Tag Archive for: Animal Adoption Center News

AAC in the News!

Did you know that all of the AAC dogs in our program go into a foster home EVERY night and weekend. That means the AAC organizes approximately 2,500 sleepovers a year! Placing dogs in foster homes is a huge piece of our staffs daily job and we could not do it with our our list of hundreds of people willing to invite animals in need into their home. Not only do the dogs get to lead a normal life during their stay with us but we get to learn about the environment they would thrive in. Instead of spending the night in their kennel they get to go home with loving families, have playdates with friends, get the exercise they need and the love they deserve. “From reducing stress to increasing adoptability to improving behavior, foster homes provide a long list of benefits to homeless pets, executive director Carrie Boynton said.”  This model is proven to benefit nearly everyone involved including the future adopter of said dog! Check out the Jackson Hole News & Guide’s article on our foster program and sign up here!

“The Adoption Center has just launched Seniors for Seniors, a program that homes well-seasoned cats and dogs — typically 7 years and older — with people 65 and up. The shelter’s “expert matchmakers” will help seniors find a pet that fits their lifestyle and housing situation at a reduced rate of $50 for dogs and $15 for cats.” AAC staff truly believes that everyone deserves the chance to have the unconditional love of a pet. They hope that the newest adoption program, Seniors for Seniors, puts that into action for Seniors that may not want a puppy or kitten but an animal their own speed. Read more about seniors and their pets here.

DNA tests are always a hot topic in the Animal Rescue field. When dogs enter the AAC program the staff has to use their best educated guess on what the animal’s breed is based on physical features and behavior. Often times we know little to nothing about the dog and cannot guarantee the breed. Some like to do a DNA test just for the fun of it, to see what their beloved pet is made up of! Others like to do it for medical or behavioral reasons. In some cases, a DNA test can bring awareness to certain medical needs that a breed is known for or change a training plan based on what breeds the dog is made up of. Read JHN&G’s take on DNA tests and why one particular owner got one done!

Suns Out, Tongues Out ~ Summer Happenings!

We are finally feeling like summer has arrived and that we have hopefully seen the last of the snow. Visitors from around the world have been stepping foot in the Animal Adoption Center (AAC) and families are in the market to adopt! We are so grateful to be apart of such an amazing community and we would love to take a minute to catch everyone up with what is happening this summer at the AAC. Not only do we have a lot of events for you to join us at but we have plenty of cats and dogs of all shapes, sizes and ages that are eager to find their forever homes. We are sure that we can find a great fit for you or your family! Check out our available animals here.

Our summer events start off next week where we will be one of the featured nonprofits at the Slow Food People’s Market, a family friendly farmers market every Wednesday, 4-7PM, from May 29th – September 18th at the base of Snow King. Join us on July 19th from 4-7PM at Phil Baux Park to meet some adoptable dogs and learn about our programs. Shop for local vegetables, fruit, cheese, meat, milk, bread, eggs, and a great selection of prepared food for dinner and dessert. Plus live music and drinks!

The following week we will be joining the Summer Concert Series to Save the Block on June 26th at. Bank of Jackson Hole presents the Summer Concert Series to Save The Block. Save The Block has partnered with Orijin, Melvin Brewing, and Jackson Hole Still Works for free drinks with great live music! Stop by the green space between Persephone and Healthy Being  Juicery to learn more about the campaign to Save The Block’s historic character. Come support Cafe Genevieve, Persephone Bakery, and Healthy Being Juicery & Cafe and featured nonprofits including us! Biking and walking is encouraged along with bringing your lawn chair or blanket.

The weekend of June 28th and 29th the Animal Adoption Center’s Spay/Neuter Wyoming team will be traveling to the Wind River Indian Reservation for the second spay/neuter clinic of the year. Over the course of this two day clinic, a team of 4 vets, 7 vet techs and multiple volunteers will spay/neuter approximately 200 animals of registered tribal members. We will be accepting food (human and animal) donations at the Animal Adoption Center until June 27th to be distributed to those in need on the reservation. Over the past 10 years, AAC’s Spay/Neuter Wyoming program has facilitated the spays or neuters of over 12,000 animals and these mobile spay/neuter clinics are one of our main ways we can do this!

Leading up to our annual fundraiser, New Leash On Life, we will be selling raffle tickets for our Grand Raffle. The winner gets to choose between three different trips. Pack your binoculars for Africa, bikini for Mexico or wine glass for Napa! Help the Animal Adoption Center save the lives of homeless by entering to win one of these amazing vacations! Purchase your tickets online, in person or call 307-739-1881. 1 ticket for $25 or 5 tickets for $100. Drawing held at the New Leash on Life on July 13, 2019. Need not be present to win.

Moving into July is our annual fundraiser, New Leash On Life, on July 13th at Snake River Ranch from 4-8pm. Please join us in celebration of the Animal Adoption Center’s 15th Anniversary. Enjoy an evening with live music, dinner, cocktails, auctions, yard games, adoptable furry friends and more! All proceeds from this fun and inspiring event support the AAC’s life-saving rescue, adoption, education and spay/neuter programs which positively impact the lives of thousands of animals each year. Buy tickets before they sell out here.

Diehl Gallery presents Donald Martiny’s second solo exhibition, Praxis & Poesis, and they have generously chosen the Animal Adoption Center for the exhibit to benefit. Join Diehl Gallery at the Artist Reception on July 18th from 5-8pm at 155 West Broadway. The exhibit will be open to visitors from July 18th-August 7th.

We are excited to announce our partnership with Dog Is My Copilot (DIMC) on August 14th. DIMC saves thousands of shelter animals by transporting them to organizations where they will be adopted. They will be flying animals Maricopa County Animal Care and Control in Phoenix to Driggs, Idaho to join the Animal Adoption Center’s adoption program. Keep your eyes peeled for new dogs and fill out a foster application if you are interested in helping out!

Each summer we have a handful of youth interns that joins us on their summer break to learn all about animal welfare and the rescue world. Their end project is to put on their own Lemonade stand. All profits will go directly to the Animal Adoption Center. Stay tuned for the date in August!

Old Bills Fun Run is the last hoorah of summer! First, Mr. and Mrs. Old Bill donate $500,000 to the match. The Community Foundation then solicits additional matching contributions from donors called Co-Challengers. The Animal Adoption Center is one of the many qualifying nonprofit organizations that participate in Old Bills each year. Gifts are made to the Community Foundation by a donor on behalf of a local charity or charities. Nonprofits can raise as much money as they wish, of which the Community Foundation matches the first $30,000. They still receive 100% of donor contributions in excess of $30,000, but that money is not matched.

We are elated to be spending the summer celebrating our 15th Anniversary with YOU! If none of these events work with your schedule you are more than welcome to stop by during operating hours, Tuesday-Friday 12-6pm and Friday from 11-3pm. We also have our dog-walking, foster and volunteer program and we always welcome the helping hand!

FIV: A New Outlook

FIV: A New Outlook

 

Two of the Animal Adoption Center’s adoption counselors, Amanda and Jenna, recently traveled to New Orleans to attend the Humane Society of the United States annual Animal Care Expo. They attended many seminars that expanded their knowledge on current animal care protocol. One such seminar regarding the intake and adoption of FIV positive cats made a huge impact.

 

What is FIV?

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus is found in cats worldwide. This virus weakens a cat’s immune system by reducing the number of white bloods cells, leaving them more susceptible to various secondary infections. It is transmitted from cat to cat via deep bite wounds. Most often, FIV is prevalent in feral colonies in which un-neutered males must fight each other for food and other resources. FIV has until very recently been fairly misunderstood.

 

Testing for FIV:

Common protocol in shelters around the United States has always been to use a blood test to determine if a cat was FIV positive. At the Animal Adoption Center, we have tested each and every cat that comes to the center. We would then have the cat live in quarters that were isolated from other cats and would adopt them out to homes were they would be a single cat. Certain shelters even have the policy to immediately euthanize cats that test positive.

 

What’s the big deal?

Obviously a virus that weakens the immune system sounds rather scary. However, in recent years more and more studies have been conducted to better understand the long-term effects of the disease and also how it spreads. One such study looked at the lifespan of FIV+ cats. Because it is such a slow acting virus, most FIV cats can enjoy a normal lifespan with no apparent health problems. Another study housed 138 cats, 6 of which were FIV +, together for over 2 years and then re-tested all cats for FIV.  There was zero transmission in the cat colony. It has become increasingly obvious that FIV is not as “serious” of a threat as previously thought.

 

Changing the Protocol:

Now that it is understood that the transmission rate of FIV is nearly zero in a spayed/neutered cat colony and that FIV+ cats have a similar lifespan to FIV- cats, shelters all over the US are changing their protocol. Many shelter veterinarians suggest communal housing for friendly FIV cats! Obviously if a cat is very aggressive to other cats, they should be housed separately regardless if they are FIV+ or not. Many vets are also suggesting doing away with testing for FIV altogether. Shelters and rescues across the country are accepting this change. Typically, FIV+ cats have spent a considerable amount of time in the shelter system before they are adopted.  Educating potential adopters about this disease has helped find FIV cats homes much quicker.

 

 

The Animal Adoption Center always strives to do what is best for our animals. We are excited to adapt to new information and have re-vamped the way we approach FIV+ cats. While we don’t often see FIV cats come through the center, those who do typically have a much longer stay here before finding their new home. We are excited that moving forward we will be able to let these cats live communally and go to homes with other cats!

10 years, 12,000 spay/neuters facilitated and counting!

In 2019 the Animal Adoption Center (AAC) celebrates its 15thAnniversary and the 10thAnniversary of Spay/Neuter Wyoming Program. Spay/Neuter Wyoming is designed to attack the root of the pet overpopulation problem through spay/neuter. The AAC’s current strategy includes hosting free mobile clinics on the Wind River Reservation (WRR), providing low-income vouchers in eight communities, and offering spay/neuter assistance to shelters through the Wyoming Shelter Project.   During this milestone year the AAC team is exploring ways to increase its impact on the WRR and further decrease euthanasia rates in Wyoming shelters.

In April, the AAC Spay/Neuter Wyoming team traveled to the WRR to provide spay/neuter services to registered tribal members.   The team consisted of four veterinarians, seven vet techs and more than a dozen volunteers spay/neutered 178 cats and dogs and administered over 300 vaccines.  Animals with infections and parasites were treated and dozens of rotten teeth were removed, free of cost.

During the clinic, five puppies and three adult dogs were accepted into the AAC adoption program.  Almost all of the dogs have already found loving forever homes.  Two of the adult dogs were brought in as strays with broken legs and needed intensive surgeries to fix old injuries.  Both of these loving and sweet animals are healing from surgery and getting stronger every day. Partnering rescues took in an additional six puppies, two dogs and a litter of kittens from the clinic.

The AAC is tremendously grateful for the support of the Shoshone tribe who donated the rabies vaccines for every animal and the Arapaho tribe who generously provided free accommodations for all our vets, techs and volunteers at the Wind River Hotel & Casino.

Hole Food Rescue, Browse and Buy, Teton Tails and Pets Place Plus also joined forces with the AAC to bring needed resources to the Native residents and their pets.  With the help of these groups and local donors, over 2,000 lbs of animal & people food and 200 bags of clothing & supplies were distributed to those in need.

Take a sneak peak into what happens behind the scenes at a Spay/Neuter Clinic. The AAC team is looking forward to traveling to the WRR June 28-29 for another clinic.

 

Newman’s Own Foundation

The Animal Adoption Center receives $15,000 grant from

Newman’s Own Foundation
Funding will support spay/neuter on the Wind River Reservation

The Animal Adoption Center (AAC)’s Spay/Neuter Wyoming Program has received a $15,000 grant from Newman’s Own Foundation, the independent foundation created by the late actor and philanthropist, Paul Newman.  While the AAC’s Spay/Neuter Wyoming Program attacks the root of the pet overpopulation problem statewide, this grant is dedicated to addressing the tremendous need on the Wind River Reservation (WRR). Through free spay/neuter clinics and low-income vouchers, the AAC is working to reduce the number of unwanted litters born and stray animals on the reservation annually.

“The need for spay/neuter services on the WRR simply cannot be overstated. Many of the families we work with have multiple pets and the cost of spay/neuter is beyond reach. Without these services the number of pets in one household can grow exponentially in a matter of months. With the help of Newman’s Own Foundation we will make sterilization resources available to an even larger number of animals and families this year.”  Carrie Boynton, AAC Executive Director.

Up to four times per year, the Spay/Neuter Wyoming Team travels to the reservation to host free clinics for registered tribal members. Our team of four veterinarians, six vet techs, and over a dozen volunteers work to spay/neuter up to 200 dogs and cats during each two-day clinic.  In addition to spay/neuter services, hundreds of vaccines are administered, animals with parasites and infection are treated, lacerations are stitched, rotting teeth are removed and other life threatening conditions are addressed, all free of charge.

To help address the year round need, Spay/Neuter Wyoming now funds free spay/neuter vouchers for animals that go into heat between clinics or are placed on the waitlist during full clinics.  The AAC also holds a human, dog and cat food drive prior to clinics. Thanks to our supportive community of Jackson, we successfully redistribute hundreds of pounds of animal food along with fresh fruits, vegetables and dry goods for tribal members in need.

In 2019, we are striving to spay/neuter more than 2,000 animals statewide. Of those, 700+ will live on the WRR. The first clinic of 2019 is scheduled for April 26th-27th.  Plans are underway to hold a second clinic in May and two more during the fall.  Our food drive for the April clinic begins April 1st.  Click herelearn more.

Paul Newman gave back because, he said, “It’s just the right thing to do.” He supported thousands of worthy causes, but you don’t need to have a lot of money or be famous to have an impact. Every single person who is inspired to make a difference can do that. What a great thought! Thanks Newman’s Own Foundation!

AAC joins TCSD for CREST Program

This January, the AAC Education Team returned to Teton County School District to participate in the CREST Program.   Each year we have the opportunity to spend three, full day sessions with small groups of children ages 5-7.  During these sessions we share our mission and the importance of both animal safety and animal compassion.

Through videos and photographs we teach children how to read a dog’s body language and how to safely approach a new dog. Following our presentation, Cobia, an AAC alumnus and ambassador, joins our outreach team to help the kids practice meeting a new dog with their recently acquired skills. In addition to learning about dog safety we also teach animal compassion. Through a brief story time and discussion, the children learn how much they have in common with dogs based on what makes them both happy and healthy (food, water, family, love, exercise etc.). This discussion creates a sense of empathy towards animals based on shared needs. Through these hands on experiences, children leave with a new understanding of dog safety and a newfound appreciation for an animal’s life experience. We are thrilled to continue working with the Teton County School District to share our mission through the CREST program.

Home For The Holidays ~ Adoption Center

Thanks to Teton Motors Subaru for featuring us as their Subaru Share The Love Event and hosting us and regional pet advocacy groups for an adoption drive.

AAC Partners With Dog Is My CoPilot To Fly Dogs To Safety

The Animal Adoption Center partners with Dog Is My Copilot and San Antonio Pets Alive (SAPA) to fly dogs to safety! Forty four large dogs were transported to other shelters from SAPA and 4 joined the AAC. All 4 were adopted within two weeks!

 

AAC Hosts Food/Book Drive for Wind River Indian Reservation Spay/Neuter Clinic

While headed to one of many spay/neuter clinics on the Wind River Indian Reservation, the Animal Adoption Center asked the community of Jackson to donate animal food, human food and books to donate to people in need on the Reservation.

Read more about this food/book drive on JH News & Guide.

Lens And Leash

Thank you to Lens And Leash for featuring The Animal Adoption Center and spreading awareness about pet adoption nationwide.

Click here to read more about Lens And Leash.

Photos courtesy of Karissa Akin with Après Events