I was equally as impressed with the facility, as it is clearly a happy place for the furry friends, too.
In addition to the large dog-walking area outside, there is a special place for the felines as well—a cat patio called “The Catio.” While they exercise here, they can enjoy the outdoor spectacle of birds and other wildlife, which we all know is great feline entertainment. And for the cats that are a bit troubled and need some extra attention, ARF has a special TLC Program, where volunteers can help them work through their issues. I met Banner, a three-year-old Siamese, who was once an extremely shy cat. Crone said that when Banner first arrived, “he had his ears pinned back and his eyes wide with fear.” Due to the love and dedication of the volunteers, all I saw was a beautiful and curious cat.
They also have several Meet and Greet Rooms, where people can spend a little time with a dog or cat before deciding whether or not to adopt that particular animal. This can be important in discovering if the animal and potential owner are a good match for each other. Crone said, “an individual can also bring their existing pet to see how the animals interact with one another.” ARF also hosts puppy events at the facility and other adoption events at local parks and businesses. They also partner with local pet stores, through which many cats find their new homes.
Crone also explained that volunteers are assigned to a particular dog or cat and can be contacted directly. This is perhaps most effective because that individual will then have more intimate knowledge of that animal, its personality, and potential owner match. And of course, some of the animals don’t live on the premises but are instead placed into foster homes. As I expected, it’s not such a rare occurrence that a foster parent becomes a forever parent. Amusingly, Crones told me that “when a foster parent decides to keep a dog or cat, it is called a Foster Failure.”
Another special thing about ARF is they don’t place a time limit upon the residency of any animal. In fact, many of their rescues come from other organizations that don’t have a “no-kill” policy like ARF, some even as far as Indiana. Furthermore, every animal is vaccinated, micro-chipped, spayed, or neutered, and receives any necessary medical care. There is even a separate wing that serves as a sick-ward for rescues who arrive with ailments, especially those that are respiratory in nature, like Bordetella. Here, they receive the medical attention they need and are isolated from the rest of the animals to prevent exposure. This room even has its own ventilation system so the air is not circulated around the rest of the building.
Some rescues arrive physically healthy but have behavioral issues that require more training time. Similar to the feline TLC Program, additional canine training is available through the Prison Foster Program, which started in 2011. Approximately twenty inmates at the Grafton Correctional Institution are selected and work as a team of two, one primary handler and one secondary handler. A dog then lives with them for 6-8 weeks and receives the attention, care, and training they need. Crone said, “The inmates benefit as well because they are learning a trade. I think it’s like a second chance for them.” When a dog graduates from the program, a red stamp with a paw print is then placed on the dog’s profile picture online.
