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Hello Stephanie,
Earlier this month, we had an opportunity to host the representatives of a local charitable foundation on a tour of our facility. Our visitors had engaged in significant research before determining that the Society might be an appropriate charity to support and the visit was related to that due diligence process. I enjoy introducing people to our facility and to our staff and always welcome an opportunity to discuss our work.
During this particular visit, the discussion was more focused than usual, both because our visitors were acting in a due diligence capacity and because they each had different areas of expertise and, as a result, somewhat differing perspectives. One had a strong business background and the other viewed our operation from a non-profit animal welfare volunteer perspective. Both asked relevant, targeted questions including questions about our staffing and our volunteer program, program costs, and administrative processses and overhead. We discussed the many varied programs we offer here as we continue our service to Rhode Island and Rhode Islanders. We compared our approach to animal welfare with other programs being offered in our community all with the recognition that the community need far exceeds the resources available statewide.
At the end of the recent tour, our visitors both expressed that they were impressed by the scope and extent of our services, particularly given our size and the resources available to us. That rang true to me. When describing our work to others, I often use an older expression and say that we “punch above our weight”. We regularly accomplish more than we might otherwise be expected to accomplish given the resources available.
Our staff and volunteers are dedicated and passionate and, just like they did last year and have done for well over a century, I am confident that they will continue to persevere in their quest to battle animal cruelty and to protect and defend our animals. More importantly, I know they will do so with empathy and compassion. As we enter this holiday season, I am grateful to them for all they do and I am grateful to you for your continued support. I am looking forward to a great 2025. Until then, stay safe!
Happy Holidays to you and yours,
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Looking for the perfect holiday gift? Look no further than the RISPCA store where you will find holiday tees, calendars, FIONA the book, and RISPCA swag.
Oh and we cannot forget the best part -- Slinky made ornaments for us to sell.
Only $10 each. Limited edition. In person purchase only.
All proceeds will benefit the animals & programs at the Rhode Island SPCA.
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It’s funny how things work out… Last June I introduced you to Fiona who, like me, was rescued from a difficult situation in Pawtucket. In September I told you that I would be slowing down to take better care of myself and would only be coming into the office a few days a month. For the most part, I am enjoying my new, relaxed, daily routine and I am quite pleased with my new, svelte appearance. If I do say so myself, I look pretty good for a girl who is approaching her seventh birthday.
When I stopped into my office last week, I noticed that my toys had been rearranged and my bed had been used by another dog. I didn’t expect things would stay the same forever but I was a bit surprised to find that it didn’t take my human long to start spending time with other dogs. In this case it was a younger, very pretty, dog named Pearl. My human calls it “socialization” and I get it, but to me it kind of feels like cheating. Fortunately, Pearl was adopted but my guess is that there may be others spending time in my office in the future and I have come to the conclusion that I don’t want to be around to see that.
In addition to my human getting cozy with Pearl, Fiona’s role has been expanding. She is now a fully qualified and certified therapy dog and she has been quite busy. Her human wrote a book about how she came to be rescued and adopted and about what she is doing now and I have to admit that it is a really nice story. The book also talks about how all of the other dogs who were rescued with Fiona now have found forever homes and are doing well. A couple of those dogs actually came to the book signing to wish her well.
Like Marvin before her, Fiona is doing a great job representing the RISPCA at our shelter events and at school and community programs and she looks good on camera and I have come to the conclusion that now would be an opportune time to step aside and let another canine shine. Fiona is ready to accept a new challenge and I am happy to report that in the next Quarterly Scoop, and hopefully for many years into the future, the column that presents the dog’s perspective of what is going on at the shelter will be written by Fiona. That column will be called Fiona’s Friends. I look forward to reading her columns with interest and I know that you will enjoy her commentary and will appreciate her perspective.
It has been an absolute honor and a pleasure for me to be allowed to author Lily’s Pad and to connect with you. It is only through the intercession of the Rhode Island SPCA that Fiona and I have been so blessed and you have helped to make that possible. Please support Fiona as she enters into this new phase of her career in animal welfare. Thank-you and enjoy the holidays!
Fondly,
Lily
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We are currently seeking long term dog fosters for some of our dogs like Blue. Some of the dogs have been here for a very long time and/or are either pending medical treatments or cruelty investigations.
It would be wonderful if we could get some of these pups into a home for a few weeks or months until they are adopted! If you are interested in fostering a dog for the RISPCA, please reach out to Hugh at hugh.tucker@rispca.org.
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You may know the Rhode Island SPCA as an animal shelter where anyone can go to adopt a new pet like a dog, kitten or rabbit. In fact, we had over 1000 animals find new homes last year and we are on track to do the same this year.
But the Rhode Island SPCA is more than just a shelter. We staff a full-service veterinary clinic, we fight against animal cruelty, and we teach people of all ages about the importance of empathy and kindness to animals. We also offer many programs that you may not know about but that are nonetheless extremely important to the animals and people affected by them -- Moms & Toms, Large Animal Assistance Program, and Humane Education Field Trips just to name a few.
It is only because of YOU that we are able to offer these incredible programs free of charge!
Please consider a year end donation to the Rhode Island SPCA to ensure that we are able to continue to offer these small but MIGHTY programs well into the future.
With humble gratitude,
Stephanie
Stephanie L. Van Patten
Director of Community Engagement
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Say hello to Archie!
Meet Archie!
This is Archie, formally known as the artist Ahro! This boy is a ball of energy and needs to work! He loves his agility and knows quite a few tricks. It's important that whoever adopts him is able to keep up with his energy. It's best if he goes home with someone with a very active lifestyle. Archie-Ahro really enjoys playing, but also loves to cuddle up with you on the couch, he can't wait to find a family who can give him all the love and attention he needs. If you are interested in him, apply today!!!
Archie-Ahro has been awarded a Handsome Dan's Take My Lead Grant which provides FREE private training up to $500, and supplies.
Interested in our special boy? Fill out an application on our website or give us a call for more information.
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Say hello to Sweet Caroline!
Meet Sweet Caroline!
Sweet Caroline perfectly embodies that sassy tortie stereotype! Though she can often be sassy, at her core Sweet Caroline is well, sweet! She is very affectionate and talkative and is often trying to con our staff and volunteers into giving her more snacks!
Sweet Caroline's perfect home is one where she is the only pet with cat-savvy owners. Not only does she absolutely hate other cats, but she is also FeLV+ which means she should not live with other cats. Sweet Caroline is a healthy and happy girl, and our veterinarians believe the FeLV to be a regressive infection, which will not severely impact her length or quality of life. Interested applicants may further discuss this with our cat staff!
With questions about Sweet Caroline, or any of our other adoptable cats, please contact Olivia.
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Stella is doing wonderful and is settling in well. The first week or so after I brought her home she was curious to have a new environment to explore and stretch her legs in, but she was obviously still cautious and confused with all the big changes. She has a little closet in the living room that I set up to be her safe space (as it was for my previous cats as well) and she spends a lot of time in there during the day or whenever she's unsure, which is mostly when I'm up and walking around. Once I'm settled in one place she'll quickly come out. She's very affectionate and has a loud trilly purr. She loves to use my arm as a pillow and make air biscuits. She's laid on my chest or legs a handful of times so far but usually prefers to lay beside me while touching me in some way. She likes being pet but not continuously - but her body language is easy to read and she seems relieved and relaxed that I'm able to understand her in that way and that she can lay with me without being pet once she's had enough. She'll sleep with me in bed for an hour or so at a time but seems to prefer to go sleep in her closet when she's ready for deep sleep, which is understandable at this stage. She is SUPER playful and active and plays for hours every night, and even occasionally gets the zoomies out of nowhere lol. She also likes to "hunt" her little toys and will bring them to me. I think back when you would find her ducky toy in her water bowl it's because she was "hunting" it for you. She also loves that little wooden stick with the rubber rope that you made lol. She is a little creature of the night and is most active and social in the evening, but as she's been getting more comfortable she's been spending more time out and about during the day as well. She's eating and drinking well and LOVES her "cookies", aka the Temptations Dairy treats that her previous owner said were her fave! She's starting to understand my routines and seems to like the familiarity and predictability. Every day she gets more comfortable and I see more of her personality. She's exactly what I was hoping for in my next companion, I couldn't be more happy with my decision to bring her home and I'm grateful to be able to be her person for the second half of her life Here are a few pics, although she doesn't sit still enough for me to get a good one so she's always blurry lol. Thank you for the care and love you all gave her while she was with you, and please also thank Stephanie especially for being her "In Between Mama". I think the love you all gave her helped make this time so much easier for her.
Take care,
Danielle & Stella
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197 animals were adopted between September and TODAY!
A heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who chose to adopt at the Rhode Island SPCA..
Have a Happy Tail you'd like to share? Send your messages and pictures to HappyTails.
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About the Rhode Island SPCA ~ Founded in 1870, the Rhode Island SPCA is the oldest humane organization in the state of Rhode Island and the third oldest in the United States. As a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, we rely on donations from individuals, businesses, and foundations, and we are not affiliated with any national humane organization.
We are the Rhode Island SPCA ~ There are many organizations throughout the country and the world that have “SPCA” and/or “Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals” as part of their name. We often hear from intended local donors who believed that they had made a donation to the Rhode Island SPCA but had mistakenly directed their donations to an unrelated organization. The Rhode Island SPCA is an independent organization and we are not affiliated with the ASPCA or any other SPCA. If you find our work to be worthwhile and plan to support our efforts, please be sure that you direct your contribution to the Rhode Island SPCA. ~ Thank you for your support!
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