More Than an Animal Shelter. Our mission is to promote the health
and welfare of abandoned or lost pets,
and to educate and assist those who
care for them. Meet Max and Tigger! SUFA's "Spotlight" Pets - ADOPTED! View More Oscar Alerts Lost Pet? We'll get the word out. View More Throw us a Bone? Every donation helps us help animals. View More

SUFA IS HERE TO HELP YOU AND YOUR FURRY FRIENDS

Has COVID-19 left you needing food for your pets?  Stand Up For Animals is here for you and your furry family. Contact us at [email protected] and let us know what you need for food. We just ask that you are in our service area; Charlestown, Richmond, Hopkinton, Westerly, Stonington & North Stonington. Included in Stonington are the villages of Pawcatuck, Lords Point, Wequetequock, and the eastern halves of the villages of Mystic and Old Mystic.

We will deliver (and leave at your door step) canned and/or dry pet food for families that have pets and are in financial need or are home bound. We will help until our supply is depleted or we’ve depleted the allocated funds. Please share with family and friends and reach out on their behalf, if needed.

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP:

Support our “Neighbors Helping Furry Friends” initiative fund so that we can help more people as we know the need will only continue to grow!
  • Make an online donation HERE and put CV Assistance in the memo line
  • SHOP LOCALLY – purchase gifts cards to Agway or any of the pet stores in town  and mail them to SUFA, 33 Larry Hirsch Lane, Suite B, Westerly, RI 02891
  • Donate unopened bags and cans of cat and dog food and cat litter.  Drop off locations are on the front porch of 19 Johnson Street, Pawcatuck, CT or in person to Red Stone Tire, 114 Ashaway Road, Westerly, RI 02891 between the hours 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Monday – Friday and 8:00 AM – 12:00; Saturday (for this program please do not bring donations to shelter so we can properly distinguish use of items). 

Together, we will continue to make a difference in the community in which we are so fortunate to work and live!

Oscar Alerts – Is your pet missing? Click here to submit an Oscar alert form.

Who we are

Stand Up For Animals is an independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to support the needs of our state-of-the-art animal shelter, adoption center and regional outreach facility to promote the health and welfare of abandoned or lost pets and to educate and assist those who care for them.

“Our vision is to create a place where animals will be treated with compassion and dignity.”

Trap, Neuter, Release, Monitor (TNRM) Program

Our monitored TNR program is the humane, effective approach at helping community (feral) cats.  Community cats, are considered to be an offspring of domesticated cats that no longer live with humans. These cats are often members of colonies that reside in one area. These cats have not been socialized with humans in their developmental stage of life and are not adoptable.

These cats are humanely trapped, spayed or neutered, vaccinated, ear tipped and returned back to their familiar colony to live out the remainder of their lives.  An Ear tip is the preferred method used to identify spayed or neutered and vaccinated feral cats. Because it is difficult to get close to feral cats, the identification must be visible from a distance.

Remember, there is a difference between and stray cat and a feral cat.  A stray cat is a cat who has been socialized to people at some point in her life, but has left or lost her domestic home, as well as most human contact and dependence.  A feral cat is a cat who has either never had any contact with humans or her contact with humans has diminished over time. She is fearful of people and survives on her own outdoors. A feral cat is not likely to ever become a lap cat or enjoy living indoors.  Please read more about their differences by reading this article by Alley Cat Allies.

If  you would like to support our TNRM program and are in the position to help, donations are being accepting at Red Stone Tire, 114 Ashaway Rd, Westerly, RI so that we can keep these separate from the shelter donations. Red Stone’s hours are 8-5 Monday thru Friday and 8-12 on Saturday.  Online purchase can be mailed to Stand Up For Animals, Attn: Deb Turrisi, 19 Johnson Street, Pawcatuck, CT 06379 – please take a peek at our Amazon Wish List for suggestions.  

SUFA’s 10th Anniversary

We are proud to have celebrated our 10th Anniversary this past August!  A huge shout out to Andrew, Jenn & the wonderful staff at The Cooked Goose for hosting us!  SUFA is extremely humbled by their generosity and for their support throughout the years.  We were thrilled to have so many of our wonderful supporters join us as we celebrated this wonderful milestone and to have their ongoing support of our mission.  We feel grateful that we can contribute to keeping the animals healthy while they wait for their forever homes and that we can help provide them with the necessities to keep them safe and comfortable.

To view the full photo album, click here.

The SUFA facility is shared with the Westerly Animal Shelter & Wellness Clinic, if you are looking to schedule your veterinary appointment with the Westerly Animal Shelter, please click the corresponding button below. In addition, if you are looking to join our membership, click the download button below to download our membership form.

Schedule Veterinary Appointment
Download Membership Application

Animal Emergency Preparedness

The Westerly Animal Shelter / Stand Up For Animals facility is one of four in the State of Rhode Island equipped to house pets during a time of disaster.  If you are evacuated from your home and cannot take your pet(s) to your location, please bring your pet(s) to our facility (33 Larry Hirsch Lane, Westerly, RI).  For information please contact The Westerly Animal Shelter at 401-584-7941.

Please visit http://www.dem.ri.gov/animals/ to learn more.

Annual Appeal

Upcoming Events

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Order your 2021 Pet Friends Calendar now – only $10. 

Price includes shipping.

100% of the proceeds to benefit our work in the community and with the shelter animals.
Click here to purchase. 

SUFA Stories

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Leila’s Story

Words from the staff – Someone brought this kitten in during the winter of 2016, almost frozen to death. She was a really cute kitten and we held her to our chests with a warm water bottle to revive her!   Words from a happy adopter about Leila – Last winter I adopted Leila from…

August 21, 2018
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Patches’ Story

I just wanted to share an update about the wonderful cat Patches we adopted in June.  She is doing very well in her new home. Our other cat Willy is overjoyed to have her around. They hang out and play all the time. Our two dogs have done very well with her as well. She…

August 21, 2018
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Nina’s Story

Nina is a true fairy tale story that we would hope for all of our rescues! She came to us on February 8, 2018, as a surrendered dog. She was completely insecure, would not make eye contact and would shake uncontrollably when you just looked at her.  It seemed like all she wanted to do…

August 4, 2018
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What People Say About Us

“Great organization! I adopted two kittens, brothers, yesterday. The staff was wonderful and the very reasonable adoption fee covered the boys spaying, first shots and microchipping. Keep up the good work saving animals!”
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Bethany Guthrie
“We brought home Oscar a week ago, today. We would like to thank everyone at the Westerly Animal Shelter for being so friendly, helpful and finding us our new fur baby! He’s a great addition to our home and he is settling in very well. I highly reccommend this shelter to anyone looking for a companion. The adoption process was super easy too! ”
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Ashley Migliaccio
“Adopted a precious little cat there that we love so very much. The staff there is outstanding and the facility is immaculate.”
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Maria Reakes
Petfinder Best Friends Pet Adoption ASPCA - American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals RISPCA - Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals RI Community Spay/Neuter Clinic CT Humane Society
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