October 2013 HHA Newsletter - Healthcare for Homeless Animals

Transcription

OCTOBER 2013
Healthcare for Homeless Animals
Formerly Malibu Pet Companions
Funding Medical Care for Homeless Animals
at the Agoura Animal Shelter
Presidents Message: From
the Leader of Our Pack
We are pleased
to announce we
have a new name
and logo! Malibu
Pet Companions
is now known
as Healthcare
for Homeless
Animals (HHA). For many years, we have
thought about transitioning to a name that
would better represent what we do as a nonprofit. During a brainstorming session, our
Board decided that the name Healthcare for
Homeless Animals better defines our mission and purpose: funding medical care for
homeless animals at the Agoura Shelter. First
Vice President Jenn Commander took on the
task of filing for our new name, working with
Attorney Vincent Kostiw (thank you, Jenn,
and thanks to Vincent, who donated his
time) and Pattie Tracy, a former board member, agreed to design a new logo with her
friend Lianne Frame (thank you to Pattie
and to Lianne, an Art Director by trade, as
both donated their time!). The end result…
we officially debuted our new name, Healthcare for Homeless Animals, and our new logo,
at the Bless the Beasts & the Children event
on September 7, 2013. We are thrilled with
the positive response!
As 2013 draws to an end, we continue to be
grateful for your support. Thank you for allowing us to always say yes to medically needy
animals at the Agoura Animal Shelter!
With gratitude,
Robin Kahrs
Bless the Beasts & the Children
Event on September 7
Nets $25K for Healthcare for Homeless Animals
On a beautiful summer evening, Healthcare for Homeless
Animals joined with the Rotary Club of Woodland Hills
Charitable Foundation to honor two women who have
made a world of difference in the lives of animals and
children. We offer our heartfelt thanks to those of you
who joined us at this very important fundraiser!
Bless the Beasts & the Children, held at a private estate
in Malibu, was enjoyed by more than 350 guests. The
event featured a lavish buffet from Monrose Catering,
wine donated by Caro’s Ridge Malibu Winery, music by
the Symphomaniax quartet and an extensive array of live
and silent auction items. The real winners, however, are
the animals that will be helped with the $25K raised for
Healthcare for Homeless Animals!
HHA’s honoree at this elegant affair was our leader for
the past 7 years, President Robin Kahrs. Robin started
volunteering at the shelter 12 years ago, and very quickly
became a devoted advocate for shelter animals. She
saw many ways that the lives of animals residing at the
continued on page 2
HEALTHCARE FOR HOMELESS ANIMALS
OCTOBER 2013
Bless the Beasts & the Children (continued from page 1)
Agoura Shelter could be improveded, and she
spearheaded programs including:
• An enriched environment for the animals,
including beds, blankets, toys and treats
• A “real room” where animals can spend time
away from the kennels
• New animal bio sheets that tell a “story”
about the animal for potential adopters
• Implementation of more specialized kennel
programs to grow the shelter’s no kill approach
• Post-adoption training with volunteer certified
dog trainers to keep adoptions intact
• An expanded volunteer foster program for post-surgical animals and hospice cases
• A formal volunteer training program resulting in an increase in volunteers to work with the animals
Honoree Healthcare for Homeless Animals President Robin
Kahrs (3rd from left) with her brother Scott, sisters Julie and
Stacy, sister-in-law Dalys, son Andrew and friend Chris, and
Helen Hartel, (L) Agoura Shelter Volunteer and photographer.
Starting out as a volunteer with HHA, Robin took over
as president in 2007. She is passionate about HHA’s
mission of funding medical care for sick, injured,
and senior animals, bringing them to good health
Lois Koch, HHA Secretary, to
allow them the second chance they need to be
and Co-Chair of Bless the
adopted
into loving homes. With Robin’s leadership,
Beasts & the Children,
love of animals, and “can do” attitude, our non-profit
with Agoura Animal
Shelter Manager Denise
will continue to make a difference in these animals’
Rosen. Thank you, Lois,
lives. Our sincere thanks to all of you who supported
for another amazing
our event through sponsorship, donations and
event!
purchasing tickets.

Walt Disney Company supports their employee volunteer efforts
and HHA benefits! HHA was the recent recipient of
Thousand Oaks and a Taco Truck day
a $500 grant from the Walt Disney
Company for volunteer hours donated by Janice, wife of HHA board
member Tim. The Disney VoluntEARS
program allows employees to donate
their time to charities such as Healthcare for Homeless Animals with the
company making a contribution in
support of the employee’s volunteer
hours. Janice has organized several
events for HHA including two wine
tasting events at the WineYard in
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at the Agoura Animal shelter. Janice’s
efforts have brought in over $5000
to HHA! Thank you, Janice, and the
Walt Disney Company!
OCTOBER 2013
Senior Gal amazes all with her will to live!
On May 6, 2013, a straggly, dirty, frightened cat was turned in to the Agoura Shelter as a stray.
Obviously quite ill, she was placed in the sick room while it
was determined what, if anything, could be done for her.
Within a day or so, a diagnosis of fatty liver disease was made.
A decision was made by the HHA Board to do all we could
for this beauty. She was taken to the Malibu Coast Animal
Hospital and placed on intensive therapy for her condition.
The liver condition occurs in cats when they do not eat,
and this elderly lady (approximately 12 years old) had not
been eating for some time. The therapy consisted of forced
feeding until such time as she had the strength and interest
to eat on her own. While boarding at MCAH, her personality
began to come out, and with the personal, loving care of
the hospital staff who fell in love with this grand dame,
her condition reversed, the jaundice disappeared, and
she began eating on her own. Upon discharge from the
hospital, it was still necessary to see that she had personal
attention. A foster mom stepped forward and provided
a home with love and good food, and Sally blossomed. Her beauty and loving
personality captured the heart of her foster mom and she now has a loving home.
Amazing recovery for a seriously injured kitty thanks to Dr. Dana!
Renato came to the Agoura Shelter as an owner surrender.
The history prior to his arrival at Agoura is a little vague, but
apparently he was adopted from another shelter and taken
to the adopter’s veterinarian who stated he could not be
neutered due to his poor physical condition. Renato is quite
small and looked like a kitten to all who saw him in a cage,
but he was actually about 2 years old. At some point in
his young life, he had been injured in an accident where
his body was significantly crushed. The crushing of his
abdomen ruptured his diaphragm pushing the abdominal
organs into his chest. This created great difficulty in his
breathing, in addition to damaging his diaphragm. The
veterinarian thought the anesthesia required for surgery
to repair the damage would be too risky, but there was
no way for this sweet, lovely snowshoe Siamese to have a normal life
without surgery. HHA found him a heroine in Dr. Dana at Malibu Coast Animal Hospital. After
major surgery to repair the hole in his diaphragm, he became the darling of the hospital. He was
their “love bug”. He made a full and rapid recovery and within a day or two of being discharged, he
had found his forever home!
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OCTOBER 2013
Kids Taking Action for HHA!
HHA thanks Girl Scout
Troop 33 for their donation
to medically needy pets!
HHA Board Member Tamy with three of the girls from Girl
Scout Troop 33 with their donations for the animals at the
Agoura Animal Shelter.
The Troop 33 Junior Girl Scouts
Sofia Thure
Angelina Taylor
Evelina Caserta
Lucy Kindseth
Kelly Monbarren
Kaila O’Neal
Alexis Burnett
Melanie Piper
Tess Teodor
Julia Arem
and their leader Kim Thure wanted
to help animals while earning the Girl
Scout bronze award. The girls made
homemade dog treats, toys, and
blankets, raising a total of $440!
Way to go, girls!
Healthcare for Homeless Animals is granted funding by the Lowell
Foundation to benefit large mixed breeds, seniors and bully breeds!
HHA was recently selected to receive a $5000 Lowell Foundation grant through The Humane
Society of the United States (HSUS) for HHA’s teamwork with the Agoura Animal Shelter to
support funding of vet care and training and socializing for large mixed breed, senior, and
bully breed dogs. Healthcare for Homeless Animals’ support of these animals housed at the
Agoura Animal Shelter allows a potential adopter to be assured of an animal’s current health.
As a result of this collaboration, the Agoura Animal Shelter has one of the highest adoption
rates in the shelter system for these dogs. Thank you to the Lowell
Foundation for their generous support of the mission of HHA and
the nonprofit’s support of the Agoura Animal Shelter’s homeless
pet population. Dogs like these …
Maria, 8 years old - HHA funded her senior well check.
Looking for her forever home!
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OCTOBER 2013
Healthcare for Homeless Animals is granted funding by the Lowell
Foundation to benefit large mixed breeds, seniors and bully breeds!
Apollo, Lab/pit mix - Vet check for skin
condition funded by HHA & training
under the Agoura Animal Shelter Canine
Coaching team —Adopted!
Baxter 10 years old, lab mix. HHA funded
a senior well check, has laryngeal paralysis,
spent socialization time with volunteers
in the Agoura Animal Shelter real
room —Adopted!
Nevada, 13 years
old. HHA funded her
senior well check
and surgery to
remove a cancerous
toe —Adopted!
Bison 10 years old, rottie mix. HHA funded a
senior well check and treated intervertebral
disc disease - spent time daily with volunteers
in the exercise play yards —Adopted!
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OCTOBER 2013
New Video highlights Healthcare for Homeless Animals
Thanks to a generous donation from Tom Jennings Productions/1895 Films, Healthcare for Homeless
Animals has a new video highlighting its mission and the stories of two very special dogs.
Skittles, pictured below, was confiscated from a hoarding situation and transferred to the Agoura Animal
Shelter. Born with a congenital deformity to his hind legs, Skittles was unable to stand and use his legs
normally, so he had to waddle to move around. With funding for surgery from Healthcare for Homeless
Animals and the Animal Care Foundation, Dr. Dean Graulich from Malibu Coast Animal Hospital repaired
Skittles’ legs and after months of recovery with two loving fosters, Jolene and Ellen, and physical therapy
guided by K9Gym, Skittles is now able to run and play with other dogs!
To see our new video and to learn more about
Skittles and Lenny please go to our Facebook
page for Healthcare for Homeless Animals!
Lenny, (at left), upon intake to the Agoura
Animal Shelter prior to diagnostic testing
which revealed his condition.
Lenny was found in a county shelter by a Healthcare for Homeless Animals board member who brought him to Agoura. Lenny
was so emaciated he could barely lift his head, but despite his
condition, he continued to wag his tail. At the Agoura Shelter,
HHA funded a vet check for Lenny and it was found that he had
Pancreatic Immune Deficiency. With the medication he needed,
a special powder to be added to his food, Lenny was finally able
to retain his food, and he quickly gained 18 pounds while in foster
care. Shortly thereafter, the Kennedy family decided they were
ready for a dog and after being introduced to Lenny, they knew
they had found their new family member. David Kennedy, who
Lenny with David who had
just arrived home post
had been diagnosed with heart failure at 48, was depressed and barely able
heart transplant.
to get out of bed. All that changed when Lenny entered his life, creating a
routine that not only got David up and walking, but helped to bring him to
the physical condition needed to undergo a heart transplant one year ago. David now says that though
they thought they were rescuing Lenny… in the end Lenny rescued him!
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OCTOBER 2013
Fundraising EVENTS
Please join us for our upcoming fundraising events!
Sunday November 10th — 6:00PM
Hamburger Mary’s Drag Queen Bingo night
Last year’s event raised over $1500 for HHA!
Everyone who attended had a GREAT time…
bingo, prizes, food and a great cause!
8288 Santa Monica Blvd. West Hollywood,
CA 90046 Ph (323) 654-3800
Please join us!
Holiday Boutique Dates
3 Saturdays — Nov 16th, Dec 7th and 14th
Be sure to stop by the Agoura Animal Shelter for treasures galore
when HHA holds its fourth annual Holiday Boutique. Beautiful
hand lathed wooden bowls and accessories donated by our very
own volunteer Larry, plus jewelry, gift items for pets, gently used
books, holiday items, baked goods and more. Last year’s event
raised over $5000! We look forward to seeing you on November
16th, December 7th and December 14th to help HHA raise funds
to help medically needy pets at the Agoura Animal Shelter.
29525 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills CA 91301 For more information
or to donate items please call (818) 483-4228
Erica and Sammy wish you a
Happy Holiday and thank you
for your support of our
Holiday Boutique!
Healthcare for Homeless Animals Bingo Night
SAVE THE DATE! February 8, 2014
Please join us for the HHA first annual Bingo Night! Prizes for each
bingo won and a grand prize for final bingo along with food,
beverages, and a fun night out with fellow animal lovers. Don’t miss
this event, more surprises to come!
To be held at a private residence in Thousand Oaks.
Stay tuned to our Facebook page and website
for more information!
GO
BIN !!!
7
PO Box 7401
Thousand Oaks, CA 91359-7401
If would you like to add an animal lover to our pack or if you prefer
to receive an eNewsletter, please send the name, address and
email address to: [email protected]
How much difference can your gift make?
People often ask if small donations really make a difference. The answer
is a resounding “Yes!” They make a tremendous difference! Your donation,
big or small, helps us provide prescription medications, surgeries (including spaying/neutering), diagnostic testing and special foods for shelter
pets in need.
Other Ways to Give or Help:
• Join I-Give and Conejo Deals and designate Healthcare for
Homeless Animals as your charity of choice.
• Honor a special friend, a special pet or a special occasion with a Tribute or Memorial Gift to HHA. Acknowledgment will be sent and, if you wish, the amount can remain confidential.
• Consider including HHA in your trust or will.
• Consider a monthly contribution to HHA through payroll deduction.
• Ask if your employer matches donations when you donate.
• Consider keeping an HHA piggy bank on your counter. You’ll be amazed at how quickly your loose change adds up!
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Malibu Pet
Companions.Org
2013 MPC Board of Directors:
President: Robin Kahrs
1st VP: Jennifer Commander
2nd VP: Tim Ellis
Treasurer: Maureen Kennedy
Associate Treasurer: Tamy Rieder
Secretary: Lois Koch
Associate Secretary: Jan Halter
Founding Advisory Board Member:
Dr. Dean Graulich
Founding Honorary Board Members:
Mignonne Alman
Jack Alman
Sherman Baylin
Honorary Board Members:
Barbara Applebaum
Karla Halseth
Joyce Martin
Susan Mutch
Deanna Silberberg
Pattie Tracy
Christina Villagrana
Trina Watton