Why is it so hard to adopt lately?
Why is it so difficult to adopt an animal lately? In a word: COVID. The world changed in March 2020. You and your family stayed in quarantine, and even now don’t go out nearly as much as you have in the past. The kids have a new and ever-changing school schedule which often includes remote
A Very Happy New Year Indeed!
Whenever I tell anyone that I volunteer at an animal shelter, the first question I am inevitably asked is “Is that a No-Kill shelter?” I then launch into my explanation that the VAO strives to meet a live release rate of 90% or better, which is the definition of “no-kill”. I explain that as a
Why All the Woe?
You might be wondering, why are we making such a big deal with all of this Woe is Woofstock stuff? This is the first time in twenty-four years that we will not have a Woofstock Festival. It was cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns. We know that, in the interest of public health and safety, we
Kitten Season is Here!
What is kitten season? Well, simply put, it’s the time of year when litters of kittens are born. But there’s nothing all that simple about it! The VAO’s Feline Care Manager, Bill Romaine, has this to say about kitten season: “We are in the midst of what could be the biggest kitten season that I’ve
A Day in the Life of a Foster Dog
Gentleman is a gorgeous, 3-year-old Cattle Dog. He has some issues, but hey, who doesn’t?! Luckily Gentleman found himself at the VAO where we will go the extra mile to help our animals find their forever homes. Gentleman was not doing well in the kennels. He is a boy that needs a ton of daily
Crossed Paths: Sonjie’s and Choco’s Adoption Story
Two of our longest residents, Sonjie and Choco, entered VAO only four days apart, and patiently waited the long eight months before both finding their forever home in the last weeks of summer. Saving Sonjie Paul Petrella, a Cherry Hill resident, always knew about VAO, but it wasn’t until he decided to find a female