Dear SOS Supporter,

I am sure you are getting bombarded with COVID-19 information, so we've compiled what we believe is helpful or pertains to our rescue operations below. We are well-versed in handling community challenges and disease control and when we collaborate and work together, we can handle almost anything that comes our way.  

Homeless pets are still in need , and we operate at capacity at all times, so SOSARL is still fully operational but with added measures in place, as the safety and health of our volunteers, supporters and animals are paramount. We are also working on plans to mitigate the effects this situation might have on our life-saving programs. If events are cancelled or adopters are uncertain about adopting, adoptions will go down, and a significant portion of our operating budget comes from adoption fees. Compounding the situation, if dogs linger longer in foster care, our efforts and expenses per dog will go up, and the next round of at-risk dogs is always just waiting to come in. Our team is working on a comprehensive contingency plan to address these concerns, some with creative solutions like "virtual meet-n-greets." We will update you as plans change and evolve.

In the meantime, we have a need for foster homes , both for those dogs already in our pipeline as well as those who may become at-risk due to circumstances around the COVID-19 situation, both here and in our partners' communities. If you have the capacity to commit to caring for a dog until s/he is adopted, or even just 2-3 weeks, please reach out to fostercoordination@sosarl.org ASAP; we may not have a dog for you to take today, but we may need your help tomorrow and we have a lot of resources to share with you.

We encourage you to educate yourself for your family, your pets and the rescue. One thing you can do now is to make plans for your pet(s) in case someone in your home falls ill. You can stock up on two extra weeks of pet supplies and identify a pet sitter who can help out if, at any point, you need to be hospitalized. Pets may be able to stay with friends or family, but if that is not an option, do some research on local boarding facilities and have a couple of options ready in case you need to be hospitalized. Make sure to write out instructions for their daily routine to make the transition easier, including any medications that are needed on a daily or monthly basis, and also that your pet is up to date on all required vaccinations. Here is a helpful resource from the American Veterinary Medical Association in regards to pets and COVID-19.
**KEY OPERATIONAL POINTS FOR SOSARL**
  • Homeless pets are still in need, so SOSARL is still fully operational; we are continuing on as usual with our transports, meet-n-greet appointments, and events, but are continuing to monitor recommendations made by state and local officials and will act accordingly. 
  • DO NOT come to an event or meeting if you have any flu-like symptoms. If you are a sick volunteer, please email volunteer@sosarl.org as soon as you are able. If you are a sick adopter, please email dogs@sosarl.org. We will figure it out!
***PER RI EMERGENCY ORDER 20-03 , individuals returning from international travel must immediately self-quarantine for 14 days.***
  • SOS reTAIL will keep normal hours/appointments barring new developments, and is offering two new services to help our customers through this: Curbside Pick-Up and Pre-Order. We have sent out an eblast with further details to all of SOS reTAIL customers.
  • Social distancing is recommended.
  • There is currently no evidence that pets can get COVID-19/transmit, but their fur can act like any other surface to spread the virus. This makes it important to wash our hands between handling animals and to frequently clean the surfaces in public places where there are pets.
  • Avoid touching your face.
  • Hands - hand washing is paramount! Wash hands with soap (for 20 seconds) and water multiple times throughout the day. Refrain from shaking hands, and wash or sanitize hands after interactions/touching surfaces.
  • We will be posting updates our on internal and public Facebook pages on a regular basis, as well as updating our event schedule as needed. Developments are unfolding quickly, and we will make every effort to keep you apprised of any operational changes that may impact you.
If you have any concerns about completing a volunteer task or other concerns related to COVID-19 and SOSARL, please reach out to us as soon as you can and we will get back to you.
THANK YOU for all that you do for the dogs, and stay healthy! We will get through this together. 

Best,

Emma & The SOSARL Team

For information about local impacts of COVID-19 on humans and guidance for keeping yourself and others healthy, please follow the dedicated page on the RI Department of Health .