The Potter League for Animals is Rhode Island’s go-to animal care and resource center, where we provide shelter, veterinary care, behavior training, spay & neuter, owner assistance programs, humane education, and the opportunity for thousands of animals to find loving homes each year.
The Potter League Animal Care and Adoption Center located in Middletown, RI is an “open admission” shelter that is able to help as many pets as possible. We accept owner-surrendered animals, as well as all stray animals from those communities with which we have an animal control-housing contract. Approximately 2,000 dogs, cats, rabbits, and other small animals are received at our facility annually. Our commitment to all animals means we are willing to pursue all reasonable efforts in order to provide for their well-being. In addition, almost 2,000 animals and their owners seek our other obedience, lost and found, cremation, and behavior support services each year. We are the community’s animal care and resource center.
We provide support to communities and families through our broad range of programs and services, including the Potter League Spay Neuter Clinic, located in Warwick RI, which performs over 7,500 subsidized surgeries on dogs and cats in RI and neighboring communities in CT & MA. We provide low-cost veterinary care to over 3,500 income-qualifying Rhode Islanders at the Pets In Need Veterinary Clinic located in Riverside, RI.
Through a variety of services including dog obedience programs, Potter Pet University, and a behavior helpline for all animal guardians, the Potter League has become a trusted animal welfare resource for the communities that it serves and beyond. We have heavily invested in providing funds for medical care for sick, injured, or elderly animals. Foster programs expand temporary care for those requiring special attention or behavior rehabilitation. Animals are spayed or neutered prior to adoption and financial assistance is given to help others sterilize their pets.
In support of our mission to foster relationships between people and animals, the Potter League for Animals offers programs that promote humane values and compassion for animals to schools and local organizations. More than 600 educational classes are taught each year, in addition to after-school programs, badge programs for scouts, and the Pet University for adults. Further, Camp Happy Tails provides a summer outlet for the area's children. Additionally, we save hundreds of dogs and puppies from overpopulated shelters in the south and match them with forever families through our Fetching Friends Transport Program. We conduct “Pet Loss Support” groups every month to help bereaved pet owners and those deciding upon euthanasia for their animal and we provide “Pet Safe" haven, offering temporary housing for animals whose owners require hospitalization or are victims of domestic violence and have no one to care for their pets.
The Potter League strives to work collaboratively and in partnership with local community-based organizations as well as with animal welfare and rescue groups nationwide. The Potter League serves as an animal emergency location for disasters and has been instrumental in helping animals following catastrophic events. As an advocate for all animals, the Potter League monitors statewide legislative issues and works to ensure that those passed into law are beneficial and sound.
We are proud to be the animal resource center of Rhode Island and offer our unique support and programs to the voiceless, helpless animals who rely on the care and compassion of humans.
Please visit potterleague.org for more information about our services and the impact made possible by your support.