We're A
Model Shelter
A widely praised model shelter, we have recently under gone some exciting changes, and are rewriting the rules of sheltering. Yes, we take dogs in and adopt them out. We also go beyond that to give as many dogs as possible roles that benefit the dogs, their owners and the community.
WE'RE A MODEL SHELTER
A widely praised model shelter, Animals for Adoption, has recently undergone some changes. Our theme of “Dogs and People Working Together” is rewriting the rules of sheltering. Yes, we take dogs in and adopt them out. We also go beyond that to give as many dogs as possible roles that benefit the dogs, their owners and the community.
All of our dogs are evaluated to ensure the best possible placement.
We have several unique programs where dogs help people such as:
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Special Needs Children: A select group of our dogs spends six at Green Chimenys, a residential school for special needs children in Brewster NY. We teach the kids to train the dogs. They gain self-esteem and a new skill; the dogs become more adoptable. The bonding and affection are mutual. Every dog in the program (100+ and growing) has been adopted.
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Prison Trainers: Other dogs reside at a prison in Eastern PA where the prisoners learn dog training and behavior, and animal care. Prison officials find that these skills and interactions with the dogs provide a calming influence on prisoners and instill a sense of responsibility. The dogs are so well trained that they generally are quickly adopted after their residence there.
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Veterans Assistance: A few of our dogs with the most exceptional temperaments have been recruited by a veteran's assistance organization that trains them especially for meeting the unique needs of veterans who have recently returned from war zones.
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Community Therapy Dog Work: We believe all of our adopters should be offered free training so that as many of our dogs as possible gain Certification as Therapy Dogs. That way many more of our dogs and their adopters can comfort those in hospitals and nursing homes or help special needs youngsters in their individualized reading programs and serve in other ways.
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Canine Community Center: We also see the shelter as a broader community resource where all dog owners can interact for education and recreation. We have renovated our training building to suit that larger community need.
I look forward to working with our many supporters to create more humane communities for dogs and people alike.
Sincerely,
Jane Kopelman
President and Chairman of the Board
ABOUT JANE
Jane Kopelman is a dog trainer and owner of Animals for Adoption. Jane was on the behavior staff at the ASPCA in New York City for five years working on the behavior helpline as well as running volunteer training workshops and classes for the general public. Appointed by the City of New York she has served on the board of ACC (Animal Care and Control) in New York City. She also served on the Board of Directors of Angel on a Leash. She has an extensive background in evaluating and training dogs.
For more than twenty years, Jane has been the owner of All About Dogs, a dog training business in New York. She does private training and behavior counseling.
She is a certified therapy dog team evaluator for Pet Partners (formerly Delta Society) and teaches therapy dog classes in New York City as well as in upstate New York. She is also an AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluator. She serves as a consultant for Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s therapy dog program. She has evaluated and trained hundreds of therapy dog teams. Jane has been doing pet therapy with her own dogs for more twenty years.
Four years ago, Jane started a program at Green Chimneys that brings shelter dogs and special needs children together.
Jane has lectured nationally on sheltering and community outreach. She is the national director of the Training Wheels® shelter outreach program which was featured on ESPN’s Don’t Be Like Mike video. She has also appeared on “It’s Me or the Dog” with Victoria Stillwell.
Online
Make a donation in any amount directly to Animals for Adoption using any major
credit card!
By Mail
To donate by check,
please mail it to:
ANIMALS FOR ADOPTION
4628 Route 209
Accord, NY 12404
For Volunteers
We need volunteers to:
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take dogs to the vet
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socialize puppies
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take dogs to training classes
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walk & play with shelter dogs