OUR STORY

The founding friends were college roommates in Burlington, Vermont. In the fall of 1999, on a particularly cold and rainy evening, a three-legged tailless calico took refuge under their porch after being hit by a car. After intensive touch and go veterinarian care, the cat who came to be known as Sadie made a full recovery and lived out her life, loyal and loving, with one of the friends until crossing the rainbow bridge in 2007.

In 2008 Fur Friends was founded in Sadie’s memory so the friends could help animals like our beloved Sadie find their way home.

Polaroid portrait style photo of a Calico cat with Sadie 1999 handwritten under it.

OUR SHELTER

FUR FRIENDS IS NON-PROFIT, NO-KILL

Dedicated to the health and welfare of the unwanted and stray animals in our community and beyond- from dogs and cats to the occasional hamster, guinea pig, and rabbit, Fur Friends helps all animals reach their potential for a happy life.

In a typical month Fur Friends connects 5 dogs, 10 puppies, 9 cats, 12 kittens, and sometimes even a rabbit or guinea pig to their forever homes. We serve the animals of Essex, but also take on harder to place animals from out of state kill shelters and pride ourselves on our 100% forever home adoption rate for these special animals. We don’t just find a home for our animals, we find the right home for them so once they leave the shelter they never have to come back.

THE FOUNDING FRIENDS

NOW BOARD MEMBERS

Nicolas Dyer lives with his Labrador retriever, Milo, in Bennington, VT.

Aurora James lives in Portland, OR with four Corgis, Cooper, Zeus, Winnie, and Bella and a tuxedo cat named Tux.

Steph Jarvis lives in NJ and works in NYC, he aspires to one day work less so he can adopt a cat.

Clarisa George lives with her two cats Coco and Pepper in Jericho, VT.