It's time-honored tradition to take a look back at the year that was when the year draws to a close.  What a year it’s been here at the ARL!  Did you know that over 800 animals came through our doors and were returned to their owners?  Yippee!!  We’re so happy to see these reunions and glad that we’re here to help.  Where else would these sad pets go if we weren’t here for them!  And imagine this; we were able to find homes for 2200+ pets this year.  That’s so amazing!  But we always wish it could be more…

The happy-ending stories are endless.  A few stand out:  Remember Chip, the dog who ran away and found his way back here to the ARL, a 10-mile trek?  How about the rescue of the group of breeder Dachshunds who blessed us with 2 beautiful litters of puppies?  All of the breeders and their pups have now found happy homes.  Of course, we have brought in breeding dogs from numerous other puppy mills, gave them time to recover while here at the shelter and found wonderful homes for all of them.  And we will never forget the group of horses and goats we helped to rescue in Schuylkill County.  These are just a few of the many, many ways that the ARL is helping the animals of the area.

Unfortunately, there are the sad stories.  No year-end review would be complete without memorializing those who left us.  Here at the shelter, we lost two beloved friends and long-time ARL mascots.  Pongo, the African grey parrot, passed away in March.  Her presence in the lobby brought joy to everyone who visited.  We miss her whistles and dancing.  The ARL also said good-bye to Mr. Swanson, the turkey who guarded the barn.  Who could forget how he displayed his macho feathers if anyone approached his favorite chicken?  The barn’s not the same without the sounds of his gobbling.

To all of you who support the ARL, we wish you a Happy New Year filled with love, health and prosperity.  Thank you for your encouragement and generosity.