The Association Blog

The CEO of Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League talks about passing judgment on those we serve, a dog named Bomber, and how cool it is to be a CAWA

Name & Title: Sue Berry, CAWA, CEO, Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League

Member of The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement since: May 2017

The Association: How did you get started in animal welfare?
Sue Berry, CAWA: Over 25 years ago, I lived alone in an apartment in New Hampshire and worked at a software company. I wanted to adopt a cat, so I went to the New Hampshire SPCA, but realized that I couldn’t afford the adoption fee. I was determined to get my “fur fix,” and thought maybe if I volunteered at the shelter I could get a cat. Once I started volunteering, it quickly became evident that it was where I needed to be in my life. I was so enamored with the idea of being involved in something like that and helping animals.

They needed IT help, and since I had a background in computers, I was able to volunteer in that capacity. I took photos of the animals and posted them to their website. I was also going to school at night to earn a degree in management and information technologies.  Soon the time came that they needed an office manager, and that was my first job. I started an Office Manager, quickly became Administrative Manager, and then Director of Administration.

And I did eventually adopt a cat.

The Association: What animals or clients have you served who you will always remember?
Sue Berry, CAWA: A lot of the work at the New Hampshire SPCA involved field services, rescue, and field investigation. Although that wasn’t directly my responsibility, I participated as part of the disaster response team. I always remember the animals from those cases—the  horses, dogs, cats, bunnies, and birds—but I also remember the people.

It was early on that I learned and saw first-hand that you can’t compartmentalize people. This person might be a hoarder, and that person might neglect their animals, but there is such a human element that needs to be acknowledged. Certainly, there were people who were intentionally cruel or neglectful, and those were few and far between. Mostly the cases we were dealing with were people who got overwhelmed and couldn’t see what was happening. It was really eye-opening. A lot of us in this industry hear people say, “I want to work at a shelter because I just love animals so much more than people,” but there is no world in which you are not serving the people as well as the animal. We need to have an understanding of that, and be compassionate and meet people where they’re at. 

The Association: What is your most memorable adoption or rescue?
Sue Berry, CAWA: When I worked at Woods Humane Society, there was a really nice German shepherd mix named Bomber who was inexplicably getting overlooked. He had severe separation anxiety, so whenever he would get adopted, he was inevitably returned because he was destructive when left alone and wasn’t particularly fond of other dogs. One day, an older female German shepherd mix came to the shelter, and really bonded with Bomber. We were so happy that he finally had a friend, but she ended up being adopted. Fast-forward, and the girl who adopted Bomber’s friend came back several months later because she was moving in with her girlfriend, who also wanted a dog.  Bomber was still at the shelter waiting patiently, and the reunification of those two was amazing! They were soulmates. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house. He needed a little something special, and we were blessed and lucky enough to have a facility that could offer him that extra time. 

The Association: How did you first hear about The Association, and what made you decide to get involved?
Sue Berry, CAWA: Early in my career, I came across The Association’s website and resources and saw that there were opportunities for connections. Both of my previous CEOs and Executive Directors—long-time members Lisa Dennison and Jill Tucker, CAWA—have been very impactful in my career and have served as mentors to me even to this day. I like the idea of being able to offer that connection to someone else who can call me and say, “Look I’m dealing with this. How have you handled it?” I think it’s so important to our mental health for us to be able to connect with one another, and that’s really what drew me in to wanting to be more involved with The Association.

In 2020, The Association offered a CAWA beta test for a percentage off, so I decided to go for it. It was quite honestly the best thing I ever did. I became involved with a CAWA study group on Facebook, and I met the most incredible group of people all over the country—and we’re still friends. Even though we’re at different shelters, we still meet on Zoom, and we mentor each other and it’s just fun. When I encourage others to go for their CAWA certification, I always tell them to join a study group because you’re going to meet the most amazing people. People who you’ll want to hang onto your whole career.  It was so impactful for me.

The Association: Considering your career so far, what achievement are you most proud of?
Sue Berry, CAWA: Getting my CAWA for sure was a big one for me, but also accepting my role at Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League. I have an operations background and had not been a CEO before, so I think the biggest achievement for me was having faith in my own experience and knowledge and the confidence to take the step into an executive role that I was not expecting. I’m very proud of that.

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