June 2005
 

 

Shelter Hours

Monday
Closed

Tuesday-Friday
11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Gate closes at 5:45.

Saturday
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Gate closes at 3:45.

Sunday
Closed

 

Directions

Get directions
from Mapquest.

 June is Adopt-A-Shelter-Cat Month!

What better way to cope with the sweltering heat of a New England summer than by adopting a furry feline companion from the Animal Shelter in Sterling! Throughout the month of June, our Shelter is promoting Shelter cat adoptions to remind everyone that cats tend to breed more during the Spring season, which means that by the time Summer rolls around, the shelters are filled with cats and kittens of all ages and breeds just waiting to be adopted.

Cat Adoption Specials for June

In honor of Adopt-a-Shelter-Cat Month, the Shelter is offering a cat adoption special throughout the month of June.

Adopt one kitten and get a 2nd kitten for half the adoption fee, OR
Adopt one adult cat get the 2nd adult cat at no charge, OR
Adopt one kitten and get an adult companion at no charge

All cats and kittens have had the following:

Spayed or neutered
Age-appropriate vaccinations
Tested negative for Leukemia and FIV
Dewormed and given flea/tick preventative
Fecal tested
Vet checked

With your adoption, you will be provided with a free carrier and bag of food, PLUS a free post adoption examination with a VCA Hospital!

» So check out all the wonderful cats and kittens (and puppies and dogs too!) at our Shelter.

If your not looking for a pet...maybe a friend or family member is! Please pass the word...
 

 

 

 

 

Employee-turned-whistleblower Sara Purcell, who told the Herald the New Jersey chain routinely offered sick dogs for sale, yesterday said she was relieved to see Woof & Co. leave. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Woof Stores Go Poof - Turn Tail After Herald Report
Wednesday, 8 June 2005

Embattled mall pet store chain "Woof & Co." turned tail and quietly slinked out of Massachusetts last week, six months after a Herald special report spotlighted serious problems with the way the chain handled its high-priced pooches.

"We kept picketing, but, finally, we think the Herald articles put it over the top,'' said thrilled Jamaica Plain animal rights activist Mary Felthouse-Weber. The Herald reported in December that Woof & Co. piled up 19 complaints and 27 violations of state pet store regulation in less than two years at its stores in the Square One Mall in Saugus and South Shore Plaza in Braintree. An outbreak of the contagious intestinal parasite giardia at both stores a year ago prompted town health officials to intervene to protect the public. Saugus health agent Sharon McCabe ordered employees at the Square One Mall store to get tested for giardia after the outbreak there.

Employee-turned-whistleblower Sara Purcell, who told the Herald the New Jersey chain routinely offered sick dogs for sale, yesterday said she was relieved to see Woof & Co. leave. "It's a big thing. I didn't think they were going to close down this quick,'' she said. "I figured they would have fought more. But every time I've gone by there (since the Herald series) it seemed like there were less and less people in the store.''

The manager of the Square One Mall said the company broke its lease and closed up shop at both Massachusetts stores last Tuesday night. Calls to the chain's New Jersey offices weren't returned yesterday, and both local numbers have been disconnected. Helen Rayshick and other members of the Massachusetts Animal Rights Coalition picketed both Woof & Co. stores several times to protest the company's treatment of its pups.

"Thank goodness this company won't be able to do this in Massachusetts any more,'' she said. The chain, which is incorporated under the name Rufus Inc., pleaded guilty to animal cruelty charges and got slapped with a $9,800 fine in New Jersey last month for allegedly allowing a sick Shar Pei puppy to languish in the back of a store for 21 days without treatment. Inspectors also said they found dead puppies on ice in the store refrigerator.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please contact members of the committee and voice your agreement about the proposed Massachusetts Commercial Breeder Bill that defines anyone who breeds and sells more than one litter per year as a commercial breeder. Such individuals would further be subject to licensing and inspection.
Massachusetts Commercial Breeder Bill Proposed
 We ask supporters in our community to contact their representatives and ask for them to help pass this bill.
 Friday, 3 June 2005  

Rep. Paul Kujawski has once again proposed legislation (H1346) that defines anyone who breeds and sells more than one litter per year as a commercial breeder. Such individuals would further be subject to licensing and inspection.

What You Can Do to Help

Please contact members of the committee and voice your agreement in passing this bill. Your voice is especially important if one of your representatives sits on the committee. Find out who represents you in the Massachusetts legislature.

Joint Committee on Environment, Natural
Resources and Agriculture.
Chair Sen. Pam Resor
State House, Room 410
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-1120
Fax: 617-722-1089
Pamela.Resor@state.ma.us		 Rep. William Straus
State House, Room 26
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2080
State House email: Rep.WilliamStraus@hou.state.ma.us
Other E-Mail: rep.straus@verizon.net
Sen. Marc Pacheco
State House, Room 312-B
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-1551
Marc.Pacheco@state.ma.us		 Rep. Anne Gobi
State House Room 146
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2575
Rep.AnneGobi@hou.state.ma.us
Sen. Stephen Brewer
State House, Room 109-B
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-1540
Stephen.Brewer@state.ma.us		 Rep. Matthew Patrick
State House, Room 540
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2090
Fax: 617-722-2848
Rep.MatthewPatrick@hou.state.ma.us
repmattp@cape.com
Sen. Robert Creedon
State House, Room 413-C
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-1200
Robert.Creedon@state.ma.us		 Rep. Peter Kocot
State House, Room 146
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2575
Rep.PeterKocot@hou.state.ma.us
Sen. Robert O'Leary
State House, Room 416-A
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-1570
Fax: 617-722-1271
ROleary@senate.state.ma.us		 Rep. Michael Rush
State House Room 437
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2460
Rep.MikeRush@hou.state.ma.us
Sen. Bruce Tarr
State House, Room 313-A
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-1600
Bruce.Tarr@state.ma.us		 Rep. Dennis Guyer
State House, Room 134
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2400
Rep.DenisGuyer@Hou.State.MA.US
Rep. Frank Smizik
State House, Room 33
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2060
Fax: 617-722-2846
Rep.FrankSmizik@hou.state.ma.us
Frank.Smizik@verizon.net		 Rep. Susan Gifford
State House Room 540
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2090
Fax: 617-722-2848
Rep.SusanGifford@hou.state.ma.us
Rep. Stephen Kulik
State House Room 279
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2210, 413-772-2727
Fax: 617-722-2821
Rep.StephenKulik@hou.state.ma.us		 Rep. Donald Humason
State House, Room 443
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2460, 413-568-1366
Fax: 617-722-2390
Rep.DonaldHumason@hou.state.ma.us
Rep. Douglas Petersen
State House, Room 544
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2637
Fax: 617-722-2922
Rep.DouglasPetersen@hou.state.ma.us		  
   
  Shelter Thoughts: Most important to know...the Sterling Shelter is NOT against breeders or breeding. We collectively feel that the breeders should be held to the same standards and regulations as the shelters and pet stores. This type of law will NOT affect breeders who are legitimate. We feel that breeders should be responsible for their litters/puppies. If they bred these animals, then they should be responsible for them even years down the line. Breeders should accept their puppies back for whatever reason if things don't work out with the family and should have their puppies spayed/neutered PRIOR to sale if they are not show quality. At the very least, breeders should require a spay/neuter deposit of significance to ensure the owner will have that pet fixed.

Source: American Kennel Club, Inc.

If you would like to help the Shelter but don't know how, you can print our poster and hang it in your office, break room, lunch area, church, youth group, gym or wherever! You can download it from: http://www.sterlingshelter.org/images/stockimages/ShelterWeb.pdf.