Your news & updates from
Animal Care Sanctuary
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Hundreds of animals have found their forever homes already in 2021! And with spring right around the corner, we're gearing up to get back out in our community for more events!
One of them is our return to the Valley Arts4All, which is slated for May 1 and 2 at Riverfront Park in Sayre, PA. Join us and dozens of unique artisans for awesome creations, live music and more!
Additionally, we're super excited to announce that our annual golf tournment is BACK! Scroll down for more details!
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YEAR-TO-DATE
STATISTICS
As of April 1, 2021:
Adoptions: 224
Fosters: 36
Fosters-to-Adoptions: 25
Spay/neuter surgeries: 1,058
Clinic appointments: 581
Total Clinic Visits: 1,639
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Animal Care Sanctuary Raises $14K! |
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Animal Care Sanctuary may have not made it past the second round in the 2nd Annual March Muttness fundraising tournament, but thanks to you we raised so much money for the care of our animals!
In fact, despite our elimination, we still raised the second highest amount of money by any shelter in any round of the whole tournament, with over $13,000 in one round! In total, we won $14,000 thanks to donors like you!
The competition was a spin-off the NCAA college basketball tournament and was hosted by the Humane Society in Southern Arizona. We're extremely gracious that they invited us and we can't wait to participate again next year!
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The Animal Care Sanctuary low-cost community clinic is celebrating its 10-year anniversary.
After starting out in 2011 performing only spay and neuter surgeries out of an extremely cramped trailer with just three people, the ACS community clinic is now housed in a brand-new facility which opened in October 2020 and is run by over a half dozen staff and volunteers.
“We started out being open just two days a week, and now we’re a full-time, Monday through Friday operation,” said Licensed Vet Tech Jill Elston, who was one of the first to be hired when the clinic opened.
Elston estimated that the total amount of spay and neuter surgeries over the years since the clinic opened is over 25,300, and that the clinic can currently perform between 25-30 surgeries per day.
Additionally, the clinic’s services expanded over the years as well -- starting out with only spays and neuters -- and growing to include wellness exams and vaccinations for both the community and any rescues we accept on intake.
“We are so proud to be able to provide the community with these low-cost services, so more people are able have pets and help us save lives,” said ACS Executive Director Terri McKendry. “The growth of our clinic has allowed us to expand our reach into more regions, and work with other shelters to treat more animals and help more communities with the problems of stray overpopulation.”
As a direct result of the clinic's growth, more pets are healthier for longer with their families, and there are fewer surrenders of unwanted animals and litters – meaning there are fewer animals in need.
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The Animal Care Sanctuary Annual Golf Tournament is Back! |
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The Animal Care Sanctuary Golf Tournament is back!
After a year off due to COVID-19, the 7th annual tournament is back to raise money for shelter animals in need and to support our low-cost community clinic!
Scheduled for June 25 at the Tioga Downs Golf Club, we're currently looking for sign ups (in teams of four) and sponsors!
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Get to know ACS!
Leanna Franklin - Canine Care Manager
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How long have you been a part of ACS? Why did you get involved?
I have been a part of ACS since 2016, when I started volunteering! There are wide range of skills and opportunities to learn here at ACS, and I found what I was looking for. I always knew I wanted to spend my life surrounded by animals, and quickly fell in love with the cause. I started working as a Canine Caretaker in 2018, and I have been here ever since!
Are you a dog person or a cat person?
Dog person 100%! I do love cats, but dogs for me personally are so much easier to connect with. Their emotions are so very similar to ours, and something about them can always make me smile no matter what!
What’s your favorite part of your job?
Hands down, being part of a meet and greet and watching a dog connect to a person/family. Seeing the happiness on everyone's face when they adopt their new best friend! To be part of something that life changing is so very rewarding.
Tell us about your pets!
I have two of my own dogs at home! Tucker, a tall brown labradoodle with wire like hair, and Jasper, a little mixed breed dog I adopted from ACS 3 years ago. He was brought in on transport from Tennessee, and I fell in love with him immediately!
Sponsor a pet! Tell us about your best friend at ACS and why he/she deserves to be adopted!
Pictured with me is Golden Graham! He is currently doing so well fostering with our Intern. He is a cuddly, loveable couch potato! Graham is a very friendly but quirky boy, and if you have interest please find him on our website to see if he is a good fit for you! He would make someone a wonderful best friend.
What do you think ACS needs donated the most?
We are always in need of more enrichment activities for our shelter dogs! Every afternoon we hand out kongs, puzzles, JW balls, and so much more! This a great way to keep them active and entertained. We fill these enrichment toys with treats, canned vegetables, ( green beans are best ), canned pumpkin, baby food, chicken broth, and other assorted healthy choice goodies. Golden Graham himself is one of our dogs we need more healthy options for, including all of the above items and specifically mini milk bones!
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One of Animal Care Sanctuary’s recently adopted dogs, Gravy, is a prime example of the power fosters bring to troubled canines.
Gravy, an adorably clumsy but massive mastiff mix, arrived at our East Smithfield location as a transport from Philadelphia in August. Weighing in at well over 100 pounds and being a strong three-year-old doggo, Gravy broke out of the transport van kennel and spent the rest of the multi-hour trip attempting to lick and sit in the lap of our van’s driver.
Because Gravy did not get along with cats and had a chance to injure essentially anything smaller than him like small dogs or kids, it was difficult to find him a good home. Days stretched into weeks. Weeks stretched into months. Desperate for love and attention, Gravy began to use his size and strength to try to get his way. For example, when leaving the kennel for enrichment play or walks, he would become extremely energetic and hard to control. And when it was time return to his kennel run, he would resist immensely.
These negative behavior qualities made it even more difficult for Gravy to match up with a new home. And despite our kennel’s staff expertise in dog behavior, there was simply not enough time to properly train Gravy with all the other responsibilities that they had. It was clear that Gravy needed prolonged, one-on-one attention.
That’s when a wonderful foster named Kelly came forward and accepted the challenge of fostering Gravy. On day one, it was apparent that Gravy thrived exceptionally well in a home environment. His mood and behavior improved almost instantly, and continued to improve even more over the length of the fostering.
Gravy’s time in foster made him a new man, and he was ready to put on his best suit and tie and try to find his new home – and he soon found it. After months of waiting, a man named James loved Gravy, and Gravy immediately bonded with him as well. While he was still rough around the edges, Gravy is now extremely loved and an absolute gentleman compared to his extended time in the kennel.
We encourage everyone who is able and willing to strongly consider fostering at their local animal shelters, if they have a foster program established. Shelters are constantly in need of fosters, and you’ll be saving a troubled life.
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Felix, Moustachio & Tony Stark |
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Last month, we highlighted some of the changes that Animal Care Sanctuary is trying to make in the animal shelter world in terms of saving FeLV and FIV positive cats.
To summarize, over the last couple of years, our cattery began looking at FIV and FeLV positive cats more closely. FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus) and FeLV (feline leukemia virus) are similar retroviruses that only affect cats. In years past, a cat that tested positive for either of these viruses was essentially euthanized automatically – partly because many shelters generally don’t have the space to quarantine sick felines with contagious viruses. These viruses affect a feline’s immune system, making it easier for them to get sick – at least theoretically.
Felix, Moustachio and Tony Stark are three cats who tested positive that we took in from other shelters unable to hold them. They are all incredibly sweet -- so sweet that Felix and Tony were adopted merely two weeks after we brought them in, and Moustachio is recovering from a wound on his backside before we put him up for adoption. These are three faces that would have likely not had a long future ahead of them for no other reason than a stigma surrounding their viruses.
We're so grateful that we are able to rescue these sweet cats, and thankful that other shelters are willing to work with us to help save them, too. With your help as well, we're putting into action new ways to save more furry lives.
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SUPPORT ACS BY DONATING VIA OUR AMAZON WISHLISTS!
Click on the buttons below!
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As a Monthly Donor, you are providing a gift that can be used for animals in their hour of need. Your donation will help ACS rescue pets from overcrowded kill shelters, inhumane conditions, hoarding situations and puppy mills. Your support will help us make more future animal rescues possible, as well as give us the resources we need to provide those animals with the attention and medical care that they need to be adopted. Monthly donations provide security to assure that ACS always has the resources needed to provide for animals at a moment’s notice. To become a monthly donor, please sign up online at www.animalcaresanctuary.org or contact Terry McKendry at tmckendry@animalcaresanctaury.org.
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