Summer 2009

Vol. 23
| No. 3 | Summer 2009
p u b l i s h ed f o r mem b ers o f un i t ed an i mal na t i o ns
Mares from hormone drug industry find greener pastures
UAN announces annual awards • My Dog is Cool Campaign heats up
LifeLine saves lives • Freedom for puppy mill dogs • EARS helps fire victims
Greetings!
I just returned from
the Taking Action for
Animals conference in
Washington, D.C., and
wow—what amazing
work people are doing
on behalf of animals. It’s heartening to see
how much the animal protection movement
grows every year, and how much people are
willing to do to help animals.
I met an Emergency Animal Rescue
Service (EARS) volunteer who just returned
from our sheltering operation where we
cared for 400 dogs seized from the biggest
dogfighting raid in U.S. history. Despite the
long days and back-breaking labor, this
volunteer’s face lit up when he described
giving these dogs the loving care they were
so obviously starving for.
I also met UAN donors and Humane
Education Ambassador Reader (HEAR)
volunteers and helped train and recruit new
HEAR volunteers. I was continually moved
and inspired by the dedication, energy and
passion they all had for animals, whether
by donating money, volunteering or both!
An EARS volunteer recently wrote on our
blog, “Saving one dog won’t change the
world, but it will change the world for that
one dog.” This rings true when you think
about all the individual animals UAN helps
each year, animals like those featured in this
issue of the Journal. But when you step back
and look at the big picture, when you think
of all those groups and individuals out there,
people like you, each playing a part and
working together, you begin to believe that
the whole world really can change. Thank
you for your part in that.
Warmly,
Nicole Forsyth
President and CEO
Above: Nicole and Humane Education Ambassador
Reader volunteer bj Altschul at the Taking Action
for Animals conference in Washington, D.C.
Vo l . 2 3
| N o. 3 | S u m m e r 2 0 0 9
Table of Contents
2
UAN by the numbers in 2008
3 Annual awards honor EARS
volunteer, young advocate
5
My Dog is Cool Campaign heats up
5
6 Mares from hormone drug
industry find greener pastures
8
10
Freedom for 400 puppy mill dogs
12
Behind the lines at the Jesusita Fire
LifeLine saves lives
6
13 Collaborative effort saves
400 animals in Wisconsin
C o v er : Once used in the hormone drug industry,
Cassidy April now has a loving forever home
in Florida. Photo courtesy Scottie Prince.
The Journal is published quarterly by United
Animal Nations and is distributed to its members.
© 2009 United Animal Nations.
Design/Layout Page Design Group
S TA F F
President and CEO Nicole Forsyth
Chief Financial Officer Rebecca Sarsfield
Director of Programs Karen Brown
Director of Communications Alexis Raymond
Development Manager Erin Bialecki
Emergency Services Manager Janell Matthies
Education Manager Karly Gould
Membership Services Coordinator Tiffany Benton
Program Coordinator Esperanza Zúñiga
Volunteer Coordinator Susie Hawkins
Program Assistant Laurel Meleski
Administrative Assistant Grace Burcham
U N I T E D A N I M A L N AT I O N S
P. O. Box 188890
Sacramento, California 95818
tel: (916) 429-2457 fax: (916) 429-2456
web: www.uan.org e-mail: info @ uan.org
13
UAN’s mission is to bring
animals out of crisis and
strengthen the bond between
people and animals through
emergency sheltering,
disaster relief services,
financial assistance and
education. UAN accomplishes
its mission by engaging
volunteers and supporters,
collaborating with others
and maximizing the use
of online technology.
Members Matter
Thanks so much for your dedication to rescuing animals
in severe stress. Many would die if it were not for your
efforts. You bring comfort to both animals and owners!
Best of luck in Santa Barbara.
– Alice in Newport Beach, California
Don’t wait for your Journal to arrive to find out how
we’re bringing animals out of crisis and into care.
Subscribe to our e-mail list and get regular updates
on disaster responses, happy ending stories and more!
Subscribe at www.uan.org.
I cried when I read about Zig Zag and Champ, so I am
sending you my last $15. Thank you for the wonderful
work you are doing.
– Phyllis in Waco, Texas
As usual, your Journal made me feel hopeful! Again,
thanks for all your great work.
– Sally in Middleburg, Virginia
I read the articles on the North Carolina and Arkansas
puppy mill rescues. This horrible mess should be stopped
and thank you for your help toward this.
– Katherine in Quincy, Massachusetts
I have never known anything about puppy mills. This is
so terrible and heartbreaking. Please keep me informed
on this awful mess. It makes me sick to my stomach. Love
to animals always.
– B.J. in Lexington, North Carolina
Help animals and the environment with recurring donations!
H
elp the animals, the environment and yourself by
making a recurring donation to United Animal Nations!
By setting up a monthly, quarterly or semi-annual donation
on your credit or debit card, you will help:
•the animals, by providing a regular source of funding
so we can respond as soon as a crisis occurs
•the environment, by reducing the amount of paper
mailings you receive each year
•yourself, by saving money on postage and providing
an easy and convenient way to support UAN
You can set up recurring donations for $25, $10 or even
$5, and you’ll receive just one comprehensive thank-you
letter acknowledging all of your gifts in January of each
year, making it more convenient for you to track your
donations for tax purposes.
So far in 2009, UAN’s EARS volunteers have cared for animals
rescued from eight puppy mills or other cruelty/neglect situations.
To set up a recurring donation today, please visit
www.uan.org and click on “Donate,” or contact the
Membership Services Department at (916) 429-2457.
Summer 2009 Journal www.uan.org
1
UAN News
UAN by the numbers in 2008
T
he year 2008 was the busiest in
United Animal Nations’ history.
Never has our Emergency Animal Rescue
Service (EARS) responded to more
emergencies, or our LifeLine Grant
program received so many requests
for financial assistance.
Last year EARS volunteers responded
to an unprecedented 12 crises affecting
animals — from wildfires, floods and
hurricanes to puppy mills and hoarding
cases — caring for nearly 5,000 animals
displaced from their homes by natural
disasters or rescued from neglectful
situations.
Due to a faltering economy and high
unemployment, applications for UAN’s
LifeLine Individual and LifeLine Rescue
Grants increased 49 percent in 2008.
Families and animal rescuers across the
United States turned to UAN when they
needed to obtain urgent vet care for an
animal that they simply couldn’t afford.
In 2008 we also helped hundreds of
children develop empathy for animals
through the Humane Education
Ambassador Reader program and
produced two new videos through our
Premarin Awareness Campaign to inform
people across North America that horses
are exploited to make hormone drugs.
Continuing our tradition of diligent
stewardship, UAN raised funds from its
members responsibly and spent those
funds wisely in 2008. Eighty percent of all
donations raised went directly to programs
to help animals, with only twenty percent
going toward supporting services.
View our 2008 Annual Report, including
a complete expense breakdown, at
www.uan.org/annualreport.
2
United Animal Nations Summer 2009 Journal
80%
20%
Programs serving animals
$1,241,526
Supporting services
$319,881
UAN presents annual
awards to longtime EARS
volunteer, young advocate
Heart and Soul Award
M
aryann King-Hasbrouck,
Pennsylvania State Coordinator
with the Emergency Animal Rescue
Service (EARS), is UAN’s 2008 Heart
and Soul Award recipient. This award
is given to an individual who shows
outstanding commitment to UAN and
a strong personal devotion to animals.
Maryann has been an EARS volunteer
since 1998. She is the coordinator for the
Bucks County Animal Response Team
(Bucks CART) and Pennsylvania State
Animal Response Team, helping local
organizations with their animal disaster
plans and leading the county animal
response team during local disasters.
With Bucks CART, Maryann participates in numerous disaster drills and
last October she coordinated EARS
volunteer involvement in a large, multicounty disaster drill.
When not in disaster mode Maryann is
dedicated to educating the public about
the importance of disaster preparedness
and providing useful resources, such as
frequent low-cost microchipping events.
Maryann teaches pet first aid and
CPR classes to disaster responders and
in 2008 offered two free classes to EARS
Emergency Animal Rescue Service (EARS)
Pennsylvania State Coordinator Maryann
King-Hasbrouck is UAN’s 2008 Heart
and Soul Award winner.
volunteers. According to Maryann,
“In a disaster many veterinary offices
are closed and you may be the only
one available to offer lifesaving first aid
care to a pet until a vet can be reached.”
In 2005, Maryann spent a week
volunteering at UAN’s Hurricane Katrina
response. She currently volunteers for a
local cat rescue group and is a member
of the Southeast Pennsylvania Regional
Task Force Animal Group. She has six
cats and one dog of her own, is a trained
veterinary technician and works full time
as a registered nurse.
Animals’ Choice Award
U
nited Animal Nations is pleased to
name 11-year-old Monica Plumb of
Richmond, Virginia as the recipient of
its 2008 Animals’ Choice Award. Last
year, Monica began raising money to buy
oxygen masks for dogs, cats and other
animals for her local fire department.
But what started locally has become
an international enterprise. To date,
Monica has donated more than 40 mask
kits — which include reusable masks in
small, medium and large sizes and a
carrying case — to agencies in nine states
and one Canadian province. She has
30 more kits on order.
Monica, who aspires to be a veterinarian, started her fundraising campaign
after seeing a local news story about a
household fire in which a dog was saved
with a pet oxygen mask.
“I always wanted to help animals but
I was too young to volunteer at a shelter,”
Monica said. “So when my dad showed
me that news story I thought this would
be a very good thing to raise money for.”
In July, firefighters in Kansas used one
of Monica’s masks to save a kitten’s life.
Monica has used collection cans, fliers,
yard sales, a talent show and a Web site her
father built, www.petmask.com, to raise
money. The small grant that accompanies
her Animals’ Choice Award will help
Monica expand her fundraising efforts
and help even more fire departments.
“Monica’s efforts to help animal
victims of fire align perfectly with UAN’s
mission to help animals affected by disasters and other crises,” said UAN President
and CEO Nicole Forsyth. “We can’t think
of a more deserving and appropriate
Monica Plumb, UAN’s 2008 Animals’
Choice Award winner, has donated
more than 40 pet oxygen masks to fire
departments in the U.S. and Canada.
recipient of the Animals’ Choice Award.”
Monica is about to start sixth grade
and has eight of her own pets: a cat
named Kitty Boo; four rats named
Raspberry, Lou-Lou, Tracy and Darling;
and three fish.
Summer 2009 Journal www.uan.org
3
Program News
Professional educator shares
enthusiasm for the HEAR program
By Karly Gould, UAN Education Manager
O
ne of my first experiences as UAN
Education Manager was a conversation with retired teacher and active
Humane Education Ambassador Reader
(HEAR) volunteer Patricia Kalfsbeek of
Arbuckle, California. Talk about a positive introduction to the HEAR program!
Patricia sat with me wearing a soft smile
and oozing enthusiasm for the program.
From our conversation, I gleaned my first
impressions of how the HEAR program
operates in actual practice, the apparent
benefits of the program and specific
examples of its effectiveness.
Patricia discovered the HEAR
program at a children’s literature day
in Sacramento, California last fall. She
attended a day-long volunteer training in
October and has since been implementing
the program in an elementary school in a
rural community in Northern California.
Inspired, I wanted others to know
about Patricia’s experiences with the
HEAR program. Below is a portion
of my conversation with her.
UAN: What would you tell teachers
and other people interested in the
HEAR program?
Patricia: I would share the high-quality
curriculum, training and support that
bring humanitarian ideas to students,
and the benefits of helping students
recognize and identify positive aspects
of relationships and friendships.
UAN: What books stand out to you
from the HEAR curriculum?
Patricia: ‘Let’s Get a Pup!’ said Kate,
Buddy Unchained and Ginger Finds a
Home. These stories depict the interdependent nature of relationships,
evoke empathy and positive feelings,
and the illustrations are expressive.
UAN: What can you tell me about
the consecutive visits that the HEAR
program encourages?
HEAR volunteer Patricia Kalfsbeek of
Arbuckle, California (with her 18-monthold miniature schnauzer, Aubree) says
the program helps children recognize
positive aspects of relationships with
both people and animals.
4
United Animal Nations Summer 2009 Journal
Patricia: The repeated visits to this classroom have proven very beneficial for
the students as well as for me. I heartily
recommend a series of visits, especially
for younger students. I have watched
their awareness and attitudes expand…
one student with a little negative attitude
[has] become a very active, sensitive participant. This student became more knowledgeable about animal self-protection.
UAN: What benefits do you see
for children who participate in the
HEAR program?
Patricia: Not only are students able to
express opinions and share experiences in
a positive atmosphere, the attitudes and
skills discussed are transferable to their
relationships with people. These discussions seem to naturally segue between
animal and people behaviors. Also, the
students can identify with the commonality between four-legged and two-legged
animal behaviors, the joys of having
animal friends and the rewards
of stewardship.
UAN: Please describe your experiences
as a HEAR volunteer with UAN.
Patricia: All of my interactions with UAN
staff have been extremely warm and positive, from the initial training to requests
for books and additional materials. HEAR
has provided the most positive volunteer
experience I have encountered.
Is your dog cool?
“Cool Dog” ambassadors
spread the word about
dangers of hot cars
S
ince United Animal Nations launched
the My Dog is Cool Campaign about
the dangers of leaving dogs in hot
cars, requests for educational materials
have been pouring into our office in
Sacramento, California.
Linda Jackson of Eugene, Oregon
ordered 1,000 copies of our “It’s Hot”
fliers, saying, “I’m just the crazy dog
flier lady! I’ve handed out lots of fliers to
friends, co-workers and various animal
The number of recent news
stories about dogs left in hot
cars illustrates the need for the
My Dog is Cool Campaign.
agencies and vets.” Linda has already
distributed several hundred fliers in
Oregon, Colorado and Minnesota and
has plans to contact security companies
that patrol the shopping malls in her
hometown and educate them about the
dangers of leaving dogs in hot cars.
“I try to recruit advocates everywhere
I go and approach people with an educational, not a confrontational, attitude,”
Linda said. “Most people would not
intentionally harm their pets so we have
to show them why they cannot leave
them in their vehicles.”
Taylor County Humane Society in
Medford, Wisconsin enlisted student
volunteers and used information from
MyDogIsCool.com to record public
service announcements for a local
radio station.
Take the pledge to never leave
your dog in a hot car! Submit
your dog’s photo to our “Cool
Dogs” picture gallery by visiting
www.MyDogIsCool.com and
clicking on “Is Your Dog Cool?”
“Most of them were fifth graders,”
reported Paula Liske of WIGM-AM. “They
were so excited and proud to be part of
the campaign.”
The number of recent news stories
about dogs left in hot cars illustrates the
need for the My Dog is Cool Campaign.
For example, in Grandville, Michigan, a
Chihuahua named Lucky died after being
left in the car while his owner shopped
at a mall. The outside temperature was
78 degrees when the dog was freed from
the car and the vehicle’s interior temperature was estimated at around 100
degrees. In Spokane, Washington, a man
was charged with felony animal cruelty
for leaving his one-year-old Labrador
retriever in the car while he went to see
a movie. A humane officer cut open the
car’s convertible top to rescue the dog
and rushed him to an emergency veterinary clinic, but he didn’t survive.
“Clearly, people need to understand
that it is not safe to leave animals in
the car while they do errands or engage
in other activities,” said UAN President
and CEO Nicole Forsyth. “There is still
a lot of warm weather left this year,
and we hope animal advocates across
the country will join us in spreading the
My Dog is Cool message so we can
prevent animals from dying horrible
deaths in hot cars.”
Download or order your My Dog
is Cool educational materials today!
Visit www.MyDogIsCool.com.
Summer 2009 Journal www.uan.org
5
Greener
patures
ince 2003, UAN’s PMURescue.org
Web site has connected nearly 3,000
horses at risk of being sold to slaughter
with new homes and new lives. Many of the
horses adopted through PMURescue.org are
mares who were once used to make hormone
therapy drugs like Premarin and Prempro.
The mares were impregnated every year, then
confined to a stall for half of their pregnancy
so their urine could be collected and made into
products that relieve menopausal symptoms.
As the demand for Premarin declined, in large
part because studies have linked such drugs to
serious health problems like cancer and heart
disease, the mares were left “ jobless” and faced
the prospect of being sold for slaughter, their
meat shipped overseas and served on dinner
plates in Europe and Asia.
Meet three former PMU mares who escaped this fate and are now safe and happy in loving homes.
Cassidy April 4
“I was basically in a tizzy and about to get myself in way over
When Cassidy April gave birth on May 17, 2008, it was not her
my head,” Kathleen said. “If this horse was going to be saved it was
first foal; but it was the first foal she would be able to keep. A ninegoing to be up to me.”
year-old mare, Cassidy April was retired from the PMU (pregnant
Two months after Cassidy April arrived in Florida, she gave
mares’ urine) industry when the ranch she lived on lost its contract
birth to Rebecca Maye, an event that Kathleen and her husband
to provide horse urine for the drugs. According to The Animali
documented on video and posted to their “CassidyCam” blog. On
Farm, the organization that helped move Cassidy April from
one of her blog posts, Kathleen described her joy the
the ranch to a permanent home, the foals the mare
“She stopped right in first time she was “hugged” by her new mare:
bore every year when she served on the “pee line”
“She stopped right in front of me … then laid her
were taken from her at weaning time and sold to be
front of me… then
big head on my right shoulder, and kept it there. I
slaughtered for meat.
laid her big head on put both hands up to her neck and was petting and
But that all changed when Kathleen Prince in
speaking softly to her. I think I even quit breathing
Longwood, Florida saw Cassidy April’s picture on
my right shoulder,
for a moment … . The weight of her head started
PMURescue.org. The thick-necked Fjord looked
and kept it there.”
buckling my knees a bit but I stayed standing with her
just like the horses Kathleen drew as a child. As she
until she pulled her head away. The moment seemed to have lasted
investigated the breed, she discovered that they were kind, gentle,
at least five minutes. She looked at me again with those immense
smart, willing and small — the perfect horse for her lifestyle.
chocolate eyes… . I felt completely honored and thrilled
When Kathleen learned Cassidy April was going to be sent to
that she chose to hug me. I hope she feels the love I have for her
auction, where meat buyers could potentially bid on her, she sprang
and my promise to always keep her safe.” 4
into action.
4
6
United Animal Nations Summer 2009 Journal
Annie 4
not necessarily riding,” Kirstyn said. “I just like being with her.
Nineteen-year-old Kirstyn Barrel of La Porte, Indiana had been
If she feels like sitting there, generally I just let her sit there. I give
looking for a horse for 18 months and was getting discouraged
lessons to little kids on her bareback, too.”
when she learned about PMURescue.org. This would be her
When asked about her experience adopting a former
very first horse, so Kirstyn was looking for one who
“It is the most
PMU horse, Kirstyn describes it as “totally amazing.” “I
was easygoing, gentle and could be ridden by her
younger siblings.
amazing feeling could not imagine owning another horse—she is perfect
for me,” she said. “It is the most amazing feeling being
Annie was living on a former PMU ranch in North
being able to give able to give her something that she hasn’t had before.”
Dakota and was being placed by Serenity Acres Horse
She goes on to say that Annie is a very good first
Adoptions in New Mexico—one of more than 35
her something
horse. “I took lessons, but never owned horses prior to
organizations that use PMURescue.org to connect
that she hasn’t
this,” she said. “With Annie being so small, she wasn’t
horses from the PMU industry with permanent homes.
intimidating at all. And when she saw that I fed her a
After seeing a picture of Annie on PMURescue.org
had before.”
lot, our relationship grew from there. Food and me are
and getting more information about her temperament
the two loves her life. If I am with her, she knows she is safe, and
from Serenity Acres, Kirstyn felt like she had found “the one.”
that I’m not going to let anything happen to her.” 4
It turns out that Kirstyn’s intuition was right. Annie was
a small horse and quite shy. “I spend a lot of time with her, and
4
Lucky 4
Joan Erben, a humanities professor from Prewitt, New Mexico,
considers herself well informed on animal welfare issues and knew
about the plight of PMU horses. When she decided to adopt a horse,
she wanted it to be one who had an uncertain future and needed a
home. She found that in Lucky— a 16-year-old Quarterhorse from
a former PMU ranch in North Dakota.
Lucky has lived with Joan for more than a year and is adjusting
to human companionship. “She is head shy and still unused to the
human touch,” Joan said. “She is a little squirrely, but she is a pretty
good ride. She is delightful bareback.”
Joan describes herself as a nature lover who doesn’t want to see
anything harmed. She garners genuine delight from the time she
spends with Lucky and her other horse, Pal.
“There is a feeling of joy when you can put your arms around
them, and they are beautiful,” she said. “It deepens your connection
to things in the world. I tend to spend so much time on the
computer, and when I go out to the pasture it feels good.” 4
Opposite page: Former PMU mare Cassidy April is gentle with children.
Above l to r: Cassidy nuzzles her adopter, Kathleen Prince; Cassidy and
Kathleen; Lucky found a new home with horse pal Pal; Kirstyn Barrel describes
Annie as “totally amazing.” Left: Kirstyn and Annie share a tender moment.
LifeLine Saves Lives
Through the LifeLine program, United Animal Nations (UAN) provides lifesaving
emergency veterinary care grants to animal caregivers. Many of the animals in need
are victims of abuse or neglect who are rescued by Good Samaritans or grassroots
rescue groups. UAN also awards grants to low- or no-income families and seniors.
Meet a few of the hundreds of animals we will help through LifeLine this year.
Angel
T
y for
e Grant helped pa
A LifeLine Rescu
er she was
aft
t
en
atm
tre
al
Angel’s medic
doned.
ot fence and aban
flung over a 10 -fo
his tiny canine survivor, affectionately
named Angel, was emaciated and
infected with a severe case of demodectic
mange when Community Animal Rescue
and Adoption (CARA) Shelter Director
Janet Madden discovered her on the
shelter’s property. Angel had been hurled
over a 10-foot fence onto a concrete slab
and left to fend for herself. When Janet
found her, Angel was weak, suffering
from skin and ear infections and neurological damage caused by the impact
of the fall. Despite weighing just five
pounds, spunky Angel had a strong will
to survive. CARA’s staff and volunteers
worked around the clock to ensure her
medical needs were met.
CARA is a non-profit, no-kill animal
rescue group located in Jackson,
Mississippi that cares for hundreds of
abused, unwanted and stray animals
every year. CARA volunteer Martha
Gardner agreed to sponsor Angel and
visited her regularly, giving her medicated
shampoo baths and lots of tender loving
care. Martha applied for a LifeLine
Rescue Grant from UAN after discovering the extent of Angel’s injuries. The
grant helped pay for pain medications,
topical ointments, and medicated eye
and ear drops. Martha told UAN, “Thank
you for the grant money for her medical
needs. This delightful little girl’s health is
improving daily because of kind folks like
y’all!” Angel was recently adopted by a
caring medical professional who sought
a special-needs dog.
LifeLine Also Helped…
Jeebie… a rescued
cockatoo receive treatment
for a leg infection that threatened his life.
Nepal… receive multiple
tooth extractions and treatment for a urinary tract
infection that had spread
to her kidneys.
8
United Animal Nations Summer 2009 Journal
Raja… receive hip repair
surgery and hospitalization
after being hit by a car.
Jack… a rescued puppy mill
dog receive surgery to repair
severely malformed hip joints.
Learn More on the Web
Learn more about the LifeLine program and
read more success stories at www.uan.org.
Mosely
M
osely was found abandoned
on a country road in Ashland,
Tennessee. There was no telling how
long he had been there. He was severely
emaciated, had several missing and
damaged teeth, and was covered in pressure sores from not having any muscle
or fat to protect his frail body. Sadly, he
was nearly 300 pounds underweight and
scored only a one on the Henneke scale,
with one being severely emaciated and
nine being grossly obese. The Good
Samaritan who found Mosely contacted
Mountain View Rescue in Kentucky for
help and the organization’s president,
Raquel Ferotti, agreed to shelter and care
for the horse. She contacted UAN for
assistance since her rescue group’s funds
were already depleted. A LifeLine Rescue
Grant helped pay for Mosely’s initial
supportive care, putting him on the road
to recovery.
Raquel reports that Mosely is doing
much better and growing stronger
with each day. It is likely he will need a
special mash diet for the rest of his life
due to the extensive damage to his teeth.
He is getting close to reaching his ideal
weight and will be available for adoption
soon. He is a favorite at the ranch and is
known for being very gentle and patient
with children.
got a second
Abandoned horse Mosely
aritan
Sam
od
Go
a
to
nks
chance tha
nt.
Gra
and a LifeLine Rescue
Letters of Appreciation
I
cannot say thank you enough for the help
United Animal Nations and your donors
gave at a time when things looked so bleak
in my Bo’s time of need. I talked it over with
Bo and we have decided that the best thanks
would be to donate back to United Animal
Nations when I get back to work so that the
love and help can be passed on to someone
else in need. Thank you again a million
times over for your concern for pets in need
and their families, along with the wonderful
service you provide. You helped save my BoBo.
— Lana Dunson
Marblehead, OH
P
lease accept my heartfelt thanks
for the grant to save Tiger’s leg...
It really helped and came at the right
time. I was able to raise most of the
money by asking my friends for
donations
through ChipIn
(thanks to your
suggestions on
your Web site).
You really
came through for me when I was
in a desperate situation.
— Carol Gniady
New Orleans, LA
I
want to thank
you for the kind
help you have given
Aiden… He has
been a very good
companion to me. We both would like
to thank you for your kind hearts and
the donation you made in order to get
his ailment fixed. And most of all
thanks to UAN for being there to make
these things happen. If it were not for
organizations like UAN there would be
a lot of animals left untreated.
— Jeremy Miller
Oklahoma City, OK
Emergency Animal Rescue Service
Freedom for 400 puppy mill dogs
T
he dogs were supposed to be white,
but all of them were varying shades
of yellow and brown. They were underweight and dehydrated. Most had fleas,
overgrown nails, tumors, severe dental
disease, eye problems, worms or other
maladies. Some dogs were missing limbs
or eyes. New mothers struggled to nurse
their puppies despite being weak and
malnourished themselves.
This was the scene at a puppy mill
in Kennewick, Washington on May 27,
when 371 miniature American Eskimos
were seized from the property and
brought to a temporary shelter where
UAN’s Emergency Animal Rescue Service
(EARS) volunteers cared for them. The
animals had been living in squalid conditions at Sun Valley Kennels. Rescuers
found dogs confined to shopping carts,
while others spun circles in rusty pens
caked with feces. The smell of urine
emanated from the property.
“All of the dogs were frantically
scared,” reported UAN Emergency
Services Manager Janell Matthies. “It was
heartbreaking to see, but it just reinforced
the fact that we needed to be there.
The dogs desperately needed help.”
Seventeen EARS volunteers from
Washington, Oregon and British
Columbia deployed to Kennewick to help
the animals, working alongside volunteers and staff from the Benton County
Most had fleas, overgrown
nails, tumors, severe dental
disease, eye problems, worms
or other maladies. Some dogs
were missing limbs or eyes.
New mothers struggled to
nurse their puppies despite
being weak and malnourished.
Sheriff’s Office, The Humane Society of
the United States and Spokane Humane
Evacuation Animal Rescue Team.
The temporary shelter was set up at
the Benton County Fairgrounds. As trucks
arrived with cages and cages
of identical-looking dogs,
EARS volunteers lined up
to gently take the terrified
dogs into their arms and get
them settled into their new,
clean kennels. The first thing
almost every dog did was
drink the entire bowl of water
that was waiting for them,
Janell reported.
In the few short days they
spent with EARS volunteers,
the dogs grew less fearful,
more confident and better
EARS volunteers cared for this pup and 370 other
miniature American Eskimos after they were rescued
from a puppy mill in May. Photo courtesy The HSUS.
accustomed to being loved by humans—
something they had little to no experience
with at the puppy mill.
Heather Ferguson, an EARS volunteer
from Surrey, British Columbia, said one
dog who was pressed against the back of
her kennel in fear one minute was circling
at the front of her cage and looking for
attention later that day.
“I was doing ‘the croon’ while rubbing
her head and neck. I could literally feel
her body unbending and relaxing,”
Heather said. “When I put her back in
her kennel she spun, looked at me and
went over to her food dish and began to
eat and drink. This scenario was repeated
constantly—absolute fear transforming
into trust and acceptance.”
Shortly after the seizure, the owner of
Sun Valley Kennels relinquished custody
of the dogs. They were then transferred
to ten shelters and rescue groups in
Washington, Oregon and California for
foster care and adoption. Some of the
dogs have already been adopted, but
most are still in foster homes, getting
additional socialization to overcome years
of neglect in the puppy mill.
About 50 people lined up at the
Oregon Humane Society in Portland the
first day some of the rescued American
Eskimos were available for adoption,
according to the Tri-City Herald.
The owner of Sun Valley Kennels has
been charged with one felony count
of first-degree animal cruelty and nine
counts of second-degree animal cruelty,
a gross misdemeanor.
Puppy mills: One of
America’s cruelest industries
S
o you’ve decided to bring a puppy into
your home. You head to the seemingly innocuous pet store and choose one
of the furry bundles of joy while emptying
your wallet. Your puppy brings entertainment and laughter into the house with
his playfulness and carefree attitude.
Then one day, he seems to sleep more
than usual. He is not bouncing around
or getting into things. You think he must
be tired. After a couple of days with no
improvement, you bring him to your
veterinarian and get the dreaded news:
coccidia, giardia, parvovirus. The doctors
do what they can, but cannot save him.
How did this happen?
Chances are, your puppy was a
product of the puppy mill industry—
thousands of large-scale commercial
breeders operating in substandard
conditions, forcing dogs to breed continuously to turn out one product: puppies.
In a puppy mill, there is no regard for the
animals’ well-being or health. Dogs are
housed in small wire cages for their entire
lives, never touching feet
to the ground. Kennels
are stacked upon
each other and the
dogs are covered
in feces and urine.
Untreated eye conditions, painful
matting, periodontal disease,
Puppy mill dogs typically live in unsanitary conditions
skin problems, sores, lacerations,
without proper food, water or veterinary care, like
traumatic amputations of feet or
these dogs removed from a puppy mill in Washington
limbs (from getting stuck in the
state in May. Photo courtesy The HSUS.
wire cages), genetic defects and
other ailments are all common.
Puppy mill dogs are denied bare necessities like adequate food, water, shelter and Do your homework
even room to move. And when they are
If you plan to bring a dog or puppy into
too old to be productive, “breeding stock” your home in the future, consider adopare often killed or abandoned.
tion as your first option. Local shelters
Deception and lies
The Humane Society of the United
States (HSUS) and other consumers
recently filed a class action lawsuit
against Petland, Inc. and the Hunte
Corporation alleging they knowingly
sell unhealthy puppies to unsuspecting
consumers. Petland has firmly denied
that its stores obtain puppies from puppy
mills. However, public health documents
and transportation records prove that
95 percent of Petland stores received
puppies directly from known puppy mill
operations or through third-party brokers
like Hunte Corporation, which resells
about 80,000 puppies a year.
Dogs from puppy mills are also sold
online through pleasant-looking Web
sites that conceal the cruelty of where
the animals are actually coming from.
Just because a Web site or classified ad
says puppies are “home raised,” “family
raised” or “AKC registered” doesn’t mean
they are.
Such deception will continue until
consumers take responsibility for knowing
what industries they are supporting with
their purchases.
are filled with healthy, happy puppies and
dogs of every kind, all of them desperate
for homes. If you have your heart set on
a specific breed, look for breed-specific
rescue groups in your area. If you must
buy, buy locally. Visit the site where the
animals are housed in person. Insist on
seeing the parents and their living area.
Such deception will continue until
consumers take responsibility for
knowing what industries they are
supporting with their purchases.
Many deceptive breeders have pretty
houses with seemingly healthy puppies
available for viewing. The horror happens
in the back buildings or rooms that are
not accessible to potential customers.
Be smart, do your research, ask questions and know where your new pet is
coming from. By doing so, you can avoid
supporting puppy mills—one of America’s
cruelest industries.
For more information, visit
www.uan.org/puppymills.
Summer 2009 Journal www.uan.org 11
Emergency Animal Rescue Service
Behind the lines: A firsthand
account from the Jesusita Fire
By Susie Hawkins, UAN Volunteer Coordinator
I
n early May, thousands of people had
to be evacuated after a wildfire broke
out in Santa Barbara, California. On
Wednesday, May 6, the Santa Barbara
Humane Society (SBHS) asked UAN
to send volunteers with its Emergency
Animal Rescue Service (EARS) to help
shelter evacuated animals.
Although the first volunteers were
scheduled to arrive by Thursday evening,
we knew that due to the short notice we
would be a little understaffed on Friday;
we decided to send a few UAN staff
members to bridge the gap. As the volunteer coordinator for UAN I spend much
of my time trying to prepare volunteers
for deployments. On Thursday evening,
I found myself in the unique position of
having to deploy myself!
We left early the next morning,
arriving in Santa Barbara around 8:30 a.m.
SBHS already had evacuated animals
housed in every conceivable location at its
shelter, and more people were still lining
up outside with their pets. With donations
of supplies from the PetSmart Charities
Emergency Relief Waggin’® we quickly
assembled an emergency shelter in a barn
on the SBHS grounds, and by 10 a.m.,
we began taking in more animals.
When the Jesusita Fire forced thousands of Santa Barbara, California residents
to flee their homes, UAN’s EARS volunteers helped the local humane society
care for hundreds of evacuated pets until they could safely return home.
12 United Animal Nations Summer 2009 Journal
A steady stream of people arrived
at the shelter all day to drop off their
beloved pets. One woman brought in
seven cats and was so incredibly grateful
to have a safe haven for all of them.
Despite the chaos and the crisis,
I sensed an overwhelming feeling of
community. All day, area residents, some
who didn’t even have pets, showed up
with donations and supplies. SBHS staff
members were also amazing, working
non-stop and always incredibly supportive
of whatever we needed for our “shelter in
a box,” as they called it.
What an amazing group of people
EARS volunteers are. The tremendous
compassion they demonstrated to all
the pet owners provided much-needed
comfort at an incredibly stressful time.
The volunteers handled each animal
with such patience. One held a shaking
dog on her lap for more than half an hour
before he calmed down.
I spent just one day on deployment
and was exhausted both mentally and
physically. I have only the upmost respect
for what our EARS volunteers, and those
with other organizations, do day after
day. It was great to be able to work side
by side with the volunteers I usually talk
to on the phone. I feel proud to have
been part of the EARS team, even if only
for a short time!
Collaborative effort
saves nearly 400
animals in Wisconsin
O
n May 19, United Animal Nations
deployed Emergency Animal
Rescue Service (EARS) volunteers to
Dane County, Wisconsin to help local
officials with the seizure of nearly 400
animals from a hoarding case at the
Thyme and Sage Ranch. UAN was
The animals suffered from
painful skin conditions, severe
matting, cloudy and swollen
“There was a dramatic difference
in these animals in the short time we
spent with them.”
Most of the rescued animals were
transferred to shelters and rescue
groups across Wisconsin and many
have already been adopted. The
Richland County District Attorney filed
animal cruelty charges against the
owner of Thyme and Sage Ranch;
she is awaiting trial.
eyes, and other maladies
common in neglect cases.
among four national animal protection organizations to assist agencies
in Dane and Richland County with the
seriously ill and neglected animals.
Most of the rescued animals were
dogs, but responders also found birds,
rabbits, horses and chinchillas on the
property. The animals suffered from
painful skin conditions, severe matting,
cloudy and swollen eyes, and other
maladies common in neglect cases.
Documenting the animals’ health
took six full days due to the excessive
medical issues. According to UAN
Emergency Services Manager Janell
Matthies, the dogs were “shivering,
terrified mounds of fur” who eventually
“learned to trust.”
“The furtive glances became
full eye contact with open mouthed
smiles, tail twitches became full-bodied
tail wags, and they even began to
approach us for affection when we
neared their cages,” she reported.
What’s for sale
in the UAN Store?
Pet Emergency Starter Kit
Everything you need to start preparing
your animals for disaster: a customizable
Animal Disaster Planning Handbook,
first aid kit, collapsible bowl, emergency
slip leash, two temporary ID tags and
a roomy tote bag.
Animal Disaster Planning Handbook
Provides step-by-step instructions and
a customizable, central place to keep
all disaster information.
Animal Disaster
Preparedness Checklists
Help friends and family keep their
pets safe if disaster strikes. Available
in English and Spanish.
House
Emergency Decals
Attach a decal to
your front window
or door to alert
emergency personnel
about the presence
of animals.
“Don’t Leave Me in Here—
It’s Hot!” fliers
EARS volunteers traveled to Wisconsin
in May to help 400 neglected animals
who had been living in deplorable
conditions and suffered from serious
medical problems.
A non-confrontational reminder
that it is dangerous to leave animals
unattended in a vehicle on warm days.
Order a pack of 25 to keep handy for
when you encounter a dog in a hot car.
Order yours today!
Visit www.uan.org/store.
Summer 2009 Journal www.uan.org 13
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Once neglected, lovable lug finds love
J
oann Dimon has fostered more than 200 Akitas, so when she tells you one is
“exceptional” you’ve got to believe her. And that is precisely how she describes Ben,
a blind, adult Akita who was rescued from a puppy mill in Arkansas on March 23 and
doted on by a team of UAN’s Emergency Animal Rescue Service (EARS) volunteers.
“He is absolutely wonderful, a dream actually,” said Joann, who began fostering him
in April after he was transported 1,200 miles from Arkansas
to her home in New Jersey. “He loves everyone, he is good
with children, he adores cats … he is just a big love bug.”
Living with Joann and spending quality cuddling time with her 12- and 13-yearold children is a far cry from where Ben was when EARS volunteers first met him.
By far the largest of the 300 dogs rescued from the puppy mill, he could hardly
walk because he had been confined to a wire kennel with a concrete floor for a
long time. He was deaf, blind and terrified.
Ben’s health has improved considerably since living with Joann. He is completely
blind from glaucoma and degenerative eye disease, and is scheduled to have
both eyes surgically removed, but he gets around just fine. And the dog who
once couldn’t even step out of his cage can now walk a mile on his leash —
politely, we might add.
Joann is looking for the ideal home for Ben, but he will have a safe place with
her and her family until that match is made. “He is so loving and
sweet, and so well behaved,” Joann said. “He is housebroken.
As big as he is, he is very quiet. You often don’t even know he’s
there.” Until he nuzzles you for some affection, that is.
Read more about Ben’s journey at www.uan.org/ben.