About Us
Helping improve and save the lives of your furriest family members, our best friends.
Most pet parents would agree, pets are just as precious as any child. Our fur babies deserve to have happy, healthy lives and the love of their family.
Too many pet parents are forced into to euthanizing their beloved pet because medical costs are beyond their reach. We believe no responsible pet parent should ever have to choose between the animal they love and insufficient funds.
Our mission is to provide financial assistance, to the best of our ability, to save and improve the lives of animals when there is a positive prognosis.
Meet our Team
Our executive officers are life long friends that share a love for animals. We are:
Why we do what we do
The Sad Facts
Pets with treatable disease are euthanized because:
The owner's are afraid of providing treatments or they are incapable of providing treatment
For example: Giving insulin shots.
The time or physical commitment to treat the pet is an issue.
For example: Having to be home at a set time to give an insulin shot
The pet is difficult to medicate
Pet parents worry they are putting their pets through a stressful treatment or causing suffering
Economic euthanasia, the family simply cannot afford the treatment.
We want to help those pet parents that are willing and physically able to provide necessary treatment, but may not be able to afford it.
Pet owners surrender their pets for financial reasons:
Approximately 6 - 8% of all pet surrenders to animal welfare organizations were due to the owner's financial inability to care for their pets.
Many pet owners believe that surrendering their pet to a shelter will result in an adoption.
Many healthy, adoptable pets are euthanized due to lack of space at the shelter.
Every eight seconds, another pet is euthanized.
Approximately 5 - 7 million pets enter shelters nationwide each year.
Approximately 3 - 4 million pets are euthanized each year. 60% of dogs, 70% of cats.
25% of dogs that enter shelters are purebred.
5 out of 10 dogs and 7 out of 10 cats in shelters are destroyed because there is no one to adopt them.
Seven dogs and cats are born every day for each person born in the US. Of those, only 1 in 5 puppies and kittens stay in their original home for his/her natural lifetime. The remaining 4 are abandoned to the streets or end up at a shelter.
What can you do as a responsible pet owner?
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See your vet regularly for preventative check ups
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Follow your vet's advice for feeding, heartworm, flea and tick prevention, etc.
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Establish a savings account for pet emergencies
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Buy pet insurance
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Apply for a credit card and put it aside for emergency situations.
(Care Credit is a great option which can only be used for medical expenses)
Melissa Albrecht, President and Chairman
Melissa is the founder of With Love From Lily and Lily's mom.
She is employed by one of the country's oldest insurance companies as an IT Business Analyst. Throughout the years, Melissa has been a Literacy Volunteer, a Reading Buddy, Shift Scoliosis travel team member, and participated in many other volunteer opportunities.
Melissa lives in Glastonbury with her 3 dogs, Maggie, Daisy and Violet and her 2 cats, Chloe and Jake.
Joanna Kamis, Vice President
Joanna is a life-long dog lover and farm girl. Joanna grew up at Belltown Hill Orchards and now owns and operates Walnut Ledge Farms in South Glastonbury with her husband.
Joanna is a dedicated mom and Girl Scout Troop leader.
Joanna lives in South Glastonbury with her husband, Michael, her 2 daughters, her dog Maezy and 2 guinea pigs.
Melissa Farrell, Treasurer
Melissa is a life long animal lover. Since high school, Melissa has worked with animals. She's done it all, from vet technician, cat groomer, and kennel manager. She recently returned back to work after taking time off to be a stay at home mom.
Melissa lives in South Windsor with her husband Pat, 2 children, her dog Riggs, kitty Molly and gecko Spike.
Gina Kopcinski, Secretary
Gina is a dedicated protector of our furry friends. She is a professional petsitter and occasional (in)voluntary petsitter, as she always seems to find roaming, neighborhood dogs. Half of her family members were adopted by rescue shelters. Gina also helps run her husband's business in her free time.
Gina lives in Glastonbury with her husband Charlie, 2 children, and three cats.