Dog Saves Human

In the spirit of love and compassion that is the foundation of the Christmas season, we share the following adoption story as a way to acknowledge and thank people across Canada who work tirelessly to rescue and re-home lost, abandoned and abused animals.

In the companion animal industry we always talk about humans adopting animals... but in many cases it is the animals who give unconditionally of their love and are our salvation. Enjoy this adoption story from an dog's point of view! 

Merry Christmas from PetLynx Corporation

I RESCUED A HUMAN TODAY. 

Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels. I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her. I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn't be afraid.

Dramatic Increase in Animal Surrenders

Think about how animals have been affected by the Gulf Oil Disaster and chances are good that the first images that come to your mind will be oil-soaked pelicans and turtles ... not the pleading eyes of forlorn dogs and cats languishing in animal shelters.

According to a recent news segment on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360, hundreds of family pets now face an uncertain future because their guardians are no longer able to care for them. Many who have become unemployed have little hope of things changing for them anytime soon. Sadly, they are forced to choose between feeding their families and providing for their companion animals.

From California to Canada: Sixty Dogs get a Second Chance

On Friday, June 25, 2010, 60 small breed dogs from the South East Area Animal Control Agency in California and the Fresno SPCA took a Freedom Flight! They were flown on a private jet from Long Beach to the Edmonton Humane Society.

The dogs were not adopted from their respective shelters in California because they have a surplus of small breed dogs. But in Edmonton, small breed dogs are much harder to find and, therefore, more easily adoptable. So, in an effort to find them forever homes, these dogs were transferred north.

Why Doesn't PetLynx Does Use Specific Breed Designations?

The simple answer is ... asking the general public to identify a specific breed doesn't work very well!

Many people who find lost pets don’t always know its breed or note the physical descriptions of the animal in a way that could result in a match. That is why PetLynx Corporation took a step away from the traditional industry practice and created the AutoMatch™ system which uses DataSketch™ animal descriptions.

The Perks of PetLynx for Pet Families

Whether they operate as part of a municipality or are non-profit agencies, animal shelters are busy places! While it can be a challenge, it is important that adoption staff and volunteers using PetLynx take a few minutes to explain the "perks" of registration that is part of the pet adoption package given to each new pet family.

June is Adopt-A-Cat Month

Our friends at Best Friends Animal Society have adopted a new motto that puts a new spin on a popular old saying:

Live, Love, Meow!

PetLynx salutes all animal shelters and animal services agencies across North America who work diligently to find forever homes for the cats in their care. Are your staff and volunteers doing something extra-special to promote cat adoptions this month? Share your news with us, so that we can share it with others! Comment below or send us an email today!

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

A Radical Spay/Neuter Message

The Vancouver Sun: PETA throws cash-strapped Octomom a bone

The media had a hey day writing creative headlines for the latest spay neuter awareness campaign launched by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. It is a campaign that is sure to be a hot topic of discussion at animal services agencies and animal welfare organizations around the globe.

Octuplets mother, Nadya Suleman, is once again in the news, this time for accepting a payment from PETA in exchange for allowing the organization to place a sign outside her La Habra home, her attorney said.

The sign reads: "Don't let your dog or cat become an octomom. Always spay or neuter."

PETA made the offer amid reports that Suleman could be evicted from her home because she was falling behind on her payments.

Let's home PETA's efforts help Suleman keep her home and help alert people to the very real problem of pet overpopulation!

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

Chihuahuas Cause for Concern in Calaifornia

In January 2010, the American SPCA Adoption Centre welcomed 15 Chihuahuas that had been flown in from California to New York with the hope of finding forever homes for them.

Apparently, California shelters have seen a dramatic increase in the number of Chihuahua intakes -- this toy breed now make up 30% of the state's shelter dog population.

These dogs may be tiny... but this is a big problem for state shelters!

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

Cooperative Efforts Helps Homeless Puppies

A recent story in the Edmonton Journal showed how the spirit of collaboration and cooperation can move mountains.... well maybe not mountains, but most certainly puppies!

A truck loaded with 22 medium and large breed puppies from the Winnipeg Humane Society arrived at the Edmonton Humane Society on February 21. According to society spokeswoman, Shawna Randolph, the pups will be put up for adoption as soon as they have the required medical and behaviour tests.

Apparently, Winnipeg has had fewer adoptions recently and an inexplicable increase in the number of puppies being dropped off at the shelter.

Winnipeg Humane Society's executive director, Bill McDonald, said that he asked the Edmonton Humane Society to help find homes for the pups because of its recent success at adopting out homeless dogs from California. More than 90 per cent of the 112 small breed dogs flown by private jet to Edmonton from Fresco, Calfifornia, last month have already been adopted.

"We are so thankful that the Edmonton Humane Society is helping us give these dogs the proper start," he said. "It was a happy occasion to see these pups hit the road."

Randolph added that the transfer of the puppies was made possible with the generosity of Cochrane's Automotive Repair, a west-end Lexus dealership, as well as volunteers Sandy and Les Raubenheimer. The repair shop serviced the Edmonton Humane Society's truck for the 1,700-kilometre trip at no cost, while the Lexus dealership supplied $2,500 for gas. The Raubenheimers, who drove, covered their own expenses.

Randolph said the Edmonton society will help other humane organizations and animal rescue groups whenever it can. The society plans to help the Humane Rescue Animal Team of northern Alberta by taking 13 homeless dogs off its hands in a couple of weeks and will continue to help with the California Canine Cuties program.

The first pups should be up for adoption in a few days, and the public is advised to check www.edmontonhumanesociety.com for updates.

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

Start a Staff Meeting on a 'Pawsitive' Note

With introductions of new budgets, increased animal admissions due to inclement weather and a potential drop in adoptions due to post-holiday belt-tightening, staff meetings this time of year can be discouraging... if you let them be that way. This video -- of a mambo dancing Golden Retriever -- is sure to set a pawsitive mood at your next staff meeting. This dancing dog gives a whole new meaning to the term "human-animal bond." Go ahead! Kick off your next staff meeting with a mambo and turn some frowns upside down!

Promoting Pet Adoptions in Your Community

Does it matter who adopts them.... or if they get adopted? Challenge: Your agency struggles to provide time, space and care for as many homeless pets as it can and competes for a limited number of potential adopters. Solution: Instead of competing, recognize the strengths of each organization in your community and work together. Remember, you are working on behalf of all animals in you community.... not just the ones in your care! You all work in the area of animal welfare... so why not work together!

• What parts of your mission do you have in common?
• What challenges do you all face?
• What programs do you duplicate?
• What resources can you share?

In 2010, make a point to think in terms of collaboration not isolation. Think "our animals" not "my animals." Adapted from "Bones of the Business" a regular feature in the PetSmart Charities quarterly newsletter. Used with permission from PetSmart.

Coping with Cold Viruses in Shelter Cats

New research reveals that simple changes in shelter housing may inhibit the spread of feline upper respiratory infection (URI)--and save the lives of cats. This infection, which is similar to the common cold in humans, is cited among the top reasons for euthanasia of cats in shelters. Research funded by Morris Animal Foundation's Happy Healthy Cat Campaign suggests that stressful conditions dramatically increase the likelihood of infection. Fortunately, housing modifications reduce stress and decrease the spread of infection--making the difference between life and death for a shelter cat. With Morris Animal Foundation funding, Dr. Kate Hurley, the director of the Koret Shelter Medicine Program at the University of California-Davis, is assessing disease incidence, cage layout and sanitation methods to determine how shelter housing affects stress and stress-related illnesses. Her research shows that prevalence of feline URI varies wildly across the country--with anywhere from 5 percent to 60 percent of shelter cats getting sick. Environmental risk factors explain some of the variation, and so far, shelters with the lowest URI rates seem to be those with high-quality housing for cats. "Our hope is that we will find something that not only helps cats stay healthy but also helps them get out of shelters alive," Hurley says. Learn more about the research and the symptoms of URI. Source: PR Newswire

PetSmart Charities National Adoption Event

As a heartwarming start to the holiday season, it was great to hear that 16,933 pets found their lifelong, loving homes during the PetSmart Charities Holiday National Adoption Event, held in all 1,145 PetSmart stores throughout the U.S. and Canada, November 13-15. More than 2,000 animal-welfare agencies throughout the United States and Canada participated and presented adoptable pets at every PetSmart Charities in-store adoption center. The Canadian National Adoption Event was proudly sponsored by PetSmart. "It's an amazing way to kick off the holiday season," said Susana Della Maddalena, executive director of PetSmart Charities, Inc. "During our four National Adoption Weekends in 2009, we have helped find homes for more than 66,000 pets." In the U.S. alone, an estimated 6 million to 8 million dogs and cats enter animal shelters each year, but 3 million to 4 million never find homes. During the last 14 years, the PetSmart Charities Adoption Centers have found homes for nearly 4 million pets. For every minute that the Adoption Centers are open, one pet's life is saved. "PetSmart Charities strives to raise awareness about the benefits of adopting rather than purchasing a pet," added Della Maddalena. "We are so happy to have exceeded our event goal and helped so many pets. We hope people will always consider adoption when they add a pet to their lives."

The Perks of PetLynx (For Pet Families)

Whether they operate as part of a municipality or are non-profit agencies, animal shelters are busy places! While it can be a challenge, it is important that adoption staff and volunteers using PetLynx take a few minutes to explain the "perks" of registration that is part of the pet adoption package given to each new pet family. What's in for me, you might ask? When pet guardians regularly update their PetLynx profile they help animal service providers (that's you!) get lost pets HomeSafe faster! With the PetLynx DataSketch system, lost and found matches can be made using only a physical description. With the quick and easy AutoMatch recovery system, fewer animals are brought to animal shelters... saving valuable time, resources and, ultimately, lives. Benefits of PetLynx for pet families:

• Instant access to pet's ID and medical records 24/7.

• In an emergency, veterinarians, shelter workers and animal control personnel have access to information 24/7.

• Lifetime access to National Automated Pet Recovery Service, should the animal become lost. Includes ability to quickly and easily create and print "Lost Pet" posters.

• DataSketchTM and AutoMatchTM combine to enable real time automated matching of lost and found pets, with or without ID, to help get pets HomeSafeTM!

Pet families should be advised to:

• Upload a new photo of the pet immediately. Update at least annually.

• Update contact info immediately, whenever anything changes. No fee for updating or changing information.

• Double-check pet(s) listing(s) at least once a year, ideally when dog/cat licenses are renewed or when the pet has an annual physical.

• Update medical information. This is especially important as your pet ages or if there has been a change in medication or treatment protocols.

• Update the profile if there has been radical change in your pet's description. (Such as shaving, spaying or neutering.)

Want to know more? Check out our Q & A section. Not a service provider? Want to register your pet with PetLynx? Pre-register your pet for one low lifetime fee

Bones of the Business

Tips for Working Smarter from PetSmart Challenge: PetSmart Charities has announced some changes to its grant structure. How will the adjusted application process impact your agency? Solution: Don’t panic! The PetSmart team is ready to answer questions and provide helpful resources. They have also prepared a 20-minute Webinar on their website that walks you through the challenges and the process.
 Here’s what you need to know:

• Emergency Relief grants and Canadian grants are not affected by these changes.
• Discard all old grant applications. (New application forms are on the web site.)
• Choose programs that focus on spay/neuter for free-roaming cats and targeted spay/neuter programs for cat owners.
• Start planning for next year’s funding deadline, which will be in early 2010.
• If you have a current grant with PetSmart Charities, you will need to wait until your current project is complete before applying for a new grant.
• Equipment grants for spay/neuter clinic have their own application process.

View the Fall 2009 issue of PetSmart Charities Quarterly newsletter for the complete story.

 Used by permission from PetSmart Charities, Inc. 
Learn more with free webinars.

Secrets Inside a Dog's Mind

Do you ever wonder... What is my dog thinking? According to a recent article in TIME magazine, many animals have some level of social intelligence, allowing them to coexist and cooperate with other members of their species. But dogs have evolved an extraordinarily rich social intelligence as they've adapted to life with us. Perhaps understanding how (and what) our dogs think could help us be better pet guardians and, for those of us involved in animal welfare, to provide better care for abused, abandoned and stray dogs. Read the full story of the Secrets Inside a Dog's Mind.

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.

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

Bones of the Business

Tips for Working Smarter Challenge: Your agency receives animals who might do better in a different environment or with different resources: more time, more space, some rehabilitation options (medical or behavioral) or different exposure for adoption. Solution: Instead of competing with other animal welfare agencies, recognize the strengths of each organization and work together for the homeless animals in your community by creating transfer relationships. Recognize program priorities In a transfer relationship, you must recognize that neither agency is the "villain" and neither is the "hero." The releasing agency and the receiving agency are equal partners. Considerations before entering a transfer partnership

• Can you commit consistent people-time for the program?
• Have you visited your partner agency to get a first-hand knowledge of conditions, philosophies and expectations?
• Are there seasonal considerations?

Build sound procedures to address logistics Write transparent procedures and requirements to clarify roles and responsibilities with WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN AND HOW. View the Spring 2009 issue of PetSmart Charities Quarterly newsletter for the complete story. Used by permission from PetSmart Charities, Inc. Learn more with free webinars at: www.petsmartcharities.org

Top Ten "Pet Friendly" Colleges

New York, NY (Sept. 10, 2009) – As college students across the country stream back to school, Petside.com, a popular online destination for pet owners and pet enthusiasts, has released its list of the Top 10 Pet-Friendly Colleges. The list, which takes into consideration both the quantity and quality of pet-friendly housing as well as the types of pets allowed, is full of schools where Fido and Fluffy are assured a place on campus. Although no similar list of Canadian colleges is available, it is good to see that many learning institutions in the USA have publicly recognized the importance of the human-companion animal bond. Publishing this information makes it easier for independently living students to consider which learning institutions to attend. They can choose one that allows them to keep their much-loved animal companions, which lessens the number of companion animals "surrendered" to animal shelters. "At Petside, we know how much the companionship of a pet can benefit a college student, particularly in the form of stress-relief and as a remedy for homesickness," said Joshua Fried, Director, Petside.com. "We are pleased to know that so many of America's colleges are welcoming responsible students and their pets." Eckerd College in St. Petersburg,Florida, for example, is head of the class with four pet-friendly, air-conditioned dorm "clusters." Students are allowed to have cats and dogs (under 40 pounds), as well as snakes and fish. Stephens College (Columbia, Missouri) offers one dorm as the designated "pet dorm" which allows dogs, cats, hamsters and guinea pigs. Washington & Jefferson College (Washington, Pennsylvania) allows students to bring their family pets along to school and live in the "Pet House" dorm. Cats and dogs less than 40 pounds, small birds, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, turtles and fish are allowed and other animals may be permitted on a case-by-case basis.