When Ken Lustbader and Jay Kidd first saw Casey, a female husky mix, at the Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons adoption center 10 years ago, they were struck by her “sweet energy and intrinsic kindness.” Mr. Lustbader remembers Mr. Kidd saying, “that’s the dog we need.”
Casey’s special needs had made it difficult to find her a home. A megaesophagus condition meant that she had difficulty swallowing and getting the nutrients she needed unless she ate and drank in an upright position. Using a device called a Bailey chair, she can stand on her hind legs as she is hand-fed food and remain there as she begins to digest it. She had been at ARF for nine months when Mr. Lustbader and Mr. Kidd first met her in 2014.
The couple returned to ARF several times to see Casey, because, as they put it, “we couldn’t just leave her there.”
“She wasn’t in the segregated cages that the other dogs were in, she was walking around the medical wing, she was acclimated to the other animals,” Mr. Kidd remembered. “Her disposition suited her condition. She has to sit in the box, wait after drinking and eating, and she just sits there patiently, which is rather unusual.”
After learning from the ARF staff how to properly look after Casey, they finally adopted her, and 10 years later they can’t imagine their lives without her. The couple have taken Casey to Main Beach, her favorite spot, every day for the past 10 years. “She has a great life,” Mr. Kidd said. “She’s adapted to her condition; it’s part of who she is.”
And, Mr. Lustbader reports that Casey has remarkably stopped needing the Bailey chair and is now able to stay still and digest food without any issues swallowing or regurgitating. “It’s like an invisible Bailey chair, Casey’s so obedient she knows to sit without moving. When any of our friends see her, they’re shocked.”
“We feel really lucky that we took a leap of faith and adopted this wonderful animal who’s given us so much joy and happiness and really has taught us lessons of intrinsic kindness and patience,” Mr. Lustbader said.
“Our lives are better with her in it,” said Mr. Kidd.
Casey is just one of 30,000 dogs and cats that ARF has rescued since its inception in 1974, placing animals in hundreds of homes each year. ARF also works to prevent animal overpopulation by performing thousands of spay and neuter surgeries, provides medical care including vaccinations and checkups, and trains rescues so that they can be successful pets in their forever homes.
“In 1974, Sony Schotland, Barbara Hotchkiss Posener, and Dorothy Wahl came together to make a difference in the lives of homeless and abandoned animals in the Hamptons by founding ARF,” said the organization’s current executive director, Kimberly Nichols. It was common in the 1970s for seasonal residents to desert their pets at the end of the summer, with the Town of East Hampton finding 29 abandoned dogs in a single day on Labor Day weekend in 1975. “To rescue these animals from local pounds where they faced euthanasia if unclaimed after five days, ARF’s volunteers stepped in,” Ms. Nichols said. They temporarily housed animals and covered their medical expenses until families could be found to adopt them.
Stories of successful adoptions spread through word of mouth, bolstering the organization’s reputation.
That “passion and dedication laid the foundation for what would become a sanctuary for countless animals over the decades. From these humble beginnings, ARF has grown into a beacon of hope and a testament to the power of community-driven initiatives,” said Ms. Nichols. “Over the years, hundreds of individuals have volunteered their time, opened their homes to foster animals, and supported ARF’s mission in various ways. Today, we have over 200 volunteers on our roster, with a third of them active on a weekly basis.”
In 1985, ARF moved to Wainscott. After expanding to over 22 acres, ARF’s campus now features a medical wing, kennels, catteries, and modern adoption centers.
“ARF’s primary focus is now on saving more animals,” Ms. Nichols said. “We will continue to work closely with shelters and rescues in high-kill areas to save dogs and other animals in need. By partnering with these organizations, ARF can increase its rescue efforts and provide a safe haven for more animals.”
A community clinic for microchipping has recently been added, ensuring that lost pets can be reunited with their owners. Additionally, the training team is looking to expand programs in obedience training, behavioral support, and socialization.
“As I look to the future,” Ms. Nichols said, “the same community spirit and dedication that has driven ARF’s success for the past 50 years will continue to propel it forward. Together, we will keep making a difference, ensuring that ARF remains a sanctuary for animals in need for many years to come.”
