Dear supporters,
I love my job. I love hearing stories from the pet therapy teams about their hospital and nursing home visits. I love hearing from parents about how our Reading Dogs inspired their child to read more. I love watching the transformation of a wild dog and stressed family on day one of a class to the confident, calm and well mannered dog with his very proud family on graduation day. I love watching the sheer joy on the face of a student in our K9 Club- Autism program when they master a dog training skill. I love watching that very special moment when a family decides they will adopt one of our rescues to be a forever part of their family.
What I do not enjoy is fretting about money. As the Executive Director, a large portion of the fundraising burden is on my shoulders. We have so many wonderful programs and ideas about how to expand these programs The challenging aspect for all non-profits is balancing all the wonderful things we can and want to provide to the community with the reality that we need to pay our bills and our employees. Here are some facts about non-profits that folks don't want to think about:
1. Being a non-profit does not mean we don't have expenses - We pay electricity, phone, rent and insurance every month. We pay for cleaning supplies, office furniture, computers, internet service, toliet paper, paper towels, ink cartridges, paper, craft supplies, snacks for the kids in our programs, vet care for our dogs, and on and on.
2. Every person involved with a non-profit this large can not be a volunteer - Our volunteers are awesome and dedicated and passionate. (We estimate over 10,000 volunteer hours provided by about 300 volunteers have touched 14,000 people in the first three quarters of 2011.) However, when you get to the point of offering highly specialized activities (autism programs) and managing over 70 pet therapy teams at over 40 sites and countless special presentations, you need employees with specialized skills and the consistency that comes with a paycheck.
3. Obtaining foundation grants is a time consuming process that does not always lead to results - There are quite a few foundations in the Austin area. It appears that these grants are often given based on personal relationships and professionally written applications. Since we are too small to fund a professional grant writer, we are at a distinct disadvantage. The process is tricky. It often takes months and month to learn if you have won and even if a funder says they will recommend you for funding, it doesn't always happen. We are learning and working as hard as we can be win a foundation grant or two or three, but it's not easy.
4. Being a non-profit does not mean we can give all our services for free - We are relying on individual donations and the revenues from our classes to pay our bills. We are planning to provide scholarships for our autism program with the revenues from our gift wrapping fundraiser and we price our classes as low as we can, but we must collect class and adoption fees to continue.
We would love to get a large donation so that we can offer a summer camp at no-cost for at-risk kids. We would love to expand our autism programs. We would love to expand our Special Dogs for Special Need Kids program. We would love to train more Reading Dogs. We would love to write a curriculum guide for our autism program that we could share with everyone across the country that calls for information. We would love to train more pet therapy teams and therapists about working with dogs and at-risk kids. We would love to move to a facility that has an agility field and a large training floor and an on-site kennel with vetting and grooming stations. We would love to offer more dog safety and responsibility presentations at local schools. On and on. Can't do it without funding.
So (here is the funding request, you knew it was coming. :)) as you consider year end gifts to your favorite non-profits, please consider Austin Dog Alliance. Every penny is very carefully spent. Your donation of any size is greatly appreciated and will help us continue to grow and thrive as we enrich the lives of families in Austin by using the powerful magic of that bond between dogs and humans.
To make it convenient to give, click here for our donation page that uses paypal for online giving. If you are a check writer, our address is 12129 Ranch Road 620 North, Suite 401, Austin, TX 78750. If you would like to break your donation into monthly payments, a pledge form can be found at the end of this newsletter.
I'm very thankful to have the job of Executive Director of Austin Dog Alliance. I'm even more thankful to have the support of so many volunteers and the financial support of our board and all our donors. Together, we are impacting our community in a very positive way.
Sincerely,
Debi Krakar, CPDT
Executive Director, Austin Dog Alliance
PS. If you would like to increase your dog's skills and have some fun, join me on Thursday mornings at 11:15, starting November 10. I'm going to teach a four week Dog Manners 2 class based on the PHD level of APDT's new Canine Life and Social Skills program. It's new and innovative and you can be one of the first to try it out! Click Here to register.
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Kitty McKenzie and her "forever pardner"
From shelter stray to pet therapy dog |
It's always exciting to see the different programs at ADA work in concert to create a success story. It's like seeing pieces of a puzzle come together to form a perfect match. Such is the story of Kitty McKenzie and her dog, Lacey.  | |
Kitty and therapy dog, Lacey
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Lacey came to the attention of ADA when she was dropped at the Lockhart Animal Shelter as a stray. She was of "unknown parentage" but, as a pup, looked something like a cross between a Labrador Retriever and a Corgi. Her sweet temperament, though, was obvious. Although she was quiet, her tail never stopped wagging, she got along well with other dogs, and she was full of affection. ADA took Lacey into the rescue/adoption program, confident she would make a loving addition to someone's home. Enter Kitty McKenzie. As Kitty tells the story, "I've always had a dog. My last precious love was a rescue mix (maybe Golden/Spaniel) who had leukemia and died in 2006. We had hiked and backpacked together for about seven years, so it was a sad time. I have always enjoyed travel. I had an opportunity to teach in Africa the summer of 2008, which was great, but I returned very ill. It was the summer of 2010 before I was well enough to even think of another dog. A friend told me about ADA and the rescue dogs that are kept in foster homes, often receiving some training while in foster care. This really appealed to me, as I was not strong enough to adopt a dog that needed full training". During this time, Kitty also read about pet therapy. She had previous experience in care-giving outreach, and found herself interested in the field of pet therapy. She contacted ADA. "I talked to the people at ADA; they know their dogs so well". A meet-and-greet was arranged for Kitty and Lacey, and Kitty knew Lacey was the one. "She was a lover and seemed perfect, so she became my "forever pardner"". Kitty adopted Lacey and the two bonded quickly. Earlier this year, Kitty attended the Pet Therapy seminar and believed Lacey had the potential to work as a therapy dog. They enrolled in the six-week Pet Therapy group training class to gain more training and practice in different settings. Soon thereafter, it was on to the Delta Society Evaluation for therapy dogs. Kitty recalls, "I wasn't too nervous about the evaluation, as I knew Lacey was pretty reliable, but you never know". They passed the evaluation with flying colors. Seeing that Lacey enjoys being with children, Kitty attended an ADA Bow Wow Reading seminar and steered her (and Lacey's) attention towards Cox Elementary as their primary pet therapy site. Asked about her overall experience, Kitty says "I am very impressed with ADA. Everyone is so pleasant and helpful, as well as competent. I think it is so valuable that they are always developing new classes and programs to involve kids, and the autistic programs they are planning sound so good." Thanks Kitty, for adopting Lacey and helping ADA make a difference, one dog at a time. Congratulations on successfully completing the Delta Society Evaluation for therapy dogs. We're proud to have you and Lacey on the ADA Pet Therapy team! Interested in becoming a pet therapy volunteer? Learn more about ADA's pet therapy program here. |
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November Group Training Classes
New sessions begin week of November 5th - sign up now!
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Logan celebrates graduation
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New sessions of our most popular training classes begin in November.
- Dog Manners 1 (six weeks on Monday evenings )
- Dog Manners 2 (four week class on Thursday mornings )
- Pet Therapy (five weeks on Wednesday mornings)
Since scheduling around the holidays is a challenge for our students and instructors, we are offering a series of one day classes and seminars on basic skills and specialized topics.
- Pet Therapy Seminar
- Dog First Aide, Basic Care and Disaster Planning
- Mind Games for Your Dog
- Keeping Kids Safe
- Introduction to Assistance Work
For additional class details and online registration, visit the Dog Training section of our website. Class sizes are limited to ensure all participants get personalized attention.
Thank you for training with ADA! Your class fees and donations support our after-school K9 Kids and K9 Autism/Asperger's Social Communication Enrichment programs, Summer Kids' Camps, and pet therapy outreach throughout the community.
Questions? Call our Training Center at 512-335-7100. We offer one-on-one training sessions for special situations and/or special scheduling needs.
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Foster a Dog, Help Create a Family
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Our foster program
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Lollipop was an ADA foster puppy before finding her new forever family
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provides temporary housing and care for dogs and puppies that have been rescued from shelters. Our network of volunteers gives these dogs a second chance to find a forever family. Every day, ADA fosters help to save lives and create families. We need you to join the team! The typical foster stay is approximately three weeks. Fosters receive support from the adoption team so that the foster can focus on the dog's well-being and care. Learn more about fostering and join us in making a difference, one dog at a time. Read more at the Foster Program section of our website. |
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It's time to think about ... gift wrapping!
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The holidays are approaching, and we're all faced with the busy-ness and (festive chaos) that goes along with shopping for the perfect gifts for the special people on our lists.
We have an idea that will make your life a tad more serene and relaxed this season.
Don't wrap your gifts! (Let us do it for you).
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ADA Volunteers are great gift wrappers!
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Our team of ADA elves (and some therapy dogs, too) will be back by popular demand at Lakeline Mall again this year to take one of the to-do items off of your holiday to-do list.
We'll have an assortment of beautiful wrapping paper, bows/ribbons, gift tags, and special touches, not to mention some of the most talented gift wrappers on the planet.
We'll be there December 9/10 and 16/17.
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Therapy dogs like Charlie will be on hand
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We'll wrap while you wait, or you can drop off your gifts, shop some more, and come back to pick up your beautifully-wrapped items. Your donations at our gift wrapping fundraiser support our outreach programs all year long.
So, circle the dates on your calendar (or add a reminder to your calendar app on your smartphone) and make a date to come see us for gift wrapping in December. You'll be glad you did.
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Looking Ahead ...
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 | All aboard the Bow Wow Express!
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Our Bow Wow Express Holiday Festival will be held December 18 (1-4pm) at Milburn Park in Cedar Park.
We'll have carnival games, train rides, photos with Santa, a holiday market, holiday cookie decorating, dog biscuit decorating, hot chocolate, and lots of fun planned for the day. Stay up to date by visiting the Bow Wow Express page.
Be a sponsor! If you are interested in being one of our much-appreciated sponsors, or are a vendor interested in participating, you can find more information here.
Visit our Events Calendar or follow us on Facebook to stay up to date on all upcoming Austin Dog Alliance events! |
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Pet Therapy Update
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 Congratulations to new and renewing pet therapy teams that successfully completed the Delta Society Pet Partner evaluation in October. Registration is open for evaluation dates in January. Sign up before they fill up! See our Delta Evaluations page for information and online registration. Please note - you must attend a pet therapy seminar or pet therapy 6 week class and have instructor approval BEFORE signing up for an evaluation time slot. Join us and see how rewarding it is to volunteer as a pet therapy team! |
| Donation Pledge |
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Please make your tax-deductible contribution today! ( EIN - 20-4797768)
* ONLINE: Go to www.austindogalliance.org
* BY PHONE: (512) 335-7100
* BY MAIL: Austin Dog Alliance 12129 RR 620 North, Suite 401, Austin, TX 78750
I/we pledge the following:
□ $10,000 ($3,333/year/3years) □ $750 ($250/year/3years) □ $150 ($50/year/3years)
□ $ 5,000 ($1,667/year/3years) □ $500 ($166/year/3years) □ $100 ($33/year/3years)
□ $ 2,500 ($833/year/3years) □ $300 ($100/year/3years) □ $ 75 ($25/year/3years)
□ $ 1,000 ($333/year/3years) □ $225 ($75/year/3years) □ Other $_______________
Payable: □Monthly □Quarterly □Semi-Annually □Annually
For: □1 year □2 years □3 years □Other_________________
I/we would like our donation to support:
□ Autism and Special Learning Need Programs □ Pet Therapy in Hospitals & Nursing Homes
□ Youth Leadership and Enrichment Programs □ Bow Wow Reading Dogs
□ Rescue and Adoption □ Summer Camps
Amount of donation today: _______________
Credit card type: o MC o VISA Card number: ______________________________________ 3-digit security code on back of card: _______ Expiration Date: ____________ Name: __________________________________________ ___ I wish to remain anonymous on donor listings/announcements ___ In honor or memory of _______________________________________________ Billing: Address:____________________________________________________ City/State: ________________________________________ ZIP: ______________ Signature: __________________________________________________________ |
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Thank You for your donation.
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Austin Dog Alliance is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, with the mission of improving the health and well being of individuals and families through programs incorporating the powerful connection between dogs and humans.
To achieve our mission we
- Provide professional and positive dog training classes
- Find dogs for families
- Provide programs for children and their families who are affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Promote the valuable role of pet therapy in our community
- Implement animal assisted programs in nursing homes, hospitals and rehabilitation centers
- Enhance student reading skills by utilizing Bow Wow Reading Dog pet therapy teams at schools and libraries
- Provide a variety of fun and educational programs designed to build self esteem and teach children to love and respect dogs
Austin Dog Alliance is funded by the revenue generated from our training classes and donations by individuals and corporations. All donations are tax deductible. Please donate .
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| Contact Us | Board of Directors
Leadership Team
Adoption Program Manager
Pet Therapy Volunteer Coordinator
Pet Therapy
Training Manager |
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