PAWS to Thnk, Volume 2 issue 2 by sayhfdec

Paws to Think

Spring 2003 Volume 2, Issue 2 www.petsavers.org

contents Letter from the Editors...................................................................................................................................... 1 Calendar of Events ............................................................................................................................................ 2 What’s News? ........................................................................................................................................................ 3 Statewide Initiatives – Not New To Virginia.......................................................................................... 8 Your Outta Control Dog..................................................................................................................................13 Helping People Help Feral Cats................................................................................................................. 14 Pet Photo Contest..............................................................................................................................................20 Neuter Commuter..............................................................................................................................................22 Letters To The Editors .....................................................................................................................................24 From The Golden Gate To The Empire State........................................................................................26 CHAMP Registration Application..............................................................................................................27 Special Thanks to The Kenneth A. Scott Charitable Trust, A KeyBank Trust, for their generous support!

The Pet Savers Foundation proud parent organization of SPAY/USA • host of the annual Conference on Homeless Animal Management and Policy Headquarters 2261 Broadbridge Avenue Stratford, CT 06614-3801 203-377-1116 • 203-375-6627 fax

1 (800) 248-SPAY SPAY/USA Administrative Office: 2261 Broadbridge Avenue Stratford, CT 06614-3801 203-377-1116 • 203-375-6627 fax www.spayusa.org alwaysspay@aol.com Esther Mechler, Director

info@petsavers.org www.petsavers.org All inquiries should be directed to the administrative office.

Administrative Office 59 South Bayles Avenue Port Washington, NY 11050-3728 516-883-7767 • 516-944-5035 fax

Conference on Homeless Animal Management and Policy CHAMP Administrative Office: 59 South Bayles Avenue Port Washington, NY 11050-3728 516-883-7767 • 516-944-5035 fax www.champconference.org info@champconference.org Teresa Dockery, Director

Paws to Think is an official publication of The Pet Savers Foundation, a nonprofit organization located at 59 S. Bayles Avenue, Port Washington, NY 11050. The Pet Savers Foundation advocates for humane organizations to improve their management skills while developing effective working relationships with other animal welfare organizations. Paws to Think is published quarterly and distributed to more than 30,000 animal caregivers, veterinarians, and animal welfare organizations around the world. You can receive Paws to Think four times each year for a suggested minimum donation of $20 each year.

Letter From The Editors

As we send this edition of Paws to Think to print, we are gearing up for many exciting events – the CHAMP conference in July, the summer edition of Paws, with an exciting new campaign, and the Southern Regional Leadership Conference the last weekend in October. In preparing for each of these projects, our objective is to give you the tools and resources to expand the valuable work you do each day to improve the lives of animals in your community. If you've read Paws to Think or attended CHAMP or the Southern Regional Leadership Conference, you know that, while we provide a wealth of information to help with the day to day activities of animal care and protection, we place a special emphasis on preventing unwanted births. Pet overpopulation is the single biggest – and preventable – cause of cat/dog homelessness in this country. We aggressively promote spay/neuter and owner retention programs and are looking for ways to do more. In the summer edition of Paws, we'll tell you more about the launch of the "Prevention, Not Destruction!" campaign. We want you to join us in this important mission because ... Together We Make a Difference.

Esther Mechler Co-Director of The Pet Savers Foundation

Teresa Dockery Co-Director of The Pet Savers Foundation

Paws to Think • Spring 2003 • Volume 2, Issue 2 • The Pet Savers Foundation • www.petsavers.org

Calendar of Events 2003 MAY 29 – 31 National Animal Control Association Conference • St. Louis, Missouri • 913-768-1319 • naca@interserv.com JUNE 4–7

Jazzpur Society For Animal Protection – A.L.I.V.E. • Ontario, Canada • 519-258-9299, conference2003@jazzpur.org

JULY 31 through AUGUST 3 Conference on Homeless Animal Management & Policy (CHAMP) • St. Louis, Missouri • 516-883-7767 • www. champconference.org SCHOOL

SEPTEMBER 7 – 10

American Humane Association Conference • Anaheim, California • www.americanhumane.org

10 - 14 Association of Pet Dog Trainers Conference • Orlando, Florida • 916-443-3855 • apdt@details.com 12 - 13 Humane Alliance Spay/Neuter Clinic How To Open And Operate A High Volume, Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Clinic • Asheville, North Carolina • 828-252-2079 • www.humanealliance.org OCTOBER 2-4

Tufts Expo • Boston, Massachusetts • 800-642-9429

23 - 26 SPAY/USA Southern Regional Leadership Conference • New Orleans, Louisiana • 800-2487729

Registration Form On Page 27! 2

Paws to Think •Spring 2003 • Volume 2, Issue 2 • The Pet Savers Foundation • www.petsavers.org

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News From California Sacramento’s new mobile spay clinic held its first event February 23rd as part of Spay Day USA events. The new 24' long van is equipped to handle 2 vets working simultaneously. The $96,000 cost of the clinic was funded from spay/neuter deposits. It includes a large generator, two surgery lights, adjustable surgery table, a prep table that can be used as a surgery table, stainless steel caging, two air conditioners, two anesthesia machines, a refrigerator, an autoclave, a pull-out digital scale, etc.

In each issue of Paws to Think, we will feature developments in animal welfare that are taking place around the country and the world. Contributions are welcome and encouraged, and may be submitted to Esther Mechler at alwaysspay@aol.com or Teresa Dockery at teresad@petsavers.org

Spay/neuter packs and other consumable supplies are not included in the purchase price. For more information contact Hector R. Cázares, Animal Care Services Manager, City of Sacramento, 916-2647433, fax 916-264-5386 ✿✿✿✿✿

Mayor Heather Fargo and Senior Animal Care Officer Jim Seabrooks console German Shepherd Costello following his surgery on Spay Day. Seabrooks and Fargo joined others from the Sacramento area to provide over 600 spay/neuter surgeries to the pets of low-income families at several facilities across the region on February 23.

The Sacramento Area Animal Coalition in collaboration with local vets, vet techs, UC Davis veterinary medical students, shelter staff, rescue groups and volunteers also provided rabies and distemper vaccinations. The group is seeking recognition from the Guiness Organization for a World Record for the "Most Animals Spay-Neutered in a Single-Day Event". Good luck SAAC! For more information contact Jennifer Fearing, Sacramento Area Animal Coalition, 916207-0983 ✿✿✿✿✿ The Spay Neuter Action Project (SNAP) of San Diego County has been promoting responsible pet care and providing reduced fee spay/neuter referrals to cooperating veterinarians along with subsidies and other incen-

tives for over 12 years. With the arrival of the "Neuter Scooter" SNAP can now bring public awareness and education plus spay and neuter procedures. Reduced spay and neuter fees ($20 for cats, $30 for male dogs and $40 for female dogs) will be charged to needs-assessed clients thanks to private, commercial and public subsidies. Additionally, SNAP has established a fund to underwrite (and incentivize) the altering of pits, chows, rotties and mixes of same. For more information contact Candy at canspay@aol.com or 858456-0452 cont’d on page 4

Paws to Think • Spring 2003 • Volume 2, Issue 2 • The Pet Savers Foundation • www.petsavers.org

What’s News? – cont’d from page 3

News From Georgia PROJECT CATSNIP™ Metro Atlanta's first and only mobile surgical unit specializing in spays and neuters for cats is coming to Paulding County. The Paulding County animal control in association with the Paulding Humane Society is sponsoring Project CatSnip to encourage each resident to help solve the area's severe cat overpopulation problem by having their cats spayed or neutered. PROJECT CATSNIP™ provides low-cost cat spay and neuter surgery currently in 12 metropolitan Atlanta counties. For more information contact Bob Christiansen, Atlanta Animal Alliance Spay/Neuter Fund, 770448-6806, info@projectcatsnip.com, www.projectcatsnip.com

Bozeman City Commission sponsored Gallatin County Pet Care Week and "All the Fixin’s" in October. Veterinarians, veterinary technicians, Pre-Vet students from Montana State University, HSUS staff from Billings, Cat Sanctuary from Billings and citizens came together at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds in Bozeman to volunteer their time to spay/neuter area dogs and cats for pet owners who could not otherwise afford the surgery. The five-day event was responsible for sterilizing over 1,100 animals, 70 percent of them cats. The area hopes that this event will be the first of many such clinics.

News From Oklahoma News From Montana The Gallatin County Commissioners and the

StreetCats, a non-profit, all volunteer feline rescue group provides shelter for unwanted cats and oper-

ates a program known as "A Stitch In Time" in the Tulsa area. This is a nocost trap/spay-neuter/ return program utilizing the assistance of area veterinarians who spay or neuter and vaccinate the cats for rabies. For more information contact Kat Veale at 918-298-0104.

✿✿✿✿✿ In January, 2003 PETsMART Charities, Inc. granted $43,400 to the Oklahoma Pre-Spring Clearance!©, a project of Homeward Bound Humane Society of Durant, OK. This project was conceived by Ruth Steinberger, and emphasizes that spay/neuter efforts in the early spring, before litters of puppies and kittens are born, is the best way to maximize both the humane and financial benefits of the efforts. After assisting other rural Oklahoma humane societies in planning spay/neuter programs it became evident

that offering a large number of surgeries to the lowest-income families in the region, and doing so during the late winter through early spring, would offer a strategy to get ahead of the yearly "crisis"; unwanted litters that are born each spring. An organized teamwork to serve animals long after the project is completed is evolving. Through the participation of local vets, along with the Arkansans for Animals (AFA) Mobile Animal Surgical Hospital, Joyce Hillard, Director, around 1,700 sterilizations will be offered to low-income families. Oklahoma is the seventh poorest state in the Nation. For more information contact Ruth Steinberger at 918-3678999 or rhsteinberger1@ yahoo.com

News From Oregon The Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon (FCCO), a nonprofit, mobile spay/neuter program, is proud to announce the landmark achievement of spaying its 15,000th cat. Number cont’d on page 5

Paws to Think •Spring 2003 • Volume 2, Issue 2 • The Pet Savers Foundation • www.petsavers.org

What’s News? – cont’d from page 4

15,000 was a little brown female tabby cat, brought to the clinic January 12, 2003 in Sweet Home, Oregon, where 92 cats were spayed or neutered. The cats that are altered by FCCO do not have homes; they are either stray or abandoned. With a 24-foot state-of-the-art mobile hospital, designed specifically for spaying and neutering cats, FCCO holds clinics in cities throughout the state and sterilizes an average of 75 cats per clinic – a total of 3,000 cats every year. FCCO is volunteer-based with more than 300 volunteers and just three employees. All of the veterinarians who participate volunteer their time. For more information contact Christie Nye, 503-5467812, pr@christienye.com

News From Texas The Texas Coalition for Animal Protection (TCAP) announced the opening of a new low cost pet vaccination and sterilization program that will be open to the communi-

ty at large, regardless of income. The program is a collaborative effort between area animal welfare groups, animal control organizations and the Texas Coalition for Animal Protection. The Denton Spay and Neuter Program is open for community service and prices for pet sterilization start at $5.00. All pets entering the facility without a current rabies vaccination will receive one at the time of surgery for $5.00. Vaccinations are offered on a walk-in basis. The Texas Coalition for Animal Protection (TCAP) is a nonprofit organization that was formed to serve as a resource for Texas animal shelters and animal welfare organizations. TCAP helps organizations establish their own mobile and stationary low cost pet sterilization programs. The organization also works with animal shelters and independent animal welfare organizations to evaluate the needs of their communities and to establish new programs and to foster support for their efforts from city leaders. For more informa-

tion contact Stacey Mitchel, 940-566-5551 ✿✿✿✿✿

The Texas Department of Health awarded $250,000 to twelve eligible organizations across Texas for spaying and neutering dogs and cats of lowincome families. The Texas Legislature mandates funding from the sale of Animal Friendly plates be used for reduced and no cost spaying and neutering programs. This is the first time that the State of Texas has funded spaying and neutering programs for dogs and cats in an effort to address the statewide public health crisis of animal overpopulation. For more information contact SpayNeuter Assistance Program (SNAP) at 800762-7762 or www.snapus.org

News From Virginia

Spay Virginia, a project of the Virginia Federation of Humane Societies that assists regional groups in developing programs to spay/neuter more animals has launched a second regional project in Charlottesville and surrounding counties. Made possible by a grant from PETsMART Charities, Spay Virginia Piedmont Region has begun a cooperative program involving 8 organizations in 4 counties. The program will provide for over 1,000 additional spay/neuters in cooperation with area veterinarians. A spay/neuter shuttle program for pet owners without transportation will be expanded, an education program developed and a structure put in place to ensure that the program becomes self-sufficient. For more information contact spayva@vfhs.org ✿✿✿✿✿ In an effort to further reduce the number of homeless animals living in the Greater Richmond area, the Richmond SPCA constructed a spay-neuter clinic, named Smoky’s Spay-Neuter Clinic, in its cont’d on page 6

Paws to Think • Spring 2003 • Volume 2, Issue 2 • The Pet Savers Foundation • www.petsavers.org

What’s News? – cont’d from page 5

state-of-the-art RobinsStarr Humane Center. "By using the services of our spay-neuter clinic, our community partners work with the Richmond SPCA to control pet population numbers in a humane and responsible fashion and to make this a no-kill community," said Robin Starr, the SPCA’s CEO. Aside from spaying and neutering, Smoky’s SpayNeuter Clinic also offers low-cost vaccines, and free pain relief. Additionally, the clinic will spay pregnant and inheat females in need of the surgery.

News From Brazil The first known fully licensed low-cost spay clinic in Brazil is now open for business in São Paulo. After almost one year of planning and preparation the Centro de Planejamento de Natalidade Animal ("CPNA"), (Center for Animal Birth Planning), is

performing around 50 sterilizations per day with a goal of achieving 100 per day shortly. CPNA also participates in a program sponsored by the city of São Paulo that subsidizes 3,000 surgery packages (includes sterilization surgery, vaccines, de-wormer and registration) per month for the truly poor. Five animal protection organizations have entered into contracts with the city, allowing each to receive subsidies for 600 surgery packages per month directed towards street animals or animals owned by extremely poor individuals. It is then up to the five groups to either find veterinarians that agree to perform the services for the payment offered by the city, or raise funds in order to pay for the difference. The city program requires that the packages be given at no charge to the animal owner. In a city where veterinarians charge on average $90 for a spay surgery (and the average monthly wage is $60), the animal protection organizations have difficulties finding veteri-

narians who will collaborate with them. CPNA provides the entire package (sterilization surgery, de-wormer, vaccines and city registration) for the amount that the city pays, thereby relieving the animal protection groups of having to do additional fundraising. CPNA offers to the animal protection organizations a bus outfitted with cages to transport animals to/from the clinic for no extra charge. Often owners do not have a way to bring their animals to the clinic. For more information please visit www.cpna.com.br

News From Israel Adela Gertner, established SPAY/ISRAEL in 2002 along with other animal welfare activists, to fill a very important void in the Israeli animal welfare movement, namely the promotion of spaying and neutering of cats and dogs. With a very limited budget SPAY/ISRAEL has had some great accomplishments including a grow-

ing network of vets nationwide who have agreed to provide spay and neuter services at a reduced cost. An informative SPAY/ISRAEL pamphlet was printed and plans are to print more to meet the great demand. Volunteers also work to provide public education for adults and in the schools. Campaigns are run in various municipalities with the cooperation of the municipal veterinary services, the local vets and animal welfare organizations. The first of which was in Rishon L’Tzion with the local animal organization, Rishon Loves Animals and the Municipal Veterinary Services. SPAY/ISRAEL also works closely with The Cat Welfare Society of Israel on feral cat issues. At least 10-20% of all calls come from cat feeders. On November 18, 2002 delegates from various Israeli organizations took part in the fifth International Companion Animal Welfare Conference in Prague. It was a great conference and a triumph for the cont’d on page 7

Paws to Think •Spring 2003 • Volume 2, Issue 2 • The Pet Savers Foundation • www.petsavers.org

What’s News? – cont’d from page 6

Israeli’s animal welfare movement.

At the ICAWC in Prague, left to right: Clarissa Baldwin, Director, National Canine Defence League; Esther Mechler, Director, SPAY/USA; Adela Gertner, Director, SPAY/ISRAEL; Roger Weeks, Director, North Shore Animal League International; and Becky Robinson, Director, Alley Cat Allies

As the situation in Israel becomes more difficult, it is evermore important to safeguard moral values and give a voice to those who cannot speak for themselves. For more information about SPAY/ISRAEL you can visit our website at www.spayisrael.org.il

News From Turkey The new Turkish Parliament is reviving the Animal Protection Law that has been lying dormant for 15 years, and the Environmental Commission has recently been looking into the drafting of the Law. The provisions make it compulsory for munici-

palities to create compounds for the collection of stray dogs, as the law will explicitly forbid the killing of these animals by anyone, including the municipalities themselves. For the authorities, this will be the only way left for them to resolve the stray dog problem. So, Perihan Agnelli with Fethiye Hayvan Dostlari Dernegi requested a meeting with the Environmental Minister to discuss the Neuter and Return project. A meeting was granted with his assistant, Mr. Hakki Sutluoglu who was unaware of the concept of Neuter and Return – for him there were only two solutions in the past i.e. killing or compounds. He was told that these large compounds would eventually become too small to accommodate the number of dogs that will be collected, and the stray dog problem would never be resolved. His reaction to the concept of Neuter and Return was one of astonishment and surprise that such a program would be able to sort out the stray dog problem. It was suggested

that a Neuter and Return program be adopted as policy within the framework of the Animal Protection Law, and the concept of creating large compounds be replaced by introducing small holding enclosures and the setting up of strategic properlyequipped operating facilities. The idea was presented to the Chairman of the Environment Commission, Mr. Ahmet Munir Erkal. He has requested additional information and will consider the proposal. ✿✿✿✿✿ Fethiye Hayvan Dostlari Dernegi was fortunate to receive a visit from a Veterinary friend from Berlin, Larissa Neubert, and her two daughters, Katya and Jenny, in October, during which time the Mobile Clinic was taken back to the Fethiye covered market after an earlier visit in May. The first job was to make a cat-catcher from a hulahoop, a handle and some netting. This proved effective and less stressful than other methods,

although the first attempt was a failure as the cat skitted away from underneath the hoop – just as the local TV was recording! The wire cage cattrap was also put to use, and was quite successful during the three days of spaying and neutering. The group scampering over and under the market roof to catch cats was featured in Turkish national newspapers.

Whilst the clinic was in the town centre street dogs were given a booster jab against rabies and parasites. The townsfolk certainly have a different attitude towards strays now, and the group is encouraged by this. Turkey wishes a special thanks to the Neubert family for giving their time and effort to this project. ✿

Paws to Think • Spring 2003 • Volume 2, Issue 2 • The Pet Savers Foundation • www.petsavers.org

Statewide Initiatives Not New To Virginia • The passage of mandatory The State Federation of rules and regulations for Virginia has been bringing city and county municipal together animal shelters, shelters; animal control officers, rescuers, educators and other • The improvement of shelanimal caregivers for over 40 ters in Virginia through years. Founded in 1959 by assistance to private Pearl Rainwater Twyne, the organizations and municiVirginia Federation of palities in planning new Humane Societies continues shelters and renovating to carry out Ms. Twyne’s existing shelters; original mission – to provide Peggy Allen, President of the Virginia Federation of Humane • The development of spay leadership and support for Societies, provides information at a fundraising event. and neuter programs, organizations around the fund-raising projects, volstate so together the care and pro- The Virginia Federation of Humane unteer programs and tection of animals will be improved. Societies has been a leader of the animal welfare movement in improvements in shelter Initially involving the Northern and Virginia and is directly responsible operations across the Tidewater areas of Virginia, the for expanding the protection of state; organization has expanded to Virginia’s animals through educaencompass all corners of the State. tional opportunities, better animal • The improvement of Virginia’s Comprehensive Animal Laws; The general objectives that were protection laws and expanded reladeveloped in 1959 for the Virginia tionships with local and state gov• The development of a model disFederation of Humane Societies are ernmental agencies. The Federation aster preparedness plan for animal just as valid today as they were is credited with significant accomwelfare organizations and animal then. They include acting as an plishments that have benefited the control agencies; and advisor to new animal care and pro- quality of life for animals not only tection organizations; fostering in Virginia but also throughout the • The assurance that localities are responsible for Animal Control humane attitudes through educa- nation. A few of the Federation’s Officers receiving basic training tion and public relations activities; accomplishments include: and continuing education. assisting organizations with program and structure development to • The passage of Virginia’s original In addition, the Federation routinely strengthen their missions; and Animal Welfare Act; provides information and assistance working toward the elimination of • The establishment of a Humane to national, state, and local organicruelty to all animals. (See story on Investigator Course; zations and agencies throughout the page 13.) cont’d on page 9

Paws to Think •Spring 2003 • Volume 2, Issue 2 • The Pet Savers Foundation • www.petsavers.org

Statewide Initiatives • cont’d from page 8

United States and works with state agencies, animal control departments and other organizations to ensure animal protection and further animal welfare education. The Virginia Federation of Humane Societies operates within the guidelines of By-Laws and Articles of Incorporation that established it as a nonprofit, charitable organization. A Statement of Principles and Beliefs provides a point of reference for member organizations in responding to issues related to animal welfare. This statement covers topics such as pet overpopulation, euthanasia, and the surrender of animals and is instrumental in providing a common platform to guide member organizations and other animal-related groups and individuals. An Executive Committee consisting of officers directs the Federation. Three categories of membership are offered by the organization. Active Members include nonprofit organizations incorporated for at least one year; Associate Members include nonprofit unincorporated organizations or animal-related agencies; and Supporting Members include individuals. All categories of members must have objectives consistent with those of the Federation. The Federation’s annual conference, held the latter part of March, provides educational and training opportunities for its member organizations, animal control agencies, rescue groups, and other interested

animal-related groups and individuals. Many of the workshops provide continuing education credits required by the State for animal control officers and humane investigators. As a result of increasing attendance, the conference has been expanded to a three-day event. This year it was hosted by the Richmond SPCA in its beautiful new state-ofthe-art facility. (See story on page 11.) Several years ago the Federation embarked on an aggressive outreach program to address the needs of private and municipal shelters to meet the standards of compliance with the regulations and State Code mandated by Virginia’s General Assembly. This was accomplished with the support of The Humane Society of the United States. Assistance included the assessment of individual facilities with recommendations for structural modifications and improvements in animal placement and operating procedures. In some cases funding was procured to purchase needed equipment or to provide materials and supplies for the training of shelter personnel. A current focus of the Federation is the "Spay Virginia" project, which was created to develop resources for low-cost spaying and neutering. The State has been divided into 13 regions in which existing resources are identified and localities are advised in ways to develop funding for the creation of additional opportunities for spaying and neutering.

CHAMP July 31 – August 3, 2003 St. Louis, Missouri

Pre-Conference Event State Federations and Statewide Initiatives Join the first-ever meeting of State Federations. If a State Federation is in your future or you are involved in a statewide initiative, this event is a must. Facilitated by two successful Federations, Texas and Virginia, the presentation will inform you about what has worked for these organizations and what hasn't. Come join this interactive workshop that will help guide you toward setting up or expanding a State Federation or initiative and will produce a network for strengthening state efforts.

"The Federation looks to the future with confidence and optimism" says Peggy Allen, the Federation’s President. She adds, "Recent years have seen significant progress in the care and treatment of Virginia’s animals. The Federation will continue to endeavor to promote animal welfare and to strive to bring about the desired respect for all living things." For more information you may contact Peggy Allen at pcallen@shentel.net or 540-879-3384. ✿

Paws to Think • Spring 2003 • Volume 2, Issue 2 • The Pet Savers Foundation • www.petsavers.org

State-Of-The-Art SPCA Opens Its Doors In Virginia In September 2002 the Richmond SPCA, in Richmond, Virginia opened its doors to the RobinsStarr Humane Center – a worldclass facility that has been three years in the making. The 64,000 square-foot facility features many unique and state-of-the-art resources, including canine living rooms, feline condos, individual walk-in adoption rooms, humane library, auditorium, jogging track, obedience training room, hospital and spay/neuter clinic.

the facility to create a homelike environment. "One of the very first things our visitors will notice is how the center defies people’s preconceptions of an animal shelter environment," said Robin Robertson Starr, CEO of the Richmond SPCA. "We want the community to use the Humane Center not only as a place to adopt animals but as a place to have fun, get exercise, take classes and spend time with animals, even if they aren’t able to adopt."

The design of the new center is the result of extensive research of shelters nationwide. The Richmond SPCA worked with national humane organizations to determine the newer, most progressive shelters to visit. After touring nearly a dozen facilities across the country, including San Francisco, Kansas City and Omaha, the Richmond group incorporated and improved upon the best elements from each facility. The new center is considered by many to be the most innovative, humane and state-of-the-art facility in the world. "The Rich-

Additional features include an advanced air exchange system that generates fresh air throughout the entire building 10-12 times per hour or approximately every six minutes, a sound system equipped with specially edited classical music to help maintain the animals’ emotional well being and the most wellequipped obedience and agility area on the east coast.

Richmond SPCA's Robin Starr, Executive Director and CEO (second from left) and Board Chairman E. Claiborne Robins, Jr. (next to Robin) join SPCA staff members in front of the Robins-Starr Humane Center.

mond SPCA set out to create a world-class facility and they’ve done just that," said Ed Sayres, president of the San Francisco SPCA. "The leaders of the humane industry will be visiting Richmond to see the new standard in humane care and education." The interior design of the building is centered around a large living room with bold wall colors and an abundance of natural light from two large skylights. Various types of art, murals and porcelain figurines have been used throughout

The Richmond SPCA is a no-kill humane society dedicated to the

cont’d on page 11

Paws to Think •Spring 2003 • Volume 2, Issue 2 • The Pet Savers Foundation • www.petsavers.org

Richmond SPCA • cont’d from page 10

principle that every life is precious. The nonprofit organization rescues nearly 5,000 homeless animals each year. As a national leader in humane care and education, the Richmond SPCA is aggressively tackling the problem of pet overpopulation through its program called EARS (Education, Adoption, Rehabilitation and Sterilization.) For additional information visit www.richmondspca.org. ✿

Richmond SPCA’s Leaders to Speak at CHAMP Don’t miss the opportunity to hear Robin Starr and Denise Deisler at CHAMP sharing the strategies and programs that have been key to the SPCA’s success in transitioning to a no-kill shelter and creating a no-kill plan for their community. You’ll hear about the unique Project Safety Net program that provides alternatives to pet relinquishment and enlists community members oneby-one in solving the homeless pet problem.

Virginia Beach SPCA Opens Low-Cost Medical Clinic Virginia Beach SPCA, the first animal shelter in Virginia to open a spay/neuter clinic many years ago to sterilize animals before adoption, opened a low-cost medical clinic on February 23rd, Spay Day USA. The clinic neutered 107 cats that day to celebrate the grand opening. An average of 90-100 spays and neuters a week are performed, plus dozens of wellness or illness visits – all from clients who could otherwise not obtain veterinary care for their animals. As with many shelters, the Virginia Beach SPCA receives calls every day from people whose pets need veterinary care, but the animal guardian cannot afford either the treatment the veterinarian is recommending or to even visit a veterinarian for routine vaccinations or sterilization services. In addition, animals are brought to the SPCA to be turned over just because the animal needs veterinary care for a chronic but treatable condition and the guardian cannot afford to treat the current medical condition. The Virginia Beach SPCA employs two veterinarians. One is primarily the surgical vet and the other provides treatment to non-surgical clin-

ic patients. The focus of the services target populations which include: 1) those with household incomes below $35,000, which is 200% of the poverty index; 2) those living in military housing or other subsidized housing units; and 3) those persons living in “high incidence” areas as identified by the City’s Animal Control Bureau, in trailer parks, in agricultural areas, and in other specific problem situations. Sharon Adams, Executive Director of the Virginia Beach SPCA, says, “Providing low-cost veterinary care to low-income families would mean, for many of those families, that they would be able to keep their pets in the family rather than giving them up to us or another shelter. We are ecstatic about being able to provide these vital services. We are extremely interested in communicating with any other shelters or nonprofit organizations who are interested in either starting such a program or who are operating veterinary medical clinics." For more information, contact the Virginia Beach SPCA at 757-4276387, or vbspca_director@msn.com. You can visit the SPCA’s website at www.vbspca.com. ✿

Paws to Think • Spring 2003 • Volume 2, Issue 2 • The Pet Savers Foundation • www.petsavers.org

New Virginia Organization Makes Progress Floyd County, Virginia, a scenic 383 square miles of gently rolling hills with more than 700 farms, and country style living, has a population of over 13,000 people. This pristine and picturesque community, like so many other rural counties, has a long history of companion animals that only receive minimal or substandard care. Against that backdrop, three years ago in the local paper, an ad appeared stating "Some of God’s Creatures Need A Helping Hand" along with a date, time and meeting place; and so began the Floyd County Humane Society. The challenges at first seemed overwhelming. There was the welfare of the animals as the primary cause, also financial assistance for a much needed spay/neuter program, a community outreach agenda teaching basic animal care and treatment, and of course, all the paperwork that goes with the formation of a new and credible organization. A manual entitled How to Organize a Humane Society by The Virginia Federation of Humane Societies was provided to the founding members. The information the booklet contained was ideal. Complemented with insights from established groups from around the state, the manual addressed all aspects of formation, including sample By-Laws, Articles of Incorporation, how to select officers, attaining nonprofit status, etc. With this experienced and professional guidance, the group was able to move forward quickly to the central reasons for uniting.

the Floyd County Humane Society’s bi-monthly meeting to help lay the foundation for a working relationship with the local county shelter. The representatives explained how the group could incorporate an isolation area and a small cat facility into the existing structure. The Federation has also been essential in the transition from inhalant euthanasia to injection, offering both technical and financial support. Lynn Chipkin, President of the Floyd County Humane Society, also credits a regional support organization, Virginia Paws, for providing assistance on a variety of matters to the counties in the New River Valley area. "The structure and professionalism provided by these groups has allowed us to obtain grants for spay/neuter, to have community education programs, and to work with our local facility reducing the number of euthanasias of healthy, behaviorally sound animals from almost 100% to less than 40%" said Chipkin. ✿

The Federation also provided assistance in setting up basic programs such as spay/neuter and education in navigating the new group through the minutia of county and state ordinance which has been tremendously time and labor saving. The clearinghouses of educational materials and resources they share have made the literature both accessible and economical to obtain. In April of 2001, the Federation’s representatives toured the area municipal facility and then attended

Paws to Think •Spring 2003 • Volume 2, Issue 2 • The Pet Savers Foundation • www.petsavers.org

New Book Offers Advice For Your Outta Control Dog Your newly adopted dog is totally outta control: He is afraid of everything, won’t leave you alone, acts aggressively, or tears around the house.You adopted a dog from a shelter or rescue group to enjoy the benefits of canine companionship, but it’s not working out the way you planned.You don’t know if you can take it anymore – You need help! Your Outta Control Adopted Dog offers clear, step-by-step instructions on how to deal with common problems that make living with your adopted dog a challenge, such as: housetraining, separation anxiety, hyperactivity, shyness or fearful behaviors, aggression, barking, chewing and digging.This book will give you the tools you need to turn your little monster into a dog that you can truly trust and enjoy for a lifetime.

The Pet Savers Foundation THANKS YOU For Your Generous Support! G. Ahmadjian N. Babb C. Bon B. Butcher J. Byrne N. Campbell J. Dagnie L. DiGiovanni R. Draer M. Elkin J. Embry V. Gliwa C. Greene

E. Gilliam S. Heller V. Hightower V. Karstaedt S. Keller D. Kronen C. Levernier M. Malfitano S. Miller G. Modrell N. Olan B. Panebianco S. Pikula

S. Refermat J. Richman R. Sanoff B. Schaffer J. Schreiber B. Siegel J. Simone R. Skala G. Stephan L. Stevens N. Thatcher V. Windsor G. Wolfe

"A must-read for anyone who's ever adopted a dog. Full of practical, easy-to-follow advice on how to deal with the special needs and problems of the adopted dog.A terrific resource that will ultimately help readers to build a better dog-owner relationship." Matt Stein, Head Trainer North Shore Animal League America

Paws to Think • Spring 2003 • Volume 2, Issue 2 • The Pet Savers Foundation • www.petsavers.org

Helping People Help Feral Cats

hen Alley Cat Allies (ACA) was founded in 1990, affordable spay/neuter for feral cats didn’t exist in Washington, DC. The first ACA volunteers, like Sharon Lawson, shuttled feral cats to many private veterinarians around the area. But prices were too high, and schedules too rigid, to accommodate large numbers of feral cats. The volunteers also encountered, among the vets, little knowledge of how to handle wild animals and, too often, little sympathy for their efforts. In the process, ACA volunteers met dozens of people who were feeding feral cats and struggling to get the cats spayed or neutered. Facing hostility and even ridicule, these people had been forced underground; but they helped each other with advice, knowledge, equipment, and, most important, moral support. Those Washington DC cat feeders were the first Feral Friends. But people were feeding feral cats in

other communities as well. The premier issue of Alley Cat Action, June 1991, listed five groups in three states conducting programs for feral cats and issued a call for more. Those groups anchored the national Feral Friends Network (FFN). Today, there are 1,400 Feral Friends registered in 47 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, 5 Canadian provinces, and 11 other countries. But because an FFN member can be either an individual or a group, there are, in fact, many more than 1,400 people in the network. Each month Alley Cat Allies receives 150 to 200 requests for a Feral Friend by e-mail, phone, letter, or through www.pets911.com. Who Are the Feral Friends? Feral Friends are caretakers, feral cat groups, veterinary professionals, animal control agencies and shelters who know that more than feeding must be done to help outdoor cats. Feral Friends all advocate TrapNeuter-Return (TNR); have agreed to be identified in a national data-

base of their peers; and assist other feral cat advocates with advice, practical assistance, advocacy and/or moral support. Derived from the rolls of the FFN, the following is a representative sample of the 1,400 caring and committed individuals and groups helping others help feral cats: • Large groups with the volunteers and resources to sterilize hundreds or thousands of cats yearly, to lend traps and supplies, to run foster and adoption programs and/or to advocate change in public policies toward feral cats: Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society, Neighborhood Cats, AzCATs, Metro Ferals, Operation Catnip, SPAY/USA, Feral Cat Coalition-San Diego, Homeless Cat Management Team, Alley Cat Advocates, SCAT Street Cat Rescue Program. There are many more. • Veterinary professionals who offer low-or no-cost spay/neuter services. Vets often contribute their clinics or mobile spay/neuter vans for feral cat spay days: Tait’s Every Animal Matters (T.E.A.M.), Northern Virginia No-Cost cont’d on page 15

Paws to Think •Spring 2003 • Volume 2, Issue 2 • The Pet Savers Foundation • www.petsavers.org

Feral Cats – cont’d from page 14

Spay/Neuter Clinic, Feral Cat Coalition-Oregon, Fix Our Ferals, Dr. Darby Thornburgh, Dr. John Grillo. • Advocates able to respond quickly to local cat crises: Val Schweikhardt, Metro Animal

Resource Services; Anne Zepernick, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. • Individuals who share expertise: Ruth Johnson, Maryland; Jennifer Conger, Virginia; David and Leslie Gale, Florida.

• Caretakers who became professionals: Holly Sizemore, No More Homeless Pets-Utah; Angie Thomas, KittiCo Cat Rescue; Aimee St. Arnaud, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary; Margo Johnson, Alley Cat Allies. cont’d on page 16

Arizona Cats at CHAMP Hear Jan Raven, Executive Director of Arizona Cat Assistance Team at CHAMP 2003 (July 31 – August 3) discuss the basics of a TNR program: centralizing management, geographically dispersing resources and preparing documents to use for tracking and recording statistics. Learn from this successful Arizona program how to grow a TNR program to effectively address the needs within your particular community and start a high-volume, volunteer driven, spay/neuter clinic as part of your TNR program.

Paws to Think • Spring 2003 • Volume 2, Issue 2 • The Pet Savers Foundation • www.petsavers.org

Feral Cats – cont’d from page 15

• Small groups focused on their immediate neighborhood: Troy Industrial Street Cats, Kitty Kops. • Enlightened humane societies and shelters: PACT Humane Society, Illinois; Tompkins County SPCA, New York; Wisconsin Humane Society, Milwaukee; Iosco County Animal Shelter, Michigan. • University and college students nationwide who manage campus cats, change campus policies, and help each other via ACA’s campus listserve (a steady source of current, practical information for ACA, as well): Aggie Feral Cat Alliance of Texas (AFCAT), Stanford Cat Network, University of Central Florida, Emory University. Progress to the tenth power The Feral Friends Network makes it possible for ACA to affect the lives of feral cats across North America. But the truth is the FFN is only a portion of the people involved. All those who help others trap, sterilize, feed, organize, do the everyday work, and learn are feral friends— whether or not we know their names. Feral Friends must have experience with TrapNeuter-Return (TNR) according to the method that ACA promotes. Applicants are asked to complete a questionnaire and provide contact information. Interested? Write to Alley Cat Allies, 1801 Belmont Road NW, Suite 201, Washington, DC 20009 - 5147 or alleycat@alleycat.org. ✿

Resources Online Course Trap-Neuter-Return: Managing Feral Cat Colonies, is an online course written and instructed by Neighborhood Cats. Consisting of eight lessons and over 35,000 words of original content, the course covers every aspect of ground-level TNR work from community activism, to setting up feeding stations, to mass trapping of feral colonies, to insight on the wildlife controversy and much more. Ruth Sharp, President of Neighborhood Cats: "Over the past year, Neighborhood Cats has received an increasing number of requests from all over the country to come teach our feral cat training workshop (now hosted bi-monthly by the ASPCA in Manhattan) and for the workshop's written materials. This inspired us to develop the on-line course. Now anyone with Internet access, no matter where they live, can quickly learn the basics of TNR and put it to work in their community." To view the course introduction, overview and lesson plan, and to register, go to: http://www.suite101.com/course.cfm/17484/seminar Neighborhood Cats, www.neighborhoodcats.org, headcat@neighborhoodcats.org

Videos Trap-Neuter-Return: A Humane Approach to Feral Cat Control (24:00) A gripping and essential video for all feral cat caretakers, TrapNeuter-Return: A Humane Approach to Feral Cat Control describes how and why TNR works. This comprehensive TNR training video contains step-by-step guidelines on safe trapping, veterinary procedures, return of the feral cats, and ongoing supervised care. "An inspiring and highly informative video” says Dr. Julie Levy, University of Gainesville, College of Veterinary Medicine. ($13.00) To order, contact Alley Cat Allies at (202) 667-3630 or e-mail alleycat@alleycat.org. The Humane Solution: Reducing Feral Cat Populations with Trap-Neuter-Return (9:56) A powerful public policy tool that outlines a cost-saving, nonlethal solution for controlling feral cat populations called trap-neuterreturn (TNR). The video documents the success of TNR in large and small cities. "TNR cuts our animal control costs in half,” states John Queenan, Animal Control Officer, Cape May, NJ. ($13.00) To order, contact Alley Cat Allies at (202) 667-3630 or e-mail alleycat@alleycat.org. The Alley Cat Allies videos are also available as a set in VHS or DVD format, for $20.00 (a savings of $6.00). Sorry, DVD format is only available in the set. cont’d on page 17

Paws to Think •Spring 2003 • Volume 2, Issue 2 • The Pet Savers Foundation • www.petsavers.org

Resources • cont’d from page 16 On the Road to Ending Feral Cat Overpopulation in Oregon (13:06) The Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon, the nation's first mobile spay/neuter program serving exclusively feral cats, has created the video "On the Road to Ending Feral Cat Overpopulation in Oregon." The video follows a feral cat from being trapped, to going through each station at the clinic, to being released afterward. FCCO shares a great deal of feral cat information along with their clinic process and procedure. ($15.00) To order, send your information to FCCO at PO Box 82734, Portland OR, 97282. 9 Lives • Humane Feral Cat Management Offered by the San Francisco SPCA, this comprehensive video series focuses on the care and humane management of feral cats. Learn how you can get involved to help control the population of feral cats and make their lives better. Volume One: Humane Trapping of Feral Cats Volume Two: Handling and Treating Feral Cats Volume Three: Care & Feeding of Feral Cats Volume Four: Caring for Newborn Kittens Volume Five: Non-Lethal Feral Cat Programs Volume Six: Relocating Feral Cats Volume Seven: Feral Cat Advocacy Volume Eight: Socializing Feral Cats Volume Nine: Successful Programs at Work $9.95 per tape plus 8.5% CA tax and $3.00 per tape shipping fee, $79.95 for the complete set of nine tapes plus 8.5% CA tax and $20.00 per set shipping fee. To order call 1-800-211SPCA.

Books Community Approaches to Feral Cats: Problems, Alternatives, & Recommendations This 130-page book is a comprehensive, compassionate review of feral cats and their plight. Dr. Margaret Slater provides a blueprint to humane organizations, animal shelters, animal control agencies, veterinarians, and feral cat caretakers for finding common ground in their approach to feral cats. Her conclusion: Active management of feral cat colonies is an effective yet interim solution, one that recognizes that the only unacceptable option for dealing with feral

cats is to do nothing. "Communities have too often elected to ignore feral cats," said J.M. Scarlett, DVM, PhD, of Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. "Dr. Slater makes it clear that ‘doing nothing’ has consequences. Community Approaches to Feral Cats serves as a comprehensive resource for those interested in making informed, humane decisions about the management of feral cats in their communities." You can read the entire book online, free of charge, at www.hsus.org/ace/14631. Copies of the book are available from The HSUS for $22.50 plus $3 shipping. To obtain a copy, order online at www.AnimalSheltering.org or send a check for $25.50 (including shipping) to The HSUS, Dept. Feral Cats-PSF, 2100 L St., NW, Washington, DC 20037. The Stray Cat Handbook Tamara Kreuz uses her own experiences to outline the basics of conducting a trap/neuter/release program. She addresses the health aspects of ferals, providing care for them, socialization skills, locating homes for those that can be socialized and issues of managing a feral cat colony. This book provides a tool for the beginning feral cat caregiver. Howell Book House published this book in 1999. The Stray Cat Handbook can be obtained through Alley Cat Allies by calling (202)667-3630 ext 101 or by going to IGive.com, click on Barnes and Noble to get their special price of $9.06 - and don't forget to ask that SPAY/USA be given the automatic donation to a charity! Feral Friends A Guide For Living With Feral Cats This booklet is a useful how-to-guide for first time trappers. It takes you through the steps to take when caring for a feral cat colony, including evaluating the situation, finances, TNR, habitat, rearing orphan kittens, disease, etc. The cost of the booklet is $4.00. To order: Send check, made payable to: Rocky Mountain Alley Cat Alliance, Attn: Audrey Boag, P.O. Box 456, Indian Hills, CO 80454 or contact Audrey Boag at 1303-697-4215. ✿

Paws to Think • Spring 2003 • Volume 2, Issue 2 • The Pet Savers Foundation • www.petsavers.org

Winner - Be More Productive! In the last edition of Paws to Think we included some of the “250 Great Ideas for Being More Productive” from the workbook, Productivity Power by Jim Temme. Paws to Think readers had the opportunity to receive a free copy of the book if their best idea for being productive was selected. Here is a Winning Idea. Congratulations Sheree! Hello, Let me say that I am enjoying reading your magazine. I am an administrative assistant at the Tallahassee Leon Community Animal Service Center (Florida), and I would like to share my philosophy on productivity. Time is valuable; Don't Waste It! People waste time in many ways. A major waste of time is discussing issues that are irrelevant to the task at hand; such as personal affairs or other projects. People waste time by beginning a project without thinking

it through first. Often time is wasted after a project is begun, then it is realized that a different approach would be more effective. Time is also wasted by procrastination or waiting to the last minute to begin the project. How often do we think, “Oh I could have done a much better job if I had more time . . .” Also, productivity should be measured not only by the quantity of the work produced but the quality of the work. What good is it to complete a multitude of tasks if the finished product is not good? Thank you for the opportunity to share my view! Sheree Mifflin Tallahassee, Fl If you have a good idea for being productive send it to us at The Pet Savers Foundation, 59 S. Bayles Ave., Port Washington, NY 11050 or via e-mail at info@petsavers.org ✿

Buy online and help SPAY/USA! iGive.com offers up to 26% of your purchases to SPAY/USA.When you make a purchase, every penny of the percentage that is listed beside the merchant goes directly to SPAY/USA. No administrative costs or fees are deducted, which is made possible because iGive.com is paid a sales commission (over and above the charitable contribution percentage) when members make purchases. Many merchants also advertise on the iGive Web site.

Join Our Team! Now is the time to get in on the ground floor and represent your state as a Pet Savers’ Ambassador. As a Pet Savers’ Ambassador you’ll have the opportunity to get involved in all sorts of projects – projects like Paws to Think, SPAY/USA, and the CHAMP conference. In return, you’ll have access to a variety of resources, a network of support people, plus discounts, special meetings and presentations at CHAMP. If you’re interested in learning more about this unique opportunity to affect change in the animal welfare world, please send an email to info@petsavers.org or call 516.944.5025.

iGive.com’s partners include leading online merchants for a variety of the wellknown brands you buy every day! A few of these merchants include: 1-800Flowers.com, Barnes and Noble, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Hallmark.com, H&R Block, JCPenney, L.L.Bean, Lane Bryant, Office Depot, Old Navy, Payless ShoeSource, PETsMART.com, and Toys R Us to name just a few! Shop today at iGive.com. Just go to www.iGive.com, enter your email address and select "Join Now!" Then search for SPAY/USA and select it as your favorite cause! Thanks!

Paws to Think •Spring 2003 • Volume 2, Issue 2 • The Pet Savers Foundation • www.petsavers.org

Paws to Think • Spring 2003 • Volume 2, Issue 2 • The Pet Savers Foundation • www.petsavers.org

Pet Photo Contest Pet Savers is looking for a special dog and cat to feature on future covers of Paws to Think.Your creativity in capturing that special expression of your pet could win you a spot on the cover of our magazine.The winners will receive recognition in the Paws to Think magazine and a free registration to either the CHAMP conference or the SPAY/USA Southern Regional Leadership Conference. Contest Rules: • The photos must be non-professional. • Each photo must include no more than four animals. • The photos must be a minimum of 8" x 10". • The photo resolution must be a minimum of 300 dots per inch. • Photos should be clear with no "red eye." • Photos must be mailed to Pet Savers but can be submitted on a CD. • Photos or CDs will not be returned. • Each photo must accompany an entry fee of $10.00 and a completed and signed entry form for each photo (see Entry Form below). • Photos submitted will become the property of The Pet Savers Foundation and The Pet Savers Foundation may use the photo in future publicity. • Entries must be received by September 1, 2003. Entry Form Name: ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Address ______________________________________________________________________________________________ City/State/Zip: ________________________________________________________________________________________ Country _________________________________________________ Phone ______________________ E-mail _____________________ Pet’s name ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ❑ Male

❑ Female

Age ____

Breed ____________________________________

Owner/Guardian’s Signature: ____________________________________________________________________________ As the owner/guardian of the pet and the individual that has the rights to this photo I grant The Pet Savers Foundation full and complete rights to the use of this photo for use in the future. I understand that I will receive no compensation for any use of this photo.

Include a $10.00 check or money order, for each photo, make payable to The Pet Savers Foundation. Mail to: The Pet Savers Foundation, 59 South Bayles Avenue, Port Washington, NY 11050-3728. 20

Paws to Think •Spring 2003 • Volume 2, Issue 2 • The Pet Savers Foundation • www.petsavers.org

“Spay/Neuter ... Made Accessible”

Sit Up And Get Noticed! Paws to Think is distributed to more than 30,000 animal caregivers, veterinarians, and animal welfare organizations around the world.

Spay & Neuter Mobile Clinics al as or Adoption Mobile Clinics m e i r A An get tion Tar pula po ver

Adoption Trailer with Easy-to-Clean Viewing Glass O

“Helps break the reproductive cycle – even in remote locations” FOR MORE INFORMATION 800-776-9984 • 623-581-2922 fax

www.laboit.com

Drop a note to Christine Treiland at christinet@petsavers.org and ask for a free media kit detailing classified and display rates, sizes, and all you need to know to place your ad in the next issue of Paws to Think!

Paws to Think • Spring 2003 • Volume 2, Issue 2 • The Pet Savers Foundation • www.petsavers.org

Neuter Commuter Rapid growth is the norm in Marion County, Florida. This 1,600 square mile county has a population of 271,000, which equates to 90,000 homes, mostly in 120 developed communities. By best estimates 60% of these homes have pets, which brings the estimated dog and cat population to well over 105,000. Each year the Marion County Animal Center receives 15,000 animals. Owners turn half of those in and the others are brought in as strays. The Animal Center adopts out approximately 5,000 animals each year. When Jill Lancon came to the Marion County Animal Center she was all too familiar with the problem of stray and unwanted animals. During her years in road operations she had picked up thousands of ani-

mals and had gained an appreciation for the problems faced by the Animal Center. Jill’s first assignments at the Animal Center included developing a plan for a facility expansion and establishing longterm goals for animal management. In June of 1998 Jill presented a proposal to the Board of County Commissioners on the overpopulation problem in the county and introduced an idea that could help the county take a proactive approach to addressing the overpopulation problem. The primary goal of the plan was to reduce euthanasia at the Animal Center. The Commissioners accepted Jill’s recommendations and approved a plan to purchase a mobile unit to spay and neuter animals in the county. The clinic was ordered in October. A new 40’ Blue Bird bus shell was purchased and a motor home conversion shop retrofitted the shell. The conversion package included everything but the autoclave and the anesthesia machine. The cost of the unit was $158,000. The autoclave, anesthesia machine and vaporizer were $5,000 and the

initial set up of surgical instruments for 25 spay packs was approximately $25,000. The "Neuter Commuter" was completed in November of 1999 and the first day of surgery was January 4, 2000. The operating cost for surgeries, fuel, and maintenance is budgeted at $50,000 per year excluding insurance cost. One veterinarian and two technicians staff the clinic. The veterinarian’s salary is $61,000 with benefits and each technician is paid approximately $25,000 and is provided benefits. The fees are quite low and are based on income or subsidized income. If a resident has any proof of low income or government assistance, the fee is $5.00 for any cat or dog. If a resident’s income is above the scale, the fee is $25.00. The service provided for the fee includes the spay/neuter surgery, microchip, rabies vaccination and county license. The initial response to the clinic was overwhelming, so appointments were booked months in advance. Jill and her staff quickly cont’d on page 23

Paws to Think •Spring 2003 • Volume 2, Issue 2 • The Pet Savers Foundation • www.petsavers.org

Neuter Commuter • cont’d from page 22

learned that booking too far in advance was not a good practice since people forgot their appointments. The clinic now books one month in advance, overbooking by 10% to ensure a full schedule. The clinic initially operated three days a week; within two months it increased to five days a week - and is now on the road six days a week. Animals are taken on board at 9 a.m. and released around 2 p.m. About 22 animals are scheduled for surgery daily, including no more than 5 or 6 large dog spays.

Staffing, scheduling and mapping were all issues when the "Neuter Commuter" began operating. Jill hired a courteous, well-trained staff that she credits with much of the clinic’s success. To locate veterinarians Jill used the internet and word of mouth. She produced a mailing throughout Marion and surrounding counties seeking a bid for the clinic’s contract. The Animal Center serves as a teaching site for the University of Florida giving fourth year veterinary students the opportunity to do their externships; excellent leads have come from this relationship. Customer service has been a priority for Jill and her staff. Evaluating the Neuter Commuter’s service began on day one with the distribution of a satisfaction survey to citizens who use the clinic. The response has been overwhelmingly supportive. Jill says, "We’ve received nothing but praise for the service that the staff provides. The administration and the Commissioners are very pleased with the response that they get from the public.” Jill’s advice for anyone interested in starting

CHAMP July 31 – August 3, 2003 St. Louis, Missouri Hear Jill’s account of the successful operation of this clinic and the presentation that she made to the County Commissioners that convinced them to fund this spay/neuter project

a mobile spay/neuter clinic includes setting appointments, hiring a courteous and well-trained staff that provides good customer service, and training staff to ensure safety and the best possible care for the animals. She recommends critiquing your service often. The "Neuter Commuter" spayed and neutered 8,480 cats and dogs from January 2000 through October 2002, and the Marion County Animal Center is beginning to see a decrease in the intake of puppies and kittens even though the human population has increased by 25,000 in the last 3 years. For more information contact Jill Lancon, Supervisor, Marion County Animal Center, Neuter Commuter, Ocala, Florida, or visit their Web site at www.marioncountyfl.org or e-mail at nuggest@gowebco.com ✿

Paws to Think • Spring 2003 • Volume 2, Issue 2 • The Pet Savers Foundation • www.petsavers.org

Letters To The Editors Esther, I very much enjoyed the Southern Regional Leadership Conference. It was my first animal welfare conference, and it was inspiring to meet so many people with the same interests and hear about what all the groups are doing. I would like to set a goal for our shelter to reduce our euthanasia rate by a certain percentage in a certain amount of time by setting up some aggressive spay/neuter programs in our county. Do you have any suggestions on how to determine a realistic goal, or do you know who I might contact to give me some advice? We have an uphill battle with getting the funding and convincing our local veterinarians to participate, but we also have some very caring people in our community who will help us. I am determined that we must stop killing so many animals every year. Your conference really brought this home to me. Anita Stepp Washington County SPCA Bartlesville, OK Dear Anita, I am delighted to hear that you found SPAY/USA's Southern Regional Leadership Conference inspiring and beneficial! And I am also glad to hear that you have others in your community ready to work with you to reduce euthanasias by preventing unwanted litters…Finding them and forming a

group with this goal is your first step. If you are able to find representatives from various groups in the community (animal control, health department, social agencies, civic groups, etc.) to form a coalition, that is optimal. Your next step is to obtain the current statistics on impounds and euthanasias -your community pet demographics. A good "Twelve Step Program" is outlined on www.saveourstrays.com! We will be glad to work with you by phone to walk you through some of this and to locate veterinarians in the region who can also advise and work with you…So do feel free to call me! You will also find some helpful information in the most recent edition of Animal Control Management, A Guide For Local Governments. A variety of spay/neuter programs, their effectiveness and tools to help you secure funding are discussed. And be sure to come to our next Southern Regional Leadership Conference October 23-26! A number of speakers will be covering ways to work with government, get public funding, and gather the demographics you will need. Best of luck, Esther

✿✿✿✿✿ Dear Esther, I'd love a copy of the video (Early Spay/Neuter in Spanish). It'll be great to show during my surgery course. The

Galapagos people want me to go out there to give a course (and talk) on spay/neuter campaigns. We're starting to design our own television program. It's very exciting - called Vision Animal. We're organizing it with a few other vets and we'll rotate so that I don't have to be their host every week. We've been spaying loads of cats. People really don't want kittens and dislike the females' heat cycles. It's great because they're coming to us without any of our advertising. I still think there aren't many cats in Loja - but it's interesting to see. The dogs are coming in, but more slowly. Cheers, Elizabeth Daut, DVM Foundacion de Proteccion Animal Dear Elizabeth, I am pleased to hear how things are coming along and that the Early Spay/Neuter Video in Spanish will be helpful in educating other veterinarians in Ecuador. AVAR, a California-based organization of veterinarians, is making this video available free of charge to vet schools in Latin American countries. Your work there is terrific! We hope others will follow your example. Thank you for all your energetic efforts.... Best wishes, Esther

We love to hear from our readers! Please write to Esther Mechler at 2261 Broadbridge Avenue, Stratford, Connecticut 06614, email: alwaysspay@aol.com, or Teresa Dockery at 59 South Bayles Avenue, Port Washington, New York 11050, email: teresad@petsavers.org

Paws to Think •Spring 2003 • Volume 2, Issue 2 • The Pet Savers Foundation • www.petsavers.org

Edwin J. Sayres Joins The ASPCA as President and CEO On April 9th the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals announced that Edwin J. Sayres has been appointed its 16th president and CEO. Mr. Sayres will assume his duties on June 2. In his new role at the ASPCA, Mr. Sayres will lead the 137-year old animal welfare organization, which helps countless animals through its national programming in humane education, shelter outreach, humane legislation, public awareness and animal poison control. Locally, the ASPCA operates a humane law enforcement department, an adoption center, Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital and ASPCA Cares, a community outreach program that provides free and low-cost spay/neuter and wellness vaccinations for New York City’s pets.

Mr. Sayers brings his 29 years in the humane community to the ASPCA. He was formerly President of the San Francisco SPCA (SF/SPCA), a no-kill shelter that is a model for animal shelters nationwide. He led the SF/SPCA partnership with San Francisco Animal Care and Control, a pioneering alliance that has reduced euthanasia, increased the save rate and reduced the number of dogs and cats at risk in San Francisco. Prior to joining the SF/SPCA in 1998, Mr. Sayers was the Director of PETsMART Charities. He has also served as Director of the Animal Protection Division at the American Humane Association.✿

June is Adopt A Shelter Cat Month!

The Lynn Morris Band Once again the Lynn Morris Band is helping end the surplus of cats and dogs – this time Lynn is donating a portion of the proceeds from her brand new CD, The Shape of A Tear to SPAY/USA.

Lynn is a three time winner of the "Female Vocalist of the Year" given by the IBMA … Her CDs make wonderful listening and wonderful gifts. You can order online at www.lynnmorrisband.com or buy one at her concert. List of appearances available on her website.

Paws to Think • Spring 2003 • Volume 2, Issue 2 • The Pet Savers Foundation • www.petsavers.org

From The Golden Gate To The Empire State North Shore Animal League America’s Tour for Life® Crisscrosses The Country To Save Shelter Pets touching the lives of thousands of our furry friends. Lots of pictures were taken along the way and they have been posted on the Tour For Life Web site, www.tourforlife.com – check and see if your local shelter joined the cause.

L to R: The League’s Tour for Life drivers, Steve, Mike, Claire, Warren, Oscar, and Tufail with League President ,John Stevenson

North Shore Animal League America took its three 35-foot-long mobile adoption units to 22 cities on its Third Annual Tour for Life® to help find the best adoptive homes for the cats and dogs in animal shelters across the country. The journey began on Thursday, March 27th right from NSAL America’s own parking lot. All of their associates were on hand to wish a heartfelt BON VOYAGE to the Tour for Life crew as they begin their lifsaving cross-country journey. The tour traveled through 18 states, working with over 100 shelters,

This homeless pup's luck is about to change.

The goal of Tour For Life is to spotlight animal shelters as the best places to adopt, make the public aware that shelter dogs and cats are wonderful lifetime companions, and announce the global Pet Adoptathon® that was held on May 3rd and 4th.

Despite the rainy weather, the event in coordination with the Spartanburg Humane Society, in South Carolina, helped to place the happy pup shown below. Also on hand were local politicians to help support the Tour For Life mission of saving the lives of shelter animals nationwide. Things were really jumping at the event held in conjunction with the Humane Society of Broward County. The event was held in conjunction with a jazz festival sponsored by the city of Ft. Lauderdale in Esplanade Park where the shelter had its dog walk. The weather couldn’t have been better! A great day was had by people and pets alike! Contact North Shore Animal League America at 516-883-7900 and ask how your shelter can become a participant in Tour for Life 2004!❁

Even an orphaned hamster found his new best friend in Jacksonville, FL, thanks to Tour For Life!

The tour began in San Francisco and Miami and continued on to other cities during the 17-day journey. At each stop, the local community was invited to exciting events designed to encourage adoption of animals in local shelters in need of loving homes. All in all North Shore Animal League America is proud to announce that they helped to save 340 lives – that includes the hamster above that got adopted when the mobile unit teamed up with the staff from Jacksonville Humane Society!

A new adopter in Spartanburg gets a kiss from her best friend

Paws to Think •Spring 2003 • Volume 2, Issue 2 • The Pet Savers Foundation • www.petsavers.org

CHAMP 2003 Registration Application July 31 – August 3, 2003 • Millennium Hotel • St. Louis, Missouri Please print clearly. One registration form required per person. Thanks! Name: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Title (if any): ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Organization (if any):________________________________________________________________________________________ Address: __________________________________________________________________________________________________ City/State/Zip Code: ________________________________________________________________________________________ Country: __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Phone: ________________________________________________

Fax: ____________________________________________

E-mail:________________________________________________

Web site: ________________________________________

How did you hear about us? __________________________________________________________________________________ Please check all appropriate boxes: Circle All That Apply

❑ I require vegan meals. ❑ I would like to share a hotel room. Efforts will be made to connect interested parties.

Standard* rec’d by 7/21/03

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Pre-Conference Workshops • Thursday, July 31, 2003 ❑ Pre-Conference Workshops – Thursday, July 31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$45 . . . . . .$50 Conference Workshops • Friday, August 1 & Saturday, August 2, 2003 ❑ Conference Days 1 & 2 – August 1-2 (includes all meal functions, plus gala dinner) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$240 . . . . .$280 ❑ Conference Day 1 ONLY – Friday, August 1 (includes all Friday meal functions) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$125 . . . . .$165 ❑ Conference Day 2 ONLY – Saturday, August 2 (includes all Saturday meal functions plus gala dinner) . . . . . .$150 . . . . .$180 ❑ Conference Day 2 – Gala Dinner ONLY – Saturday, August 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$35 . . . . . .$60 Post-Conference Event – Sunday, August 3, 2003 ❑ Tour of Purina Corporate Headquarters & Tour of The Humane Society of Missouri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .FREE . . . . .FREE ❑ I will need transportation.

❑ I will provide my own transportation.

Total Amount Due . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$__________ ❑ Check or money order made payable to The Pet Savers Foundation. ❑ VISA -or- ❑ MasterCard accepted.

Account No:

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Expiration Date ____________________ Authorized Signature: __________________________________________________ * Advance registration and payment must be received by July 21, 2003. Registration will not be completed until check or credit card clears. Payment must be received by July 21, 2003. Only credit card payments will be accepted via fax. Send completed registration form and payment to: The Pet Savers Foundation, 59 South Bayles Avenue, Pt. Washington, NY 110503728. Pet Savers will send you confirmation shortly after receiving your registration and payment. Request for refunds must be in writing. Refunds will be made minus 25% administration fee through June 10, 2003. Sorry, no refunds after June 11, 2003. Questions? call (516) 883-7767 • fax (516) 944-5035 • E-mail info@champconference.org • Web www.champconference.org

In order to help us serve you better, please let us know what workshops you plan to attend. Feel free to change your mind, all the way up until the workshop begins! Thanks! Thursday, July 31 • 1:30 pm – 5:00 pm • Workshops

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Saturday, August 2 • 9:30 am – 11:00 am • Workshops

State Federations and Statewide Initiatives International Programs Puppy Mills Physical Exams

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Friday, August 1 • 9:30 am – 11:00 am • Workshops

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Feral Cat Programs • Organizing and Operating Adoption Policies and Procedures Crisis Management Statewide Spay/Neuter Programs What NACA Can Do For You: Training & Program Evaluation Recognizing and Reporting Animal Abuse

Friday, August 1 • 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm • Workshops

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Cats Are Not Just Small Dogs Disaster Preparedness Passion Is The Trigger To Successful Fundraising Regional Spay/Neuter Programs Zoonotic Diseases In Shelters Psychopharmacology For Canine Behavior Problems

Saturday, August 2 • 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm • Workshops

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Letting The Cat Out Of The Cage: Are You Ready? Managing A Successful Volunteer Program Establishing and Maintaining Partnerships The Government’s Role In Spay/Neuter Programs Professional Animal Care and Control Developing An Infectious Disease Policy And Protocol

Off-Site Adoptions Legislation Why Aren’t They Getting It! Establishing and Operating A Mobile Spay/Neuter Clinic GAP Program for Shelter Dogs Disease Transmission

Saturday, August 2 • 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm • Workshops

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Friday, August 1 • 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm • Workshops

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Project Safety Net A Hiss Is Just A Hiss (or is it?) Special Events That Generate Publicity Establishing and Operating A Successful Spay/Neuter Program Animal Identification Methods Diagnostic Testing Considerations In Animal Shelters

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Fundraising 101 Saving Lives By Working Smarter Transitioning Your Shelter To No Kill Establishing and Operating A Stationary Spay/Neuter Clinic Dog Parks Successful Protocols For A High Volume EarlyAge Spay/Neuter Clinic

Workshop Tracks 1. Operations

4. SPAY/USA

2. Management & Policy

5. National Animal Control Association

3. Development

6. Shelter Medicine

Committed to building long, healthy relationships.

Our dedication begins with the superior nutrition of Science Diet®® at every stage of life. The mission of Hill’s Pet Nutrition is to help enrich and lengthen the special relationship between people and their pets by providing the best pet nutrition in the world. This includes the many animals waiting to be adopted into good homes nationwide. Hill’s, in partnership with The Humane Society of the United States, is furthering its commitment by supporting the shelter community with the superior nutrition of Science Diet®.

Save The Dates! July 31 through August 3, 2003

Millennium Hotel St. Louis, Missouri www.champconference.org The Pet Savers Foundation 2261 Broadbridge Avenue Stratford, CT 06614-3801

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

Conference on Homeless Animal Management and Policy Non-Profit Org. US Postage PAID The Pet Savers Foundation