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A message from ARL’s President, Mary Nee

Animal Rescue League of Boston supporters,

I have some news that I want to share with you.

I have decided to retire in May 2020 and step down as President of the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL). I am honored to have served as ARL’s president since 2012, only the eighth person in 120 years to hold this position, and just the second woman, since our founder, Anna Harris Smith.

This decision is entirely personal as I am eager to join my husband Jim in retirement and begin the next chapter of our lives. I hope that this chapter will include some travel, and, an unscheduled life, with more time to read, reflect, and enjoy family and friends.

While my decision is personal, it is also made with a sense that ARL is in a very good place. Having established a strategic vision focused on serving animals and people most in need, we are seeing the benefits of this direction through increasing impact to the most vulnerable of our community.

In addition, the next five years will see new facilities and services that will further strengthen this amazing organization, with master planning and design work to replace aging facilities complete or well underway.  I am confident in our ability to achieve these goals and appreciate the continued effort that will be required for success. I believe it will be most beneficial for ARL to have in place leadership who can see these projects and progress through to completion, taking this historic animal welfare organization to even higher levels of innovation and impact.

I leave knowing that we have that leadership in ARL’s Board of Directors and our talented staff. The board has been closely involved in my retirement planning and are reviewing the skills and attributes desired in a new president. In the coming weeks they intend to communicate their plans for future leadership.

Anticipating retirement is exciting, but leaving ARL is difficult. My career has spanned nearly 43 years in mission-based organizations in Boston. Prior to coming to ARL, this work revolved around issues related to human or community conditions. In joining ARL, I thought I was taking a detour from my past work. I was wrong.

The world of animal welfare is inextricably linked to humans, both the good and the bad. This link and the complexity of navigating through animal and human conditions makes for fascinating and highly complex work. My experiences here have been both tremendously rewarding and, at the same time, eye opening.  I now look at community quite differently, particularly the interplay of humans, animals, and the environment. I cannot adequately convey all of my learnings here and I intend to share with you my reflections on this transformative experience in a future communication.

As some of you know, I have a favorite quote attributed to Justice David Souter that has always resonated with me in terms of one’s life’s work. “For most of us the very best work we do sinks into the stream very quickly. We have to find satisfaction in being part of the great stream.”

For me being part of ARL, its compassionate work and the tireless efforts of staff, volunteers and donors alike who have responded to nearly 125,000 animals over the past 7+ years, is enormously rewarding and I will cherish having been part of this great stream for the rest of my life.

In the coming months I hope I can connect with many of you that have supported my journey at ARL and in the Boston community to reminisce and say thank you. Your friendship and support has sustained my many professional adventures and made possible any measure of success achieved. For this, I am eternally grateful.

Sincerely,

Mary signature

Mary Nee
President
Animal Rescue League of Boston

Click here to read Mary’s executive profile in the January 24, 2020 edition of the Boston Business Journal.   

Photo by Suzanne Kreiter/Globe staff/Globe staff

Home for the Holidays

For many, the holiday season brings feelings of warmth, comfort, and friendship – and our wish for you and all the animals in our care is to experience the joy of the holidays.

Your generous support made this wish come true for thousands of animals so far this year, including:

  • 4,420 pets and community cats who were spayed and neutered to keep them healthy
  • 2,770 animals who were rehabilitated and adopted into forever homes
  • 980 pets who received affordable pet wellness services in the convenience of their own community
  • 275 cats and dogs who were transported away from overcrowded shelters in other states

But this important work to help animals is not close to being done.

In the last two months alone, ARL rescued over 160 animals from the horrors of neglect — and even more cases are under active investigation.  There has been a troubling increase in the number of animal cruelty and hoarding-type cases that result in a sudden influxes of animals in dire need, which is why your donations are critical to make sure we can stand ready to answer the call for help at any time.

At the same time, our shelter population is changing and we are seeing more animals with complex medical and behavior issues that require additional resources, skilled staff, and extra time to improve.

These animals need you now more than ever, and it’s not too late to help!

Animals give us so much.  Please consider giving back by donating today.

symbolic gifts

Thank you for your thoughtful year-end gift that makes happier lives possible for animals all year long!

Need assistance or want to give by phone? Please call us at (617) 426-9170 x603

Prefer to donate by check? Please have it postmarked by December 31, so that it may be considered tax-deductible for 2019 to the extent allowed by IRS regulations.

Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act (PACT) Signed into Law

President Trump signed into law the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act, or the PACT Act. The PACT Act is the first felony animal cruelty charge at the federal level.

The PACT Act may be the first felony animal cruelty law at the federal level, but it is a continuation of work that began almost 20 years ago. In 1999, Congress passed a law prohibiting creation, sale, and ownership of so called “animal crush videos.” These videos, a cruel and horrific depiction, were not illegal under any federal law. This 1999 law sought to stop the spread of these videos by targeting the videos themselves. However, there were concerns about the wording of the original law, and in 2010, the Supreme Court of the United States found the law was unconstitutional on the basis that the wording was broad and vague. After this setback, Congress passed the Animal Crush Video Prohibition Act of 2010. This law more narrowly prohibited the creation and distribution of such videos, but failed to criminalize the underlying animal cruelty in these videos.

Animal advocates have pushed for years to include these protections at the federal level, and finally, in 2019, we have a federal felony for the worst kinds of animal cruelty. This law prohibits conduct where mammals are “purposely crushed, burned, drowned, suffocated, impaled, or otherwise subjected to serious bodily injury…” Federal laws have limits as to what they can reach. To be a federal crime, it has to affect interstate commerce, or occur on federal lands. What this means practically is that many animal cruelty cases, which do not go across state lines, and may not include interstate commerce, can only be prosecuted at the state level. However, the omnipresent use of the internet brings “interstate commerce” into our lives almost every day.  

Animal cruelty is illegal in all 50 states. However, this law gives law enforcement another tool to stop the most horrendous of acts towards animals, often done for monetary gain.

ARL Advocacy in Action
The Animal Rescue League of Boston continues to support legislation that enhances and improves protections for animals. Click here to view our 2019-2020 Legislative Agenda.

 

Welcoming Your Adopted Dog into Your Home

Congratulations! You’ve adopted a dog and it’s going home with you this afternoon, so what’s next? After dog-proofing your house and gathering the necessary supplies (collar, ID tag, water bowl, crate, food, toys, and cleaning products), you’ll need to think about how to acclimate your pup the moment his paws walk through your front door.

Follow these tips to help your furry family member settle into their new house:

The first day

  • Bring your dog straight home and do not stop for errands along the way.
  • Calmly introduce to your pup to your family members outside, one at a time.
  • Limit visitors to prevent your dog from getting overwhelmed.
  • Keep your pup leashed, and lead them into the house for a tour of each room.
  • Stay close to home and do not go out on any major excursions.
  • Take your dog outside often for bathroom breaks, even if they were housetrained previously.
  • Give your pup ample quiet time to acclimate to their new surroundings.

Daily routines

  • Place your dog’s crate or bed in the room where you would like them to sleep, not in an uninhibited area, such as the garage or basement.
  • Offer your pup 2-3 meals per day; do not leave a full bowl of food out for them all day.
  • Use chew toys and interactive toys to keep your dog physically and mentally busy.
  • Keep walks to 5-10 minutes until you get to know your dog’s behavior and response to stimuli, such as cars, unfamiliar people, and squirrels.
    Prevent anxiety with being left alone by not making a fuss over your comings and goings. Practice leaving your pup in the crate and/or with chew toy for short periods several times per day.

Relationship building

  • Stimulate your dog physically and mentally with training. At ARL, we believe that positive reinforcement, reward-based training methods are the best course of action, especially when teaching dogs new things or desensitizing fearful dogs to new experiences.
  • Play the “name game” by periodically calling your dog’s name when they look at you and rewarding them with a piece of kibble as a treat. (See Pg. 8 for more on this training method.)

Adopting a dog from the South? “They may need additional time to adjust to their new environment,” explains ARL’s Animal Behavior Manager, Laney Nee. “Southern dogs have likely never been exposed to city noises, loud trucks, or lots of people, including men and children. Any aggressive behavior that they exhibit is simply a reaction to their fear and discomfort and should not be misconstrued as ‘bad’ behavior.” Adopters will need to exercise patience to help their new pup acclimate to simple things, such as living indoors, being confined to a leash, and being the only dog around for the first time. “It’s important to pair the thing that they are afraid of with delicious high-value food so that they build a more positive association to the new thing they are fearful of,” says Laney.

If you have basic behavioral questions about your pet, contact ARL’s FREE Pet Behavior Helpline at (617) 226-5666 or behaviorhelpline@arlboston.org. A representative will get back to you within 48 hours.

September is Champions Circle Month!

All month long we’re celebrating our Champions

In honor of our monthly donors and their ongoing support, ARL is celebrating our Champions Circle members!

The Champions Circle is a special group of friends who support animals as recurring donors. Though we are celebrating them this month, our community of monthly givers provide the critical support needed to keep animals safe and healthy all year long.

Thank you to all our Champions Circle members for your loyal support!

Not yet a member? Now is the perfect time to join! 

Monthly giving is a convenient, affordable, and efficient way to provide help where it’s most needed.

When you join, your gift each month will provide animals with:

Champions Circle - membership perks

In exchange for your generosity, you can expect:

Champions Circle Membership Perks

There are many way to join…

Use our secure online form by clicking here

Or call Derek at (617) 426-9170 x162 to set up your monthly gift over the phone

Join the Champions Circle before September 30 and receive a special 2020 Champions Circle calendar!

*Please allow 4 weeks for delivery

 

ARL Brewster Partnering with Agway of Cape Cod to Offer Supplies for Residents Affected by Storm

In the aftermath of Tuesday’s devastating storm that left a wide array of damage on the mid, lower and outer Cape, the Animal Rescue League of Boston’s (ARL) Brewster Animal Care and Adoption Center is partnering with Agway of Cape Cod to help those impacted by the storm by offering free pet supplies.

Agway’s Dennis and Orleans stores will be accepting donations of food, litter, treats and other supplies (disposable litter boxes, bottled water, toys), and those supplies will then be delivered to ARL’s Brewster facility to be given to those who need them.

Supplies will be available during a pick-up window of 10:00AM to 1:00PM beginning Thursday, July 25, 2019, through Friday, August 2, and those in need can simply show up during this window to receive supplies.

ARL Brewster is located at 3981 Main St. (Route 6A) in Brewster, Agway in Orleans is located at 20 Lots Hollow Rd, and Agway in Dennis is located at 686 Route 134.

Such wide-spread devastation hasn’t been seen on this part of the Cape since Hurricane Bob in 1991, and ARL wants to extend a huge thank you to Agway of Cape Cod for their partnership to help fellow Cape Codders and their pets in an hour of need.

Nearly 50 Cats Removed from Metro Boston Home

While many of us were spending time with family during this past holiday weekend, our Law Enforcement Department was busy removing nearly 50 cats from a home, which has since been condemned due to deplorable and uninhabitable conditions.

When rescue agents entered the property, the air was suffocating and heavy with the odor of waste and decay. Trash, boxes and other items were piled from floor to ceiling and empty bowls and discarded cans of food littered the floors.

These conditions are a health hazard for animals and humans alike. Animals removed from these types of situations can have many issues including malnourishment, respiratory distress, matted fur and overgrown nails.

 

They're sick, frightened, and under-socialized – will you help?

They will need extraordinary medical treatment and likely weeks of constant interaction with staff and volunteers to recover – and thanks to your support, we will be able to provide them with everything they need.

In 2018, ARL removed more than 1,000 animals from overcrowding situations, and continues to see elevated numbers through the first four months of 2019.

Here are three things you can do today to help animals like the ones recovered this past weekend:

  1. Report Animal Cruelty. There are tell-tale signs of overcrowding and unhealthy living conditions for animals. If you identify any of the signs, please notify ARL Law Enforcement at cruelty@arlboston.org so we can investigate.
  2. This is a complex issue that often calls for deep compassion for animals and humans alike.
  3. Make a gift today. Donations support the investigation, rescue, and rehabilitation of animals that have suffered. With hoarding-type cases on the rise in the northeast, we need your support to help these animals overcome their trauma and find a safe, clean, happy home!

We cannot do this work alone – thank you for supporting animals when they need it most!

 

*PLEASE NOTE: These cats are not currently available for adoption and we ask that you please refrain from calling to inquire about them as these calls quickly overwhelm our phone lines. Thank you for your patience!

Local Companies Lend a Paw to Animals in Need

Recently, the employees of two local companies, Appleton Partners and Definitive Healthcare, hosted in-kind drives and fundraisers to benefit animals in need.

Both events helped raised funds to support ARL programs and secured treats, toys, and blankets for our shelter animals.

Thank you to the compassionate employees of both organizations who generously donated gifts, toys, and their time to our cause.

Learn more about hosting your own DIY fundraiser. 

Appleton Partners and Definitive Healthcare helping animals

You Saved over 700 Animals From Deplorable Conditions, Help Us Continue this Life-saving Work!

This summer, the Animal Rescue League of Boston’s (ARL) Law Enforcement Department assisted in the rescue of over 700 cats, dogs, rabbits, birds, reptiles, and rodents involved in animal hoarding-type situations in the towns of Norwood, Whitman, Hingham, Taunton, Plymouth, and New Bedford.

Animal hoarding is a serious community problem that can also place children, the elderly, dependent adults, property, and public health at risk. These types of cases are complex and put an immense strain on our resources.

ARL is only able to answer the call for help because of YOU. And these animals like Bella the Bulldog, pictured above, desperately need you now.

I WILL SUPPORT THIS LIFE-SAVING WORK

Animals rescued from cases of extreme neglect face a number of behavioral challenged and health concerns, including respiratory distress, malnutrition, parasites, and other illness.

I urge you to consider joining the Champions Circle today and provide the critical support needed to respond to emergencies like these and provide the critical support needed to keep animals safe and healthy all year long.

Your gift each month will:

    • Support our special investigations and on-going rescue efforts
    • Treat the sudden influx of animals with the extensive medical care they urgently need
    • Help these animals heal from the trauma of neglect and help them find forever homes

Monthly support from Champions Circle donors provides animals with care and assistance when they need it most. Join before September 30 and receive a special Champions Circle Calendar*!

*Please allow 4 weeks for delivery

Follow These 4 Pet Safety Tips for a Hoppy Easter

Keep your pets safe during the festivities

Spring is in the air (finally) and what better way to celebrate than with colorful eggs, bright flowers, and bunny-shaped chocolate–besides, perhaps, adding a new furry member to your family!

Spring Into Love and consider adopting an animal from the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL)! When you adopt, you give an animal a chance at a better life. All adoptable animals at the ARL also receive:

    • Spay or neuter services
    • Health screening and veterinary examination
    • Behavior screening and evaluations
    • Vaccinations and flea/tick/mite treatment
    • Microchip identification and registration

Search adoptable animals now and learn more about ARL’s Adoption Forward process.

With the Easter and Passover holiday upon us, remember that your pets will be curious about the new decorative items and delish goodies that you bring into your household. Be sure to keep these 4 pet safety tips in mind during the festivities:

  1. Leave lilies at the store. Although beautiful and iconic to Easter, a lily’s leaf, pollen, and flower are highly toxic if ingested by cats. Make sure to keep a special eye on cats as their excellent climbing skills can give them easy access to flowers and plants.
  2. Keep fake grass, candles, and other decorations out of reach. When your pet ingests stringy objects like ribbons or Easter basket grass, they can become wrapped around the base of the tongue or stomach and cause serious intestinal issues. Ceremonial Passover candles should be monitored at all times to prevent pets’ fur from catching fire.
  3. Chocolate and candy are a no-no. Chocolate, especially the darker bitter kind, is poisonous to pets. Chocolate contains methylxanthines, a relative of caffeine, and can cause vomiting, diarrhea, abnormal heart rhythm, seizures, and death. Many candies and gums contain the sugarless sweetener Xylitol, which is also highly toxic to pets–Xylitol is sometimes referred to as “Birch Sugar” on packaging.
  4. Hide eggs from your pets too. Secure pets during Easter egg hunts or other activities where plastic eggs or other small objects can be ingested. Consuming real eggs can cause illness as well if they have spoiled. Keep your pet busy with toys and treats and don’t forget to pick up all hidden gems once the activity is over.

From everyone at the ARL, Happy Easter and Passover!