We are thrilled that Canine Company has renewed their partnership with DAWS as our 2017 Gold Annual Sponsor. Canine Company has been a generous partner to DAWS for many years, and we’re thrilled to have them as a sponsor in 2017!

Canine Company was founded by an entrepreneurial family with a love for animals. In 1981, while living in Swarthmore, PA, Henry and Carol Hill noticed a few neighbors’ pets staying happily and safely in their yards – a constant struggle for their dogs. They discovered that their neighbors were using an Invisible Fence® Brand system which was in a beta testing phase for a new concept of electronic pet containment. When they moved to Weston, CT in 1983, the Hill Family tried to buy an Invisible Fence® system only to discover that there was no reliable source. After finally finding an avenue to purchase the electronic pet containment system, they installed one in their yard for their beloved Bassett Hound and Lab.

Pleased with the results, the Hills contacted Invisible Fence® Inc. to inquire about becoming a distributor of the product. The Hills signed a Dealership Agreement, allowing them to sell the product within the NY Metropolitan area.

With a slow start, the Hill family evolved from a dealer to a distributor with exclusive distribution rights to RI, CT, Southeastern NY, and Northern NJ. In 1986, after signing this agreement, the Canine Fence Company (known today as Canine Company) was born. With this new model, Canine Fence operated as a retailer and wholesaler.

In 1990, Henry and Carol’s daughter Jennifer decided to join the business full-time after college. What was originally planned as an opportunity to gain experience would eventually become Jennifer’s long and successful career. In 1992, Invisible Fence® Inc. signed over exclusive distribution rights to the remainder of NJ, MA, NH, VT and ME. Jennifer then moved to Boston to take on the challenge of developing the newly acquired Boston market. After leading the new market to a successful start and obtaining her MBA, Jennifer moved back to CT to manage the company’s marketing efforts while strengthening the infrastructure of the company to create a platform for growth. Today, dealing directly to consumers as the largest Invisible Fence® Brand retailer in the entire northeast, the company also supplies more than 16 Independent Dealers throughout the region.

Over the years the company perfected the art of reliable electronic pet containment installation and training protocols. With repeated requests from pleased clients who wanted to utilize more of the company’s training expertise, the Manners in-home obedience training program was born in 2010. In 2012, with an online retail store and the new obedience training program, the company had expanded beyond pet containment. The owners realized that the name “Canine Fence” was no longer fitting for the myriad of products and services offer. The company expanded beyond the fence and became Canine Company.

Animal lovers and entrepreneurs, Henry, Carol, and Jennifer  have grown a family owned start-up from modest origins into a multi-million-dollar pet services business. Perhaps more important to them as animal lovers, they have created an innovative, affordable way for dog and cat owners in the northeast to keep their beloved four-legged family members safe and alive, both indoors and out. Moreover, with the addition of new products and services they are dedicated to nourishing the unique bond between pet and owner by simplifying life for the pet owner, while ensuring that pets remain safe, happy, and healthy.

Amos holds a special place in the hearts of many staff members and volunteers at DAWS. He is an incredibly smart dog who is eager to learn new things; he’s gotten the hang of urban mushing. With all those “smarts,” however, he sometimes gets in trouble. That’s why he has a dedicated team of handlers in place, working with him to help him learn to be the best dog he can be. The work has paid off, and Amos is learning to mind his manners. He’s consistently demonstrating just how good he can be with a little bit of love and some consistent training.

Amos is loving and sweet and is incredibly loyal to the people he trusts. He’s eager to please and sorry when he makes a mistake. Those who know him best understand his full potential and want nothing more than for him to find a loving family who will help him reach it. Could it be you?

If you’d like to meet Amos, please reach out to our Dog Program Chair directly.

As a no-kill shelter, DAWS is committed to caring for animals until they find their forever homes, for however long it takes. And for some animals, finding a loving family takes a little bit longer than expected. When you make a donation on Giving Day, 100% of what you give goes toward caring for animals in need, and that helps make a difference for those animals who have to wait a little longer to find their forever families.

Amos is a handsome boy who has been waiting for a family for over 400 days. Our dedicated staff and volunteers ensure that he is healthy and as happy as possible while in our care. His kennel is cleaned daily, and he gets a comfy blanket to sleep on every night. His belly is kept full with two square meals a day and plenty (too many?) of treats. He even gets a peanut butter Kong every so often. With every 90 days that pass, Amos gets a check-up in our clinic to make sure that he is healthy and up-to-date on all his vaccines…and perhaps in need of a diet program with a few less treats! Amos has his own dedicated team who take him for walks and romps in the yard. They are specially trained to work with him and help him become the best dog that he can be.

Amos is wicked smart, happy to learn, and eager to take direction from his “crew.” He is a special dog who needs an equally special family to welcome him into their home. Until he finds his perfect match, DAWS will care for Amos, providing him shelter, food, medical care, and—most of all—love.

You can help us ensure that Amos and other animals like him are cared for until they find their forever home. Please donate on Giving Day.

Don’t forget—you can maximize your donation by helping us win the Get Up and Give launch prize and the Top of the Morning prize. Plan your giving on Giving Day.

Give Where You Live! Donate to DAWS on Giving Day.

While we used to only have to worry about an influx of kittens during the spring and summer months, kitten season seems to be coming earlier and earlier every year. DAWS already has its first litter of kittens in foster care, and that means our Cat and Foster Programs are ramping up for what we are anticipating will be a very busy season. There are a number of theories about why we are seeing longer kitten seasons, but there are no clear answers to that question. Regardless of the reasons, DAWS, like many other shelters across the country, will do its best to care for the many mamas and kittens that will need our help this year.

Cats differ from dogs in that they do not have heat cycles at regular intervals throughout the year. Instead, cats come into heat seasonally, based on a number of factors. These conditions include the number of daylight hours, rising temperatures, the presence of other cats, and when other conditions are optimal. With at least 10 hours of daylight and other optimal conditions, a cat’s hormonal system is activated and the reproductive cycle is initiated. The mating season for cats in the Northern Hemisphere traditionally begins in March and extends through September, but this has been getting longer over the years.

Some experts have been investigating whether warmer temperatures across the globe are not only affecting glaciers and sea levels, but also the heat cycle of cats. The Environmental Protection Agency has stated that rising temperatures may cause some small mammals to breed earlier. While many disagree that this theory applies to cats, stating that the heat cycle in cats is more closely related to the number of daylight hours to which a cat is exposed versus temperature, rising temperatures could create other conditions that may contribute to a longer mating season. For example, warmer temperatures may make prey animals (mice/rats) more available earlier in the year, giving cats a more reliable food source to support them in an extended mating season. And, warmer weather can increase kitten survival rate, lending to more kittens earlier in the year.

Whatever the underlying cause, an extended kitten season puts extra burden on shelters around the country, including DAWS. Here are some ways that you can help us during kitten season:

Become a Kitten Foster

Young animals, including kittens cannot be housed in our shelter because their immune systems are not fully developed, and they would be at risk for illness. That means we rely on foster families to open up their homes and care for kittens until they are ready for adoption. Being a foster parent is a rewarding experience, and helps save lives. Refer to information on our Foster Care page to learn how you can foster kittens.

Donate

With an influx of kittens, our need for kitten food, kitten milk, and litter increases exponentially. Your generous donation of these items, or donations of gift cards or money to purchase them, helps ensure these kittens are well cared for before they find homes.

Trap-Neuter-Return

Helping to control the number of unwanted litters starts with altering cats. You can help reduce the number of feral cats that give birth to litters of kittens by supporting our Trap-Neuter-Return program. Humanely trapping cats and bringing them in to DAWS or other local shelters to be altered is a great way to reduce the number of kittens born during kitten season.

As always, spaying/neutering your own animals is incredibly important to eliminating unplanned and unwanted litters of kittens. Make sure all of your pets are altered to avoid a mishap.