MeridenHumaneSociety, Recovery Fund
It's the dawning of a new day at the Meriden Humane Society and we want to thank all of our supporters for helping us complete phase I of our transformation so smoothly. As you all know, Meriden Humane society has experienced some significant changes and setbacks recently, with notification from the City of Meriden that our lease would not be renewed and the removal of a long time director. The board is committed to ensuring these recent setbacks are turned into opportunities for a new beginning, placing priority on improved quality of care for the animals we serve, improved relations with the city and community, and fiscally responsible non-profit management practices.
MHS’ first and foremost commitment has always and will continue to be to our animals. We remain dedicated to our mission “Life Matters” and will forever be a NO KILL shelter. It is with immense gratitude to our supporters that we report there has been no lapse in staff and volunteer coverage since the director was removed. In fact, we have received new and returning volunteer requests from those eager to help us move forward.
The board has first set to work on assessing the needs of our current animals and increasing the quality of our current practices. To this end we have:
· temporarily suspended surrender requests so that we can focus on the animals currently residing at our shelter.
· changed administrative practices to ensure better communication regarding the care of animals and a proactive response if an animal appears ill.
· Secured the assistance of two community professionals (an animal care manager and a veterinarian) who will be walking through our shelter, observing our care and practices and making recommendations for any possible improvements.
We have continued to make great strides in adopting out our animals, including 17 cats last week, and we are very excited to report that four of our long-term dog residents finally went home after nine long years! We were overwhelmed by an offer from a family to create a safe sanctuary for them. A joint effort ensued in which our volunteers and staff came together to assist the adopters with building a fenced-in safe environment for the dogs.
We are also working to find rescue sanctuaries and homes for many of our cats that were feral and are having a difficult time adjusting to life here at the shelter. We will be reaching out to other rescues in the state and to all of you that may be able to provide a safe home for a cat that has not yet learned to trust humans.
The second goal of the board has been to assess the financial status of the society. As is true of most rescues we are in debt but unfortunately for larger sums of 
money than we would like to see. Currently we owe about $40,000 in outstanding vet and utility bills. We have made it a priority to pay down these debts as they present a formidable barrier to moving forward and being able to take in new surrenders. Thus we are working hard to to come up with new fund-raising initiatives. Thanks to our generous supporters, we have continued to receive some donations that are the life-blood of the society, as we don’t receive other funding. We are confident that we will clear this hurdle with your help. We have also received consult from a long time MHS supporter and CPA to advise us on the best approaches for moving forward in a fiscally responsible manner.
Finally, it is very important to MHS that we mend community relationships and offer the public, donors and adopters, and the City of Meriden a better partnership going forward. We have reviewed the previous concerns outlined in city inspections and have taken corrective action including a major cleaning effort, keeping animals and equipment out of the hallways of the facility, replacing light fixtures, cleaning the ventilation system, and with the help of Meriden Animal Control, repairing dog kennels. Communication has improved with the staff of Meriden Animal Control and we are beginning conversations about our working together to improve animal rescues. The MHS board has consistently been in communication with the City Manager to inform him of the changes and improvements happening at MHS. The City Manager and the board mutually agreed to meet again in early December to discuss our ongoing relationship and lease and we are pleased to announce that we were granted a 90 day extention. With the opportunity to further the conversation and come back to the table closer to the end of May. We want to make sure our supporters, donors and adoptive pet parents (past and future) are well informed of our progress, and therefore you can expect regular updates from the Board.
The Meriden Humane Society has been shaken but not broken. We have been overwhelmed with the recent outpouring of support, donations and well wishes. We know we have a long road ahead of us and we are preparing for the new bumps that will come up along the way. We hope we can count on the continued support of our community, as its more important now than ever!
So, how can you help? We hoped you would ask….
First, it is so important to help us get the word out about our animals who need adoptive homes, including 3 dogs and numerous cats. Many of our animals are shy and will need time and care to transition into family life. The dogs will need specialized training and effort on their adopters’ part to make sure they are using their best manners! Cats will need patience, safety and time to adjust. Some of our kitties are older or have medical needs, so we are looking for special families! Please come down and fall in love today!
Second, we couldn’t have survived over 120 years without public donations and we certainly can’t lose that help now! Therefore in addition to taking monetary donations, we have set up a Wal-Mart List of items that are most needed. The supplies can be ordered on line by simply using the first name “MERIDEN HUMANE” and last name “SOCIETY”, and the items will be shipped directly to our door. We also have a list of vets and utilities that will accept donations as a direct payment to offset our debts. Please contact any of the following businesses: Cheshire VCA, Shelton VCA, Eversource Energy, Piper Olson, East Side Vet Clinic, and Central Hospital in North Haven and ask to make a payment on the MHS account.
With the help of our community, staff and volunteers, we are confident that the Meriden Humane Society will not only survive going forward but will reach a higher potential in animal rescue, welfare and adoptions.
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