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News and Updates for AHS Friends and Family October 2012
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Adoption Is Your Superpower!
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Embrace your superpowers and adopt! We have more than 100 cats and kittens in need of adoption this weekend. We hope you'll spread the word to all your family and friends! Together, we can conquer animal homelessness!
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Magic Goes to His Forever Home!
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After more than two and a half months of tender loving care from his foster parents, Magic went home last week with his new family! More than 20 staff members from Asheville Humane Society and Buncombe County Animal Shelter gathered together in their "I Believe in Magic" tee-shirts to give Magic a grand send-off! Tears flowed as his foster parents, Rick Clark and Marti Touchstone gave a loving farewell to Magic and a happy hello to his new family, George Lowe and Susanne Pell. Magic even got his adoption filmed by local television station WLOS!
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(Left to right): Adoptive parents George Lowe and Suzanne Pell; Magic; foster parents Marti Touchstone and Rick Clark.
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George and Suzanne signed the adoption papers, making it official that Magic is now part of their family. Magic will live on a five-acre farm with plenty of room to run with his new sibling Marley, another black, standard poodle that was rescued by George and Suzanne. More than 11 pounds of matted, maggot-infested fur was removed from Magic by Dr. Amy Plankenhorn and other staff at Animal Hospital of North Asheville in early August. With strengthening exercises and daily doses of training conducted by his foster mother Marti, Magic can now sit, romp and play like any other dog.
Suzanne couldn't contain her excitement, "We are just so, so happy that Magic is coming home with us! But there are many other animals just like Magic who still need homes and who need people to love them. We hope everyone will consider adopting their next pet from Asheville Humane Society!"
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Staff from both the Buncombe County Animal Shelter and Asheville Humane Society
pose with Magic and his foster parents Marti Touchstone and Rick Clark before
departing the adoption center with his new family.
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Magic will continue to serve as a spokes-dog for the thousands of stray, helpless or homeless animals that come through Buncombe County Animal Shelter each year.
To learn more about how you can help, visit our special page for Magic.
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JOIN US FOR A SPOOK-TACULAR EVENT OCTOBER 27!
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October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month! |
We're celebrating Adopt-A-Dog month by showcasing some of the cutest canines in our community! For the first time, we're hosting our Pretty Pitties, Handsome Hounds, and Other Canine Cuties Photo Contest that enables you to post your pooch pal and encourage your friends to vote!
Click here to enter your pooch pal!
Voting ends this Friday!
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The observation of Adopt-a-Shelter-Dog Month brings attention to the plight of homeless animals in every community and the unfortunate fact that less than 20 percent of cats and dogs are adopted from shelters or rescue groups. Worse yet, pitbulls and hound dogs are the least likely dogs to be adopted in our community. So we wanted to show everyone how amazing these dogs can be to encourage folks to adopt! Take a peek at some of the ways the ASPCA is encouraging people to get involved in adopting shelter dogs!
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Radar is just one of more than 2,600 animals adopted out last year by Asheville Humane Society.
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"There are 3 to 4 million dogs living in shelters nationwide who would make a fantastic addition to anybody's family, all they need is a second chance," said Gail Buchwald, senior vice president of the ASPCA Adoption Center. Here are some ways the public can get involved and make a difference during Adopt-a-Shelter-Dog Month:
- Adopt, Don't Shop. Visit your local shelter or rescue organization and give a lucky dog a loving home. Consumers who purchase a puppy from a pet store or website run the risk of taking home an unhealthy puppy in addition to the likelihood of supporting the cruel puppy mill industry. Operators of puppy mills breed dogs in unsanitary, overcrowded conditions where profit is given priority over the well-being of the dogs.
- Take the Pledge. Join the more than 100,000 people who have already taken the "No Pet Store Puppies" pledge to help fight puppy mill cruelty by refusing to buy anything-including food, supplies or toys-at pet stores and on websites that sell puppies.
- Spread the Word. Spread the adoption message to all of your friends and followers online! Join the ASPCA in a live Ustream event on October 30 from 7 to 8 p.m. when veterinarians and behaviorists will be chatting and answering your best pet questions. In addition, send a Tweet with Twitter®, post a Facebook® status, shoot a YouTube® video, take an Instagram® photo, and pin on Pinterest® throughout the entire month of October; every mention makes a difference.
- Get Active for Animals. Volunteering at your local shelter is a great way to make a difference in the lives of shelter dogs. Volunteers can take dogs for walks, socialize them, make the rounds during meal times, or just offer a friendly face for attention. Rescue organizations are always in need of supplies; gather up gently used blankets, towels and toys from friends and family to donate-just be sure to check first to see what rescue groups and shelters need most.
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| Happy Tails & Love Connections: We LOVE These Love Stories! |
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About Nyla
Nyla, a five-year-old German Shepherd was purchased from a breeder as a puppy. When her owner lost her home, Nyla was surrendered to us and waited for a new family to adopt her. She didn't have to wait long -- the Melichov family (all 7 of them!) came to the adoption center just 6 days after Nyla had been surrendered and adopted her on the spot! Congratulations to all!
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About Bertram
Bertram came to us as a stray in June and was fortunate enough to have our own Heather Brannan, Community Programs Manager, as his foster mom. More than two months went by before Bertram met his forever family -- the Mickelsons! The Mickelsons are involved in the Wounded Warrior programand plan to make Bertram part of as well. Eventually, Betram will even have his own website! Look for updates on this dog and his mission to help veterans!
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About Lacey
This little girl, a four-year-old terrier mix was found by animal control roaming near busy Hendersonville Road. But Lacey's days as a stray were over when Whitney Baker picked her up for a cuddle in ouradoption center. It was love at first sight and today, Lacey gets a good meal and a soft bed becauseshe was adopted! Thank you Whitney for giving Lacey a better life.
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About Gibson
Gibson and his seven siblings came to us in June at just three months of age. Their owner had gottensick and couldn't care for them. Gibson was adopted three weeks later but was surrendered yet again! Would he ever find a forever home? The answer is YES! Gibson went home with Cole Johnson in early October and is purring happily in his new surroundings!
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Top Tips for Travelling with Your Dog
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Driving on the Open Road with Fido!
1. Bring your dog to your veterinarian before traveling to ensure they are up to date with their vaccinations and have no pre-existing illnesses. Your vet can recommend medication for anxiety or motion sickness if necessary.
2. Practice sitting in the car with your dog, both when the car is in the driveway and also for short trips to help them adjust.
3. Stock up on food and water before setting off - it may be difficult to find their normal food at a rest stop.
4. Make them comfortable by bringing their usual bed or blanket to settle down into but also ensure they are safely secured with a seat belt.
5. Feed your dog at least two hours prior to the trip to reduce the chance of motion sickness
6. Keep the car well-ventilated when travelling and use air conditioning where possible.
7. Make regular bathroom and walk breaks - once every two hours is recommended.
8. Never let your dog put its head out of the window as it can lead to eye injuries.
9. If you're travelling with small children, make sure they don't annoy or tease your dog.
10. Ensure your dog is micro-chipped before going on holiday to minimize the chance of losing your dog in an unfamiliar environment.
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| We Love our LITTER LOVERS! |
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"Litter Lovers" sponsorship underwrites the expense of kitty litter for a month at Asheville Humane Society. For $250 a month, sponsors, either businesses or individuals, will receive prominent in-lobby signage and website placement. If you'd like to be a Litter Lover of the Month, please contact Meghan Jordan at mjordan@ashevillehumane.org |
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| LOVE IN A CAN Means Full Tummies for the Puppies and Kitties! |
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"Love in a Can" continues to be a success and we are so thankful to our sponsors!
We purchase canned cat and dog food to help stimulate the appetite of those animals who are sick, injured, stressed or simply lonely. This affordable monthly sponsorship of $250 to cover this cost celebrates the love we have for those special needs animals requiring a little nudge to keep their spirits high as they await their forever homes.
Sponsorship of this program is only $250 each month and it helps make a big difference in the lives of the animals in our care! Contact Meghan Jordan at mjordan@ashevillehumane.org if you would like to become a sponsor.
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Our Last Yappy Hour of the Season! October 25 at Ruth's Chris! |
You And Your Pooch Pal Are Invited To Join Us Thursday, October 25 at
Ruth's Chris Steakhouse in Biltmore Village for
TIME: 5:30 - 7:30
COST: $10 per person (accompanied by their pooches, of course!)
LOCATION: Ruth's Chris Steakhouse
26 All Souls Crescent, Biltmore Village
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You Can Get Great Deals AND Help Homeless Animals!
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Get some of the best deals in town and help homeless animals!
Have you checked out the latest deals on You Get, We Give? Each time you purchase a deal, you can select Asheville Humane Society to receive a portion of the proceeds. How can you beat that? You save 50% of highly desirable services and items and the animals win, too. Sign up today and start saving AND helping animals at Asheville Humane Society!
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| Everything We Do is "For the Animals!" |
I almost always end my letters with "for the animals." This short phrase is the guiding force behind all that we do here at Asheville Humane Society. Keeping "for the animals" in  mind, we make daily decisions that are always in the best interests of the animals in our care.
We broke all previous records with more than 4,519 homeless animal lives saved in 2012! We have reached extraordinary heights with our foster program; we had a record number of adoptions; and our return-to-owner rate was more than twice the national average. In short, we have had a year to remember.
Because of you and your support, Asheville Humane Society saw 2,684 adoptions of cats, dogs, kittens, puppies and rabbits. This was a 25% increase in adoptions over last year! Having settled in our new facility after two years, together we have created a place that not only is a temporary home for homeless animals but also is a warm, welcoming place for people to come find the love of their life.
Our foster care program continues to be a critical piece of our lifesaving efforts and this year, we brought in an additional 50 new foster families, bringing the total number of foster homes to more than 200. When an animal is sick or injured or just needs someone to teach him basic manners, foster parents help fill the gap between the time the animal is brought to Buncombe County Animal Shelter and the time he is adopted. Because many of our animals need that extra bit of time, we count on foster families to help bring these animals back to health.
More than 60 percent of the incoming animals at the Buncombe County Animal Shelter are lost and separated from their families! Lost and Found is a critical area that experienced a dramatic increase in family reunions of pets and owners this past year. With a national return-to-owner rate of missing cats and kittens of less than two percent, Asheville Humane Society blew it out of the water and posted a six percent return rate - triple the national average! The national average of dogs being reunited with their family ranges between 15-20% and we are elated to report that our return-to-owner rate for canines is at 50%! Imagine all those happy families when they come to pick up their lost dog!
All of this is to say that lives are saved and changed every day here because of you and your compassion, dedication and generosity. "For the animals" is more than a phrase, it's the way we save lives, one animal at a time.
For the animals,
President/CEO
Asheville Humane Society
828.761.2001 x 309
Please join me in my journey as President/CEO for Asheville Humane Society as I share behind-the-scenes and up-to-the-minute details of our lifesaving work. I want to share our important work with YOU, our dedicated supporters. I want YOU to be the first to know how your donations are helping save lives. Let's share these moments together: join me on Facebook and Twitter by clicking on both or either of these icons.
"We're proud to feed Science Diet to the animals in our care."
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