COOL CAT ALERT: Sol is super soft and fluffy and an absolute sweetheart! Once she trusts you, she loves being with you and getting head rubs. We think she may become quite the cuddler once she’s all settled in. Sol is a perfect polite housemate who likes to keep her living space clean. She has done well with dogs, but may be happiest as an only kitty. If you can give this beautiful girl a home, check out her full profile at ARL-Iowa.org/Cats, then visit her at ARL West in West Des Moines!

Can’t adopt right now? Spread the word to help find Sol a home!

RESCUED! This poor raccoon was found today with a peanut butter jar stuck on its head! Thankfully two concerned citizens called and reported the area it was in. When our ARL Animal Services officer arrived, she found it all the way at the top of a tennis court fence! After carefully getting it down, she started working on removing the jar. The raccoon’s ears were blocking the jar from coming off easily – which is why the raccoon was unable to free itself – but once she got one ear out, the jar came right off and within minutes the raccoon was running free!

BLACK FRIDAY SALE + GREAT GIFT IDEAS: Head out to our Animal House store at ARL Main tomorrow to shop everything from toys and treats to apparel, ornaments, home décor and more! It’s a great way to kick off your holiday shopping for the pets and people in your life – plus, you’ll be helping homeless pets with every purchase! From Black Friday through Monday (11/29), you can get up to 40% off select items both in-store and online at arlanimalhouse.squarespace.com. Our in-store hours are the same as our adoption hours – 12-7 weekdays and 10-6 weekends – but you can shop online anytime.

As always, you pay no sales tax, ARL adopters get 10% off in-store purchases for the life of their pet, and all proceeds directly help the animals at the ARL.

#blackfriday2021 #blackfridaydeals

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Thanks to generous donors, the homeless pets at the ARL received a Thanksgiving meal! Watch the animals enjoying their special treat on our Facebook page: facebook.com/arliowa. Thanks so much to everyone who donated to make this possible!

#thankful #thanksgiving

GREAT NEWS: It was a busy day here at the ARL with 39 animals finding new homes! One of those was Roxie, a dog from the Gingerich rescue! This little girl came to us in rough shape, with a heart murmur, only one ear, an eye that needed to be removed, and many teeth that needed to be pulled. After several weeks in our care and spay, eye and dental surgeries, she was finally ready for adoption today … and within an hour she found a family that’s a great fit for her! They have another Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who is the same age as Roxie and who came from a very similar situation, so they know just what Roxie needs.

Congrats to Roxie and her new family ... and all the other new happy families!

#welcomehome #newbeginnings #changinglives

Previous Next

CHANGING LIVES: The ARL not only helps pets once they arrive at the ARL, we do a lot of work to help keep pets out of the shelter and in the homes with the people who love them. We recently offered two vaccine and wellness clinics that provided care for a total of 62 dogs and 50 cats in the Des Moines metro!

The clinic for cats, held at the Southridge Petco, and the clinic for dogs, held at the Dean Avenue Fire Station, both offered vaccinations and microchips, as well as physical exams, fecal tests and more. Check out some pictures from the clinics, including some heartwarming photos of the pets and their families!

Thank you to the Petco Love Foundation for the grant that provided vaccines for these clinics. And thanks to our veterinary partners and the Shelter Medicine Club at Iowa State University for joining with us to provide these services.

#petcolove #thankstomaddie

COOL CAT ALERT: 2-year-old Taco is pretty much the sweetest cat ever! He is a huge cuddle bug who loves full-body pets and having his head and cheeks scratched. He’ll purr if you so much as look at him. While he’s mostly a mellow cuddler, he also has a playful side and loves balls, plush toys and wand toys. He will be a wonderful companion for someone looking for a cuddly cat who will show them lots of love and affection. Learn more about Taco at ARL-Iowa.org/Cats and meet him at ARL Main tomorrow!

Can’t adopt right now? Spread the word about this amazing cat so he can find the loving home he deserves!

COOL CATS ALERT: Bonded Buddies Diamond and Junior are the sweetest girls who love each other and their people! Diamond is 12 and Junior is just 2, but they are great friends and will be wonderful companions for a quiet person or two. Junior loves being brushed and sitting on laps, while Diamond enjoys being near you. Diamond is a total floof, complete with toe feathers! These girls have been doing amazing in their foster home, but what they’d really love is a forever home! Interested in meeting them? Email Mary at mmccarroll@arl-iowa.org to set up a time!

More on Diamond and Junior: ARL-Iowa.org/Cats.

Can’t adopt? Spread the word about these beautiful buddies to help find them a home!

#changinglives" target="_blank"> #changinglives">

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Kinze was adopted in May 2020. "When we adopted Kinze we were told she had extreme social anxiety. We brought her home and she immediately became a lap dog. She loves cuddles. The first few months she never barked or touched a toy. Now she is the happiest dog! She loves her toys and tearing them apart. Her Lamb Chop toy is her favorite. We always have one put away for when she needs a new one. She also loves to play fetch. She still does not like strangers, but that's OK. She's perfect." #changinglives

GREAT NEWS: Our beautiful horse Maria was adopted yesterday by a family who just bought a new horse property and needed another horse to keep their gelding company. The whole family hopes to ride her in their arena and on trails. They love that she is gaited, so she is very smooth to ride. Congrats to Maria and her new family!

#welcomehome #changinglives

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Georg recently had to say goodbye to his 20-year-old cat, who he had adopted from the ARL 5 years ago. He said he has always felt a special connection with senior cats and feels it’s so important to give them a good home for the rest of their life, no matter how long that is. Yesterday, he came to the ARL just to look at some cats and see if he connected with any of them. He arrived with a very long list of cats he saw on our website, all ranging in age from 8 to 15 years old. But once he met the cat at the top of his list – 12-year-old Big Boy – he knew he didn’t need to look any further. Big Boy started purring and rubbing his head all over his hand, and Georg knew then he couldn’t leave without him.

Besides finding a new friend, Georg received $50 off his adoption fee through our partnership with the Pets for the Elderly Foundation! The PFE program was designed to make pet companionship for seniors ages 60+ more affordable, and is offered at ARL Main and ARL West as funds are available.

Now Big Boy has a home and George has a new companion! It couldn’t be more purr-fect!

#welcomehome #changinglives #petsfortheelderlyfoundation #petsforseniors #adoptaseniorpetmonth #arliowa

CHECK THIS OUT: November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month, and we currently have 20 cats ages 9+ looking for homes!

While kittens (and puppies) may be adorable, older pets are just as loving and loyal as their younger counterparts. Plus, they don't require the constant monitoring and training that youngsters do. And since they're fully grown, you'll see their personalities right away, making it easier to find the perfect match for your family. Talk to anyone who has adopted a senior pet, and they'll tell you how appreciative their pets are to have a home and a family to love!

10-year-old Butterscotch is just one of the sweet seniors we have available for adoption right now! She’s a calm, cuddly lap cat who loves head scratches! Meet her at ARL Main! You can learn more about her and all our available senior pets at ARL-Iowa.org.

#seniorpets #adoptaseniorpetmonth #arliowa