No More Homeless Pets
Weekly News

October 24, 2004
From super adoptions to spay/neuter successes, people working together to bring about a time when there will be No More Homeless Pets.

• Adoption News
• Feral Cat News
• Fabulous Fundraisers
• In Your Communities
• International News

THIS WEEK'S SPOTLIGHT:
New York City - The first annual National Feral Cat Summit was a sold-out affair, attracting feral colony caregivers and humane groups from 25 states -- as well as Canada and the Galapagos Islands. The conference focused on the practical application of trap/neuter/return (TNR). Read more.

ADOPTION NEWS

O'Fallon, Illinois - A three-year-old beagle mix named Louie has become the two-millionth pet adopted from PETsMART's in-store adoption centers. After the pet store chain began to donate space to local shelters in 1994, it took seven years for the company to reach the one-millionth adoption, but with 700 stores now featuring pet adoption centers, the two-million mark came after only three more years. In addition to gaining a new home, Louie will receive a lifetime of pet products and services from PETsMART, and the group that brought Louie to the store -- the Metro East Humane Society -- will get a $1,000 grant and a large supply of pet food.
 
St. Louis, Missouri - The Humane Society of Missouri will take over two mall adoption centers near St. Louis. The Adopt & Shop stores, which were started by Adopt-A-Stray, have placed 7,000 animals in five years. The humane society will continue to use the stores to showcase its own animals, as well as pets from St. Louis city and county animal shelters. For more information, see the story in the St. Louis Dispatch.

Oceanside, California - The North County Humane Society was in trouble a couple of weeks ago. Although the shelter had not put down a healthy, adoptable animal in three years, it had become severely overcrowded. But when the shelter made a plea to the public, the public answered with a record-breaking 66 adoptions in one week -- sending 28 dogs and 38 cats to new homes, and alleviating the overcrowding. Read more in the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Riverdale, Utah - As part of Utah's Week for the Animals celebration, a large adoption event was held at the Riverdale PETsMART last weekend. Several rescue groups and shelters brought their adoptable dogs, cats, puppies and kittens to the event. In addition, Best Friends Animal Society's humane education department held an event called "Kids and Critters." Activities included face painting, storytelling, and arts and crafts. By the end of the Paws Across Utah event, more than 70 previously homeless pets had gone home to new families. Read more on the No More Homeless Pets in Utah website.

FERAL CAT NEWS

Moore County, North Carolina - A North Carolina feral cat rescue has opened a unique feral cat "station," which can accommodate about 100 feral cats until they have been spayed or neutered and acclimated to their environment. Outfitted for cat comfort with rafters and numerous shelves, the station is managed by Animal Advocates of Moore County, which also maintains some 40 feral cat colonies in the area. The group turns the cats loose onto the adjoining 80-acre property after they have gotten used to finding food, water, and shelter at the station. Read more about this innovative project in The Pilot.

Denton, Texas - A campus group from the University of Northern Texas has provided trap/neuter/return services to more than 175 feral cats, and maintains feral colonies in 14 different shelters located throughout campus. The NT Feral Cat Rescue Group, which is directed by faculty member Nancy Kelly, also offers a $15 spay and neuter program for the cats and dogs of students and faculty. Read more about these enterprising students in the North Texas Daily.

FABULOUS FUNDRAISERS

Utah - While the proceeds from last weekend's Lint Roller Party fundraiser are still being counted, there's little doubt that the night was a success. Guests of both the human and canine persuasion turned out in large numbers for the event, held at the downtown Salt Lake City library. Canine attendees enjoyed gourment dog treats in the V.I.C. (very important canine) Lounge. This year's silent auction featured weekend getaways, doggie toys and treats, original works of art, and the four architect-designed dog houses from the Bow Wow Haus design competition. Read more on the No More Homeless Pets in Utah website.

Yucaipa, California - Homeless pets crashed the party at the Business Expo and Rotary Club Car Show this year, as the fifth annual Festival of the Animals merged with these other events. About 7,000 people attended the festival, placing a dozen animals in new homes and helping to raise $15,000 for the no-kill Yucaipa Animal Placement Society. The event, which included 60 hot rods and antique cars, was also used to distribute spay/neuter vouchers. Read more in the Press-Enterprise. (Content is free, but registration is required.)

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Philadelphia's People-Pet Partnership recently received a pleasant surprise in the form of a phone call from a representative of the Beastie Boys. The band offered the nonprofit group 50 cents for each ticket sold for their recent Wachovia Center performance, as well as the opportunity to set up an informational booth at the show. About 10,000 people attended the concert, which means an estimated $5,000 will go to benefit Philadelphia's pets.

Phoenix, Arizona - Dogs and cats who survived against all odds, who have saved the lives of their human companions, and who do invaluable community service will be recognized Oct. 30 at a gala fundraiser for the Friends of Animal Care & Control. Tickets for the Hero Awards are priced at $175, and attendees will enjoy a gourmet dinner and silent auction, with all profits going to support the nonprofit group, which was formed to assist homeless animals at Maricopa County Animal Care & Control.

Chicago, Illinois - Halloween for Chicago's pets will take on a whole new look this year, thanks to Urban Out Sitters, the city's upscale doggie daycare and boarding facility. The group will sponsor Howlin' Hounds Halloween on Saturday, Oct. 30. Activities will include a pet costume contest, pet adoptions organized by Chicago Animal Care and Control, tricks and treats, and pet-related merchants. Proceeds from the event will go toward promoting animal control adoptions. Read more about the event at eMediaWire.

Austin, Texas - Some lucky mutts were the star attractions at the annual Luckymutts Fall Festival. Luckymutts, an all-volunteer, nonprofit dog rescue group, raises money to provide food, training and medical care for abandoned animals who are looking for new homes. Saturday's festival featured a wide range of unique activities, including bobbing for apples and dog toys, a doggie kissing booth, paw printing, a bake sale, craft fair, pet Halloween photos, trick or treating, pet costume contest, and assorted raffles.

IN YOUR COMMUNITIES

San Mateo, California - About 250 people attended the opening of the Best Friends Art Project at the San Mateo County History Museum in Redwood City, California. U.S. Rep. Tom Lantos of California served as the honorary chair of the show, which will stay at the museum through Oct. 29. The project includes artwork by Cyrus Mejia and photographs by Clay Myers. The 575 Project, an installation created by Mejia, uses items such as collars, rabies tags and cage cards to illustrate the number of cats and dogs killed each hour in the United States. Read more about the project.

Phoenix, Arizona - The Project Pet Food program in Maricopa County will launch two new donation initiatives by the end of the year. Sponsored by Maricopa County Animal Care & Control, the project aims to help needy families stretch their food resources and, at the same time, lower the number of animals entering shelters. Free pet food distributions are held the third Saturday of each month and, beginning in November, the program will add permanent customer donation bins to 16 Petco stores. Also, from Nov. 7 to 20, Purina PetCare will donate an eight-pound jug of ProPlan pet food for every 40-pound bag purchased at local Petco stores.

Utah - $5 can buy a cappuccino; $5 can buy an ice cream sundae; and $5 from each Utah family in Utah can save thousands of lives. No More Homeless Pets in Utah launched its new statewide fundraising campaign called "Donate 5 to Keep Utah's Pets Alive" at a recent press conference. To get the media out to the event, dozens of humans and canines decked out in bright red T-shirts and bandanas sprawled out on the pavement to form a giant '5' for an aerial shot. Read more on the No More Homeless Pets in Utah website.

Fall River, Massachusetts - A haven for homeless animals in Fall River has adopted a new philosophy to go with its new $750,000 shelter. Once the repository for strays from city animal control, Forever Paws Animal Shelter now gets the majority of its dogs and cats from private homes and has become a no-kill facility. Construction and materials for the new shelter were donated, and the local vocational-technical school helped with the construction. A successful capital campaign, Mansions for Mutts, raised $126,000 for the building in two years. Read more about the new shelter in South Coast Today.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - When Angelo Falconi, Jr., bought a former racquet club and turned it into Angie's Washington Honda Harley-Davidson, stray animals were a big beneficiary. Falconi, a long-time animal lover, saved building materials from his renovation project and turned them into a 20- by 40-foot building that houses incoming strays at the Washington Area Humane Society. The new structure not only eased a problem with overcrowding at the shelter, but enables incoming pets to be isolated. Read more in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Los Angeles, California - Animal Planet shifted its focus from purebred dogs to those of questionable lineage when it aired its third annual Nuts for Mutts special. The hour-long special was the brainchild of dog trainer Bobby Dorafshar, co-founder of New Leash on Life, a no-kill animal rescue in California. The show featured competitions for fastest eater, best smile and biggest ears. The best-dressed costumes ranged from biker leather and feather boas to fruit hats and grass skirts. Actress Kim Basinger, who owns several mutts herself, served as the show's master of ceremonies. Read more at IndyStar.com.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Singapore - A $20,000 donation from Pedigree Pet Foods will make life a whole lot better for animals at the Pets Villa shelter in Pasir Ris. The dogs and cats housed there will now have a pool, plenty of room for sunbathing, huts for lazy afternoon naps -- and a nice safe fence around the facility. Started in February and run by the nonprofit Animal Lovers League, the shelter has already taken in 250 cats and 120 dogs. In addition to the $20,000 in cash, Pedigree is donating $10,000 worth of food to the shelter.

Derry, Ireland - A drive is under way to have pet owners in Derry get their pets neutered so that fewer unwanted animals will have to die. A local Sinn Fein councillor, Gerry MacLochlainn, is urging residents to take advantage of a low-cost neutering rate by contacting the Dog's Trust neutering hotline. Read more in the Belfast Telegraph.