Walk The Blog

World's First Giant Virtual Garage Sale For Pets!

What a fun idea to raise money for shelters!  Starting today, an organization called Be the Change for Pets is launching the world's FIRST virtual garage sale to help pets. They're calling it the "Sell Your Stuff, Save a Life" challenge and encouraging  pet bloggers and pet lovers the world over to sell stuff they no longer want or need from their own homes now through May 25th to benefit their favorite local shelters or rescue groups.

They're asking everyone to sell stuff they don't want anymore on eBay (or wherever!) and commit to donate what they earn to their favorite local shelter!  (p.s. We would love to be your beneficiary!) 

It's a great chance to sell stuff that's no longer needed and benefit shelter animals.  You can also help our shelter animals all year long by donating your great stuff to our Thrift & Gift Shop at 5320 Arapahoe Avenue in Boulder, buying items at our Thrift Shop or buying items we have for sale on our eBay site:  http://myworld.ebay.com/humanesocietyofbouldervalley/ (new items being added May 21.) 

If you decide to participate in this world's first virtual garage sale and post a blog about it, here's the link to share the items you're selling to help spread the word! There's also a Linky for all the blogs participating to list themselves! (And simple instructions on how to participate!) http://www.blogpawsbethechange.com/rummage-sale-listings.html

Be the Change for Pets is a movement created by the passionate BlogPaws community. It represents the collective actions of members of the online pet community determined to make a difference in the lives of pets. 

Follow them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/bethechangeforpets  

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts! (and the bottom of the sea)

This past weekend’s Puttin’ On the Leash -- Under The Sea Gala was an amazing success with more than $340,000 raised toward our $4.7 million annual operating budget.  This is one of my favorite nights of the year because it gives us a chance to see so many of the generous supporters who make our mission possible all year long.  It was an inspiring evening -- we truly filled the room with friends of the animals we serve.  And the generosity of our community was a wonderful tribute to the compassion, advocacy and dedication you have to saving the lives of homeless animals. 

Funds raised from Puttin’ On the Leash help fund all of our animal care programs, from shelter medicine to training and behavior rehabilitation to our transfer programs that bring animals from all over this region to our shelter for adoption.  Last year we set a record in adoptions with more than 6,400 animals rehomed and, with your support, we aim to do that again...mending the body and spirit of thousands of animals so we can find them a loving family. 

Thank you to our attendees, our volunteers and our staff who made the night one to remember.  Hope to "sea" you all at next year's event!   ~ Lisa

 

Enjoy our photo slide show of highlights from the event!

Puttin' On The Leash - Under The Sea 2011 Gala

It's National Volunteer Appreciation Week!

Every day there are dozens of incredible individuals who take time to care for the animals of HSBV.  Before or after work, on their lunch hour, with their kids, friends and spouses – these wonderful volunteers give their time, energy, compassion and love to help every animal in our shelter.  They work side by side with our staff, giving support and enabling our team to do so much more for each individual animal.   They work in every department of our organization, including our Thrift & Gift Shop.  These individuals are our volunteers, and we simply couldn’t enhance and save the lives we do without them. 

We asked our staff to sign a big thank you banner that is now hanging in our lobby to celebrate this week being National Volunteer Appreciation Week.   And here are some of the things we said:

Thank you to our volunteers for…

“Absolutely everything!”

“Stepping up to the challenge every time…”

“Loving the shelter animals like your own”

“Being absolute lifesavers…”

The list goes on and on.  What struck me were the common themes all of us see in our volunteers.  It’s that love, that commitment and the ability to exceed our expectations of support that makes each and every day better for the lives of the animals and the people who come through our doors.  We are so honored to be the organization our volunteers have chosen to donate their time and talent for so many thousands of hours. 

Thank you for being the inspiration you are to our organization and this community!  And while we are shouting out your praises during this is one week of special recognition, we celebrate the contributions you make every day. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your dedication and commitment.  ~ Lisa

 

 

Starting the Conversation and Education: The No-Choke Challenge

During the last two months of our No-Choke Challenge, we’ve seen hundreds of guardians bring their dogs in to our shelter to exchange their prong, choke or shock collars for a free no-pull harness.  We are thrilled with the response to the campaign and love seeing the instantaneous results as each of these 400 dogs left our building with a humane training tool.  We are so grateful to everyone who has donated funds to help us continue to provide the free harnesses.   

    

This campaign is the result of many discussions about how we want to educate people about the positive benefits of our training philosophies and influence change around some of the choices guardians make when addressing behavioral issues with their dogs.  We said from the beginning this is not about people being right or wrong but rather focusing on the tools available and demonstrating the effectiveness and relationship impacts of those tools.  At the end of the day, the cornerstone of our mission is healthy relationships between pets and people.  So as we provide people solutions and resources, we attempt to do two things: resolve the behavior issue AND positively impact the relationship between the person and their pet.  This is why we love the no-pull harness over other tools – it achieves both goals. 

There are many training philosophies out there and in practice, and as we have seen with the response to the recent Daily Camera article about this campaign, there are differences of opinion about each technique.  While we may agree to disagree, we don’t want to create adversarial relationships with people and organizations that are all trying to do the same thing – save animals.  Our goal is to continue giving people information so they understand what their pet needs, is experiencing, and what benefits or consequences each training technique creates.  We know that with this knowledge, people will make educated decisions that work for them and their pets. 

It’s all about having the conversations and providing options and education.  For HSBV this includes providing the kind of advice that promotes healthy relationships between pets and people.  It is our belief that our positive training techniques and tools benefit that relationship and, as a result, enrich the life of both the pet and the guardian.  

Today's Big Camp Muddy Paws Summer Camp Registration Day...

Today was opening registration day for our popular Camp Muddy Paws summer camp, and what a big day it was!  We had a great response, with Session 1 selling out just 30 minutes after registration opened at 9 a.m.  Session 2 is almost sold out too, with just two spots left.  The other three sessions are half-way full, too.  This is great! 

        

If any of you want to get your kids into camp or know of others who may want to register, please be sure to get them registered soon before we completely sell out. 

Thanks to our VP of Operations Connie Howard, this summer we have an all-new program planned and will be hosting five two-week sessions June 6 - August 12 for campers ages 6-12 years old. Campers will focus on making a difference in the day-to-day lives of shelter animals.  Read more about it and see the registration info at www.boulderhumane.org/camp

If you see our 2010 Distinguished Service Volunteer Conrad Gonzales, please tell him thank you for making the online camp registration run so smoothly today on our website.   

Come join us for Camp Muddy Paws! 

 

 

 

 

And the winner is...

While that famous award show is happening this weekend, the best award show of the year in my opinion happened last night!  It was our annual awards reception giving us a chance to recognize a few of the wonderful supporters and volunteers who make our mission possible. 

Please join me in a round of "a-paws" for the following extraordinary advocates!

Roxanne Hawn - Community Engagement Award

Scott Busch - Unsung Hero

ASPCA - Advancement Award

Nuf Said Advertising - Friendship Award

Conrad Gonzales and Claudia Hodges- Gonzales - Distinguished Service Award

Renee Shires - Humanitarian Award

Kim Sporrer - Employee of the Year

The evening was a true celebration of what is possible when people put their passion to work, investing their time and resources in a cause they believe in.  So many of our award winners shared with us how being involved with this organization brings them joy, fulfillment and a sense of a greater purpose.  For many of our supporters they have not only found their wonderful pets while being involved with us, they have also forged friendships with the staff, volunteers and donors who share their commitment to the animals we serve.  I was moved by the depth of their dedication and inspired by the energy and passion they infuse into their efforts.  What a privilege and honor it is to work with such a wonderful team each and every day.  Together we continue to innovate, evolve and adapt to meet new challenges, save more lives and create amazing bonds between pets and people. 

Each of you help us in your own unique way.  The individuals we recognized last night are the representatives of that critical support.  Thank you for being advocates, champions, and superheros for the animals and people we serve! 

 

Looking back and looking ahead...

2010 was a quite a year at HSBV.  If you had told me we would do 6530 adoptions, transfer in 3923 animals, assist our community through more than one wildfire, and all the while continue to provide our full scope of services for every animal and person who came through our doors, I would have shaken my head in disbelief.  And now with the year behind us, I am blown away with these achievements, and I am so thankful for the great team of staff, volunteers and supporters who have who made it all possible.

 

Our participation in the ASPCA Save More Lives $100K Challenge has been an organization-defining effort.  It has come to symbolize what is possible when we bring all of our resources and skills and inspiration together to achieve something big.  Seeing the innovation and commitment that happened was truly amazing, and the lessons we learned will be built upon over and over again. 

 

So now as we are in 2011 -- another new year filled with opportunity -- I find myself asking: what will be our "Challenge" this year, next year, and beyond.  What will be the rallying cry, the emerging need, the call to action that we bring our efforts together to meet and exceed?  As we have reflected on this, I know we are energized and have a new outlook on what we think it is possible to do. 

 

Our team is in the midst of laying out that groundwork and putting our dreams and hopes into words that will become programs that will save more lives.  We have such an opportunity and a responsibility to leverage all we have in place to reach for that next Challenge.  I know you will join us in these efforts, and I am excited to share our ideas and initiatives with you...  Stay tuned!

At least 2,284 reasons to give thanks...

In this season of giving thanks, we at the Humane Society of Boulder Valley have so many reasons -- at least 2,284 -- to be thankful. That number represents the number of animals` lives you helped us save during the past three months.

On Aug. 1, the Humane Society of Boulder Valley embarked on a national campaign to save more animals through the Save More Lives $100K Challenge sponsored by the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). The premise was simple but daunting -- save more lives through adoption and reuniting lost and stray animals during August, September and October 2010 than we had in the same period of time in 2009 -- and more than any of the other shelters. Fifty shelters across the country were selected to compete for the $100,000 grant to be awarded to the shelter with the greatest number of lives saved during the three months.

Our team set a big goal -- to save 1,000 more lives by adopting and reuniting an additional 1,000 animals. We knew this would take a great deal of creativity, effort and dedication -- and we would need tremendous support from our community. The Challenge became a great opportunity for us to implement new ideas and innovative processes aimed at serving animals and people better than ever.

We rose to the challenge, and you were right there with us. Not just for adoptions, but in the midst of the Fourmile Canyon wildfire -- Colorado`s worst natural disaster -- you reached out in an unprecedented way to help us protect and save animals` lives with your donations.

In just three months we found new homes for 2,284 animals, including 1,169 dogs and 1,115 cats. We reunited 356 lost and stray pets with their families. This represents 1,007 more animals` lives saved this year. We met and exceeded our ambitious goal. This was only possible because of the incredible support we received from you, our community. Thank you so much for answering this challenge. Thank you for helping us save more lives than ever before.

After the first two months of the Challenge, we were in first place to win this competition. We are well poised to win this Challenge grant because of you. No matter what happens when the winner of the ASPCA $100,000 Challenge grant is announced Dec. 8, we have succeeded our real goal, because 2,284 animals were saved. These animals, who are now members of your families, are the real winners.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving,

- Lisa 

 

 

Fourmile Canyon Fire -- How You Can Help

When disaster or crisis hits I am always amazed at how our community comes together to help each other out. This commitment extends to the animals of Boulder Valley as well. The Four Mile Canyon Fire is another example of this, and I am thankful for the countless calls and offers to help as we assist the animals of fire evacuees. To date we have provided care for about 40 cats, dogs and small mammals as families move to safe shelter and wait to see if their home survives. It has been a really stressful couple of days for these pets – without their families close by, they are reliant on our staff and volunteers to help keep them comfortable and safe. It is difficult to see people come through our doors, their future uncertain, leaving their pets in our care while the disaster continues. While we can't help save their homes, knowing their pets are safe is an important service we can provide.

I have one of the evacuee dogs in my office today – he captured my heart when he came in last night and his guardian said he had never been without her before. So being in a kennel was rough for him, and I thought hanging out in my office might make things a little easier. After a few hours, Eli finally settled in and fell asleep with his soft head on my feet. He is a great reminder to me of why HSBV is here and how we can be that safety net for the animals of our community.

With your support our safety net includes free housing, food and medical care to these animals in need. And, we can give some peace of mind to those people affected by the fire. Many of you have asked how you can help, and we have some specific needs you can assist with today. We are seeking the following donations:

• Blankets
• Towels
• Cat Litter
• Canned dog and cat food
• 6-foot dog leashes

And, during this time your financial donations are critical. Your support will directly benefit all of the animals in our care. As of this afternoon we had more than 300 animals in our facility or in foster homes. From our adoption animals to lost and stray pets to those evacuated from the fire, they need your help more than ever. Please consider making a donation to assist our fire relief efforts and the general care of all of the homeless animals we serve.

Your donation today ensures we can be there for every animal in need. Thank you again for your dedication and commitment to our mission!

Lisa Pedersen, CEO 

Donate online or give $10 by texting PETS to 50555.

 

Hitting the Streets to Save More Lives

This week's post is a guest blog from Kaitlyn Anderson, HSBV Development Associate

I’ve been with the Humane Society for almost five years.  During that time, I’ve been through a whole range of emotions – I’ve cried with clients who’ve had to separate from their beloved pets, I’ve been elated when my favorite dog from the adoption center goes home, I’ve been thrilled by the results of our latest fundraising campaign and I’ve been satisfied that the work I’m doing makes a difference in the lives of homeless animals.  But I’ve never experienced any emotions quite like what I’ve been experiencing lately.

 The ASPCA $100K Challenge has motivated our staff and volunteers to another level.  We feel exhilarated.  We feel innovative.  We feel invincible. All of our creative juices are flowing, and we’re making changes to programs and practices that had us stuck in a rut.  It’s incredible. 

My favorite part of this whole process has been the development of our Street Team.  Our Street Team is a group of volunteers who literally hit the streets in our community and spread the word about the challenge and the many benefits of adopting a shelter pet.  We encourage the people we meet to either 1. adopt a pet or 2. adopt a pet project.  A pet project could be as simple as passing on a coupon to a friend looking for a pet or posting the link for your favorite animal available for adoption to your Facebook page or Twitter account.  We’ve hit festivals, farmers’ markets, Pearl Street and this weekend we’re heading to Mesa Trailhead in South Boulder to host a “doggie rest stop!” 

Lindsay Scott, a member of our Development and Community Relations Team, loves the Street Team because we get to see the adoption experience come full circle.  Many times we see brand-new excited guardians leave the shelter with their newly adopted pets, and we always wonder how their relationship has developed.  For example, last weekend we met a dog that Lindsay thought looked strikingly familiar.  When she and her guardian approached our booth, we learned that she was indeed Willow, one of Lindsay’s favorite dogs!  Willow spent time in our dog adoption center and after being adopted was returned.  Lindsay was out of the shelter when Willow was adopted the second time, and she always wondered where this amazing dog had ended up. Willow is now a certified Animal-Assisted Therapy dog and is serving at Platte Valley Hospital with her guardian. It was evident that Willow and her guardian are devoted to one another.  She and her guardian were simply beaming!  This is the kind of “happy ending” that we have been privileged to see while we’re out with the Street Team. The Street Team is more than an outreach program – it’s an affirmation that what we do every day really promotes healthy relationships between pets and people.

If you’d like to get involved, sign up on our meetup site [hyperlink: http://www.meetup.com/HSBV-Adopt-a-Pet-Project-Street-Team/ ] or email Kaitlyn.Anderson@boulderhumane.org