Haven Halo Winter/Spring 2015-2016 Vol. 11 No. 1

Winter/Spring 2015-2016 Vol. 11 No. 1

For Friends of The Haven Adoption Guarantee Animal Shelter In Fairhope, Alabama

Time to Celebrate!

15 Years Working Together, Saving Lives

6,000+

Adoptions

www.havenforanimals.org Donate Today

Our Mission The Haven was founded in 2000 by local veterinarian Dr. Teresa Marshall. Our 501(c)3 non-profit provides a shelter and finds adoptive homes for abused, neglected, and homeless animals while treating them with love, respect and medical care. Through education and volunteer programs, we promote community awareness of pet overpopulation and responsibility.

The Haven is a sanctuary for animals that will be cared for regardless of how long it takes to find them loving homes.

2015 Haven Highlights 3,640 loads of laundry 8,095 pounds of dog/cat food

V O L U M E 11 Contributing Writers: Liz Tetley Kyla Kelim, Esq. Michael Graham Mary Ardis

457 spay/neuter surgeries 1,826 volunteer hours

Copy Editor: Liz Tetley

150

Stray - 19

120

90

389 Animals Helped

60

30

0

Halo is a publication of: The Haven NoKill Adoption Guarantee Animal Shelter, PO Box 1063, Fairhope, Alabama 36533.

58 Kittens

61 Cats

128 Puppies

142 Dogs

Return - 31 Owner Surrender - 50 Fairhope Animal Shelter - 174 Daphne Animal Shelter - 28 Baldwin County Animal Shelter - 87

Animals Helped

Please Make a Donation Today Stay connected with us!

 www.havenforanimals.org  facebook.com/havenforanimals

Contributing Photographers: Kathie Ono Graphic Design: Michael Graham Jennifer Soucy Chairman, Board of Directors: Stephanie Calhoun, LPC Executive Director: Michael Graham

 @havenforanimals  thehavenforanimals

15 Years and 6,000+ Saved Lives

by Liz Tetley

This year marks The Haven’s official 15th anniversary, but founder Dr. Teresa Marshall began helping homeless animals at her veterinary clinic in the early 1990s. Sharing her passion, Jerry Merchant, Fairhope’s Animal Control Officer at the time, brought her strays. After treating them, Dr. Marshall found families for them.

As Baldwin County’s human population grew, so did the pet population, leading to more homeless animals in need. Dr. Marshall brought in community leaders, and The Haven became a 501{c}3 nonprofit organization in 2000. Its leaders agreed to help the City of Fairhope care for the increasing number of intakes in exchange for space in Fairhope’s newly built animal shelter.

Operating on funds from generous individuals and corporations and awarded grants, The Haven has spent the last fifteen years speaking for neglected, abandoned and abused animals and changing the community in many ways.

The Haven was the first no kill animal shelter in Baldwin County, the first animal group to spay/neuter animals before adoption prior to this practice becoming a state law, and first to help create Fairhope’s anti-tethering law for dogs. The Haven was the first agency to have a Mobile Adoption Rescue Unit and an adoption package that includes microchipping, up to date vaccinations and tests for various illnesses.

Above: Bones helped us pass the first anti-tethering law. He was adopted and was our King of MMOR

In 2000, The Haven sheltered less than 20 homeless dogs and cats on any given day. Today, over 70 homeless animals a day call The Haven home as they wait to be adopted. The shelter has placed more than 6,000 pets in furever homes and plans to help many more.

The Haven’s small staff is honored and grateful to work with dedicated volunteers, a host that has grown from about ten or fifteen to over two hundred tenacious angels. In the early years, volunteers helped with adoption events, kennel care, fostering and fundraising. The list of volunteer opportunities has expanded to include dog walking, cat socializing, office assistance, pet grooming, writing, photography, graphic design and The ReSale Shop.

With no model for getting animals ready for adoption, The Haven’s founders began developing their own plans. Adoption events have morphed from one table in Fairhope to multiple sites each month, more tables, tents for shade and the Mobile Adoption Rescue Unit. The shelter itself has been improved over the years to include adding on the Cat Community Center. Soothing music can now reach every area of the facility, including the cat community center. Classical music is part of the Enrichment programs, a holistic approach to the animals’ health. Another part of their enrichment Above: Cat Community Center contruction program includes a newly built 5,000 sq. ft. fenced dog play area which was made possible thanks to volunteers and friends at Hagan Fence. Enrichment programs play an important role in the daily operations at the facility and are the foundation to having a successful adoption program.

A new pet will change your family dynamics and can bring many years of happiness. The Haven plans to continue its work in the community and hopes to make thousands more furever families happy for many years.

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A Letter From The Director As we take a moment to celebrate our fifteen years of helping homeless pets, I am reminded of the love and positive energy that filled The Haven not long after our agency began.

Sunny faces of volunteers and staff, accompanied by their welcoming smile, added an extra element of hope for the homeless pets. The outburst of compassion from every living creature was moving, and I was honored to join their lifesaving team.

Our tenacious team of animal care givers ensures our homeless pets are cared for 365 days a year. Devoted volunteers invest their time and talent helping those neglected and abused cats and dogs blossom into loving adoptable pets. Compassionate philanthropists donate to our cause, investing in their community.

Leaving a Legacy of Love: Lyla’s Limo

by Mary Ardis

You may not know the name Lyla Kelly, but for many animals, she is a hero whose legacy lives on after her death. Lyla was a widow and compassionate animal lover who left a bequest for The Haven in her will, and with those funds, the Mobile Adoption Rescue Unit (MARU) was purchased.

Lyla’s relationship with The Haven was formed after she retired to Fairhope, and Dr. Teresa Marshall, The Haven’s founder, made house calls to care for her felines. To ensure that relationship lived on, she included The Haven in her will.

“Thanks to her generosity, in 2005, The Haven purchased ‘Lyla’s Limo,’ as we call the MARU,” said Michael Graham, executive director of The Haven.

“We recently transported Rocky, Cadance, Romeo and Gizelle to an adoption event on a sweltering hot day. They traveled in air conditioned comfort and protected cages to the adoption site, and within an hour, all but Rocky had found homes.”

The MARU is equipped with up to 20 protective

“You have made the impossible, possible.”

The efforts of our amazing team could not have been attainable without our donors. You have made the impossible, possible.

Your continued support month after month, year after year provided us with the resources we needed to continue saving homeless pets.

Importantly, I knew because of your unwavering support that our nonprofit could set new goals and make an even larger impact.

It takes a community to prevent animal homelessness and as we take a moment to reflect on our past we are grateful to you.

Please make a life-saving tax-deductible gift today. On behalf of myself, our staff, our Board of Directors, and the animals we unite and say “thank you” for your generosity. I look forward to working together with you in 2016 and saving more lives.

-Michael Graham

cages, has been used to rescue animals during natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina, and to hold mobile pet adoptions.

To ensure your relationship with The Haven lives on, you might consider including The Haven in your estate planning like Lyla Kelly did. There are several ways you can leave a hero’s legacy, such as wills, trusts, life insurance policies, personal property, real estate, or gifts of stocks, bonds and other securities. The Haven regularly partners with Kyla Kelim, Esq. with Aging in Alabama to present seminars on making a lasting investment in our mission, so call our office if you are interested in attending one.

Shelter Adoption Hours

10:00 am - 4:00 pm Mon - Tues Closed Wednesday 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Thurs - Fri 10:00 am - 1:00 pm 3rd and 4th Sat of each month Closed Sunday

5 59 S . S e c ti o n St .

P. O. B ox 10 6 3 Fa i r h o p e, A L 3 6 53 3 2 51- 9 2 9 - 3 9 8 0

THE HAVEN CALENDAR OF EVENTS JANUARY 2016

Jan 1-31 Haven Resale Shop, Half Off All Mardi Gras and Holiday Sat., Jan 2 11am-3pm – Pet Supermarket Adoption, Daphne Sat., Jan 9 11am-3pm – Petsmart Adoption, Eastern Shore Shopping Plaza, Spanish Fort Sat., Jan. 30 Mystic Mutts of Revelry Parade, Fairhope

FEBRUARY 2016 Spay/Neuter Awareness Month Responsible Pet Owner Month

Sat., Feb. 6 Sat., Feb. 13 Spanish Fort

11am-3pm – Pet Supermarket Adoption, Daphne 11am-3pm – Petsmart Adoption, Eastern Shore Shopping Plaza,

MARCH 2016

Poison Prevention Month

March 1-31 Haven Resale Shop, Half Off All Framed Art and Picture Frames Sat., Mar 5 11am-3pm – Pet Supermarket Adoption, Daphne Sat., Mar 12 11am-3pm – Petsmart Adoption Eastern Shore Shopping Plaza, Spanish Fort Mar 18-20 Adoption, Greer’s Market, Fairhope Arts and Crafts

Stay connected with us!

 www.havenforanimals.org  facebook.com/havenforanimals

MMOR 2016: Saturday, January 30, 2015 • Registration opens at Fairhoper’s Community Park at 10:30 with live music by David Chastang, food vendors, a professional photo booth, & more family-friendly and pet worthy activities • Entry fee: $10 per dog and $10 per person over age 6 • Pre-registration: Available until 4:00pm on January 29 online, at the Haven, and at the Haven Resale Shop: $8 per dog and $8 per person over age 6 - pre-registration planned to open by December 18, 2015 • Parade begins: 1:00 • Route: through downtown Fairhope - map with route and parking will be posted soon on the Haven’s website.

 @havenforanimals  thehavenforanimals

Please Make a Tax-Deductible Donation Today