ARF’s Forever Home Project

ARF, Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons, was founded back in 1974 to assist with the issue of animal overpopulation in East Hampton. Over the course of these last 46 years, tens of thousands of cats and dogs have been able to receive the compassion, food, shelter, medical care, and training they deserve through the committed efforts of staff and volunteers. And ultimately, they have been able to find their forever homes with new families due to these efforts.

ARF spays and neuters feral cats for free, and they have the opportunity to help other parts of the country that struggle with overpopulation in the way that East Hampton once did. It is all about the welfare of animals that deserve it—in any part of the world where they can help—at ARF.

Now, as ARF approaches their 50th anniversary, they began an important project—Forever Home—that has been in the works for several years to ensure their future’s continued success for the animals.

Scott Howe, executive director of ARF, spoke about their mission and how impactful this project will be for ARF and all the animals in need going forward. He says, “The shelter was built with the best resources they had back in the eighties, but the building has housed well over 20,000 dogs, so it’s taken some abuse.” In this new building, the energy efficiency will be upgraded, there will be new HVAC, drains, UV filtration, and fresh air will be circulated through the building more efficiently. This will kill any airborne pathogens that will not only be helpful for pets but for humans, too.

The spaces where the cats live have been renovated, and they have demolished kennels to start over. Scott says, “We worked with an architect who has mostly only focused on animal shelters and hospitals who helped design the best space possible that would be calmer and quieter, where adopters could visit, and would be a better space for staff to work in terms of training, feeding, exercising, and providing enrichment.” He says, basically, “We made the decision not to get larger, but instead to make the homes for the animals better.”

Although the capacity was not increased for dog housing, they are larger by a few hundred square feet and made with better materials, better mechanics, sound insulation, better light, better design, and are ultimately more comfortable for the pets. The training facility at ARF (William P. Rayner Training Center), however, has grown substantially with this project. It’s 8,400 square feet and will be used for dog recreation, play sessions, training, and enrichment, and will also provide the opportunity for public classes. It has a viewing area, outdoor play yard, and environmentally conscious waste system.

The project has been in the works for more than 10 years, longer than Scott has been at ARF. He says, “The board knew that training was a big part of peoples’ experience with their pets and a way for people to bond with their pets. Training helps make dogs more successful candidates for adoption.” ARF has had successful training classes for the public that were held outdoors, but that meant they could only be done in warm weather, on clear days, in the daylight, and so on. Scott noted that a big part of the project was that ARF wanted a year-round building for training. So, they started working on a plan for campus.

Richard Bacon was the architect used by ARF, and he worked on the design for the training building, which Scott says is, “basically a big gymnasium.” Richard developed these plans as well as the plans for the kennels. This project has been a long time coming and everyone at ARF is excited to enter this new stage and continue to give the animals the best care possible.

There will be an event in March for the board and donors to give them a preview of the new buildings and show them the spaces that their donations helped bring to life. Scott mentioned, “It will be like a soft opening and small celebration for those who made the project possible.” Memorial Day Weekend is when there will be a big public celebration and the project will officially be completed. Everyone in the community and future adopters are encouraged to help ARF celebrate.

Scott says that he would like people to know, “Most animals in shelters end up there through no fault of their own. ARF is here for those pets in our community and pets outside the community that we have been fortunate to help. They deserve our help and a second chance. People shouldn’t think that because they are in a shelter that they did something wrong.”

He mentioned that they are always looking for fosters, and that it’s a great way for the community to get involved in ARF’s mission. The shelter will provide all medical care for fostering. Scott says that particularly, “During kitten season these kittens are too young to be adopted and it’s much healthier and less stressful for them to be in homes while their immune systems are developing. They also need socialization around the clock. Kittens get adopted more quickly when they spend early weeks with fosters.” Similarly, he says, “Adult dogs who came from a home can make transitioning to the shelter stressful, so sometimes foster helps them to transition easier with them being in a home.”

Everything ARF does, they do with the animals in mind first. That is what the Forever Home project has been all about. Scott says, “Mental and physical stimulation keeps animals happy. As nice as we make ARF, it’s not the same as being at home. These are companion animals, so the challenge is always spreading enough love and care to the animals every single day.” Everyone working on the project makes sure the care for the animals comes first. He says, “We have a great team working on the building and that helps us maintain our mission.”

Scott, and everyone involved in ARF, is grateful for the community’s continued support while they have been under construction, and they are thankful for the donors who helped bring the vision to life to help start the project in the first place. He says, “We can’t wait to bring adopters back inside the building and celebrating the completion of the project.”

It could be the perfect time to welcome a new furry family member from one of the most dedicated animal shelters on the East End. Be sure to check out their new and improved buildings this spring and help celebrate the long-awaited Forever Home project! For more information about the project or to consider getting involved with ARF, visit https://arfhamptons.org.