Pet Dish 3/5/13

March 5, 2013

• Spring brings the 2013 Walk for Animals!
• Volunteer opportunities at the Walk for Animals
• Her story is nothing short of a miracle
• Governor's appearance enlivens breeder bill rally
• Spring Break camps expanded to include kids in grades 3-4
• Get text updates on your pets at Animal House
• AHS participating in food drive
• More treats
• Scratching posts

Spring brings the 2013 Walk for Animals!

It’s time to share your passion for animals at the 2013 Walk for Animals! To get started, check out the Walk for Animals website where you can create your own fundraising page and learn everything you need to know about the Walk. The website is filled with tools to make participating in this event easy and enjoyable!

You can register for the Walk as an individual, create a team, or join an existing team. Once your personal fundraising page is created, you can send emails to your friends and family asking for their support. You’ll earn virtual badges to mark the milestones of your fundraising efforts and those badges can be shared on Facebook to further promote your efforts.

We’re very excited because new this year, the Walk website has gone mobile! Walk registration forms, personal fundraising pages and donation forms have all been optimized to look great on an iPhone or Android device. This means it will be easier for your family and friends to support you on the go!

And be sure to let the animal lovers in your life know that supporting your walk efforts is now easier than ever before. No need for them to go looking for a credit card, they can now make a donation using their Amazon.com or PayPal accounts.

The Walk for Animals begins at 8:30 a.m. with check-in at Animal Humane Society in Golden Valley. The five-mile round trip walk begins at 10 a.m. and heads through Theodore Wirth Park to the Cities 97 turnaround with a return to Animal Humane Society.

Now that you’ve seen how easy it is to participate, it’s time to get started! Register for the Walk today and start raising funds for the animals that need you.

Special thanks to our 2013 Walk for Animals sponsors: Purina, Fox 9, Cities 97, My 29, Subaru, and Deli Express.

Volunteer opportunities at the Walk for Animals

It takes nearly 500 volunteers working alongside Animal Humane Society staff to put on the annual Walk for Animals. Volunteer opportunities include check-in, games and activities, food service, traffic control, route assistance and more. In addition to having fun and feeling great about helping such an important cause, volunteers also receive a 2013 Walk for Animals t-shirt! Apply online to be a part of Animal Humane Society’s largest fundraiser.

Her story is nothing short of a miracle
Your support gave Mira the second chance she deserved

Late one evening in early July, a stray 8-week-old pit-bull mix was brought to Animal Humane Society with a burn from the back of her head to the beginning of her tail. We knew we needed to act quickly and do everything we could to help her.

It was an intensive case for our veterinary services and animal care staff as well as the foster volunteer who graciously took care of Lacey while she healed. Treatment included daily cleaning of her wounds and changing of bandages in addition to vaccinations, microchipping and spay surgery. Lacey fought through her pain and was adopted 48 days after she was brought in to AHS. Her adopters re-named her Mira – short for Miracle.

Click here to see a video of Mira’s story and please consider making a gift to continue supporting life-saving services for animals in our community. Through your kindness, we will continue to respond with compassion and exceptional care for every animal in need. Together we can make a tremendous difference in the lives of animals.

Governor's appearance enlivens breeder bill rally

Subzero temperatures and a biting February wind couldn’t deter animal welfare advocates from making the trek to the State Capitol in St. Paul for a February 19 rally in support of the Dog and Cat Breeder Regulation Bill (H.F. 84, S.F. 36).

The event opened with a surprise appearance and expression of support by Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton. What happens in substandard breeding facilities is “just horrific,” Dayton said. “It’s just repulsive. And to think that’s going on right here in Minnesota, and nobody’s doing anything about it? It’s so un-Minnesotan.”

"I want to send a clear message," he said. “We’re not going to stand silently by while innocent animals are being tortured."

AHS President and CEO Janelle Dixon also spoke, telling the crowd that the legislation “is critical to the health and welfare of the animals in this state.”

AHS takes in a significant number of animals each year that have been bred in inhumane conditions, she said. "These animals are ill, they have serious health problems, and they have serious behavior and socialization issues. They don’t receive or feel the touch of an individual human being while they are in this care -- and we need to stop it."

Other speakers included the sponsors of the bill, Rep. John Lesch and Sen. John Marty, as well as leaders of the Speak Up for Dogs and Cats coalition that has been working to educate legislators and the public about the issue and the need for regulation. Learn more about the coalition and the bill at www.speakupmn.org.

The House version of the bill has been approved by the Civil Law Committee and the Public Safety Finance and Policy committee. It was scheduled to be heard by the Government Operations Committee on Tuesday, March 5. The Senate bill also is waiting for a hearing date before the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee.

Get text updates on your pets at Animal House

Can’t find the time during your busy vacation or travel schedule to call for updates on your pet? Animal House now offers pet updates via text message! Learn how your pet’s boarding stay is going with a brief text message sent to your phone on the day of your choice. This convenient extra service is only $1 per text and one more way Animal House offers peace-of-mind while you’re away from home.

AHS participating in food drive

Hunger is a critical issue that affects many of our neighbors. One in eight Minnesotans struggle with food insecurity. Hunger in our state has more than doubled since 2008 and the food shelves have seen a dramatic increase in demand for emergency resources including food for both people and pets.

Throughout the month of March, Animal Humane Society is collecting food donations for Neighborhood House’s March Food Drive. Please consider dropping off nonperishable food donations for both people and pets when you visit one of AHS’s five facilities.
Contributions to the food drive will be partially matched by Minnesota FoodShare and will give local families and their pets direct access to the food they need. The goal of the drive is to raise 200,000 dollars and pounds of food during the month of March. Your help in feeding hungry families is gratefully appreciated.