There is a moment a lot of pet owners know too well. The cat has an ear infection, or the dog is due for shots, or the food bag is nearly empty, and the money just isn’t there this month. For ten years, a small, volunteer-run East Haven nonprofit has been the phone call people make in that moment.
Tail to Paw Animal Support was registered with the state in September 2016, and its mission fits in one line from its own website: no one should have to give up a pet because of financial hardship or housing instability. The group helps owners keep their animals at home with pet food, supplies, basic vet care, vaccinations and help with spay and neuter costs, and it backs that up with education and case management.
It is not a shelter and it is not a rescue. Tail to Paw says it does not take in animals, has none to adopt and does not work with feral or stray animals. It works with people who already have a pet they love and are struggling to keep caring for it: people who are homeless or at risk of losing housing, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities and low-income families across Greater New Haven, the Shoreline and the Lower Naugatuck Valley.
A mother and daughter, and a cat named Smudge
Tail to Paw is a family operation at heart. Bobbi Jo Evans is the founder and CEO. She holds a master’s degree in public health and has spent her career working to end homelessness, which is where she saw how often people sacrifice their own food and medicine so their pets don’t go without. Her daughter, Kate Williams, is co-founder and the group’s animal and volunteer coordinator. Kate has volunteered with animal rescues since 2011, holds a bachelor’s degree in health and science, and makes wood-burned creations that the group sells to raise money. Jeff Evans serves as treasurer, and the group’s site lists a volunteer board and animal advocates who help with everything from events to grant research.
The group’s guiding spirit was a cat named Smudge. As the website tells it, Smudge wandered away from his home and was lost for a week, and during that time a group of kids set an oil fire and threw him into it, permanently damaging his back paws. He went through months of treatment at home with his owner, who was helped by Tail to Paw’s founder. When his owner died, Smudge became a “Forever Cat” with Tail to Paw. He passed away on June 12, 2023, after a battle with cancer. “Smudge will always be the reason for Tail To Paw,” the site says, and a drawing of him with angel wings still greets visitors on the homepage.
What Tail to Paw actually does
The help is practical and specific. According to the group’s assistance page:
- Food: bags of dry food, cans of wet food and treats. Prescription diets can be covered case by case with a valid prescription from a veterinarian.
- Basic medical care and vaccines: wellness exams, first sick visits and required vaccinations, including rabies.
- Spay and neuter: pets must already be fixed, or the owner must be willing to have it done at the time of assistance.
- Supplies and education: everything from leashes to flea and tick treatment, plus talks at shelters, social clubs and youth groups about spay/neuter and the human-animal bond.
- Case management: help is time-limited and paired with referrals, such as SNAP and energy assistance, so the household is steadier going forward.
There are limits, because the money is finite: medical help is capped at $300 per household per calendar year, and food at $250. On its GuideStar profile, the group reports giving food and supplies to 37 households and helping get seven owned animals spayed or neutered in 2024, along with about five trap-neuter-return projects a year.
That food comes from neighbors. The group’s events page shows donation drives at Agway in North Haven and an October 2021 delivery that filled the back of a car with bags of dog food.
The Handi-Cats
Some of Tail to Paw’s best teachers have four paws. The group’s “Handi-Cats” are cats with cerebellar hypoplasia, a condition that affects balance and coordination. The website introduces Nero, its educational cat, along with Calypso, Lil Man and Groot. They show up at events to help people see that a disabled pet can still live a full, happy life.
What families say
Tail to Paw has a 4.5-star rating on Google from 10 reviews, and the people who wrote them tell very specific stories.
Rosie wrote that the group stood by her family for nearly two years. “If it was not for Tail To Paw,” she wrote, her cat Titus “never would have been able to receive the treatment he requires for his epilepsy and seizures.” She called Bobbie Jo and Kate “not only incredibly kind but also understanding to the needs of others.”
Nicole had been putting off a vet visit she couldn’t afford. “At a time in need, Tail to Paw took off a huge amount of financial stress off my shoulders,” she wrote. The group covered her cat Rocket’s wellness exam and the medication for his ear infection. “I CANNOT THANK YOU GUYS enough,” she added.
Christine found the group through a link shared by another local charity that had helped her with pet food. She said the application was “user friendly & straight to the point,” and that she heard back right away. Her dog Piper got her annual checkup and vaccines, and the vet said her teeth looked fantastic for a six-year-old. “Not being able to afford vet services doesn’t mean skip out,” Christine wrote, “but reach out for your pet so they can get what they need.”
Maria wrote that she and her cat Charlie were “blessed and thankful” to have Kate and her mother, Bobbi Jo, in their lives. Another reviewer, J, called them “wonderful caring” people who “take each and every case seriously.” The group answered each review personally.
A familiar table around town
If you have been to a community event in the area, you may have walked past their table. The East Haven Chamber of Commerce named Tail to Paw its Non-Profit of the Year in 2021. In 2021 the group also set up at East Haven’s Trunk or Treat at The Pit, and it has shown up at the West Haven Apple Festival, a Day of the Dogs at One World Roasters, a Bingomania night with the Connecticut Gay Men’s Chorus and the Travelers Championship’s Birdies for Charity program.
Right now, they need the help
Here is the hard part. Tail to Paw’s assistance page says applications are temporarily on hold because of funding limitations. Families who need help can still email tailtopaw@gmail.com to be put on the waitlist, noting what they need, and the group says it will reopen applications when funding allows.
That is what makes the group’s 10th anniversary celebration matter. It is set for Saturday, Nov. 14, from noon to 3 p.m. at Transilvania Restaurant and Bar, 23 Main St. in East Haven. Tickets are $40 on Eventbrite and include a buffet of Romanian-style cuisine, a drink of the day, raffle prizes and a talk on animal communication, with readings, from Mary of Zen Zu Communications. Seating is limited. Eventbrite lists online sales ending at noon today, Oct. 31, so if you miss that window, call or email the group to ask about seats. Businesses can also sponsor the event at $25, $50, $100 or $250 levels, according to the flyer.
How to help, or get help
- Donate: Venmo, PayPal, Cash App, or the group’s Chewy and Amazon wish lists, all linked from tailtopaw.org.
- Volunteer: the group looks for help with drives, events, fundraisers, outreach and behind-the-scenes work like grant research.
- Get on the waitlist: email tailtopaw@gmail.com and describe your pet’s need.
- Mail: P.O. Box 120682, East Haven, CT 06512. Phone: 475-331-0392.
Ten years in, the idea behind Tail to Paw is the same as the line on its logo: no animal left behind, no human left alone.
Want East Haven news in your inbox? The East Haven Courier newsletter is coming soon. Email news@easthavencourier.com with “Newsletter” in the subject line to get on the list.
Got a tip? Email news@easthavencourier.com
