Pet Dish for September 21, 2010

In this issue:

One donation providing twice as much love
Premier dining for animals in need
In need of exceptional homes
Compassion in the classroom
Pet Tips with Paula Zukoff - Eating Sticks
More Treats
Scratching Post

One donation providing twice as much love

Every day at Animal Humane Society, we are thankful for the incredible support we receive. The animals in our community count on you to help them make the transition from being homeless to having a loving home. We are fortunate to have so many animal-loving people who donate time or resources, and open their hearts and homes to the thousands of homeless animals that arrive at our five shelters each year.

We rely on private donations to fund the programs and services that help animals get a second chance — and now your gift can have double the impact. Animal lover and dear friend of Animal Humane Society, Rebecca Pohlad has offered to match every dollar up to $30,000 on gifts you make by October 15, 2010. Thanks to this limited-time matching opportunity, your support will go twice as far to help save the lives of even more animals in need. Animals like Oscar.

Oscar, a black Lab, arrived at Animal Humane Society with multiple wounds all over his body. X-rays showed that the cause was multiple BB shots, including one that hit near his eye causing blindness in his right eye. A veterinary eye specialist was consulted and it was decided that removing his eye was the best option. Oscar was also treated for heartworm. He recovered nicely and was placed on the adoption floor.

Isabelle, a 10-year-old girl participating in our Unleashed Summer Camp fell in love with Oscar. She convinced her parents to adopt him and he settled in to his new home right away. He sleeps with Isabelle in her room at night, loves to hang out and nap outside, and plays with their other family dog, Captain. He has a huge fenced yard, a cabin to go to in the summer, and a family that loves him.

You can help animals like Oscar find the happy homes they deserve by participating in this matching opportunity. Please make a gift before October 15 to ensure we receive the matching funds.

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Premier dining for animals in need

That rare epicurean event, a favorite among animal lovers in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, is just weeks away. Join us and eight of the metro’s finest chefs at the annual Animal Humane Society Fall Wine Dinner on Friday, November 5 at The Saint Paul Hotel. Presented by the Cellars, Wines & Spirits, all proceeds from the event benefit the animals in our care. Get your tickets today.

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In need of exceptional homes

woof and catty t-shirts Earlier this month, Animal Humane Society took in 12 very special dogs in need of exceptional homes from one of our rescue partners.

It’s not clear why the animals were surrendered to a shelter in the southern part of the country, but it was clear that they had been neglected and kept distant from the rest of the world. Their coats were matted and causing pain and they were suffering from extensive dental disease and an incredible fear of people.

After weeks of treatment and care that included specialized training to help them overcome their fears and shyness, seven* of the dogs were adopted into new homes. The others are still waiting.

It’s very difficult to adopt out a large number of animals with extensive needs. It will take extraordinary owners to help these dogs live a full, happy life. Each is in need of extensive dental treatment and a home without small children that will provide them with love, care and patience to help them navigate their new world.

If you are interested in providing one of these dogs a second chance or know someone who will, please review each dog’s adoption profile by clicking on the pictures below and call our Golden Valley Adoption Team at (763) 522-4325 to learn more about their special circumstances.

*As we were preparing this issue of Pet Dish, one of the six dogs still waiting for a new home was adopted. We mistakenly did not note the exciting news in the email and still wrote that there were six dogs available. The dogs shown here are the five still waiting for their second chance.

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Compassion in the classroom

Barb Kattner’s kindergarten students listened intently to the story of “The Good Kind Giant.” The giant acquired a little boy as a pet, but didn’t understand the needs of a human child. Throughout the story, the giant learned to care for the boy, while the students learned the importance of proper care for pets. “My kids were enthralled by the story. You could just see the little wheels turning in their heads; they really got it,” says Barb, a science teacher at Nellie Stone Johnson Community School in Minneapolis.

The story of “The Good Kind Giant” is one of Animal Humane Society’s many classroom education programs that cover everything from responsible pet care and ownership, to appropriate interactions with wildlife, animal related careers, dog fighting, and more – all presented with an emphasis on compassion and respect.

The interactive presentations are provided by Animal Humane Society staff educators. Each program is tailored to the audience’s age and interest and is available for groups of any kind including schools, clubs, home school groups and community organizations.

Barb teaches science to 21 classes, kindergarten through fifth grade, and has brought Animal Humane Society education programs into every single one of those classes. “I teach a population of children that has limited exposure to animals and a lot of fear. They don’t have pets in their homes like the ones they are learning about so it has a real practical side to it.”

Getting kids excited about learning can be a great challenge for a teacher, but once a few of Barb’s classes participated in Animal Humane Society programs, her other classes wondered when their class was next. “Word spread and they all wanted to see what it was about. It can be a tough group to keep focused, but it’s amazing when they get so engaged in something,” says Barb.

The cost for each program is $50 with scholarships available. The fee can be paid for by the school, but parents are also encouraged to sponsor a program for their child’s class. Programs can be taught to groups of up to 70 students and last approximately 45-60 minutes, an amount of time Barb says is just right. “The fact that it’s just one hour and it’s entertaining allows the kids to really focus and enjoy it. If you can engage kids who normally struggle to sit still for an hour, you know it’s a successful program.”

To register for any program or for more information contact our education department at 763-489-2220 or education@animalhumanesociety.org.

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Pet Dish Pet Tips with Paula Zukoff
Does your dog like to eat sticks? Watch this Pet Dish Pet Tips video to learn more about how you can put an end to this peculiar behavior.

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 videos and emails to petdishideas@animalhumanesociety.org.

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