One Tail At A Time is our Touchdown For Tails Chicagoland Rescue Of The Week

Football season is in the air, and a new season brings new hope on the football field for fans of all 32 franchises. This year, I’ve decided to do something a little bit different to incorporate my two favorite passions and help bring hope to another group off the gridiron. Football is something we all love, right? This will be my 10th year writing about football and covering the Chicago Bears for various outlets. Over the years, I’ve grown as a writer, a person, and even as a football fan. I’ve also rediscovered my love for animals and have made it a personal mission of mine to give back and help where I can. Since the start of COVID-19, animal shelters and rescues have been unable to keep their heads above water with the constant and growing influx of animals being brought in daily. Space in shelters can be a real issue, but sometimes resources to help these animals can be the biggest obstacle to overcome.

This season, I’ve decided to try something new. Not only will I continue my weekly writing duties, but I will be featuring a new Chicagoland animal rescue each week to donate to. The “rules” of each donation are simple. Donate what you feel comfortable with. To make it easier (and hopefully a little more fun), I’ve decided to set up a few ways to help you determine how much you’d like to give each week of the regular season.

Each week, we will be featuring a new rescue. Within that week, you’ll have a few options to “bet” on. Now, when I say bet, what I really mean is how much you’re willing to donate to the featured animal rescue organization of the week. Here’s how it’ll work.

1. A Chicago Bears win = $25 donation
2. Three-to-five Prop Bets: Hitting on the prop = $10 donation. Missing on the prop= $5

Ultimately, what I would like to do is make the Bears winning on the field as rewarding to our featured rescues as possible! Those of you who donate nine (or more) times throughout the season will be entered into a drawing at the end of the season to win a Chicago Bears Nike “Game” Jersey. The player and sizing will be of your choice. For each Chicago Bears win, I will personally donate $25. I will also choose one prop bet (brought to you by Draft Kings) that I will also “bet” on.

The ultimate goal of this is to get Bears fans more involved with the community around them. Football season is already the best time of year, so why not make it a little better by helping become a solution to a growing problem around the country? Every single dollar donated on a weekly basis will go directly to that featured rescue.

Week 1 “Things to bet on” (Brought to you by DraftKings)

Game: Chicago Bears (-1) over Green Bay Packers ($25 donation if the Bears win)

Non-Bettors “Bets”:

1. Justin Fields will throw for more yards than Jordan Love ($10 donation if you win. $5 if you lose).
2. Justin Fields will throw for more touchdowns than Jordan Love ($10 donation if you win. $5 if you lose).

Prop Bets:

1. Chicago Bears to score first: Yes (+185) or No (-240)
2. Bears total touchdowns: Over 2.5 (-105) or Under 2.5 (-135)
3. Longest touchdown scored: Over 38.5 yards (-115) or Under 38.5 yards (-115)

Touchdown For Tails Week 1 Rescue of the Week: One Tail At A Time

Address: 2144 North Wood (Chicago, Illinois)

Contact: [email protected]

Website: https://www.onetail.org/available-pets/

Where To Donate: https://otatsaveslives.funraise.org/fundraiser/aaron-leming

One Tail At A Time is a local Chicago animal rescue started in 2008 by five friends who had simply seen enough heartbreak at the local animal shelter to know it was time for them to make a difference in their own way. In 2015, they opened up their first adoption center. Since then, they have expanded their programs to include critical care for neonatal kittens, the “ISO Program,” vaccine clinics in low-income neighborhoods, and leads the Chicago Rescue Intervention and Support Program (CRISP).

Their primary mission is simple. They rescue animals from overcrowded shelters with the ultimate goal of placing them in forever homes. Their non-judgemental environment and core belief system help foster a more welcoming avenue for families to adopt their future furry family members. They’ve rescued over 9,470 pets since 2008 and had a whopping 234 animals adopted out in 2020 alone.

Like many rescues, there are many ways for us to help. That can include a simple monetary donation or could be a more hands-on approach with volunteering or fostering. OTAT is always looking for volunteers and fosters. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, foster, or a bigger part of the OTAT team, please visit their website and highlight the “Get Involved” drop-down menu for more information.

Featured Pets of The Week

REID (2-year-old, Male)

Reid is an almost 2-year-old, unique-looking mix who absolutely lives for playing fetch. He is intelligent, attentive, and eager to learn! Reid is housebroken and working on crate training, but also doing well with free roam. You can learn more about Reid and apply to adopt him here!

OREO (6-year-old, Female)

Oreo is a 6-year-old bulldog mix who loves outdoor activities like camping, hiking, and sunbathing! She is very smart and will do almost anything for a good treat. Oreo is housebroken and crate-trained. You can find out more and apply to adopt Oreo here! Oreo has an Instagram too – @adopt_oreo!

LOUIS (4-year-old, Male)

Louis, or Lou, is a 4-year-old pitbull mix who is all about the leisurely life, lounging, binging TV shows, slow strolls, and the occasional play session. He loves car rides and frozen kongs. Louis is housebroken and working on getting comfortable in the crate. Find out more and apply to adopt Lou here!

PHYLLIS (9-year-old, Female)

Phyllis is a 9-year-old mix who will bring a true passion for life’s little pleasures to your life: naps, sunbathing, and treats. She deserves a comfy home and a loving family to spend her retirement with. Phyllis is housebroken and crate-trained but does great free roaming. Find out more and apply to adopt Phyllis here!

CHOCOLATE (3-year-old, Male)

Choco is a 3.5-year-old mix who traveled all the way from Tulum, Mexico, to become a member of the OTAT family! He is a shy boy who, once comfortable, absolutely adores his people, his pup siblings, and playing with his toys. Choco is housebroken and crate-trained but is great with free roaming too. Check out Chocolate’s profile and apply to adopt him here!

More Resources For How To Get Involved

As a country, we have a homeless animal crisis on our hands that only seems to be getting worse by the day. Stray animals are found every day. With the volatility of the job market, more families are losing their homes and can no longer care for their pets. The list of reasons contributing to this issue runs long. That’s where we can all come in. Whether you want to volunteer, foster, or simply donate, it all makes a difference. For our family, getting involved with animal rescue has been a rewarding experience. While we might not always have the time to foster or volunteer our time, there are many ways to make an impact. Below are three links to check out if this is something you or your family might be interested in doing.

1. Benefits of adopting a shelter dog
2. Why Volunteering at Shelters or Rescues makes a difference
3. 10 reasons why you should foster a pet