It is with both honor and sadness that Mitchell County Animal Rescue announces the retirement of our devoted animal champion and Executive Director, Patricia Beam. The search for a new ED to lead us into an exciting future has now begun. Sometime in 1996, Patricia Beam was sought out by Mitchell County Animal Rescue to check on the status of a horse in the Bear Creek Community. Thus began over two decades of devoted work on behalf of MCAR. First as a volunteer, then as a board member, and eventually as Executive Director of our organization and shelter. Recently, she announced her retirement from MCAR, and we reflect on her 22 memorable and lifesaving years in animal sheltering and rescuing.
A native of Mitchell County, Patricia possessed intimate knowledge of companion and domestic animals and of people in our community, understanding their customs and traditions. She knew who to trust and who to call in an emergency to help an animal or animals in a crisis situation. She had grown up on a farm and was devoted to animals, Patricia’s work with MCAR was a true calling.
Patricia had no fear. She would slog through the mud with a deputy, a camera and catch pole in tow. She faced danger in so many situations without hesitation that we truly feared for her safety! Her gift, was to show compassion and strength when confronting animal cruelty in all its manifestations from neglect and abuse, to hoarding and dog fighting. Patricia cultivated a strong relationship of respect and cooperation with our local law enforcement, our volunteer fire departments and emergency management. She testified in court and advocated for the animals who could not speak for or defend themselves. She navigated MCAR through Rabies outbreaks, Flood disasters and Fire emergencies, setting standards and procedures for operation that will serve us far into the future.
Her most important gift was using her love of animals to foster an atmosphere of compassion, respect and hope at MCAR’s animal shelter. Directing the day to day operations, assembling a devoted staff, answering literally thousands of calls for assistance from local citizens were just one part of her efforts. Patricia worked with staff to pioneer animal transport for adoption before it became commonplace in Animal Sheltering. She encouraged staff and volunteer education and participation in emergency management preplanning. She worked with local veterinarians to establish a low cost spay neuter program that ensured that every animal adopted from our shelter was fixed, and that our county residents could access this program for their own pets.
Patricia officially retired from MCAR in December of this year. Her legacy is the improvement of the lives of thousands of companion and farm animals in Mitchell County. Her impact on our organization will be felt for generations going forward toward a more compassionate world. We wish her the best of luck with this next chapter in her life, and thank her from the bottom of our hearts.
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If you would like to honor Patricia and her legacy please consider making a donation to the cause that was closest to her heart, the MCAR Spay and Neuter Fund, which helps families in need spay or neuter their pets for free. Contact MCAR at 828-765-6952 to donate by credit card or mail donations to: MCAR, PO Box 308, Spruce Pine, NC 28705.
MCAR is in the process of hiring a new Executive Director. Applications are being accepted now through February 1, 2019. Visit our website at www.mitchellcountyanimalrescue.org or our Facebook page for more information and a detailed job description.
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About Mitchell County Animal Rescue: Mitchell County Animal Rescue, Inc. (MCAR), located in Spruce Pine, is a not-for-profit humane organization devoted to the rescue and care of abandoned, neglected, abused and otherwise unwanted animals in Mitchell County, NC. Although we are a small shelter with limited resources, we are highly dedicated to our community and we strive to offer as many programs as our budget will allow including: adoptions, intake of stray and surrendered pets, lost and found, cruelty investigations and prosecution assistance, low-cost spay/neuter programs, low-cost rabies clinics, pet food banks and community education. We are a vibrant part of our community and are proud of the fact that we have won the Non-Profit of the Year Award from the Mitchell Chamber of Commerce for the last five consecutive years. Visit www.mitchellcountyanimalrescue.org to find out how you can join us in our work.
