Resources

Got a problem? There’s a resource for that.

Animal Control Lost & Found Spay & Neuter Disaster Preparedness Wildlife Bloomingtails Transport Program

The Potter League is the animal resource for Newport County and beyond, and offers a variety of services and outreach programs to the community.

Animal Control

See a stray? Make the call.

If you have a situation involving an animal, please call your local animal control officer. Local animal control agencies exist to protect and assist with many animal issues facing the public, from stray dogs to wild animals on private property. If you find a stray animal and animal control is unable to assist, we accept stray animals from Newport, Middletown, and Portsmouth during regular business hours. There is no fee to bring a verified stray animal to the Potter League.

Reporting Cruelty & Neglect

As a rule, failure to provide adequate food, water, and shelter or the use of physical force sufficient to leave a mark or otherwise cause injury constitutes cruelty to animals according to most state laws.

If you believe an animal is being mistreated, contact your local animal control officer. Your actions may not only help the animal, but also identify a person in need of help. Intervention can prevent escalation of abuse.

Find Your Local Animal Control

Lost & Found

Find a lost loved one.

The Potter League for Animals serves as the housing facility for the animal control departments of Newport, Middletown and Portsmouth. Strays found by concerned citizens, police officers and animal control officers are brought to the Potter League.

The Potter League keeps a computerized listing of all animal reported missing for 30 days, and we regularly check this list against incoming animals. It is, however, highly recommended that those missing their pets visit the shelter in person. Descriptions of animals can vary greatly and animals are sometimes found a great distance from where they were originally reported missing.

File An Online Report Download printer-friendly version of our lost report
View Found Animals

Spay & Neuter

It’s common sense. It’s also the law.

All dogs and cats adopted from the shelter are sterilized prior to leaving our facility in accordance with Rhode Island law. Our obligation to our adoptable animals does not end when they walk out the door with their new owners.

For more information about subsidized spay/neuter services for dogs and cats, please contact the Rhode Island Community Spay/Neuter Clinic at 401.369.PAWS (7297)

Request Spay & Neuter Download Spay and Neutering Informational Flyer

Disaster Preparedness

Your best defense against the worst.

As a responsible pet owner, it is critical to prepare for emergency situations. Hurricanes, floods, winter storms, and house fires can occur without advance warning and force you to evacuate your home.

Here are several common sense measures to improve your preparedness:

  • Keep your pets vaccinations current and your paperwork easily accessible
  • Be sure to have a collar with proper identification and a rabies tag
  • Make sure your pet has been spayed or neutered
  • Make a list, including phone numbers, of potential refuges for you and your pet including shelters, veterinary clinics, friends and relatives
  • Make a list of pet-friendly hotels/motels
  • Keep a crate around in case you need to evacuate
  • Prepare an emergency pet care kit including 3-5 days of food, water/food bowls, cat litter and litter box, leash, medications, first aid kit and cleaning supplies
  • Make sure your pets are wearing up to date ID tags and keep current photos with you should you and your pet get separated
  • NEVER leave a pet outside under any circumstances
Visit RI DEM’s Disaster Resource Page

Wildlife

Don’t be afraid. Be informed.

Peaceful coexistence between man and coyote is possible. The Potter League encourages a healthy respect for these animals and all wildlife.

Here are guidelines for avoiding conflicts:

  • The simplest thing we can do to protect our pets from wildlife is to keep them indoors. Always supervise animals when out of doors even in daylight hours – especially small dogs.
  • Never leave pet food outside.
  • Don’t feed coyotes or attempt to “tame” them by offering free food.
  • Keep a sturdy fence around your vegetable garden and pick the vegetable and fruit from any trees as soon as it ripens.
  • Keep trash cans inside sheds or garages until disposal day. All outdoor containers, including composting piles, should have tamper-proof lids.
  • Clean up bird feeder areas.
  • And spay and neuter your dog. Coyotes are attracted to, and can mate with, unsterilized pet dogs. Also vaccinate your pets.

 

Explore coyote-themed Potter League presentations Call the Coyote Information line

Bloomgingtails

A little something for everybody.

Did you know we have a retail shop called BloomingTails located in our shelter lobby? It is packed with pet toys, leashes, collars, books, treats, and so much more. We offer Potter League logo merchandise including apparel, leashes, collars, and stuffed toys. Stop by during shelter hours to see our adoptable animals and shop, too.

  • Merchandise returns are accepted within 30 days with sales receipt.
  • Merchandise must be in new, resalable condition to be eligible for refund.
  • Refunds are to be processed in same form of payment as original sale.
  • Sales are final for purchases of gift certificates, donated or clearance sale items.
  • Please contact manufacturer for warranty or service claims.

Transport Program

A ride to a second chance.

The Potter League’s Fetching Friends Transport Program is a life-saving program for animals transported to our shelter from other parts of the country where extreme pet overpopulation and high euthanasia rates are the norm.

We have been actively transporting dogs and puppies since 1996, and each year we are encouraged by the well-socialized and friendly dogs that arrive and the fabulous adopters that take them home. While the majority of animals we bring into the shelter are dogs, Fetching Friends also saves cats from overpopulated shelters or hoarding cases.

Find Your Local Animal Control

Middletown
401.846.1144

Portsmouth
401.683.0300

Newport
401.847.1306

Tiverton
401.625.6277

Little Compton
401.635.2311

Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RISPCA)
401.438.8150

Coyote Information Line
401.300.HOWL (4695)

Wildlife Hotline
401.294.6363

Department of Environmental Management (DEM)
401.222.3070

Contact For More Information

The Potter League has several educational presentations available for school age children and adults on this topic. Contact our Humane Educator, Eleanor Hanson EleanorH@PotterLeague.org or 401-846-0592 ext. 120 for details.

Coyote Information Hotline

Concerned about coyotes in your neighborhood? Call the Coyote Information Line at 401-300-HOWL(4695) to speak with a knowledgeable wildlife expert. Individuals concerned about immediate safety issues should call their local police department.