Would you call yourself a dog or cat person?
Currently, 65.1 million households in America have at least one dog, and about 46.5 million houses have cats. These numbers are staggering when looked at from afar, but compared to the animals that are still looking for their forever homes? It’s not nearly enough.
Noelle Howland, Chief Manager of animal shelter “No Paws Left Behind,” wants to help change this.
Howland was the manager at Sonsini shelter in Pittsfield, until they permanently closed on August 31st of this past year. With the closing of this shelter, Howland not only took on the challenge of finding homes for over 20 animals that had been left behind, but she also had to field the hurdle of setting up an entirely new facility. Thankfully, her efforts were not in vain, as she managed to raise over 30,000 dollars toward her cause.
With this money, she was able to open up her rescue shelter, “No Paws Left Behind,” here in North Adams.
Howland had to work from the ground up to make the shelter habitable for animals because, as she explained it, when she first got there, “The only thing in here was a desk.”
From both the fundraising and Howland’s hard efforts, she was able to turn the building into a loving and comfortable environment for all, with the necessary materials needed for the shelter. She commented, “Everything’s new here besides my mission.”
The mission she’s referring to started when she was working with animal activist Eleanor Sonsini. A native to the Pittsfield area, she established Sonsini Animal Shelter there. Their mission was to ensure as many animals as possible could live and find homes.
Despite the closure of Sonsini’s shelter, Howland did not want to see Sonsini’s mission disappear, so she kept both the idea of a shelter and the mission alive.
Today, visitors can see Sonsini’s picture hanging proudly in the entrance to Howland’s shelter. Howland utilizes the skills she learned from working with Sonsini to this day by giving a voice to helpless animals and making sure that they go to safe, happy homes where they can best thrive in life. She does thorough checks on each one, to make sure that she knows the animal’s specific needs. Each animal is accounted for.
Despite a lot of Howland’s animals getting their forever homes, there still are specific breeds that have not been able to break out of their societal perception. Howland explained that dogs who are either full Pitbulls or mixed with Pitbull genes get frequently overlooked by potential adopters.
The interesting thing about this particular breed is that they were considered, at one point in time, the best family dog one could have. They were even bestowed the name “Nanny dogs.” It was only recently, due to dog fighting and violence inflicted upon the breed, that people labeled them as unsafe.
Although some adopters discount the Pitbulls, Howland treats them with just as much kindness and affection as all of the other animals in her care. “They get daily walks, at least once if not twice a day.”
Two residents who are currently under the shelter’s care, Kiki and Bart, a 4-year-old bonded pair of chihuahuas, have been patiently waiting since July to find their forever home. Until the perfect one comes along, Howland found a loving foster home for them to stay. “We still have a waiting list for dogs who need to come in, so getting some dogs into a foster home at least frees up some space,” Howland explained.
Howland’s heart is open to all animals, and she is willing to help wherever, and whenever, she can. She and her team contribute not only to the Berkshire community, but to the overall quality of these animals’ lives. Starting from the ground up, Howland carried with her Sonsini’s mission and adding her own: no paws left behind.
If you are interested in donating, volunteering, fostering, and or adopting, you can visit the shelter at 69 Hodges Cross Rd during office hours. Forms are provided at the front door.
