What began as a grassroots effort by three women in 1975 has grown into one of Connecticut’s most respected no-kill animal rescue organizations. In 2025, Protectors of Animals (POA) celebrates 50 years of providing shelter, veterinary care, and second chances to thousands of animals in need.
“For the first 25 years, we operated with foster homes in South Glastonbury and worked closely with local churches, meeting in church basements,” says Jody Macrina, president of Protector of Animals since 2001.
“We searched extensively for a rental space in Glastonbury, but ultimately moved to 144 Main St. in East Hartford, just over the Maple Street line.”
That move gave the nonprofit a permanent home base, allowing it to expand its operations while maintaining its original mission: to rescue and re-home cats and dogs — especially those other shelters might turn away.
Today, POA’s East Hartford location serves many of the towns in the Greater Hartford region and it houses both a cat adoption center and a low-cost spay and neuter clinic for cats and dogs.
“We spayed and neutered more than 3,000 animals last year alone,” Jody says. “That includes our Angel Spay Days program, where a generous benefactor specifically funds neutering and spaying for pit bulls.”
A Volunteer-Driven Mission
Despite its growth, POA remains volunteer-driven at its core, she says.
“We typically operate with around 300 volunteers. People come and go, but between our foster homes, dog volunteers, fundraisers, and cat care teams, we’re consistently supported by about 280 people.”
Those volunteers help POA manage a broad operation. Cats live either at the adoption center or in foster homes—particularly kittens, who are socialized in home environments to better prepare them for adoption. Dogs are typically housed at town facilities in Wethersfield and East Hampton, along with a network of foster homes.
Even kids can take part in volunteering, Jody says.
“There are so many fun ways for them to get involved. Families with children often participate in our volunteer foster program and it's a great way for cats, kittens and dogs to interact with them in preparation for their forever homes.”
Some examples of ways that kids volunteer, she adds are through Boy and Girl Scouts projects, collections for POA at birthday parties, lemonade stands, and craft projects kids can donate, such as cat toys, thank you cards, and adoption posters.
“We are constantly looking for ways that kids and families can help.”
Last year, POA facilitated the adoption of nearly 700 cats and around 80 dogs. The organization also helped 200 feral cats through its trap-neuter-return (TNR) program, which seeks to humanely control the stray cat population across central Connecticut.
Since its inception, POA has rescued and placed over 21,600 cats and almost 8,000 dogs. The group serves approximately 1,000 animals annually through its shelter operations and provides over 60 spay/neuter and vaccination services weekly (3,000 annually) through its SPAY clinic.
“We take some pretty challenging dogs and cats, animals that other groups might not be willing to work with,” Jody says. “Some of them have serious behavioral or medical needs. It can take a long time to rehabilitate these animals, but we don’t give up on them.”
Funding and Community Support
POA, she adds, remains clear-eyed about the challenges of funding this level of care.
“Our support comes almost entirely from donations. We receive some grant funding periodically, but it’s ordinary people and their support who keep us going.”
Community fundraisers and individual donations are critical to POA’s continued operations. One of the most significant events of their 50th anniversary year was the Golden Gala held in February at the TPC River Highlands in Cromwell.
“It was really well attended,” Jody says. “We got great support from the community. After 50 years, for a grassroots organization that’s mainly volunteers, it was a well-deserved celebration.”
Part of POA’s longterm success are the relationships the group has developed and maintains within the Hartford-region communities.
“We do a lot of interaction with the community with fundraisers,” says Christine Penney, a longtime POA volunteer who handles media and public relations for the group. "We have businesses that have supported us for years by either donating items or keeping donation boxes at their businesses. Liquid Nirvana provides a bottle return space for a volunteer who collects thousands of dollars in bottle returns every year for POA. There is so much community connectivity!”
Looking Ahead
While this year marks a major milestone, POA is focused on the future. Jody says she hopes to grow community outreach, expand foster networks, and ensure even more animals are given second chances.
POA has thrived for 50 years because the group and its volunteers have focused on its mission and always sought out dedicated, compassionate people, she says.
People interested in donating, adopting, or volunteering can visit poainc.org.
We take some pretty challenging dogs and cats, animals that other groups might not be willing to work with. Some of them have serious behavioral or medical needs. It can take a long time to rehabilitate these animals, but we don’t give up on them