Message from ARL's President
Dear Friends, The world we live in today is starkly different since our last publication of Our Four-Footed Friends. However, one factor remains constant, animals still need kindness and care - especially those who are sick, injured, and abused. This may be truer now than ever before. ARL’s strategic focus over the last few years has been to keep pets happy, healthy, out of shelters, and with their families. We developed innovative community programs, the majority of which were mobile, allowing us to meet people and their pets where they live, and to provide low cost wellness and spay/ neuter services. Needless to say, the pandemic created major logistical challenges: Our community partner organizations had to shift their operations, and federal and local mandates requested that we postpone any non-critical surgery or procedure to preserve personal protective equipment (PPE) for our human medicine counterparts. This meant that many medical procedures
1 | Fall 2020 Our Four-Footed Friends
needed to be halted, except for emergencies. However, as you will see in the following pages, ARL adapted and responded. We utilized the capabilities that distinguish us from other animal welfare organizations, assessed the need, and mobilized. We created our Keep Pets S.A.F.E. (Supporting Animals Facing Emergencies) program to provide pet food and supplies to the communities we serve. We also established telemedicine consultations, giving pet owners access to our veterinarians from the safety of their home. We went out into the community, provided contactless pick up, provided much-needed medical care, and then returned the pet back to their family. And, in October, we began offering temporary housing for pets whose owners may be facing housing instability due to the pandemic. We secured and delivered 55,000 meals for pets, took in over 1,292 animals from cases of animal cruelty and neglect, and our entire animal care staff reported to work on a daily basis to care for the animals in our shelters. I have much gratitude, especially during these uncertain times. We have a long road ahead, as the pandemic has changed some of the ways that we are able to help. With your generous support, we can continue to adapt to the world around us and be prepared to leap into action when animals are in need. I hope that you will read the stories in the following pages and know that you are the reason we were able to accomplish all we did. You are truly a champion for animals. With Gratitude,
Edward Schettino, DVM, PhD President & CEO
