive dogs for adoption, and they all need costly treatment to get rid of their heartworms and enable them to live a long, happy life with their forever families when they come along. The exact cost for heartworm treatment is based on the weight of the dog, but is usually several hundred dollars per dog, and can even be over a thousand!
We think upcycling pallets has many similarities to fostering and working with animals in need to prepare them for adoption. I know you're probably thinking "animals and wood, how could they possibly be similar?" Well, obviously I am not implying wood is a living, breathing being or is nearly as amazing as a furbaby, but I think you'll get the overall concept --
Pallet wood is often worn and grungy-looking. It takes a lot of time and effort to dig through pallets to pick the ones that are safe and have potential, then to clean, disassemble, sand, cut, stain and build the pieces of wood into beautiful, handcrafted items made from the reclaimed wood. Sometimes during the process we get splinters or blisters, ruin a few pairs of clothes, or step on a nail that puts a painful hole in our foot, but we take a deep breath and keep working because we know the result of our hard work will be worth it when we've made something beautiful in the end.
Similarly, we've seen our fair share of animals arrive at the shelter looking quite rough - they may be emaciated, sick, wounded, and/or been discarded like trash by their owners- but with some TLC, training, veterinary care, and patience, we see many of those same animals transform into beautiful, well-mannered, loving pets ready for their second chance to have a family to call their own. At times we get frustrated as we work hard to nurse the animal back to health and prepare the him/her for adoption. Sometimes we get scratched, kept up all night by barking/whining, or have to replace all of our carpet that smells like urine and fix areas / replace items that have been chewed up (yes, I write this from personal experience), but we take a deep breath and know the result of our hard work will be beautiful in the end.
Both pallet wood and rescued animals are often not in the best condition when they first arrive at our home, but with hard work and patience, they are beautifully transformed before leaving us.