- 1. ASPCA Happy Tails: Match Made in Heaven
- 2. Save 20% on ASPCA Back-to-School Must-Haves
- 3. The Lost Dogs, Book about Bad Newz Kennels Survivors, Now Available!
- 4. ASPCA Pet of the Week: Dear Duncan
- 5. Saving Animals’ Lives: $100K Challenge Leaders Announced
1. ASPCA Happy Tails: Match Made in Heaven
After the loss of their beloved Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Lynda and Alan Herring eventually decided to welcome a new dog into their lives. Lucky for the couple, Lynda’s sister, ASPCA member Carolyn Levy, volunteers at the Animal Humane Association of New Mexico (AHNM), an Albuquerque shelter that employs the ASPCA’s Meet Your Match® (MYM) system for pairing pets with people based on lifestyle and other preferences.
The MYM assessment begins with an initial behavior screening to make sure each pooch is a good candidate for adoption. Dogs are then tested on their friendliness, playfulness, energy level, motivation and drive, and placed into one of nine color-coded Canine- or Puppy-alities. Some pooches are laid-back “Couch Potatoes,” others are curious “Busy Bees,” and then there are the action hero “Go-Getter” types.
The Herrings were looking for a large, gentle Retriever who enjoys keeping company with cats. Carolyn kept her eyes peeled for such a dog at Animal Humane, and one fortuitous Saturday in June, a sweet Yellow Labrador named Lola arrived at the shelter. Carolyn was intrigued—even more so when she learned Lola was a “Purple Constant Companion,” according to her MYM evaluation. She immediately emailed her sister Lynda, writing “This may be your dog.”
The following Monday, AHNM staffers tested Lola with the shelter’s resident cat, Harley, and once the mellow pooch passed the cat test, the deal was done—she was on her way home with the Herrings. We’re happy to report that Lola and her new family are extremely happy and the adoption was a great success. “Lola is a perfect match for the Herrings,” says Carolyn. “The beauty of Meet Your Match is that it helps take the guesswork out of finding a great pet for your family.”
For more information about the ASPCA’s Meet Your Match program, please visit our Adoption pages online. Or to read more charming stories of furry fate, check out our Happy Tails archive.
2. Save 20% on ASPCA Back-to-School Must-Haves
Whether you’re putting the finishing touches on your back-to-school wardrobe or getting an early start on holiday shopping, the ASPCA Online Store has you covered. Our virtual shelves are stocked with fabulous tees and personalized jewelry, not to mention fun and reliable pet toys. Plus, donning ASPCA apparel will not only make you a hit with your friends and pets, but also helps fight animal cruelty!
Back-to-School Sale—Save 20% on ASPCA Apparel!
Our back-to-school styles include the trendiest fits for all ages. And each purchase is an easy, fashionable way to speak up for animals! Use code TSHIRT20 through September 24.
Padfolio—Keepin’ It Organized and Stylish
Stay organized and take notes effortlessly with our sleek black padfolio, complete with ASPCA logo. For an additional charge, have your planner embossed with your name in silver foil.
Halloween Treats for Your Pet
More treat than trick, our stellar selection of Halloween-inspired plush toys and fashion collars will give your pet hours of spooky good fun—all while looking great!
So get shopping and don’t forget to save 20% on all ASPCA apparel with checkout code TSHIRT20. Remember, all purchases at the ASPCA Online Store support our life-saving work across the country!
3. The Lost Dogs, Book about Bad Newz Kennels Survivors, Now Available!
The wait is officially over: The Lost Dogs: Michael Vick’s Dogs and Their Tale of Rescue and Redemption by Jim Gorant, an in-depth look behind the scenes of the Michael Vick case and “where are they now” account of the dogs rescued from his property, hit bookshelves nationwide on September 16. The Lost Dogs can be purchased at your local bookstore and through online retailers including Amazon.com. (Tip: If you purchase the book on Amazon.com using this link, the ASPCA will receive a small donation at no extra cost to you!)
Naturally, the ASPCA is excited about this book because of our firsthand involvement in the investigation—but having gotten our hands on an early copy, we’re very happy to report that it is a terrific, compelling read for anyone interested in animal welfare, canine behavior, the evolution of animal protection laws or our country’s criminal justice system.
Last month, we showed you where to get an advance look at the book on Parade magazine’s website. That article proved so popular with readers that Parade enlisted the ASPCA’s Pam Reid, Ph.D., CAAB, Vice President of the ASPCA Animal Behavior Center, to pen a follow-up piece called “Top 5 Myths about Pit Bulls” that addresses the most common perceptions—and misperceptions—about this maligned and misunderstood breed.
Pick up or order a copy of The Lost Dogs for yourself or the animal lover in your life! To learn more about the book and see videos of the featured dogs, please visit author Jim Gorant’s website, www.thelostdogsbook.com.
4. ASPCA Pet of the Week: Dear Duncan
Our dear Duncan is an avowed introvert searching for someone to help him come out of his shell. What will you receive in return? A lifetime of love from a sensitive and loyal pooch! Duncan loves people so much that he gets anxious when he’s left alone, and is currently taking medication to treat his separation anxiety.
Are you the one to help this sweet pooch feel more comfortable in the big city? Duncan would prefer to live in a quiet house with adults only—if you fit the bill, come visit us today in Manhattan.
If you’re interested in adopting Duncan, please contact our Animal Placement department in New York City at (212) 876-7700, ext. 4120. To see other animals looking for homes, visit our Adoption Center online.
****Got Facebook? Won’t you please donate your status to Duncan today? Just copy and paste the following message onto your profile status to help spread the word that this pooch needs a home!
[Name] is donating my status to Duncan http://www.aspca.org/duncan, a dog at the ASPCA who needs a new home.
5. Saving Animals’ Lives: $100K Challenge Leaders Announced
Hold on, people, the results from the first month of the ASPCA $100K Challenge are in, and we’re positively thunderstruck. This past month, 32 competing shelters saved 2,193 more cats and dogs than they did during the same period in August 2009. Increases at individual shelters ranged from 1 to 148 percent! Challengers are breaking previous adoption records left and right, and blowing our minds with their creative community outreach. For example, in Alabama, the Greater Birmingham Humane Society staff transferred cats in from eight other shelters and STILL ran out of cats in their adoption ward. The SPCA of Wake County in Raleigh, NC, celebrated the Labor Day weekend with a special “Labor of Love” adoption event, when a staggering 84 pets found homes, including the special-needs cuties featured in this heartbreaking video.
So, which shelters are taking an early lead in our three-month-long competition? In first place, we have the fearless folks at the Humane Society of Boulder Valley in Boulder, CO—they had an astonishing one month increase of 267 more lives saved! Second place goes to Tallahassee Leon Community Animal Service Center in Tallahassee, FL, which has seen an increase of 159 adoptions over August 2009. Duking it out for third place are Northwest Organization for Animal Help of Stanwood, WA, and the Mohawk and Hudson River Humane Society of Menands, NY, tied at a very respectable increase of 142 more lives saved.
Many congrats to the leaders—but remember there’s a whole lot more to come in this race to the finish. Contestants have two more months of adoption promotions, return-to-owner innovations and life-saving secret weapons. You can follow all the minute-by-minute action on the $100K Challenge blog. To see the full list of jaw-dropping numbers from our fab competitors, check out our Challenge Leaderboard.