Name: Deanna Prefach

Position: Pet Help Center Supervisor

Combining her love for social work and animal welfare, Deanna has been an integral component of our Pet Help Center since August 2021. Her incredible commitment to the team led to her promotion as our Pet Help Center Supervisor this past April. We asked Deanna to answer a few questions for the community she serves.

Name any pets with their age/breed/etc that you have at home.

First we have Bruno, a 12-year-old Boston Terrier who is pictured with me for this interview. Then there’s Baby, and Cheerio, two rescued cats who came to me as a bonded pair. And last but not least, we have Summer, a 15-year-old turtle who I’ve had since I was nine years old!

How long have you been working at ARL? I started working at ARL in August 2021 as a Pet Help Center Specialist. I eventually got promoted into a lead role, and this past April, I was promoted to Pet Help Center Supervisor.

How does your department serve the animals at ARL and animals in our community?

Our Pet Help Center is proud to be a resource for animals both in and out of the shelter. For the animals at ARL, we do all the initial intake of community pets or stray animals. This means we try to learn as much information about each pet that walks through our doors so we can either help them reunite with their owner or find the best placement for them. Whether people are bringing in a lost animal or surrendering a beloved pet, we can learn a lot about the animals who come into our care thanks to their handlers, and it feels really good to know our community puts their trust in us to help these animals get the best outcome possible.

For our community, we offer a variety of resources such as food assistance, pet supplies, behavior support, and even emergency boarding and low-cost veterinary assistance (both services offered on a case-by-case basis). The services we can offer depend on the resources we have available at the time. That’s why we are so appreciative of our donors, adopters, volunteers and fosters, and entire village that allows us to serve more people and pets in need.

What might a typical workday look like for you?

I always say my job is a matter of expecting the unexpected. My mornings may start with people showing up right away, catching up on phone calls or late intakes from the night before, and we typically have a private euthanasia appointment in the morning for owners who contact the ARL to provide this compassionate service to families in need. For the remainder of the day, I can be found assisting our community over the phone, doing intake of lost or surrendered pets, and booking surrender appointments. That sounds so brief, but it’s a long day because we see and speak with so many clients on a daily basis.

What is one thing you wish people knew about your job?

We are here to help you and the animals you care about no matter what. We understand life happens, and more than anything, we want to do everything we can to best serve you and your pet. When people are willing to share what they know about the animal they are bringing in, it truly helps both us and the animal by knowing the most accurate information about where it’s from, who brought it in, and so forth. This job is ultimately about doing what’s right by the animal, and we are so grateful for the people who place their trust in us to do exactly that.

Tell us about an animal you will never forget.

I have been thinking about Lacie, a senior Cocker Spaniel/Pomeranian mix who came to us back in March. Her owner was elderly and came in after moving to a retirement home that wouldn’t allow pets. It was heartbreaking knowing that her owner had no other option but to surrender her beloved dog, but I was so glad we were able to be a resource she could put her trust into during such a difficult time.

If you could cross one thing off your bucket list right now, what would it be?  

I would travel to an island… I don’t care where, just get me the ticket and send me there!

Is there anything else you would like to share with your community?

This quote particularly moves me in the work I do every day: “You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.” -John Bunyan

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Did you enjoy this article? Check out our other employee spotlight interviews in the blog!