September 28th, 2022

Homeless animals come to our Christopher Cutler Rich Animal Shelter to find their first and forever family. Sadly, for some,
it's their second or third chance at a loving home. Most of these animals come from overcrowded Southern shelters as strays or owner surrenders. Our rescue partners are overburdened and stressed. When they call, we do everything we possibly can to help.
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Cape Ann Animal Aid takes in animals who might have a difficult time getting adopted in the South — not because they’re
broken or bad but because we have the unique privilege of being able to help. Precioso and Freya are two older animals whose lives were changed thanks to Cape Ann Animal Aid’s Safe Harbor Program, which enables us to transport animals from areas of the country where their lives are at risk.

This is not my home – where is my family?
There are many reasons why older animals become homeless and wind up in shelters. Precioso, a 10-year-old, long-haired gray tabby from Florida, lived a well-loved life, but an unfortunate family circumstance led his owners to surrender him. For older animals, especially those that are accustomed to the creature comforts of home, a shelter can be an extremely stressful environment. Some animals become despondent and depressed, missing the family that once cared for them, which can then affect their health.

Our shelter animal care team took extra time providing enrichment and socialization activities as well as an abundance of love and patience for Precioso. Our veterinary team managed routine medical care, including a shave to help with a matting issue, and kept a watchful eye on his eating and physical activities for signs of stress. He soon became a favorite among staff and other cats during socialization hours. However, due to his advanced age, we feared he could be waiting for some time before getting adopted. Precioso decided this would not be his fate.

Precioso picks out his new family
While visiting her daughter and granddaughter in Gloucester this summer, Gail stopped by our shelter to meet a 5-year-old cat named Max listed on our website. Her beloved cat recently passed away while she was still dealing with the grief of losing her husband earlier this year. She brought the family to see Max, but Precioso had other plans for Gail. He first charmed Gail’s granddaughter who was playing with him on the floor. She told her grandmother, “This is the one!” As Gail continued to inquire about Max, Precioso decided to take it a step further and leaped into Max's condo (pictured right) and proceeded to snuggle in, leaving her no choice but to adopt them both.

Older animals deserve our love and are simply "no assembly required."
With Precioso being a most handsome gray tabby, Gail renamed him “Earl Grey” and lovingly calls him “The Earl.” She says he is the most affectionate cat who acts more like a kitten. He and Max get along with her older beagle and have provided her with so much joy during a year of loss. She understands the joy in adopting a kitten or a puppy but believes older animals are special and deserve to spend their last years in a loving home. She also says they are simply easier to manage and jokingly refers to them as "no assembly required."

A dog once lost in the woods is now a well-loved hiking buddy
Investing in outreach, spay/neuter and other programs designed to address homeless pet population issues has afforded Cape Ann Animal Aid the ability to help our partners in the South and sweet animals like Freya. 

Freya and 14 other animals were transported from our rescue partners in Georgia at the end of May. She was being treated for Lyme disease and because she was a hound, we knew she probably had a penchant for running and chasing wildlife. Finding an adopter can sometimes be difficult for older animals who are being treated for medical issues, but she had two things going for her - she was just so darn sweet, and she was coming to Cape Ann Animal Aid.

This 5-year-old hound mix came to us from our rescue partners in Georgia. Not much is known about her prior life, though it’s believed she lived in a home at some point due to her good house manners while in foster care. She was found emaciated and covered in ticks, most likely the result of being lost in a secluded mountain area nearby. A local vet confirmed she had contracted Lyme disease and also reported that they had seen an influx of dogs from that region being dumped in the woods.

An energetic hound is just what a family needed to slow down and focus on health.
Lisa, a mother of three, dreamed of adopting a dog for her family but her busy family life on top of trying to finish two master's degrees would make that idea impossible to consider - until a breast cancer diagnosis put things into perspective.

"After my surgery to remove the cancerous tumors and in the middle of radiation, as I did research on best chances of long-term survival from breast cancer, I realized two things: I needed to be more active, and this had been a very difficult year for our family. I spent about two months talking with my husband, processing the responsibilities and realities of dog ownership at this chapter in our life."

"One day I came across a picture of a coonhoon that was described as not happy in the shelter as she constantly wanted to be with people. When meeting her, I found a gentle dog who was reported to love people. We knew that it’s not only about the dog fitting the family – but the family fitting the dog. Freya was described as not being happy alone. Due to the pandemic, my husband is working from home indefinitely. She would rarely be left alone between the five of us. After my last week of my radiation, Freya came home with us."

"Freya has been an amazing fit for our family and a wonderful recipient of love and attention. She’s already gone on two road trips with us to New York and Acadia – she loves traveling. She has brought so much joy (and activity) to our family. Truly, her favorite spot is on the couch by whoever will give her belly rubs or out on a long walk. Adopting an older dog was perfect for our family; there aren’t words to describe the perfect meeting of Freya’s needs and ours."

Traveling is expensive but worth every penny.
Transporting animals by van, truck or air is an expensive and complicated operation. A typical transport of 20 dogs or 30 cats can cost anywhere from $2,000 to $3,500 and these life-saving journeys can take place 2 or 3 times a month. Each transport not only saves those animals on board but also helps our partners struggling in Southern communities by freeing up their resources; allowing them to work on expanding spay/neuter programs and other ways to address animal homelessness.

We hope you will agree that these precious lives are worth every penny it costs to save them. Please donate and help us
bring animals home to our Christopher Cutler Rich Animal Shelter, offering a first, second or third chance at a life of love.

Thank you for being a friend to animals and Cape Ann Animal Aid. We appreciate you supporting the work that happens before and after we bring animals like Precioso and Freya safely to our shelter.

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