Often times I get asked how The Ark is doing and if we are really making a difference. The Ark is doing quite well and even though we know there will continue to be people who turn a blind eye to neutering and spaying their pets.
There will be others who think nothing of harming an animal whether it be neglecting it, or dropping it off out in the middle of nowhere to fend for itself or whether they physically abuse an animal.
We at The Ark take a firm stance against all of this and we will continue to do everything we can to end the madness and to help as many animals as we can.
While we are only a small rescue I would like to share these numbers with you. In 2019, the Ark took in approximately 60 cats and six dogs. Out of the six dogs there was one that required major surgery for quality of life and another that required weeks of medical treatment for burns over 30 percent of its body.
The fateful day we took that dog in he was laying lifeless on the side of the road in below zero temps. He had just given up. The Ark was the only one that would answer the call at 5:30 a.m. on a Sunday. I strongly believe that The Ark made an incredible difference for both dogs and without us they may not have survived.
Many of the cats we took in were difficult cases as well. Many of these cats had health issues which required attention and many even required surgery. The cases that we see are not simply cut and dry. Whatever that particular animal needs once in the care of the Ark it gets. Even if it requires hundreds of dollars. We take in special needs cats which many organizations will not. We are a “no kill” sanctuary. We believe that every animal’s life is meaningful and has a purpose.
Where does all the money come from? We are not state or town funded, so all of our money comes from donations, grants and fundraising. We have no paid employees. We are all volunteer-based and many of us work full-time jobs as well.
Why do we work so hard? We do this work because we believe that every animal’s life is worth saving. We do this to make a difference and to educate the public. We do this so that animals do not suffer needlessly and we do this because we care. Walking away from an injured or homeless animal is not in our nature, but helping that animal is. We are proud of our organization and we are proud of what we do. There are difficult days where no matter what you do, you can not save that particular animal and it breaks your heart.
It breaks your heart and you wonder if you are strong enough to continue, but the answer is always “yes” and we never give up. We keep fighting the good fight. We do it for all those still waiting for help. We do it for those who are injured and cannot survive without our help. We do it for those who have been left behind, so they know there is still good in the world.
We are their voice and all too often we as humans fail them. The problem is not the animals, it is the humans who have failed them. An animal’s love is unconditional and they rely on us to make the right decisions. They rely on us for food, shelter and vet care and in return the love they give is immeasurable. Sadly to many people this love is disposable.
At The Ark we are passionate about the work we do. There are many nights when we lay our heads on our pillow and we cry for those we could not save. But there are many nights we lay our heads on our pillow knowing that we were able to save another one and we take pride in that.
So when I am asked if we are making a difference I can honestly say without a doubt that yes we are. We may not rescue as many as the large rescue groups, but we are not focused on that. What we are focused on is rescuing one animal at a time. Every animal that passes through our door gets whatever it needs and every animal that passes through our doors touches our hearts in a way that we can not describe, but it drives us to do more. Yes we are a small rescue, but we are mighty. And we do make a difference.
Please join us on Saturday Feb. 8, at the American Legion Post No. 47 on the Bangor Road for a comfort food dinner. The menu is American chop suey, mac and cheese, chicken pot pie, meat loaf, mashed potatoes and gravy, biscuits and brownie a’la mode for dessert. There will be an auction and dessert sale.
Thank you for your continued support and as always thank you for reading our column.
The Ark Animal Sanctuary is located on 101 Old Woodstock Road. To contact Lorraine Monfils call 532-7387 or check out their Facebook page.
