Four Paws Press Fall / Winter 2016 www.kokomohumane.org 2016 Barktober Fest The 10th annual Barktober Fest dog walk and fundraising event for the Kokomo Humane Society was held October 8, 2016 at Foster Park. The park was filled with an entertaining variety of dogs, many in costume, and the people that love them. We were fortunate to have a beautiful sunny day for contests, information booths, tasty food vendors and a pleasant walk around Foster Park. In addition to our regular supporters, we also received a generous $5,000 matching grant from the Modern Woodmen Fraternal Financial group. We were able to surpass last years profit of $18,400 to $22,500. We plan to divide these funds among our New Digs Capital Campaign, feline adoption specials and Shelby s second chance fund. We cannot thank everyone enough for helping to make this our most successful Barktober Fest yet. Lynne Kurtz Top Fundraiser Leaders of the Pack Sponsors William & Sandra Knarr Bill & Karen Peelle Sycamore Financial Group Thank you to all our generous sponsors, volunteers, staff members & attendees for making Barktober Fest 2016 a huge success! E.P Severns
BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Dave Kitchell Vice President Brent Dechert Secretary Karen Peelle Treasurer Dr. William Humphrey Directors Melissa Ellis Ann Harrigan Dr. Corey Swart Mark McCann Dr. Adam Vernengo Monica Harp Terri King Larry Rolland Leslie Bollinger Candy Hodge STAFF Karen Wolfe Executive Director Jackie Koontz Shelter Administrator Jeana Watson, C.E.T Shelter Manager Jackie Vore, C.E.T Adoption Manager Eddie Dietzen, C.E.T Outreach Coordinator Ryleigh Prestler Volunteer Coordinator Rafaela Wright Marketing Technician Bryar Schroeter, C.E.T Animal Control Officer Randy McKinney, C.E.T Animal Control Officer Improving the lives of animals Ellie was picked up by our animal care and control as a stray and had some concerning physical issues. She was quickly taken to Jefferson Road Animal Hospital to be assessed; it looked like this poor girl had been burned, hopefully accidentally. It was as if something hot had spilled down one side of the front of her body. The wound started at a small spot on her lip that went down her right side to her neck, chest, front leg and foot, her injuries also included a fractured toe. She was quickly scooped up by one of Jefferson Road Animal Hospital s vet technicians to be fostered until she was healed and ready to go to a new home. She fit in well with her foster home s other dogs but preferred to observe their antics from the couch. She seemed happy simply to be cuddled and cared for. We estimate her age to be 8 years, with an even older soul and many stories to share. Judging by her sweet temperament, not all of her experiences had been bad but she had definitely hit a rough patch. We were happy to be able to find her a loving home where she will be pampered and loved. Donations to our Shelby s second chance fund make it possible to provide extra medical attention for animals such as Ellie. We have seen a significant increase in this support over the past few years. This is an additional way people can help the Kokomo Humane Society care for the animals of Howard County. Preventing cruelty through education We are always so pleased to get updates from amazing adopters and adopted pets! Animal Care Specialists Candi Rork, C.E.T. Rachel Sitts, C.E.T. Breanna Larrick, C.E.T. Diana Coleman Marissa Shoffner Chelsie Fraizer Dakota Eades Megan Stines Maintenance Technician Bill Reel
Uniting pets with families We Care Trim-A-Tree Festival Hopefully many of you had the opportunity to visit the We Care Trim-A-Tree Festival that was held from October 31st- November 13th at the Markland Mall. This event is a great opportunity for the community to have fun showing their creativity while also helping a another charitable organization. At the Kokomo Humane Society we try to support other non-profit organizations like ourselves. Together we can make our community better. This was the first time we participated in the Trim-A-Tree Festival and were happy to contribute to this long standing holiday event. We were proud of our beautiful tree and grateful to Board members Karen Peelle and Terri King, who designed and decorated the tree.
New Faces Thoughts from the Director Karen Wolfe As we move closer to breaking ground for the new Kokomo Humane Society, it is impossible not to reflect briefly on the path this organization has taken over the past 125 years. KHS was founded in 1891 and moved into our current location in 1951. While this building served our purpose for many of those years, the time is long overdue for a change. For the past six years we have been working diligently toward that end. Dakota Eades Animal Care Specialist Megan Stines Animal Care Specialist Ryleigh Prestler Volunteer Coordinator This monumental pursuit for a new facility has been an arduous one, inspiring in our staff, board and supporters unprecedented levels of purpose, spirit and devotion. We have evolved most significantly in the past seven years with a 70 percent increase in adoptions, and a 63 percent decrease in euthanasia, shifting our image from the pound to our true title of Humane Society. This transformation has come through doing everything in our power to help animals we care for as well as serving the people that come to us to find a new pet, bring in a found pet or surrender one they can no longer care for. Our organization appears to have two independent points of focus: Animal Control and Humane Society. This is a misnomer as we actually work together in almost every respect. Neither half could operate at its best without the other s support. The consequence of being an open admission Humane Society and Animal Control facility is that there is a need for euthanasia. Not every animal we receive is adoptable based on age, health and temperament. Available space is less and less a problem and we are continually working to improve that issue through education on spay/neuter and proper animal care. The importance of an updated facility is multifaceted. Having a more spacious building will allow us to accommodate a larger animal population. This said, our goal continues to be to keep the length of stay as short as possible for each animal prior to adoption. Within the increased space we have included visitation rooms for potential adopters to interact with a dog or cat. A devoted community room for educational events and volunteer activities will allow us to expand on extended community interest and support of our mission. We recently revised our floor plan with the intention of adding a special feature to our new facility. The added footage is going to house our Cat Café. Our initial plan is to offer simple snacks and beverages for sale as well as host a small gift shop area. This will be the place in town to get your cat fix as there will be a cat habitat adjacent to the dining area. Patrons will be able to sit in the café and watch the feline antics or enter the habitat themselves to interact with the cats. Our perseverance has paid off and in November we reached $1.5 million of a $2 million goal. These funds have been donated primarily by individuals and small businesses along with a $100,000 matching grant from the Community Foundation of Howard County and a $25,000 pledge from Howard County. (continue on next page)
We are still $500,000 shy of our actual costs, so if you haven t yet contributed, now would be an excellent time to show support. If you have already made a donation, please consider an additional contribution which would be greatly appreciated. We are so excited to continue making progress and we are counting on the community we serve to help make a new shelter a reality. Thank you for your support, Executive Director Kokomo Humane Society (765) 452-6224 This is the floor plan for our new facility, pay special attention to our new addition, the Cat Café! Upcoming volunteer orientations Orientation will be at noon followed by training: December 17, 2016 January 21, 2017 For more information call 765-452-6224 Ext. 4 or visit kokomohumane.org New Staff Spotlight As many of you know by now, my name is Ryleigh Prestler. I am the new Volunteer Coordinator for the Kokomo Humane Society. I ve met so many of you, but for those I haven t yet met I m going to tell you a little bit about myself. I was born and raised in Kokomo. I m 24 years old. I graduated from Lewis Cass High School in 2011, and continued on at Ivy Tech Community College to work on obtaining my Associate s in Applied Sciences. I finish my last semester this coming Spring. I am the former Marketing Director at Hot Box Pizza and worked as a trainer there for a year. I have two brothers here in the U.S and a sister who lives in Australia. I was born here, but I have dual citizenship in Australia. My fiancé and I have a 6 year old daughter, an 8 month old son and a 3 year old Boxer named Karma. I absolutely love working with all of you, and I look forward to seeing where my new journey at the Kokomo Humane Society takes us!
Cases of distemper-infected raccoons surge in city, county Reason unclear why incurable, deadly virus has spread in the area KOKOMO - Animal-control officials say the number of raccoons infected with distemper has spiked by more than 400 percent this year in the city and county, and local veterinarians are urging dog owners to get their pets vaccinated to prevent the spread of the disease. Karen Wolfe, executive director of the Kokomo Humane Society, which provides animal control for the city and county, said they have captured 43 raccoons so far this year infected with distemper, an incurable and highly contagious viral disease that can be passed onto other mammals such as dogs. That s up from just 10 raccoon cases last year. Although the number of infected raccoons has skyrocketed, there is no indication the disease has spread to the area s pet population, she said. It s not really alarming, it s just curious, since the raccoons are not attacking people, Wolfe said. As long as people keep their animals vaccinated it will be fine, but not everybody does that. Raccoons with distemper generally act disoriented or lethargic, but can become aggressive if cornered. They may approach people, or curl up to sleep in open areas in close proximity to people. They may also have seizures. The virus is not considered a threat to humans. Bryar Schroeter, an animal-control officer with the Kokomo Humane Society, said he has personally captured around 30 infected raccoons this year, and they all have either been in the throes of a seizure of lying despondent. They re almost zombies at the point that we find them, he said. If they re conscious, they walk around aimlessly or just lay around. It s not like they re rabid. They re almost immobile. Schroeter said the humane society has responded on average to at least two cases a week, but he has sometimes captured up to three in just one day. It s kind of weird this year. It really is, he said. I m hopeful that this ends soon, because doing this two to five times a week is a lot. Hopefully it lightens up. Raccoons determined to have the disease are all captured and euthanized, Schroeter said. If officers can determine they don t have distemper, they are released back into the wild. With the spike in raccoon cases, animal experts are urging dog owners to get their pets vaccinated for the virus. Canine distemper is a contagious and serious disease caused by a virus that attacks the respiratory, gastrointestinal and nervous systems of puppies and dogs, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. Once a dog is infected, there is no cure. The disease is often fatal, and dogs that survive usually have permanent, irreparable nervous-system damage. Symptoms in dogs include fever, nasal discharge, coughing, lethargy, reduced appetite and vomiting. As the virus attacks the nervous system, infected dogs develop circling behavior, head tilt, muscle twitches, convulsions and seizures, according to the AVMA. Puppies and dogs most often become infected through direct contact or airborne exposure, such as sneezing or coughing, from an infected dog or wild animal. The virus can also be transmitted by shared food and water bowls and equipment. Hayley Green, a registered veterinarian technician with Jefferson Road Animal Hospital, said distemper shots are included in the basic package of vaccinations given to puppies when they are brought to a vet. She urged any dog owner who has not yet vaccinated their pets to do so, noting the shot is quick and inexpensive. It s a pretty nasty virus, Green said. We d like to see zero cases of this, and prevention is the key. It s super easy to prevent, but once they contract distemper, it s usually fatal. Humane Society Director Wolfe said animal-control officers are not contracted with the city or county to respond to raccoon problems, but they have done so the help prevent the spread of the disease. We re a humane society and these animals are suffering, she said. They re not in our area, but if they re injured, we ll take them. She said anyone who sees a raccoon displaying signs of distemper can call an animal-control officer at 765-452-6224. However, officers will not trap or dispose of nuisance raccoons that are not infected. By Carson Gerber Kokomo Tribune
COME SEE US! Get Your Pet to a Vet - One year anniversary! December 3rd & 4th PETCO Adoption Weekend 10th Pet Supplies Plus Adoption Event 17th Christmas Open House January 7th & 8th PETCO Adoption Weekend 14th Pet Supplies Plus Adoption Event The Kokomo Humane Society is definitely the best place to adopt your new best friend. Just one of the many benefits we offer is our Get Your Pet to a Vet program which was started in October of 2015. This adoption perk is made possible with the cooperation and generosity of Jefferson Road Animal Hospital, Pet Care Clinic of Kokomo, and Greentown Animal Hospital. Noah s Ark Animal Clinic which was not officially a member of the program, elected to honor our certificates if people wanted to use their clinic. This program is a free service offered to new adopters which includes a wellness exam, heartworm test, rabies vaccine and first dose of flea/heartworm preventative. One goal of this GYPV program is to get new adopters off to a good start with a wellness exam for their new pet. The other is to educate people on the importance of regular veterinary checkups. During this first year we calculate that at least 617 animals have received free wellness exams. This is over 45% of the total cats and dogs adopted between October 2015 and October 2016. This is an estimated $70,000 of donated services from these local veterinarians to animals adopted from the Kokomo Humane Society. We are fortunate to have the support of these local veterinarians in pursuit of our mission, Improving the lives of animals. Become a Foster! We are always in need of temporary homes. Fostering saves lives and your experience can be extremely rewarding. Any help will always be greatly appreciated.
Helping animals since 1891 713 N. Elizabeth St Kokomo, IN 46901 NON PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NUMBER 594 KOKOMO, IN Save the Date Paws for Christmas December 17, 2016 12-3 pm At the Kokomo Humane Society KokomoHumane.org