Hello 2021 !
A message from Interim Shelter Manager , Ray Rentschler
What a crazy , whirlwind the last several months have been . As we kicked off 2020 , we had so much excitement and so many ideas for the new year . A year full of events , community programs , innovative ideas and more . This all came to a grinding halt in March as the worldwide pandemic reared its ugly face . As we look back on it now , March 2020 , seems like so long ago , but , also feels like it was just yesterday . The biggest question was what do we do ? What do we need to do to keep our community and staff safe ? How do we keep the animals in our city safe ? Arlington Animal Services had to reinvent the way we work . We knew our citizens and the animals needed us , and we had to find a way to stay open and keep moving forward . Following those difficult days and months after , the true heart and determination of so many hardworking people really shined through . From our dedicated and caring staff , to our amazing volunteers and extraordinary rescue partners - all dedicated people who strive to make a difference every day and , in the end , there was one thing that was for sure and still holds true today , not even a pandemic could stop them . In 2020 , 97 animals went into our foster program , 1,569 animals were adopted and 1,211 were transferred to rescue partners . While sometimes admittedly difficult , there was still so much positive that happened in a year of scary unknown and that is what we continue to focus on .
The Arlington Animal Services Mission Statement is , working together as a community , we will improve the lives of animals . We know we cannot do it alone ; we ask for your support , patience , and willingness to help us make a difference . The values and guiding principles we follow are to model and educate the Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare . Those five freedoms are : freedom from hunger and thirst ; freedom from discomfort ; freedom from pain , injury and disease ; freedom to express normal behavior ; and freedom from fear and distress . With these principles in place , our vision is through technology and best practices , we will labor to improve the lives of animals by utilizing highly trained employees , volunteer programs that utilize the skills and compassion of each individual , and rescue program efforts based on mutual respect and vision .
We encourage every interested person to become involved in our programs and efforts by visiting www . arlingtontx . gov / animals . If you have specific questions regarding any of our programs or are wondering how you can help , please contact us directly at animalservices @ arlingtontx . gov . We are all looking forward to this new year and are excited for you to continue this journey with us ….
Happy New Year ! Stay safe , stay well- Ray
HAPPY TAILS
Volunteers for AAS , the Ventimiglia Family , fostered Hazel the kitten because she was too young to be placed up for adoption upon coming to the shelter . After more than two weeks in their care , Hazel turned out to be the purrfect addition to the family . She was foster failed and became an official member of their family on December 18th ! Hazel got to spend the first of many holidays in her furever home ! Interested in becoming a volunteer or foster with Arlington Animal Services ?
Visit : www . arlingtontx . gov / animalvolunteer to learn more !
2020 SHELTER STATISTICS
Animal Fostered : 97 Adoptions : 1,569 Transferred to Rescue : 1,211 Returned to Owner : 765
MONTHLY STATS
Total Animal Intake : Dogs-140 Cats-153 TOTAL-293 Total Adoptions : Dogs-65 Cats-57 TOTAL-122 Transfer to Rescue : Dogs-24 Cats-60 TOTAL-84 Return to Owner : Dogs-41 Cats-28 TOTAL-69
Click here to view all shelter statistics .
J a n u a r y 2 0 2 1