Yes, Roy, There is a Santa Claus

Dec. 22, 2010 - PRLog -- LEDGEWOOD, N.J., December 22, 2010 – Christmas came early for a three-year-old Pit Bull Terrier mix who finally found a permanent home after a 17 months stay at Noah’s Ark Animal Welfare Association, Inc. in Ledgewood.  First surrendered to the small but mighty animal shelter in July 2009, Roy the Pit Bull was adopted and returned four times for varied reasons before finding his current home on December 11.
“When a pet is returned after adoption we work to gain as much information about the pet’s behavior in the home so we can make a better match next time,” said Todd Cramer, Executive Director at Noah’s Ark. “When a pet is returned a second time we have to consider if there isn’t something more we don’t know about the pets behavior and then dig a bit deeper to uncover the issue and resolve it.”

Noah’s Ark did dig deeper and hired Dr. Emily Levine, Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorist at Animal Emergency & Referral Associates in Fairfield, to evaluate Roy’s behavior and personality so as to best understand his needs. Roy had several factors working against him, including that he is a Pit Bull mix, a larger breed adult dog, and he had been at the shelter for a longtime.  Additionally, a high-energy home with children would not be the best environment for Roy, restricting his options further.

“We saw nothing in Roy that would lead us to believe it would be inappropriate to place him in a home,” Cramer said. “To know Roy is to love him. We couldn’t give up on him.”Because a lengthy stay can put emotional stress on a dog like Roy, the Noah’s Ark staff had to work harder to keep him healthy.  Cramer credits Roy’s exceptional mental and physical health to the shelter’s outstanding staff and volunteers.

Roy’s adoption was extra special for those who cared for him. Walter Malena, Senior Animal Care Technician, commented on Facebook, “Roy’s adoption was a gift to me this Christmas that I will always remember.”

About Noah’s Ark Welfare Association, Inc.
Noah’s Ark is a non-profit organization caring for animals for more than 40 years. Noah’s Ark operates a life-saving facility that adheres to an “adoption-focused” philosophy; no adoptable pet will be euthanized due to age, breed, lack of space or modifiable behavioral issues. The organization also provides additional animal-focused services, including a Spay-Neuter Hotline people can contact to receive coupons for reduced spay or neuter services from a network of veterinarians in the community.  Noah’s Ark relies on donations from the local community to support its work. For more information, visit www.noahsarknj.org or call (973) 347-0378.

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Noah's Ark, non-profit organization that operates limited admission facility that operates under an "adoption focused" philosophy, meaning no adoptable pet will be euthanized due to age, breed, lack of space or modifiable behavioral issues NoahsArkNJ.org