A Little Guild with a big mission

WEST CORNWALL — The Little Guild of St. Francis for the Welfare of Animals has a lot to celebrate this year. Not only is it the 50th anniversary of the opening of the animal shelter, but the Little Guild has also welcomed a new executive director, Denise Cohn of Falls Village.

Cohn, a loan officer for Met Life, has long been involved with caring for and rescuing dogs. She said that when she heard Jim  Lussier was retiring, it seemed like a good opportunity for her.

“I’ve been volunteering with dog rescue for decades, so it’s kind of fun to do it for a real job,†she said.

Cohn started with the Little Guild in mid-August. She said she has spent most of the last couple of months learning the ropes.

Cohn has recently worked with Companion Pet Rescue, the group behind several recent dog adoption days in Falls Village, North Canaan and Millerton. The dogs at those events are brought to Connecticut from Georgia, where the strays would likely have been euthanized, Cohn said.

The Little Guild takes in animals from Litchfield County animal control officers and never euthanizes any of its animals.

“All of the cities and towns have pounds, but pounds are for short term,†Cohn said. “They’re not designed for weeks or months of stay. Most hold the animal for five days and hope it’s a stray someone is looking for. After that, they look at local shelters to take the dog in.â€

Cohn said the Little Guild is now working with the “clicker training†method, which she said is a fantastic way to work with the animals. She said she hopes it will make the Little Guild dogs more attractive to potential owners.

“The goal is to train the dogs we have to be more adoptable,†she said. “The better behaved they are, the easier it is to find them homes.â€

The center also has many cats that are available for adoption.

The 50th anniversary gala will be held at Lakeville’s Interlaken Inn on Sunday, Oct. 24, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $100 and are considered a donation to the nonprofit Little Guild, so they are tax-deductible.

“Yappy Hour†will be from 11 a.m. to noon for guests who choose to bring their dogs. Dogs and people will gather by the lake, where there will be a special buffet of canine treats and canine competitions. Dogs must be well behaved and on a leash at all times; owners are responsible for their dogs’ behavior.

Vendor booths will be open from noon to 4 p.m. under the tent on the lawn. Dogs will be able to take the AKC Canine Good Citizen test or have their photo taken with Santa for Christmas cards. There will be an auction, a buffet brunch and a Harney & Sons High Tea.

The funds raised at the gala will help with operating expenses. Cohn said there is one dog who needs a little extra help beyond what the Little Guild can do on its own.

“Rusty is a 6-year-old lab that was returned to us after being in a home for two years because they didn’t have the time for him any more,†Cohn said. “He’s blind. We’re trying to raise the funds to get him some surgery. He has cataracts, and if that’s the only issue, he can have surgery to restore his sight for $2,000.â€

To donate to the Rusty Fund or to purchase tickets for the 50th Anniversary Gala, contact Cohn at 860-672-6346 or e-mail director@littleguild.org. Tickets for the gala are limited.

Organization: The Little Guild of St. Francis for the Welfare of Animals

Director and title: Full-time director is Denise Cohn.

Website: littleguild.org

Founded in: 1960

Mission: The mission of the organization shall be to promote animal welfare through the operation and support of a shelter for canines and felines that are abandoned or distressed. They shall be inoculated, spayed/neutered and cared for until adoptive homes are found for them. Also, the organization shall promote humane education through example, publicity or any other sensible means.

Biggest annual fundraiser: Annual appeal. In 2010, the gala on Oct. 24 will be a big fundraiser and took one year to plan. The annual appeal is a letter that is sent out before the end of the year.

Cost to set it up? The Interlaken Inn has underwritten all the costs of the gala.

Number of people involved? Much of the organizing work for  the gala was done by volunteer Khurshed Bhumgara.

How much does it raise? We hope it will be more than $30,000. The annual appeal raises more than $65,000 each year.

How much total money is raised each year and how? It varies. Bequests are the biggest source of money and we have had bequests as large as $400,000, although most are much smaller.

Any funds or other support from local towns? No financial support from the towns or the state. We are totally self-funded.

Total assets: Including our real estate, probably about $1,500,000.

How is the money spent? The annual budget is $350,000, plus or minus, and is spent on veterinary care expenses for our animals, payroll and operating overhead (insurance, animal food, utilities, supplies, etc.).

What can volunteers from the community do to help? Volunteers are at the heart of our operation and we would not survive without them.

They can help walk and socialize our dogs, give warmth and human contact to our cats and help in the general maintenance of our facility in West Cornwall.

They also great prospective adopters.

And they allow our professional staff to spend more time with our clients — the dogs and cats.

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