MAC E-News - January 2021 - MAC's Emergency COVID Grant Deadline Approaching!

January 2021

Happy 21st Birthday to MAC!!!

Preserving the Human-Animal Bond in Tough Times

by Anne Lindsay

Our furry and feathered friends are our family members and we want the best for them. Covid-19 is affecting so many aspects of pet ownership and it is painful to watch as people struggle to give their pets what they need and deserve.

It is increasingly difficult to find veterinary care. Pet owners are having a hard enough time feeding themselves, let alone their pets. Housing issues are threatening whether people can keep their pets. Pet owners have concerns about what will happen to their pets if they have to go to the hospital. How can shelter and rescue staff help?

Here are a few thoughts for you to share with your adopters and donors:

The Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) recently launched its Temporary Pet Housing Initiative to assist pet owners in Massachusetts who are experiencing housing instability or at imminent risk of homelessness due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The initiative offers temporary foster care for pets up to 120 days.

MSPCA’s Community Outreach teams are providing access to food, emergency temporary housing, and urgent veterinary care, with the goal of keeping families together with their pets and making sure no pet goes hungry during the crisis. You can find out more at mspca.org/communityoutreach.

Lowell Humane Society’s Pet Food Pantry is available to all those in need (at any time, not just during times of crisis). They are offering this service (and all other services) by appointment only at this time. If you need other pet supplies, give them a call and they may be able to help out.

Berkshire Humane Society has a Pet Food Bank and food can be picked up by making an appointment. Their Family Dog School continues to hold classes by appointment.

The Human Animal Support Services Eviction Toolkit talks about what organizations should be thinking about and how to delegate specific duties to new and more seasoned volunteers. Getting programs and resources in place to help evicted families keep their pets is the least we can all do during this very stressful time.

In Massachusetts the Pet Food Task Force has forged relationships throughout the state to help get much needed pet food to the families who need it. Read more about their program in this article. To make a donation please click here. To reach out to the Pet Food Task Force directly please email at info@petfoodtaskforce.org.

Go to the MAC website for more valuable resources to help our pet owning community: http://massanimalcoalition.org/covid-19-resources/

If you have more resources to share please send them to info@massanimalcoalition.org and we can put them on the MAC site. Let’s work to keep pets in their homes where they are loved.

Local Happenings

MAC's 2021 COVID Emergency Grant

Click Here For More Information

The Massachusetts Animal Coalition’s Board of Directors is aware that the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the availability of spay/neuter services. Across the state, this has resulted in long waiting lists for cats, dogs and rabbits currently needing these surgeries.

We are offering Emergency Covid-19 Spay/Neuter Grant funding to shelters, rescues, municipal animal control organizations and high volume spay/neuter providers.

Interested organizations can submit an online emergency funding application.

Please click on the button for more information and to apply.

The deadline for submissions is January 31, 2021.

MAC 2020 Webinar Series:

Compassion Fatigue in Animal Welfare

Monday, February 15, 2021 at 6pm

From Happy and Fulfilled to Sad and Angry: How Helping Animals Can Make Your Heart Hurt

The nature of animal work means that we are susceptible to compassion fatigue. This includes the moral stress that is an unavoidable part of this work. And trauma – both personal and occupational - can play a role in how we react to stressful situations. It helps to understand what compassion fatigue is and how it can creep into our daily work.

Click here to register

Sponsored by

Tufts Center for Animals and Public Policy.

Printable COVID PSAs from SMART

The State of Massachusetts Animal Response Team recently created a poster about making sure you have plans for your pets in case you get Covid-19 and have to go to the hospital. Feel free to share these graphics//links on your website and with your supporters.

Printable PDF

Send MAC Your Updates!

If you run an organization or clinic that provides any of the following services and would like to be included in our search engine.

Please fill out this form.

Low cost spay/neuter

Low cost veterinary care for owned animals

Low cost dental services

Low cost euthanasia

TNR

Surrender prevention support

Pet behavior helpline

Pet food pantry

If your organization is a MAC Organizational Member and you want us to include your program, idea, webinar, event or conference here. Email us at: info@massanimalcoalition.org.

The Bigger Picture

Keeping Families Together Eviction Response Toolkit | HASS

This free toolkit is jam-packed with tangible ways for your shelter to support people so they can keep their pets if facing eviction.

Read more
www.humananimalsupportservi...

Are pet adoptions really skyrocketing?

News reports on the popularity of pet adoptions have been something of a staple during the COVID-19 pandemic. The heartwarming anecdotes and surge of media reports got AVMA's economists thinking and wondering: Is there data to confirm the trend?...

Read more
www.avma.org

Survey of Occupational Stress in Animal Shelters |...

Occupational Stress in Animal Shelters - Web Survey Tools

Read more
www.questionpro.com

Weekly ZOOM Calls

Community Cat Voices

COVID-19 Video Series

Thursdays at 12pm

WEEKLY Zoom call for all animal welfare organizations in the area to come together and discuss concerns and best practices for handling this situation with regards to the corona virus.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/4548256521

Meeting ID: 454 825 6521

Maddie's Fund

Weekly Call

Mondays at 11am EST

Maddie’s Fund, in concert with American Pets Alive!, hosts a weekly hour-long Zoom call for animal welfare workers and volunteers. While these calls started out as a response to COVID-19, it’s grown into so much more. These calls are a safe place to discuss uncomfortable topics, all while sharing a common goal of preserving the human-animal bond.

This call, recurring each Monday unless otherwise posted, is primarily for shelter workers, volunteers and rescue organizations.

You need only register once to attend each recurring meeting throughout the year. We ask for your email address in order to send out important announcements about upcoming meetings - we do not share your information.

Click here to register

MAC is committed to keeping you all up to date on resources, tools and best practices during these unprecedented times.

MAC'S COVID-19 Resources Page

Shameless Animal Video

I bet you can't STOP LAUGHING 😹| funny and cute cat videos #82

Check Out the Resources on MAC's Website

Are you aware of how much MAC has to offer beyond educational meetings, programs and task forces?

Have you ever checked out our Resources pages?

We offer information about Lost Pets, Rabies, Adoption, Wildlife, Low Cost Veterinary Services, Financial Assistance, and so much more!

If you are looking for spay/neuter services in your area check out our Find a Spay/Neuter Clinic page. Simply enter your zip code and we will find clinics close to you!

MAC is here for you! Be sure to take advantage of all that we have to offer!

For $10 A Year You Can Be A MAC Member!

Joining MAC is a great way to become more involved in animal welfare, meet others who are doing similar work, make friends and connections, and hear from experts in the field. For more info visit our membership page.

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