May-June 2007

Wanting to create more connections between people and animals led us to begin Sunday business hours on April 1st. On our first open Sunday, Liz Baronowski’s classes on First Aid for Pets were well attended and many people went on behind the scenes tours of the shelter.We welcomed new customers to our store and sold pet licenses to pet owners in LaCañada Flintridge and Arcadia. But the highlight for all of us was in our adoptions department, where 8 dogs, 3 cats and 1 rabbit went to new loving homes!

Regardless of the day of the week, our staff is here to take care of the animals. Seven days a week, we rely on our capable staff to provide for the medical needs of the animals and to keep the kennels clean and disease free. Spay and neuter surgery takes place in our clinic every day, helping us end the fight against animal over population. Our animal control officers are available 24/7 for animals in distress.

We want to make it even easier to support our life-saving programs and our goal of zero euthanasia of adoptable animals.This year our events promise to be more fun and exciting than ever.

• Our annual golf and tennis tournament held at the LaCañada Country Club, Doglegs Birdies & Eagles: Get on the Ball, was sold out!
• On May19, the Pasadena Animal League will host Artistic License, a silent art auction benefit to benefit the shelter’s programs.The auction includes original artwork
and unique items inspired by our animal friends.
• In the fall, our 9th annual Wiggle Waggle Walk for the Animals is scheduled for Sunday, September 30 at Brookside Park.You don’t need a dog to participate—just
a desire to support animals in need.
The Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA is a place that works for both people and animals—and we need your support to make our community the most humane place possible.

January/February 2007

Leader of the Pack

The year 2007 promises to be an exciting one at the Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA. Each year, we assess our accomplishments and shortcomings and develop new goals with the purpose of enriching the lives of animals and the needs of the community we serve.

In 2007, several cities are looking at Breed Specific Legislation as a method of protecting their residents from potentially dangerous dogs. PHS maintains that effective dangerous dog control must not be breed specific because the root of the problem would remain unaddressed. Strongly enforced leash laws, extensive public education on responsible pet ownership and dog behavior classes for dog owners are ways to protect residents from dangerous dogs. The Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA will form a committee to explore fully the ways that a community keep itself safe from dangerous dogs while protecting the right of dog owners.

This year will also be the Year of the Cat at PHS. Our staff will look at creative ways to enhance the shelter environment for cats before they are adopted. We will also continue to focus on spaying and neutering feral cats and outdoor roaming cats in our public spay/neuter program in order to decrease the number of homeless cats in our community.

More humane education programs are planned for 2007 so that we can raise public awareness of humane issues throughout the community we serve. These programs include seminars on pit bull behavior and responsible ownership, and a bereavement group for people who are grieving for their pets.

Our events in 2007 will include our biannual art auction, Artistic License, which will be held in May, adding to the fun raised with our annual golf tournament and dog walk.

I am delighted by the cooperative spirit that unites our volunteers, staff and community. Your willingness to help the animals has brought us success in the past. I look forward to working with all of you to build a better world for the animals.

Steve

FALL 2006

They always say time changes things, but actually you have to do it yourself.

PHS decided to make some big changes that will allow you, the public, more opportunities to give one of our adoptable animals a loving home. Because matching a caring family with the perfect pet is a top priority for us, the humane society will be open to the public on Sunday from 11AM to 5 PM, beginning in late March. We will be closed to the public on Mondays. These new hours will increase visibility for our adoptable animals and will provide more convenient viewing hours for families and people who work during the week.

PHS continues to be committed to maintaining services and improving programs. When we begin the new Sunday hours, our Animal Control department will become full service for seven days a week. Always available for emergencies on a twenty-four hour basis, Field Services will provide continuous expert assistance for animals in need.

We know that these changes will make big differences in the lives of the animals. If you are looking for a new bird or bunny, cat or dog, now you will be able to find your new best friend at the Pasadena Humane Society on Sunday, too.

These are two of the positive changes we are making in order to make PHS more accessible to the public and more responsive to the needs of the animals. We are working to make the year 2006 a better one for the animals and our community.

The holidays are approaching quickly and we are in a festive mood! The Pet Store at the Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA is having a pre-Christmas sale and offering 10% off selected merchandise. All of the proceeds from the store are used for our life-saving animal care programs, so take a look at the holiday items we have for sale.

All of us at the Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA wish you a happy and healthy holiday season.


Steve McNall

Steve’s Message - Summer 2006

Caring for homeless companion animals requires hard work and difficult decisions by a broad spectrum of compassionate individuals and organizations, including shelters, breed rescue clubs, and private animal adoption agencies. These groups and individuals may differ in their methods and focus, but all agree on one goal: that every homeless companion animal deserves a humane, life-affirming outcome. Historically, the Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA has networked with sanctuaries and other adoption partners nationwide to find appropriate homes for the wide variety of animals in our care. Sometimes, it just takes a little creativity and some extra effort on the part of our dedicated staff when we are nearing capacity or to find a permanent home for a challenging but adoptable animal.

In the past few years, an increasing number of individuals have formed locally-based organizations to provide in-home foster care and adoption services for pets in need. Born of the compassion and concern of animal lovers who often donate their time and open their homes to help end the tragedy of pet overpopulation, this grass roots effort offers another valuable resource to our community.

PHS believes that our community’s pets in need are best served when our community’s animal lovers and animal welfare agencies work together. We are committed to creating policies and oureach events that connect the entire animal care community, thus offering even more choices to our adopters and ultimately saving the lives of even more animals.

On Sunday, October 8, PHS will host an adoption day for our placement partners. This event will be held in the training center where animals of all kind--including reptiles, dogs, cats, and rabbits-- will be available for adoption. It is a great opportunity to find a pet—and to learn about the impressive network of people and agencies working to make our community a better place for pets in need.

We look forward to working with even more animal lovers in our mission to reach zero euthanasia of adoptable animals.



Steve McNall

NEWS FOR MAY/JUNE 2006

EXPANSION PLANS

The Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA has been planning for the future of the animals, and I have tremendous news! Our Board of Directors has approved beautiful plans for an extensive expansion of the Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA. The plans include a new cat care facility, state of the art housing for small animals, an outdoor training center and plenty of parking! These improvements are necessary so that we can continue to provide animals with the best care possible. Watch for more information about our expansion in the coming months.


As an agency committed to compassion and care for all animals, the Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA is delighted with our new long-term partnership with the City of Glendale. The Glendale City Council unanimously agreed to a 16 year contract with the Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA on March 29, 2006, cementing the relationship between us. Although PHS has been providing animal care services for Glendale since 2003, this commitment allows us to develop more specialized programs that address specific issues for the city’s animal and human population. We will be offering more school and library programs, making more Mobile Outreach stops and continuing to provide field service operations for the city. Our wildlife officer will continue to speak to groups about wildlife issues and offer options for households near the foothills that promote coexistence with wildlife. The staff and Board of Directors are very excited about this opportunity and look forward to a long, successful partnership.

PHS has made significant progress in helping the animals of the future, but there is more to be done. We count on you as part of our team of compassionate people who are working to provide a better place for all animals.

Leader of the Pack - Spring 2006

Springtime at the Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA is busy and productive. Local wildlife search for suitable places to care for their young. Wildlife parents are naturally dawn to any empty space that provides the right shelter, so this is the time of year to check your property for places that may attract these squatters. Remember that it is easier to discourage wildlife from your property than to convince them to leave their nests. Call our wildlife officer, Veronica, at ext. 110 for information on discouraging wildlife from setting up their nursery on your property.

The warm weather also brings “kitten season” when most kittens are born. Since there are not enough homes for all of these kittens and their parents, PHS offers several programs to help the public sterilize their companion animals and local feral cats. Call MaryEllen 626-792-7151 x138 to set up an appointment to spay or neuter your pet or to participate in our March 19th, 2006 Spayathon for feral cats. By spaying or neutering your animals, you are helping us end the tragedy of pet overpopulation.

The broad stretch of our outreach is demonstrated by the participation of Derek Hensel, PHS Humane Officer, in the Border Puppy Task Force in December, 2005. Formed to stop the illegal smuggling of underage, unhealthy puppies across the border, the task force included Humane Officers from animal agencies across Southern California. Their efforts were recognized on January 21, 2006, when they were given a Certificate of Congressional Recognition and named Crime Fighters of the Month by Congressman Bob Filner.

Our first fundraiser of the year, Doglegs, Birdies and Eagles: Get on the Ball takes place on Monday, April 24. This golf and tennis benefit raises monies for our lifesaving programs and will be great fun for all who participate.

Whenever you visit the Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA, you will find an agency responding to the needs of the animals and surrounding communities. We look forward to your visit and we are grateful for your support and love for the animals.

Steve’s Message - Winter 2005

These are important times for us. Currently, the Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA provides offers extensive programs in humane education, spay/neuter and animal behavior. We provide volunteer opportunities for animal lovers of all ages and our website offers animal care information to anyone with Internet access. Animals at PHS are given excellent veterinary care, and through the adoption process they are placed into wonderful permanent homes. But that is not enough.

The dramatic events of 2005, culminating in the disaster wrought by Hurricane Katrina, have underscored the need for all public agencies to be as prepared as possible for any event. Preparation is at least a two-step process. Because animal welfare standards are changing rapidly, a knowledgeable staff must be trained and educated each year to stay current. A well-prepared staff must be able to implement this knowledge through the agency’s policies and procedures.

The Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA is committed to providing excellent care for the animals in every situation. Members of our staff attend national and regional conferences, seminars and workshops to sharpen their skills and broaden their knowledge of animal welfare policies. Both agency and departmental disaster plans are reviewed regularly so that each employee is aware of any change. Our wide network of programs broadcasts information to the public weekly through classes, the media and impromptu discussions. By educating ourselves, we are better able to inform the public and to care for the animals.

There is more to be done. Your hands on participation in our programs and fundraising events and your financial contributions make you part of our team. We look forward to working together to improve the lives of animals.