Dear Friends,

As we close on 2011, we look back on our 45th year.

We could grab at your heartstrings with tales of "kittens found in dumpsters" or the "abused, emaciated dog" which are the sad and unfortunate realities of sheltering that we see every day. Instead, we want to focus on what your help and support has accomplished this year.

 

In April, we opened an in-house, low-income spay and neuter clinic! By year's end, the Clinic will have performed more than 1,000 surgeries on our community's cats!

 

More than 4,000 area students have taken part in an AWS educational program this year. Our humane education department teaches our community's youth about the importance of responsibility and respect toward all animals.

 

Our Pets and Women to Safety program has sheltered 12 pets from eight homes this year. This program, in conjunction with Caring Unlimited, provides foster homes for the pets of women escaping domestic violence situations.

 

This year, more than 600 employee hours have been devoted (so far!) to disaster relief and response. Our professional staff was requested at disaster events in Joplin, Mo., northern Vermont, and set up and staffed shelters in York County for Hurricane Irene.

 

 Finally, we are on track to find more homes than every before for our residents! Through the end of November, 1,627 cats, 683 dogs and 204 small animals have been adopted. An additional 281 animals have been reunited with their grateful families.    

That's nearly 2,800 happy homes for the holidays!  

For those that currently support our animals, we thank you for helping us to accomplish so much. For those that will become supporters this holiday season, we welcome you into a group of caring people who do so much good.