Shelters and vet centers to close for the week
October 16, 2020
At Animal Humane Society, we see the incredible impact of our work every day. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, our staff and volunteers have worked tirelessly to meet the needs of the animals and people who depend on us.
COVID-19 has made our work more challenging and complex. Like many organizations, we’ve reinvented our programs and services, taking added steps to protect the health and well-being of our community. Our staff and volunteers have met these new challenges with optimism and determination. Thanks to their resolve — and the incredible support of our community — AHS remains as strong and steadfast as ever.
In the midst of this unprecedented public health crisis, our communities are experiencing economic insecurity, political unease, and historic advocacy for racial and social justice. The intensity of these events takes a toll on us all.
Although we can’t eliminate the stress and uncertainty facing our communities, we can take proactive steps to support the well-being of our staff and volunteers. That’s why we’ve decided to pause our services for a few days to provide some additional paid time off to our employees. We believe it’s the right thing to do.
AHS will pause all services and close its shelters and veterinary centers November 2-9. Our Pet Helpline will be closed, and no adoption, surrender, or veterinary appointments will be scheduled during that week. Training classes and private sessions will also be rescheduled.
We are recommending alternative resources for people seeking medical care and other services for their pets during that week. The tools and resources on our website will also remain available while our shelters and adoption centers are closed.
We appreciate your patience and understanding as we take this opportunity to support our teams. We look forward to returning from this break refreshed and energized on November 10.
FAQ for November 2-9
Most shelter animals will be placed in foster care with current volunteers. A small team will continue to care for any animals that remain in our shelters.
We encourage you to schedule a surrender appointment when our Pet Helpline reopens on November 10. If you cannot wait, you may wish to consider another local rescue organization.
We hope to give as many staff as possible an opportunity to disconnect from their work entirely. To make that possible, we have identified alternative resources for pet owners seeking medical care and other services during that week.
- If your pet needs immediate veterinary care, contact another low-cost provider or an emergency vet clinic.
- If you are experiencing behavior challenges, check out our online pet behavior resources.
- Adopters will receive additional support information and resources at the time of their adoption appointment. All adoption return periods will be extended by eight days.
We will have special reclaim hours for stray animals during this week. If your pet came to AHS as a stray, you can visit our Woodbury location between 10 AM and 2 PM to reclaim it. Animals that are not claimed within the five-day hold period may be made available for adoption.
We are reaching out to training clients and students in our education programs with information about rescheduling. Current training clients may choose to extend their training pass for one week at no additional cost.
Yes. You can still make a donation online or by mail while our shelters and vet centers are closed. Online gifts will be processed immediately. Our donor services team will process mailed gifts and respond to questions when they return to work. Gift acknowledgements and donor correspondence will be delayed as a result of the break.