About VAACA
Our Mission
Board Members
Renée Falconer
President
Animal Control officer in Orleans County, co-founder PETS of the Kingdom animal rescue, VAACA President. I have had a love for all animals for as long as I can remember. I bottle fed orphaned wildlife when I was very young, alongside my father who was a deputy game warden. My desire to save and care for all animals grew from there. My first pet as an adult was a kitten I found on the streets in NY. In 2000 I began training to become a humane officer/cruelty investigator and later on added the role of Animal Control Officer. I serve most of Orleans county. In 2024 VAACA was born following a controversial dog rescue. I quickly joined forces with this extremely dedicated team. My hope for the future is to see VAACA grow and be a force to end animal cruelty.
Heather Bent
Vice President
Hey there! I founded Potter’s Angels Rescue 15 years ago and have been actively involved in animal neglect and cruelty cases working alongside and advising law enforcement for over 10 years. I am currently the Animal Control Officer for Marshfield, VT and excel in dog behavior management and modification, as well as, safe handling practices. I currently operate Four Paws Inn Daycare and boarding facility in Barre, VT and am passionate about utilizing stress reduction techniques in a kennel/shelter environment. After working a couple of tragic cases and learning our legal system along the way, I began offering solutions that lead to the connections and teamwork that formed VAACA. I am excited to be a part of this passionate group of motivated individuals and look forward to improving this state for our animals alongside them!
Courtney O'Brien
Secretary
I am truly honored to be a part of the VAACA collaboration. I was born and raised here in Northern Vermont and continue to reside here with my animal loving family.
I have had a love for animals my entire life. My volunteer work with dog rescues started when I was a young adult, after I rescued my Yellow Lab, Harley. He helped me foster many dogs over the years. When Harley crossed the rainbow bridge, I made a promise to him that I would continue to be a voice for the voiceless and continue to save dogs just like him.
I’ve been actively involved in rescuing here in Vermont for 9 years. Over that time, I have fostered for many Vermont based rescues which has allowed me to foster and find homes for 70 dogs. I specialize in large breed, adult dogs that need help with training, boundaries, and to feel loved and secure. I look forward to working with the VAACA collaboration and supporting Vermont animals on a larger scale.
“Unless someone like you cares an awful lot, nothing is going to get better” - Dr. Seuss
Julie Paye
Treasurer
I'm excited to be a part of VAACA and help drive meaningful change for animals in our state. I have a lifelong love of animals stemming from my early days tagging along with my Mom on her pet sitting business. My husband and I are very active in fostering and love helping such amazing and worthy creatures. My background is in science and engineering, so I love researching issues and analyzing data to inform and drive actions.
Genie Bent
Board Member
I was raised in Vermont spending my childhood among dogs and horses developing my love and appreciation for animals early on. After traveling around the country, I settled back into Vermont and successfully managed large teams in the resort and construction industry. Upon joining Potter’s Angels Rescue I revived their Instagram platform vastly broadening their social media presence. It is there that I found my purpose as the imperative for support with animal welfare in Vermont became increasingly evident. I eagerly joined in the creation of VAACA to address these urgent needs and look forward to driving positive change and improving the lives of animals in our state.
Learn more about our organization and how you can help in this interview with our President, Renée Falconer!
Contact Us
Write Us
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Mail Us
VAACA504 Mekleson RdBarre, VT 05641-9068