Founded in 1926 the Animal Rescue League of Iowa (ARL) is Iowa's largest nonprofit animal shelter, caring for many thousands of pets each year. The ARL serves animals and people in need across the state, with a focus on Polk County and central Iowa. The ARL has grown dramatically since its founding expanding its programs and services. Through our proactive programs community outreach (which includes spay/neuter and veterinary assistance programs for owned pets), humane education and pet behavior programs, in the past few years we have begun to see a decrease in the number of animals we care for in the shelter, but our work is far from over. The ARL strives to serve people and pets in our community through our programs and services designed to promote animal welfare, to address the reasons animals end up in shelters, to find forever adoptive homes for the animals in our care, and to help keep pets in their homes with the people that love them.