"HAPPY" Act Would Reward Responsbile Pet Parents in the USA

Technically speaking, it is known in the United States as the "Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years" Act. The Street name for this proposed legislation is the "Happy Act"—a federal bill that would reward responsible pet parents by allowing them to keep more money in their pockets come tax time. We all want to give our animal companions the best care we possibly can, but it seems that pet care costs are always on the rise—and these days, it’s harder than ever to stretch the family budget. That’s why the ASPCA supports the HAPPY Act, which would amend U.S. tax code to allow qualifying pet care expenses, including veterinary care, to be tax-deductible. While there is no similar legislation proposed in Canada, we thought this was an notable development in the status of companion animals in our society. It is encouraging that they are rising about the status of "chattel" to valued members of our families! It is reassuring to see that the Companion Animal Industry's efforts to promote responsible pet ownership are making an impact. If you are a US Citizen, you can help support the HAPPY Act! Visit the ASPCA Advocacy Center online for more information.

Twitter-A-Critter

Celebrities use Twitter to help save the lives of shelter pets.

Adopt-a-Pet.com, North America’s largest non-profit pet adoption web service, announces the official launch of TwitterACritter, a new social media campaign that uses Twitter to spread the word about adoptable pets in shelters.

On the campaign web site, www.TwitterACritter.com, pet lovers can select one of the 130,000 homeless dogs, cats, and other pets listed on Adopt-a-Pet.com and tweet a link to that pet's information.

"TwitterACritter is a fun, easy way for people to actively save the life of a shelter pet, even if they can't adopt one themselves or afford to donate," says Abbie Moore, executive director of Adopt-a-Pet.com. "Homeless pets are powerless to promote themselves to potential adopters, so it's up to those of us who love animals to lend a hand, and a set of thumbs, and tweet about them. In these difficult economic times, when so many pets are being relinquished to shelters, they need our help more than ever."

Already the campaign has gotten a boost from several celebrities who have participated and encouraged their Twitter followers to do the same. Since the TwitterACritter feature became available in mid-August, Kevin Nealon, Alyssa Milano, Denise Richards, Kristin Chenoweth, and several other celebrities have taken up the cause and tweeted links to shelter pets listed on Adopt-a-Pet.com. According to Moore, "In each case, immediately after the celebrity's tweet, hundreds of their followers tweeted homeless pets as well… and their followers tweet, and so on and so on. The celebrities create an avalanche of compassion."

"The bottom line is that if enough people see a shelter pet, that pet gets adopted. There is no better way to expose shelter pets to as many potential adopters as possible than through Twitter," continues Moore. "It's no exaggeration to say that a single tweet can save a life. Imagine the impact it would have if everyone tweeted just one critter a day!"

Check out TwitterACritter to see photos of celebrity participants.

Investment in PetLynx™ is Money Well Spent

AutoMatch™ system is automatic, effortless and more accurate

Dianne Martyn, Kennel Manager, of Kennel Inn Animal Control in Aurora, Ontario, says that it has only been about ten months since they joined the PetLynx network and they have already realized significant savings… of time, financial and human resources, and lives!

“Using PetLynx™ has enabled us to eliminate the need for time-consuming manual record keeping, tracking and matching of lost and found reports,” explains Martyn. “With our previous manual system we relied on people telling us what breed of dog (or cat) they had found and this was not always accurate. Since PetLynx matches based on the physical description of the dog and the matching is done automatically, the AutoMatch™ feature ensures better accuracy, wider distribution and a broader range of potential matches.”

Martyn says that Kennel Inn staff and volunteers like the fact that the system is “pro-active”, with their voicemail system directing both people who have lost and those who have found pets to go to the PetLynx™ website to register information and post a photograph.

“People who have lost or found pets are impressed with services when phone contact is made and we are able to instantly find their report and mention the animal by name,” adds Martyn. “This is a level of personalized service that simply could not be previously achieved. Also, the timing, in terms of dogs and cats being return to owner more quickly, has improved dramatically. In many instances, matches are made in the community and we never have to admit the animal into the shelter.”

“Using PetLynx has definitely been a time-saver,” concludes Martyn. “Although using PetLynx™ added some new tasks, the previously labour-intensive and arduous task of manually searching for matches is now done for us automatically, accurately and effortlessly. It is a fabulous service."

Honouring Your Volunteers

Volunteers are the backbone of any nonprofit organization. Part of the joy that comes from working in animal welfare is getting know these hardworking and dedicated individuals who give so much of themselves to help companion animals. Even though animal welfare volunteers receive so much love and gratitude back from the animals they care for, they still appreciate receiving recognition from their peers. One way an organization can reward its volunteers is to nominate these individuals for the PetSmart Charities Lifesaving Volunteer Award. This is a special way to recognize volunteers who go above and beyond to help your agency fulfill its mission. Submit the story of one of your volunteer's amazing contribution to you agency and why he or she deserves the award. Submissions are accepted throughout the year, and winners are picked quarterly. Lifesaving volunteers are featured in the PetSmart Charities Quarterly newsletter with an article and photo. They will also earn their agency a one-time $500 award! To nominate a volunteer, please email: tspencer@PetSmartCharities.org Used by permission from PetSmart Charities, Inc. Learn more with free webinars at: www.petsmartcharities.org