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Saving lives since 1948

A Letter from the President

With their habitats and food sources shrinking, coyotes, bobcats, fisher cats and other wild animals are living closer to our neighborhoods and homes, making our pets potential prey. It seems that there are more sightings of wild animals in our neighborhoods every day. It takes only seconds for a hawk or other bird of prey to swoop down and take away a cat or small dog or for a bobcat, a coyote (or pack of them) to attack and drag your pet away. To keep your pets safe, you should, among other things;

never leave your dog unattended outside, even in a fenced yard (many wild animals, including coyotes, are wary of people and are less likely to attack if you are with your dog)
never use an invisible fence -- they are dangerous for your pets because a wild animal can enter your yard but your pet cannot escape
always keep your dog with you on a leash when he or she is not in a fenced yard
consider using a coyote vest on your small dog
carry pepper spay or an air horn to scare wild animals away
never let your cat outside

While we all enjoy time outside, we have to be on guard and protect our pets from the very real risks that wild animals present to them.

Linda Marino

President

Pet Story of the Month: Johnny

If there’s one photo that’s worth a thousand words, it’s this one. Twelve-year-old Johnny was surrendered by his family to The Animal Haven in early February. He spent his days lying in front of the shelter’s entrance, inconsolable, waiting and watching for their return. Our hearts were broken for him because he had no way of knowing that his family wasn’t coming back -- and we knew how difficult it can be to find someone interested in adopting an elderly dog. We posted Johnny’s sad story on our Facebook page, which received 700 emojis of love and caught the eye of Melissa and Lenny, who live in Stafford Springs. The couple drove more than an hour to the shelter to meet Johnny and fell madly in love with him! Johnny has now made himself at home (see photo above) with Melissa, Lenny and two new canine siblings, Andy and Lucy. Melissa reports that Johnny loves lying in his bed in front of the fireplace, playing with his siblings, going outside in the sun and riding in the truck with “Dad.” “He’s a happy boy!” said Melissa. “We are truly grateful that we are able to give him a wonderful life for however long he may live.” The Animal Haven is truly grateful that Melissa and Lenny opened their hearts to Johnny. Johnny's adoption story is something we wish for all the animals at The Animal Haven all of whom deserve nothing less than to lie on their backs on a comfy bed in their own home, surrounded by love.

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Focus On: Prancer

Is this one gorgeous dog? You would never know it now, but Prancer was the victim of terrible neglect and abuse. She was abandoned on the street and survived by eating trash out of dumpsters, leaving her dangerously undernourished. Look at her now after a few months of good food and lots of love. She is a very sweet, two-year-old dog who desperately needs to be in a loving home. We are looking for someone to adopt or foster-to-adopt Prancer. An application can be filled out at www.theanimalhavenct.org

Volunteer of the Month: Sarah McCollum

The sweet-tempered felines that capture the hearts of potential adopters don't always come to The Animal Haven that way. Quite often they are traumatized, aggressive, or just plain grumpy. This is where volunteers like Sarah McCollum come in. Call them the Cat Therapists. Sarah has been volunteering for about a year at the shelter helping new kitten and cat arrivals learn how to trust humans. "Socializing a cat can be a long-term challenge," Sarah said. "My biggest challenge (and success) was with Rocky, a cat who showed up in my front yard about 11 years ago. He was feral, severely injured from a larger animal bite and traumatized. It took him months of antibiotics and daily baths, as well as minor surgery, to recover physically. Today Rocky is a happy, healthy, cuddly 12-year-old dude." Rocky's happy ending is one that Sarah sees frequently at the shelter. "It is just the best to see a cat go from shy or aggressive to being willing to accept other pets, to being excited to see me come into the room, to being adopted because they learned how to trust people," she said. Additional talents Sarah brings to The Animal Haven include her technical and statistical skills as a biostatistician. As a member of The Animal Haven's development committee, she created a template and compiled numbers for the shelter's first annual report. Volunteering for The Animal Haven brings Sarah great satisfaction. "I love helping in every way I can," she said. "They truly value and provide wonderful care for every animal, even those that are not as 'adoptable' as others." And we truly value you, Sarah, for all you do for The Animal Haven.

Donate to The Animal Haven

Hours of operation: Adoption by appointment only.

If you are interested in one of the animals at the shelter, please fill out and submit an application on our website. If your application is approved, we will be in touch to schedule an appointment. Thank you.