Petsburgh Magazine Summer 2020

COVID-19 SPECIAL EDITION

SUMMER 2020

Magazine

Volume 2, No. 2

OUR NEW NORMAL Page 4

PROVIDING COMFORT FROM A DISTANCE Page 6

Thank You to Our Helpers Page 12

THINKING OUTSIDE THE CAGE

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Place an Ad in Petsburgh Magazine!

Advertising and tribute opportunities starting at $200.

Ask about s special rate ng for a year-lo t! commitmen

Ads and Tributes Honor someone special or showcase your business to tens of thousands of animal lovers – all while supporting Animal Friends’ lifesaving mission.

To learn more about placing an ad in an upcoming issue of Petsburgh Magazine, contact Jaime Greenwald, Director of Events & Corporate Giving, at:

JGreenwald@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org or

412.847.7095 Animal Friends reserves the right to refuse any advertising due to content or space restrictions.

ABOUT US For more than 75 years, Animal Friends has continually set – and raised – the bar for humane programming in the Pittsburgh region. Our 75-acre campus serves as a center of compassion and hope for more than 2,600 homeless pets annually. Our full-service companion animal resource community serves our region by providing approximately 12,000 spay/neuter surgeries annually, and impacting more than 100,000 lives through humane education, pet behavior classes, pet therapy and our pet food bank each year. Animal Friends is proud to continue to save lives … simply put, because it’s what we do.

VISIT US ONLINE ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org

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This magazine is not responsible for the conduct, health, temperament or availability of the animals listed. The publisher retains the right to refuse any advertising. COPYING OR REPRODUCING ANY OR ALL OF THIS PUBLICATION IS URGED AND APPRECIATED, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE USE OF THE NAME “PETSBURGH MAGAZINE,” WHICH IS PROTECTED AND IS PROHIBITED IN ANY OTHER FORM, OR BY ANY OTHER MEANS.

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Petsburgh Magazine

IN THIS ISSUE

Magazine

Editor-in-Chief:

Monique Serbu Managing Editor:

Cody Hoellerman

Humane Investigations

Writers:

Suzanne Denk, Carol Fellenstein, DVM, Angie Fry, Jenn Geibel, Lauren Leffakis, Valerie Polka, Maris Seto, Katie Vecchi and Amanda Zetwo, DVM Photography:

Patty Bumbaugh, Suzanne Denk, Jamie Greene, Cody Hoellerman, Karen MacDonald, Abby McNatt, Linda Mitzel, Mary Pegher, Angela Pulice, Monique Serbu, Debbie Thomas and Cassandra Yeager Design:

Kay Braun at Direct Axis President & CEO:

Kathleen Beaver

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Breaking Mews

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10

Chow Wagon

Clinic Services

911

Understanding Feline Retrovirus

Enrichment

1214

A Day in the Life

Volunteer Appreciation

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Foster Success Stories

Happy Tails

ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org Caryl Gates Gluck Resource Center T-F: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. | S & S: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Howard Ash Animal Wellness Center T-F: 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

562 Camp Horne Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15237 Main Number: 412.847.7000

ANIMAL FRIENDS DIRECTORY Adoption 412.847.7002 | AdoptionInfo@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org Admissions 412.847.7078 | AdmissionsInfo@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org Advertising, Event Sponsorships, Donations and Mailing List Changes/Additions 412.847.7051 | Development@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org Behavior Helpline 412.847.7070 | Behavior@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org Community Programs and Classes 412.847.7035 | AFU@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org

Thank You to Our Helpers!

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Humane Investigations 412.847.7066 Events 412.847.7055 | SpecialEvents@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Program 412.847.7004 | SpayNeuter@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org Retail Stores 412.847.7022 | Retail@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org Volunteering 412.847.7053 | Volunteering@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org

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BREAKING MEWS

Our New Normal Navigating the Road to Recovery

Dear Friends, As I write this letter, it has been almost two months to the day since Animal Friends closed to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time there were so many unanswered questions. So much uncertainty. And, quite frankly, so much fear about this unknown virus. While we still have many questions, we have learned a lot including how to manage uncertainty and how to come together as a team to continue our lifesaving work.

Despite the heartbreaking decision to close Animal Friends to the public in mid-March, we are now able to see that we are going to be okay. Once the governor began transitioning our region to the yellow phase in May, we knew we were on the road to recovery and our new normal.

So, what does this mean for Animal Friends?

We will continue to re-open programs and services as we are confident that we can do so thoughtfully and safely. Many of our programs are already open by appointment and we encourage you to regularly check our website and social media pages to stay current on our operational changes and when we will fully re-open to the public.

Unfortunately, we are not yet ready to have the public coming in to “just look” or to drop in to shop in our Retail Stores without guidelines in place. We will get there soon, but for now we are asking for everyone’s patience.

Please note that as we continue to ease into our new normal, we will remain closed to public operations on Mondays. We will use this day as an opportunity to prepare our animals and our kennels after the busy weekend days and provide training to better support our staff and serve our public more effectively.

Kitten season is here! Will spay/neuter surgeries be open soon?

Thank you for helping us navigate this circuitous COVID-19 path.

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Our Clinic Services team has been busy preparing to ramp up our low-cost spay/ neuter offerings. Already, Dr. Zetwo and her team have been assisting with our adoptable animals on site as well as animals who were adopted prior to being altered due to the shut-down.

The team is now turning its attention to preparing to open surgery appointments for partner organizations and eventually the general public. As you can imagine, it will take careful planning to ensure we are ready to go and that we have all the proper supplies, personal protective equipment and safety protocols in place. Our

BREAKING MEWS goal is to open spay/neuter beyond our internal needs in June. Appointments are now being scheduled for the summer months.

Once we get caught up on spay/neuter we will gradually re-open our wellness appointments and vaccine clinics.

To each of you …

From your financial support and in-kind donations to opening your homes to our residents as fosters and permanent adoptions, thank you for helping us navigate this circuitous COVID-19 path. Because of you, we were able to provide food to thousands of hungry pets, place nearly 200 shelter animals in to lifelong homes, open up dozens of new foster homes for our residents, and we kept everyone safe and healthy in the process.

We are looking forward to the time when we will once again see you in person on our campus but for now know we are making great headway as we begin to carefully re-open our lifesaving programs to the community.

Thank you for making this journey one of flexibility, creativity and compassion. Your dedication is truly appreciated.

Kathleen Beaver President & CEO

“

Because of you, we were able to provide food to thousands of hungry pets, place nearly 200 shelter animals in to lifelong homes, open up dozens of new foster homes for our residents, and we kept everyone safe and healthy in the process.”

Thank you for helping Animal Friends weather the storm during COVID-19. Your support has made it possible for us to continue our lifesaving work, even during the most uncertain times.

We know that we cannot possibly recognize everyone individually, but special thanks to those who have gone above and beyond to help the pets and people of our region.

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CLINIC SERVICES

Telehealth:

Providing Comfort from a Distance

By Amanda Zetwo, DVM, Medical Director of Clinic & Community Services

Looking to the Centers for Disease Control, Department of Health and other animal welfare organizations for guidance, Animal Friends suspended all services which were not deemed urgent. This was in an effort to conserve our personal protective equipment so that it would be available for human medical care in the event of a national shortage. But, we knew that we still needed to be there for the pets and people who needed us.

Veterinary staff working in the nonprofit community are some of the most creative thinkers.

We are always seeking new ways to provide the highest level of care while working around barriers such as cost and transportation. So, when the stay-at-home order was issued, we knew that we would need to change our operations in order to continue to serve our clients.

In addition to following guidelines to suspend all non-emergency care, we were also committed to protecting our staff, volunteers and clients. And, in doing our part to adhere to social distancing recommendations, we introduced a new tool to our Clinic & Community Services – Telehealth!

Telehealth is conducted over the phone, by email or during a video chat as a way to provide direction in caring for a pet who may be experiencing health issues. Due to Pennsylvania law, we cannot diagnose or prescribe medications over the phone. While we can assist with minor issues that simply require the owner to keep

“

Enclosed is my donation of ... $50

$100

$250

$500

Other $

Please make checks payable to Animal Friends, Inc. Name Address City

ST

Zip

Send this form with your donation to Animal Friends, Sponsor-a-Spay Program, 562 Camp Horne Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15237. All donations are tax-deductible. Or, make your donation online at ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org/DonateNow.

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During our Telehealth appointments, we saw a variety of cases ranging from cats with upper respiratory problems, to dogs with ticks, behavior concerns, reproductive issues and growths, coughing and even a few consultations for rabbit owners.

As our community continues to work toward a new normal, our services will continue to evolve.

And, our goal will remain the same – to meet the needs of our community and to keep pets healthy!

Telehealth is conducted over the phone, by email or during a video chat as a way to provide direction in caring for a pet who may be experiencing health issues. While we can assist with minor issues that simply require the owner to keep a close eye on the pet, some cases require an immediate referral to an emergency veterinary hospital or local clinic.”

SUPPORT OUR LIFESAVING WORK $25

a close eye on the pet, some cases require an immediate referral to an emergency veterinary hospital or local clinic. In some cases, we were able to schedule urgent surgeries to be completed at our clinic.

MEDICAL

cats as long as the risk of bites from fighting is mitigated.

FeLV is a disease spread through “friendly” cat behavior such as sharing food and water bowls or consensual grooming. It can also be spread from mother to kittens while the kittens are developing in the uterus or through the mother’s milk while nursing. Once inside the body, there are different pathways the disease can follow depending on how the body’s immune system responds to the initial infection.

FeLV and FIV:

By removing the stigma ... we successfully began placing FeLV-positive cats into loving homes!

Understanding Feline Retroviruses

By Carol Fellenstein, DVM, Medical Director – Shelter Medicine At a time when we are feeling confined and restricted, a special group of cats at Animal Friends has gotten a new lease on life.

In February, we made exciting changes to our policy on the housing and adoption of cats with the retroviral infections Feline Leukemia (FeLV) and Feline Immunodeficiency (FIV). These changes were based on recently published guidelines from the American Association of Feline Practitioners, which states that cats with these diseases can live long, happy lives and pose less of a risk to other cats in the community than originally believed. This report opened the door for Animal Friends and other organizations across the country to place new priorities on finding homes for these special cats.

To understand how important these changes are we must first understand the diseases.

FeLV and FIV are respectively nicknamed the “friendly cat disease” and the “unfriendly cat disease.” These nicknames give us

an insight into the way they are transmitted.

Both diseases are spread through bodily fluids with saliva being one of the most significant spreaders.

FIV, the “unfriendly” cat disease, is spread through bite wounds that may be inflicted when cats fight. The new guidelines show that it takes the introduction of saliva deep into muscle tissue from a bite for the disease to take hold and that the risk of transmission through routine grooming is small. This new information opens up different options for housing and adopting our FIV-positive cats.

We now know they can be safely housed next to, or with FIV-negative

The two important pathways, or forms, the disease can take are called regressive or progressive infections. A regressive infection means the body’s immune system is strong enough to hold the infection in check but is not able to eliminate it completely from the body. A progressive infection is one where the immune system is not strong enough to do either very effectively. It was once believed that cats with either form of infection would have a poor quality of life which then predetermined their fate.

The new guidelines regarding FeLV-positive cats allowed for the greatest change in Animal Friends’ policy. The new research shows that these cats can move between the two forms of infection based on the health of their immune system. They also have the potential to live a normal life span. By placing them into loving homes, we offer them the best opportunity to stay healthy and to enjoy a quality life.

We put our new policy in action with 15 FeLV-positive cats who were rescued by our Humane Investigations team. By removing the stigma that had been placed on these cats in the past, providing education for the adopters and being a resource for veterinarians in the community, we successfully began placing FeLV-positive cats into loving homes!

With the help of science, Animal Friends has been able to expand our mission of finding loving homes to this special group of cats. And this is some good news we can all use right now!

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HUMANE INVESTIGATIONS

Protecting Our Most Vulnerable Neighbors During

Unprecedented Times

By Valerie Polka, Humane Investigations Resource Liaison and Angie Fry, Humane Society Police Officer

“

COVID-19 has turned our world upside down and has made helping the most vulnerable members of our community more of a challenge than ever.

But in the midst of such unprecedented times, there are still those who remain vigilant and keep an eye out for animal suffering. And, they turn to Animal Friends’ Humane Investigations team for help.”

Beginning in April, our Humane Investigations team was faced with a modified schedule and limited coverage as Animal Friends adjusted to a new way of life. In just over a month, however, we logged 59 calls about lack of clean water, food, shelter, veterinary care as well as reports of animals with injuries or living in unsanitary conditions. While some complaints came from areas outside of our jurisdiction, the majority of these reports came from Allegheny County.

During these particularly challenging times, our team has continued to investigate these reports of abuse, neglect and cruelty. We have met with pet owners to assess conditions, provided education and, when necessary, intervened with legal action. Like so many, our Humane Investigations team has adjusted their daily routine, wearing masks when on location and interacting with the public by phone or email when possible. Thankfully, we have continued to work closely with local law enforcement agencies to offer guidance about how to handle reports of animal cruelty.

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When the stay-at-home order and travel limitations were first issued in Allegheny County, the number of calls our team received began to decline. As people were spending less time out and about, this meant that there were fewer people to witness potential cases of abuse or neglect. But, we knew that there were still animals out there who needed us and that it was critical for our Humane Investigations team to stand ready.

there may be an increase in stress, frustration and financial worries. This can heighten the risk that animals – or other humans – in the home could be victims of abuse. As first responders, our Humane Investigations team could be the first to experience and report mistreatment to children, spouses and the elderly. Having the ability to continue investigating reports is not only critical for the protection of pets of our region, but people as well.

Studies have shown a direct relationship between animal abuse and domestic violence.

As families are spending more time at home,

As our way of daily life continues to change, we encourage you to keep an eye on your neighbors – two- and four-legged alike. If you see something, say something. Our Humane Investigations team remains committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community.

If you have witnessed animal cruelty in Allegheny County, contact our Humane Investigations team at 412.847.7066 to give your eyewitness report.

ENRICHMENT

Sheltering at Home: Creating an Enrichment Routine for Your Pets

By Suzanne Denk, Animal Enrichment Specialist, Dip.FBST One of the perks of being home during this difficult time is spending more time with our pets. This time can be enhanced by providing enrichment games, but it is important for our pets that we keep routines as normal as possible. Maintaining a routine will decrease stress and help your pet adapt when you return to activities outside the home and they’re alone again. Creating an enrichment routine can help with transitions, ease stress, create a bond and provide fun! Choose a morning activity and an evening activity and always supervise your pet with something new.

“

If your pet will not engage with an activity, try focusing on the food or treat instead of the item.

Break the activity into small parts, make a trail of treats to the puzzle or show them what to do. Make it easy!”

For more enrichment ideas, visit Thinking OutsideTheCage.org/ Enrichment

Here’s an easy activity to get you started that only takes a few minutes to prepare. A rolled towel can become a foraging puzzle for your cat, dog or rabbit. Roll treats up in a cloth or towel and leave a little fabric with a visible trail of treats to the rolled cloth. The weight of the fabric can determine the difficulty level.

Place the roll in front of your pet so that the towel will begin to unroll when they touch it.

When they can unroll the toy with ease, try offering it rolled up completely and with the roll turned away, bunched or bent. You can try boxes, crumpled paper, egg cartons, sniffing mats or store-bought puzzles.

Remember that all pets are individuals and not everyone enjoys every activity. Keep activity sessions short and set your pet up for success.

Enrichment is not a test to complete and should be enjoyable for them so that they will want to do it again. Give your pet a chance to understand a new activity and try more than once before giving up!

If your pet will not engage with an activity, try focusing on the food or treat instead of the item. Break the activity into small parts,

make a trail of treats to the puzzle or show them what to do. Make it easy! If your pet is not food motivated, try using hidden toys in the towel or puzzle. Don’t forget that social interaction and walks or exploring outside (yes, even cats and rabbits can be acclimated to a leash or harness!) are also great enrichment to include in the routine. You can find more ideas to get started with your enrichment routine at ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org/Enrichment.

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CHOW WAGON

Chow Wagon

The number of individuals needing help quickly increased by 65-75%

Supporting Pet Owners in Crisis

By Jenn Geibel, Director of Clinic & Community Services At Animal Friends, we know that pets are valued members of the family. We also recognize that many families in our region suffer from food insecurity, and if people are hungry, so are their pets. In 2007, Animal Friends established the Chow Wagon Pet Food Bank to address this concern and to keep pets in homes with the families who love them. Each month, our Chow Wagon distributes more than 8,500 pounds of pet food to 32 local food pantries, social service agencies, homeless shelters, Meals on Wheels programs, veteran’s agencies and countless pet owners and colony caretakers.

As many businesses and individuals were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, we knew that the Chow Wagon would be needed more than ever. With mass layoffs and business closures, families who have never had to seek assistance were now turning to Animal Friends in search of food for their beloved pets. The number of individuals needing help quickly increased by 65-75% – more than our current partnering organizations could assist alone. This overwhelming need inspired us to host a mass drive-thru pet food distribution. This no-contact event put more than 17,000 pounds of pet food into the hands of the people who needed it most, supporting nearly 1,600 hungry pets in our region!

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While so many members of our community remain out of work, we plan to continue providing an increased level of support to individuals in need. As impactful as our drive-thru distribution was, transportation barriers prevented many of our neighbors from accessing this muchneeded resource. So, we began identifying local communities with the greatest need. We have been busy collaborating with local leaders and business owners to establish satellite Chow Wagon Pet Food Hubs, which will serve as a pet food resource within each community and offer food directly to the pets and people who need it most.

None of this would be possible without our generous donors. The Chow Wagon Pet Food Bank is run solely on donations from the community, including in-kind donations of pet food and financial support. Every little bit helps to keep the hungry pets of our region fed and in their homes where they belong.

To learn about the ways you can support our Chow Wagon Pet Food Bank, visit ThinkingOutside TheCage.org/SupportChowWagon.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

A Day in the Life

Providing Care During COVID-19

“

This ongoing crisis has presented us with its fair share of challenges, but all of these things have allowed us to grow as a team and improve communication not only within our department but throughout the entire organization.� decreased, our longer-term residents had a better chance of getting adopted!

By Maris Seto, Behavior Care Technician When the quarantine began and the effects of the COVID-19 crisis hit Animal Friends, we saw an impact on the animals that we never could have imagined ‌ We were blown away by the kindness of our community and the generous people who stepped up to foster so many of our animal residents. By getting as many animals as we could out of our kennels and into foster homes, not only were we able to stay safe while performing our duties, but the animals were able to receive care in a more comfortable setting away from the stress of the shelter environment. This break gave these animals a chance to enjoy more individualized attention and they were much happier and comfortable in general. And, as the population in our kennels

We saw great improvements in behavior which we attributed to a quieter and calmer environment at Animal Friends. Many of our shy residents received more individualized attention which helped them to come out of their shells and build trust with our staff and volunteers.

Like Hector and Hercules, a bonded pair of cats who came to Animal Friends after their owner became ill and could no longer care for them. Hercules was the more outgoing of the two and would often protect Hector, but both were still very cautious of their environment and wary of human interaction. During the closure, our Behavior team continued

to work with the pair and began to notice improvements with both of them. Hector has experienced an especially impressive transformation and began to take treats from the hands of trusted friends. And, he even initiated contact with a nose to finger touch and a paw to hand touch!

With a smaller population of animals, we were also able to complete necessary improvements to the facility that would be much more difficult with full kennels. We took on projects like painting, deep cleaning and re-organizing so that the focus could be entirely on the animals when we reopened. It was a difficult and uncertain time, but we came together to take care of our facility in order to continue to uphold high standards for the health and safety of animals and humans alike.

This ongoing crisis has presented us with its fair share of challenges, but all of these things have allowed us to grow as a team and improve communication not only within our department but throughout the entire organization. Despite the current situation, we have upheld our mission to care for and find a loving home for each animal who needs us.

Hector and Hercules

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VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION

Thank You to

Thanks to our volunteers, Animal Friends continues to weather the storm...

Our Helpers “ Springtime is usually a very exciting time for volunteering at Animal Friends.

We see an increase in the number of volunteers who are taking advantage of the nicer weather and longer days to come and spend some time with our animal residents.

As the spring and summer months arrive, we offer educational opportunities, training activities and special events that keep our campus bustling with activity. At Animal Friends, we rely on our volunteers to share their time and talents in so many ways and we look forward to recognizing their hard work with special activities like Volunteer Appreciation Week where we show thanks for everything our volunteers do to support our lifesaving mission.

But this year, spring took on a very different look. An event that was circled on our calendar – the annual Volunteer

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As days turned to weeks, we continued to receive letters, calls and emails from new and long-term volunteers alike asking how they could help. Some made hand-sewn masks at home while others collected donations for our Chow Wagon Pet Food Bank and helped with fundraising.”

Appreciation Dinner – was put on hold and we shifted our focus to the health and safety of our dedicated volunteers and staff.

To help flatten the curve and limit the spread of COVID-19 in our community, we had to ask many of our volunteers to simply stay home. Our goal was to limit the number of people on our campus in order to reduce the potential spread of the virus among our helpers. We knew that our volunteers wanted nothing more than to be spending time with their favorite dogs, cats and rabbits, but if everyone became ill, there would be nobody to care for the animals!

As days turned to weeks, we continued to receive letters, calls and emails from new and long-term volunteers alike asking how they could help. Some made hand-sewn masks at home while others collected

donations for our Chow Wagon Pet Food Bank and helped with fundraising. Dozens

VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION

“

Even with all of these efforts in place, there was still a need for volunteers to be on campus supporting our lifesaving work and providing direct care to the animals who remained on-site. So, our animal handlers worked together with staff to create teams that would work opposite schedules.”

upon dozens of others stepped up and opened their homes to foster animals – even further reducing the number of animal handlers on our campus. As an added bonus, this time away from the kennels gave the animals a welldeserved break from the daily stress of a shelter environment while they waited to be adopted!

Even with all of these efforts in place, there was still a need for volunteers to

be on campus supporting our lifesaving work and providing direct care to the animals who remained on-site. So, our animal handlers worked together with staff to create teams that would work opposite schedules. This was another way to limit interactions between volunteers and ensured that each of the animals would continue to receive the care they needed. Some volunteers took their commitment a step further to organize and coordinate their peers and to communicate information so that the newest health and safety protocols were followed.

Our volunteers are involved in every single part of our lifesaving mission at Animal Friends. Their dedication is always on full display – and it has been especially clear as we navigate this crisis together. Thanks to our volunteers, Animal Friends continues to be a lifesaving community resource while making every effort to keep each member of our team safe and healthy.

We look forward to the day where we can all be together to celebrate, but until then we want to say thank you to our helpers.

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FOSTER SUCCESS STORIES

Foster Heroes:

Tala’s

Story Thank you to each and every one of our dedicated foster guardians.

By Lauren Leffakis, Chief Operating Officer Tala came to Animal Friends after she had been abandoned in a home. When we first met her, Tala was so timid and fearful that she wouldn’t come out of her transport carrier. We were able to coax her out so that our Medical team could give her a physical, vaccines and make sure that she didn’t have any injuries. It didn’t take long for us to realize that Tala would be very overwhelmed spending her days in a kennel.

In an effort to make her transition into our care as comfortable as possible, Tala was set up in a smaller room where she could receive more one-on-one attention from staff and volunteers.

For the first few days, Tala would only come out of her crate when no one was around. Staff and volunteers began spending time reading quietly to her and encouraging her to come out.

But, it took several visits to teach Tala to trust enough to even take treats that were tossed into her crate. Eventually, Tala began to open up to a small group of people who she would be overjoyed to see. She would jump and dance around when they entered the room!

Still, the sounds, smells and routine of the shelter were visibly stressful for Tala. We gradually worked to get her comfortable in new spaces and were just introducing her to 14

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walking on leash when COVID-19 changed all of our normal daily operations. Despite limited staffing and a reduced number of volunteers, we remained committed to helping Tala come out of her shell.

After the stay-at-home order was issued, Animal Friends saw an incredible response from the community as hundreds of foster inquiries began pouring in. Recognizing that this opportunity to place so many shelter animals into foster homes was incredibly unique, we quickly developed a plan to train new fosters remotely. We were able to find foster homes for over half of our shelter population in a very short period of time.

As the weeks passed, a few of our special residents remained, including Tala. Knowing that she needed someone with incredible patience, experience with fearful dogs and a willingness to let her slowly acclimate, we were careful in matching her with an appropriate foster. That’s when Alex, a young Ph.D. candidate, reached out and asked whether Tala was still available. Since he was spending more time at home, Alex was interested in helping Tala.

We arranged for a foster meet and greet and let Alex know that Tala may be fearful of him and

may not be comfortable approaching. When we brought Tala in the room, Alex was calm, patient and extremely gentle with his tone of voice. Tala was uncomfortable at first, pacing and looking toward the door. Respecting Tala’s space, Alex asked questions and we talked through her history and how best to work with her. Although Alex knew that Tala was going to take some time to warm up to him, he still offered to take her home. As we began planning for her foster stay, Tala quietly approached Alex and sniffed him. Alex, understanding and respecting Tala, spoke to her and let her make the important choice to approach without forcing her. This was a big step in the right direction!

After a few days, we reached out to Alex for an update on Tala. In no time at all, Tala had made herself right at home! Developing trust based on respect and empowering Tala to choose her interactions, Alex and Tala had become fast friends. As an active young dog, Tala enjoys going on runs with Alex. When Tala left, we gave Alex a crate that she could use as a safe space, but we learned that she hasn’t used that crate at all and is becoming more comfortable each day!

Foster homes are vital for some of our residents.

Tala’s timid and fearful demeanor made it difficult for us to manage her stress and get to

FOSTER SUCCESS STORIES

“

After the stay-at-home order was issued, Animal Friends saw an incredible response from the community as hundreds of foster inquiries began pouring in. Recognizing that this opportunity to place so many shelter animals into foster homes was incredibly unique, we quickly developed a plan to train new fosters remotely. We were able to find foster homes for over half of our shelter population in a very short period of time.�

know her. In the comfort of a home with someone who understands and respects her, Tala has truly blossomed. Not only has this foster home given her a chance to take a break from the shelter environment and to enjoy spending time in a home, it has helped us to gain essential information that will help us match her with potential adopters.

helps us get to know them better and to place them appropriately. Foster homes are the most incredible gift and an essential part of animal welfare.

While Animal Friends provides the highest quality, most compassionate care for our residents, we know that a shelter environment can be a very stressful place for pets. We work tirelessly to reduce this stress, but we know that Animal Friends is meant to be a temporary stop for the animals who find their way to us. It is through compassionate and loving foster homes that we are able to truly get to know how our animals will react when placed into loving homes. It

It is in the face of this adversity that we have been able to place some of our most unique residents into loving foster homes. These animals with medical and behavior challenges are able to make incredible progress in a home environment under the care of a dedicated foster family. While the sadness surrounding the current situation remains, we are so happy to know that we have expanded our community of foster guardians. While they may not know it, the lives of countless animals have changed for the better as a result of the selflessness and compassion of these amazing people.

While the outbreak of COVID-19 has certainly created new challenges for all of us, we are humbled by the hundreds of people in our community who have chosen to take this opportunity to open their homes to shelter animals. While this situation is challenging, scary, frustrating and terribly sad, we are so grateful to those who have chosen to use their time at home to benefit homeless animals.

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NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PD Pittsburgh, PA PERMIT NO. 602

Caryl Gates Gluck Resource Center Howard Ash Animal Wellness Center 562 Camp Horne Road Pittsburgh, PA 15237

THINKING OUTSIDE THE CAGE

HAPPY

Hank’s profile on our website and wanted to learn more about him. They were experienced cat owners who did not currently have any pets and were hoping that Hank could be the newest member of their family. On the day they came to meet Hank, it was only a matter of minutes before everyone knew these three would be going home together.

Tails

Hank Makes Himself at Home

Within the first 24 hours of his adoption, we received updates about how well Hank was doing and how quickly he made himself at home. He enjoys sitting in the living room and watching the world outside through the window. Hank has also acclimated Kathy and Glen to his schedule, ensuring they wake up in time to give him breakfast when he’s ready! Although it may have taken some time for Hank to find his new home, it was certainly worth the wait to be adopted by the perfect family.

By Katie Vecchi, Adoption Coordinator Every day at Animal Friends, our goal is to match our homeless residents with loving families. Even with the unique circumstances that arose with COVID-19, this dedication never faltered. Instead, this unprecedented time lead to numerous placements of dogs, cats and rabbits into caring and loving homes. Some of these adoptions were especially heartwarming, particularly the adoption of Hank the cat.

Hank came to Animal Friends at the beginning of the year after he had been found as a stray by a good Samaritan. She was unable to keep him, so she brought him to Animal Friends to find his new family. Shortly after his arrival, our Behavior team found that Hank was not interested in having cat friends – he preferred the company of people. To help Hank have the best possible experience while waiting for his new family, he was moved from our traditional kennels to one of our meet-and-greet rooms, where he was able to roam and lounge by himself.

In this space, Hank’s true personality started to shine. Our staff and volunteers quickly found that Hank loved to play with toys, spend quality time lounging on the bench with a human friend or simply watch the world go by from the top

perch of his cat tree. Hank was often overlooked by potential adopters, but still, he waited patiently for his new family to come along.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continued to unfold, we had to change our adoption process to adhere to government mandates. In an effort to continue to serve the community and our homeless residents, our Adoption team worked with potential adopters over the phone and through email to help them find the perfect pet. Adopters were then able to visit with our residents during scheduled meet and greets.

This process proved to be extremely successful and resulted in so many wonderful adoptions, including some of our longest-term residents.

It was during this time that Kathy and Glen reached out to Animal Friends because they saw

This crisis has proven to be challenging for everyone. But, we have been truly amazed by how many wonderful people continue to open their hearts and homes to our animal residents. It has been a rewarding experience for our Adoption team to work with so many incredible families.