‘Home again’: New Heal Animal Rescue executive director vows to expand help for local animals

When Mary Withrow started working as Heal Animal Rescue’s new executive director final week, it felt like she was “home again.”

Heal is a no-kill animal adoption middle and sanctuary nonprofit, with a shelter in Youngwood and an animal sanctuary in Latrobe.

Withrow, 60, of Pittsburgh has a historical past of working at animal shelters, however time has handed since she final was in what she calls the “shelter world.”

“I really missed it,” Withrow stated. “I’m really looking forward to helping the community a little bit more … and (getting) animals into good homes who have been here for a while.”

Before coming to Heal, With­row labored for the Animal Rescue League and Western Pennsylvania Humane Society, consecutively, earlier than they merged to turn out to be Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh.

During that point, Withrow stated, she additionally was on the cruelty prevention staff for the Humane Society of the United States.

She then grew to become executive director of the Pittsburgh Aviation Animal Rescue Team, which now is named No Dog Left Behind.

Withrow stated she additionally has labored to move animal cruelty-related laws throughout the state and area, and she or he has traveled all through the nation on canine preventing raids.

In 2014, Withrow first approached a councilperson in Pittsburgh concerning an outdoor canine ordinance as a result of the town didn’t have one. Though the ordinance she proposed didn’t move statewide, it handed unanimously in Pittsburgh, Withrow stated.

She later proposed “animals in distress” laws, or what folks name the “hot dog law,” and it was handed on the local and state ranges, Withrow stated.

“Even if animal control was called to get an animal out of the car, they couldn’t do anything because they wouldn’t have immunity,” Withrow stated of the potential of breaking automobile home windows to retrieve animals.

She is working to help a canine licensing price improve and a fireworks change to “create a little more distance and make things a little safer.”

Withrow obtained the job after former Executive Director Kelli Brisbane stepped down when she was employed as director of partnership improvement at Go Laurel Highlands.

The new job will supply Brisbane “the flexibility to be with her family more,” stated Gabi Kostley, adoption coordinator at Heal.

At Heal, everybody’s been “really welcoming,” Withrow stated.

“It’s so great to see that (the employees and volunteers) all know so much about each and every animal … they really, really care,” Withrow stated.

Bethany Morse, 36, animal care and adoption supervisor at Heal, is a longtime worker who has been with the shelter since 2012.

“Seeing the progression that the animals take during their time here with us” is the perfect a part of her job, stated Morse, of Elizabeth.

Many animals coming into the shelter and sanctuary have been both uncared for or deserted, and “a lot of them are scared” once they arrive, Morse stated.

“Through lots of patience and love during their time here, we help them to come out of that shyness,” Morse stated.

Adoption ranges have fluctuated through the years, however just lately, there was an inflow of animals coming into shelters and never sufficient adoptions to sustain, she stated.

Heal can home up to 30 canines and 35 to 40 cats, Morse stated, and oftentimes there’s a waitlist.

“We’re a no-kill shelter, so we only take in what we can house,” Morse stated. “As soon as a pen opens up (after) an animal has gotten adopted, we revert back to the waitlist.”

Primarily, animals are introduced to the shelter as a result of homeowners are transferring to a distinct space, Morse stated. But monetary causes and way of life modifications typically are cited as properly.

Morse stated operations have come a great distance since Candy Valentino based the shelter, which beforehand was referred to as Animal Friends of Westmoreland, in 2006.

“When I first started, we actually didn’t have a front door,” Morse stated. “Everybody entered the shelter … through the back door and came in through the dog kennel.”

Over time, the shelter was joined by a separate 62-acre sanctuary, a farm that’s dwelling to cows, sheep, geese, chickens, pigs, goats, mini-mules, a rooster and a cat — and all are former survivors of neglect and abuse.

And the title change, Morse stated, was to broaden Heal’s attain outdoors Westmoreland County and the Pittsburgh space.

“When you have a location attached to a name, you can kind of limit yourself to even donations,” Withrow stated.

Kostley of Greensburg stated the title change permits the shelter and sanctuary to expand nationally and differentiate itself from Animal Friends of Pittsburgh.

“(We) thought it would be best to switch to a name that kind of generalized it,” she stated. “It allows us more flexibility in terms of how we want to grow.”

Now that she is on the helm, Withrow hopes to develop Heal by increasing the shelter’s constructing or buying a brand new one. She additionally is considering transferring the shelter and farm to the identical location finally.

“The more animals that we get adopted here at the adoption center, the more that we can then bring in and take care of and find a new forever home for them as well,” Morse stated.

Though Heal cares for beforehand abused and uncared for animals, Withrow stated animals truly “help people the most.” Her love for serving to animals stemmed from loss.

Withrow stated she often volunteered at a shelter earlier than her associate died in an accident.

“I was having a really hard time … and my grief counselor said, ‘You know, if you’re ever gonna get better, you should try going outside of yourself and helping someone or something else,’ ” Withrow stated.

She determined to turn out to be extra concerned — a lot in order that it has turn out to be her ardour.

“I owe it to the animals for bringing me out of a dark place,” Withrow stated. “To work within your passion is really a great gift.”