For the past several months, the Board of Directors of Anderson Animal Shelter in South Elgin was hard at work to fill their Executive Director position. The position had been vacant since September of 2013, but on Monday, May 19 ^th , the Shelter welcomed Beth Drake as their new Executive Director.

“The Board of Directors made a decision to search for a candidate with significant animal welfare experience and a background in sheltering,” says Laura Lingl, President of the Board of Anderson Animal Shelter. “We felt having a strong executive director leading our already talented team is one of our keys to success.”

Beth Drake has a significant background in animal welfare, including leading TAILS Humane Society in DeKalb, Illinois, as their Executive Director (2004-May 2014) and serving as a research specialist for the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Wisconsin, Madison (1998-2000). She also holds a Bachelors Degree in Biological Sciences and a Masters Degree in Biological Sciences with an emphasis in Immunogenetics.

Beth is also no stranger to Anderson Animal Shelter; from September 2000 through January of 2002, she was their Director of Operations and ran the day-to-day shelter operations.

“We are so pleased that she has returned to Anderson and we are looking forward to her leadership in moving us along in contributing to the success of our animal welfare mission,” says Andy Hanses, member of the Board of Directors. “Her passion, dedication and expertise will certainly benefit the Shelter as well as the community we serve.”

Returning to AAS as their Executive Director is something that excites Drake. “I

feel like I’ve come full circle,” she says. “I really began my animal welfare career here at Anderson fourteen years ago. Now, Anderson is ready to grow. We cared for 600 animals last year — that’s a lot of homeless dogs and cats who were saved. My goal is to increase that number even more over the coming months.”

Beth’s experience will be instrumental in helping Anderson implement changes that will positively impact shelter animals, staff, volunteers and potential adopters. Immediate changes include a planned shelter renovation.

“The Anderson shelter building was built in the 1970s,” Beth says. “At that time, it was a state-of-the art facility. In the past several decades however, the field of animal sheltering has changed significantly. Sheltering as an industry now understands the importance of implementing creative housing solutions that reduce stress and support the emotional and physical health of shelter animals.

“Happy animals tend to be healthy animals and a beautiful shelter with stress-free animal housing is a happy place to be, for animals and for people. We want Anderson to be the first place people

think of when looking for a new pet.

“No matter how much we improve the shelter though,” she cautions, “these pets belong in homes as part of a family. In the end, finding forever families for the animals in our care is our goal.”

Another change Beth plans to implement is to expand the shelter’s offsite adoption program. Offsite adoption programs are a common tool used by progressive animal shelters throughout the US. Through these programs, adoptable dogs and puppies are brought to partner animal shops, like PetCo and PetSmart, for weekend adoption events.

For some shelters, these adoption events can account for as many as 40-50% of the organization’s total adoptions. Rather than relying solely on potential adopters to come to the shelter, offsite adoption programs bring adoptable animals out into the community, providing them with more exposure and increasing their chances of finding a forever home.

“There are lots of changes in store for Anderson Animal Shelter,” Beth says. “Give us a few months, then stop by to visit. We think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. You may even find and adopt your new best friend!”

Add to the success of Anderson Animal Shelter! AAS is currently looking for volunteers to help facilitate adoptions at offsite adoption events. The shelter is also looking for foster volunteers to care for puppies or kittens in their homes. AAS will provide all supplies and veterinary care for foster animals. For more information about volunteering at the shelter, contact Anderson’s volunteer coordinator, Jeff Pal, at jpal@westsuburbandog.com or 847-697-2880 x 21. To contribute to the shelter’s building improvement campaign, contact Holly Alcala at halcala@westsuburbandog.com or 847-697-2880 x 33.

Photo: Beth Drake, new Executive Director of Anderson Animal Shelter