We have moved, please visit our new site at
http://www.sterlingshelter.org
Donations for the Orphans...
Starting early in 2002...The Animal Shelter Inc. is on its way to make physical improvements to the existing shelter structure. To accomplish this...the expansion of our shelter... we will be hiring a shelter design consultant to determine our needs and space allocation. Next comes the architect...with all the zero's attached! Our shelter hopes to add a quarantine room, re-designed state of the art kitchen, small surgical suite, indoor bathrooms and a larger waiting/reception area. If you are an architect, contractor, painter, electrician, or have licensing in any of the fields ... we can certainly use your help! Donations of wood and supplies would be greatly appreciated.
Additionally, we are hoping to purchase new Cat Condo's for the orphaned felines. The cat pens we have now are approaching 25 years old and are cracking and worn down. The cat cages we are looking at buying are $2000 for a bank of 4 cages alone! If you are an animal lover, have adopted or surrendered here, or would just like to be part of our new kennel...please call for more information.
Each bank of cages purchased by an individual, company or organization will have a beautiful engraved plaque on or near the cage banks to thank YOU for helping. Please call the shelter manager, Leigh Grady, for more details.
The Animal Shelter, Inc. is a humane, no-kill, non-profit organization that is supported entirely by donations from private individuals. The Animal Shelter, Inc. does not receive support from the United Way or from federal, state or local governments.
Donations can also be made as a Memorial. Honor the life of a deceased family member or a friend; recognize the birthday, anniversary or unique accomplishment of a loved one through a donation to the shelter in their name. A card will be sent to the owner or family of the person you are honoring in acknowledgment of your gift. The amount will not be disclosed. The recipient will only know that you were thinking of him or her in this special way. You will have the satisfaction of knowing that your gift is truly needed. This is also a way to honor the memory of a beloved pet that has passed away.
Donations are always appreciated and can be made payable to "Animal Shelter, Inc." and sent to the following address: (We will mail a receipt for tax purposes or an acknowledgment.)
Animal Shelter, Inc.
17 Laurelwood Road
Sterling, MA 01564
Phone: 978-422-8585
Fax: 978-422-8574Another Way to Help Our Orphans is Through the
Planned Giving Program:
What is Planned Giving?Planned giving means that you plan today to make a contribution to the shelter either now or in the future. Typical planned gifts are Wills, Endowments to "restricted funds," gifts of personal or real property, and beneficiary designations of insurance policies or investments you own. A planned gift also helps to insure the shelter will be able to fund, in perpetuity, programs and services aimed at benefiting the quality of life for animals. Unrestricted contributions are vital to the shelter's ability to respond to an emergency or crisis, as well as to the ever changing needs of animals in the community. These gifts support the varied programs and initiatives of our shelter.
How Can I Make A Difference?
Giving Through A Will - Whether your estate is large or small, preparing a Will now provides an orderly process to benefit your loved ones and to help benefit animals. You can give a specific percentage of your estate or a specific dollar amount, or you can leave a specific asset. You can also donate the remainder of your estate after expenses and gifts to your family. You may wish to notify us as to the terms and conditions of bequests you make to ensure your gift is handled as you desire.
The Spay/Neuter Fund - This fund helps to pay for all spaying or neutering of animals at our shelter. It might also help to cover the FREE spay certificates we provide to those families surrendering puppies or kittens. We often give a free spay certificate in order to STOP this mother dog/cat from Producing MORE unwanted offspring.The Sato Program - money would help to pay for the transportation, medical bills, and care of the dogs rescued from Puerto Rico.
The Homebound Hounds Program - money would help to pay for the transportation, medical bills, and care of the dogs rescued from Virginia.
Seniors 4 Seniors Program - This fund helps pay vet bills and adoption fees for senior animals going to a senior home.The building and maintenance Fund - all money in this fund will help us to grow, remodel, and expand our shelter which is desperately needed. Our shelter is 25+ years old and desperately needs a rebuild. By rebuilding we will have the ability to house more animals, provide an educational center and training/grooming facility.
There are several other options available. Your choice depends on your goals. An attorney or CPA can assist you in preparation of a Charitable Gift Annuity, Charitable Remainder Trust, Deferred Charitable Gift Annuity, or a Living Trust.
How Can I Remember A Loved One Lost?
If you or someone you know has had a beloved companion animal die, you may choose to honor them with a Pet Memorial gift to the shelter. This Memorial program also offers a means to make a lasting tribute to the memory of lost friends or family while supporting the humane effort.
How Can Planned Giving Benefit Me?
The Animal Shelter Inc. is a tax exempt, charitable organization recognized under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service code. This means that when you itemize your taxes, any gifts of cash result in a current income tax deduction. Gifts of securities also provide relief from capital gains tax. Donations of personal property may also be deducted. The most important benefit is the satisfaction of knowing you have made a difference. All contributions are used to help fulfill our mission. Please contact the shelter for more details on our Federal ID # and any other details you may need.
What is The Mission Of The Animal Shelter Inc.?
The Animal Shelter Inc. of Sterling, Massachusetts is a non-profit organization and no-kill
shelter. The shelter provides humane sheltering and care for stray, unwanted, abused and neglected animals. The staff is dedicated to finding good homes for adoptable pets and we continue to promote responsible pet ownership to improve the quality of life for the animals
and people in our community.
In addition to individual monetary donations the shelter animals also
have other needs:
* Cat Litter (the
shelter goes through 500 pounds or more per week!)
* Cleaning Supplies (Trash Bags, Bleach, Windex
etc...)
* Liquid Laundry Detergent and Liquid hand soap
* Paper towels,
paper plates
* Newspaper and old towels and blankets
* Fire wood - cut, split and seasoned please
* Time (your time spent socializing a dog or cat can really
make a difference)
* Help raising money and awareness (through Conventional
means and through the Internet)
124 simple things YOU can do to help our shelter and our resident orphans WITHOUT adopting a pet:
1. Sponsor a pet in one of our local papers?
2. Donate a dog/cat bed or towels or other *bedding* type items? (Gently used
dog/cat equipment is always welcome) blanket, afghan, towel or other
soft fuzzy item to use inside a crate?
3. Donate MONEY (collect your change for a week or a month and donate that!)?
4. Donate a Kong? A Nylabone? A Hercules?
5. Donate a much needed crate?
6. Donate an x-pen or baby gate?
7. Donate a food dish or a stainless bucket for a crate?
8. Donate a leash?
9. Donate a collar?
10. Donate some treats or a bag of food?
11. Donate a halti or promise collar or a gentle leader?
12. Walk a dog?
13. Groom a dog or cat?
14. Donate some grooming supplies (shampoos, combs, brushes, etc.)?
15. Donate a lawnmower?
16. Make a few phone calls?
17. Mail out newsletters to people who've requested them?
18. Provide local vet clinics with contact information for educational materials
on responsible pet ownership?
19. Spread the word about our early spay/neuter program?
20. Donate long distance calling cards?
21. Donate a scanner or digital camera?
22. Donate cases of blank white paper for the copy machine?
23. Attend public education days and try to educate people on responsible pet
ownership?
24. Donate a gift certificate to a petstore?
25. Donate a raffle item if your club is holding a fundraiser?
26. Donate flea stuff such as Frontline drops?
27. Donate Heartworm pills?
28. Donate a animal first aid kit?
29. Provide a shoulder to cry on when the rescue person is overwhelmed?
30. Pay the fees to care for a dog for a week? Two weeks?
31. Be a Santi-paws foster to give the foster a break for a few hours or days?
32. Sponsor a cat cage or kennel run?
33. Bake some homemade doggie biscuits?
34. Make book purchases through Amazon via a web site that contributes
commissions earned to a rescue group?
35. Host rescue photos with an information link on your website?
36. Donate time to take good photos of foster dogs for adoption flyers, etc.?
37. Help rescue unwanted puppies and kittens and take them to the safety of the
shelter?
38. Go with rescue person to the vet to help if there is more than one dog or
cat?
39. Have a yard sale and donate the money to rescue?
40. Volunteer to do rescue in your area?
41. Take advantage of a promotion on the web or store offering a free ID tag and
instead of getting it for your own dog, have the tag inscribed with your
rescue's name and phone # to contact?
42. Talk to all your friends about adopting and fostering rescued dogs and cats?
43. Donate vet services or can you help by donating a spay or neuter each year
or some vaccinations?
44. Interview vets to encourage them to offer discounts to rescues?
45. Write a column for your local newspaper or club newsletter on dogs currently
looking for homes at the shelter.
46. Encourage the local papers to advertise a pet of the week for FREE?
47. Maintain web sites listing/showing dogs and cats available, other than the
shelters website?
48. Help organize and run fundraising events?
49. Help maintain the paperwork files associated with each dog or enter the
information into a database?
50. Encourage the Tattooing of a rescued dog?
51. Encourage the Microchiping of a rescued dog?
52. Loan your carpet steam cleaner to someone who has fostered a dog that was
sick or marked in the house?
53. Donate a bottle of bleach or other cleaning products?
54. Donate or loan a portable dog run to someone who doesn't have a quarantine
area for quarantining a dog that has an unknown vaccination history and has been
in a shelter?
55. Take a shelter dog to obedience class?
56. Use your video camera to film a rescue dog in action?
57. Pay the cost of taking a dog to obedience class?
58. Be the one to take the dog to its obedience class?
59. Go to the shelter once a week to help socialize the dog?
60. Help the shelter clean up the yard (yes, we also have to scoop poop)
61. Offer to test the shelter dog with cats?
62. Pay for the dog or cat to be groomed?
63. Bring snacks and goodies for the shelter staff that needs that sugar kick?
64. Help paint or remodel a shelter?
65. Lend your artistic talents to your shelters newsletter, fundraising ideas,
t-shirt designs?
66. Donate printer paper, envelopes and stamps to your shelter?
67. Have logos made up for your shelter?
68. Go to local shelters and meet with shelter staff about how to identify your
breed or provide photos and breed information showing the different types of
that breed may come in and the different color combinations?
69. Go to local businesses and solicit donations for the shelters fundraising
events?
70. Offer to try and help owners be better pet owners by holding a grooming
seminar?
71. Help pet owners be better pet owners by being available to answer training
questions?
72. Loan or donate a crate if a dog needs to travel for the Sato program?
73. Put together an *Owner's Manual* for those who adopt rescued dogs/cats of
your breed?
74. Provide post-adoption follow up or support?
75. Donate a coupon for a free car wash or gas or inside cleaning of a vehicle?
76. Pay for an ad in your local/metropolitan paper to help place rescue dogs?
77. Volunteer to screen calls for that ad?
78. Get some friends together to build/repair pens for a foster home?
79. Microchip your own pups if you are a breeder, and register the chips, so if
your dogs ever come into rescue, you can be contacted to take responsibility for
your pup?
80. Donate a small percentage of the sale of each pup to rescue if you are a
breeder?
81. Buy two of those really neat dog-items you "have to have" and
donate one to the shelter?
82. Make financial arrangements in your will to leave some money to the orphans
at the shelter?
83. Make a bequest in your will to your local or national Rescue?
84. Donate your professional services as an accountant or lawyer?
85. Donate other services if you run your own business?
86. Donate the use of a vehicle if you own a car dealership?
87. Donate money for the cell phone (and cover costs for any calls) to a rescue
driver?
88. Donate your *used* dog dryer when you get a new one?
89. Let rescue know when you'll be flying and that you'd be willing to be a
rescued dog's escort?
90. Do something not listed above to help rescue?
91. Donate a doggy seatbelt?
92. Donate a grid for a van or other vehicle?
93. Organize a rescued dog picnic or other event to reunite the rescued dogs
that have been placed?
94. Donate other types of doggy toys that might be safe for rescued dogs?
95. Donate a roll-a-treat or Buster cube?
96. Donate clickers or a video on clicker training?
97. Donate materials for a quarantine area?
98. Donate sheets of linoleum or other flooring materials?
99. Donate an engraving machine to make ID tags for each of the rescued dogs?
100. Remember that rescuing a dog involves the effort and time of many people
and make yourself available on an emergency basis to do *whatever* is
needed?
101. Donate frequent flyer points so that rescue can fly a dog from another area
to safety?
102. Offer to be a rescued dog's flight escort, especially if your work requires
you to travel frequently or you work in the travel industry?
103. Do something not listed above to help rescue?
104. Offer to take a penny jar for the rescue and put it in your work lunchroom
or on your desk?
105. Offer to talk to pet stores or pet supply stores about putting a penny jar
on their counter?
106. Offer to give out flyers or pamphlets on the foster dogs or the rescue
organization?
107. Offer to give out flyers or pamphlets on the foster dogs or the rescue
organization?
108. Offer to talk with carpenters about building a dog house or doing work at
the shelter?
109. Talk to dog trainers in your area about animal rescue?
110. Give the rescue a fax machine?
111. Talk to dog trainers in your area about helping the rescue assess rescue
dogs?
112. Help the rescue by talking to pet shops about not selling dogs in their
store?
113. Offer to write a information package on the breed of dog or cat you are
familiar with?
114. Sponsor the gas, or tolls expense or both for the transport of a rescue dog
?
115. Spay or neuter your own pet?
116. Donate film for taking pictures of the rescue dogs?
117. Donate firewood?
118. Talk to people about WHY they should adopt vs. buy a pet from a petstore?
119. Donate a bottle of Rescue Remedy for calming frightened or fearful dogs?
120. Donate herbal remedies for dogs with health issues?
121. Give your time to research how to get grants?
122. Offer to assist with special needs rescue dogs (give shots, medications,
special training for deaf dogs)?
123. Talk to health food and naturopathic stores about donating items to canine
rescue organizations?
124. Talk to alternative vets about dogs with special needs?
Animal Shelter Inc.
17 Laurelwood Road
Sterling, MA 01564
phone (978)422-8585
fax (978)422-8574
Copyright © 1998-2013 Animal Shelter, Inc.