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Dear
Friend of Animal Haven,
Thirty-five years ago, Animal Haven opened its doors to the first of thousands of homeless cats and dogs that would pass through our shelter. Our mission then was the same as it is today: to place cats and dogs in loving homes while giving a lifetime home to those who can't be placed.
From the very beginning, Animal Haven was a "no-kill"
shelter. This concept was rare in 1967; many enlightened people
believed that the only way to protect "surplus" animals from abuse,
neglect and abandonment was to kill them. Small grassroots
organizations like Animal Haven were in the forefront of the no-kill
movement. In the early days, Animal Haven constantly struggled just
to keep the doors open. The shelter survived because of the
commitment and generosity of its early members.
We now know
that it is simply not enough to place an animal in a home, any home,
or to just simply wait and hope that they will be adopted. We need
to be more proactive to ensure their safety and wellbeing.
Today, Animal Haven remains true to its original mission,
while meeting today's needs. We have added many programs that
increase adoptions, keep adopted animals in their homes and improve
the quality of life of our shelter animals. Some of the programs
that your dollars make possible are:
* Our mobile adoption van brings adoptable pets out to the community. This has increased our adoption rate dramatically. The van also helps us spread the message about responsible pet ownership to a wider audience. Your membership dollars keep this van on the road.
* The MaryLou Liberman dog-training program underwrites three dog-training classes every weekend at the shelter. These classes are free to adopters to help them make their dogs better pets; they instruct our volunteer dog walkers in proper behavior techniques for teaching our dogs good manners; and they socialize the shelter dogs with people and other dogs, thus making them more adoptable. Your membership dollars keep this program alive.
* Veterinary programs for the health and wellbeing of all our cats and dogs mean every animal is spayed or neutered before adoption and our special needs animals never go without the procedures and medication they need. In addition, Animal Haven has partnered with the ASPCA spay/neuter van to offer low-cost spay and neuter services to the community once a month at our shelter. Your membership dollars help us to underwrite these costs.
* Animal Haven Acres, our sanctuary in upstate New York, opened early in February when the first group of our most "difficult" dogs moved up there for intensive training. Hopefully, when their behavior has improved they will return to the shelter for adoption. This sanctuary was designed to be a place where intractable, special needs, or very old dogs will live out their lives in a homelike atmosphere. Soon, some of our special needs cats will also move to the country! Your membership dollars gives these otherwise doomed animals a home in which to live out their lives.
Animals at our shelter are not our only priority. Currently we are working close to home with two colonies of feral cats. Several of these cats have already been trapped and the young kittens and people-friendly cats are now at our shelter; some have already been adopted. Our goal is to trap and neuter all the cats in the colony, release the feral ones and manage the colony until we can relocate them to a safer place. Your membership dollars make this possible.
Because
all animals are our concern, Animal Haven has partnered with other
animal welfare organizations. In 2001 we were able to take dogs and
cats, puppies and kittens from the overburdened Center for Animal
Care and Control, where adoptable animals are often put to death,
and found them homes. We also rescued several dogs from upstate New
York, and worked with the CACC and ASPCA in their rescue efforts at
Ground Zero, the site of the World Trade Center disaster in New York
City.
Thanks to you, that small shelter which started out so bravely in 1967, is alive, well and very busy. Above all, your membership contribution is necessary to provide the basis daily needs of almost 300 animals: nutritious food, veterinary care, a warm place to sleep, people to care for them, train them, love them and find them homes. Your membership contribution does all of that! We cannot continue without your help. The commitment you make through your membership donation will enable is to maintain these programs at their current levels and hopefully expand them.
Whatever you can give, from $10.00 to $1000 or any amount in
between, every gift helps. Your membership contribution continues the work of
those pioneers of Animal Haven's past and is our hope for the
present and the future.
Gratefully,
Marcello Forte
Executive Director
P.S. Why not come down to the shelter
and see your membership dollars at work first hand?
P.P.S.
Do you know that your gift can be worth twice as much if you work
for a matching gift company?
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