Between their two families, Matt and Kerry, the co-directors of Pets Alive in Middletown, have adopted fourteen dogs, four horses, and maybe a cat or two.  That’s eighteen creatures living happy lives after no longer able to live in their previous homes.  For whatever reason.  Maybe the owner died, maybe the family moved to a residence that didn’t allow pets, or were left to die on the side of the road, or placed in a kill shelter and caught the eye of a worker who refused to give up on them.  In any one day, there may be over two hundred animals being loved and cared for at the Pets Alive shelter they run.  When asked about one of their recent favorites, Matt instantly replied, “Hero, a mixed breed rescue from Dead Dog Beach in Puerto Rico, an area so named because animals routinely are left there to die.”  But not this girl. Not Hero.

Despite having been beaten, with hips and legs severely damaged, this cream and white mix yapped and jumped and led beach rescuers to a puppy near death.  Two more times, the rescuers returned to the beach with her, and again Hero brought them to other sick dogs.  Her story has a great ending.  After getting to Pets Alive and operated on -- all through the generosity of private donations -- she was adopted. 

I visited Pets Alive recently and asked about Oreo, a black and white pit bull I’d seen in that morning’s paper.  Pit Bulls have a rotten reputation, but this girl was a sweetie pie.  Though she had been left, tied up at the front gate of Pets Alive, she harbored no grudge towards anyone.  She walked up to me, wagged her tail, and went right to my side pocket where I keep treats for my own dog.  When she sat, I put one in my hand which she took gently.  Oreo, I learned, had already been adopted, and was leaving the next day.  Kerry tells me this with tears in her eyes.  As I left, I could hear barks and yelps from all around me, from the other dogs waiting to go home.  It’s a tough business they’re in. 

Pets Alive relies on volunteers and a small staff of workers to do the labor, and private donations to help pay the bills; community groups help with food collections.  The staff organizes fundraisers throughout the year to obtain a few extra dollars, like the holiday picture card sent each December with a donation envelope enclosed and the Valentine’s Day “support an animal” program where rather than get your loved one a box of candy, you could pay for an animal’s transportation costs and hospital bills in their name.    

When asked what the shelter was in real need of, Matt doesn’t hesitate: a pickup truck.  Transporting animals from kill shelters around the area, down the east coast, or west to states like Tennessee or Kentucky puts a strain on their vehicles, and the one they have now is on its last legs.  It’s also needed to lug equipment and food, and appliances when they have to.   I asked Matt this because if this column could do one thing -- like get the word out that Pets Alive needs a pickup truck -- then how great would that be. 

Let's help get Pets Alive a pickup truck.  Send this to everyone you know. 

www.petsalive.com 

(845) 386-5408 - Volunteer, donate or join their mailing list