Your news & updates from
Animal Care Sanctuary
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After breaking all kinds of records in 2020, we're looking to keep that momentum going into the new year, and thus far we're off to a strong start!
In the first month of 2021, we've found new homes for 87 cats and dogs. On top of that, we're working on building our foster programs to make them even stronger, so more animals will be more adoptable and ready for forever homes!
Additionally, our community clinic is working as quickly and efficiently as ever. Our awesome veterinary crew has already completed hundreds of spay/neuter surgeries from both the local community and the surrounding region via transports.
We're so grateful for all the support you showed us in 2020, and we want to continue to grow that impact by growing families and helping animals in need. Thank you all so much!
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YEAR-TO-DATE
STATISTICS
As of January 1, 2021:
Adoptions: 87
Fosters: 19
Fosters-to-Adoptions: 9
Spay/neuter surgeries: 330
Clinic appointments: 171
Total Clinic Visits: 501
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Staffworks Fund Save A Life 2020 Campaign Raises $3,041,832
Animal Care Sanctuary Reaches Over $205K
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EAST SMITHFIELD, PA – The Staffworks Fund Save A Life 2020 Campaign raised an incredible $3,041,832, the most successful year to date since its inception in 2014, and a 65% increase from the previous record. The previous record of $1,844,350 was set in 2019.
Every December the Staffworks Fund at the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties provides matching levels for donations to nonprofit animal welfare organizations. This year, the Save A Life Campaign helped 39 organizations across 17 counties in Central and Southern New York, and Pennsylvania.
These organizations do not receive recurring state or federal funding, and rely heavily on donations to care for abandoned, neglected, and abused animals. COVID-restricted fundraising created severe financial challenges and left many of these organizations facing a financial crisis. All Save A Life 2020 Campaign funds will be used for daily animal care, to purchase necessary animal supplies, to fill critical adoption and medical needs, and spay and neuter services.
As one of the 39 organizations involved in the Staffworks Fund Save a Life Campaign, Animal Care Sanctuary raised $175,413.21 and, including a $30,000 match from Staffworks, our campaign earnings reached a total of $205,413.21.
"It has been absolutely wonderful working with Staffworks," said ACS Executive Director Terri McKendry. "The Save A Life Campaign has been an integral part of the final month of fundraising for what was a record year for ACS. We can't thank Staffworks enough for allowing us to be a part of this amazing campaign that helps animals all across the region."
Since 2014, the Save A Life Campaign has raised $6,156,444 for nonprofit organizations providing direct care and services for at-risk animals in regional communities where Staffworks operates.
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The Bridge To Forever
Kevin’s Fresh Start
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Thanks to our partnership with Humane Society International, we’ve received many incredible dogs that were rescued from dog meat farms in South Korea. Their stories often amazing, and bring out the best in some pretty amazing people.
Kevin is one of these dogs. He arrived as one of ten fellow canines to be rescued from the harsh conditions of these farms. He was absolutely, immovably terrified, save for the full-body tremors that quaked his entire body.
Kevin was quickly taken in by our vet tech Jill Elston, who has fostered many challenged dogs into confident, well-behaved canines that are ready for forever homes. Kevin didn’t leave his crate for the entire first day with Jill, and it took nine days before Kevin was comfortable to relax enough for Jill to even touch him without flinching. With therapeutic help from her own dogs, Kevin made huge strides in the subsequent days, revealing a snuggly personality that loved to spend time in Jill’s lap. However, it still took weeks of careful fostering for Kevin to be ready to make the big jump to his forever home. And jump he did.
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“Forty days after I carried this terrified dog into my home, I watched him jump into a car with no fear,” Jill said. Kevin is currently adopted and adjusting well in his new forever home.Jill – like so many animal fosters – are the bridge. As much as we all want the perfect dog or cat, the truth is many of these animals have suffered severe traumas that prevent them from opening up and being the animals they are meant to be. We’re so thankful to have fosters like Jill, and would love to add more.
To read Jill’s full foster story and complete notes and updates on Kevin, CLICK HERE!
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Get to know ACS!
Haylee Kehler - Adoption Coordinator
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How long have you been a part of ACS? Why did you get involved?
I started back October 2, 2020, previously was here for a year where I worked in the cattery. I got involved because helping people and animals is all I know, and I could not imagine doing anything else, shelter animals need love too, and I have lots of love to give.
Are you a dog person or a cat person?
I was always a dog person, but since working at ACS and working more with the cats I enjoy how independent and how much personality they have. Overall, I love both.
What’s your favorite part of your job?
My favorite part of the job is being involved in the adoption process, following it through and the end result seeing the animals go to their furrever homes.
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SANCTUARY STORIES
Deangelo (Part 2)
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WE HAVE AMAZING NEWS!!!
We’re sure you all remember Deangelo. He was a dog meat farm rescue from South Korea whom we had diagnosed with cancer due to what appeared to be tumors as well as rapid weight loss during his time here at ACS.
Fortunately, trusted ACS foster friend Gabby Cardamone last month swooped this big guy into her arms to give him a loving foster home for his final days of hospice care. However, a few weeks into his care, we received an update from Gabby: Deangelo was not only doing well, but he was putting on weight and actually getting better.
With financial assistance from the Humane Society of United States, we decided to give Deangelo a biopsy, the results of which confirmed that DEANGELO DOES NOT HAVE CANCER!!! The “tumor” is chronic hyperplastic dermatitis with periadnexal inflammation. In English, Deangelo is basically suffering from a chronic, extreme version of a callous, which is in no way life-threatening and is a remnant of his previous living conditions on the dog meat farm.
We put Deangelo back up for formal adoption, and he quickly found his forever home! We're overjoyed for him, and we wish him a LONG, happy, loving life!
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Hagrid is, to say the least, why we take chances and try to look at every situation from every angle. We had received a call regarding an older cat with a wound on his side that he had reopened after being stitched up at another clinic. It sounded simple enough, so we consulted the vet team and they were happy to help and repair the wound. We found out later that it wasn't going to be that easy.
Phone calls back and forth between his owners and the feline director unearthed some other issues. We were told he had litter pan issues and that he would spray. Luckily between our behavior team and amazing donors who keep us supplied with all sorts of litter alternatives, and after some deliberation, we decided to give it a shot. There were many instances where cats wouldn't use their pan that our team has managed to work out so this didn't seem like an impossible situation to overcome.
When he arrived, we saw just how tough he had it. Hagrid had a large, open wound on his right side, the ends only being held together by a few old staples and stiches. He even had a staple that had imbedded itself into the center of his raw, open spot. His hair was matted in several places and he had been scratching at his wound for long enough that infection had set in. It was an unfortunate case of neglect and the knowledge that this cat truly needed help that made Hagrid such a special case.
Hagrid had been through a lot before we met him and his trials didn't stop there. He had since had a drain tube put in and then removed, as well as his staples. We learned that he only has four teeth, and can only eat wet food and soaked, mushy dry food. Now, Hagrid is still fighting to heal with his wound opened once again. Unfortunately, after his first surgery to close it up, Hagrid has no extra skin to close the wound. He receives multiple daily wound cleans and ointment applications, plus he is forced to bear the shame of wearing a cone.
Yet, after everything, Hagrid is still the perfect gentleman. He has endured neglect, but still enjoys cuddles from friendly humans. He is a litter pan aficionado, despite previous struggles. And, despite the injury he has had for longer than anyone knows, Hagrid is still healing and still persevering.
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A Home for Beef!
One of our longest stay dogs in Wellsboro, Beefaroni, finally went home last month, and we're happy to report that he's doing great in his new home!
Beef had become one of our Wellsboro staff's best friends over the months they got to know him. He led you all on a tour of the new trails in Wellsboro when they opened this year, staff held a birthday party for him -- he had essentially become the unofficial spokesdog for Wellsboro!
He is surely missed by everyone in Wellsboro, but nothing can replace a happy, loving home! We're so happy to Beefaroni and to the family who opened their arms and home to him.
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SUPPORT ACS BY DONATING VIA OUR AMAZON WISHLISTS!
Click on the buttons below!
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As a Monthly Donor, you are providing a gift that can be used for animals in their hour of need. Your donation will help ACS rescue pets from overcrowded kill shelters, inhumane conditions, hoarding situations and puppy mills. Your support will help us make more future animal rescues possible, as well as give us the resources we need to provide those animals with the attention and medical care that they need to be adopted. Monthly donations provide security to assure that ACS always has the resources needed to provide for animals at a moment’s notice. To become a monthly donor, please sign up online at www.animalcaresanctuary.org or contact Terry McKendry at [email protected].
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