we’ve redefined the very notion of the word humane 2019 ANNUAL REPORT board of directors dear friend, executive committee board members we’ve redefined the very notion of humane When we see lives transformed, when we see and successful Nina Mason Pulliam Campus for Andrea Marconi Anthony Alfonso Chair unconditional love and companionship, when we Compassion. This is a critical and necessary step Courtney Beller see the happiness and healing pets bring to so to transform our community into one of the best Dr. Craig Thatcher Compassion with Fashion Co-Chair many – we can’t imagine life without them. places to be a pet. Vice Chair Ann Damiano As we reflect upon our long history and think In the following pages, you’ll see how your Bryan Albue Secretary Debbie DePaoli about the countless sick, injured and abused donations were put to work last year and we hope animals we have helped over the years with your you feel happy and proud. We must do more and Matthew Waller Dr. Karla Fisher support – our tails wag proudly. save more as best we can until our new campus is Treasurer & Finance Chair complete – you make that possible with every gift Dyan Getz The lifesaving efforts of our doctors, our Circle of Friends Co-Chair and we are so grateful. Suzanne Pearl ™ Past Chair & President’s Club Emergency Animal Medical Technicians , Steering Committee Chair Susie Ingold volunteers and staff have never wavered. We have With your continued support, we can continue seen things we wish we could un-see. But these saving the most vulnerable animals and enriching Tracey Lyons Kerry Milligan atrocities have only strengthened our conviction the lives of pets and people. Governance Chair & Circle of Friends Co-Chair Kimberlee Reimann Padilla and deepened our compassion. And in our excitement, we must not forget to give Ann Siner In our renewed efforts to save more animals than our furry friends extra big hugs and kisses, too. ever before, we looked ahead to the problems of Because the future is looking even brighter for Patricia Tate tomorrow. We introduced new lifesaving programs pets, thanks to you. Jo Taulbee-Flittie and initiatives. We were able to increase the number of pets we save every year by staggering Sincerely, numbers. We reduced animal intake. We became a leading animal welfare organization by demonstrating, time and time again, the lengths we go to save animals. And over the past six years, thanks to the support of animal lovers like you, we have reduced euthanasia by a staggering 81 Dr. Steven R. Hansen percent and saved an additional 100,000 lives. AHS President & CEO Chair • Arizona Alliance for We’ve redefined the very notion of the Companion Animals word “humane.” Board member and Treasurer American College mission values We are not the same Arizona Humane Society® of Animal Welfare we were, and we should not tether our future to Board member • Hill’s Shelter Advisory Board, Morris Animal old buildings and outdated perceptions. As we Foundation Senior Scientific Advisory Board, The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement (formally known as SAWA) We save the most vulnerable Innovation. embark on a new era and push for more change, Member • American Veterinary Medical Association Legislative animals and enrich the lives Compassion. we must be bold. We must be innovative. And that Advisory Committee, Phoenix Zoo IACUC (Institutional Animal means replacing our deteriorating and inadequate Care and Use Committee), Arizona State University Community of pets and people. Excellence. Advisory Council Sunnyslope facility with a centrally located, state- of-the-art campus to complement the existing 2019 • ANNUAL REPORT • 3 some of last 1,731 18% volunteers provided 408,149 hours of year’s shiniest love and enrichment achievements to homeless pets. 4,635 animals cuddled and cared for in the homes of AHS Foster Heroes. 7,773 4% cruelty investigations performed by our Animal Cruelty Investigators. 4,367 sick and injured animals rescued by ahs led efforts to pass a new law our EAMTs. ensuring animal abusers will face stronger penalties in the 7% worst cases of abuse – the ones where abusers intentionally and knowingly inflict cruel mistreatment. Animal cruelty charges were 17,171 increased from a Class 6 to Class 5 felony, meaning these cases spay/neuter can no longer be dropped to a misdemeanor and also include the surgeries performed possibility of jail time and supervised probation/treatment. to combat pet overpopulation. 2019 • ANNUAL REPORT • 5 heroic efforts 12,290 7% 794 vulnerable animals lost pets reunited all the way treated in our with their loving trauma hospital. families. around 2/3 of pets who come through our doors receive treatment in our trauma hospital. 425 dogs and puppies treated in our Parvo Puppy ICU. 17,964 13% homeless pets we took 13,815 40,191 in and cared for. pets found homes through animals served through adoption, rescue placement our programs and services, 41% and reuniting lost pets with including public veterinary their owners. clinics and dog training. 12% 5,948 pets avoided 39% 2,046 being relinquished kittens nurtured in and stayed in 425 16,972 our innovative their homes with moms and babies cared young animal lovers learned Kitten Nursery and assistance from our for in our about responsible pet ownership Bottle Baby Kitten Pet Resource groundbreaking through our education programs. ICU. Center. Mutternity Suites. 2019 • ANNUAL REPORT • 7 efore er b pp still Co standing Arriving on scene, our Emergency Animal Medical Technician™ discovered a gravely injured Coonhound. His body was bloated and the EAMT described him as being “completely soaked in blood.” Chest and abdominal X-rays revealed the hound had suffered three 1.5-centimeter lacerations to his neck, one of which was suspected to have torn his trachea. His owner claimed to have “stabbed and killed him” because he was “terrorizing” the neighborhood. Little did he know that Copper was fighting for his life in AHS’ Second Chance Animal Trauma Hospital™. Copper’s recovery was touch-and-go for several weeks, the low point being paralysis of his right side. Yet, we never gave up on him. And through rehab, love and a dose of willpower, Copper recovered and was quickly adopted. Copper’s rescue and recovery is the reason we advocate for stronger laws to protect pets and we partner with law enforcement to conduct thousands of cruelty investigations to seek justice for abused animals. Copper after 2019 • ANNUAL REPORT • 9 sitting, wishing, waiting Gus was turned in to the Arizona Humane Society® as an injured stray. During his stray hold, no one ever came forward for the 12-year-old Australian Shepherd mix. His 94-pound frame and fluffiness alone were enough to draw people to him, but Gus didn’t exactly feel the same way about the people he would meet. Over time, he became accustomed to living at AHS, so much so, that he became one of the tour stops. Yet for anyone interested in meeting Gus, they would have to do so on multiple occasions in the hopes that he would warm up to them. It wasn’t that Gus was aggressive, he was just very nervous around new people. Yet, we always knew that the perfect family was out there, and six visits and 276 consecutive days later, Gus was adopted and there was not a dry eye in the shelter. Our Ethical No- Kill Philosophy ensures that pets like Gus are never euthanized for space or length of time. 2019 • ANNUAL REPORT • 11 the campaign to transform animal welfare Imagine a community where no animal suffers We are limited not by vision nor determination, on the streets. Where animal homelessness and but by our facilities. This system of care requires abuse are combatted with leading-edge strategy our 63-year-old Sunnyslope facility to be replaced. and technology, hand-in-hand with concerned We’ve initiated a capital campaign to build a citizens and animal advocates. new, centrally located campus, anchored by a regionally-serving Animal Medical Center. A project where severely injured and Imagine a safe haven of this scope and scale will cost $43 million. AHS abused animals receive state-of-the-art medical has committed $14 million to the project from and behavior rehabilitation interventions scarcely reserves acting as endowment, we anticipate $1 thinkable today. million in-kind from our construction partner, and If you can imagine such a world, you will we need to raise $28 million. The Central Campus recognize the goals of the Arizona Humane & Animal Medical Center will allow us to: Society® : a vision of supportive services for • Enhance rescue efforts and expand reach animals built on the accomplishments of the on cruelty investigations. nation’s most innovative and responsive humane society. • Perform medical and surgical services for injured animals. Care for Maricopa County’s animals – and beyond • Expand behavior rehabilitation for the The system we’ve launched to control pet most traumatized animals. overpopulation and save our community’s most vulnerable animals, including proactive • Build advanced intensive care units spay/neuter initiatives and programs to keep to isolate and care for animals with pets in loving homes, allows us to focus on contagious diseases. comprehensive rescue, medical and behavioral • Create a healthy environment for animals in care for those animals who need it most, at a level our care by providing advanced “Standards not yet seen in the United States. of Care” as set forth by the Association of Shelter Veterinarians. Together, we can accomplish what was historically considered impossible: rescuing and healing those who were needlessly euthanized before. And we’re well on our way.