HERE - the Santa Fe Animal Shelter and Humane Society

Shopping Therapy to Help Animals
Santa Fe Animal Shelter’s resale stores, Look What the Cat Dragged In and
Look What the Cat Dragged In 2, benefit the region’s homeless animals
Ellie and her big black dog, Jack,
are inseparable. The two count
on each other for support and
after Ellie was diagnosed with
cancer, Jack’s unconditional
love helped her carry on through
months of chemotherapy.
The two are just some of the
welcome regulars at Look What the
Cat Dragged In, Santa Fe’s premier
resale store that benefits the Santa Fe
Animal Shelter. Anne Greene, assistant
manager of the store, says volunteers
and staff happily start the day
with a biscuit for Jack and great deals
for Ellie on designer clothes, beautiful
furniture and treasures at the unique
store in the city’s south side.
For her part, Ellie calls her visits
“shopping therapy,” and generously
14 | Animal TRACKS
donates items while at the same time
discovering something new from the
store’s diverse merchandise. That’s been
the key to the store’s success since it
opened in February 2010, said Mary
Martin, the shelter’s executive director.
“We have a dedicated crew of staff
and volunteers who love the store and
care deeply about the customers,” she
said. “Many of the customers are the
same people who donate their treasures
to the store because they know
every single dollar spent at the store
goes to support the animals.”
Most people who enter the store
at 2570 Camino Entrada are stunned
by the large, airy space and quality
of merchandise, said manager Madison
Flanagan. The staff is able to be
selective about what is put out in the
6,000-square-foot showroom because
of premium donations, which include
high-end fashions, a large book collection,
collectibles, art, furniture and
household goods.
“This store is an amazing place for
the community,” Flanagan said. “It
helps people make a connection to the
shelter and helping homeless animals.
They know that when they come in
here, anything they buy, whether it’s
a $1 glass or a $500 pueblo pot, it all
goes to the animals. That sets us apart
from other resale stores.”
In addition to the quality of merchandise,
the store boasts some highly
qualified and experienced volunteers.
Several have found their time at The
Cat, as it is often called, the highlight
of their retirement years. Sally
Greenberg, 88, spends many months
away from her Washington, D.C. area
home visiting her daughter in Santa
Fe. The retired government professional
has found her niche in books.
“It’s a real opportunity for me to
do something useful and at the same
time very enjoyable,” she said. “I like
to be where the action is, and I put in
a good work week. Of course, it’s nice
to do something that’s very useful, and
this store supports the animal shelter.”
Many customers know Sally by
name and will often ask her about
specific books. She’s happy to share
her expertise with casual readers or
the several booksellers who are regular
customers. “I do know about where
everything is and about what we
have,” she said.