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ARL Gives Stray with Eye Condition a Second Chance at Life

Meet Zim: From a Rescue, to Patient, to Adopted!

Zim, an 11-month-old tabby classic, came to the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) after being trapped for more than two days nearly 50 feet off the ground in a tree in Brockton, MA. Responding to calls from surrounding neighbors, ARL’s Rescue Services was able to scale the tree and save the scared and vocal stray.

“He was certainly happy to be out of that tree,” said Mike Brammer, ARL’s Assistant Manager of Rescue Services. “Almost immediately you could tell that he’d been around people and was very friendly.”

Zim’s beautiful markings and sweet demeanor garnered instant attention, but so did a congenital defect called Eyelid Agenesis that was discovered during his intake exam. It’s a condition where part of the eyelid doesn’t form properly, causing fur to rub up against the cornea, resulting in chronic irritation. For Zim, both eyes were affected, increasing the concern.

“If the condition is left untreated, this chronic irritation can permanently damage the cornea and cause vision impairment,” said Dr. Erin Doyle, ARL’s Lead Veterinarian for Shelter Veterinary Services. “This chronic irritation also causes significant discomfort.”

The only way to truly fix the condition is with a skin graft; however the surgery is complicated and requires extensive post-operative care. While Zim’s condition affected both eyes, it wasn’t extremely severe, making cryosurgery an option. Zim had the procedure done by an ophthalmologist at a partner organization less than a week after being rescued out of the tree in Brockton.

“Cryosurgery does not fix the eyelid, but is used to freeze the hair follicles of the fur that is rubbing on the cornea,” Dr. Doyle said. “As such, the cryosurgery removes the chronic irritation caused by the fur and restores comfort to the eyes.”

Zim recovers from cryosurgery wearing a protective cone.

Zim recovers from cryosurgery wearing a protective cone.

ROAD TO RECOVERY

With the surgery complete, Zim settled in for a few days to recover. Despite undergoing the procedure and being placed in a protective cone, he continued to showcase his personality, purring almost immediately for all the shelter staff and volunteers who would check on the handsome tabby.

Making an excellent recovery, ARL’s veterinary staff determined exactly one week following his surgery that Zim was ready to find his forever home. Certainly not a surprise to anyone at ARL who came in contact with Zim, just a few days after being made available, he has been adopted!

Zim is ready to go to his forever home!

Zim is ready to go to his forever home!

DOING THE WORK ONE ANIMAL AT A TIME

Zim represents the collaborative effort that is necessary to fulfill ARL’s mission of being an unwavering champion for animals in need, committed to keeping them safe and healthy in habitats and homes. No matter how they come into our shelters, all animals are treated with kindness and compassion, but we cannot do the work alone.

ARL receives no government funding, and relies solely on the generosity of individuals to support programs that help animals in need. Please lend your support so ARL can continue to give animals like Zim a second chance at life. Donate now.

February is National Adopt a Rabbit Month

Hop on over to the ARL and ADOPT a bunny today!

Thanks to our knowledgeable staff and volunteers, the ARL has many types of animals available for adoption- not just cats and dogs. If a feline or canine is not the pet for you, or you have limited space in your home, consider SPREADING THE LOVE and adopting a rabbit!

Search adoptables

tifa

8-month-old Tifa is ready to hop her way into your heart! Click the picture to see her profile.

Here are 5 reasons why you should consider adopting a rabbit this February:

  1. Bunnies spend the majority of their day quietly inside their cage, making them the perfect companions for apartment dwellers.
  2. Cottontails can be trained to use a litter box, so you won’t have to rush home from work to let them out.
  3. Hares need minimal exercise every day, so they require less attention than cats or dogs.
  4. Rabbits are curious, friendly, and will entertain you for hours with their silly antics.
  5. Hop-a-longs keep themselves tidy and are all about “clean eating”, snacking on salad, hay, and carrots as treats.

Need a 6th reason? All adoptable rabbits at the ARL receive the following: health screening and veterinary examination, behavior screening and evaluations, vaccinations, parasite treatment, and more!

Don’t forget… to please bring a photo of the cage your rabbit will live in, as it’s required for adoption.

3-Legged Kitten Finds a Home for the Holidays

The clock is ticking…

countdown

We still need to raise over $203,000 by December 31 to meet our goal.

Please give generously to ensure that we start the new year fully funded to help special-needs animals like Bradley receive the emergency veterinary care they need to survive.

URGENT

Due to a congenital defect, Bradley was born missing the majority of his left rear paw. ARL’s Shelter Veterinary Medicine team tentatively scheduled a surgery for the young kitten just in case the remainder of his left hind leg would need to be removed.

In the meantime, Bradley was entered into ARL’s foster care program to gain strength in a quiet and safe space. His foster mom bottle-fed him throughout the day and night. She also had to stimulate him to use the bathroom and patiently taught him how to use the litter box.

Though Bradley moved around ably, his foster mom kept a close eye on him. She noted that he favored putting weight on his paw-less leg and was lifting it at an unnatural angle while he walked. He began to spend more and more time laying down.

Worried about the abnormalities in his gait and the injuries it could subject him to, Bradley’s foster mom brought him back to ARL to have his emergency leg amputation surgery.

Fortunately, ARL’s Shelter Veterinary Medicine team is highly experienced in surgeries of this nature and were able to act swiftly, yet carefully to remove the rest of Bradley’s paw.

Bradley writhed in a mix of confusion and pain after surgery, however, his dedicated foster mom was there to care for and comfort him during his recovery.  Though he had lost the last bit of his hind leg, Bradley’s life had started to turn around. According to his foster mom, “He became much more active than before and was quite the climber and rascal.”

Weeks and plenty of playful hours later, Bradley came back to the ARL for a routine physical, which he passed with flying colors. Within 24 hours of hitting the adoption floor, Bradley was adopted by a loving family!  

Bradley

This 3-legged kitten found a home for the holidays – thanks to YOU!

Bradley’s story highlights much of the important work that YOU make possible for animals on a daily basis.

Animals at ARL receive the specialized veterinary care, kind attention, and socialization they need to thrive – only because of YOUR generous donations.

There are less than 48 hours left to help us raise over $203,000 to start the new year fully funded.

URGENT

After Losing Their Owners, Two Senior Pets Depended on ARL

Sandy and Jasmine relied on ARL -and a touch of fate- to help them find their new forever homes after losing their owners

HELP ANIMALS NOW

It’s heartbreaking to see an owner lose their pet. It’s equally as devastating to see a pet lose their owner.

At the ARL, we frequently see cases of the latter – typically senior pets that had senior owners who were ill. As tragic as these cases are, these situations often have a happy outcome for the pets involved.

Read this incredible story about how ARL helped two senior dogs that lost their owners much too soon… 

Sandy, a 7-year-old Chow mix dog, was rescued by ARL in 2013 after roaming an industrial park in the Greater Boston Area for over a year. Because of the prolonged exposure to rain and snow, Sandy had lost a majority of her fur. Her skin red and raw, her body exhausted and emaciated, she spent her first few days at ARL cowering behind her bed. With intensive veterinary care, behavior and enrichment training, along with plenty of love and attention from staff and volunteers, Sandy slowly began to heal.

Several months later, Sandy met Bill, a gentleman who had recently lost both his beloved wife and dog. He had been looking for a companion to share his golden years with. After hearing Sandy’s story, Bill knew that she’d be the perfect canine companion and adopted her. The duo had a wonderful life together, until, sadly, Bill passed away a short time later.

Quirky, arthritic, and wary of strangers, Sandy returned to ARL’s Brewster shelter where volunteers and staff showered her with extra TLC. For almost 6 months she waited patiently hoping to find another special family to call her own.

As luck would have it, Ralph, a Cape Cod resident, was looking for a senior dog. Needless to say, he and Sandy were the perfect pair. On adoption day, Sandy jumped right into his truck  – arthritis and all – and fell asleep on Ralph’s lap before they’d even left the parking lot. Sandy lived a happy life with Ralph for 2 years, until she recently passed away from bladder cancer.

Sandy and Bill

Sandy (pictured left) at our Brewster Adoption Center and with her adopter Ralph.

Meanwhile… Jasmine, a 8-year-old long-haired Rottweiler, was surrender to ARL’s Brewster shelter in January 2016 due to financial reasons. She was adopted shortly thereafter, however, she came back to us in October when, like Sandy, her owner had died. Luck was not on her side.

A tough senior girl, Jasmine was very particular and did not get along with other dogs at the shelter. ARL’s volunteers and staff were concerned about her future adoptability and knew that she just had to go home with someone special.

As fate would have it, Ralph, who was still grieving the loss of his canine companion Sandy, saw Jasmine’s photo on arlboston.org and instantly felt a connection with her. After a 48 hour trial, Ralph fell in love with Jasmine and brought her home – just in time for the holidays! By all accounts, the new pair are doing wonderfully together.

Jasmine and Bill

It was love at first sight for Jasmine and Ralph!

Although tragedy can pull pets and their owners apart, the ARL stands ready to jump in and connect both animals and people with the resources they need to make things right – all thanks to supporters like you.

A special message from ARL’s President Mary Nee…

My deepest thanks to everyone who answered my request for help last week with a generous donation for animals in need.

As a result, we are 25% closer to goal and now have to raise $425,000 by December 31 to meet our budget for the coming year,

Please give as generously as you can and let us start the new year with the resources to respond whenever we receive that call for animals in need. Click to the red button below to…

HELP ANIMALS NOW

Thank you and best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year.

Sincerely,

Mary Nee, President of ARL

Finding Positive Outcomes for Cats at Risk

ARL partners with other local organizations to help Pembroke cat colony

In early November 2016, a colony of community cats in Pembroke, Massachusetts found themselves in a dire situation; they lost their feeder and the property where they had been living was sold.

While there is no easy solution to helping community cats in this situation, the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL), along with many other animal welfare organizations, quickly rallied together to make sure that these cats had the best possible outcome.

Community cat colonies usually form due to a conducive environment, however, since a new caretaker could not be secured in their neighborhood, all efforts were focused on finding other alternatives for these cats.

Independent trappers began the process of trapping cats on this property (a procedure normally referred to as T-N-R, trap, neuter, return). However, with this particular colony, the goal was to see how many cats exhibited friendly behaviors*. If determined as friendly, the cats would either be adopted out as indoor companion animals, or could live safely outside on a barn property as a barn cat.

Cats like Bella, Namara, and Thumbelina, were spayed on ARL’s Spay Waggin’, discovered to be friendly, and transferred to ARL’s Safford Memorial Shelter in Dedham where they were adopted out to their forever homes.

A great outcome for these sweet cats!

Thumbelina pictured with her new dad.

Thumbelina is one of the many community cats who benefited from the swift help of the ARL and other local organizations, when her neighborhood feeder could no longer care for her.

Bella in Dedham's Adoption Center

Bella, formerly a community cat of Pembroke, waiting to be adopted at ARL’s Safford Memorial Shelter in Dedham, MA. It wasn’t long before this sweet kitty found her forever home!

thumbelina with her new family

Cats like Namara, pictured here with her new family, were determined friendly enough to be adopted!

Thank you to everyone who was involved with the plight of these cats, including the MSPCA, Standish Humane Society, independent trappers, and the State of Massachusetts, who provided funding for the spays, neuters, and vaccinations of these cats through the Massachusetts Animal Fund.

You Can Help Too!

Keep community cats safe this winter by building your own DIY cat shelter in your yard or to donate to a local rescue with this basic how-to video.

*Friendly cats show signs of wanting to interact with people, feral cats do not.

Hot off the Press: Our Four-Footed Friends

Check out the many ways YOUR support helped animals in need in 2016

ARL-Magazine-fall2016-Magazine-cover-400x520

Click the image above to read the Fall/Winter 2016 edition of Our Four-Footed Friends.

The Fall/Winter 2016 edition of Our Four-Footed Friends (OFFF) is here!

For more than 100 years, ARL has responded to the needs of animals and the people who care about them. In fact, we are often the first to respond, as seen in the recent Westport farm animal cruelty case, featured on Page 10.

All thanks to YOUR critical support, this year we served thousands of animals through our outstanding veterinary care, adoption, rescue services, special police investigation, and advocacy.

Read the incredible stories about what you helped make possible…

Today, we increasingly focus on prevention and the impact we can have on more animals; keeping them out of shelters and in the communities where they belong.

YOU make our important work possible – THANK YOU!

ARL Focuses on Low Stress Handling for Felines

3 techniques used by Shelter Veterinary Services to keep cats happy and healthy during exams

At the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) our Shelter Veterinary Services provide high quality, compassionate care to a variety of species. Cats, however, continue to comprise the greater part of our shelter population.

In an effort to expand our Shelter Veterinary Services’ ability to provide care that not only addresses the medical health of our cats, but also their behavioral well-being, Jessica Wright, ARL’s Lead Veterinary Technician, recently became certified in “Low Stress Handling Techniques” via Dr. Sophia Yin’s online course. The certification process required a commitment of at least 20 hours, during which online lectures and labs were viewed and follow up discussion questions and exams were completed.

As an organization, the ARL strives to reduce the stress that our shelter cats inevitably experience while in our care. These efforts can be seen in the double sided cages that the cats reside in, and the hiding boxes that each cat is offered. Upon completion of the Low Stress Handling course, Jessica was excited to incorporate the new techniques she had learned into the Shelter Veterinary Services’ daily rounds.

The 3 Low Stress Handling techniques that the ARL uses for felines are:

  1. Picture1Adjusting the methods by which a cat is moved between the cage and the exam room. To avoid exposing the cat to any number of stressors that may be encountered while moving between spaces, cats are now wrapped in a towel for transport. Some cats prefer to have their head exposed allowing them to look about whereas others prefer to have their head covered. This use of the towel allows the removal of potentially stressful visual stimulation and provides the cat with the feeling of being adequately supported.
  2. Incorporating the use of towels for comfort. Rather than sitting on a cold metal exam table, the cats now sit on the towel they were brought to the exam room with. This provides a sense of comfort for each patient. In addition, depending upon the behavior Picture2of each cat, a second towel may be placed over the cat. This again removes any potentially stressful visual stimulation and allows for more ease of handling of the cat during examination.
  3. Introducing food during examination. As surprising as it may be, many cats will often eat a snack during an exam or vaccination. Providing food to the patient can act as a distraction from any potentially negative or stressful event that may occur. In addition, if the cat chooses to eat during these procedures, a positive emotional response is encouraged rather than the typical fearful or stressed response often associated with veterinary care.

As a result of the introduction of Low Stress Handling Techniques, our shelter cats are that much more happy and healthy!

YOU can help keep shelter cats low-stress too: Please consider making a donation of regular sized bath towels to enable the ARL to continue our Low Stress Handling efforts! Donations can be dropped off at our Boston Adoption Center lobby located at 10 Chandler Street in Boston, Tuesday through Sunday, 7:30AM – 6:30PM.

Bark if You Love October

ARL Shares Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Adopt an Adult Dog

If you’ve considered adding a canine companion to your family, there’s no better time than NOW to ADOPT! October is National Adopt-a-Dog Month and the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) has many adult dogs looking for their forever homes!

Search adoptable dogs

Many potential adopters visit animal shelters looking for a puppy. While puppies are absolutely adorable, they are also very energetic and their personalities, likes, and dislikes are still emerging.

That’s why adopting an adult dog can be a great decision for you and your family! (Hint: At ARL Animal Care & Adoption Centers, adult dogs are 1 year and older.)

When you come into ARL’s shelters in Boston, Brewster, and Dedham, our knowledgeable adoption agents will ask you about what you’re looking for in a dog in terms of energy level, personality, and compatibility with children and other pets.

It won’t take long for you to realize that one of the biggest perks of adopting an adult dog is that what you see, is what you get.

Adult dogs have passed their critical development stages, so you’ll get a good idea of whether or not their personality and energy level is the right fit for your home. They may also be an easier introduction info the family, as puppies can be fragile and act quite timid in an already active household.

Not yet convinced? The ARL’s shares top 5 reasons why you should adopt an adult dog this October:

  1. You’ll save a life. When you adopt, you actually save two lives: the life of the dog that you adopted, and the life of the dog that is going to take its place at the shelter. Your new pet will thank you again and again for being their hero with slobbery kisses!
  2. You’ll meet your perfect canine companion. At the ARL, each dog is thoroughly evaluated to assess their medical history and overall temperament. They are then given a customized behavioral and enrichment plan to prepare them for life in their future home. All this information will be presented to you at the time of the potential adoption so that you and your family members can decide if the dog you’re interested in is the right match for you.
  3. You’ll find variety. If you have your mind set on a dog of a particular breed or temperament, chances are that one of ARL’s shelters will  have what you’re looking for! Various purebreds and mixed breeds come into our shelter at any given time, so we always have new dogs available! Don’t see a canine that catches your eye? Keep checking our list of current adoptables, as it changes every day!
  4. You’ll save money. Every adoptable dog at the ARL receives the following included in their adoption fee: health screening and veterinary examination; spay or neuter services; vaccinations; heartworm test and preventative; flea and tick treatment; intestinal parasite scan; microchip identification and registration; tag and collar.
  5. You’ll be doing something especially kind for animals in need. Adult dogs usually stay at our shelters much longer than puppies do. That’s why shelters usually charge a smaller adoption fee for adult dogs- to incentivize people to adopt them!

 

October is National Adopt-a-Dog Month

The ARL is celebrating National Adopt-a-Dog Month and you should too

The month of October is dedicated to honoring shelter dogs and helping the approximately 3.9 million dogs* who enter animal shelters each year find loving homes. If you’re considering adding a dog to your family, there’s no better time than National Adopt-a-Dog Month and the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) is a paw-some place to find your perfect canine match. 

When you adopt, you give an animal a chance at a better life. All adoptable dogs at the ARL receive: 

    • Spay or neuter services (excluding some small animals)
    • Health screening and veterinary examination
    • Behavior evaluations & enrichment
    • Vaccinations
    • Microchip identification and registration
    • Heartworm test and preventative medication for dogs
    • Feline Leukemia test for cats
    • Flea, tick, and mite treatment
    • Deworming for intestinal parasites
    • Tag, collar, and leash
    • A starter bag of Hill’s Science Diet food for cats and dogs
    • And more!

Visit an ARL Animal Care & Adoption Center in Boston, Brewster, or Dedham, to meet our adoptable dogs or learn more about our adoptable dogs online. If you meet the dog of your dreams, in most cases you can take him or her home with you the same day!

If adding a canine companion to your family is not a possibility, you can still help dogs in need! Consider sponsoring a dog’s adoption fee or donating supplies from our Animal Care & Adoption Centers’ wish lists. Contact (617) 226-5602 for more information.

*According to the ASPCA’s pet statistics. 

Shelter Veterinary Services: Not Just For Cats & Dogs

Espresso, a 1-year-old rat, recovering from surgery to remove a large tumor

Everyone knows that the Animal Rescue League of Boston helps cats and dogs, but did you know that we help all other types of small animals, livestock, and wildlife too?

Espresso, a 1-year-old female rat, was picked up by ARL’s Rescue Services after being abandoned at a local veterinary clinic with her sister, Mocha. The adorable pair were brought to our Boston shelter where they received a veterinary exam, behavioral evaluation, and kind attention from staff and volunteers.

Unfortunately, during Espresso’s initial examination at the shelter, a large tumor was found over her left shoulder. Our Shelter Veterinary Services team immediately brought her to surgery, which cost approximately $250, to remove the tumor.

Espresso rat surgery before & after

Espresso, a 1-year-old rat, is recovering comfortably from tumor-removal surgery at the ARL. She and her sister Mocha are available for adoption and looking for a loving family!

DONATE NOW to ensure that animals like Espresso receive the critical preventative or emergency veterinary care that they need.

Espresso was a trooper throughout her surgery and recovered very well. In fact, she was walking around her enclosure and eating within an hour after waking up.

Through all of this process, Espresso never lost her love of people and remained as sweet as ever!

After surgery, the removed mass was sent to a lab for analysis and was determined to be a benign mammary tumor.

Mammary tumors are very common in middle-aged to older rats. Because rats have mammary tissue that extends well beyond the area of their mammary glands, mammary tumors can occur in locations you wouldn’t necessarily expect.

Thankfully, the tumors are nearly always benign, as was the case for Espresso.  This means it’s very unlikely that they will metastasize or recur in the same location.

It’s important to know, however, that rats who develop one mammary tumor will often go on to have additional mammary tumors develop at new locations in the future.

We recommend that Espresso’s adopters have a discussion with their family vet about whether to consider additional treatment, such as hormone injections, to help prevent future tumors from forming.

UPDATE 9/5/16: Espresso and her sister Mocha have been adopted!