OkcPets Magazine January 2024

30 OKC Pets • January / February 2024 Caring for Cats and Dogs Nexus Adds Pet Rescue To Aid Local Shelters by Victoria Stephens A new animal rescue facility in El Reno is building a community of pet lovers and contributing to finding a solution for the animal welfare crisis in Oklahoma. Nexus Pets just broke ground on two new facilities to house and care for cats and dogs in need of a home in the central Oklahoma community. Nexus originally started as Nexus Equine in 2017, a resource for horses in Oklahoma. In 2023, Nexus decided to expand its programs to include dogs and cats. Nexus Pets is the new sister organi- zation of Nexus Equine, under the parent organization of Nexus Animals. The current facilities, on 160 acres, include an office and barns for horses on site. Growing up in rural Edmond on a small horse farm sticks with you, even if you decide to pursue other things and find working success. Rita Hoch, founder, pres- ident, and chief executive officer of Nexus Animals, was working as a speech pathol- ogist before she decided to pursue a career in animal welfare. Hoch has had a passion for animal welfare since she was a child, and her next act is all about improving the quality of life for Oklahoma animals. “I’ve always been a horse girl,” Hoch said. “I was that little girl who had to have that black horse when I was six years old, and I had to name it Black Beauty. And my dad got that for me.” Hoch started Nexus Equine to save horses that might have been show ani- mals or perhaps had owners who were in need. Nexus Equine organizes a variety of programs, including adoption; transport to potential adopters; the Care Connection Fund to provide financial assistance for horse care; the Take Two leasing pro- gram for horses of higher monetary value that have not sold and need new owners; the 4-H Equine Makeover Challenge to provide coaching on the care and training of horses; the BRIDGE program to teach horsemanship skills to kids; and Rita’s Angel Equine Fund, a grant to provide veterinary services beyond the normal level of care. Hoch said, “Oklahoma is a top-five state in the country for the number of horses, yet we are very underresourced for horses when they fall into need. Our programs are designed to meet the horses where they are in terms of need.” Extending Services to Cats and Dogs Hoch plans to mirror the Nexus Equine programs in Nexus Pets, something she has already begun doing with Rita’s Angel Fund. Nexus Pets has taken in several dogs who were on euthanasia lists at local shelters, in desperate need of extensive veterinary care. Nexus Pets provides them with the quality health services they need and places them in foster homes to heal. “We decided to start Nexus Pets because we recognized a void in the animal welfare of dogs and cats, and we felt that we could be a resource,” Hoch said. “We are focusing on the OKC Animal Shelter because it’s about 145 percent over capacity for dogs right now.” Without its own facilities for dogs and cats yet, Nexus Pets is limited to care based in foster homes. The construction of two buildings to house Nexus Pets is under way on the northwest corner of the Nexus Rita Hoch, president and chief executive officer of Nexus Animals, prepares to take a Rita’s Angel recipient named Holly to her new home after rehabilitation by Nexus Pets. Photo by Victoria Stephens.