FALL 2017 Dear Friends, As our biggest supporters, we wanted to share some exciting news with you first. We know you ve been following our expansion and renovation progress closely, and we are pleased to report we just completed phase two! Driving past Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region on I-25, you can now see our wonderful volunteers walking dogs in the new dog park every dog, every day, that s our motto. The new dog park provides a secure area for our team to play with the dogs, get them out of their kennels and into the fresh air. And our new livestock barn has already served as home to several goats and a 700-pound stray boar. Photo by: bluefoxphotography.com Our organization is filled with passionate and dedicated individuals like you who, together, work to save the lives of animals. Our number one priority is ensuring the safety of the animals and people in our community. HSPPR is proud to serve as the only open admission shelter in the region - no animal is ever turned away. We continue to make great strides in saving more lives than ever before. We reunited 13% more stray animals with their families and adoptions increased, especially for cats, thanks to the expansion and remodel. Our adopters enjoy visiting with the cats in the new condos and townhouses. Thanks to your generous support, we can create a brighter future for the animals in our community, even animals who have a family. I recently received a note from a gentleman who utilized our low-income veterinary services to vaccinate his dog. He was grateful because he was living on a limited income. He loves his dog, and he was grateful HSPPR donors make it possible for us to help him and others who struggle to make ends meet. Providing these services benefits our entire community by preventing the spread of disease, keeping animals healthy so they are not surrendered to the shelter, and reducing overpopulation by providing low-cost spay and neuter services. You are a part of our family, and we all share the value that animals matter. That is why HSPPR is an important community resource, here 365 days a year serving the people and animals of our communities. We can t do it without you. Together we can accomplish our mission a compassionate community where animals and people are cared for and valued. Cheers, Jan McHugh-Smith President and CEO
CAMPUSES A NEW FACE AT HSPPR COLORADO SPRINGS Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region 610 Abbot Lane Colorado Springs, CO 80905 719.473.1741 www.hsppr.org Adoptions Animal Law Enforcement Services Licensing Cruelty Investigations Lost & Found Pets Spay / Neuter Program Volunteer Opportunities PUEBLO Pueblo Animal Services 4600 Eagleridge Place Pueblo, CO 81008 719.544.3005 www.puebloanimalservices.org Adoptions Animal Law Enforcement Services Licensing Cruelty Investigations Lost & Found Pets Spay / Neuter Program Volunteer Opportunities DOUGLAS COUNTY Douglas County Animal Services 4556 Castleton Court Castle Rock, CO 80109 303.660.7529 Animal Law Enforcement Services Licensing Cruelty Investigations CITY OF CENTENNIAL Centennial Animal Services 7272 South Eagle Street Centennial, CO 80112 303.325.8070 Animal Law Enforcement Services Licensing Cruelty Investigations Speak is published quarterly by Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region 610 Abbot Lane Colorado Springs, CO 80905 Please send any address changes to our Colorado Springs address. WELCOME KELLEY LIKES DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT From providing funds for emergency medical care to keeping the lights on, everyone knows the generous donations from our supporters quite literally save thousands of lives every year. We d like to take a moment to introduce you to our newest team member in charge of donation campaigns and exciting fundraising events - Kelley Likes just joined us as Director of Development! Kelley comes to us from Cleveland, Ohio, where she was the Assistant Director of Annual Giving for OhioGuidestone, a social services agency that provides over 30 programs to Ohio residents living in poverty. FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE ASKED KELLEY THE SAME QUESTION WE ASK EVERYONE DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS? Ha ha! Oh boy, here we go. I have five dogs, all rescues. My oldest is Teegan, a 9-year-old Chow mix. She is sassy and shows no signs of slowing down in her senior years. Next we have Scout, a 2-year-old Great Pyrenees mix who is mellow and sweet. And his brother Bhodi, a 2-year-old Husky mix who is incredibly lazy (I know, not like a husky at all!). Odin is a 1-year-old Retriever mix who only has one eye and is quite demanding. Then finally we have Harry Winston, a 4-month-old collie we fostered right before moving to the area. Don t worry, we are moving to Monument where the dog limit is six! WHAT EXCITES KELLEY MOST ABOUT WORKING FOR HSPPR? I think what excites me most is being on the front lines in the fight to save the lives of animals in need. I ve fostered dogs for years, and it s one of the most fulfilling things I ve done in my life. Caring for animals is so important to me, so being able to make a career out of it is truly exciting. What I love most about working for nonprofits is having the ability to change lives (animal and human!) and helping the community to be a better place. It s very fulfilling to see that your work has made a positive impact! WHAT DOES KELLEY LIKE BEST ABOUT COLORADO SO FAR? I m thrilled to move to Colorado Springs because I love being outdoors with my dogs! I m very excited to take them hiking and am looking forward to finding dog-friendly spots for them to visit. The people here are incredibly kind and helpful, which has been wonderful. WHAT IS THE ONE MESSAGE KELLEY WOULD LIKE OUR SUPPORTERS TO KNOW? I m looking forward to building relationships with you, meeting you, and getting to know more about you and why you support HSPPR. My plan is to continue the good work of the development team and ensure our donors feel valued, because we literally couldn t do what we do without you! ONE INTERESTING, NON-WORK FACT ABOUT KELLEY? I was named after an island located in Lake Erie, which is why my name is spelled a little differently. Kelley would love to meet each and every one of you for herself! Please welcome her with an email at klikes@hsppr.org or get in touch with her directly at 719.302.8778.
HURRICANE HARVEY HELP Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region and Pueblo Animal Services recently received a very special delivery at the Colorado Springs airport! We were happy to be able to offer assistance to Acadiana Animal Aid in Lafayette, LA, our long-time transfer partner, during the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. We took in 38 dogs - HSPPR took 21 dogs and PAS 17 dogs arriving via private plane from shelters in coastal Louisiana parishes. They were not strays from the areas affected by Hurricane Harvey, but rather dogs that were already available for adoption. By transferring them to shelters like ours, these communities were able to free up space for the strays and evacuees from Hurricane Harvey. It s common practice for shelters to transport adoptable pets to partner shelters during a disaster to free up space for evacuated pets in need of sheltering. You may recall we utilized our rescue partners this way during the Colorado wildfires to make space at HSPPR and PAS. We are pleased to report all of the dogs transferred to us found their happy tail! Thank you to all who made such generous gifts to help care for these dogs in need. ARE YOU READY FOR A DISASTER? Seeing the devastation Hurricane Harvey has left behind in Texas has many of us thinking about our own family members, including pets. A large-scale natural disaster is something we know about in Colorado, too. It s not a matter of if, but when. Making sure you have an emergency plan in place now can help keep you safe when disaster strikes. Animals need emergency supplies, too. Use this handy checklist from HSPPR s Community Animal Response Team (CART) to pack a go kit for your pets so you ll be ready to evacuate quickly in an emergency. Carrier Toys Medications, medical records, vet s contact information Flashlight, batteries Leash, harness, collar with tags Food, water and bowls for 3-4 days Waste bags, litter box, litter Paper towels, towels, blankets, grooming items Photos of you with your pets for identification purposes 3
BUILDING A BRIGHT FUTURE 2016 ANNUAL REPORT BY THE NUMBERS 17,000 LIVES SAVED 10,785 ADOPTIONS 1,198 ANIMALS IN FOSTER CARE 10,431 SPAYS/NEUTERS 4,124 CRUELTY INVESTIGATIONS 1,056 VOLUNTEERS 795 PETS FEATURED IN THE NEWS 4 VIEW OUR ENTIRE 2016 ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION ONLINE AT hsppr.org/annualreport
A NOTE FROM RANDY HARRELSON Hello HSPPR Friends and Supporters, I have transitioned to a new role within HSPPR s development office. The newlycreated Donor Relations Officer position will enable me to spend more time with our most loyal and generous supporters - better understanding their passions, their philanthropic goals and how HSPPR and our most valued benefactors can collaborate to save even more lives and make our community a better place for animals and people. As part of this transition, Kelley Likes takes the reins as Director of Development. Kelley will bring a fresh perspective, along with plenty of energy, experience, and dedication. I look forward to working with Kelley and you as we aim to make the Pikes Peak Region a truly special place that exudes compassion - where animals and people are cared for and valued. CALENDAR Oct. 4: World Animal Day Nov. 23: Thanksgiving Nov. 24: Black Furday Adoption Sale Dec. 2: National Mutt Day Dec. 5: Colorado Gives Day Dec. 25: Christmas Day If you have any questions or concerns, please don t hesitate to contact me. My email and phone number remain the same. Warm Regards, Randy Harrelson Former Director of Development, Now Donor Relations Officer DOODLE S HAPPY TAIL SADIE Doodle came to HSPPR with a severe fracture in his left back leg. Our accredited veterinary clinic was able to repair his fracture, and we sent Doodle into foster care while he recovered. Little did we know Doodle had already found his new home! Joy, one of our recent foster volunteers, recently retired from her job in Florida. In her spare time, she wanted to help animals. So she researched the best animal shelters in the country, and HSPPR was on the list! Joy packed up her life in Florida and moved to Colorado. She was in her new home only a week before she submitted her application to be a foster volunteer for us. Since November, she has fostered 35 puppies and adult dogs recovering from medical treatment. But it was adorable Doodle and his amazing smile who captured her heart. Joy adopted Doodle, and they are living happily ever after. We are so inspired by Joy s passion and commitment, and we are so happy to have her as part of our foster family! Become a foster family at hsppr.org/foster. F E AT U R E D SPONSOR: HILL S PET NUTRITION Sweet, bouncy little Sadie won the hearts of many of our staff and volunteers here at HSPPR, and thanks to our accredited veterinary clinic and Hill s Pet Nutrition, she was able to charm the most important people of all - her new family! Sadie was brought to HSPPR because she was having seizures, and her old family couldn t afford her medical care. Our veterinary team did bloodwork and tests on Sadie, and finally, she was diagnosed with a portosyetmic shunt. This happens when a pet s venous blood from the stomach, intestines, pancreas, and spleen bypasses the liver. We put Sadie on Hill s Prescription Diet Liver Care l/d, and she has been doing much better. Sadie will need to stay on her special diet, but our veterinarians say Sadie should live a normal life with her loving new family. Way to go, Sadie! 5
PEOPLE PROFILE LARRY DANFORTH VOLUNTEER Just say the word and I ll be there, is a phrase heard frequently from Larry Danforth, volunteer and shelter hero at HSPPR. In the four years he s dedicated his time to the shelter, he s become a staple in our cat programs. Larry spends several hours a week working as a cat photographer, cat transporter, and community cat volunteer. A few years ago, in addition to all his cattiness, Larry took on assisting with bi-monthly overnight Rescue Rover pickups from shelters in less fortunate communities. To date, Larry has transported more than 1,200 homeless dogs to HSPPR on the Rescue Rover from shelters across the state that don t have the resources to care for them. My transfer trips are the highlight of my month, Larry LARRY DANFORTH says. I love the long-distance rescues because I get to see the dogs blossom, even in the short amount of time I m with them. The morning I pick them up is the first time they might have ever been in vehicle, so they are very scared. There s a lot of barking; it s an intense 45 minutes. I just love watching how they change when they get out of the Rescue Rover once we arrive at HSPPR. Our transfer crew is very experienced, and we make the dogs feel safe right away. There are wagging tails, happy kisses. It s like seeing a switch getting flipped. They are completely different dogs than they were six hours prior. And it s not just a stroll down the road to pick up a dog or two. Larry specializes in overnight trips to Durango in the southwest corner of the state. Larry hits the road in our custom-built Sprinter van the day before his pickups. The Colorado State Patrol has seen him so many times now, they give him a little salute as he drives past! The next morning, Larry is up bright and early at 6:45 for his first pickup. Larry is an expert at making pups comfortable on their ride. He knows exactly how to load each dog to reduce stress. Once everyone is on board, it s another six-hour drive back to deposit his precious cargo into the waiting arms of our animal care staff. BAMBI S HAPPY TAIL This is a story about how powerful social media can be in helping find homeless pets their new home. Bambi, known as Bertha at HSPPR, hadn t had the greatest life before coming in as a stray. We helped her through some medical problems, but she just wasn t getting noticed at the shelter. So we put her up on our Facebook page to try to find her new family. Less than 24 hours later, Bambi found her new home! Her new mom saw the post shared from our Facebook page. It turns out Bambi had been transferred to one of our offsite adoption locations right next to where Bambi s new mom lives. She went by to visit with Bambi that very same day, and the rest is history! Bambi s brother, Chocolate Chip, wasn t too happy about the new addition at first. But their mom slowly introduced them, and after a few days, the two rabbits were fast friends and they now snuggle all day long! Thank you, Facebook, for making this match happen! These places don t have the budget or the resources to handle the number of dogs coming into their facilities, Larry says, describing why he is so passionate about making the trip. I know just how important these trips are to every one I m able to bring back. But even knowing he is personally saving so many lives isn t enough for Larry. Recently, to celebrate his 1,000th dog transported to HSPPR, Larry and his wife Rhoda decided to donate $1,000 to honor Larry s amazing feat. Can you believe this guy? We are so, so thankful for everything you do for us, Larry! BAMBI MATILDA & DARIUS HAPPY TAIL Matilda (known as Princess Peach at HSPPR) was trapped in a wheel well when she was rescued by a good Samaritan and brought to HSPPR. She had severely infected eyes, and our American Animal Hospital Association-accredited veterinary clinic was forced to remove them. Darius (known as Baileywick at HSPPR) was found as a tiny kitten near the Manitou Incline. He was underage and underweight. We sent both kittens into a loving foster home together so they could get big enough to find their new families. But we could see there was a special bond between Matilda and Darius, so we made them a bonded pair. Darius became Matilda s seeing eye cat and protects her from the world. A wonderful family came in on a Saturday afternoon and fell in love with these two. We provided them a detailed medical history for Matilda and also lots of information on how to care for a blind kitty. Everyone involved wanted this to be a successful adoption with lots of careful consideration, so they took home all of the information and returned the next day to make it official after thinking about it overnight. They told us these kitties were meant to be theirs. There was more than one happy tear in our adoption lobby when Matilda and Darius left with their new family! Way to go Matilda and Darius! 6
ALASTOR S HAPPY TAIL ALASTOR Alastor, known as Pinot at PAS, came in as a stray with his brother and sister, Riesling and Moscato. All three of the pure white kittens had eye infections, and one of each of their eyes was badly damaged by the infection. The veterinary team at PAS rushed the three kittens into surgery and were able to successfully remove each of their infected eyes. When they woke up, you could tell immediately they felt much better! The whole litter went to foster care until they were big enough for adoption. We put the kittens on our Facebook page, and one woman knew one of these kittens was meant for her. She called the shelter frequently during their foster stay, and when they were finally ready for adoption, she came in and chose Alastor to join her family. Now Alastor spends his days hanging out with his tortie sister Avalon and watching the birds from his cat tower. And more good news - his brother and sister, Riesling and Moscato, were adopted together into another great family! FRIENDS OF THE PUEBLO ANIMAL SHELTER PROUDLY PRESENT THE 11TH ANNUAL HOWL- YWOOD WHISKER BALL 2017 Join Friends of the Pueblo Animal Shelter for the 11th Annual Whisker Ball, benefiting Pueblo Animal Services! This event is attended by animal lovers throughout our community who understand the need to help lost, injured and abused animals find a loving home. This year s event features a lovely dinner and fantastic live and silent auctions. And well-behaved humans are welcome to bring their dogs! SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2017 5:30 PM Sangre de Cristo Arts and Conference Center, Pueblo Tickets start at $85. friendsofthepuebloanimalshelter.org PEOPLE PROFILE DARYL ZALDIVAR SHELTER MANAGER We are pleased to introduce our new shelter manager, Daryl! Daryl has worked at PAS since November of 2012 as our Animal Care Supervisor and was recently promoted to Shelter Manager due to her hard work, obvious compassion for the pets in our care, and her extensive knowledge of animal behavior and shelter management. This is not Daryl s first animal care rodeo. For years, she has dedicated herself to caring for animals as an animal care department manager at Petco and working for the Sedgwick County Zoo before coming to PAS. As shelter manager, Daryl keeps copious notes on every pet at PAS. She monitors their records to ensure they are all receiving the care they need and everyone is becoming available for adoption as soon as possible. She makes sure PAS is following all the rules and regulations put in place by the Pet Animal Care Facilities Act and other regulatory animal welfare organizations. The most rewarding part of my job is seeing animals getting adopted and finding new homes, and knowing we are making a positive difference in this community, Daryl says. I love leading the team here and making sure our precious animals receive the best care possible during their stay with us. It s always hard when people don t understand the work we do, but we strive every day to make sure we are giving our all to the people and pets in our community. Daryl knows first-hand how amazing that animal-human bond can be. Her cat Oakie was adopted from PAS. Oakie s owner was a young man who unfortunately passed away. His mother tried to keep Oakie even though she was extremely allergic to him, but soon the allergies became too much for her. I brought my kids to the shelter to meet him and they fell in love, so we adopted him, Daryl said. I later found out the mom who tried to care for Oakie works at the daycare my kids attend. It has been so nice sharing stories with her and updating her on how happy Oakie is with my family. DARYL & FAMILY 7
610 Abbot Lane, Colorado Springs, CO 80905 719.473.1741 www.hsppr.org 719.544.3005 www.puebloanimalservices.org Non-Profit Organization US POSTAGE PAID Colorado Springs, CO Permit No. 319 NEWSLETTER Santa Paws IS COMING TO TOWN COMING IN November WATCH FOR DETAILS SOON