Greetings!
Wow, the first months of 2023 have been jam packed! Our new building is coming along nicely, our humane education program is in full swing, our low cost vet clinic continues to operate over capacity, our law enforcement division has been busy, as usual, and we continue to successfully place nearly every animal that we take in.
The following true story is an example of what happens here and illustrates what we do. Names and specific identifying information have been withheld for privacy reasons.
In late January, a dirty, smelly, severely matted and apparently neglected small dog, approximately 11 years old, was surrendered to the animal control division of one of our larger municipalities. This dog needed immediate treatment so we accepted the transfer of the animal. Our medical team examined this poor guy and found that his fur was so horribly matted that one of his ears was necrotic. After he was shaved and bathed, our veterinary team removed the necrotic portion of his ear and also found a lump on his back, which luckily was found to be benign after testing. The result of his grooming and treatment was remarkable as shown in the attached photos. We lovingly renamed him Vinny after Vincent Van Gogh.
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Our special agents investigated this case and determined that the person who had surrendered Vinny was elderly, had very little income, and was facing several challenges. In light of the voluntary relinquishment, a decision was made not to charge the prior owner with animal cruelty.
After Vinny gained some weight, he was cleared for adoption. We normally get a quick response when we post a small dog for adoption but in this instance, there was very little interest in little Vinny, perhaps due to his age and his cosmetic issues. But, just last week, two elderly people walked into our shelter hoping to adopt an animal to replace a pet that had recently passed at an old age. After being interviewed, they were approved as potential adopters and a “meet and greet” was scheduled with Vinny. It went fabulously and the adoption was finalized.
We would not have been involved in this case if we didn’t have a law enforcement division and a full service veterinary facility to supplement our shelter operation. What truly differentiates the Rhode Island SPCA in my opinion, though, is our willingness to step in quickly and provide assistance when it is needed, even if it is not budgeted or expected. While this case was a bit unique due to the urgency presented and its complexities, with your support, we can do this type of work every day.
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Wayne M. Kezirian, Esq.
President and General Agent
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Does your child love animals? Do you want to give your child the opportunity to learn about kindness and respect for animals in a fun and educational way? Critter Camp is the purr-fect educational opportunity for animal-loving children who want to make a difference for shelter animals and to learn more about the Rhode Island SPCA!
We are offering 6 weekly camp sessions this summer for kids ages 8-11 years old. Registration for Summer Camp will be online. Space is limited to 12 kids per session. First come, first served.
For more information, to apply for a campership, or to register for camp, please visit our website.
Due to the popularity of our camp, we kindly ask that you sign up for no more than two weeks, so as many children as possible have an opportunity to experience RISPCA summer camp. If your child is interested in attending an additional week(s) or current sessions are full, you can sign up for our waitlist by emailing humaneeducation@rispca.com.
Spots are still available for April Vacation Little Critter camp - April 10-14
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If you have been reading this newsletter for a while you know that I come to work with my human most days. I could stay at home or even go to doggie day care, but that wouldn’t be best for my brothers and sisters at the shelter. I was adopted from the RISPCA shelter and no dog is better qualified than I am to keep her eye on what is going on. Lately, I have been spending quite a bit of time at the RISPCA’s new building in Warwick and I would like to think that the expansion of the size of the kennel and the addition of more glass and natural light is because I was on the job supervising. Wait until you see it, it is spectacular!
Last month we had an unusual occurrence at the RISPCA. Our animal care team accepted the surrender of 30 guinea pigs. The person who surrendered them purchased a couple of guinea pigs less than a year ago, adopted a couple more, and watched them increase naturally until she was not able to provide care for all of them. I guess it really is pretty important not to keep male and female guinea pigs in the same cage! Actually, I was pretty happy to have more guinea pigs in the shelter. When I first started working here, there were a couple of cages with guinea pigs in the front entrance and one of them would get excited and squeal whenever I came in and would come to the side of the case to greet me. We would nuzzle each other through the cage and I was sad when my friend was adopted.
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Lo and behold, it turns out that I am not the only pit bull who likes guinea pigs. Working with our friends at Rumford Pet Center, the RISPCA held a guinea pig adoption event called Pigapalooza last weekend at their Riverside store. The store manager there has a young pit bull named Loki who, just like me, likes guinea pigs too! He got some quality face time with a nice little pig during the event. (Notice that in both pictures there is a barrier between the dog and the guinea pig and, though you can’t see it, Loki was on a leash as well. I would not recommend letting a dog be face to face with a small animal unrestrained!) Pigapalooza was fun and successful. Fourteen guinea pigs were adopted. If you are interested in adopting a guinea pig or another small animal (we usually have rats, ferrets, and rabbits) please contact one of my human friends at the Shelter.
Drop me a line if you want to visit our new building in Warwick. Just remember to bring some treats when you come.
Thanks for all you do!
Lily
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Become Part of Our Future |
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As you have might have heard the Rhode Island SPCA is building a new home in Warwick and we cannot wait for it to be ready! We are almost there, but we need your help to get us across the finish line.
For more information about our Not Just a Shelter Project, please visit our website or email Brooke Fairman at bfairman@rispca.com.
If you would like to become a Donor Wall sponsor, please click here.
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Coloring Pages for a Cause |
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Coloring Page Contest for KIDS |
The Humane Education department at the RISPCA needs your help with creating new materials for our classroom programs!
We encourage all KIDS to participate in our coloring sheet contest by submitting your best RISPCA and pet themed coloring page design. Winners will receive some RISPCA swag along with having their coloring page be an official part of our program. Winning coloring pages will be available for download via our website! Submissions due by April 30th.
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Clovers, generosity, and more! During the month of March, our friends at Wave Federal Credit Union will be planting Paw-Leaf Clovers at both Warwick branches on our behalf. They will be collecting donations benefiting the critical life-saving services here at the Rhode Island SPCA. Our supporters, with every donation made, will autograph a Paw-Leaf Clover and grow the Wave FCU’s field of Paw-Leaves. This, in turn, grows our mission’s outreach!
Thank you Wave FCU for hosting Paw-Leaf Clovers for 4 years in a row!
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Say hello to Jay Gatsby!
This young guy is shy at first, but warms up quickly. He loves to play and chew on his toys and explore his surroundings. Now that Gatsby has been examined by our vet and been neutered he's ready to find a new home to explore, hopefully with plenty of chew toys too!
With questions regarding Jay Gatsby or any of our smallies for adoption, please email Olivia, our Cat and Small Animal Manager.
*Jay Gatsby is currently residing at Rumford Pet Center in East Providence. Please stop by to visit him.
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Say hello to Sugar Plum!
Sugar Plum is a special lady looking for a special home. We believe that Sugar Plum is a Spirit Cat. Spirit cats are great companions for a resident cat....but they take people on their own terms. Sugar Plum, like most spirit cats, is very shy with people. She may sometimes grant you the opportunity to pet her. Or, she may not.
Sugar Plum is a great choice for adults with a quiet household, who want to make a difference for an individual cat.
With questions about Sugar Plum or any of our other adoptable cats, please contact our Cat and Small Animal Manager Olivia at owarburton@rispca.com
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The smallest state has got the biggest heart! On April 1st, all of RI is celebrating 401Gives Day, giving back to the philanthropic work of all nonprofits with the help of the United Way of Rhode Island. The RISPCA is excited to share that we are a part of this movement!
To participate, please consider telling your friends and family about us on 401Gives Day, donating, and learning more about our rich history fighting for a more humane animal society for over 150 years. Visit our 401Gives Day page here!
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Dear RISPCA,
Thank you so much for bringing me up from Georgia last year. It was the first time I saw snow! I was afraid that no one would want me, but my mom came in and adopted me. She changed my name to Butter and I like it! Who knew I would look so much like my sister Noodles!! Since going home with my mom, I run up and down the stairs all day long and jump every where. My favorite thing to do is play yarn ball! I bring it to Mom where ever she is. I try to be friends with everyone I meet. I love it here and I can't thank you enough!!
Love,
Butter (Jazz)
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286 animals were adopted between December and February!
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Here are our Top 5 Wish List items that our animals would be LUCKY to receive!
2.Small animal chew toys
4.Bully sticks (large)
5.Wet cat food
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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 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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Rhode Island SPCA | 186 Amaral Street, Riverside, RI 02915
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