To the editor:

Wanderers’ Rest Humane Association would like to make an announcement to all community members on behalf of its board members, employees and volunteers. It has come to light that our shelter has recently fallen victim to a form of hacking. No financial information or financial documents have been stolen or tampered with, but all contact information for our members and donors has been stolen and removed from our system.

Due to the loss of our donor contacts, our shelter has suffered substantially in regard to the available resources and funding that make up the majority of our operating budget. Our team at Wanderers Rest have not been able to contact those of you who have been so thoughtful and kind to us in the past.

Most recently, an email was sent out to many of you that were a part of our previous list of contacts. The email appears to be from our shelter manager and assistant manager, when it fact it has come directly from the thieves that stole and sabotaged our records and information. The email sent to our friends of the shelter not only slanders our board members and management, but our organization as a whole. While we believe this malicious email was intended to personally attack the board of directors, it ultimately impacts all of our homeless animals that we care so much for.

During these very stressful times our staff and volunteers have provided excellent care for the more than 600 animals that have come to the shelter this year.

Please be aware that Wanderers’ Rest Humane Association has taken this cowardly and anonymous act very seriously and we are working with law enforcement to further investigate this matter. We will prosecute all those involved.

We ask that you take a moment to visit our website at wanderersrest.org to learn how you can continue to make your gracious donations and contributions during this holiday season.

On behalf of the board of directors and shelter management, we thank you for your continued support.

Dr. Gerard Kolb

Dr. Kerry Brown

Lewis Carinci

Julie Valesky

Gerald H. Taylor, Esq.

Cherie Sgarlata

Rachel Elder, M.D.

Sabrina Wilcox, Manager