What's New
Record-Breaking Numbers Tune in to Webcast
January 31, 2012: Julie Levy, DVM, Director of Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida, knows how to draw in a crowd. Presenting for the latest Maddie's InstituteSM webcast Shelter Crowd Control: Keeping Community Cats Out of Shelters, Dr. Levy addressed 779 attendees, a record for the Institute! The responses have been overwhelming: "Wonderful presentation. Concise, informative, entertaining, uplifting...loved it!" "Thank you... love it when what we have known in our hearts as feral cat caregivers is NOW backed by science....heart and head combined is powerful!" "This was a wonderful program. I have already recommended it to others and will be sending it to our shelter vet." Didn't get a chance to tune in or care to share the webcast with others in your community? For more information and to access the on-demand version, click here
Hands-on Course Shows Fast Results
January 27, 2012: Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida (UFL) is the only veterinary school in the country that offers an entire course focused on the behavior of animals in shelters. The comprehensive curriculum covers a variety of topics all designed to evaluate and treat pets with behavior issues - and show how treatment can play out in the real world of a shelter environment. Recently, Sheila D'Arpino, DVM, DACVB and a board-certified animal behaviorist for the Animal Rescue League of Boston, conducted a workshop with UFL students to evaluate and make recommendations for dogs with behavior issues at the local animal shelter. After a session with "jumpy mouthy" dogs, D'Arpino was thrilled to arrive at the shelter the next day to learn that the students had already implemented her recommendations, and one of the dogs was being adopted! "The students were able to see the plan in action," she enthused. "I wish all learning experiences enabled us the opportunity to learn about something, and then practice it on the same day." Thanks to the leadership at UFL, that kind of turnaround is setting the pace for the rest of the country.
Excitement Builds for Free Webcast
January 25, 2012: We've been getting reports that shelter medicine leaders around the U.S. are really jazzed about the free Maddie's InstituteSM webinar coming up this Thursday, January 26 at 9:00 pm ET/6:000 pm PT. The veterinarians at UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program are so excited about the event that they decided to hold a viewing party that features "the three F's: Fake meat/vegetarian food, Fellow cat advocates and Free continuing education credit". The topic that's drawing so much interest is Shelter Crowd Control: Keeping Community Cats Out of Shelters, with guest presenter Dr. Julie Levy, Director of Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida and founder of Operation Catnip. Still not registered for this fact-filled course? Find out how to tune in by clicking here
Catch a Bus, Catch a New Shelter Pet Project Ad!
January 18, 2012: Have you seen them in your neighborhood yet? The all-new Shelter Pet Project billboards and bus shelter ads are out and we've been getting reports of sightings from L.A. and beyond! The outdoor PSAs feature real dogs and cats that found their forever homes - and noticed some interesting things about their new caretakers. For instance, Maru the cat, adopted last January and shown here, says, "At first I was embarrassed. Me, a cat, living with a single guy. But when I watch him pick something up with his hands and eat it, I can't help but love him." And we can't help but love Maru and all the other featured dogs' and cats' take on their humans' quirky behaviors. If you can't wait to see them at a bus shelter or on a billboard near you, you can catch them all right here on The Shelter Pet Project's website
Richmond SPCA Adoptions Skyrocket!
January 9, 2012: A year-end celebration was especially warranted at Richmond SPCA (VA), where pet adoptions tallied over 340 in just two weeks! Thanks to a generous gift from Priority Automotive that covered adoption fees from December 13 - 31, hundreds of dogs and cats found a lifetime of love with new families. That brought the total for the shelter to nearly 600 pet adoptions for the month of December alone, an astounding increase over the 294 adoptions in December, 2010. Kudos go to Priority Automotive for the offer of free adoptions and to the hardworking shelter staff who were able to transfer even more orphaned pets from other shelters and animal control agencies in the area. What a great way to start a brand new year for this Maddie's® Lifesaving Award grantee!
A New Year, A New Home for Little New Yorkers
January 5, 2012: Right before the holidays, hundreds of whiskered animals strutted their stuff at "Whiskers in Wonderland," the annual two-day pet adoption event held by the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals (lead agency for Maddie's® Projects in New York City). Twenty-six groups from the coalition of more than 150 shelter and rescue organization came with their four-legged charges who were on the lookout for forever homes, and showed themselves off in a red carpet fashion parade, posed for pet and people portraits, and even got their minds read by a pet psychic (so now you know what's behind some of those quirky behaviors!). Even Maddie Mascot got in on the act (pictured here with Evon Handras, Director of Administrative Services for the Mayor's Alliance and an administrator of the Maddie's® Spay/Neuter grants). Adopting at holiday time is not for everyone - the commotion that comes with celebrations can be too hectic for a pet getting used to its new surroundings - but it's ideal for people who are off from school or work and have more time to spend with a new furry friend. Such was the case for more than 50 little New Yorkers who found new families, including an elderly FIV positive cat who had been in a shelter for over a year!
Tail Wag Books Get A+ in Schools
December 28, 2011: Helping the next generation respect and care for dogs and cats is fun and engaging with Maddie's® Tail Wag activity books, as kids learn their numbers, shapes and do other interactive games along with Maddie the dog. The booklet was written and illustrated by Maddie's Fund's® own Director of Veterinary Programs, Dr. Laurie Peek, and has been distributed in the last year alone to over 225 organizations across the country. Many have found their way into school classrooms like this one in Hayden, ID, thanks to volunteers at Kootenai Humane Society (KHS) which has a vibrant educational outreach component. "Your books have been very helpful and the children enjoy them so much, as do the teachers," writes one KHS volunteer. "We bring them to our dog education classes and the kids use them as follow up and review afterwards." A downloadable copy of the book is available in both English and Spanish here. For more activities that teach kids about shelter pets, take a look at our article by Judy Lee Jenkins, M.A., Family Fun: Projects for Kids and Adults to Help Shelter Pets.
Santa Maddie Joins Mobile Parade
December 21, 2011: On December 17 under clear, blue skies, Maddie Mascot rolled into Mobile, AL to take part in the annual Christmas & Holiday Parade, joining 35 of her furry friends from Mobile SPCA (lead agency for Maddie's® Projects in Mobile, AL). Thousands of revelers crowded the sidewalks as decorated floats and giant balloons rode by, accompanied by marching bands and holiday music makers. In Maddie's "sleigh" were adorable pooches available for adoption - and all were visibly joyous to have such a glorious outing. All but two are still looking for their forever homes, and Mobile SPCA has made it easy to see them and apply online. Take a look
Erie County Makes (Air) Waves
December 14, 2011: Over the weekend of December 8 - 10, SPCA Serving Erie County (lead agency for Maddie's® Projects in Erie County, NY) held its annual Radiothon on the local radio station STAR 102.5. Thanks to rousing support from the community, including station representatives, SPCA volunteers and staff, over $256,000 was raised! To encourage adoptions during the event, all fees were half off and as a result, 121 animals found new homes. To tie in with the Radiothon, 35 local Dunkin' Donuts® sold heart-shaped donuts for a $1 donation, generating another $16,000 to the cause. What a great way to ring in the season of giving!
Architects for Animals: Giving Shelter
December 8, 2011: Some of New York City's best and brightest architectural design firms are helping the Big Apple's feral cats stay warm this winter - in style. Thanks to an organization called Architects for Animals, an assortment of designer cat shelters were put on display at a fundraiser on December 6 to benefit the NYC Feral Cat Initiative, a program of the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals (lead agency for Maddie's® Projects in New York City). It's all about humanely addressing the plight of the tens of thousands of outdoor community cats in NYC through trap/neuter/return (TNR) and spay/neuter programs - the latter supported by an $830,000 grant from Maddie's Fund® that has a target of 17,600 surgeries. The seven imaginative shelter creations from Architects for Animals will be donated to TNR-certified caretakers in and around Manhattan. Take a look at how some lucky, free-roaming cats will be able to come in from the cold. Photo by Dana Edelson.
A Great Day for Shelter Pets!
November 30, 2011: The Shelter Pet Project did it again! In just a single day, over 1,000 heartwarming stories were posted on Facebook in celebration of the never-ending love and joy people get from their adopted animals - proving that shelter pets make great pets. Stories like Stella, pictured here, rescued with her four kittens from a terrible hoarding environment - now two years later is thriving with a new family who adores her. Or that of Murphy, the only survivor of a house fire: his new family drove five hours each way to adopt him and now can't imagine life without him. Then there's the story of Ellie, the dog that no one wanted and who spent 18 months in a shelter, bouncing among foster families and adopters before her new caregiver saw her potential and brought her home. A constant companion, Ellie (now called Grace) was "everything I was looking for, and has inspired me to dedicate my time and energy to service." Now a therapy dog, Grace and her caregiver have plans to walk across America next year to raise awareness for dog rescue - demonstrating that a shelter pet, even an adult rescue, truly can do anything. To all of the adopters we heard from on Celebrate Shelter Pets day we say, "Thank you! More shelter dogs and cats will find new homes because you took the time to tell the world how wonderful your adopted pet is."
Celebrate Shelter Pets on Facebook and Twitter!
November 28, 2011: The Shelter Pet Project is doing it again! You're invited to join the second annual celebration of shelter pets on Facebook all day long on Tuesday, November 29. Tell the world about a great shelter pet who shares or has shared your life. Here's how: post the adopted pet's name, photo and story to your Facebook wall. Or send a Tweet to your followers. Just be sure and tag The Shelter Pet Project in your post. You can even come over to The Shelter Pet Project's Facebook page and post your story and photo there. You'll be letting people know that shelter pets make wonderful companions - and that will make a real difference in the number of dogs and cats who find homes. Let's celebrate shelter pets!
"Sand Box" Plays Big on YouTube
November 23, 2011: Are you one of the more than 500,000 people who have viewed the new Shelter Pet Project "Sand Box" ad on YouTube? In only one week, that PSA and the other three are setting record-breaking numbers of views with comments like "Absolutely love this ad, and the cat is adorable!" and "This makes me proud that all my cats are shelter cats!" Join the discussion about your favorite Shelter Pet Project PSA on Facebook!
Pawsitive Response to New Ads
November 21, 2011: The Shelter Pet Project launched a new round of PSAs on November 15, and the response was immediate - over 14,000 pet lovers clicked on the new Shelter Pet Project website, racking up 68,717 page views and spending more than 3 minutes on the site. The Facebook page was flooded with endorsements like this one: "Wow! As an animal lover, shelter adopter and TV/film writer/director, I have to give you 5 stars for your new videos. They are fabulous!" Which one is your favorite ad? Check them all out here
NYC Dogs Occupy the Brooklyn Bridge
November 11, 2011: On the evening of October 22, some 500 dogs were on the march across the Brooklyn Bridge. The Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals (lead agency for Maddie's® Projects in New York City) sponsored what is becoming an annual "Pup Crawl", where the goal is to raise funds and awareness of homeless pets. Launched in 2009, the popular event has taken off. "Since then," says Mayor's Alliance President Jane Hoffman, "Pup Crawls have taken place on bridges in California, Arizona and Pennsylvania, collectively raising tens of thousands of dollars for local animal rescue organizations." Pet owners purchased illuminated dog leashes to support the cause and encourage people to adopt from local animal shelters and rescues. Photo by Jenna Leigh Teti.
Dogs for Dawgs in Mobile
October 27, 2011: How many hot dog sales does it take to make $3,500? Ask the Mobile SPCA (MSPCA), lead agency for Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project in Mobile, AL - that's the amount they netted for their Dogs for Dawgs fundraiser in just two hours on one Friday afternoon! Over 20,000 people in downtown Mobile had a chance to purchase a hot dog lunch to benefit MSPCA's adoption program. Even real dogs got in the act: 15 came along to mingle with the crowd and spark interest in animal adoption. The hot dogs came not only with mustard and relish, vouchers for free spay/neuter surgery were also given away as an incentive to adopt. The MSPCA also took phone orders, and deliveries included information about their shelter animals available for adoption and their spay/neuter services. And the answer to the $3,500 question? That's 450 hot dogs!
University of Florida's Maddie's Shelter Medicine Conference
October 20, 2011: Time is running out to register for the 4th annual Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Conference on October 29 and 30 in Gainesville, FL! Join experts who are doing the most innovative research in shelter medicine at this conference sponsored by Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida. Topics include the latest strategies for behavior assessment and pain management and the core aspects of successfully managing a shelter's medical program. New this year is an exciting feature called Frontiers in Shelter Medicine, an evening poster session where researchers and practitioners will share cutting-edge research, case studies and more. Don't miss this this chance to learn new and essential ways to provide for the health and welfare of the animals in your care. For complete information and to register, click here
Marley Makes It 1,000!
October 14, 2011: Congratulations to 9-year old Marley on being the 1,000th animal adopted from Dane County Humane Society's (DCHS) Adoption Center West! That satellite location has only been open for a little over a year, which makes this milestone even more wonderful. In celebration, DCHS (the lead agency for Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project in Dane County, WI) reduced adoption fees to $10 for 10 days straight for all of their adult cats at any of their six locations. Just look what can happen when you open your adoption site seven days a week from noon to 7:00!
Erie Pet Expo Extra Super!
October 7, 2011: It was a party like no other - just ask the 90+ dogs and cats who connected with forever families at Maddie's® Pet Expo and Super Adoption Event on September 30 and October 1 in Erie County, NY. Sponsored by the six animal welfare groups that make up Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project in Erie County, the event drew more than 2,000 people, 25 pet rescue groups and over 65 vendors - all working to transform Western New York to no-kill by 2014. Demonstrations, dog trick competitions, a fashion show and educational programs made this party really swing, so much so that it was featured in a glowing article on Buffalo News.com. The event's newly adopted pets join the ranks of over 9,000 dogs and cats that Erie County has found new homes for in just one year - another reason to celebrate this super coalition!
Maddie's IVMA Shelter Symposium
October 3, 2011: Together with the Indiana Veterinary Medical Association, Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Program at Purdue University is offering a day-long workshop for veterinary and shelter personnel on Sunday, October 16 in Indianapolis. Want to know more about managing feline panleukopenia or practical aspects of dentistry in shelter pets? Need help looking after and getting senior pets adopted? These and other topics will be covered by featured speakers Dr. Annette Litster, Dr. Sandy Manfra and Dr. Susan Krebsbach. A panel of experts offering proven adoption strategies will be followed by Q&A. Click here for more information
New York Lifesaving at 82%
September 28, 2011: In spite of a struggling economy and major cutbacks in city funding for NYC's Animal Care & Control, the Live Release Rate for shelter dogs and cats in New York City shelters has jumped from 37% in 2003 to 82% in the first six months of 2011. "New York's lifesaving progress just keeps moving forward. We can't say enough about the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals and the 111 rescue groups particpating in Maddie's® Projects in NYC that are making it happen," said Maddie's Fund® president, Rich Avanzino.
4th Annual Maddie's Shelter Medicine Conference
September 22, 2011: Looking for ways to raise the bar of medical care in your shelter? Join the top U.S. experts who are doing the most innovative research in shelter medicine on October 29 and 30 in Gainesville, FL at the annual conference sponsored by Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida. Topics include the latest strategies for behavior assessment and pain management and the core aspects of successfully managing a shelter's medical program. New this year is an exciting feature called Frontiers in Shelter Medicine, an evening poster session where researchers and practitioners will share cutting-edge research, case studies and more. Don't miss this this chance to learn new and essential ways to provide for the health and welfare of the animals in your care. For complete information and to register, click here
Free Webinar Makes it Easier to Rehome Shelter Dogs
September 13, 2011: Making a successful match between a shelter dog and an adopter has its challenges. Now there's an online tool that shelters can use to make it easier to place the right dog with the right person. Called the Marder-Animal Rescue League Test for Canine Homing Using Personality, or Match-Up II, the 5-part program is designed to help shelters better understand the personalities and needs of their dogs through objective behavior evaluations that can be completed in as little as 15 minutes. A free, 2-hour online tutorial is being offered by Dr. Amy Marder and the Animal Rescue League of Boston on Thursday, September 22. Click here to find out more and register.
Maddie's Fund in Oz
September 8, 2011: Maddie's Fund® President Rich Avanzino was a featured speaker at the 4th Australian G2Z Summit in Brisbane to End Companion Animal Overpopulation. Dubbed "Getting to Zero", the conference focused on whole communities working together to end the killing of healthy and treatable cats and dogs. In his keynote, Rich shared strategies that are moving the U.S. towards the no-kill nation goal - approaches that may help Australia with their own lifesaving efforts. He also conducted a workshop on building collaborative efforts and the importance of reporting shelter statistics.
Ballpark Dogs (and Cats!)
August 31, 2011: Baseball and hot dogs are key ingredients to great summer fun; add in real dogs and you have Bark in the Park, the annual take-your-pup-to-the-ballpark and adoption event presented by Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project in New York City and its lead agency, The Mayor's Alliance for NYC Animals. A write-up in The New York Times helped bring fans to the "Adopt a Mutt" event just outside the ballpark. Of course Maddie Mascot was there, leading a parade of people and their pups around the stadium in a warm-up to Maddie's ceremonial first pitch. Pooches and their people took home "doggie bags" full of treats and other goodies, and photos of furry fashionistas were shown on the stadium's jumbotron throughout the game. It was a win-win-win for baseball, families and their new adopted pets!
Maddie's at Purdue Veterinary Conference
August 16, 2011: Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Program at Purdue University and PAWS Chicago held a day long symposium on shelter medicine on August 15th at the PAWS Adoption Center in Chicago. Fifty people attended, representing shelters, rescue groups and veterinarians. After opening remarks from Maddie's® Field Rep on the history of sheltering and shelter medicine, the audience was captivated by Dr. Annette Litster's talk on Purdue research studies on the efficacy of antibiotics and Doxycycline for the treatment of URI. Dr. Litster, B.V.Sc., Ph.D., M.MED.SCI. and Director of Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Program at Purdue, also discussed the preliminary second year results of a five year study of the clinical effects of FIV infection, and a study which looked at management factors that can be used to minimize the time that puppies and kittens spend in a shelter. Spirited questions from the audience were an indication of great interest in these study results.
Announcing Maddie's Institute
August 11, 2011: Maddie's Fund is proud to launch Maddie's® Institute, a program bringing cutting edge shelter medicine information from universities and animal welfare leaders to increase lifesaving of homeless dogs and cats community-wide. Sign up for our mailing list and follow the Institute on Facebook and Twitter to be the first to hear about new webcasts, features, conference appearances, and other updates from Maddie's® Institute!
Mobile's New Look
August 1, 2011: After months of hard work, Mobile SPCA (the lead agency for Maddie's® Projects in Mobile, AL) has launched their brand new web site! With a clean look and lots of great photos, Mobilespca.org is easy to navigate and full of news about upcoming events, special pets and information about their spay/neuter assistance program. They're adding more stuff everyday - check it out!
Broadway Barks Boffo!
July 27, 2011: It was stars of the two and four-legged variety at the 13th annual Broadway Barks adoptathon in New York City's Shubert Alley on July 9th. Created by award-winning actors Mary Tyler Moore and Bernadette Peters and organized by Maddie's Projects in New York City, NY, the event featured celebrity presenters Sutton Foster (Anything Goes), Nikki M. James (The Book of Mormon) and John Benjamin Hickey (The Normal Heart). But the real celebs were the 200 homeless dogs and cats that strutted their stuff and found permanent homes to star in forever after. Now that's a performance to remember!
Final Spay/Neuter Results in Monroe and Loudon Counties, TN
July 22, 2011: Over two years, Maddie's® Spay/Neuter Project in Monroe and Loudon Counties performed 4,101 spay/neuter surgeries on pets belonging to low-income residents. By project's end, total shelter intake had declined 20%, from a peak of 10,118 to 8,101. Euthanasia also dropped from a high point in 2009 of 6,462, to 3,742 in 2010, a decline of 34%. Additionally, the community-wide Live Release Rate rose from 37% in the baseline year of 2005, to 47% in 2010.
Buzz About Maddie’s Comparative Database
July 14, 2011: Comments have been pouring in about our new Comparative Database. From the Humane Society of Silicon Valley: "I recently spent time going through Maddie's new statistical database. It's fantastic! It's great to have a benchmark between communities of different size, income, and intake in order to consider the data through these various perspectives. I truly believe that data and information are key to painting an accurate picture of reality. With that foundation, significant transformation becomes even more tangible. Many thanks for all you do to make the world a better place for companion animals and for pulling together a wonderful resource which will be invaluable in years to come." Have a question or comment? Email us at database@maddiesfund.org.
Maddie's Fund NYC Grant
July 7, 2011: Maddie's Fund President Rich Avanzino responds with an open letter to the few critics who want the foundation to get more involved in NYC's animal control operations. Read more
Cornell Intern Reports In
June 30, 2011: Melanie Santspree, a fourth year student at Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine, recently completed an externship with Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Program at Cornell University. Working in the Shelter Medicine Department allowed her to "become a more empathetic, realistic, and passionate veterinarian," she writes. Four years ago she had recited the veterinary oath and promised to work for "the prevention and relief of animal suffering." Her colleagues in the shelter showed her that the oath applies to all animals, including those who are homeless. As she practices veterinary medicine, she will take extra time with her patients to help prevent people surrendering their pets, volunteer her skills to shelters, and above all, strive to prevent and relieve animal suffering whenever she sees it.
75 "Little New Yorkers" Find Homes
June 20, 2011: On June 4th ten rescue organizations gathered in Washington Square Park for the annual Adoptapalooza held by the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals, the lead agency for Maddie's® Projects in New York City, NY. This free event had the park bustling with everything from training and agility demonstrations to pet photographers and experts offering pet advice. Throughout the day, New Yorkers fell in love with the dogs and cats brought out by the rescue groups, and 75 "Little New Yorkers" found loving homes.
New Happy Families Grow by Two or More!
June 10, 2011: Maddie's® Matchmaker Adoptathon resulted in new homes for more than 2,200 dogs and cats! Many adopters had such big hearts that they fell in love with two animals. James, pictured here, came all the way from Vallejo to adopt 8-year-old brothers Gus and Pretty Boy Floyd, who had been given to Cat Support Network when their previous owner lost her battle with cancer. And at Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation, senior cat Abominable Snowman had been sheltered for about nine months, but during the Adoptathon weekend he found his forever home - and his roommate Boscoe went home with him. Happy families are glowing with their new additions!
Maddie's Adoptathon Breaks the Record - Again!
June 6, 2011: More than 2,200 dogs and cats were adopted this weekend, many of them older or harder to place. From the woman who took home an 8-year old, medically challenged lab to the man who arrived at one location at 4:30 a.m. to make sure he was first in line to get the pal of his dreams - the smiles just got bigger and bigger! A huge thank you goes to our 46 participating organizations and the 70+ locations (including our headquarters at Stoneridge Shopping Center) for making this event a phenomenal success. Read more
Maddie's Adoptathon Aims to Smash Records
May 31, 2011: Last year, Maddie's® Matchmaker Adoptathon found homes for nearly 2,000 dogs and cats in a single weekend - and we're looking to break that record this year at our second annual adoption event on June 4th and 5th in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties (CA). Like last year, adoptions will be free for qualified adopters, and participating shelters and rescue groups will get $500 for every pet who finds a new home. To prevent any shelter pet from getting left behind, new this year is an extra incentive: Maddie's Fund will provide the shelters $1,000 per adoption for every dog or cat 7 years of age or older or who has been treated for a health condition. For pets who are senior and have been treated for a health condition, shelters will receive $1,500!
One Week 'til Maddie's Adoptathon!
May 27, 2011: It's almost here! On June 4th and 5th, dogs and cats at participating shelter and rescue group locations in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties (CA) will be free for qualified adopters! We're thrilled that Stoneridge Shopping Center in Pleasanton, CA is making an exception to their "no pets" rule and has graciously offered to be a mini-adoption site, hosting 5 groups on Saturday and 6 on Sunday. If you're among the 20,000 - 30,000 who shop at the mall on weekends, stop by the entrance between P. F. Chang's and the Cheesecake Factory or come on down to the Grand Court (next to the Information Booth) - a doggy or kitty may just latch on to your heart and you could be taking home a new best buddy!
Maddie's at Danville Doggie Night!
May 27, 2011: The enthusiasm ran high at last night's street fair celebrating canines, Danville Doggie Night! The buzz was all about our upcoming Matchmaker Adoptathon on June 4 and 5. Some of the participating shelters and recsues were there, and veterinarians as well as pet boutique owners were eager to post flyers for us. Excitement is building!
Adoptathon Countdown!
May 20, 2011: Maddie's® Matchmaker Adoptathon is coming June 4 & 5 to Alameda and Contra Costa Counties (CA)! This year, even more participants have signed up for the free adoption event: 44 shelters and rescue groups will be at more than 60 locations with dogs and cats that are looking for a loving home. Check out the website for a list of all particpants and an interactive map of where they'll be. If you're using a smart phone, check out the mobile site for easy viewing and a link to directions to all the locations.
Maddie's Fund Radio
April 29, 2011: Maddie's Fund® has a brand new radio show! The half-hour program, called Petopia, features Maddie's Fund President Rich Avanzino in conversation with journalist, blogger and animal advocate Christie Keith. Topics include the past and future of the no kill movement, the role of shelter medicine in saving animal lives, and more. Tune in Sunday, May 1, at 12:30 p.m. Pacific Time for the first episode at Animal Wise Radio, or the rebroadcast at 4:30 p.m. Sunday and 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 3.
Purdue Students Are Poster Winners
April 21, 2011: Two students from Maddie's® Summer Research Experience at Purdue University's School of Veterinary Medicine took 2nd and 3rd place in a poster competition as part of the annual Phi Zeta Day. Phi Zeta, the Honor Society of Veterinary Medicine, presented a day-long program that examined how humans can benefit from research that helps animals. Allison Volpe's poster was a study on the prevalence of protective antibody titers against canine parvovirus and Lisa Lentz' poster charted the effects of dog appeasing pheromone and music on barking dogs. They were chosen from a field of nine submissions - music to Maddie's ears!
Maddie's Matchmaker Adoptathon Gets Ink
April 14, 2011: The San Francisco (CA) East Bay's guide to style Scene is the first to give press coverage to the Maddie's® Matchmaker Adoptathon coming up on June 4 and 5. The slick magazine covers fashion, beauty, health and wellness and looks at local icons making their mark on the community. Last year's adoption event made its mark in a BIG way: over 1,800 dogs and cats were adopted from 43 shelters and rescue groups in just two days! This year, Maddie's Fund has upped the rewards. Not only will all adoptions at participating animal shelters and rescue groups be free, the Foundation will pay organizations $500 per regular adoption and $1,000 for each adoption involving a dog or cat who is older than 7 years of age or who is diagnosed with one or more treatable medical conditions. Now that's a thing of beauty!
PETropolitan an Art Auction Masterpiece
April 7, 2011: Over 200 cat and dog lovers in western New York bid on more than 70 works of art at the March 31st fundraising gala benefiting Maddie's® Project in Erie County, NY. The silent auction of animal-inspired artwork brought in over $10,500 for its six coalition members: the SPCA Serving Erie County, the City of Buffalo Animal Shelter, Black Dog Second Chance, HEART Animal Rescue & Adoption Team, Second Chance Sheltering Network, and Ten Lives Club. A highlight of the evening was a cake made especially for the event by a local baker - inspired by the love and friendship between pets and their caregivers - a true work of art!
Maddie's Mailbag
March 23, 2011: Maddie's Fund® regularly receives email from our No Kill Nation e-newsletter readers. We found this one particularly heartening. Thank YOU to all our readers, and all those on the front line of saving animals' lives! To sign up for our next e-newsletter, click here. "I had a tough day at work. I stayed late to go though my emails. I received the latest addition of Maddie's Fund's newsletter and spent a few minutes reading through it. Now I can't stop the tears. I am reading the numbers from the Targeted Spay Neuter programs. I don't think I can describe the feeling in my heart reading these numbers. Tears of happiness literally just won't stop. The countless lives that were saved because of the programs is immeasurable. I am sending the biggest hug, the most love and my eternal gratitude for all that you do, for all the lives that you are saving and all the lives you are making better. Thank you, thank you, thank you for reminding me I'm not in this alone and for giving me faith that one day we will truly become a no-kill nation."
SRO at Cornell
March 17, 2011: The recently offered Companion Animal Welfare elective offered by Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Program at Cornell University drew a huge response - 48 first and second year veterinary students jammed the 16-hour lecture course to find out about the history of animal sheltering and the veterinary community. For more news on Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Program at Cornell, click here
Making Magic in Madison, WI!
March 8, 2011: At Dane County Humane Society (DCHS), the lead agency for Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project in Dane County, WI, the story of Magic the FIV+ cat is not only heartwarming, it's prize winning. Back in 2009, Magic (now called CJ), was the shelter's Pet of the Year - not only because he was the staff's favorite, he was also the first FIV+ cat to be adopted from that shelter! Recently, his new family entered their adoption story into The Animal Rescue Sites' New Beginnings Story Contest and it was selected one of the top five. That won DCHS $1,000! From now until March 20th, you can help DCHS win up to another $3,000 by casting your vote for the number one cat adoption tale here. The magic of saving lives never ends!
State of the State in Animal Rescue
February 25, 2011: Where is the animal welfare movement today and how far do we have to go to reach the no-kill nation goal? Maddie's Fund® President Rich Avanzino will give a progress report, citing national and Bay Area trends, new lifesaving statistics, and a vision for a post no-kill future at the March 12 Business of Saving Lives conference presented by Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation in Walnut Creek, CA. To find out more about the daylong conference and to register, click here
Bully for Erie County!
February 22, 2011: In an effort to debunk pit bull stereotypes and find loving homes for the misunderstood mixed breed, Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project in Erie County, NY held a "Bully for You!" adoption event on February 12. In only three hours, eleven of the hard to place dogs went home with new families. "People think pit bulls are aggressive toward people - which couldn't be further from the truth," vouched Maddie's Project Coordinator Kara Lee. "They're very social dogs and want to please their caretakers. They're easy to train and can make great family pets if the right home is found." Each new adopter received a certificate for a free training session from a certified professional dog handler. Now the new adoptees will get the love and affection they so well deserve. Way to go Erie County!
Maddie's Fund at Animal Care Conference
February 15, 2011: Come stop by Booth 11 at this year's Animal Care Conference at the Hyatt Regency in Sacramento, CA on Sunday and Monday, February 27 and 28. We'll be there to answer questions and hand out informative articles that will help shelters and rescue groups save more lives than ever. Take home a couple of Maddie's® Tail Wag activity books while you're there!
Maddie's Fund Founder Saving People's Lives, Too
February 8, 2011: With the help of Maddie's Fund® founder Dave Duffield, people who are experiencing cardiac arrest will soon be able to be treated faster. A new iPhone application that Dave and his Workday® team developed sends people with CPR training to heart attack victims and pinpoints the nearest Automated Electronic Defibrillator. Using GPS tracking in a cell phone, people who sign on can be alerted and then sent to the scene - thus increasing the victim's survival rate by up to 80%. Workday will provide technical support so developers can move the application to other platforms, such as Blackberry and Android. Way to go, Dave!
Raves for Maddie's Shelter Medicine Elective Course
January 26, 2011: In more than 30 handwritten cards to Maddie's Fund®, students at University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine gave a big thumbs up to the Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Course, an elective that covers a wide variety of topics related to the care and management of shelter pets. "This class was an eye-opening experience for me," writes DVM candidate Kimberly DiTata." After taking this course, I really hope to be able to work in a shelter one day." Some students will go on to work full-time in a shelter setting, others will help shelter dogs and cats through private practice, ongoing volunteer work and conversations about the millions of homeless animals anxiously awaiting a family. All are better prepared to save more lives. "I think the most important thing I learned is that there is a lot of knowledge about how best to run shelters, and many of these changes cost nothing," writes student Genna Moore. "Veterinarians can serve a very important role in implementing these changes." The elective has been offered at UW since 2008.
Maddie's Fund Gives New York City's Shelters and Rescue Groups Additional $3 Million to Pull Dogs, Cats from City Shelters
January 17, 2011:
We're heartened by a groundswell of public interest in the plight of shelter animals. Folks no longer accept at face value that the killing of our best friends on four legs is inevitable, and many are actively getting engaged in changing the fate of shelter animals in their own communities.
With so many economic challenges facing local governments, private shelters, rescue groups and individuals in these tough times, animal lovers sometimes ask Maddie's Fund® to step in and directly use our resources to fix a problem at their municipal shelter, especially if we're funding a project in their community.
We do this by investing in community collaborations and growing the infrastructure of the not-for-profit sector. While this is not the only way to save lives, it's our belief that coalitions provide the best safety net for animals over time by creating sustainable, accountable systems. This method strengthens all of the partners and helps the weaker get strong through common purpose and cooperation. If a municipal agency gets hit by a cut in funding, or if the economy takes the legs out from under a private humane society, a strong coalition can pick up the slack and provide safe haven for animals in peril.
As part of our commitment to this approach, Maddie's Fund has just approved an additional $3 million for a coalition of 111 rescue groups and shelters in New York City. Sixty percent of this money will go directly to our partner rescue groups to take more than 12,000 animals out of the city's Animal Care & Control (AC&C) shelters and find them loving homes. With New York City's municipal shelters reeling from a $1.5 million cut in the budget, the assistance of 111 AC&C coalition partners is more critical now than ever before.
There are many ways to save lives; this is ours. We believe that all of us can all work towards reaching the no-kill goal in our own way, and show by our daily actions that we're committed to making the world a better place for shelter animals.
Forbes Features Our Founder - Again!
January 11, 2011: Maddie's Fund® founder Dave Duffield was once again featured in the January 8th Forbes.com "Faces of Tech" blog. This time Dave was acknowledged for his $250,000 dollar match contribution to Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation.
Homes for 200 at Whiskers in Wonderland
December 22, 2010: On December 18th and 19th, hundreds of animals from more than two dozen adoption guarantee groups took over the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York City at the first annual Whiskers in Wonderland holiday pet adoption weekend. The event was held by Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project in NYC and Best Friends Animal Society®. Over 2,000 people attended, helping 200 pets find new loving homes just in time for the holidays! Guests at Whiskers in Wonderland were also treated to free giveaways, information from pet experts, cat agility demos, and photo ops with Santa Maddie and his "reindogs."
Maddie's Fund Founders Donate to Local School
December 17, 2010: From lap dogs to laptops, Maddie's Fund® founders Dave and Cheryl Duffield know how to show their generosity. Now a high school in their community will get a high-tech makeover thanks to the Duffield's gift of $281,000. The money will buy laptops, iPads, large computer monitors and video-conferencing tools for the library and career center. The family is also considering replacing the school's 45-year-old library with a state-of-the-art facility.
Hot Off the Press!
December 8, 2010: From Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Program at Cornell University comes Shelter Watch, a brand new monthly newsletter with the latest information for shelter personnel and the public regarding medical, behavioral and statistical issues promoting the welfare of shelter animals. Designed to compliment the program's mission of education, shelter outreach and research, the journal provides timely articles by Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine's esteemed experts on housing, trends, medical studies and new practices that ultimately save more lives of homeless dogs and cats. An interactive question and answer feature welcomes participation and inquiry from shelters. Interested in a subscription? Send an email to sheltermedicine@cornell.edu. For a look at the inaugural issue, click here.
Workday Goes to the Dogs
December 1, 2010: Workday®, the new company of Maddie's Fund® Founder Dave Duffield, has invited employees to bring their best furry pal to the office with them for a one-day doggie open house. On the agenda are doggie photo portraits, a speaker on holistic pet nutrition, and a raffle for a doggie gift basket. And on the lunch menu - what else - hot dogs! Staffers will also get a chance to meet Maddie's Fund President Rich Avanzino and hear all about the projects that help save the lives of dogs and cats across America.
From Trailer to FIT Center
November 29, 2010: Cats with ringworm are highly contagious and call for complete isolation from the rest of the shelter population to avoid disease outbreaks. Now, infected kitties needing quarantined care at Dane County Humane Society (DCHS) in Madison, WI have a brand new treatment facility, thanks to a matching grant from Maddie's Fund. The Maddie's® FIT (Felines In Treatment) Center, a 2,000 square foot structure featuring exam rooms, a derm lab, two kitchens, a laundry and dip rooms, was built especially for DCHS' nationally recognized ringworm treatment program to replace a 1960's era single-wide trailer. DCHS developed treatment protocols that mean shelter cats with ringworm will not be euthanized but instead guaranteed a second chance for life. Since implementing these protocols in 2003, DCHS has saved over 700 felines. Now, the first kitties have moved into their new facility and are ready for a hopeful future!
Cornell Approves New Shelter Medicine Elective
November 15, 2010: Beginning in the 2011-12 academic year, all 3rd and 4th year veterinary students at Cornell University will be given the opportunity to get credit for choosing to learn about animal sheltering through a newly approved clinical course with Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Program. The course lets students work up cases in the company of a clinician or behaviorist, and at the same time, enhance their clinical skills by immersion in daily shelter medicine practice. The move by the College Registrar to approve the elective course is a giant step forward in mainstreaming the study of shelter medicine in professional veterinary education.
The Shelter Pet Project's Really Moving!
November 2, 2010: The Shelter Pet Project ad campaign to inspire more people to adopt pets from shelters is gaining momentum. Thanks to over $26 million in donated media so far, Radio ($10.1 million), TV ($4.04 million), and outdoor advertising ($10.6 million), PSA's are being seen and heard nationwide. Even truckers are driving home the message: If you live along Route 355 around the northern tip of Washington, DC, you may have seen our "Move" ad wrapped around a semi. You can get in the act, too, by embedding the ads on your own website, and encouraging your local TV and radio stations to run The Shelter Pet Project PSAs. To learn how to get started, download the local media outreach toolkit here.
Making a Splash in Tuscaloosa
October 26, 2010: T-Town PAWS, the lead agency for Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project in Tuscaloosa, AL, held its inaugural Wag n' Walk and 4th annual Dog Splash on October 9th. The events were a huge success, bringing in hundreds of participants and helping to raise awareness and funds for T-Town PAWS' animal welfare mission. Participants enjoyed a sunny Saturday, running (or walking) with (or without) their dogs on a certified 5k race course - and had a chance to walk "Naked", one of the loveable pooches available for adoption. Immediately following, families brought their dogs to swim in the University of Alabama's outdoor pool. The event made quite a splash in T-Town Paws' treasury and raised almost $5,500! More fun photos courtesy of Kathryn Daly Photography can be viewed here.
Keynote at Purdue Symposium
October 19, 2010: Animal welfare professionals from across Indiana attended the first ever Maddie's® IVMA Shelter Medicine Symposium, co-sponsored by the Indiana Veterinary Medical Association and Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Program at Purdue University on October 17th at the Indianapolis Humane Society. Lynne Fridley, Maddie's Fund Field Representative, delivered the key note address. Topics included URI in the shelter, temperament testing, strategic planning and budgeting, and using science to manage feral cats.
Lifesaving Know-How
October 13, 2010: How can one person make a difference for animals? That's what a panel of experts including Maddie's Fund® President Rich Avanzino will demonstrate at the Best Friends Animal Society's No More Homeless Pets National Conference in Las Vegas, NV on October 15th and 16th. Rich will also be the featured guest speaker at the Friday luncheon, presenting the most recent progress toward getting to a no-kill nation by 2015. Learn more about all of the conference topics and speakers here.
Shelter Medicine Conference at UFL
October 8, 2010: Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida is hosting a comprehensive two-day continuing education symposium in Orlando on October 8th and 9th that will provide vital tools and inspirational ideas for all those who work with or for animal shelters, sanctuaries and adoption guarantee organizations. Attendees will learn about programs necessary to save animals' lives and the keys to keeping them physically and mentally healthy while in the shelter's care. Experts will speak on a variety of topics, including Professional Standards of Care for Animal Shelters; Getting the Jump on Infectious Disease: Understanding and using Maddie's® Animal Shelter Infection Control Tool; Keeping Shelter Cats Happy and Healthy; and Managing Heartworm Infection in Shelters. Shelter veterinarians and technicians, executive directors, shelter staff, animal control agencies are all welcome. To register and for more information, click here.
Touchdown for Erie County!
October 1, 2010: The handsome guy pictured here joined 50 other dogs and cats in scoring big with new homes at Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project in Erie County, NY's first annual Pet Expo. The 2-day super adoption event drew over 1,600 people, 60 vendors and 20 adoption guarantee organizations. Friday night's kick-off included a canine fashion show, raffle drawings, a dessert buffet, and was followed by a day of flyball and agility demos, pet behavior and training talks, kids' activities, and much more. At last count, the event raised $14,000 for the coalition's seven partners - which means they met their goal for Year One! Go team!
More Barks for Dave
September 23, 2010: We're excited to see our founder Dave Duffield in the Forbes spotlight again! Read the article here
Free Over 3 Nets 23!
September 16, 2010: Dogs and cats available for adoption three months or more were free in Mobile, AL throughout the month of August. The special promotion placed 23 dogs and cats into loving, new homes. "It was great to see so many of the old-timers adopted," explained Janine Woods, Executive Director of Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project in Mobile, AL. All pets were microchipped, up to date on vaccinations, tested for heartworm and feline leukemia, and came with vet records. Just goes to show, a little marketing fun goes a long way to connect homeless pets with loving families!
A Moving Thank-You
September 10, 2010: When volunteers pitch in, they do so wholeheartedly. It was no different when 12-year old Kate Chase took her video camera along to Maddie's® Matchmaker Adoptathon weekend at the Tri-Valley Animal Rescue's (TVAR) various locations in Pleasanton, CA. Over the 2-day event, TVAR, an all-volunteer organization, adopted out a record 80 dogs and cats, a big addition to the total 1,809 animals adopted throughout the two participating counties. Kate then edited the footage and helped write the script for a short highlight video and a wonderful thank-you to Maddie's Fund®. Watch it here
New Digs for Dogs and Cats
September 2, 2010: Typically, Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project in Alachua County, FL adopts out 1,000 animals a year. That's going to double when the lead agency, Alachua County Humane Society (ACHS), moves into their brand new facility at the end of September. With room for up to 500 animals, the new building more than doubles ACHS' capacity. "But it's not about volume," says ACHS Executive Director Kirk Eppenstein. "It's about being able to move the animals through the shelter more efficiently and safely." The extra space will give ACHS state-of-the-art pet housing as well as a dedicated quarantine area for treatable animals. "We have been saving all healthy and treatable dogs and cats consistently over the last two years, but the new facility will help us really work with the treatable population in a serious way," says Kirk. "Our goal is to save all healthy and treatable shelter pets community-wide and with this new facility, we see that goal as attainable." Designed to showcase the animals, the structure has a friendly, welcoming environment for potential adopters. Bright, primary colors and whimsical features such as the doghouse entryway (pictured) and fish skeleton gate for cat lovers make for a customer-friendly atmosphere. And happy adopters seeing happy dogs and cats will want to take them home to their own digs!
Hot Topics on the Rio Grande
August 25, 2010: The 5th annual New Mexico State Humane Conference - two days of seminars by animal welfare experts teaching the ins and outs of successful shelter care and community collaboration - just wrapped in Albuquerque. Maddie's Fund Field Representative, Lynne Fridley and Erie County SPCA President Barbara S. Carr (lead agency for Maddie's® Project in Erie County, NY), provided an enthusiastic crowd with the nitty gritty on navigating the Maddie's Fund grant application process and making the most of the grant once it's been awarded. And as a luncheon speaker, Ms. Fridley presented the latest on The Shelter Pet Project ad campaign, and coached the 200 attendees on how to get the PSAs into the hands of local media. For more information on that topic, click here.
A Little Night Music - and Hairdos
August 18, 2010: At Furball 2010, it wasn't just about dining and dancing for the benefit of shelter pets at T-Town PAWS, lead agency for Maddie's® Pet Rescue Projects in Tuscaloosa, AL. Along with live jazz and silent auctions, stylists from Tuscaloosa's top salons took part in a "Hair Raising Competition" and created their most outlandish hairdos for models who then strutted the "cat walk" with dogs and cats available for adoption. The evening raised more than up-dos - over $16,000 was generated to help feed, vaccinate, spay/neuter, and care for the hundreds of homeless pets while they are housed at T-Town PAWS. A few of the furry felines and fidos were themselves so fetching that attendees came back the next day to adopt them!
Looking for That Special Someone?
August 13, 2010: Guess who's hanging with Maddie Mascot! It's ABC's reality dating game star of The Bachelor, Prince Lorenzo Borghese, who was on hand at the recent Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals' Adoptaplaooza event. Borghese, an animal advocate and creator of the reality TV spoof America's Next Top Dog: The Princess, introduced eligible dogs in an Adoptable Dog Trot parade, where some pups strutted their stuff in bespoke outfits. The free family affair also included indie rock bands, Ask-the-Vet and Ask-the-Trainer booths, a dog agility demonstration, book signings, raffles, a doggie costume contest, and free gifts to all adopters. Nearly 50 dogs and cats found forever pals at the adoption event. If you missed all the fun, another Adoptapalooza will be held on September 12 in NYC's Washington Square Park. It's all powered by Maddie's Pet Rescue Project in New York City, New York.
Back to School at The Big Red
August 10, 2010: Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Program at Cornell University welcomes two new shelter medicine interns: Drs. Kathleen Riley and Mike Greenberg, who for the next year will broaden their internships with field training, research, and teaching. The much-published Dr. Riley graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2000 with a B.Sc. in Brain and Cognitive Sciences and spent the next several years researching cell biology at Tufts University, where earlier this year she received her DVM degree. Dr. Greenberg has a special interest in non-surgical methods of sterilization and population dynamics. A Columbia University graduate with a B.Sc. in Biology, Dr. Greenberg completed his DVM at Cornell in 2009. Following graduation, he spent the next year in mixed animal practice in central New York. He also worked for Shelter Outreach Service, an Ithaca, NY-based "MASH-style" spay-neuter clinic, and volunteered with Lollypop Farm in Rochester and several other shelters. Also visiting the Cornell program is Josh Smith from Atlantic Veterinary College in Canada, who just completed a 2-week study period on the subject of behavior in animal shelters and shelter medicine. Josh had the opportunity to visit multiple shelters, conduct physical examinations, perform surgery, and participate in Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Journal Club as well as in a shelter behavior rotation.
Maddie's Fund at No-Kill Conference
August 3, 2010: "We are on the brink. A new day is at hand. We are about to achieve what was once called impossible." Addressing an overflow crowd at the opening of the No-Kill Conference in Washington, DC on July 31-August 1, Maddie's Fund® President Rich Avanzino presented hard-fact evidence for an inevitable no-kill nation. "It's not that there are too many animals, not enough homes. It's that we need to get their story out better," he said, and went on to recount true stories that shatter the predominant myths that keep shelters from emptying their cages: how in two days two counties adopted out 1,808 dogs and cats - many of them adult-aged; how free adoption does not mean poor quality adoption; how there are enough homes for all the treatable, homeless dogs and cats in America today. At a later session on using the law to save animals' lives, Rich continued the theme. A self-admitted "recovering attorney," he engaged the rapt audience with various lawsuits that he has helped bring to court - each one revolutionizing the animal welfare movement and gaining rights for both animals and people. "When people know the story, they respond," he proclaimed. And respond they did at this conference, with passionate discussion and a Q & A that extended beyond the session's planned-for duration.
Old Cats, New Tricks - Lots of Adoptions!
July 30, 2010: Thanks to Maddie's® Project in Dane County, WI's creative Certified, Pre-Owned Cat Special promotion, 131 adult felines found forever homes in June. To make room for their "2010 Models" (kittens), no reasonable offers were refused on "older models." All cats had gone through their standard "multi-point inspection," including spay-neuter, microchip and vaccination. Adopters were urged to look at the "CatFax" to check out the kitty's known history and medical information. In conjunction with the promotion, Dane County held a contest and awarded $500 for the best video about their adoption promotions. Watch the winning entry here!
Top Honors for Maddie's Fellow
July 23, 2010: University of Florida sophomore veterinary student Kiri Dunn took the top award for best research poster by a student at the American Heartworm Society's 13th Triennial Symposium in April. Conducted during a research fellowship with Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Program at UFL last summer, Dunn's project, titled "Heartworm Testing, Treatment and Prevention Protocol for Cats in Animal Shelters," showed that shelters struggle to meet the needs of cats in terms of heartworm prevention and diagnosis. "She found that although some shelter managers were confused about the risk of heartworm infections in cats, most wanted to to do more, even though they felt constrained by the costs associated with meeting the recommended guidelines," said Julie Levy, DVM, PhD and Director of Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Program at UFL. Another student in the program, Kathleen Colby, was also recognized for her outstanding research related to canine protocols in shelters. Congratulations to both students!
Maddie's Fund to Provide $51K Cash for Good Customer Service
July 14, 2010: Starting July 19th and running until September 24th (10 weeks), cash prizes will be given to Petfinder.com member shelters and rescue groups throughout the U.S. who demonstrate good customer service. Read more
Mobile Mobilizes!
July 7, 2010: Trying times call for creative measures - and in the wake of the still languishing economy, a hot summer and the Gulf Coast oil spill, Mobile SPCA, the lead agency for Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project in Mobile, AL, came up with fun marketing ideas to move pets through their shelter faster. For 2 weeks in June, they held a "Cat and Kitten Special" with incentives for adopting the large number of kitties they were fostering. Fun flyers and special pricing resulted in 34 adoptions - with many people adopting 2 felines at a time. The promotion continues through July. And dogs got in on it, too. July 4th was never thought to be a good adoption weekend, but Mobile mobilized with their "Star Spangled Dog Adoption" and found new homes for 12 lucky pups. As it says on their poster, "Who says you can't have fun this summer?"
1700 Dogs & Cats Adopted in 1 Weekend
June 15, 2010: Maddie's® Matchmaker Adoptathon (June 12 & 13) found new forever homes for over 1,700 dogs and cats from 41 Contra Costa and Alameda County (CA) shelters and rescues. By mid-Saturday afternoon at Oakland Animal Services (OAS), there were only 2 kittens left and by the end of the weekend, only two dogs left. Homes were found for several of their longest term dogs, including Jeb, a pit mix who had been in the shelter since October. Total adoptions for OAS: 133. Contra Costa Animal Services in Martinez found homes for all of their available dogs - total adoptions: 120. One rescue, Paws and Tails, literally ran out of animals - they did 45 adoptions in 2 days. Contra Costa Humane Society found homes for 73% of their population. Maddie's Fund® offered the groups a "stimulus package" of $500 for each adoption to help them save more lives in these recessionary times. Approximately three-quarters of a million dollars will soon be coming their way. Thanks to all the adopters who came out in droves to make this a huge success! Read more at maddiesadoptathon.org!
Are You Ready?
June 7, 2010: Signboards like the one pictured here are sprouting up all over the East Bay (CA) in preparation for the upcoming Maddie's® Matchmaker Adoptathon. 42 shelters in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties are opening their doors for free adoptions this Saturday and Sunday, June 12 - 13, thanks to a $500 per pet adoption gift from Maddie's Fund®. It promises to be a win-win-win for people, shelters and all the dogs and cats who find new homes! Click here for adoption hours and exact locations.
Shelter Pet Project Ads from Coast to Coast!
May 27, 2010: The Shelter Pet Project has gone wild in Maddie's own back yard and across the country: billboards, bus stop ads, radio and TV spots are popping up from Boston to Burbank, from San Francisco to Springfield like fruit in a victory garden. The heartfelt comic strip ads seen in bus shelters bring attention to the plight of homeless pets destined for animal shelters through no fault of their own. "Sassy" radio spots are now playing across the country, too. We hear them on KCBS in San Francisco - that station alone boasts over one million listeners a week. Haven't seen or heard one in your area? Read our media tips on how to plant a seed with Public Service Announcement directors at your local TV and radio stations in our Partner Toolkit. Let's grow the movement together!
Tail Wags at Pet Fest!
May 20, 2010: Maddie's® Tail Wag activity books were the hit of a recent day-long festival for kids in Thibodaux, LA. HOPE for Animals, a non-profit created to educate the public about homeless pets, hosts several events each year, all of which promote the humane treatment of animals. "We distributed the Maddie booklets to very appreciative kids," writes HOPE for Animals' volunteer, Ruth Chiasson. "Thank you for such a great tool to teach our children. If we can encourage children to be responsible pet owners, then all of our efforts are worthwhile. The Maddie's graphic, informative booklets help to do just that!" For copies of Maddie's® Tail Wag activity books, click on the link to download either the English or Spanish version. Or send an email to us at info@maddiesfund.org with the mailing address of your organization.
Your Nonprofit Could Be In Danger of Losing Its Tax Exempt Status!
May 17, 2010: Most tax-exempt organizations, other than churches, must file a yearly return or notice with the IRS. If an organization does not file as required for three consecutive years, the law provides that it automatically loses its tax-exempt status. Read More
Cornell Hires New Director of Clinical Programs
May 4, 2010: Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Program at Cornell University has a new Director of Clinical Programs. Elizabeth Ann Berliner, DVM, MA, a Cornell graduate (veterinary class of 2003), brings a tremendous wealth of experience to the program. In addition to serving as Medical Director of the Baltimore Humane Society, Dr. Berliner has volunteered for The HSUS Veterinary Medical Service, worked in private practice and taught critical thinking and reading skills to students from middle school through college. She's already in the swing of things, teaching shelter medicine rounds and preparing lectures for the upcoming Companion Animal Welfare course.
Erie County Off to a Great Start!
April 28, 2010: Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project in Erie County, NY is right on target to save all of Erie County's healthy and treatable shelter dogs and cats within five years. Their live release rate, for instance, jumped from 69% to 81% in just 5 months. See how Maddie's® newest project plans to reach or even exceed their goals in the just-posted Adoption Guarantee Plan, Pet Evaluation Matrix and Strategic Plan. The western New York coalition is comprised of the SPCA Serving Erie County (Lead Agency), City of Buffalo Animal Shelter and five adoption guarantee organizations - Black Dog Second Chance, Buffalo Humane, HEART, Second Chance Sheltering Network, and Ten Lives Club.
Bottle Baby at Maddie's Fund!
April 26, 2010: Last week a tiny house guest made her temporary home at the Maddie's Fund® office, snuggling in her warm bed under her foster mom's desk. Little 2-week old Courtney made friends with all the staff who showered her with love and affection (and baby wipes). "Fostering is a fun way to help reach the no-kill nation goal," says team member and foster mom Alison. "And what's great about bottle babies is that you can foster and go to work at the same time." Once Courtney reaches 2 pounds, she'll punch out at Maddie's Fund and be returned to her shelter for adoption. And Maddie's® will have vacancy for another little guest!
Art for Arf's Sake
April 19, 2010: Cats may be connoisseurs of comfort, but now we know that animal lovers in western New York are also connoisseurs of art. Maddie's® Project in Erie County, NY has organized "PETropolitan," a silent auction of animal-inspired artwork to raise funds for its six coalition members: the SPCA Serving Erie County, the City of Buffalo Animal Shelter, Buffalo Humane, HEART Animal Rescue & Adoption Team, Second Chance Sheltering Network, and Ten Lives Club. The April 29th event hopes to bring in $15,000 - and paint a picture for the whole community that shows everyone is an artist when it comes to saving pets' lives!
Vote for Our PSA!
April 9, 2010: The Shelter Pet Project's comic strip PSA "Not Their Fault/Move" is a finalist for the Audience Choice Award at the Hugo Television Awards, sponsored by the Chicago International Film Festival! Between now and Sunday, April 11, you can vote for it to win - just like American Idol. Click here to watch and vote, and don't forget to ask your friends to vote, too!
Lifesaving Success in Alachua County, FL
April 6, 2010: Thanks to Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project, Alachua County is saving 100% of its healthy shelter pets, adoptions are up by 178%, and the live release rate has risen from 35% to 72%. Read more
March Maddie-ness!
March 30, 2010: Wow! The number of Shelter Pet Project Facebook fans is greater than ever - just a few hundred more to go before we hit 12,000! The joint campaign by The Ad Council, Maddie's Fund®, and The Humane Society of the United States features a new shelter dog or cat every day, plus ads and media tools to help get the word out that there's nothing wrong with shelter pets. Has The Shelter Pet Project had an impact on your shelter? Have you seen adopters check out your available pets because of the new media campaign? We want to know! Sign up to become a fan and post a note - it just might spring us past the 12,000 mark!
Breaking News for Maddie's News!
March 25, 2010: Want to be among the first to get the latest news and information from Maddie's® Fund? Our new RSS feed delivers fresh articles and updates right to your desktop the moment they are published! RSS (for Really Simple Syndication) is an easy way for you to stay connected with everything Maddie's been up to. Signing up is simple and secure: click here to get the scoop. And don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for even more up-to-the minute posts!
Bully for You!
March 22, 2010: Proof that pit bull terriers and mixes aren't the devil dogs that some people think was evident last weekend at Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project's Bully for You! adoption event in Tonawanda, NY. Some 200 potential adopters from the area were showered with cuddles, licks and tail wags from the oft misunderstood breed. Almost half of the 30 dogs offered for adoption went home to new families, as reported in The Buffalo News. For five great tips on how to increase adoptions of pit bulls in your shelter − and to see how two California shelters put them in action − read our article Solving the Pit Bull Problem.
Animal CSI at the University of Florida
March 19, 2010: Veterinary forensic science is a rapidly growing field that's expanding veterinarians' ability to investigate and prosecute animal cruelty and neglect. Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida is hosting a Veterinary Forensic Science Conference for animal welfare and law enforcement professionals on March 20-21, 2010 at the UF College of Veterinary Medicine in Gainesville, FL. Leaders in their field will share the vital components of making a successful case, including evidence documentation, forensic testing, body exhumation, and examination of the victim. On the second day, veterinarians have the opportunity to train hands-on in forensic examination of a suspected victim.
Let the Good Times Bark!
March 12, 2010: Tails were "wag'n'" at this year's Mystic Mutts of Revelry (MMOR) parade for dogs and their human escorts. It was the 7th annual Mardi Gras carnival fundraiser for The Haven for Animals, the lead agency for Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project in Baldwin County, AL — this year themed "Wag'n Train!". Each year a good portion of the funds raised through this event come from The Haven's "Royalty," whose owners pledge the highest bids and win them the honor of being crowned King, Queen, Grand Duchess, Prince and Princess of MMOR. This year's record crowd of "loyal subjects" brought in over half of the total $8,000+ in donations! And who else but Maddie Mascot led the krewe as one of the Grand Marshals — making plenty of fun and money for this Gulf Coast no-kill shelter. Laissez les bon temps roulez!
A Fresh Start for 4 Dozen Furries
March 5, 2010: It's said that nothing important was ever achieved without someone taking a chance. That was true for 48 love-seekers who found a new best friend at the "Second Chance for Love" adoption event held in Mobile, AL. Over three days, the Animal Rescue Foundation and Mobile SPCA each placed 20 dogs and cats while the Friends of the Mobile Animal Shelter found homes for eight dogs. And Maddie Mascot was there to give a paw to welcome visitors and help with the matchmaking! "We are encouraged by the turnout and the number of great shelter animals that found homes at this adoption event," said Janine Woods, director of the Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project and it's lead agency in Alabama, the Mobile SPCA. "The impact of the recession really hurt our adoptions last year and I am thrilled to see that this may be turning around as we have recently seen pet adoptions pick up." And chances are adoptions will continue to pick up as more and more people take a chance on love at their local pet shelters! The event was part of the Second Chance for Love National Adoption Weekend taking place in PetSmart® stores across the country.
Spreading the Good News for Shelter Animals
February 27, 2010: Things are looking up for shelter animals, and animal control directors, veterinarians, and shelter personnel found out why from Maddie's Fund president Rich Avanzino. Rich spoke at the 2010 Animal Care Conference, sponsored by the California Animal Control Directors' Association (CACDA), the California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA), and the State Humane Association of California (SHAC). His message: The Shelter Pet Project, a groundbreaking national ad campaign, is busting the stereotypes many Americans have about shelter pets. The broad range of print, radio, outdoor, online, and television ads are all designed to combat the misperception that there is something wrong about shelter animals and everything right about making them your first choice for adding a pet to the family. The attendees took that message back to their staff and communities, along with valuable, free marketing tools they can use to save more animals' lives than ever. Rich's PowerPoint presentation sums it up: a no-kill nation is well within reach!
True Love in Tuscaloosa!
February 18, 2010: It was love at first sight at the 4th annual Maddie's® Speed Dating-Valentine's Pet Adoption event held in Tuscaloosa, AL on February 13. A record number of visitors stopped by the hearts-and-flowers-laden "dating stations," where eager dogs and cats were ready to meet their perfect match. ADAR Rescue, Humane Society of West Alabama, Metro Animal Shelter, and T-Town Paws – all members of Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project in Tuscaloosa County – worked together with local media to publicize and then make this the most successful speed dating adoption event to date. No more reason for lonely hearts in the heart of Alabama!
Bark Magazine Recognizes Maddie’s Fund Founder and President
February 11, 2010: Bark Magazine's February/March issue features Maddie's Fund Founder Dave Duffield and President Rich Avanzino among a storied list of innovators who have helped "reshape the world of dogs and our understanding of it" over the past 25 years. Dave and Rich's contributions are detailed in the "Advocates" section of Bark's 100: The Best and Brightest. Rich and Dave are also given prominent mention in another great article, No-Kill Nation by Christie Keith.
A First in L.A.
February 9, 2010: Maddie's Fund President, Rich Avanzino, was one of three featured speakers at an inaugural forum hosted by the Found Animals Foundation, SEAACA and Los Angeles Animal Services entitled "Leading Perspectives in Animal Welfare." The community building event for private and municipal animal welfare agencies welcomed over 200 attendees who discussed next steps to no-kill status and the importance of collaboration. The Shelter Pet Project was Rich's main focus, showcasing research about public attitudes towards shelter and rescue adoption and the national ad campaign created to evolve those attitudes. Rich was joined by Michael Arms, President of the Helen Woodward Animal Center, and Bill Bruce, Director of Animal & Bylaw Services for the city of Calgary.
Month of Love in NYC!
February 1, 2010: It's almost Valentine's Day and that means it's time for "I Love NYC Pets," the Big Apple's annual pet adoption celebration designed to increase adoptions from shelters and rescue groups throughout the "month of love." "I Love NYC Pets" makes it easier than ever to find a new best furry friend thanks to extended shelter hours, mobile adoption vans and an array of events throughout all five boroughs. The success of this and other adoption campaigns have enabled the Mayor's Alliance and its Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project partners to provide an adoption guarantee for all healthy shelter cats and dogs in New York City for more than a year!
A Key to Increasing Cat Adoptions
January 12, 2010: Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project in Erie County, New York saw cat intake rise 10% in recent months. The influx forced coalition leaders to figure out new ways of increasing adoptions and moving cats through the system more quickly. One simple but effective strategy: waiving the adoption fee for any cat over the age of three. "We launched this program on December 12," reports Barbara Carr, Executive Director of the Erie County SPCA. "Not only did adoptions for cats over three increase from 57 in December 2008 to 109 in December 2009, length of stay dropped from 29 days to seven! All cat adoptions are up 18% over the same month last year, from 400 to 472. We couldn't be more thrilled."
Im-purrfect Perceptions of Cats May Be Costing Them Their Lives
December 16, 2009: A recent online survey sponsored by the Morris Animal Foundation, Maddie's Fund, and the American Pet Products Association found that the myths and misunderstandings about cats discourage many people from adopting them. Read More
Maddie’s Fund President Acknowledged
December 8, 2009: In his December 7th blog, HSUS President and CEO Wayne Pacelle acknowledged the pioneering achievements of Maddie's Fund President, Rich Avanzino, and published the first of the three part interview with noted no-kill leader Robin Starr, CEO of the Richmond SPCA. Kudos to Wayne for bringing a deeper understanding of our movement to so many people.
Barron’s Names Maddie’s Fund Founders among World’s 25 Best Givers
November 30, 2009: In a search for the most effective philanthropists, Barron's, America's premier financial magazine, has named Maddie's Fund founders Dave and Cheryl Duffield among the world's 25 best. Innovation and the extent to which projects can be replicated were two of the selection criteria. The Duffields share the spotlight with the likes of Bill and Hillary Clinton, Jimmy Carter, Bill and Melinda Gates and Richard Branson. Read more
Kick-Off Event Packs ‘Em In
November 17, 2009: Thousands of Erie County, New York, residents came to the Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project kick-off event on November 8th and no wonder - there was something for everyone. In addition to dogs and cats for adoption, there were prizes, raffles and silent auctions, agility demonstrations, free crafts and face painting, free behavior advice and over a dozen pet related vendors with great gift items for sale. "Local press gave us tremendous publicity. The event was a great awareness builder for our project and goals, and eighteen dogs and cats found new loving homes!" said Project Coordinator Kara Lee.
200 Cats Get Homes
November 6, 2009: Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project in NYC held their annual Adopt-A-Cat event in Manhattan on October 17 & 18. Cat lovers came out of the woodwork to adopt - approximately 1,500 people attended. Twenty-three groups showed cats over the two-day event. One group adopted out all 14 of the cats they brought and over 200 felines found new homes overall.
Mobile Adoptathon Nets 27 Homes
November 2, 2009: On Saturday, October 17, Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project in Mobile, Alabama held a super pet adoption event at the local mall. All coalition partners, Animal Rescue Foundation, Friends of the Mobile Animal Shelter, Mobile SPCA and City of Mobile Animal Shelter, participated in the event - and 27 animals found their forever homes!
Spay/Neuter Success
October 21, 2009: Congratulations to Maddie's® Spay/Neuter Project in Loudon & Monroe Counties, Tennessee for chalking up 1,840 surgeries after one year of their two-year spay/neuter project. Low-income residents in Loudon and Monroe counties pick up spay/neuter vouchers at various community centers and redeem them at any one of nine participating veterinary hospitals. The program is intended to significantly reduce animal intake and euthanasia at the two county shelters. The total two-year goal is 3,636 surgeries.
Maddie’s Fund Awards $541,550 to Erie County Coalition
October 9, 2009: Erie County, New York animal welfare groups and veterinarians to receive nearly $5 M over five years to save all healthy and treatable shelter pets.
2 FIV Cats Adopted In 3 Days
September 17, 2009: The Dane County Humane Society (lead agency for Maddie's® Projects in Dane County, Wisconsin) is now making FIV cats available for adoption - with great success. Recently, two FIV cats were adopted in three days at the Society's Westside Adoption Center. One woman who had been looking for an FIV cat drove all the way from Milwaukee. "There's a market for FIV cats, and this recent experience shows we can get these cats adopted quickly," said the volunteer who did the adoptions. "The Humane Society's new policy is a real breakthrough. It will change peoples' notion of what an adoptable cat is. Adopting an FIV cat won't be a scary thing anymore."
Some FIV cats can live up to 20 years if placed in a stable environment with good nutrition. They do fine with other cats, too, as long as all the cats get along. FIV is spread through deep bite wounds, and not typically through casual contact.
"Bark in the Park" a Howling Success
August 31, 2009: "Maddie" posed for photos with players and fans and had the honor of throwing out the first pitch at the third annual "Bark in the Park" Brooklyn Cyclones baseball game in Brooklyn, New York on August 26th. Sponsored by the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals and Maddie's Fund, the event was designed to connect pet lovers and baseball fans for an evening of family fun. 600 people and their pooches joined 5,000 fans in cheering the home team on. And while the Cyclones lost the game to the Vermont Lake Monsters, eight homeless dogs won big by getting adopted into loving new homes.
Helmsley Legal Trust Challenge
August 11, 2009: Maddie's Fund, HSUS and ASPCA charge that Helmsley Trustees are misdirecting funds despite clear direction from late heiress to help dogs. Read more
Meet Maddie's Shelter Medicine Resident at U of F
August 7, 2009: Laura Andersen, DVM recently joined Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida as its first resident. Read more
Rave Review for Maddie’s Infection Control Manual
July 23, 2009: "I highly recommend it." That was the verdict of Leslie Sinclair, DVM, reviewing Maddie's® Infection Control Manual for Animal Shelters in the June 15th issue of The Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA). Dr. Sinclair went on to say, "This clear overview of the principles of infection control as they apply to the animal shelter environment is worth review by veterinary professionals associated with the animal care and control field." The Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association is the most prestigious publication in the field. To see the full review, Read More
11th Annual Broadway Barks
July 22, 2009: 26 Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project shelters and rescues participated in the 11th Annual Broadway Barks Adopt-a-thon for homeless pets held on July 11th in New York City. Mary Tyler Moore and Bernadette Peters hosted the event, with help from an array of Broadway stars including Angela Lansbury (Blithe Spirit), and David Hyde Pierce (Accent on Youth). Last year's event attracted 7,000 people and boasted 125 adoptions.
July 4th Sky-High Adoptions
July 10, 2009: When Indianapolis Animal Care & Control advertised $4 adoptions on July 4th, the shelter was mobbed - and 150 pets found loving new homes. Fantastic coverage by all the local TV stations was key to driving in the new adopters. At the same time, the Humane Society of Indianapolis (a partner of Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Program at Purdue University) made older animals one year of age and up available for $17.76, resulting in 141 new forever homes over five days. It just goes to show what a great promotion can do to save lives!
Maddie's Fund on the Air
June 25, 2009: Maddie's Fund President Rich Avanzino recently joined Animal Wise Radio's Mike Fry and Beth Nelson for a discussion on getting to no-kill by 2015. For a podcast, click here.
Drink Some Ale - Save Some Tail
June 19, 2009: The Alachua County Humane Society, lead agency for Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project in Alachua County, Florida, came up with this clever fundraiser. A local pub hosted the event and donated $1 of every beer sold to the Humane Society. "We had great fun and raised about $1200," said Executive Director Kirk Eppenstein." The only problem: the place was packed within a half hour and there was a line to get in until 9pm." Click here to read about fundraising with local businesses.
Maddie's Fund in the News
June 9, 2009: Maddie's Fund President Rich Avanzino is featured in the American Profile series on Voice of America. American Profile focuses on Americans who have had a positive impact in their communities. Click here to read and hear more.
New Ad Campaign in Dane County, Wisconsin
May 22, 2009: A new pro bono advertising campaign promoting adoptions is decorating billboards in Dane County, Wisconsin. The clever billboards direct viewers to DaneCountyRescues.org, a coalition of Dane County rescue and adoption organizations sponsored by Maddie's Fund. The wonderful logos and designs were donated by the Hiebing Marketing and Advertising agency of Madison (www.hiebing.com). Digital billboards were donated by Clear Channel and Lamar Advertising and Adam's Outdoor Advertising donated the regular billboard space.
Maddie's at No Kill Conference
May 4, 2009: Maddie's Fund President Rich Avanzino was a keynote speaker at the 2009 No Kill Conference in Washington DC on May 2 & 3. Rich was welcomed with a standing ovation and his Getting to No-Kill by 2015 presentation received thunderous applause. He also participated on the panel, Combining Your Legal Skills with Your Passion for Animals.
Maddie's Awards $230,200 to Virginia Coalition
May 1, 2009: Maddie's Fund has given the Richmond SPCA and Richmond Animal Care & Control a $230,200 Lifesaving Award. Click here to read the press release.
Maddie’s Awards $474,000 to Berkeley Coalition
April 13, 2009: Maddie's Fund has given the Berkeley Alliance for Homeless Animals in Berkeley, California, a $474,000 Lifesaving Award. Read more.
Maddie's Fund Featured in The American Dog Magazine
April 1, 2009: Maddie's mission, goals and accomplishments are described in the Spring 2009 issue of American Dog Magazine. Click here to read the article.
Mobile SPCA's Spay-ghetti Benefit Dinner a Huge Success!
March 20, 2009: Mobile SPCA, lead agency of Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project in Mobile, Alabama, held its First Annual Spay-ghetti Benefit Dinner last week and it was a huge success! Nearly 250 diners lined up around the block to claim their plate of homemade spaghetti and listen to a live band. The event raised $3,700, all of which will go towards the MSPCA's Spay/Neuter Program.
Maddie's Program Conducts Shelter Assessment
February 16, 2009: Staff from Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida will conduct a three-day Shelter Health Assessment at Lee County Animal Services in Fort Myers, Florida, February 24 through February 26. Shelter assessments are one component of the new comprehensive shelter medicine program.
Maddie Rings the Closing Bell at the NY Stock Exchange
February 9, 2009: Jane Hoffman, President of the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals and the Maddie Mascot rang the closing bell at 4pm EST at the New York Stock Exchange on Monday, February 9! This was the official media kick-off event for I Love NYC Pets Month. Representatives from the Humane Society of New York brought two dogs to join in this big moment. For more, go here.
Maddie Joins Mardi Gras Pet Parade
January 30, 2009: On January 24th, Maddie joined the Mobile SPCA in their Tillman's Tricksters Mardi Gras Pet Parade. Scores of costumed pet guardians and their pets participated in the fundraiser--proceeds go towards saving homeless shelter dog and cats. Thousands of Mobilians attended the parade, which is the first parade event to kick off the Mardi Gras season.
Mardi Gras may be famous in New Orleans, but it was actually Mobile, Alabama that originated the U.S. celebration. To this day, 300 years later, Mardi Gras is celebrated every year in Mobile with live music, floats, parades, great food and plenty of spectators.
Maddie's at ARF Conference
January 16, 2009: On Saturday, March 14, Maddie's Fund President Rich Avanzino and Pet Columnist, Christie Keith will present a workshop at the 5th Annual "The Business of Saving Lives," hosted by Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation. The focus of the workshop will be on developing innovative customer service to make the most of new adoption opportunities. For more on the conference, go to: http://www.arf.net/about/events/bosl/index.php
Maddie's Fund® Awards $1.1 M to Purdue University
December 5, 2008: Maddie's Fund has awarded $1.1 M over the next three years to support the development of a comprehensive Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Program at Purdue University's School of Veterinary Medicine. Read more
Spay/Neuter Record in Mobile, Alabama
November 25, 2008: Maddie's® Spay/Neuter Project in Mobile, Alabama set a new one month record for surgeries. "There were 254 surgeries in October," said project staffer, Lori Anbuhl, "the most in one month we have ever had and a 69% increase over last October surgeries! We actively spread the word in September and October by placing the lime green spay/neuter stick-ups all over town and also handed them out at our Fair." The great effort clearly paid off. Congratulations to all!
Maddie’s Fund and Humane Society of the United States Team Up
November 18, 2008: Maddie's Fund and HSUS will collaborate with The Advertising Council on a historic three year public service advertising campaign to encourage Americans to adopt dogs and cats from animal shelters. Read more
Mobile, AL Saves All Healthy Shelter Pets in October
November 7, 2008: Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project in Mobile, Alabama saved all of the city's healthy shelter dogs and cats in October! Congratulations to the participating coalition partners for their outstanding lifesaving achievement.
Shelter Medicine Conference at the University of Florida
October 30, 2008: Maddie's Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida is hosting a Shelter Medicine Conference on November 1, 2008 in Gainesville. The full day of continuing education will cover two very important challenges in shelter medicine: reducing shelter admissions by developing efficient neutering programs and improving outcomes of impounded animals by controlling infectious diseases in the shelter. Speakers will include Philip A. Bushby, DVM, MS, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University; Julie K. Levy, DVM, PhD, Director of Maddie's Shelter Medicine Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida and Maddie's Fund President Rich Avanzino. For more information, go to http://www.ufsheltermedicine.com.
Mobile Does Sixty-nine Adoptions in Two Days!
September 19, 2008: Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project in Mobile, Alabama participated in PetSmart's recent Fall National Pet Adoption weekend event. Close to 100 dogs and cats were brought to the event from project partners--Mobile SPCA, Friends of the Mobile Animal Shelter and the Animal Rescue Foundation. Sixty-nine homeless animals were placed into forever homes by the end of the two-day adoption event!
Shelter Animals Often Overlooked, According to University Survey
September 12, 2008: A study conducted by the University of Nevada at Reno and commissioned by Maddie's Fund has found that despite ongoing efforts to promote adoption of shelter animals, only 39% of the people surveyed had obtained one or more of their pets from a shelter or rescue group. Read more
San Francisco Business Times
Sarah Duxbury, September 5, 2008: The San Francisco Business Times just featured Maddie's Fund in its Nonprofit Profile. Read more
Maddie’s Fund Awards $252,000 to Dane County, Wisconsin Coalition
August 29, 2008: Maddie's Fund will award animal welfare groups and veterinarians in Dane County, Wisconsin up to $1 million over five years to save all of the county's healthy and treatable shelter cats. Read more
Maddie's Marketing Competition 2008
August 1, 2008: Maddie's Fund and Petfinder.com are holding a second marketing competition for Petfinder.com member shelters and rescues. Winners will receive between $500-$25,000. Last year, more than 100 organizations received cash awards. Learn more
Maddie's Fund® Awards $1.7 M to University of Florida
July 27, 2008: Maddie's Fund has awarded the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine a $1.7 M grant to support the first three years of a comprehensive six-year shelter medicine program. The program will begin on July 1. Read more
Adoption Success Story
July 25, 2008: The Mobile County Maddie Project held its fourth annual Maddie's® Pet Palooza! Pet Fair and Super Adoption Saturday June 21st. The event was well attended by hundreds of pet enthusiasts who were entertained by the free agility and obedience demonstrations and mini-training seminars provided by the Mobile Bay Dog Training Club. All three Maddie's® adoption guarantee partners participated, and at the end of the day 66 homeless shelter dogs and cats found homes!
Maddie's Infection Control Manual Available Now
July 11, 2008: Maddie's® Infection Control Manual for Animal Shelters is an invaluable resource for shelter veterinary professionals in the development and implementation of infection control protocols. This reference was produced by the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine and is available for $30 (plus shipping). To order, go here
Maddie's Launches Pilot Campaign in Northern Nevada to Improve Pet Care
June 27, 2008: Maddie's Fund is launching an unprecedented campaign in Northern Nevada to promote regular veterinarian visits for pets. The campaign, Pets Love Vets, aims to help pets live longer, healthier lives by educating residents about pet care and connecting them with local veterinarians. For more information, go to www.PetsLoveVets.com
New Director at Alachua County Humane
June 2, 2008: Kirk Eppenstein has been named Executive Director of the Alachua County Humane Society, lead agency for Maddie's Pet Rescue Project in Alachua County, Florida. In addition to running a successful business, Eppenstein has held a variety of positions in his community including Mayor of High Springs and Chairman of the Alachua County Tourist Development Council. Eppenstein has four canine companions, including two miniature Schnauzers.
New York Saves All Healthy Shelter Pets for Two Months
May 23, 2008: Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project and the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals saved all of New York's healthy shelter dogs and cats in February and March! Congratulations to the more than 100 participating coalition partners for their outstanding lifesaving achievement.
Maddie's at HSUS Animal Care Expo
May 12, 2008: Maddie's Fund President Rich Avanzino will lead a panel discussion titled, The Pros and Cons of Animal Transport, at the HSUS Animal Care Expo, May 14-17 in Orlando. He will be joined by M. Christie Smith, Executive Director, Potter League for Animals, and Jan Scarlett, DVM, Director of Maddie's Shelter Medicine Program at Cornell University.
Maddie's Awards $412,000 to the Charlottesville-Albermarle SPCA
May 5, 2008: Maddie's Fund® has given the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA a $412,000 Maddie's Lifesaving Award for saving all healthy and treatable shelter dogs and cats in the City of Charlottesville and County of Albemarle, Virginia. Read more
Grand Opening in Mobile, Alabama SPCA
April 18, 2008: The Mobile SPCA, lead agency for Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project in Mobile County, held a grand opening on April 13th for its new adoption center. Maddie the mascot helped Executive Director Janine Woods cut the ceremonial ribbon to officially open the facility, which will house 30 adult dogs and 30 cats. The center is expected to significantly increase adoptions for the MSPCA and Maddie's Mobile project.
Digital Cameras to the Rescue
April 9, 2008: A $10,000 Maddie's Fund grant to Petfinder.com to purchase digital cameras for member shelters and rescues is paying dividends in saving lives. One camera feature that has been particularly popular and effective is the video option. The number of videos posted on Petfinder.com has increased 50% in the past four months. A thank you note from Heartland Lab Rescue says it all.
"Thank you so much for the digital camera we were recently awarded by Petfinder.com through a Maddie's Fund grant. We are so excited to have this so that we can take fantastic pictures and video of our pets. Having great pictures makes such a big difference in getting these very deserving animals adopted."
New Shelter Opens in Maricopa County
March 22, 2008: Maricopa County Animal Care and Control (and Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project partner), will leave their 40-year old West Valley Shelter and move into a beautiful new 54,000 square foot facility. With "Real Life" rooms for potential owners to interact with the animals, a larger, modern clinic, and separate housing for cats and dogs, the facility will better serve the public and the homeless animals. Moving day is the 22nd; the new shelter will be open for business on Sunday, March 23rd.
Maddie's Shelter Medicine Position Endowed
March 13, 2008: The wife of an alumnus has generously gifted Cornell University's Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Program with a $2 million endowment for a Clinical Program Director. "The endowment means that we have a faculty position that is guaranteed, and the program will continue" said Maddie's Shelter Medicine Director, Jan Scarlett, DVM.
No Deaths in February for Tuscaloosa's Healthy Shelter Pets
March 6, 2008: Maddie's Fund® Pet Rescue Project in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, achieved the goal of saving all of the county's healthy shelter dogs and cats for the entire month of February. Says Maddie's Project Coordinator, Shamire Crummie, "We really came together, calling each other daily to make sure we were taking all of the healthy pets out of Metro Animal Shelter. I'd go in and find empty cages and that was a great feeling. All of the groups are so excited about what we've accomplished we're trying to do it again in March." Maddie's community projects are asked to put an adoption guarantee in place for healthy animals for one month in Year Three and for three consecutive months in Year Four in order to ensure a full adoption guarantee for healthy dogs and cats by Year Five.
New Maddie's® Grant for Nevada Spay/Neuter Project
February 25, 2008: Maddie's Fund® has approved a new $200,000 grant to spay and neuter dogs and cats belonging to low-income residents in Northern Nevada. Maddie's® Spay/Neuter Project in Nevada provides low cost surgeries to Medicaid or Nevada Check-Up recipients living ins six counties. Read more
'Cupid' Models in Times Square Kick Off I Love NYC Pets Month
February 7, 2008: Two Cupids accompanied by the Maddie schnauzer mascot and dogs from Animal Care & Control of NYC made a visit to Times Square to raise awareness for the Mayor's Alliance for NYC"s Second Annual I Love NYC Pets month. Additional adoption events, extended adoption hours and low-cost spay/neutering will be featured throughout the month.
Mayor Promotes Speed Dating for Pets
February 1, 2008: Last year, Maddie's® Pet Rescue Project in Tuscaloosa, Alabama came up with a novel Valentine's Day adoption event-Speed Dating for Pets. Potential adopters rotated through a series of face to face encounters with shelter dogs and cats to meet their love match. The event is scheduled again this year, and Tuscaloosa's Mayor is helping to promote it by proclaiming February 9, Speed Dating For Pets and Animal Lovers Day! Writes Maddie's Public Relations Coordinator Shamire Crummie: "Having recently suffered the death of his own beloved dog, Mayor Maddox was happy to promote an event for shelter pets awaiting adoption."
And the Winners Are…….
January 21, 2008: We are thrilled to announce the winners of the Maddie's Fund/Petfinder.com marketing competition for adopting hard to place pets. In recognition of the quality and quantity of entries, Maddie's Fund tripled the amount of prize money to $300,000. Read more
Record Surgeries for Feral/Stray Cats
January 16, 2008: A recent Operation Catnip clinic in Alachua County, Florida broke its own record by neutering 314 cats in a single day. "We're going to submit a claim to the Guinness Book of World Records," writes Clinic Director, Julie Levy, DVM. The previous record for the most surgeries in one day was 287.
Operation Catnip is a nonprofit organization that operates a high-volume, no-charge clinic at which feral and stray cats are spayed/neutered and vaccinated. Operation Catnip is affiliated with the Maddie's projects in Alachua County, Florida.
