A Busy Year at Windham County Humane Society

In 2021, despite an ongoing pandemic, the Windham County Humane Society (WCHS) helped a record 2,752 animals. That’s a long way from the 300 animals the organization helped in 2008. That increase was not accompanied by a new building or a large increase in staff. In fact, the staff is smaller than in recent years, thanks to the pandemic.

The reason for this remarkable increase in the number of people and animals helped is because the organization recognized that the most pressing need in animal welfare is access to affordable veterinary care. Former Executive Director, Annie Guion, was inspired by the data coming out of national programs like Pets for Life, which demonstrated that many pet owners did not have access to veterinary care or could not afford the fees of full-service veterinary clinics. The WCHS started an affordable veterinary care pilot program in 2011 with a grant from the Banfield Foundation. Susan Kelly, DVM, donated her services for many years and made the program possible. Providing those services to pet owners in need transformed the organization’s relationship with the community and allowed the WCHS to help more and more animals with each passing year.

In 2019, the board and staff took a leap of faith and committed to hiring a veterinarian for two days a week. That was a financial commitment that paid off when the pandemic hit and access to veterinary care became even more difficult. It is often everyday wellness care, like vaccines and parasite prevention, that can keep a pet in the home they already have. This keeps families together and ensures there is kennel space at the shelter for truly homeless animals and for dogs and cats transported from overcrowded shelters where they face euthanasia simply due to a lack of space.

The first veterinarian on staff was Dr. Michele Martino, who worked three days a week at the Monadnock Humane Society (MHS) and two days at WCHS. Dr. Martino accepted a full-time position at MHS in 2022. The WCHS is thrilled to have hired Dr. Tara Torcoletti to fill the position of staff veterinarian. Her commitment to animal welfare and her compassionate care for clients, human and animal, is evident in all the volunteer work she has done in other countries and on Native American Reservations in the Dakotas. Dr. Torcoletti also works two days a week at the West River Valley Veterinary Services.

Maya Richmond accepted the position of Executive Director in the fall of 2021. She brings with her a wealth of experience in providing affordable veterinary care. Ms. Richmond is working with the staff and board to envision an addition and renovation that will allow the WCHS to continue to grow the veterinary care and other programs and to better meet the needs of the community. Spring 2022