As the world has been battling COVID-19 over the past months, Lollypop Farm has been adapting rapidly to the changes this pandemic requires. And we will continue to evolve as we look to resuming operations. If there is a silver lining to any of this, we are seeing glimpses of a brighter future for animal welfare–one with fewer pets in the shelter and a community that is empowered to help each other and the animals.
A New Way Forward
When this crisis first began, we knew we had to reduce the number of animals in the shelter to keep employees, volunteers, and our community as safe as possible. You answered our call for help in force!
Lollypop Farm’s foster care program has been critical to caring for animals away from the shelter. Many pets need weeks of care or behavioral help before they are ready to find a new home. Over the last two months, 260 pets have stayed with dedicated foster care families, reserving the limited shelter capacity for those animals with the most critical needs. Hundreds of families opened their homes to pets in need, and their generosity has an enormous impact.
Practically overnight, Lollypop Farm shifted from exclusively in-person adoptions to making matches between pets and families virtually. 393 pets have been adopted since the beginning of March to wonderful families just like yours who are still opening their hearts to homeless pets, even in difficult times. With intake limited to critical cases, our adoption counselors have even been helping match pets with new families in the community, keeping pets out of the shelter while still providing the veterinary and behavior benefits Lollypop Farm adopters normally receive.
I see a new way forward with an increased focus on connecting owners with resources they need to help them keep their beloved pets. With many pet owners experiencing a temporary hardship, Lollypop Farm serves as a critical community resource. Our Community Outreach team and Pet Pantry have both supplied and connected families with other resources to help them provide nutritious pet food keeping pets with the families who love them even through this difficult time.
Regardless of what is happening in the world, Lollypop Farm is determined to be here to help the animals and their people. Your support is critical to making that possible. We remain at the ready to find the best solutions to help our community, no matter how that may be. Together, we can continue to save the lives of pets in need. Thank you.
Lollypop Farm is Here for You
We continue to be available to help in the following ways, online or by phone:
- Humane Law Enforcement investigations of animal cruelty
- Adoptions by appointment only
- Pet Pantry distributions and emergency pet food requests
- End of Life Services
- Community Resources and Animal Admissions
- Pet Training virtual lessons and behavior helpline
- Humane Education virtual programs
We’ll continue to follow the recommendations from Monroe County and New York State to guide our timeline for re-opening more in-person services. Health and safety precautions will be our primary guide as we forge a new way to the future–with you, for the animals.
Making a Difference for Pets Like Blue
Blue was brought to Lollypop Farm on March 20th as a stray. By then Lollypop Farm was operating with limited staff at the shelter to keep everyone safe. Thanks to animal lovers like you, Blue still had somewhere to go. This sweet two-year-old mixed breed is a bundle of joy and excitement about everything the world has to offer! Now, he’s ready to find a new home with someone ready and willing to go on lots and lots of walks.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for being there for the animals in our community–even in these trying times. You mean the world to all of us!
With Lollypop Love,
Alice Calabrese, CAWA
President & CEO, Lollypop Farm
