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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.

ARL Rescues Stray Kitten Trapped Below Fall River Boardwalk

Stray kitten now in permanent home

This past week, a nine-week-old stray kitten was rescued by the Animal Rescue League of Boston’s (ARL) Field Services Department after finding itself at the bottom of a steep embankment below a Fall River, MA, boardwalk, and unable to get out.

The situation unfolded in the area of The Cove Restaurant and Marina in Fall River, when a couple walking along the boardwalk area heard the kitten mewing and contacted ARL for assistance.

ARL Field Services responded to the area and spotted the kitten curled up on a rock.

See local news coverage of the rescue.

The kitten was about 20 feet below the boardwalk, and the steeply sloped and rocky area was not accessible without risk of injury, and the fear was the kitten would run and hide if responders attempted to come down to his level.

ARL contacted Fall River Animal Control to assist in the rescue, and ARL’s agents tied a humane cat trap to ropes and lowered it down to the area in an attempt to trap the animal.

On-scene responders held the door to the trap open while others would throw food to try and tempt the kitten into the trap.

After about 40 minutes, the kitten, showing signs of obvious hunger, drew closer and eventually stepped into the trap to get to the food that had been placed inside.

Once inside the trap, ARL’s agent snapped it shut, and raised the trap back to the boardwalk, where the kitten was safely placed in a carrier for transport.

The kitten, now named Wharf, was transported to ARL’s Boston Animal Care and Adoption Center, where he was immediately fed and given a thorough veterinary exam.

Aside from being ravenously hungry and frightened, Wharf was in good overall health.

It’s anyone’s guess how the kitten wound up in his precarious position, but ARL  focused on finding Wharf the permanent home he deserves, which he found just days after coming to the organization!

ARL wishes to thank the Good Samaritans who reported the wayward kitten, and Fall River Animal Control for their assistance in rescuing this adventurous animal.

Stray Kitten Discovered in Car Engine Compartment

Stray Kitten Now in the Care of ARL

This past week, a nine-week-old stray kitten was brought to the Animal Rescue League of Boston’s (ARL) Dedham Animal Care and Adoption Center after a car mechanic discovered the little guy hiding in the engine compartment of a vehicle.

Once the kitten was discovered at Mavis Tire and Brakes, Dedham Animal Control was contacted and the officer was able to safely capture the kitten, thus ending his harrowing adventure.

Thankfully the kitten was not injured or burned while the car was in motion.

After a little clean-up to remove the motor oil from his fur, the kitten, now named Mavis, was transported to ARL to undergo a veterinary exam and be placed into foster care until he’s old enough to find a loving home.

Although timid, Mavis is a sweet and friendly kitten, who is sure to be a wonderful companion animal and will now be an indoor-only cat to avoid future car adventures.

It’s unknown how Mavis ended up in the engine compartment, but it’s likely he was spooked by something and was seeking a seemingly safe place to hide.

During the winter it’s common to come across an animal in an engine compartment as outdoor cats are drawn to the warmth.

However, it is very uncommon to find an animal in this precarious position during the summer months, and ARL would like to thank Dedham Animal Control and Mavis Tire and Brakes for finding and rescuing this animal who will soon begin the next chapter of his life.

Herb Chambers Partners with ARL for Too Hot for Spot® Campaign

This week, the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) and Herb Chambers welcomed members of the media to ARL’s Dedham Campus for a hot car demonstration as part of ARL’s annual Too Hot for Spot® safety campaign, which has educated pet owners about summer safety for a decade.

Herb Chambers is the newest community partner to join ARL in spreading this important summer pet safety message, and ARL continues to be grateful to the New England Revolution, Massachusetts State Police, and Massachusetts Department of Transportation for their ongoing support.

ARL is thrilled to have the well-known car magnate and animal lover lend his voice to highlight the importance of keeping our pets safe when the mercury rises.

Additionally, several Herb Chambers dealerships will soon be displaying Too Hot for Spot® materials, to further amplify the message.

ARL is marking 10 years of the Too Hot for Spot® campaign, but unfortunately, we are still seeing plenty of instances where an animal’s life is put in danger due to being left in a hot vehicle, several of which have happened in just the past month.

With temperatures this summer being well above average, it’s imperative this message reaches as many pet owners as possible.

Leaving an animal in a hot car is the number one cause of deadly heatstroke in pets.

When temperatures rise, so do concerns about animal safety.

Even when the mercury dips below 80 degrees, the threat of heat stroke still exists.

Within five minutes, a vehicle’s interior temperature can rise above 118 degrees on a 75-degree day, even with the windows cracked.

During this week’s hot car demonstration, with outside temperatures around 90 degrees, after a thermometer was placed in an ARL vehicle, it took less than three minutes for the interior temperature of the vehicle to reach nearly 120 degrees!

Learn more about important pet safety tips and guidelines and remember — when the temperatures rise, it’s Too Hot for Spot®!

ARL Caring for Injured 10-Year-Old Stray Cat

Stray cat suffering multiple medical issues

The Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) is currently caring for a 10-year-old cat that was found as a stray and is suffering from a multitude of medical issues.

Though not out of the woods, ARL’s medical intervention has likely saved the animal’s life.

The female cat, now named Wren, was found in Norwood, MA, in late June, and upon intake at ARL’s Dedham Animal Care and Adoption Center, one medical issue was certainly noticeable.

Wren had large wounds on her neck and face, however, it is unknown if the wounds were caused by a hot liquid burn, allergic reaction, or infection – but it was her underlying medical issues that were most concerning.

Wren had pyometra, a uterine infection that can be life-threatening if left untreated.

Additionally, Wren was very thin and diagnosed with diabetes, which had likely not been treated previously.

Wren’s wounds were immediately treated, as was her pyometra during spay surgery, but following treatment, the cat was not eating and losing weight.

With her outcome up in the air, Wren thankfully took a liking to wet food suitable for cats living with diabetes and fortunately has begun to put weight back on.

The cat is now in foster care to continue the healing process, and ARL’s veterinary staff has also begun a treatment plan to regulate her diabetes.

Wren’s wounds are healing and her health is improving, however, there is no timeline on when Wren may be made available for adoption as she still has a long road to recovery ahead of her.

Help Wren and Animals Like Her

ARL provides the highest standards of veterinary care, and in the case of Wren, her cost of care is estimated to exceed $10,000.

ARL is committed to helping every animal in the organization heal and thrive, but we cannot do it alone.

When you donate to ARL, you are helping Wren and animals like her by ensuring they receive the care they need and deserve, and once healed can begin the next chapter of their lives in a loving home.

Anyone interested in contributing to her treatment can visit support.arlboston.org/Wren to donate.