Message from ARL's President Dear Friend, Over the past few months our attention has been captured by Harvey, Irma, Jose and Maria. Unfortunately, these are not the names of adorable animals but instead devastating hurricanes that have impacted millions of people, their pets, and local wildlife. We were reminded how destructive flood damage can be, but, we were also continually inspired by ordinary people, who in crisis turn to help one another and their companion animals. If there is any good news from these horrible events it is in seeing the progress that has been made in our national emergency response system which is better organized to rescue and shelter pets. After Katrina, Congress passed legislation requiring local and state authorities who want federal emergency grants to include pets in disaster plans. It also authorized the use of federal funds for pet-friendly emergency shelters. From Katrina we have also learned that — while our instincts when witnessing these disasters is to want to collect food, clothing and get in a car and help — these individual actions can overwhelm struggling
Claymore A 4-month-old kitten from our Hurricane Irma transport.
communities and that financial support, large scale food and supply distribution and highly coordinated rescue is most helpful. We saw our national and local animal welfare partners, in the days preceding the storms, transport animals from local shelters to receiving shelters across the country. This way, space was made available to accept homeless animals impacted by the storm. This strategy is also a lesson learned from Katrina because we know that once settled, pet owners will seek out their pets and it is better to keep animals close by where they can be reunited with their families. This is exactly what happened at ARL where we received a transport of kittens from a Florida shelter, that freed up critical space for other animals. With high demand for kittens in Massachusetts, these animals were adopted in record speed. Ironically, just a few weeks before the hurricanes we received transports of puppy and kittens from Puerto Rico and Florida. On page 9, you can read an interview with Caitie Tomlinson, our Associate Director of Shelter Operations,
explaining why ARL is forging new partnerships to accept animals from other states and territories. In the pages that follow you will also read about the many varied ways that ARL is working to keep animals safe and healthy in their communities. We give tribute to: donors like Sadhana and Rick Downs who are supporting our efforts with community cats; to an inspiring group of youth from the Boys and Girls Club of Boston who chose ARL for a philanthropic gift; and to ARL’s law enforcement and rescue services that are addressing a multitude of local crises including several animal hoarding cases. Finally, in September we remembered our dear colleague of 46 years, cemetery caretaker, Mike Thomas, who passed in 2016 but who leaves a legacy of service that will not be forgotten. If you visit our Dedham campus in the future, a memorial bench in his honor will welcome you as Mike always did. Witnessing these crises makes you count your blessings. I am so grateful to the community of ARL volunteers, staff and supporters, who travel this road with us and celebrate and work for humane treatment of animals and sustaining the human animal bond. Sincerely,
Mary Nee President
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