Fall 2007 â¢ V ol. 42 No. 3 - San Diego Humane Society and SPCA

More documents

Recommendations

Info

president’s message How Training Helps Our Adoptable Pets Find New Homes Mark Goldstein, D.V.M., CAWA, President of the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA with his dog Ren. In this issue you will read how the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA’s certified behavior training staff helps pet parents work on their pet’s behavior issues. In addition to their work with pet parents in our community, our behavior trainers also play an essential role in how we prepare our shelter pets for adoption into their new homes. Thanks to generous support from our community, we are able to provide essential training to our shelter animals in order to make them more appealing to potential adopters, to assist in reducing their stress levels during their stay with us, and also to ensure a more successful transition to their new homes. Despite the fact that our available pets are housed in apartment-like settings and have daily interactions with staff and volunteers, a number of pets who come to the Humane Society can become stressed by the change in their environment and/or normal routine, as well as the proximity of other animals. To ease our pets’ stress levels, Humane Society behavior trainers work with pets on an individual basis, both inside and outside of their habitats, to make each pet’s stay in our adoption program more pleasant. For example, training a shy dog that his bed or crate is a stress-free place he can go when he is unsure can help calm him and alleviate his anxiety. Over time, the end result is a better-behaved pet who, in turn, will attract more potential adopters and has a higher potential to do well in his new home. In other cases, the simple observation of a pet’s reaction to his environment and taking steps to alleviate anything stress-causing can make a big difference in our animals’ well being. For instance, our trainers may recommend that a dog who reacts to potential adopters at his habitat window by barking (much like a dog at home might bark at someone at the door) have a shade placed over his window. This decreases the startle-factor of people suddenly popping in and out of sight, and helps him to relax. Such observations and recommendations by our trainers make it easier for our pets to find new homes and can aid in devising solutions to potential behavior problems before the pet has even gone to a new home. In addition to reducing our pets’ stress and anxiety, the hands-on training methods our behavior and training team uses with our animals to modify and shape behavior is essential in preparing our pets for adoption. Using positive reinforcement training techniques which reward pets for their good behavior, our trainers work with pets to encourage behaviors that will make it easier for them to find homes. Whether it’s teaching a dog that the best way to get attention is by sitting quietly (and not jumping!) or by working with an under-socialized cat to enjoy touching and petting, our behavior trainers’ work increases the overall adoptability of our pets. In the long run, the time our trainers spend teaching and training our pets results in better companion animals as well as more successful adoptions and homes for our pets. It is only thanks to support from patrons like you that the San Diego Humane Society is able to take the sheltering and adoption of our pets to a new level with our team of certified behavior trainers. Thank you for continuing to support animals in need and for helping us to find them new, loving homes. In our next issue of AnimalFare I look forward to talking about Behavioral Assessments and how we use this observational tool to find our animals the best home matches possible. Mark Goldstein, D.V.M., CAWA President of the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA 2 www.sdhumane.org AnimalFare • Fall 2007 Photo: Melisa Codgell
From the Mailbox Dear Humane Society, I moved to San Diego last summer for work and by the holidays I was getting pretty lonely and homesick. I looked online that day and by quitting time I had found my new best friend: Cody. Cody had some medical issues and I was worried, but he just looked too adorable for me to pass up. I went straight to the Humane Society after work to visit him and instantly fell in love! Sincerely, Nadine Evans Dear San Diego Humane Society and SPCA, I was on your website and saw a video of two playful, bonded rabbits named Shorty and Angel and I realized I had to meet these two. My husband Tom and I came to the Humane Society to adopt both rabbits, and we had already fallen in love with them. After a period of adjustment, Angel and Shorty now feel at home. We are amazed how smart they are and how quickly they’ve adjusted to their forever home with us. Thank you so much, Mary Ann and Tom Galliher Dear San Diego Humane Society, Our nine-year-old granddaughter Vonnie was staying with us for the summer and asked if we might consider adopting a kitty. Then, when we saw the Humane Society’s “Pet of the Week” in the San Diego Union-Tribune we came to meet the cat. Although Vonnie had her heart set on the featured pet, I asked Humane Society staff which cat they would adopt. They recommended a five-year-old cat named Madison who had nearly died prior to coming to the Humane Society. We heard how Madison had survived a severe illness and major surgery. Some people wouldn’t adopt a cat who had been through so much trauma, however, Madison’s story paralleled my own. Thank you for saving our Maddy – what an amazing organization! Sincerely, Kevin Downey Go to www.sdhumane.org and click on “Success Stories” to read more From the Mailbox letters. ON THE COVER: San Diego Humane Society and SPCA Behavior Trainer Margaret Lenoir works with Kathy Muth and her Miniature Poodle Abby during a private training session at the San Diego Humane Society. Cover Photo: Sarah Whorley Published quarterly by: San Diego Humane Society and SPCA 5500 Gaines Street, San Diego, CA 92110-2572 (619) 299-7012 www.sdhumane.org Postmaster@SDHumane.org To report animal abuse call 1-800-98-ABUSE Board of Trustees Diane Glow Chairperson Fred Baranowski Vice Chairperson Finance & Audit Nancy Vaughan Vice Chairperson, Board Governance & Nominating Lori Walton Vice Chairperson, Community Relations & Development Alyce Lynn Secretary Robert Brown, George Coles, Dana Di Ferdinando, Michelle Graham, Georgia Griffiths, Eve Godfrey, Wayne Hanson, David Hickey, Michael Luther, Dave Mason, Judith Muñoz, Ph.D, John Parker, David Sear Advisors Diane Gilabert, Abby Leber, Jeff Lyle, Patrick Mead, David Mittleman, Beverly Oster-Ornelas, Anne Perry Life Members Betsy Hillyer, Vi & Dan McKinney, John Parker, Sheila Vardaman President Mark Goldstein, D.V.M., CAWA AnimalFare Editors Simran Noon, Sarah Whorley Contributing Writers Candice Eley, Jenny Ludovissy, Tricia Macri, Sarah Whorley Design & Layout DraDog, LLC Our sincere thanks to DraDog and Precision Litho for their generous support of the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA. Serving San Diego County since 1880, the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA provides vital services to animals and people alike through sheltering and adopting animals, providing positive reinforcement behavior training for adoptable animals and for owned animals through public training classes, investigating animal cruelty and neglect, providing adult and youth education programs, sharing animals through pet-assisted therapy and rescuing animals in emergency situations. A private, nonprofit organization that receives no government funding, the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA is supported solely by contributions, grants, bequests, investments, proceeds from its retail outlets and some fees for service. For your privacy, the Humane Society does not sell, rent, lend or exchange our mailing or contributor lists. AnimalFare • Fall 2007 www.sdhumane.org 3
Page 1: Fall 2007 • Vol. 42 No. 3
Page 5 and 6: cover story One-on-One Training Hel
Page 7 and 8: Putting the “Fun“ in Fundraisin
Page 9 and 10: An Appeal to Plan Ahead Some people
Page 11 and 12: Photo: Candice Eley Photo: Courtesy
Page 13 and 14: In Memory Of In Memory Of In Memory
Page 15 and 16: Penny Payton Jane Marshall Dr. Bruc
Page 17 and 18: San Diego Humane Society and SPCA W
Page 19 and 20: fall 2007 Calendar of Events AUGUST

Fall 2007 â¢ V ol. 42 No. 3 - San Diego Humane Society and SPCA

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?

Fall 2007 â¢ V ol. 42 No. 3 - San Diego Humane Society and SPCA