Celebrating 20 Years of Saving Lives. 2000-2020
ROAR NEWS
July 2020
Edition
Keep Your Pets  Safe and Secure in July!

The fourth of July marks the peak of summer in the U.S. However, this year may seem different since the majority of towns and cities have canceled fireworks and parades to help keep residents healthy and safe. However, more people have been setting off their own fireworks. In fact, at-home fireworks have been on the rise so much that they have become a nightly occurrence in some neighborhoods, towns and cities.
 
While fireworks can be colorful and exciting, they can be very frightening for dogs and cats. According to the National Council of Pet Population Study & Policy and the National Humane Society, more than 10 million pets are lost each year. Also, July 4th is the day when more dogs and cats get lost than any other day of the year. As a result, July 5th is the busiest day of the year for animal shelters nationwide. Overall, there is a 30 percent increase in lost pets between July 4th and 6th since pets can panic when they hear fireworks just like thunderstorms.
 
This is why PetHub., Inc. created  National Lost Pet Prevention Month in July. The pet holiday was developed in 2014 with the hope of helping owners reunite with their pets, or keeping them from losing them at all.
 
Tips for Preventing Your Pet from Getting Lost
 
  • Keep Them Inside on Holidays - Loud, unfamiliar noises can be very scary and stressful, which may result in your pet wanting to escape. Set up a nice room or crate area for your pet with a favorite blanket, toys, and maybe even a sound machine to help him or her relax. When your dog needs to go to the bathroom, take him or her out on a leash.
  •  Make Sure Your Pet Wears a Proper ID or is Microchipped - If you don't already have an appropriate ID for your pet, get one and make sure they wear it on a secure collar, or microchip your pet. This will dramatically increase the chances of your pet being identified and safely returned to you if they end up at a shelter or veterinary clinic.
  •  Secure Areas Where Your Pet Spends its Time - Many pets attempt to escape from their homes or cars. Make sure your yard is surrounded by a high fence and any gaps are closed off. Car windows should also be secured to prevent pets from escaping out windows. Homes should also follow the same rules as a yard with major exits closed when not in use.

If you lose your dog or cat, contact your local animal rescue organizations or shelters and Animal Control to see if your pet ended up there.
In This Issue
Did You Know? 
The ASPCA offers a free app that enables you to store vital pet records for your cat or dog and provides information on how to search for a lost pet. It's a great tool that can help you  prepare ahead of time in the event your pet goes missing. You can download it by clicking here. 

 Pet Profiles 

Meet Bianca & Hannah!


Bianca

Bianca is an adorable, sweet girl with beautiful, shiny black fur, gorgeous green eyes, and a calm and loving personality. She is one of the newest residents in ROAR's Cat Room and just celebrated her ninth birthday.
 
Bianca doesn't know where her beloved person is, why she's not in her home and where her favorite things are. We can't explain to her that her owner is no longer able to care for her since she had to move into a nursing home. Humans mourn the loss of a family member and so does Bianca.
 

Since coming to ROAR, Bianca recognizes some familiar faces, knows that she is loved, likes to be pet and snoozes in some favorite comfortable spots. She is in a caring place but we know that a shelter isn't where she belongs.
 
If you have a quiet and peaceful home and love cats, make an appointment to meet Bianca.
 
She is spayed, micro-chipped and up-to-date on vaccinations. Bianca is also eligible for our Senior for Senior program.
Hannah

Hannah is a sweet, three-year old Shepherd mix. She spent the first six months of her life living in a back yard with her five siblings where they never got to experience the warmth of a human's touch. From there she was taken in by a wonderful rescue but unfortunately, with their limited resources, Hannah and her siblings still rarely experienced human interaction. Hannah came to ROAR back in January with her friend Judd. She's been with us since then.
 
Hannah is continuing to make progress. However, she still has a long journey ahead of her. She desperately needs someone who is patient, experienced, dedicated and determined to teach her that the world and people are safe. Hannah would do best in a quiet and calm environment with no children.
 
She is up-to-date on vaccinations, micro-chipped and spayed.


At ROAR, everyone receives what they need to live happy,  healthy lives 
until the home they are waiting for is found.  

ROAR Adoptions in June

 Thank you to all of our June adopters who opened their hearts and homes
and made these lucky pups, dogs, kittens and cats a part of your packs!!!



ROAR Animal Welfare Scholarship
Reagan with her beagle Huck
Congratulations Reagan Bonadies for Being Selected as Our First Recipient!!!

  ROAR recently initiated its first annual high school scholarship program to encourage high school students to pursue a career in animal care. After reviewing more than 100 applications from students at Ridgefield High School, ROAR selected Reagan Bonadies, a recent graduate, as its inaugural recipient.
 
To find out more about this amazing student who will be heading to the University of Maine this fall to study Zoology in its Honors Program, we recently talked to 

Reagan about what made her want to pursue her education to be a veterinarian, how ROAR's scholarship will help support this and her love of animals.
 
Q: What made you want to go to school to become a veterinarian?
A: "I love animals. I've always had them and I think it would be cool to take care of them as I get older. I also knew I wanted to go into some kind of medical field."
 
Q: Do you know what kind of veterinarian you would like to become yet?
A: "As of right now, I want to work with larger animals. I think working with farm animals would be a great way to impact communities and even the country because I can help keep the animals that impact our food supply healthy. There are also shortages of veterinarians in rural, farming areas, so I could find a job where there is a need."
 
Q: Is anyone else in your family a veterinarian?
A: "No one in my immediate family is a veterinarian or works with animals, but I have a few members of my extended family who have gone to school for animal science and zoology. Also, an interesting side note ... my mom worked in a vet's office (administrative) when she was pregnant with me. We like to joke that it's the reason I want to be a vet now."
 
Q: Do you have any pets at home? If so, what kind do you have?
A: "I have a bunch of pets at home. We have two dogs (a yellow lab and a beagle), three guinea pigs, a snake, and some fish. The coolest pet I have ever had was an albino hedgehog."
 
Q: How did you find out about ROAR's scholarship and that you were selected as its first recipient?
A: "My guidance counselor at the high school told me about the scholarship. I wrote a short essay about why I wanted to be a veterinarian and work with large animals and applied for it in early May. I also sent information about my interests to the school in the winter.
 
I found out I received the scholarship through a congratulations letter sent in the mail from ROAR's Executive Director Kerry Dobson, as well as from a video announcement that our Principal Dr. Gross sent out.
 
Q: How will the scholarship help you with your education?
A: "This scholarship will help me lessen the amount of student loans I have at my time at UMaine. My goal is to be in little (hopefully no) debt when I go to vet school. It is important to me to not take out a large loan for vet school on top of the one for my undergrad. The scholarship will help me reach this goal."
 
Q: Have you worked with animals before?
A: "I've done a lot of pet sitting (from dogs to chickens). I also am an expert at petting animals. I think I say hi to every dog I see! Over the next few years, I will be looking for more opportunities to shadow veterinarians and work with all kinds of animals."
 
Q: Do you have a favorite animal or a few?
A: "My favorite animals are cows. I grew up in South Carolina and we would get our dairy products from a small organic farm in the area. They would keep the pregnant cows right near the farm store where everyone could see them up close. I think that is what started my love for cows. Other than that, I think any exotic animals you can keep as pets are super cool (like hedgehogs and snakes)."
ROAR's  " $20 for 20 in 2020" Donation Drive
Please Help Support ROAR! 

In celebration of its 20th anniversary, ROAR recently launched a new monthly donation drive called "$20 for 20 in 2020." Donors are being asked to contribute $20 (or more) on the 20th of each remaining month of the year. Donations are being accepted here .
 
Donors wearing masks and taking proper safety precautions in light of the COVID-19 pandemic are also welcome to donate cash or checks in person at the ROAR Donofrio Family Animal Shelter at 45 South Street in Ridgefield, CT. In future months, ROAR volunteers hope to be able to also accept donations in person at various locations around town in Ridgefield.
 
"Every 20 dollars donated to ROAR helps support the housing, veterinary care, feeding, training and placement of neglected and needy dogs and cats," said Kerry Dobson, ROAR's executive director. "Since starting operations 20 years ago, ROAR has placed more than 5,000 adoptable pets with loving families in Ridgefield and surrounding towns throughout Connecticut and New York.
 
"As we've seen demonstrated over the past three months, the bond between humans and animals is deep and profound, built on unconditional love and acceptance," said Dobson. "Your generosity allows ROAR to continue on its mission to support and deepen these bonds."

For more information about ROAR and its "$20 for 20 in 2020" campaign, contact us at 203-438-0158.
Why Do You Do What You Do?
"I've always been fascinated by the unique and symbiotic bonds between humans and their pets (especially dogs). ROAR's commitment to helping neglected and needy animals find loving families is inspirational, and I'm thrilled by the opportunity to work with such dedicated and caring people to serve our community. ROAR enriches lives -- human, canine and feline -- in meaningful ways, and I'm looking forward to helping advance its cause and its impact."

- David Y., Board Member black_paw_prints.jpg