Dear Friend of the Animals,

     Thank you so very much for your most generous support throughout another year. Only with supporters like you, is The Haven able to accomplish its life saving mission of rescue, rehabilitation and adoption of our community’s homeless pets. We are so very grateful to you.

     This year, we were honored to receive not only financial support from our donors (which made it possible to provide loving care to a daily population of approximately 800 dogs and cats,) but also a tremendous show of local support. The Haven was honored to win the $50,000 Pepsi Challenge contest (won by popular vote) that helped us make great strides in our remodeling. This year, The Haven will see the completion of our new main shelter building which includes a formal intake area, indoor concrete kennels for dogs, and a meet and greet area for prospective adopters. We also added two new 12 x 50 foot buildings for just cats. Much of the labor for these new structures has been performed by volunteers, including significant support from our local military troops.

     In terms of adoptions, so far this year we have re-homed over 1,500 pets. These animals come to us from a variety of sources, including those saved by our cooperative transfer program. This program permits animals facing euthanasia as well as strays rescued off the streets and animals from our active duty military families to be taken to The Haven for our life saving adoption program.

      Between now and the holidays, The Haven will offer discounted adoption prices as well as extended hours. We are committed to getting as many animals as possible a new, forever “Home for the Holidays”.

     Our next remodeling challenge will be the construction of permanent roofs over our outdoor kennels. This year, our area was devastated by tornadoes. While we are thankful that we were not directly hit, The Haven did loose all of the shade tarps and most of the supportive structures. In order to give our larger dogs the quality of life they need and deserve, we need to provide them with permanent roofs that will shade them in the summer as well as protect them from the winter’s snow and ice. This will be the focus of our next donation push.

     Thanks to our supporters, The Haven continues to provide medical care for special needs pets including bone surgery, emergency leg amputation, tumor removal, dentals, and blood work. Currently, we are asking for donations to pay the vet bills for a little Rottweiller puppy we named Nala who was hit by a car and left to die. Nala came to us with a badly broken leg. After a month of no measurable healing, the veterinarians reluctantly decided that leg amputation was in her best interest. Nala came through her surgery like a trooper but we have outstanding bills still needing to be paid.

     Another special little rescue that just arrived is Chubbs, a purebred Old English Bulldog who is in need of surgery on his throat. The excess folds of skin at the back of his mouth and throat (common with this breed), leave him struggling to breathe. It is critical to his comfort and ultimate survival that he receives surgery quickly to remedy this serious but entirely resolvable problem.

     Thank you so very much for your willingness to “walk the talk” and donate to the cause of saving the lives of abandoned animals. Know that every gift, no matter the size, makes a profound difference in our ability to save the lives of animals discarded by others. Everyday, we at The Haven encounter people who just “don't get it”, who don't look at their pets as members of the family. They are not willing to make sacrifices to keep their pets or provide the support they need and deserve. The lives of these animals are in our hands and I am so personally grateful that our supporters have given The Haven the resources to save many of them. From the bottom of my heart, know that on behalf of the animals, I appreciate that you are a person who is willing to make sacrifices to keep homeless and abused animals safe and healthy until a forever family can be found.

     As we approach the Holiday Season, keep the dates of Dec. 11 open for our Art Auction, as well as the weekend of Dec. 17 and 18th for our Haven Open House. We will keep you posted on the details. For your holiday gifts, please check out our Spring Flower Bulb sale as well as our virtual store links to let your gift purchasing also help the animals in need (thehaven-friendsforlife.org). Remember to register for Good Search (an Internet search engine) and Food Lion's MVP card to make The Haven-Friends for Life the beneficiary of your online and grocery shopping needs.

     Again, Thank You for your support. Give your four legged family members a hug from all of us at The Haven and be confident that your support is what is making it possible for us to place homeless pets into the loving homes that they need and deserve.

               Thank you and God Bless! Linden Spear The Haven-Friends for Life