No More Homeless Pets
Weekly News
December 12, 2004
From super adoptions to spay/neuter successes, people working together to bring about a time when there will be No More Homeless Pets.
TOP STORY
A Banner Year in Bend
Bend, Oregon - The year 2004 will go down in the books as a record-breaker for the
Humane Society of Central Oregon. Not only were there record numbers of adoptions -- 2,564 through the end of November -- but November also set a record with an all-time low euthanasia rate of just 2 percent. Helping to make 2004 a banner year was the fact that close to 1,000 animals have been reunited with their people thus far, a number that already exceeds the 2003 total.
And, as the year draws to a close, the society is counting on its "Trees of Life" fundraiser to provide needed financial assistance. The annual drive places trees at several locations, and allows participants to "purchase" an ornament which then covers the cost of an item needed by the society.
AMAZING ANIMALS
Puppy asks: "Don't I deserve better?"
Pennsylvania - As
Dogs Deserve Better makes its annual call for people to bring their dogs in from winter's cold, it tells the story of one dog saved from Pennsylvania's frigid conditions.
A black Labrador puppy named Dusty lived on a short chain in a doorless shed full of tools and garbage, with no food or water, and no real shelter from the elements. Dogs Deserve Better founder Tammy Grimes went to see Dusty after receiving a tip from a neighbor. When Grimes was untangling his chain, the pup accidentally got loose, ran to her van, and sat directly under the Dogs Deserve Better sign, as though pleading for help.
Although Grimes couldn't take Dusty with her then, she negotiated with his person, a single mother, to have the puppy turned over to her. Since then, Dusty has adjusted to being an inside dog, getting to know his cat and dog roommates and quickly becoming a happy puppy.
Read more about Dusty, and about the effort to bring dogs inside and off chains.
SPAY/NEUTER NEWS
And the winner is...
Houston, Texas - With 42,168 votes cast, Houston was the winner of the "1,000 No Birthdays" contest sponsored by the
Spay-Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP). Houston received 12,309 votes in the contest, and will receive the resources to administer 1,000 doses of the non-surgical sterilization drug Neutersol. Now SNAP is extending a new challenge -- any community accumulating $25,000 will receive air fare to Houston, training in Neutersol administration, and 1,000 doses of the drug.
What everyone wants under the tree
Chicago, Illinois - The
Pets are Worth Saving (PAWS) low-cost spay/neuter clinic in Chicago is celebrating Christmas by offering to neuter all male cats for free during the month of December. The clinic will sterilize any male cats, without requiring proof of residency, and is also offering vaccines and microchipping for small additional charges.
FABULOUS FUNDRAISERS
Cartoon couple gets in the spirit
Southern California - Cathy and Irving are finally getting married, and rather than the usual gifts, the cartoon couple is urging wedding "guests" to make donations to help homeless animals. Cartoon creator Cathy Guisewite has put together a
gift registry that includes items such as meals, vet checkups, and spay/neuter surgeries for animals at
Pet Orphans, a no-kill shelter in Southern California. Guisewite, a regular volunteer at Pet Orphans, got the ball rolling for this fundraiser with a $1,000 personal donation. Read more about this unique fundraiser from
Editor and Publisher.
What can't you find on eBay?
San Marcos, Texas - Old magazines, vintage cars, prized action figures, and now ... spaying and neutering for homeless animals. The
PAWS Shelter for Animals and Humane Society is now selling spay/neuter surgeries on eBay for $49.99 each, with a commemorative calendar thrown in. The money from the online sales goes to fund the shelter's spay/neuter clinic. The shelter is being aided in the project by SnapSM, an online marketing company. Read more in the
San Marcos Record.
"Pawzaar" packs them in
Kimball Township, Michigan - The 22nd annual "Pawzaar" has paid big dividends for the
St. Clair County Humane Society, which projects a profit of about $16,000 by the end of the three-day event. All of the items for the holiday bazaar were donated, from teddy bears to photographs and furniture. The humane society also offered pet "pawtraits" with Santa during the event. Read more in
The Times Herald.
IN YOUR COMMUNITIES
Rats have friends, too
Glendale, Arizona - They may have serious image problems elsewhere, but in Arizona, rats have a major defender in Therese Hitesman. She is the founder and leader of
Any Rat Rescue, where the nation's most misunderstood pet can find food, shelter and a friendly face. Since its launch four months ago, Any Rat Rescue has rescued and placed more than 40 pet rats who either had been captured by the group or were turned in by people who grew tired of them. Read more about the rats and their rescuers in the
Arizona Republic.
INTERNATIONAL
Yelp for Help ... for Stray Animals
Malta - A new organization with the catchy name of "Yelp for Help" has formed to assist those agencies that are already helping abandoned, orphaned, homeless and abused animals in the country. The nonprofit hopes to help these groups with day-to-day financial obligations (for spay/neuter, food, and veterinary care) and with organizational problems. A series of fundraisers, including a party hosted by several animal-loving DJs, served as kick-off events for Yelp for Help. More on Malta's drive to aid animals can be found at
di-ve.com.
