To our valued adopters/supporters and visitors, We care deeply about the safety of our customers, employees, volunteers and pets at our shelter. That is why we want to share the steps we are taking at our shelter to protect our visitors with our without fur.
Our shelter staff are confident that we have the best recommended care and control for cleaning and disinfection. In the next day we will be posting updates on any changes we are making for the shelter and clinic and how to keep you and our furry friends all safe.
The following protocols will also assist us in keeping things safer when it comes to “social distancing rule” and not over-crowding.
The BEST and easiest way YOU can help us keep our shelter pets and people SAFE and healthy….which we greatly appreciate:
- ONLY come to the shelter if you are planning to adopt THAT DAY. Please do NOT come down to take a look, or peek at the puppies, we know the kids are home and everyone wants to get out of the house. Please know we have families too and want to not only be safe, but have the opportunity to adopt out the pets at the shelter. We need YOUR help for this one 🙂 so please, if you are NOT coming to adopt that specific day, do NOT visit. We get transports regularly (we’ll keep you posted with all that’s happening with the corona virus) transports are up in the air.
- We will need to limit the number of potential visitors in the kennel AND office (for both shelter and clinic) – only 1 family member may be allowed in the office to do paperwork.
- PLEASE make sure to use one of the MANY hand sanitizers located around (inside and outside) in between kennels or cat cages
- As silly as it is please bring your own PEN to fill out paperwork. We will most likely print out your paperwork and bring it out to you outside to fill it out (that way if you’re not comfortable being inside you can do the paperwork outside).
- We will put your paperwork on clipboards to take to fill out in your car or outside the office.
- And finally the most obvious, if you are NOT feeling well PLEASE DO NOT come to the shelter and put everyone’s health at risk. We get transports weekly….
As we continue to monitor developments regarding COVID-19, I hope that you and your loved ones are healthy and safe.
This situation is fluid and will continue to impact our communities in evolving ways. Yet, we take comfort in knowing that we have incredible people like you in the world who are compassionate, resilient, and who consistently give back.
We hope that you will continue to support our shelter/clinic so we can continue to provide the many services we offer to both people and pets as our shelter is an important resource in our community and region. We will really need the support from those of you who’ve adopted or used our low cost vet clinic for the resources we’ve provided your pet/s and we will continue to provide to those who need our help.
Please consider donating to organizations such as ours, that are close to your hearts, as the charitable organizations in our community will need your support during this time dealing with the fallout of the corona virus.
The team from Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest independent charity evaluator and leading donor advocate, shares their thoughts on emerging nonprofit-sector issues and offers tips to better inform your intelligent giving decisions. This focus on supporting equitable and responsible recovery is crucial in any disaster, as is the need to consider small businesses and the workers who are the lifeblood of a community, including hourly wage earners and workers in the gig economy.
According to FEMA, following a disaster, 90 percent of smaller companies fail within a year unless they can resume operations within five days. Five days! With that fact in mind, the cascading impacts of this virus are staggering. Our shelter is very proud to be rated as a PLATINUM level with Guidestar (which is the highest rating a company or non-profit can achieve)and have been Platinum for the last 4 years.
Yet we cannot feel overwhelmed and immobilized. Once YOU are personally prepared, please consider turning your attention to the organizations such as ours that will need your support to help pets in need and who are often forgotten during times like this; those for whom medical care or basic needs are not readily accessible or affordable.
This is surely a time to come together. To think about the needs in our communities large and small. To check on our family members, neighbors, and friends. To give as generously as we can because, as with all disasters, the process of recovery will be long, but together we can strengthen the ability for vulnerable communities to respond and recover.
With all our gratitude,
Leigh Grady – Executive Director
