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Pet Dish for September 16, 2009

In this issue:

• Motivated by passion
• Walter the cat bounces from shelter to home and back again
• Calling all parents and teachers
• Animal Humane Society removes 29 dogs from property in Fillmore County
• Show your support
• More Treats
• Scratching Post

Motivated by passion
Becky Pohlad offers you a special chance to go twice as far
If you’ve been thinking about making a contribution to Animal Humane Society, consider giving a gift in the next month. Animal lover and friend of AHS Becky Pohlad has agreed to match all donations up to $20,000 between now and October 15.

“Every day in this terrible economy, people are letting animals go because they can’t pay their bills or care for their family,” explains Becky. “Our pets can’t ask for help so we must do it for them. If we can do something financially, we absolutely must.”

Becky Pohlad has always been an animal lover. She remembers fondly how as a young girl she used her allowance one Easter to buy a baby duckling at the Ben Franklin store. Under her care, the dime store purchase soon grew into a healthy adult and had to be given to a local farmer. But her parents continued to nurture her love of animals by giving her a black dachshund for Christmas. Her joy complete, she created an elaborate name for her new dog in honor of the season: Christi Christmas Christen.

Ever since her family returned to Minnesota, Becky has been a loyal supporter of AHS. “My husband Bob always says that passion about something you do is important and I agree.” She is motivated to help in any way she can.

About a year ago, Becky and Bob decided they were ready to put their time and energy into another German shepherd puppy. Hannah has been a wonderful addition to their family and today there are few things Becky loves more than simply walking into the house. “There is a certain presence there with Luca, Tasha, and now Hannah… I just can’t imagine our home without them.”

Click here to make your donation go twice as far

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Walter the cat bounces from shelter to home and back again

Sometimes an animal gets returned. She or he gets adopted only to be returned the following day or week, even sometimes the following year.  For one reason or another, it doesn’t work out with their new family. Walter’s reason is that he’s always seeking approval from landlords.

Walter arrived on our doorstep for the first time as a kitten back in August 2005. He wasn’t allowed by his owner’s landlord. But being a cute and cuddly kitten, he was adopted without haste. He spent the next three years in his new home growing, learning and being part of a family. Then his family moved and the new landlord’s door was another not open to frisky felines.

We welcomed Walter back at AHS earlier this year and were excited to see him go back into a new home on June 1. But come June 27, he was back. He didn’t get along with the resident cat.

Now this beautiful, black-and-white cat is back to where he started so long ago as a kitten. “Walter has been in and out of shelters his entire life,” says Anne Ahiers, customer service supervisor in St. Paul. “He has never known a family for more than three years.”

Click here for more information if you can provide Walter with a lasting home.

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Calling all parents and teachers - AHS coming to your schools
Animal Humane Society is here to engage the hearts, hands, and minds of the community to help animals—and that community includes your kids! Let us help you bring humane education programs to your kids’ school.

Humane education is about more than basic commands, entertaining tricks or strolling obediently at your knee. Humane education is really about the humanity involved in treating animals and people right. For nearly half a century, we have reached out to the communities we serve to provide exceptional education and a proactive voice for animals. We offer an array of subjects geared to different ages from learning about the ways animals communicate to providing anti-dog fighting education that gives students an understanding of how that type of animal abuse effects animals and the community. Through humane education, animals become happier, healthier and safer, while the people who love them gain new insight into what it means to be human.

What is humane education?
Humane education is just one facet of character education. At its core, it is about social responsibility, making educated choices, and nurturing a reverence for life.
Why is humane education important?
In a time when strict education requirements often leave little room in the curriculum for so-called "extras," humane education provides a motivator for students to learn. It can incorporate important concepts like respect, compassion, and responsibility into nearly every subject area.

In addition, humane education plays a critical role in helping to identify and address issues related to The Link. The Link Studies show that there is a high likelihood that a person who commits a violent crime as an adult also committed acts of animal cruelty as a child. Also, there is almost always a link between domestic violence and animal abuse. In households with domestic violence, pets are 15% more likely to be harmed or killed than in other households. In approximately 66% of domestic abuse households, the abusive parent had killed or injured the animal to discipline the child. Through humane education, we hope to bring an end to this kind of violence.

AHS exists to provide a voice for those animals who cannot speak for themselves. By providing humane education, as well as other forms of character education in schools, we are teaching our children to be aware of the life around them and how their choices impact animals in our society.

To find out more about bringing humane education programs to your school or community group,, click here.

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Animal Humane Society removes 29 dogs from property in Fillmore County
Now looking to work with partners to help rehabilitate and rehome dogs
Animal Humane Society removed 29 dogs from a property in southern Minnesota last week in cooperation with the Fillmore County Sheriff’s Department. All 29 dogs are now being cared for in Animal Humane Society’s Golden Valley facility. They will be undergoing medical evaluations.

Originally a complaint from a citizen was received by Fillmore County authorities regarding the care and welfare of numerous dogs on a property located near Preston, Minn. According to Keith Streff, AHS humane agent, the sheriff’s office observed numerous dogs living in unsanitary conditions and without adequate shelter on a property without running water or electricity. Sadly, the dogs were being fed a diet consisting of scraps and dead animal carcasses. AHS was called to assist and to bring the dogs to AHS's Golden Valley location for medical treatments and rehabilitation. The owner voluntarily surrendered the dogs into the care of AHS on Wednesday, September 9, 2009. Read more…

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Show your support
Whisker Whirl is less than two weeks away and promises to be a spectacular evening that will raise much needed funds for the homeless and neglected animals that come into our care. Many people stepped up to support Animal Humane Society and we’d like to invite you to get to know them a little better:

• Grab an issue of Mpls St Paul Magazine and watch Channel 45 News Anchor Megan Newquist every night at 9 p.m.
• Take a sip of the finer things with Broadway Liquor Outlet and Finnegans Irish Amber.
• Whip up a batch of biscuits from one of the many delectable recipes found in Master Bread Maker Klecko's new book, K-9 Nation Biscuit Book: Baking for Your Best Friend.

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Free castration clinic for MN horses
AHS, in partnership with the Minnesota Horse Welfare Coalition and the Minnesota Horse Council, are offering a free, one-day horse castration clinic on September 26, 2009, at the Washington County Fairgrounds in Lake Elmo, Minn. through the Gelding Project. The goal of the clinic is to reduce the number of unwanted horses in Minnesota. The unwanted horse is the single biggest welfare issue facing the horse industry today. Learn more…

Puppy Mill Awareness Day - Saturday, September 19
As you know, the Minnesota Puppy and Kitten Mill Bill (Senate File 7 and House File 253) regulating the dog and cat breeding industry in the state will be voted on again in early 2010 in the Minnesota Legislature. Please take this day to remind friends, family and others in your community about the importance of this legislation. Help us raise awareness and get one step closer to putting an end to inhumane dog and cat breeding in Minnesota.

Learn more.

Spread the word.

And take action.

Where will your kids stay on a no-school day?
Looking for something different to do on those no-school days this fall? Come to an Unleashed Express Mini Camp! Participants will enjoy a variety of animal-related activities, from crafts and games to educational activities. They’ll explore behind-the-scenes at AHS shelters and will use CSI-style science activities to investigate animal-related crimes. Unleashed Express campers will also contribute to improving the lives of shelter animals by building cat beds to be used in all five AHS shelters. Learn more and register online

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A special wish list for cats
With more than 21,000 felines coming to AHS each year, cats are often met with an extended stay while they wait for a new home on our adoption floors. The days can get long and in an effort to keep each cat stimulated, we’re asking for donations of cat toys (without cat nip and not made out of real fur). Can you make a small toy donation to help a cat? Learn more….

Caring for urban chickens
You can be the first to attend a class on companion chicken care in Minneapolis. Join Chicken Run Rescue at their city chicken care class to be held at AHS in Golden Valley from 124 p.m. on Sunday, September 27 to learn a basic understanding of living with chickens, the commitment required to care for them and about the rewarding bond that can develop between humans and chickens. The class is for those with chickens or considering getting them, animal control professionals, shelter staff and veterinary technicians (CE credits available). Pre-registration required. For a $20 donation, tours of CRR will be provided. Learn more about the class and review the agenda PDF.

Be My Hero
It’s never been easier to show that you care about homeless and neglected animals. Pledge your support of AHS through the Purina ONE Hope Network’s Be My Hero campaign and they’ll donate $5 to AHS and participating shelters across the U.S.—up to $500,000! Create your volunteer profile at http://www.bemyhero.com/ to get started. Purina ONE is counting pledges, not volunteer hours, so please pledge even if you can’t volunteer at this time.

Volunteer opportunities are available at AHS! Current volunteer opportunities at AHS allow you to provide foster care in your home for animals in need of special treatment or too young for our adoption centers. Volunteers are also needed to care for shelter animals in all aspects of care, especially at our beautiful Buffalo facility.

Every homeless and neglected animal needs a hero. Pledge your support today.

Care for animals all year long
One simple commitment can help homeless and neglected animals all year long. Partner with AHS through its PAW (planned account withdrawal) program—you choose how much you want to donate and we’ll automatically deduct your gift from your credit card each month. That’s one commitment that provides 12 months of care. Learn more…

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