A Quiet Year, But a Year of Growth

If you’ve been following ARK Pet Rescue for a while, you may have noticed that this year has been a bit quieter on our end. Fewer social media updates, fewer blog posts, and fewer newsletters — but not for lack of activity! Behind the scenes, 2025 has been one of the most transformative years in ARK’s history.

As many of you know, 2024 brought big transitions for our rescue. We packed up and moved facilities, poured our energy into renovating our new home on 1st Street, and worked tirelessly to create a space where both animals and people can thrive. Change is never easy, but every nail hammered, wall painted, and cat towers built has been a step toward something incredible — a place where lives are saved every single day.

Now that we’ve settled in, we can truly see the difference our new location has made. The cats absolutely love their big front window — it’s their favorite spot to soak up the sun, watch the world go by, and greet visitors with curious eyes and gentle purrs. The enrichment they get from the activity and energy outside has been wonderful to see.

Every day we’re open, our space is full of life — families stopping by to meet the cats, curious passersby who peek in the window, and regulars who pop in just to say hello. The response from the Newberg community has been nothing short of amazing. Our new home has become not just a rescue, but a gathering place — a space where people connect, fall in love with animals, and see firsthand the work their support makes possible.

With that visibility, however, has come a new challenge. As more people have discovered ARK, we’ve also seen a significant increase in requests for help — from families needing to surrender their pets, to calls about strays, and pleas for assistance from overwhelmed owners. At our previous, more tucked-away location, we didn’t receive nearly as many of these requests. Now, they come daily.

While we are grateful to be known and trusted by the community, the sheer volume of need can be heartbreaking. Some days it feels like we’re drowning — there are simply more animals in crisis than there are hands, space, or resources to help them all. Our staff continues to do everything we can, and they truly make an incredible difference for the animals who come through our doors.

So far this year, ARK has brought 551 animals into our care. By this same time in 2024, that number was 446 — a substantial increase that reflects both our growing visibility and the growing need for animal welfare support in our community.

Of those 551 animals, 275 are cats who have come directly from right here in Oregon — many surrendered or found as strays within our own neighborhoods. These numbers tell a powerful story: our new location isn’t just a building; it’s a lifeline for hundreds of animals who might not have had anywhere else to go.

We could never have come this far without you. So many of our followers and friends stepped up — donating time, funds, supplies, and encouragement when we needed it most. You believed in our mission through the messy middle, and because of you, ARK is thriving in a space that reflects the heart of what we do: second chances, community, and compassion.

As we move into this next season, we’re excited to reconnect. You can expect to hear more from us — more rescue stories, more behind-the-scenes glimpses, and more ways to get involved. We can’t wait to share what’s next and to celebrate all the lives saved because of this amazing community.

From all of us at ARK — thank you for being part of our story, through every transition and triumph. Here’s to new beginnings, wagging tails, and a bright future ahead.

“Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.”— Psalm 31:24

Much Love,

Daria Veenstra

ARK Pet Rescue