Pet Dish for April 6, 2010

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Another great reason to join us at the Walk

The Animal Humane Society Walk for Animals is a great cause, but it’s also some of the most fun you’ll have with your pet this year. Show off your dog’s skills in the best stunt/trick division of the day’s pet contest, bring out the Picasso in your pup at the Doggie Fine Art tent or get him microchipped by our boarding staff. (Okay, maybe that last part isn’t exactly fun—but it is important!)

The animals at AHS need your help. Begin raising pledges now and get ready for the best stand-up-on-your-hind-legs-and-bark event of the year!

Fox 9’s Juli Jay reporting from Golden Valley May 1

Juli Jay loves her Mocha, a two-year-old Yorkshire terrier she adopted from St. Paul. She’s also one of the many media supporters who have a personal connection to Animal Humane Society. As the Fox 9 morning traffic reporter, she met Mocha when the little pup visited the station for its weekly “Pick of the Litter” segment in 2008. Within moments of meeting him, she knew Mocha was meant to be her dog. Now, the little guy lives with Juli, her husband Brad, a Fox 9 photographer, and Marley, a big beautiful collie adopted from Coon Rapids.

Juli and Brad are among a family of Fox 9 friends who invite you to be part of the Walk for Animals. Take a look at why they walk and meet them along with friends from Cities 97, Kool 108 and Radio Disney on May 1 at the Walk for Animals.

Opportunities available at Walk for Animals
Promote your business in front of thousands or volunteer!

Promote your business. If you’re looking for ways to promote your business in front of thousands of animal lovers, your search is over. Space is limited so sign up today. Walkers and their pets visit vendors before, during, and after the Walk and you’ll also be listed on the Walk for Animals website. Promote your business in front of thousands of animal lovers.

Volunteer. It takes more than 500 volunteers working alongside the staff of Animal Humane Society to put on the annual Walk for Animals. Help us continue our work for homeless and neglected animals (and be part of the biggest day for pets in Minneapolis-St. Paul!) by volunteering your time as an individual or as a group on Saturday, May 1. You’ll be guaranteed an experience you’ll never forget, plus you’ll get a T-shirt to prove it. Learn more about Walk for Animals volunteer opportunities.

Caught on tape: Training tips and tricks

Is your pet itching to add a few tricks to his repertoire? Do you have questions about your pet’s behavior and what you can do to help her be a better family pet? In each upcoming issue of Pet Dish, Animal Humane Society Training School Manager Paula Zukoff will provide video answers to your questions—whether it is about your dog, cat, guinea pig, or rabbit.

Let us know your training question by emailing petdishideas@animalhumanesociety.org.

Finding Blondie’s forever home

Spring is here and love is in the air... which means that “puppy and kitty season” has begun! Spring’s warmer weather leads to a large number of baby animals and pregnant cats and dogs—many of whom are brought in to Animal Humane Society.

Animals like Blondie, a pregnant Lab mix found wandering alone in St. Paul. Her litter of eight puppies was born a few short weeks after she came to AHS. Though we soon found homes for Blondie’s adorable babies, it wasn’t as easy to find a new family for Blondie.

Unfortunately, it is often the case that older animals are harder to adopt than kittens and puppies. And if this spring is anything like last year, we expect more than 6,500 lost and homeless cats, dogs, kittens and puppies to rely on us for shelter and medical care.

Spaying and neutering is a simple, effective way to keep our local pet population from growing out of control and reducing the number of homeless animals. That’s why your support is especially needed. There are tens of thousands of animals each year that need our help and have nowhere else to go.

That’s why I hope you can find it in your heart to make a gift today. Your donation will help us care for homeless and helpless animals like Blondie until we are able to find them forever homes.

Your donation also helps us reunite lost pets with their families, provide community outreach to teach children and adults how to humanely treat animals, investigate animal cruelty in our communities, promote spaying and neutering and so much more!

Blondie was fortunate enough to find a family who loves her and a large backyard where she can run around. But there are still so many other wonderful cats and dogs that need your help.
Please help make our 2010 Spring Campaign a success by sending a generous gift today of whatever amount you can afford, or to put your gift to work even faster, donate online at www.animalhumanesociety.org/spring.

On behalf of the animals, thank you for your friendship and generous commitment!

Answering the call of an injured trumpeter swan

More than 1 million waterfowl die each year from lead poisoning. Lead shot and tackle are abundant in our environment and are consumed by waterfowl feeding in ponds and lakes. The ingested lead sits in the gizzard and slowly leaks poison into the blood stream. If left untreated, most birds will die.

But that’s not the case for a one-year-old trumpeter swan, fondly named Pat, that arrived at AHS this winter. After receiving several calls about a swan that was frozen to the ice on the Mississippi River, Minnesota DNR and Water Patrol rescued Pat and brought him to AHS.

Upon arrival on February 1, Pat was hypothermic, emaciated, dehydrated, and had several infections. X-rays revealed he also had chronic lead poisoning from several pellets in his gizzard. AHS Wildlife Technicians gave Pat antibiotics and medication to combat the lead in his blood. He received supportive care while he grew stronger and the lead was eventually passed.

On March 8, a recovered and now healthy Pat was taken to Lake Rebecca Park Reserve and released in a protected area with dozens of trumpeter swans. AHS Wildlife Vet Technician Nicole Wallace watched his progress from the day he was brought in to the release. “I couldn't think of a better place for Pat to be. Seeing this weak debilitated 11 pound bird transform into a healthy vibrant 16 pounds and be successfully released back into the wild was so heart warming and rewarding!”

The treatment and successful release was made possible with the help of Dr. Karen Reynhout, medical director at Animal Emergency Clinic (AEC) and Michelle LaBelle-Lake, emergency vet technician at AEC and licensed wildlife rehabilitator.

Animal Humane Society’s wildlife services are utilized by private citizens and several environmental departments and law enforcement agencies. If you come across wildlife that may need assistance, call our Wildlife Department at 763-489-2223. You can also find information on our website, www.animalhumanesociety.org.

Who let the dogs out… without a microchip?

As you’re grabbing the Frisbee, collar and leash to head out for some time at the park with your dog, stop and take a moment to listen to the advice of our friend Fox 9 Meteorologist Ian Leonard. It will help you keep your pet safe. Get the next Animal Humane Society Microchip and Nail Trim Clinic on your calendar by clicking here. They’re available monthly at each AHS location. Don’t forget to microchip your cat too!