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Future Focus: Strategic Plan Goal 6

Invest in our infrastructure.

Objective

Enhance the capacity of ARL’s facilities to respond to the current and future needs of animals and pet owners in our community.

Vision in Action

ARL is thrilled to announce that we are rebuilding our Boston Animal Care & Adoption Center and Boston Veterinary Care at our current location of 10 Chandler Street in the South End.

This project will advance ARL’s mission of being an unwavering champion for over 20,000 animals each year. It is a significant opportunity for our historic 125-year-old organization to provide animals with the highest standards of care to help them heal and thrive, advance pet health and well-being through exceptional veterinary care and dog training, keep people and pets together, and improve the lives of animals.

ARL is building a state-of-the-art facility to benefit the animals we care for, while also ensuring we reach as many pets and people as possible through our services for pet owners living in Greater Boston.

Learn more about ARL’s 2024-2028 Strategic Plan for the Future.

ARL to Recognize Truro Resident with Animal Advocate Award

Animal Advocate Award winners exemplify compassion and commitment to advance ARL’s mission

During its upcoming Paws to Celebrate event at Truro Vineyards, the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) will be recognizing a Truro resident for his exceptional involvement in promoting ARL’s mission to help animals on Cape Cod and beyond.

Brian Hyde.

ARL’s Animal Advocate Award honors distinguished philanthropists and compassionate organizations who have made outstanding contributions to ARL and actively advance the well-being of animals in our community.

ARL is thrilled to recognize longtime Truro resident Brian Hyde with this award for exemplifying exceptional dedication and enduring support of animals in need.

Brian is a committed connector and champion of the cause on Cape Cod and beyond!

Brian consistently shows the power of building community and has set a powerful example of how one person can make a difference, creating a ripple effect of kindness that will leave a lasting legacy for countless animals.

“Brian’s passion, compassion, and tireless efforts have made him a true champion for animals,” state ARL Vice President of Development, Jackie Smith. “We are honored to recognize him with our Animal Advocate Award.”

ARL will present Brian with his award on Thursday, September 5, during its annual Paws to Celebrate event at Truro Vineyards, which is a gathering of like-minded ARL supporters to celebrate their contributions and see first-hand how their support and involvement is helping animals in need, and the people who care for them.

ARL Rescues Cat in Tree in Brighton, Reunites Cat with Owner

Owner of cat in tree on-scene during rescue

This past week, the Animal Rescue League of Boston’s (ARL) Field Services Department rescued a cat in a tree in a Brighton neighborhood and were able to reunite the animal with the owner who was on-scene during the rescue.

A property owner in the Oak Square neighborhood contacted ARL about a cat who had found its way up a tree and was unable to get itself down, with ARL’s Field Services team responding quickly to safely get the animal down from the tree.

While it was initially unknown whether or not the cat was owned, the cat’s owner found out that ARL was responding to a cat stuck in a tree and was on-scene when ARL arrived.

Turns out Mitsy had gotten out a few days earlier.

Utilizing climbing ropes, ARL’s Field Services agent scaled the tree approximately 25 feet off the ground, and was able to coax the visibly frightened cat safely into a carrier and return the cat to solid ground.

Mitsy was reunited with his grateful owner, and quickly resettled into his home.

About Field Services

As part of its Community Outreach programs, ARL’s Field Services provide technical (tree climbing and swift/ice water) and non-technical rescues for injured domestic animals – including community cats – livestock, and raptors (turkey vultures, ospreys, hawks, eagles, falcons, and owls).

Field Services also assists governmental agencies with equipment and training, and plays an essential role in supporting ARL’s Law Enforcement Department in cases of animal abuse, cruelty, and neglect.

To contact Field Services, please call (617) 426-9170 x563. Field Services’ hours of operation are Tuesday – Saturday, 9:30AM – 5:30PM.

ARL Rescues Entangled Red-Tailed Hawk with Assistance from Newton Fire Department

Rescued hawk caught in golf course netting

This week, the Animal Rescue League of Boston’s (ARL) Field Services Department responded to a Newton golf course after receiving a report of a red-tailed hawk that had become entangled in protective netting along the course.

The incident unfolded at the Woodland Golf Club around noon on Wednesday, with the Newton Fire Department and ARL responding to collaboratively rescue the hawk, who was approximately 50 feet off the ground.

Newton Fire had responded with a ladder truck, and after assessing the scene, a firefighter guided an ARL agent up the ladder and together were able to free the hawk and place the animal into a carrier for transport.

ARL is grateful to Newton Fire for its response by expediting a speedy rescue, increasing the safety of all personnel on-scene and helping lessen the stress of the hawk.

The hawk, who had been trapped for approximately 12 hours, appeared uninjured but was taken to a wildlife rehabilitation hospital as a precaution.

“Huge thanks to the Animal Rescue League of Boston and Newton Firefighters on quickly rescuing the red-tailed hawk caught in netting,” stated Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller. “Well done!”

See local news coverage of this rescue, including a video.

About Field Services

As part of its Community Outreach programs, ARL’s Field Services provide technical (tree climbing and swift/ice water) and non-technical rescues for injured domestic animals – including community cats – livestock, and raptors (turkey vultures, ospreys, hawks, eagles, falcons, and owls).

Field Services also assists governmental agencies with equipment and training, and plays an essential role in supporting ARL’s Law Enforcement Department in cases of animal abuse, cruelty, and neglect.

To contact Field Services, please call (617) 426-9170 x563. Field Services’ hours of operation are Tuesday – Saturday, 9:30AM – 5:30PM.

Future Focus: Strategic Plan Goal 5

Invest in our people.

Objective

Ensure ARL is a great place to work and volunteer by meeting high satisfaction standards and advancing diversity, equity, accessibility, inclusion, and justice within our organization and the communities we serve.

Vision in Action

ARL is dedicated to implementing improvements to the employee and volunteer experience, including regular evaluation and feedback. In the next five years we will continue to conduct surveys to identify opportunities, develop a compensation philosophy, secure a DEAIJ consultant, and provide trainings on DEAIJ in animal welfare.

Learn more about ARL’s 2024-2028 Strategic Plan for the Future.

Massachusetts Animal Control Officer of the Year 2024

The Animal Rescue League of Boston and the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA) are pleased to announce that nominations are now being accepted for the annual Massachusetts Animal Control Officer (ACO) of the Year award.

The award was established to honor an animal control officer whose efforts in his/her local community throughout the year demonstrate:

    • A dedicated, humane attitude toward the treatment and well-being of all animals
    • Effective enforcement of pet responsibility laws
    • A commitment to public awareness and humane education programs
    • Cooperative working relationships with other agencies, such as state and local government departments, other ACOs, and animal protection groups

All officers in Massachusetts are required to undergo training through the Mass. Dept. of Agricultural Resources. In order to receive this award, an ACO must be current on the state’s mandated training requirements through the Mass Animal Fund.

Nominations should be submitted in writing and may come from government officials, other officers, animal protection organizations, or private citizens.

Submissions should explain how the nominee has met the above criteria and should be sent to both:

Allison Blanck
Animal Rescue League of Boston
10 Anna’s Pl
Dedham, MA 02026
ablanck@arlboston.org

Kara Holmquist
MSPCA
350 South Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02130
kholmquist@mspca.org

Nominations must be received by September 30, 2024.

ARL Featured in Hill’s Pet Nutrition 2024 State of Shelter Pet Adoption Report

The Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) announces its participation in the newly released 2024 Hill’s State of Shelter Pet Adoption Report. This data-rich report, released annually, highlights key leaders in the animal welfare industry and provides new insights around consumer attitudes and perceptions toward shelters and the animals in their care. 

Cover of Hill's 2024 State of Shelter Pet ReportFor the report, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, a leading partner in animal welfare, surveyed a socioeconomically diverse group of 2,500 current and prospective pet owners to better understand what’s driving the increase in shelter pets and decrease in pet adoption rates. Alongside the new findings, the 2024 Hill’s Pet Nutrition State of Shelter Pet Adoption Report highlights ARL President and CEO, Dr. Edward Schettino.  

“The Animal Rescue League of Boston is proud to be featured in the 2024 Hill’s State of Shelter Pet Adoption Report. The report sheds new light on adoption barriers that individuals in our community face every day,” said Dr. Edward Schettino, ARL President and CEO. “The data allows us to better understand what pet parents need to make adoption more accessible. As a result, we’re able to better serve our communities and the animals in our care.”  

ARL partners with Hill’s Pet Nutrition’s Food, Shelter and Love program to feed the animals in its care. Every animal cared for receives daily, high-quality nutrition to be happy, healthy and more adoptable.  

“Collaborating with animal shelters to help end pet homelessness is crucial,” said Dr. Karen Shenoy, US Chief Veterinary Officer at Hill’s Pet Nutrition. “One way we do that is by supplying shelters with quality nutrition to help shelter pets be healthy, happy and more adoptable. Since 2002, the Hill’s Food, Shelter & Love program has provided over $300 million worth of Hill’s brand pet foods to over 1,000 animal shelters, while also providing adoption kits to new pet parents.”  

 

Text blurb from Hills Shelter report


Key Findings  

The following key findings from the 2024 Hill’s State of Shelter Pet Adoption Report will support ARL and others like it in creating even more meaningful, data-driven strategies for removing barriers to pet adoption and care.    

Overall, Americans are open to adopting shelter pets, and younger generations are even more likely to adopt:   

    • 66% of people are likely to adopt shelter pets  
    • Of Gen Z and Millennials who’ve adopted a shelter pet before, 90% and 94% respectively are likely to adopt again  
    • Of Gen Z and Millennials who’ve never adopted a shelter pet, 75% and 77% respectively are likely to adopt   

Pet adoption is less accessible for people making less than $75,000, with overall concerns about the cost of pet ownership being a top barrier to adoption:   

    • 84% of respondents said veterinary care is the most expensive part of owning a pet  
    • Those making less than $75,000 are more likely to surrender a pet due to financial difficulties and are more likely to say the cost of pet ownership exceeded their expectations   
    • Those making less than $50,000 are more likely to have experienced at least one pet-related housing restriction and are more likely to say the cost of veterinary care impacts their decision to adopt  

Respondents report being less likely to adopt large dogs than cats or small- to medium-sized dogs, which are believed to be easier and less expensive to manage:  

    • Fewer than 1 in 4 respondents report being likely to adopt a large dog:  
    • 46% are likely to adopt a small dog   
    • 45% are likely to adopt a medium dog  
    • 39% are likely to adopt a cat  
    • 24% are likely to adopt a large dog  
    • More than half of respondents who prefer a small or medium dog selected personal preference as the top reason; however, they also chose additional factors that deter them from adopting a large dog:   
    • 27% say it’s difficult to travel with large breed dogs  
    • 26% say their housing doesn’t allow large breed dogs  
    • 25% say large breed dogs take up too much space  

While survey respondents view fostering favorably, misperceptions about the costs and a fear of adopting the fostered pet may be limiting broader participation:  

    • 40% of prospective fosters are afraid of adopting their foster pet (there is no expectation for fosterers to adopt)  
    • 64% of prospective fosters say that if pet care costs were covered during the experience, they’d be likely to foster (fostering usually requires minimal financial investment, with many shelters providing the fosterer with all necessary supplies, including pet food)    

Offering pet parents post-adoption support, especially behavior services, is a powerful tool to keeping more pets with their families:  

    • Respondents rated post-adoption behavioral services more likely to positively influence adoption (34%) than pre-adoption behavioral services (30%)  
    • Of respondents who experienced post-adoption anxiety, 46% said behavioral issues were the top driving force  
    • Of individuals who had relinquished a pet, 24% said behavioral/training issues were the top reason for surrendering  
    • 94% of pet owners considering relinquishment kept their pet after receiving support  

“Although the Hill’s State of Shelter Pet Adoption Report identifies genuine and concerning barriers, the hope is that it serves as a springboard for opportunity,” Dr. Shenoy said. “By working hand-in-hand with individuals and organizations in the animal welfare community, the data will guide us toward meaningful initiatives that will help more shelter pets find loving families.”   

More information about ARL’s feature in the 2024 Hill’s Pet Nutrition State of Shelter Pet Adoption Report.

Lost Cat Found at Logan Airport Brought to ARL, Returned to Owner

Microchip led to reunification with lost cat and owner

On Thursday, the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) was able to reunite a lost cat that was found at Logan International Airport with his family, thanks to two things – two Massport employees and a microchip.

The 8-year-old cat named Harry, was spotted in a garage on airport property by two employees, and while they contacted ARL for assistance, the cat was very friendly and the employees were able to corral the animal into a box for transport to ARL’s Boston Animal Care and Adoption Center.

Once at ARL, Harry was given a veterinary exam, and because he was microchipped, ARL was able to contact the owner who was overjoyed that he had been found.

Turns out that Harry had been missing since late July, and while his family was searching and assumed he was wandering somewhere close to his home in Somerville, in reality he wound up nearly 10 miles away!

The now former lost cat was reunited with his family on Thursday, and is now settling back into his home.

This situation is a perfect reminder of the importance of having pets microchipped.

A microchip drastically increases the likelihood of being reunited should they become lost, and ARL urges all pet owners to have their pets microchipped if they have not already done so.

ARL wishes to thank Massport and its two employees for recognizing an animal in distress and taking action, which directly led to Harry finding his way back home.

Microchip Critical to Upping Odds of Being Reunited with a Lost Pet

There are pet holidays scattered throughout the calendar year, and today is National Check the Chip Day, highlighting an important aspect when talking about tools, in this instance the microchip, to use should your pet go missing.

According to the American Humane Association, approximately 10 million dogs and cats are lost or stolen in the United States annually – and about one in every three pets will go missing at some point in their lives.

While the reasons pets go missing are numerous, there is one measure you can take that drastically increases the likelihood of being reunited with your beloved pet – microchipping.

A microchip is a tiny computer chip, about the size of a grain of rice that is programmed with an identification number unique to your pet. It is non-toxic, non-allergenic, and lasts the life of your pet with no maintenance required.

A study by the American Veterinary Medical Association found that just 22 percent of lost dogs and less than two percent of lost cats that entered animal shelters were reunited with their families. However, for animals that were microchipped, the return-to-owner rate for dogs was more than 52 percent, and more than 38 percent for microchipped cats!

The numbers speak for themselves, microchipping increases your chances that you will get your pet back if it becomes lost or stolen.

But, it should not be the only part of your lost pet strategy. Collars with up-to-date tags are the main form of identification and the quickest way to identify a found pet.

Pepe was missing for nearly two years, but thanks to a microchip he’s now back home.

Tags and microchips are only useful if the contact and registration information is current! Make sure to check the information annually to keep everything up-to-date.

Bottom line, microchipping is effective and at ARL, we have seen numerous animals reunited with their owners thanks to a microchip.

Recently, ARL took in a 15-year-old stray cat who did have a microchip.

Thankfully, the contact information was correct, and the owner of the cat was overjoyed when contacted as the cat had been missing for nearly two years!

Thanks to having a microchip, the cat is now back in his loving home where he belongs.

In that moment of realization that a pet has gone missing, it’s important to stay calm, and take immediate action by following these 5 steps to increase the likelihood of a happy reunion with your pet: 

  • Call your local Animal Control Officer of the town where you live, and of the town that your pet went missing in.
  • File a lost report with the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) either in person, over the phone, or online. This lost report is seen by all three ARL locations. The staff will ask you to provide a photo of your pet.
  • Contact your pet’s microchip company if your pet has one, to notify them that your pet is lost. Be sure to confirm that your contact information is current.
  • File a lost report with every shelter within a 60-mile radius of where your pet went missing. Oftentimes, concerned citizens will pick up a stray pet they see on the side of the road and bring it to a shelter that is close to their destination instead of close to where they found the animal.
  • Don’t give up! Many pets go missing for months before being reunited with their owners. Stay positive, stay vigilant and continue to search for them as long as you can.

Additionally, You can also reach out to local missing pet groups online – Missing Dogs Massachusetts has a large following on Facebook and the more eyes you have looking for your pet the better!

While you may feel helpless when a pet goes missing, remember you are not alone. Networking with other animal lovers to help in your search increases your chances of having your beloved pet returned safe and sound.

Anna Harris Smith Legacy Society® Spotlight: Graham and Nicki Hird

Whether you are human or animal, one thing is for certain when you work with Graham and Nicki Hird, it’s going to be an adventure!

Graham and Nicki have a warm presence about them that comforts people and animals alike. They have been married over 50 years, and after retiring from their joint travel agency business, they are taking

the time to do the things they love most, which is helping animals!

They began volunteering with ARL after losing their two beloved Golden Retrievers. Knowing they were not ready to adopt another dog, they thought volunteering would be a great way to spend some time with dogs in need.

Volunteering quickly turned into fostering, and fostering eventually led to adopting! They “foster failed”, which is what we call the kind people who end up adopting their foster animal. Both Graham and Nicki were surprised they fostered as many dogs as they did before adopting their pup, Big Red.

Since adopting, the couple has shifted the way they support ARL. They are active participants in ARL’s Roving Rover program! This program is designed for volunteers to take shelter dogs out for field trips.

For Nicki and Graham, this often means bringing a dog for a ride and going to the beach, or even just going to run errands at the many dog-friendly Cape Cod businesses!

Graham and Nicki agree that one of the most important aspects of volunteering is feeling your time was well spent, and they certainly feel that way after spending the day adventuring with an ARL dog. They also take comfort in the fact that all the dogs happily and willingly return to the Animal Care & Adoption Center after their outing, highlighting the quality care all the animals receive there.

In addition to their volunteer support, Graham and Nicki are also members of the Anna Harris Smith Legacy Society®, a special recognition for donors who name ARL in their estate plans/wills. Nicki wishes that more people understood that you do not have to be exorbitantly wealthy or leave an organization all of your money to make a planned gift, saying, “I think the fallacy of leaving a “Legacy” connotes massive quantities of money, so many people do not consider it. The amount is not relevant. You are leaving a gift from your heart to something that is important to you, and that’s what really matters!”

Did you know August is National Make-A-Will Month?

Just as animals have touched your life, you can forever touch the lives of animals by including the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) in your will or financial plans.

Learn how to leave your print and make more than a lifetime of impact for animals.

When you include ARL in your Will or other plans, you become a member of the Anna Harris Smith Legacy Society® and join the company of compassionate supporters like Graham and Nicki, who want their dedication to the well-being of animals to continue long into the future.

Have you included, or are you thinking of including ARL in your will? Let us know so we can thank you! Please contact Jackie at jsmith@arlboston.org.