Pet Dish for May 18, 2010

In this issue:

Walk for Animals
Cats in crisis
Animal House a favorite new place for golden retriever Duke
Pre-sale of “A Dog’s Purpose” benefits Animal Humane Society
Pet Dish Pet Tips with Paula Zukoff
More Treats
Scratching Post

Walk for Animals Banner

More than 10,000 animal lovers and 5,000 of their pets came together in Golden Valley on Saturday, May 1 for the 36^th annual Walk for Animals. Together they raised more than $1 million dollars to support the programs and services of Animal Humane Society and we couldn’t be more grateful.

“We are overwhelmed by the tremendous support of the community whose contributions allow us to do the incredible work we do for animals. We are humbled by their generosity,” said Janelle Dixon, president/CEO of Animal Humane Society. “We could not do what we do for animals without the community’s support.”

To view exciting photos from the day’s events, click here.

(back to top)

Cats in crisis

Cats are in crisis across the country. For years, they have been roaming our communities and filling shelters one after another. And although they’re met at shelter doors with care and concern, these cats face two cumbersome hurdles. They are viewed by many with a limited perceived value in our communities and there are thousands upon thousands of felines competing for a limited number of homes—cats like Dock, Francine, Lucy and Cookie.

The four loveable cats have been residents of our St. Paul facility for some time, one since December 2009. The struggle to find a home will become more difficult as more cats arrive at our shelters over the busy summer months. You can help by giving one of them a home today.

Learn more about Cats in Crisis: Why so many are homeless and how we can help them.

(back to top)

Animal House a favorite new place for golden retriever Duke

Duke loves being at home with Don and Kathy Graupmann. The four-year-old golden retriever’s favorite activity is going on walks with Don in the woods. But when Don found out he had to have surgery, the Graupmann’s wondered what they would do with Duke. He was too powerful for Kathy to handle, and Don wouldn’t be able to walk him for a few weeks while he recovered.

After calling several boarding facilities, Don and Kathy brought Duke to Animal House, the pet boarding facility at Animal Humane Society’s Golden Valley campus. “I called around and everyone was going to cost more,” says Kathy, who knew that boarding a pet for a few weeks could get quite expensive.

When they dropped Duke off they felt good about the place they chose. They liked how clean it was and that Duke had a big area all to himself. “I was so impressed. I was able to call them anytime and check on him—see how he was doing and if he was behaving. And they would call me if he needed anything,” says Kathy.

After three weeks Don and Kathy were ready to bring Duke home. When they picked him up, the staff came out to say goodbye to their new friend. Kathy says she knows Duke had a good time at Animal House. “He was totally happy there. I think he thought, ‘if I can’t be home with dad, then I’m happy here!’”

The Graupmann’s even credit Animal House for a recent change in Duke’s behavior. “He’s always been a little wild, but ever since we brought him home he’s like a completely different dog. He’s calmed down considerably,” says Kathy. And that’s good because, as she notes, “that dog is a big part of Don’s healing process. We’re happy to have him home.”

Animal House, pet boarding at Animal Humane Society offers care by experienced and compassionate staff for your dog, cat, rabbit, ferret or small animal. Your pet will enjoy our clean, well-maintained accommodations, outdoor dog exercise runs and large indoor cat play area. And the best part is your boarding fee helps Animal Humane Society care for the nearly 35,000 homeless and neglected animals we take in each year. Learn more about Animal House by clicking here.

(back to top)

Pre-sale of “A Dog’s Purpose” benefits Animal Humane Society

On July 6, “A Dog’s Purpose,” the remarkable story of one endearing dog’s search for his purpose over the course of several lives, will be released to the public. But you can purchase your copy now and help Animal Humane Society. For all orders placed before July 1, Minneapolis bookstore Wild Rumpus will donate 10% of each pre-sale order to Animal Humane Society.

“A Dog’s Purpose,” by New York Times Bestselling Author and nationally syndicated newspaper columnist W. Bruce Cameron follows the life of a dog who lives not one, but multiple lives, from feral animal to hoarded dog to beloved pet to rescue canine. Eventually the dog understands that life is more than just living, it is about doing something. There must be a reason why he keeps being reborn, and he believes he needs to discover that reason—his purpose.

Dr. Marty Becker, resident veterinarian for Good Morning America and The Dr. Oz Show says, “Anyone who has ever loved a dog needs to read this wise, touching, often hilarious book.”

To support this effort, all you need to do is pre-order your copy of “A Dog’s Purpose” before July 1.

(back to top)

Pet Dish Pet Tips with Paula Zukoff
In this first installment of Pet Dish Pet Tips, Animal Humane Society's Behavior and Training Manager, Paula Zukoff will show you the best ways to protect your yard and garden from your pup's digging tendancies!

Don’t forget to send us your training questions
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? Let us know your training question by sending us an email - or better yet sending a video showing us the problems you're having with your pup! Send vidoes and emails to petdishideas@animalhumanesociety.org.

(back to top)