Animal welfare is a group effort at the Animal Protective League, according to executive director Deana Corbin, of her "incredibly dedicated and hard-working staff." She admits, "It's not always sunshine because there's lots of dirty work behind the scenes at APL. We prioritize sick and injured animals, and we take animals that have nowhere else to go. It can be hard on staff, but the flip side is the reward of seeing them recover and go to a forever home. I'm fortunate to have a staff who love all of the animals in the shelter."
Corbin also sings the praises of the volunteers who work tirelessly with the animals and participate in off-site adoption events so all animals have a chance to be seen. "There are many good dogs in shelters who deserve a good home," Corbin said, and APL is currently offering discounted rates for people willing to adopt adult dogs. Last year, 2,300 animals were adopted through the APL.
As a long-term approach to reducing the shelter population, the APL offers low-income pet owners reduced-cost spaying and neutering, as well as for feral cats. The APL clinic performed 10,000 surgeries last year.
The APL also provides help with pet food, relying on donations to stock its pet food pantry. Corbin said, "Research shows people will feed their animals before they feed themselves, and we want to make sure everyone has enough food. We welcome donations of pet food to stock the shelves of the pantry so that people who might need help with animal food until their next paycheck have a place to turn."
APL also offers plenty of volunteer opportunities, whether you want to help with tasks at the shelter or take an animal home with you. You can foster a dog or cat and give it an opportunity to relax outside of the shelter and see how the animal interacts with families. The APL even offers training and education programs to help you develop your skill and learn more about animal care. If you love animals, the APL would love to have your help.
