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Spread the Love—Join the ARL’s Champions Circle

During the month of February, as many celebrate love and affection, the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) is Spreading the Love to highlight the love we share for our furry and feathered friends!

Animals give us so much. They provide comfort, happiness, and, of course, love. And animals have been a huge support for so many during these difficult months.

Here are 3 way to join us and Spread the Love:

1. Express your love for animals by making a gift 

2. Make a gift in honor of a love one and send a special Valentine’s Day message with an eCard or a mailed card

3. Become a Champions Circle member and help animals in need all year long

ARL’s Champions Circle is a special group of 800+ dedicated individuals who provide support in the form of recurring (usually monthly) donors. Their generosity provides the critical support to keep animals safe and healthy all year long.

Monthly giving matters

Champions Circle 2021 Symbolic Gifts

Monthly giving is a convenient, affordable, and efficient way for you to make a difference in the lives of animals in our community.

    • 60% of ARL’s funding arrives during the last quarter of the calendar year, yet animals need help every day.
    • Spreading out your donation through the year makes your giving budget work harder to create an even bigger impact for animals.
    • Monthly support from Champions Circle members allows ARL to plan for the future, as well as respond to animals when they need it most.

Champions Circle members’ on-going generosity provides much needed support for animals in need, including:

    • Emergency rescue, anti-cruelty efforts, and advocacy to protect them.
    • High-quality, veterinary care to keep them healthy.
    • Shelter and adoption services to find them loving homes.
    • Community-based services to keep pets with the people who love them.

If you’re interested in joining this dedicated group, here’s how:

Use our secure online form or call Derek at (617) 226-5662 to set up your gift over the phone.

Thank you for being a Champion for animals in need, and thank you for Spreading the Love!

If you would prefer to make your monthly gift by check, please contact Derek at (617) 226-5662 or click here to send an email request

Tis the Season for fun contests!

Help spread cheer this season by participating or voting!

Ugly Sweater Contest

Did you know that the third Friday in December marks National Ugly Sweater Day? What better reason to break out your ugliest holiday sweater and pose with your pets!

All you need to do to enter is to submit a photo of yourself in your most festive sweater with your favorite animal friend OR a photo of your pet in holiday attire or accessories. Photos can be sent to marketing@arlboston.org or tag us on social media on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Contest opens: Wednesday, December 9

Deadline to submit your photo: Wednesday, December 16 at Midnight

Voting: Begins at 9AM on Friday, December 18, National Ugly Sweater Day!

    • Four finalists will be selected by ARL and votes will be cast on social media.
    • Each entry will be assigned a number. To vote, comment on the social posts with the number of your favorite finalist. Please, just one vote per person, but you can ask your friends and family to vote!
    • The winner will be announced at 5pm on Friday, December 18.
    • The winner will receive ARL Swag and bragging rights!

Coloring Contest

Show off your creativity and coloring skills in this contest that is suitable for all ages!


Download our printable coloring sheet by clicking here.

 

barn coloring page

We’re asking contestants to show us how you would decorate our Dedham Barn for the Winter Holidays.  Make it as festive as you like, but don’t forget to add animals!

We have many adoptable livestock animals that would make the scene look perfect.

ARL Barn animals

All you need to do to enter is to submit your completed coloring page by emailing marketing@arlboston.orgor tagging us on social media on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Contest opens: Wednesday, December 9

Deadline to submit your coloring page: Tuesday, December 22 at Midnight

Voting: Begins at 9AM on Monday, December 28

    • Finalists will be selected by ARL and votes will be cast on social media.
    • Each entry will be assigned a number. To vote, comment on the social posts with the number of your favorite finalist.
      Please, just one vote per person, but you can ask your friends and family to vote!
    • The winner will be announced at 5pm on December 28.
    • The winner will receive ARL Swag and bragging rights!

 

Giving Tuesday 2020

December 1st is #GivingTuesday, a global day of giving back to the causes closest to our hearts.

To celebrate this day of giving, ARL’s Board of Directors, past Board members, Leadership Council, and President & CEO have come together with unique challenge: raise $155,000 between now and 12/1 and they will match it!

This year of extraordinary need calls for extraordinary measures, and this our largest match ever!

COVID-19 has created challenges and strained ARL’s limited resources. During this difficult year full of uncertainty, animals and the people who love them need you now more than they ever have before.

Gifts made before midnight on 12/1 will be DOUBLED, dollar for dollar, up to $155,000, to provide food, sanctuary, medical, love, and emergency care to animals in need.

This is your chance to DOUBLE your impact, and provide hope, comfort, and stability to an animal in need during a tumultuous time.

 There are THREE ways to have TWICE the impact:

1 icon

Make your gift today

2 icon

Set up your own Facebook Fundraiser

3 icon

Share this post with your fellow animal lovers

symbolic gifts


THANK YOU to our generous match donors for this incredible challenge:

Barbara Burg & Priscilla Golding

David Cawley & Lisa Buesking

Lisa A. Clifton

Randi Cohen & Al Ossorio

Richard Davey & Jane Willis

Craig Davis & Steve Vondran

Sadhana & Frederick Downs

Quentin P. Faulkner

Grace & Ted Fey

Ellen & Gilbert Forest

Judith F. Gregg

Jeffrey A. Kaplan

Richard Kelly &
Carol Akerson

Dr. Holly L. Kelsey

Walter & Elizabeth Kenyon

Cynthia &
William Kettyle

Constance &
Peter Lacaillade

Lee Ann & Michael Leahy

Roderick & Barbara MacDonald

Jeffrey & Jane Marshall

Malcolm McDonald &
Susan Passoni

Kelly & Brian McKernan

Christina & Daniel Nagler

Mary Nee & James Chapin

Tara & Christophe Oliver

Alisa M. Plazonja

Christopher B. Primiano

Heather & Park Ridill

José Rodriguez-Villalobos &
Christopher Lapan

Sydney Rosen and The Mike and
Toni Rosen Family Fund

Dr. Edward Schettino

Dr. Stephen Spiegelberg &
Denise Saltojanes

Laura Tomasetti &
David Beardsley

Donations of $100 or more will be included on ARL’s #GivingTuesday Wall of Honor on arlboston.org

Thank you to our Paws to Celebrate event sponsors

On October 7, 2020, the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) hosted the 3rd annual Paws to Celebrate event to honor the organization’s supporters and highlight the remarkable impact of their generosity during this year of uncertainty.

This year’s event was hosted virtually, though it did not diminish the purpose nor the success of the event: thanks in large part to dedicated corporate and individual sponsorships, the event raised more than $83,500 in funds that will benefit animals in need and the people who love them.

ARL graciously recognizes the 2020 Paws to Celebrate sponsors and event committee, listed below, for their shared passion for animals in need. Together with ARL’s donors, their generosity will ensure that the animals that ARL serves will continue to receive the loving care they deserve.


Thank you to our generous sponsors

Leader of the Pack

Hills

Best in Show

Best in show logos

 

Top Dog

 

Top Dog sponsors

Top Cat

Top Cat sponsors

 

Animal Advocate


Alison Erbig and William Goldberg

Dedham Savings

Deloitte.

The McCreary Family

Wade Gulbransen


and to the event committee:

Mary Bainbridge, Beth Baker, Kristin Casey, David Cawley, Richard Davey, Alison Erbig, Richard Kelly, Walter Kenyon, Cynthia Kettyle, Elena Kirkiles, Constance Lacaillade, Anne-Marie Litchfield, Patti Lotane, Mark & Mikki Manganaro, Christina Nagler, Tara Oliver, Alisa Plazonja, Christopher Primiano, Heather & Park Ridill, Kim Roderiques, José Rodriguez-Villalobos, and Laura Tomasetti

August is Microchip Month at Boston Veterinary Care!

Boston Veterinary Care (BVC) answers your Microchip FAQs

Did you know… that microchipping your pet DOUBLES their chances of finding their way home?

August 15 is National Check the Chip Day, and for good reason: During the Summer months, pets will be spending more time outside—or may find themselves extra eager to slip out the door into the sunshine. In the event that you and your pet ever become separated, you’ll want to make sure that you are reunited as quickly and easily as possible.

That’s where a microchip comes in handy! Once microchipped, your pet can be identified throughout its life with a one-of-a-kind ID number. For this reason, microchipping has become extremely popular for pet owners, and scanning pets for microchips has become standard practice in veterinary offices, animal hospitals, and animal shelters.

Q: What is a microchip?

A: A microchip is a tiny computer chip, about the size of a grain of rice, programmed with an identification number that is unique to your pet. It is non-toxic, non-allergenic, and will last the life of your pet with no maintenance required. The microchip is injected with a needle beneath the skin between the shoulder blades and is anchored in place as a thin layer of connective tissue forms around it.

Q: Will the implantation of the microchip cause my pet pain?

A: Your pet may feel a slight “pinch” as they would with any other needle injection. Once the microchip in place, however, it does not cause pain and cannot be felt by touch. Many pet owners opt to microchip their pet during routine exams, spay or neutering, or dental cleanings; it’s one less trip to the vet, and your furry companion will probably be too distracted to notice that the injection is happening.

size of a pet microchip

Ever wonder what a pet microchip looks like? It’s as small as a grain of rice!

Q: Can all cats and dogs receive a microchip, and at what age?

A: Absolutely! A microchip is recommended for all cats and dogs (even toy breeds) and can be implanted as early as 6-8 weeks of age.

Q: How does microchip identification work?

A: A special non-intrusive scanner is used to send a signal to the microchip to read the identification number. The person reading the scanner can search a national microchip registry to find out the pet owner’s information.

Q: Why should I microchip my pet; isn’t a collar enough?

A: In short, things happen. While a collar with ID tags is an excellent start, there is always a chance that they can be removed or fall off.  Think of a microchip as a permanent ID tag for your pet—and a fail-safe way to verify that you’re their owner.

Microchips have reunited thousands of pets with their owners, even ones who have been missing for years or traveled many miles away! If your pet were to go astray, any veterinarian’s office, animal hospital, or animal shelter would be able to scan your pet’s microchip and contact you immediately. Be sure to keep your contact information current in the national microchip registry database to ensure an easy reunion with your pet – some microchip companies even let you add a backup contact.

Q: My microchipped pet is missing. What do I do?

A: The first step is to contact your pet’s microchip manufacturer (e.g, PetLink, Home Again) and provide them with your pet’s unique microchip number. If your pet has already been located, they’ll be able to tell you where to pick up your pet. If your pet’s whereabouts have not yet been located, it means that their microchip has not yet been scanned by a local animal shelter, animal hospital, or veterinarian. The microchip manufacturer will put an alert in the system so that when your pet’s microchip IS scanned they can contact you right away.

TOO HOT FOR SPOT® For more advice on how to keep your pet safe in the warmer months, visit https://www.arlboston.org/too-hot-for-spot/

Legislating in the Time of COVID-19

All of our lives have been changed drastically by the COVID-19 Pandemic. The Massachusetts Legislature is no different.

What is usually a flurry of activity in April, May, June, and July, the legislature saw a very different pace this year.

A series of interim budgets replaced the usual days-long debate in the House and Senate in April and May. For the first time in its history, members used video conferencing software to hold hearings and were able to call into legislative sessions to vote and debate.

The State House building itself, usually bustling with legislators, staff, press, school groups, tourists, and advocates, sat dormant except for a limited number of legislators and staff.

Lobby days, including ARL’s event geared towards animal protection legislation, were first postponed then ultimately canceled, and advocates turned to phone and email to connect with legislators.

In another historic measure, last week, the Massachusetts Legislature took the unprecedented step of suspending the rule requiring formal session end on July 31 on the second year of the session. While unprecedented, it was all but inevitable as the scope and reality of economic and health impacts became clear.

The formal legislative session will now run through the end of the year.

There are several bills in conference, as small groups of legislators from the House and the Senate try and come to final agreement. The legislature still used the last few days of July to take up and pass a number of bills, but the timeline is extended through the fall.

What does this mean for ARL’s bills?

The legislature will still be able to do business and are likely to debate a full budget this fall. In the meantime, there is a focus on those issues that are directly related to COVID-19.

We are constantly monitoring the legislature, so stay tuned to our social media to learn about any updates. View ARL’s Legislative Agenda.

Don’t Miss This Incredible Match Opportunity

Your gift will provide critical veterinary care for a shelter animal and be MATCHED to provide care for a cherished pet, thanks to a generous matching gift provided by Jane Whitney Marshall.

 

When you donate today, you will help a shelter animal like Remy (pictured above), a severely underweight dog who arrived at the Animal Rescue League of Boston in dire condition, neglected, abandoned, and without hope.

Your generosity will then be matched to help a pet like Louie, who needed life-saving surgery but the cost of his care was out of reach for his owner.

Louie the cat before surgery

Last September, Louie went missing and returned home limping on a mangled left hind leg.

 

With your matched support, the shelter animal will receive the kindness, veterinary care, and second chance they deserve AND the pet can access the vital veterinary care they need, without being separated from the family that loves them – just like Remy and Louie!

Even in these uncertain times, the impact of your support and compassion will have a profound impact for animals like Remy and Louie.

I want to do twice as much good!

Don’t miss the opportunity to have your gift matched before the deadline on June 30, 2020.

*Any amount raised in excess of $25,000 will go to help animals, but it will not be matched.

You’re invited… to #GivingTuesdayNow!

You’re invited to two special virtual celebrations TODAY through Tuesday, May 5, 2020, for #GivingTuesdayNow!

#GivingTuesdayNow is an emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by the coronavirus.

You have a chance to join your fellow animal lovers and show that compassion can’t be quarantined – and that you are there for vulnerable animals when they need it most.

kitten shower button
Pet prom button

Let’s harness the power of hope during this uncertain time to make a difference for the animals who love us unconditionally and bring us comfort.

kitten shower graphic

Quarantine won’t stop kitten season, and vulnerable animals need you now more than ever!

These tiny creatures, born outside and at the mercy of the elements, are at risk of injury, disease, or worse.

Although safety precautions have meant that Trap-Neuter-Return services have been paused for now – you have the opportunity to intervene and help kittens get the chance they deserve at a safe and healthy life in a home.

Your support today means that fragile kittens can count on medical care, special food, round-the-clock care in a foster home, and the promise of a brighter future.

How you can make a difference on #GivingTuesdayNow:

  1. Make a gift to give kittens the care they need now. Gifts of $100 or more made by Tuesday, May 5, 2020, will be recognized on the Kitten Kuddler Wall of Honor!
Symbolic Gifts - Kitten Shower

2. Send critically needed supplies from our Kitten Shower Registry

3. Set up a Facebook Fundraiser and help even more kittens

4. RSVP to our Facebook Event to get exclusive first look kitten photos and your chance to win the “Cutest Cat” photo contest!

5. Have you found kittens outside and don’t know what to do? Resist the temptation to interact or touch them, and call ARL right away by dialing (617) 426-9170, then press “1” and “1” again. Click here to read more and download our flyer.

Pet Prom invite graphic

Compassion can’t be quarantined. One thing remains certain and that is animals are still in need – and they need you now more than ever!

Your support today ensures that animals in Massachusetts can get the care they count on including food, sanctuary, medical care, love, and emergency rescue if they are in danger.

 

How you can make a difference on #GivingTuesdayNow:

  1. Make a gift to give animals the care and love they deserve. Gifts of $100 or more made by Tuesday, May 5, 2020, will be recognized on the Prom Court Wall of Honor
Symbolic gifts graphic

2. Send critically needed supplies to our Animal Care & Adoption Centers

3. Set up a Facebook Fundraiser and help even more animals

4. RSVP to our Facebook Event to get exclusive behavior tips and your chance to win the “Prom King/Queen/Royalty” photo contest


Thank you for being an unwavering champion for animals in need.

We hope you, your loved ones, and furry or feathered friends, remain healthy and safe!

Spread the Love and Double Your Impact: A Matching Gift Challenge

DONATE NOW FOR DOUBLE THE IMPACT

Throughout the month of February, the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) will celebrate the bond between people and pets with a match in memory of a beloved cat.

Generous donors Alisa and Dmitry have offered a special challenge—help raise $25,000 for animals, and they will match it to honor the memory of their cat, Brother.

Brother laying down

Brother

Brother came to his caretakers as a feral kitten, under-socialized and terrified. He resisted contact for six months. Then, almost overnight, Brother transformed into a love bug, almost as if he was making up for lost time.

He became the “embodiment of love”, seeking out affection wherever he could. He would steal your seat the moment you stood up, and was Alisa and Dmitry’s constant companion.

Sadly, Brother passed suddenly earlier this year, and he is sorely missed. It is in his honor that the Spread the Love challenge match is being offered, and we hope that you contribute in the name of your loved ones, both two and four-legged.

From February 1stthrough midnight on February 29th, your gift will be DOUBLED to help animals in need!

Here are four ways you can help us reach our goal:

  1. Express your love for animals by making a gift today
  2. Send a Valentine’s Day tribute with an eCard or mailed card
  3. Join the Champions Circle and spread the love all year!
  4. Share this post with your fellow animal lovers!

What your gift means to animals:

Symbolic gift levels for spread the love match

 

Your gift today has twice the power to change the lives of animals in Massachusetts.

From sweet snuggles to tender moments, animals give us so much. Don’t miss your chance to give back when they need it most!

 

DONATE NOW FOR 2X THE IMPACT

 

A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE SPREAD THE LOVE MATCH SPONSORS, ALISA AND DMITRY!

A message from ARL’s President, Mary Nee

Animal Rescue League of Boston supporters,

I have some news that I want to share with you.

I have decided to retire in May 2020 and step down as President of the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL). I am honored to have served as ARL’s president since 2012, only the eighth person in 120 years to hold this position, and just the second woman, since our founder, Anna Harris Smith.

This decision is entirely personal as I am eager to join my husband Jim in retirement and begin the next chapter of our lives. I hope that this chapter will include some travel, and, an unscheduled life, with more time to read, reflect, and enjoy family and friends.

While my decision is personal, it is also made with a sense that ARL is in a very good place. Having established a strategic vision focused on serving animals and people most in need, we are seeing the benefits of this direction through increasing impact to the most vulnerable of our community.

In addition, the next five years will see new facilities and services that will further strengthen this amazing organization, with master planning and design work to replace aging facilities complete or well underway.  I am confident in our ability to achieve these goals and appreciate the continued effort that will be required for success. I believe it will be most beneficial for ARL to have in place leadership who can see these projects and progress through to completion, taking this historic animal welfare organization to even higher levels of innovation and impact.

I leave knowing that we have that leadership in ARL’s Board of Directors and our talented staff. The board has been closely involved in my retirement planning and are reviewing the skills and attributes desired in a new president. In the coming weeks they intend to communicate their plans for future leadership.

Anticipating retirement is exciting, but leaving ARL is difficult. My career has spanned nearly 43 years in mission-based organizations in Boston. Prior to coming to ARL, this work revolved around issues related to human or community conditions. In joining ARL, I thought I was taking a detour from my past work. I was wrong.

The world of animal welfare is inextricably linked to humans, both the good and the bad. This link and the complexity of navigating through animal and human conditions makes for fascinating and highly complex work. My experiences here have been both tremendously rewarding and, at the same time, eye opening.  I now look at community quite differently, particularly the interplay of humans, animals, and the environment. I cannot adequately convey all of my learnings here and I intend to share with you my reflections on this transformative experience in a future communication.

As some of you know, I have a favorite quote attributed to Justice David Souter that has always resonated with me in terms of one’s life’s work. “For most of us the very best work we do sinks into the stream very quickly. We have to find satisfaction in being part of the great stream.”

For me being part of ARL, its compassionate work and the tireless efforts of staff, volunteers and donors alike who have responded to nearly 125,000 animals over the past 7+ years, is enormously rewarding and I will cherish having been part of this great stream for the rest of my life.

In the coming months I hope I can connect with many of you that have supported my journey at ARL and in the Boston community to reminisce and say thank you. Your friendship and support has sustained my many professional adventures and made possible any measure of success achieved. For this, I am eternally grateful.

Sincerely,

Mary signature

Mary Nee
President
Animal Rescue League of Boston

Click here to read Mary’s executive profile in the January 24, 2020 edition of the Boston Business Journal.   

Photo by Suzanne Kreiter/Globe staff/Globe staff