Pet Dish - March 15, 2011

Gigi's new beginning
Sign up for the Walk and win!
You can help stop puppy mills
Georgie's long road home
Opportunities available at the Walk for Animals
Pet Dish Tips with Paula Zukoff
More Treats
Scratching Post

Tales and Tails

Gigi's new beginning

Gigi arrived at Animal Humane Society after giving birth to a litter of puppies. Impregnated by a stray dog, the litter was unplanned and there was no one to care for the newborn puppies. Her story is all too common for many animals that are not spayed or neutered. In this case, not only was her owner unable to care for her pups, but Gigi also became too great a financial burden and they could no longer care for her too.

This story could have ended tragically, but thankfully they brought her to AHS where our staff and volunteers were waiting to help her. When Gigi arrived we gave her food, vaccinations, and, most importantly, she was spayed to prevent her from having any more unwanted puppies. She was on her way to getting a second chance at a happy life.

That chance came when she met a bright-eyed little girl and her mother one day in August. It was love at first sight. Now Gigi lives an active life with a family that quickly admits they needed her as much as she needed them.

This spring, many animals like Gigi will pass through our doors. Your generous support today can help ensure they each have a second chance. To see a video of Gigi’s story click here.

Sign up for the Walk and win!

If you haven't yet registered for the Walk for Animals, now is the time! We are giving away $50 Bubbly Paws Dog Wash gift certificates to the eight fundraisers who collect donations from locations furthest away from our Golden Valley site (as calculated by Google maps). This challenge runs through midnight tomorrow so sign up now and get in touch with your far-away friends and family!

Animal Humane Society depends on your support and all of the community to make the Walk for Animals a success. We are grateful for the generosity of our media partners including: FOX 9, Cities 97 and Radio Disney

You can help stop puppy mills

Animal Humane Society is part of a large coalition of Minnesota animal welfare organizations, veterinarians and community members working to pass a state law that will require licensing and inspection of commercial dog and cat breeding operations to prevent inhumane breeding practices. Currently, no such legislation exists.

The coalition is working to move the Dog and Cat Breeder Regulation Bill (S.F. 462/H.F. 702) forward. We hope you’ll use your voice for dogs and cats living in inhumane breeding facilities by considering doing one or more of the following:

· Sign the petition to stop puppy mills and send a link to everyone in your contact list asking if they would support the effort and your commitment to making a difference by signing the petition too.

· Tell us your story. If you have a personal story to share about your experience caring for an animal that suffered physical and/or psychological effects due to inhumane breeding, let us know. We can use your story to better explain to the public and legislators the need to bring an end to inhumane breeding in Minnesota. Submit your story.

· Stay in touch with your legislators.Your state senator and state representative want to hear about the issues that are important to you. Respectfully stay in touch with them throughout this process. Inquire how they voted when S.F. 462/H.F. 702 is heard in a committee in which they are a member and continue to express your concerns about inhumane breeding in Minnesota. Find out who represents you and which committee they sit on.

Learn more about S.F. 462/H.F. 702.

Let’s keep moving forward for companion animals. Together, we can be their voice.

Georgie's long road home

After years of her children asking for a pet, Barbara finally gave in when two kittens, Pumpernickel and Georgie, happened into their lives in 2008. Pumpernickel was a stray that followed her son home, and Georgie was a gift to her daughter. Barbara had both cats microchipped and she trained them to come when called so they could occasionally explore the outdoors. But later that year, Georgie went outside and never returned home. Barbara and her family looked everywhere for him. They called humane societies, animal control and the police, but they could not find Georgie.

Six months later, Pumpernickel seemed sad being the only cat in the house so they brought home two new cats, Spencer and his sister Charlie. But tragedy struck again in November 2010 when Spencer passed away. It was a horrible loss for the family — first Georgie and now Spencer.

Then, three months after Spencer’s passing, something happened that can only be described by Barbara as a miracle. A stray cat was brought to Animal Humane Society in Woodbury. The cat was scanned for a microchip and the information led to Barbara. After more than two years, Georgie had been found! When Barbara got the call about Georgie she was shocked and hurried in to see him. Just a few hours after arriving at Animal Humane Society, Georgie was on his way back home with Barbara and her children where he was reunited with Pumpernickel and introduced to Charlie.

It’s been three weeks since Georgie returned home and the cats are starting to adjust to their new living arrangement. Georgie appears to be remembering certain things around the house, like the little round bed he used to sleep in. Before his return, Barbara had lost faith in microchips and decided not to have Spencer and Charlie microchipped. But now, Georgie is living proof that they really do work and she plans on having Charlie microchipped.

You can increase your chances of being reunited with your pet by joining us at one of our Microchip and Nail Trim Clinics. Animal Humane Society offers microchipping clinics each month at all five locations for a reduced fee of $40. View our Events calendar for a list of upcoming dates. To watch a microchip demonstration, view the Pet Tips video in this edition of Pet Dish.

Opportunities available at the Walk for Animals
Vendors and volunteers, step right up!

Promote your business. Ten thousand animal lovers are expected to gather in one spot on a single day at the Walk for Animals on April 30. Imagine how you can promote your business or service! Space is limited so sign up today. Vendors are listed on the Walk for Animals website prior to the event and walkers visit vendors before, during, and after the Walk.

Volunteer. It takes more than 500 volunteers working alongside Animal Humane Society staff to put on the annual Walk for Animals. Help us continue our work for homeless and neglected animals by volunteering your time as an individual or as a group on Saturday, April 30. You’ll have an experience you’ll never forget, plus you’ll get a T-shirt to prove it.
Learn more about Walk for Animals volunteer opportunities.

Pet Dish Tips with Paula Zukoff

Providing identification for your pet will significantly improve your chances of being reunited in the event they become lost. Microchipping is a safe and convenient way to ensure your pet has a permanent form of identification. Learn more about it from AHS Behavior and Training Manager Paula Zukoff in this edition of Pet Dish Pet Tips.