Cape-Cod-DOG

Who Rescued Who?

Cape Cod Dog  /  DOG Annual 2024 /

Writer: Hannah Eaton

Who Rescued Who?

Cape-Cod-DOG

Cape Cod Dog  /  DOG Annual 2024 /

Writer: Hannah Eaton

The MSPCA and the Animal Rescue League are finding loving homes for animals in need.

Photo by Gabriel Beaton

The love of Cape Cod goes hand in paw with the love of a dog. Alongside the symbols of the lighthouse, the lobster, and the always prevalent arm-shaped peninsula, the paw print is on countless T-shirts, bumper stickers and bathing suits from the Canal to the Pilgrim Monument. And with a love of dogs comes a priority of protecting and nurturing animals in need, a dedicated cause of Cape residents and businesses alike. At the forefront of this is the focus on rescuing animals through fostering and adoption, and making sure they survive and thrive in healthy and happy environments.

Gabriel Beaton says he has always been a lover of animals, and it was that passion that led him to Bernie. Bernadette (formally known as Jurni) is a mixed-breed rescue that Beaton, owner of ArtNova Gallery in Chatham, learned about in 2020. Beaton had rescued dogs in the past, and when he saw Bernie’s face pop up on social media, he decided to make the leap for his next companion.

“She was in bad condition,” says Beaton. “She’d been mistreated, and I just wanted to help her.”

Beaton reached out to the shelter out of state holding her and he went through the process of sponsoring her through foster care. Bernie was placed with a foster family, and through a partnership, the family and Beaton were able to make sure their beloved pup got the care she needed.

Once she was fostered through the worst of it, Bernie was able to join Beaton on the Cape and found her loving home. Now, Bernie enjoys a comfortable life filled with walks on the beach and playing with her furry friends. She’s also a rising Instagram celebrity, with her account @bodaciousbernie racking up thousands of followers, putting on display her happy smile and lovely chocolate brown eyes. Bernie’s journey to finding her happy ending was even featured on The Dodo, a popular digital publisher who advocates for animal rights through sharing their stories. 

As to the importance of adoption, Beaton says, “There are animals who perhaps would not be given a chance under certain circumstances. We want to provide an opportunity for every dog to have a good life.” And that’s just what he did, with his “bodacious” Bernie.

Pet owners, and especially adopted pet owners, would not be able to give their companions the care needed without local resources and volunteer-run organizations. Thankfully, with dedicated pet services on the Cape like the MSPCA (Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and the Animal Rescue League of Boston, adopting and taking care of animals and animal-owners remains an important part of the Cape Codders’ life.

Photo by Gabriel Beaton

The Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) has been a longstanding supporter of rescuing and caring for sheltered pets throughout Massachusetts. And with over 100 years of service in the Cape community, the organization proves itself to be a dependable asset for animals and animal-lovers alike.

“We want everyone to know that we’re a resource here for all pet-related needs,” says Mike DeFina, the Media Relations Manager at the ARL. This includes providing leashes and toys, cat trees and dog beds—anything a pet owner might need in order to keep their pets safe and content.

The Animal Rescue League of Boston was founded in 1899, with its Cape Cod branch following in 1921. The first Cape shelter was located in Provincetown, built in the 1950s, though by the 1960s, the league had relocated to its site in Brewster, from which it still operates today.

Focused on the mission of keeping animals in homes and out of shelters, the Animal Rescue League partners with the American Society for the Cruelty to Animals (ASPSA) to take in transplants from across the country, especially from the South, where there are higher numbers of homeless and sheltered animals.

The ARL also specializes in placing pets in foster homes before they can find adopters. DeFina says placing animals in foster families is an integral part of the animal rehabilitation practice as, “a lot of animals need a quiet space away from the shelter,” especially those that come to the ARL under difficult circumstances.

“Shelters can be stressful places for pets who have come from bad situations,” says DeFina, “so we really rely on foster families. It’s a great way for people who love animals to give back.”

The ARL also works within the community to make sure pet-owners have the support they need to keep from surrendering their pets. Housing continues to be a challenge on Cape Cod, as DeFina says many pet-owners know all too well. Through a COVID-era program, the ARL is able to shelter pets for a period of time while their owners are between stable housing situations, ensuring that when they land back on their feet, they can bring their four-legged friends with them.

“Seeing pets and pet-owners reunite is a wonderful thing,” says DeFina. “There’s so much love between families. It’s more important now than ever to keep them together.”

World’s Best Rescue, Poe, according to our wonderful coworker Carolyn.

DeFina says the Brewster shelter has seen many different kinds of animals, not just cats and dogs; in the past horses and donkeys have been adoptable pets and currently there are a pair of goats named Ben and Jerry at the shelter in need of a good home. DeFina says it is gratifying to see the long-term impact of the work done at the ARL. “We’re a generational organization. We hear from people who adopted from us, their kids adopted from us and now their grandchildren are adopting from us. It’s amazing.”

DeFina says the organization is pleased to see the love of animals run through the generations, and it shows a level of commitment to the nurturing of animals that the ARL hopes to reflect in its own work. “We may be located here in Brewster, but we are here for all of Cape Cod,” says DeFina.

MSPCA-Angell, located on the Mid-Cape, is another important resource for everything pet-related. This (similarly multigenerational) organization is committed to humane treatment and rehabilitation of dogs, cats, birds and other small domestic animals. Founded in 1868 by animal-loving Boston lawyer George Thorndike Angell, the MSPCA has grown to four adoption locations, including a local chapter here in Centerville, along with additional veterinary clinics across the state.

Through all of its work across the state, the MSPCA upholds the key mission of treating animals with dignity and respect, set by its founder over 150 years ago. “It’s a lot of different hats on the same day,” MSPCA Director of Operations, Colleen Evans says of the job. “But it’s always really interesting and fun. I work with a lot of wonderful people from the public and internally, within the company.”

So, while you’re most likely to come across cats and kittens in need of homes via the MSPCA due to the rise of overpopulation in shelters, dogs and other small animals are always available for adoption, veterinarian services or more. The list of services provided by the MSPCA is never-ending, from spaying and neutering to adoption to providing everyday resources to pet owners.

Evans says being in Centerville has truly helped the organization reach their community and make adoption and services accessible for all Cape residents. “If there are clients that are struggling to come here for some of the resources we have available, our Community Outreach Manager and some teams of volunteers are really great about also delivering food resources out and going to doorsteps and delivering them food or delivering to different food pantries,” she adds.

Photos provided by the rescue agencies unless otherwise noted.

Above all, the MSPCA is dedicated to getting as many people as they can involved in their organization and help animals get the love and care they need, says Evans.

“My favorite aspect of this position is how many wonderful and interesting people that I get to meet on a day-to-day basis,” says Evans. “There’s always some new story that just really changes my perspective on things—to hear why volunteers are here working with us and how animals have impacted the way they look at the world. It’s impactful for me, too.”

Rescuing animals from inferior living situations is a difficult, heavy and seemingly never-ending task. But it’s also an exceptionally meaningful one, one that changes minds and perspectives and opens hearts to all different forms of life. Cape Cod is lucky to be one of those places where these tasks are done with care and admiration of the animals that cover our clothing with fur, sprinkle our cars with sand and fill our hearts with joy.

For more information about adoption, fostering or volunteering, visit the ARL at arlboston.org and the MSPCA at mspca.org

Hannah Eaton is a rising senior at Boston University and the Internship Coordinator at Cape Cod Life Publications.

Hannah Eaton