Welcome to Takeover Tuesday! Each Tuesday in March, we have invited a different department to give a glimpse into what their typical day at 4 Paws Lane looks like on our social media. If you don't follow us on Facebook or Instagram, we've compiled all of our posts here to share with you! Tuesday, March 2nd: Sunniva Buck, Executive Director
My team and I meet each morning to discuss our plans to care for and ultimately find homes for each and every dog and cat at our shelter. Today we are talking about a recent transfer of animals that just arrived, reviewing the plans for our current animals in our care to determine who is ready for adoption, coordinating the 8 spay/neuter surgeries on our calendar, and discussing behaviors that we need to work on or consult with a trainer on. We are also discussing what volunteers will be joining the team today and what projects or animals we need their help with, like throwing the tennis ball 300 times to an extra active pup who is getting bored, hand feeding a cat that needs to feel we can be trusted or attacking the 6 foot high dirty laundry pile from our adorable but messy furry guests! Like most days here, we are off to a busy start. For me, any day that begins with making a difference for dogs and cats is a good day. When you add an enthusiastic face wash complete with dog breath aromatherapy from a grateful guest, well it is hard to top. Thank you for caring about what we do and I hope my takeover brings you both some insight into what goes on here at CAAA and some smiles into your day.
Tuesday, March 9th: Mikayla and Taylor, Animal Caretakers
We got to see some of our great volunteers who have been taking dogs on offiste trips and helping around the building. Now, we're hanging out with our most recent transport of pups from Mexico and enjoying the warm(er) weather we're finally getting. There's nothing like a wet nose to cap off your day, before the craziness of tomorrow picks back up. Tuesday, March 16th: Shelter Medicine Team
Tuesday, March 23rd: Volunteer Team
![]() Hello CAAA friends! My name is Laura O'Neill, and not counting the year of hiatus due to the pandemic, I have been a volunteer working with our pups every Tuesday for about 6 years. I can't tell you how happy I am to be back!!!! This afternoon was my third shift back in the swing of things, and I loved every minute of it. I had the pleasure of romping and snuggling with so many sweet peas who will no doubt find their furever homes soon, and bring so much joy and love to the folks lucky enough to make them family. After a check on the laundry (a constant need here as you might imagine) I get to head on up to the pups. My primary goal is to get them out, spend time socializing with people and other dogs, which includes comforting, playing, working on manners, watching for any strengths to be highlighted, areas where extra time and attention might be helpful to bring out their best. I get to be their buddy as they explore this new world they are in, and help make them ready to join a home. And it is a weird new world for sure. We are often like elephants to them... big, different language and movements... some dive right in, others (reasonably) need a little coaxing and extra love. There's good reason when you think about it for a pup to pause and feel things out. Today, I had one in particular who was sweet and easy to leash up, but anxious to leave her kennel, her safe place. A treat or two, soft encouraging words, and look at us outside cuddling like we've been buddies forever! I'd be reluctant too even if I met the sweetest elephant for the first time, and they asked me to go for a walk. It takes a bit of empathy, patience, gentleness and yes, sometimes bribes. But once outside it was belly scratches and hugs and zooms around the yard! She is perfect. As were all the dogs I spent time with tonight. It was fantastic to see her and four other pups just zip about together, socialize with each other, then make eye contact and come flying in for a hug and rest time in my lap, the others eyeing staff members and doing the same (always one outlier hanging on to a prized toy trying to egg the others back out into the field). My day was made much better by these fur heads, and while I would love to see them all again, my hope is I don't, at least not at the shelter, as it means they have moved on to the home they deserve. Be well!
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Tuesday, February 23rd is World Spay Day, and today we're sharing the impact that spaying and neutering your pet can have on the homeless animal population. Around the globe, litters of homeless puppies and kittens live on vacant properties and roam the streets. In 2020, 1,146 of Cape Ann Animal Aid's 1,195 adopted animals were transferred to us through our Safe Harbor Program, escaping a myriad of situations and possible euthanasia due to overcrowding. Heather from transport partner Road Trip Home Animal Rescue in Georgia, explains: "If everyone in Georgia spayed and neutered their animals, our shelters would not be overflowing, there would not be strays all over the roads losing their lives to cars, and there would be no need for transport rescues! What a glorious day that will be... until then, we continue our mission to help animals find homes no matter how far the journey"
Cookies spay procedure falls on World Spay Day this year, and Cape Ann Animal Aid provides spay surgeries for many dogs just like her every year. In 2020, we spayed over ten mom dogs and cats who had either come to us pregnant, or recently had a litter of unwanted puppies or kittens. Overpopulation doesn't just mean overcrowding - It often means that there aren't enough resources to go around. Speaking on the condition of Cookies and many homeless pets in Georgia, Ruth from Road Trip Home writes: "Another mama with newborn pups surrendered to animal control. Arriving at a shelter scared, hungry, and trying the best that she can to care for her tiny babies. Many of the pups that come into our shelter have health problems or diseases, and have received no health care. It is a struggle every day to fund the care needed to get these babies healthy and send them on to their new homes. The poor mama dogs live their entire lives raising babies and if not saved and brought to a shelter or rescue, succumb to heartworms or neglect."
Aside from the impact on the homeless animal population, there are also medical benefits for having your pets spayed and neutered. Dr. Alex Becket, CAAA Director of shelter medicine, elaborates: "Spaying your female dog will stop her from cycling, and also eliminate the possibility of ovarian and some uterine cancers. In addition, spaying your female dog will drastically decrease her chances of getting mammary cancer. Neutering your male dog will help prevent some undesirable behaviors such as roaming and marking, and will also help prevent problems later in life such as testicular diseases and cancers as well as prostate problems." To prevent overpopulation of cats and dogs in our area, Cape Ann Animal Aid has always spayed and neutered our animals prior to adoption. These surgeries are done as early as 8 weeks, provided the puppy or kitten is healthy, weaned from mom, and over 2.2 lbs.
In celebration of our Winter Ball - Tails of Summer Love, we're sharing your own love tails that you've sent to us! Click a photo below to expand and read how CAAA pets have captured the hearts of our adopters, their children, friends, family, and pets. We are so honored to be a part of your love story! ![]() Few things make our team at Cape Ann Animal Aid happier than watching a dog or cat that we’ve championed for, walk out our shelter doors into the arms of their new family. Thankfully, for many of the 1000 plus rescues we’ve helped this year, their time with us at the shelter is short but for others, this is not the case. Some animals may need more medical attention or behavior support, patience, and love before being adopted. One of those animals is Wally. After a long battle for his life, Wally finally met his new family and greeted them with his signature goofy grin. A great day at Cape Ann Animal Aid but one we worried would not happen. Thanks to your support, Wally will be spending this holiday season in the comfort of a loving home. Shortly after arriving into our care, Wally became extremely ill. Diagnostic testing revealed he had contracted Parvovirus, a highly contagious, often fatal, viral disease, causing severe vomiting, diarrhea and sometimes sepsis. This virus typically affects younger puppies and routine vaccination usually provides protection. At 8 months old, it was unusual for Wally to have this virus and to be so sick. ![]() To save Wally’s life, the CAAA animal care team maintained isolation protocols and took immediate action. He was placed on a regimen of antibiotics, IV fluids, nutritional support, anti-nausea medications, vitamin supplements and around-the-clock care. They created a network of constant communications. Day or night, any time he showed slight improvements, hopes were high. The team cheered and sent videos. But the next day, the quiet worry would begin again because he didn’t move or eat. His weight loss was alarming, and we feared the worst, but our team was not giving up. Treating Parvovirus requires an abundance of medical supplies, time and compassionate care. All of which we had, because of you. Thank you for giving Wally a fighting chance. ![]() For Wally, our team had the resources to act fast and follow medical protocols to fight for his survival. For some, especially older animals, the help they may need requires a different set of skills. Such was the case for 7-year-old, Freya. After many years of living a quiet life with a single adult, Freya’s owner was forced to relocate and needed to surrender her for adoption. In her former home, Freya was reported to be an affectionate, playful yet mellow companion. However, the transition to our shelter was incredibly difficult for her and she let us know. She displayed fear based behavior, which included hiding, hissing, and swatting at staff when they tried to care for her. Our dedicated animal care staff was concerned about Freya’s demeanor and how it would affect her chances of finding a new home, but they refused to give up on her. Community outreach coordinator, Jane Peters, recalls her first attempts at working with Freya. She would hide in a cubby and wouldn’t come out for anything. I would sit as close as she let me and toss her treats. She would hesitantly take the treats, but she swiped at me and hissed if I got too close. Figuring out our best strategy to help Freya took time and lots of patience, but the effort paid off. Once we were able to convince her she was safe, her true personality came forward and she quickly found her human match. Her new family had this to say about her. ![]() Freya has been an absolute love bug since the day I got her. She follows me around all day and curls up next to my head when I fall asleep at night. I am so happy to have adopted her from Cape Ann Animal Aid. She is absolutely the perfect cat for me! Wally and Freya needed a safe place where they could receive the right care. They needed Cape Ann Animal Aid and people like you to champion for them. Together, we can give them the only gift they ask for - a loving home. The unconditional love they give in return can fill up an ocean and your whole heart.
Thank you for being a champion for homeless animals in need! |
Cape ann animal aid
An opportunity for you to learn more about the mission and programs of Cape Ann Animal Aid. Sharing candid insights, guest columns, breaking news, and of course, adorable photos of shelter animals. Archives
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