What Will You Do to Make a Difference?

I want to take a moment and share my inside view of the Attleboro Animal Shelter. Every day you can log onto Facebook and see all the “Urgents” and “Scheduled to be Euthanized” posts from many Animal Shelters across the country. The world of animals can be heart wrenching and emotionally draining, but also a very rewarding one!

Drive on down to the Attleboro Animal Shelter and you will see a rundown outdated building that will blow a fuse just by turning on a new light.  Walk around the building and you will see no signs of the modern world we live in today.  On the inside you will notice there is no storage space and we are utilizing every last square foot of space to tuck away food, litter, treats or collars. Look at it for what it is, a rundown building that can no longer service the needs of Attleboro today and definitely not services the needs of tomorrow.

I want to share with you the things one cannot always see, but you can feel and experience. Animals enter the shelter, whether they are surrendered or abandoned, they are scared and uncertain and we make it a priority to assure them they are loved and safe. It is truly a gift to watch an animal stop cowering, see the dark scared eyes glisten with hope and to see that animal respond in a positive manner to the love and affection they receive from each person who takes part in their journey.

We take time to get to know our animals, each one is unique and deserves that chance at a new life – we are their family until they can find their own!  Our animals are not identified by a Log number they are identified by their given name and each one of them is unique.  We have some dogs that are given the opportunity to spend some fun time at doggy daycare as a great way to provide mental stimulation and interact with other dogs and these services are graciously donated by our friends at Off the Leash.  We believe in a fresh start and so do our friends at Stars They Are Groomers who donate their services to our cats and dogs in need.  We are reminded each day we enter the Shelter, that just because they are shelter animals doesn’t mean they are not deserving animals..  We have cats that enjoy playtime outside in kitty city, although it is very outdated and limited it does give our cats some time to stretch out and be a cat and stimulate those feline senses- shelter cats are just as deserving as our own cats. When we sit back and look at some of the moments that are captured by our generous supporters at Paw Prints, we see loving, caring and deserving animals who just need that glimmer of hope, the sense of security and guidance on their journey to a new life - a true reflection of gratitude.

Friends of Attleboro Animal Shelter is blessed with some wonderful supporters who allow us to enrich the lives of our animals in need. The animal’s time with us is just a stepping stone in their journey of life.  We raise awareness and raise funds to provide the necessities they need and deserve.  We are a group of dedicated volunteers who freely give our time to the Attleboro animals in need.  We donate funds to the care of the animals where the budget falls short and provide the basic necessities for the animals to get back on track and on the road to their future.

Let me take you outside the brick and mortar of the Attleboro Animal Shelter and into our community.  Our work goes beyond the Shelter walls and into our community – Together we can make a difference. Here is just a little tid-bit of ways we help.

• Low Cost Spay and Neutering thru Central Ave Veterinary. 
• Low Cost Micro-Chipping, which is the essential piece to the puzzle of getting your animal home when it matters most. 
• Free training grants to Pit Bull type dogs to raise awareness and promote responsible pet ownership thru “A Voice for Tyson”.
• Chains for Change is a great program where we exchange choke and prong collars for a more humane collar called a Martingale collar.

Thank you to all our supporters, our community, our Animal Control Officers and our Volunteers.  Each and every person has hope and never gives up!  Thank you to each and every animal who has walked thru our doors and changed our lives, each one of them has given the most – the gift of unconditional love.

If we took the negative energy that people want to thrush upon “us” and put it towards something to make a difference, the world would be a better place.  So what are you going to do today that will make a difference?  Are you willing to give of yourself without expectation and the spotlight?