Spring 2010 • Vol. 44 No. 1 Photo: Melisa Codgell Mark Goldstein, D.V.M., CAWA, President of the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA with his dog Ren. Your Meaningful Investment Due to the nature of our work – helping animals and building a more compassionate community – people can be caught by surprise when we refer to our organization as having the same performance standards as a for-profit entity. For example, I’m sure you expect, as do we, that we use resources wisely, attract and retain highly skilled staff, and implement high-quality programs that serve our mission. Would it surprise you to know that the San Diego Humane Society also sees you, the donor, as an investor, who expects a return on investment (ROI)? Your generous support enables us to promote and expand the humane treatment of animals, prevent cruelty and strengthen the human-animal bond. Thus, as your ROI increases, a more caring community is created. Yet instead of a cash or stock dividend, your ROI is measured by every life, human and animal, positively impacted by our mission. Another word which is more commonly heard in the for-profit world is “merger.” However, on January 11, 2010, two nonprofit organizations officially merged. As a result, the North County Humane Society and SPCA became the North Campus of the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA. Unlike most for-profit mergers, which appropriately focus on cutting costs and/or expanding market share or profit, the goal of our merger was to help more animals and strengthen the human-animal bond. With the campuses of Gaines St., Sherman St. and North united in a common goal, the resources and talents of the respective staff, donors, board and community members can have a greater impact in San Diego. To put it simply: together, we can do more! Because of your support, the San Diego Humane Society has not euthanized a healthy or treatable animal in more than nine years. As a result of your investment in our mission, innovative programs for animal welfare continue to advance. More animals are rescued from abusive and devastating circumstances. More children expand their understanding through humane education experiences. More hospital patients receive pet-assisted therapy. More families come home to wagging tails, great listeners and unconditionally loving companions. The good news is that your return on investment has appreciatively multiplied. To continue this trend, however, we need your help. While it may not directly increase your own financial worth, your contribution can inspire and feed the collective hearts of our community. In a new year filled with new possibilities and challenges, we hope that you will continue to invest in the San Diego Humane Society and perhaps even consider increasing your investment in us. Thank you for your ongoing support. Mark Goldstein, D.V.M., CAWA President of the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA president’s message president’s From the Mailbox Greetings, Humane Society! BOARD OF TRUSTEES We adopted Roxy a few months ago and Fred Baranowski love her as a true member of the family! Chairperson She is a precious puppy who loves to roll David Hickey over for belly rubs and play with her toys. Chairperson Finance Committee Diane Gilabert Since she was a bit shy at first, we placed Chairperson Board Governance & Nominating Committee Roxy in some private training classes with Alyce Lynn Rick at the San Diego Humane Society Secretary and SPCA, North Campus. They have Sandy Arledge; Robert Brown, Ed.D.; George Coles; Lee Collins; Susan Davis; Dana Di Ferdinando; helped to make Roxy a less fearful and Diane Glow, Ed.D.; Hon. Eve Godfrey; Dave Mason; Patrick Mead; David Mittleman; Beverly Oster Ornelas; more confident pup who will be entering puppy school next week! We hope to adopt Anne Perry; David Sear another furry friend and playmate for Roxy soon. It’s an absolute joy to watch her LIFE MEMBERS grow with love. Thank you for bringing this special and entertaining gal into our Betsy Hillyer, Vi & Dan McKinney, John Parker lives! President Mark Goldstein, DVM, CAWA Ginger Rabe Senior Staff Renee Harris, RVT, Senior Vice President, Animal Thank you, SD Humane Society! Services Laura Maloney, Senior Vice President, Strategic I came across a picture of a chinchilla named Dirk on the Initiatives and Communications Humane Society website and couldn’t wait to meet him! I Kelly Riseley, Chief Financial Officer Kim Shannon, CAWA, Senior Vice President, had recently moved halfway across the country and knew Support Services Shelly Stuart, CSPG, CFRE, CAWA, Vice President, that this cute, little guy would make a great companion. Education and Development It has almost been a year since I adopted him, and we AnimalFare Editor couldn’t be happier. He knows how to do many tricks for Candice Eley treats and even has a private room in my new apartment! Contributing Writers Nicole Angelucci, Faith Chinook, Laura Coburn, Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to change this Candice Eley, Shannon Gusy, Jeffrey Nale, Elkie Wills small animal’s life. Design & Layout Kat Godard, DraDog, LLC Samantha Weinstein (and Brad Maguire) Our sincere thanks to DraDog and Precision Litho for their generous support of the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA. Thanks, San Diego Humane Society! Published quarterly by: San Diego Humane Society and SPCA Last week, we began looking for a new member of the Mailing address: family. The plan was to search until we found a kitten 5500 Gaines Street San Diego, CA 92110-2572 that “spoke to us.” Surprisingly, we did not have to look (619) 299-7012 for very long! An adorable kitten at the North Campus www.sdhumane.org [email protected] leaped into our hearts and practically sang to us! He To report animal abuse call (619) 243-3466 was a red tabby with light in his eyes and a very short Serving San Diego County since 1880, the San Diego four-inch tail. We fell in love with his enthusiasm and Humane Society and SPCA provides vital services to animals and people alike. With campuses in both central energy. We also learned that he had been rescued with San Diego and Oceanside, the San Diego Humane Society a severed tail and were so grateful to be able to give and SPCA’s programs include sheltering and adopting animals, investigating animal cruelty and neglect, rescuing him a fresh start. He is now our adorable, cherished family member, and we couldn’t animals in emergency situations, providing positive reinforcement behavior training for adoptable and owned be happier with the decision to adopt. animals through public training classes, providing adult and youth education programs, and sharing animals through Michelle Richardson pet-assisted therapy. In Oceanside and Vista, the San Diego Humane Society North Campus provides animal control and stray pet services for the public. Do you have a happy adoption story to share? Then we’d love to hear from you! A private, nonprofit organization that receives no Visit www.sdhumane.org and go to the Success Stories page for more details. government grant funding, the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA is supported solely by contributions, grants, bequests, investments, proceeds from the Humane Society’s retail store, Muttique, and fees for service. ON THE COVER: Julie Bank from the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA’s Strategic Initiatives Department greets Fely, a resident at the Gaines Street Campus. For your privacy, the Humane Society does not sell, rent, lend or exchange our mailing or contributor lists. COVER PHOTO: Laura Coburn AnimalFare • Spring 2010 www.sdhumane.org 3 Photos: Candice Eley Blondie, a Pit Bull Terrier mix, waits for her new home at the San Diego Humane Society Toget er and SPCA, North Campus. We Can Do Moreh t’s no secret that San Diegans love their pets, and the county’s residents have proven time and time again that supporting animal welfare is front and Icenter in their hearts. With many shelters across the county and several large national animal welfare organizations in the media spotlight, it is not uncommon for supporters to confuse one organization with another, and this confusion can sometimes even come from how different organizations present themselves. However, the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA is completely independent and autonomous from any national or international organizations such as the Humane Society of the United States in Washington D.C. or the ASPCA in New York. Volunteer Though these larger national organizations Stephan Flores socializes with are sometimes the most visible on television, it is Lancelot, a homegrown organizations that ultimately impact rabbit available pets in the local community. So why would two local, for adoption at the North independent humane societies choose to merge? Both Campus. the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA and the COVER story The San Diego Humane Society and SPCA Merges with the North County Humane Society and SPCA animals and caring for those with treatable San Diego Humane Society treasures medical and behavioral conditions has long our relationship with the community, been a challenge for shelters countywide. which has put great faith and trust in our One of the primary goals of the merger operations. As we develop programs and 5 A is to provide more resources for at-risk plans for the North Campus, our goal is to populations. Through greater veterinary continue to strengthen and grow our bond support, more medically treatable animals’ with the community so that they can help lives will be saved. By expanding behavior us have a greater impact on the animals and training resources, more clarity and that we care about.” equality will help both campuses work Over the next six-month period, with pets’ behavior challenges.