As the economy worsened the numbers of pet guardians and their pets needing assistance due to foreclosure, eviction and job-loss escalated rapidly and became the majority of our cases
Some of the people and pets we have helped:
§ A cancer survivor who lost her home to foreclosure, sheltered her two elderly dogs with us, and found a job and an apartment that would allow her pets. Then her employer’s business went bankrupt. She is now sleeping on a mattress on the floor of a friend’s basement apartment while going through the endless red tape of finding assisted housing. One of her dogs passed away in December, the other is back in the Safe Haven Program.
§ The young man who lost his job. He had to give up grooming his dogs to save money, but then he lost his co-op before he could find another employer. The dogs were admitted to Safe Haven and their matted coats had to be shaved down once they arrived.
§ The head of a family who lost his job, then the family lost their home. As if that weren’t enough, their son was deployed to Iraq. They e-mailed every rescue and limited admission shelter on Long Island to find homes for their 3 cats with no success. They couldn’t bear to think their kitties would be euthanized…they are now with us. The felines are currently available for adoption as the family has moved to an extended living residence in South Carolina where the father has finally found a job.
The
Animal Lovers Clinic is responsible for the free sterilization of thousands of feral cats. Our clinics ran from September 2008 to April of 2009, and provided resources for caretakers from all over Long Island (no restriction by demographics).
This is an ongoing volunteer effort, a true demonstration of successful collaboration. Vets, techs and caring volunteers man workstations that flow smoothly and maximize the numbers of cats altered safely and successfully. Vets operate only from 9AM to 3PM and recovery volunteers monitor every cat so that no cats ever are released while still under anesthesia. They are all awake before they are allowed to leave with their caretakers for recuperation.