Washington County Abused Animal Relief Fund helps local nonprofits
Since 2021 the Washington County Abused Animal Relief Fund (WAARF) has been helping local non-profits provide rescued animals with medical services.
Dr. Faith Bjalobok, president of WAARF, was inspired by a similar organization in Allegheny County. She approached the county’s treasurer, Tom Flickinger, in 2020 about creating such a fund if he was elected.
“She and others came to me when I was running for treasurer. ‘If you get in there, we would like to start this,'” Flickinger said. “In 2021, Faith on her side put all the nonprofit pieces together and got her 501(c)(3).”
Bjalobok is also a part-time professor of philosophy at Waynesburg and Duquesne universities, as well as a fellow at the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics.
For her, starting the program came from a passion for helping animals.
“I love the animals, and I have a farm full of rescued animals,” Bjalobok said. “They can’t help themselves, so we should help them.”
According to Flickinger, while WAARF is a separate entity from the county, his office acts as a collection agent. When dog owners receive their license renewal forms in the mail, they also get a flyer encouraging donations.
“We do get an influx of money, which is happening right now,” Flickinger said.
Other nonprofit organizations that deal with abused or neglected animals can apply for partial reimbursement from WAARF.
“There are a lot of small nonprofits in Washington County. If they get an abused animal, depending on how much money we have, we will reimburse them or help pay for the medical bills,” Bjalobok said.
According to Flickinger, the fund at one point had as much as $10,000. However that amount has dropped to about $4,000.
Washington-based Fix Ur Cat is one local organization that has been able to make effective use of WAARF funding.
According to Krystal Lorenzato, Fix Ur Cat’s business manager, there were 11 cats that benefitted from WAARF assistance in 2024.
“We have made great use of it for animals that have come into our care,” Lorenzato said, adding that they often see cats that have been severely neglected, starved and wounded.
She recalled one case in the past year where Mon Valley EMS rescued a cat named Nitro from “deplorable conditions.”
“They contacted us to help them,” Lorenzato said. “We were able to use the WAARF to help provide care for that cat.”
Lorenzato notes that they partner with other local animal rescues, and she encourages them to make use of this funding.
“If you need this, it’s a wonderful resource. Please use it,” Lorenzato said.
Anyone interested in donating can visit waarf.org. The website also features an application for reimbursement.
Flickinger said they try to limit their cases to Washington County, but WAARF exists as a resource for all kinds of animals.
“We have no preference to cats or dogs or horses or anything. We are trying to get broader exposure, and of course broader donations,” Flickinger said.