How Animal Humane Society is doing more than ever before to keep people and pets together
More than adoption
Over the last 13 years, AHS has expanded its work beyond adoption and surrender, creating programs and services that help animals and people live their happiest and healthiest lives together. From Community Outreach programs and our free Pet Helpline, to expert training and youth education, we’re providing the resources our community members need to care for their pets — but we can do more.
Today, more than 2/3 of American homes include a beloved pet. As leaders in animal welfare we have a responsibility to innovate and evolve in order to do the best we can for animals and animal lovers alike. That’s why we’re doing more to keep people and pets together than ever before.
We’re in the midst of identifying, piloting, and evaluating how AHS can better support pet parents in three priority areas:
- Access to low-cost veterinary care
- Pet food assistance
- Temporary pet housing
Increasing access to affordable veterinary care
Access to affordable veterinary care is a struggle for many families. A 2018 study by the University of Tennessee found that one in four U.S. households experienced barriers to veterinary care in the prior two years — and those obstacles were overwhelmingly financial. We’re uniquely qualified to help families in our community overcome this barrier.
“We began offering low-cost spay/neuter and wellness services in 2011 in Golden Valley,” explains Animal Humane Society President and CEO, Janelle Dixon. “This fall, we opened the doors to a new veterinary clinic and community space on University Avenue in St. Paul, equipped with on-site ultrasound, X-ray, and laboratory capabilities. Through these two clinic spaces and the support of our community, we’re now able to provide comprehensive veterinary care to the public on a sliding fee scale.”
This expansion of our services and locations provides pet parents in the east metro and beyond access to the affordable, high-quality care their pets deserve. And that has real-life impacts on animals and animal lovers in our community
Scooby's second chance
This spring, Scooby, a tiny Chihuahua, was attacked by a dog much larger than himself. Little Scooby and his caregiver hardly had a chance to react. There was a flurry of panic, racing heartbeats, a tug on the leash, and a cry of pain. When it was over, Scooby’s mom, Maribel, looked down at him in horror. He was shaking and flustered, but still standing. She felt a quick sigh of relief until Scooby turned to look at her. His eye was filled with blood.
Maribel rushed Scooby to the nearest emergency vet. They examined the severe injuries he’d sustained and delivered the news to Maribel — both good and bad. Scooby would recover, but the damage to his eye was irreparable. It would need to be removed as soon as possible through an expensive, specialty surgery.
Scooby’s mom was distraught. She didn’t know how she could possibly afford the care her beloved Chihuahua desperately needed. That’s when the emergency clinic told her that AHS might be able to help.
The next morning, Maribel brought Scooby to our veterinary center. He was wrapped in blankets, cuddled up in her arms. “We took one look at Scooby and knew he needed our help immediately. We made room in the schedule and prepped the little guy for surgery,” recalls Veterinary Technician Kayla Johnson.
Maribel was relieved to get her best friend into the compassionate hands of our expert veterinary team for the care he needed. When he came out of surgery, tired, and now with a permanent wink, she held him close. “He’s my baby,” she said as she left.
Just two weeks later, Scooby was back at AHS to have his sutures removed. The brave Chihuahua had recovered well. He had a spring in his step and seemed to be navigating the world just fine despite the loss of his eye. “I’m so happy AHS helped Scooby and me in that difficult moment,” expressed Maribel.
Our veterinary centers provide high-quality services to 15,000 pets each year. For some families, it means they can stay within their budget and still afford exceptional care. For others, it’s a much-appreciated safety net when times are tough. And for families like Maribel and Scooby, it’s a lifesaving resource they will never forget.
This year, we expanded service qualifications at our clinics in St. Paul and Golden Valley to better serve even more members of our community. That means more families will have access to the wellness and specialty care their pets need to live happy and healthy lives.
Pet food assistance for families in need
Minnesota is home to more than 350 food shelves and food banks, which provide critical services for community members in need. However, few provide resources for their pets. We’re working to change that.
Over the last two years alone, AHS has distributed more than 84,000 pounds of free pet food and has connected hundreds of families to local pet food resources through our Community Outreach program. During the pandemic we saw the need for these services rise to unprecedented levels. With more families experiencing financial hardship, we realized we could do more to support people with pets so they’d never be forced to choose between feeding themselves or their four-legged companions.
This spring, AHS began piloting a series of pet food pantry pop-up events at our Golden Valley and St. Paul locations. Each bi-monthly pantry event provided up to 50 households with a one-month supply of pet food for every pet in their home. For some, access to this free resource made all the difference in keeping their family whole.
“I think it’s more important than ever,” says AHS Rescue Relations Manager Anne Gass. At the first pet food pantry event, Anne met a community member who’d depleted her savings after losing multiple jobs as a result of the pandemic. “She shared with me that the love and support of her pets was the only thing that had gotten her through the last year, and the food we supplied would help immensely.”
While the pandemic has highlighted the immediate need in our community and beyond, the effects of financial strain on people with pets are not new. AHS has worked with countless families who felt forced to surrender their pets because they could no longer afford to care for them.
“Over the years, our Outreach team has heard dozens of anecdotes from over-extended community members who’ve prioritized their pets’ hunger over their own. This is simply a trade-off no one should have to make,” says Maggie Xiong, a Community Outreach Organizer at AHS. “The goal of the Outreach team is to break down barriers and connect people with the resources they need to care for their pets. Providing access to free pet food is an integral piece of this puzzle. It’s just one way we can help alleviate the stress our community members are experiencing.”
Temporary pet housing for pet parents in transition
No loving pet parent should ever be forced to surrender their dog, cat, or critter due to a temporary setback. Unfortunately, life isn’t always so straightforward. Every year, hundreds of animals are surrendered to AHS because families are facing unforeseen hardships, including evictions, job loss, and health crises.
Shelter staff everywhere can attest to the heartbreak they’ve witnessed as loving families are forced to give up their pets because they’re temporarily unable to care for them. We’ve always consoled these grieving pet parents with the fact that their dog, cat, or critter would find a loving, new home.
But what if we could tell our community something different? What if we could reset the narrative of shelters everywhere? We’re challenging the status quo of animal welfare, and looking for solutions that will allow us to say, “You don’t have to surrender your pet today.”
Last year, we introduced an innovative Surrender Prevention model to assist animal lovers surrendering their pets due to a treatable, one-time medical condition. AHS is able to provide treatment or surgery to help get that pet back on their feet at a price their guardian can afford. As a result, more families are able to stay together and fewer animals end up in shelters.
This spring, we added to our efforts to prevent unnecessary surrenders and began piloting a temporary housing program. This new initiative draws upon our existing relationships with community and social services organizations to refer families facing housing displacement to AHS. Instead of being surrendered, the pets of displaced families will be welcomed into the homes of AHS foster volunteers where they’ll receive ample love and care until they’re able to be reunited with their families.
Short-term care has a lasting impact
In the spring of 2020, Janine found herself in a heartbreaking situation she never could have anticipated: she was diagnosed with cancer amid a global pandemic. She began chemotherapy but quickly realized her treatments left her groggy, sick, and even unable to drive. Suddenly things which had once been so simple seemed impossible — like caring for her four beloved dogs.
Janine reached out to friends and family with the hope of finding temporary care for her pets. Unfortunately, despite a dedicated support system, she was only able to find homes for three of her dogs. That left Monty, an energetic hound mix with caramel spots and sweet brown eyes. The thought of losing him was unbearable, but Janine had exhausted all of her options. So she reached out to AHS for help.
Janine belongs to our Legacy Circle, a committed group of animal lovers who’ve included AHS in their wills or estate plans. As part of this group, Janine had enrolled her pets in Loved for Life, a unique program which guarantees pets will be placed in new, loving homes in the event their guardians are no longer able to care for them.
“We use a specialized adoption process that ensures Loved for Life pets spend minimal time in the shelter and are placed in the homes of an AHS staff or volunteer,” says Planned Giving Officer Ali Schneider. Normally, the pets who come to AHS through Loved for Life need permanent placement because their caretaker has passed away or has become unable to care for them. Janine’s request broke the mold — we’d never had a supporter reach out to us about temporary placement before.
“One of the things I love most about working at AHS is that when we’re faced with a new opportunity, we don’t fall back on what we’ve done in the past,” says Ali. “We search endlessly for a way to make it possible.”
Within just a few days, we were able to pick up Monty and bring him to the home of an AHS foster volunteer. “Our foster volunteers have the amazing ability to love every animal as if it’s their own,” Ali beams. “They have the biggest hearts and Monty benefited from that.”
Spring turned into summer, and Janine’s health began to improve. She and Monty were reunited outside of our Golden Valley shelter. Monty ran to his mom and whined with excitement. As she knelt down to wrap her arms around her friend and bury her face in his soft fur, our staff heard her whisper five simple words to her beloved companion, “I love you so much.”
Janine’s story is unique — however, her situation is not uncommon. Our Outreach team and Pet Helpline representatives field frequent questions about temporary housing options. Until now, we’ve only been able to accommodate a small number of requests from animal lovers experiencing exceptional circumstances. This new pilot broadens the scope of those we can help.
Our goal with this and other programs is to provide pet parents in crisis with an alternative to surrendering their beloved companion and create a support system within our community to keep animals and their families whole.
Pets are family
“More than 140 years ago AHS emerged as a voice for the voiceless. We vowed to fight for the underdog and give every animal a second chance. We believed that if our community came together, we could make an incredible difference,” says President and CEO, Janelle Dixon. “We were right.”
“Since that time, we’ve learned an incredibly valuable lesson — a piece of the puzzle we were missing in our earliest years. To do our best for animals means we must support the people who love them as well.”
By leveraging our expertise, reputation, and longstanding support from the community, we’re hopeful no animal lover will be faced with the impossible decision to give up their beloved companion due to a temporary setback or financial hardship. We’re hopeful that we can keep more families whole than ever before. Because pets and people are better together.
This article was included in our Summer 2021 issue of Animal Tracks, a magazine delivered to AHS donors. See previous issues of Animal Tracks.