Little Guild is newly spruced up

 CORNWALL — The Little Guild of St. Francis reopened June 20 after two months of renovations. The party was also a celebration of the animal shelter’s 55th anniversary. 

Most of the changes are subtle, but all are aimed at making the cats and dogs more comfortable, offering greater outreach and making visitors  feel more welcome and excited about pet adoption — because even with a venture as benevolent as animal rescue, it is important in this day and age to stay relevant when it comes to marketing. The goal can be summed up as taking the Little Guild beyond being just a rescue shelter.

For instance, a new sign out front specifies it is a pet adoption center, board member Jeff Jacobson said, rather than the religious or rehab facility its name suggests for some people. 

A simple relandscaping of the entrance and power-washing of the siding made it all look new. 

Behind garage doors is a new pet-food pantry, stocked with donated dog and cat food, peanut butter, food bowls and tennis balls. 

New Executive Director Heather Dinneen said about 900 pounds of food have already been donated, mostly via drop boxes at supermarkets and Sand Road Animal Hospital in Falls Village. The laden shelves took a hit that morning, when a shelter in Seymour rescued a large number of kittens and needed help. It’s all good.

“That’s what we’re here for,” Dinneen said. “We can help in big and small ways.”

The main goal is to help people and their pets through lean times. The occasional bag of kibble, or housebreaking pads, or whatever, might help keep a beloved pet in its home. 

“We plan to track the animals we help in the community and maybe figure out why pets are ending up in shelters.”

Board of Directors President John Guenther said the annual Pittie Party held in Torrington recently attracted owners of 194 dogs seeking free checkups, vaccinations and spay/neuter certificates. 

“We plan to do more of those. The need is there,” Guenther said, noting that, in this region, recovery from the recession is still slow. “People are having to make hard decisions when it comes to their pets. We are working on being the best adoption center we can be, but preventing animals from coming here is part of that.”

To that end, board members have been visiting shelters and taking lots of notes.

They discovered one that uses glass walls in its kennels, which somehow keeps the dogs calm when potential adopters arrive. There is also special music to sooth canines. A kennel architect will consult on revamping that space as part of phase two of a $250,000 capital improvement project.

In the lobby, the front counter was lowered so it would be less of a wall. Wall-mounted televisions scroll photos of pets available for adoption. The first view is of what was the often-closed door of the directors office. It is now an array of cages for cats that have been arranged to look like a playscape. New shelter manager Liz Sullivan said they plan to fill them with kittens, with the hope that it will put people in the mood to adopt.

Staff with veterinary office experience has been hired. On-the-spot adoptions are now available thanks to updated technology. 

More training and socialization to help dogs find forever homes; school programs; community partnerships; and facility renovations are in the works. 

Fostering has proven to be a very effective tool. A more formal program is being developed, as is one for volunteers.

“We rely so much on our volunteers. They walk dogs, clean, help with fundraisers and so much more,” Jacobson said. “The problem is no one was organizing them, so a lot of people who wanted to help, couldn’t.”

A day of celebration, allowing the briefest of breathers in an all-out effort by everyone at the Little Guild, was not brought down by strife that accompanied the planned work. Former staff and supporters had raised major concerns over the capability and motivation of new leadership. All of their allegations appear unfounded, and prompted a groundswell of support of Dinneen and the board.

“What questionable motives could we possibly have?” Guenther said, waving his arm to encompass all of the completed work. “What would we be doing this for, if not for the animals?” 

A failed inspection by the state Department of Agriculture (DOA), conducted on a complaint, noted the need for couple of upgrades — paint on exposed wood and more ventilation in the cat rooms — that were already underway as part of the renovations. 

The Lakeville Journal continues to investigate. Inspection reports provided by the DOA and dating back four years indicate no deficiencies, despite no changes in the cited areas during that time period. The department has not commented on the inconsistency.

In the end, everyone agrees it is all about the cats and dogs. Plans moving forward allow for more transparency and community involvement, and the spending of significant contributions that will mean more accountability.

Donations of cash and of pet supplies are always welcome. They may be brought to the Little Guild or offered in a variety of other ways, including directly from www.amazon.com or www.chewy.com. For more information go to www.littleguild.org. or Little Guild of St. Francis on Facebook.