WESTBROOK–After a year without an executive director, the Animal Refuge League welcomed Patsy Murphy into the position this month.
Murphy holds a bachelor of science degree in organizational leadership from the University of New England and law degree from Cooley Law School in Michigan. Most recently, Murphy served as the executive director of the Eastern Maine AIDS network in Bangor.
Originally from Brunswick, Murphy is a lifelong animal lover with several special-needs pets of her own. This week, she spoke to the American Journal about her first few weeks on the job and her goals for the future of the Animal Refuge League.
Q: What’s your history working with animals?
A: As a personal pet owner and supporter of the Animal Refuge League and a special-needs (pet) mom.
Q: Did you have a relationship with the Westbrook shelter before taking the job?
A: I was in Bangor the last four years. I was a supporter of the Bangor Humane Society and the Animal Refuge League through their fundraising events.
Q: Why did you decide to take the position?
A: My undergraduate degree is in organizational leadership, which is all about understanding organizations and their relationship to the community. I went to law school at age 40 after working for corporate America. I knew I wanted to be in the public, not-for-profit sector. This position became available and I was interested. It’s been a great fit.
Q: What pets of your own do you have at home?
A: Three special-needs cats – a Maine coon cat who came from here, a domestic shorthair that was a stray from the East End (in Portland) and a cat who has vast autoimmune issues. I have two foster puppies. They’re a Rottweiler, retriever, shepherd mix. They were transported from the south, and they’re doing great. They’ll stay with us until they have a clean bill of health.
Q: When did your love of animals originate?
A: I’m from a family of animal lovers. I’m one of eight children. My brother’s married to a vet. There are probably close to 35 pets among the eight kids.
Q: What have you learned about the Animal Refuge League in the past few weeks?
A: The compassion and care that we provide for the animals is immeasurable. They’re all incredibly special, and they’re all deserving of “forever homes.” I think people think of shelter animals as old, sick, abused. I wish I had enough room to tell all the success stories.
Q: What do you wish people knew about the Animal Refuge League?
A: When animals come in here we don’t have a timetable for them. We use all the resources we have to find them a “forever home”… I wish people would think of us first when they’re thinking about adoption. We should be the first stop.
Q: What are some challenges facing the shelter?
A: The facility itself. We need more space. We need a newer, updated facility with quarantine space if we do have sick animals. We’re approaching our 100th anniversary in 2011. I think we need to take that opportunity to talk about a new facility.
Q: What skills did you learn at your last job that will be able to help you with this one?
A: We do a lot of collaborations in the HIV world, and I think we can do more in animal welfare. We’re going to have a kitten shower here in May with the shelters statewide to raise awareness. We do partnerships with vets in the community. I’d like to do more partnerships with vets and area pet stores. We certainly can do more together than we can standing alone.
Q: Certain people seem to have a real affinity for animals. Why do you think that is?
A: I think it’s people whose lives have been impacted by the love of animals. I think all of our people here understand the human-pet bond and are respectful of the connections we make with animals and animals make with us.
Patsy Murphy, the Animal Refuge League’s new executive director, holds Spock, a stray cat found in a barn in Gray in January. Spock, who has feline immunodeficiency virus and feline leukemia, is one of many cats at the Westbrook shelter looking for a “forever home.”
Comments are no longer available on this story