The Wise Alter

The Wise Alter -native
News from the Peninsula Spay/Neuter Project
PO Box 306, Burley, WA 98322  (253) 884-1543  www.psnp.org
PSNP Neuters 3000th Animal
Vol 04, Issue 4
In This Issue
3000th Fixed
1
Board Message
2
Pit Bull Perceptions
2
Simon Says
3
Maine Neuter News
4
Board Solicitation
4
Volunteer Spotlight
4
Our Donors
5
Harbor Hounds
6
Calendar of Events
6
The Wise Alternative is a
publication of Peninsula
Spay/Neuter Project, a
registered dba of Humans
United to Minimize Animal
Euthanasia, an IRS 501(c)3
nonprofit organization.
Detailed program & financial
information can be found at
www.guidestar.org.
Board of Directors
Christopher Kim
President
Nancy Wolf
Vice President
Holly Bukes
Treasurer
Patty Rusnak
Outreach Director
Advisory Board
Dr. Jeff Irwin, DVM
Matt Rusnak, Attorney
Bob Walter, Humane
Educator for Tacoma and
Pierce County
On the morning of October 7th, a male black Lab named
Teddy went to Purdy Veterinary Hospital “just for
a visit” - at least that’s what he was told! A short
while later his neuter became the 3000th
surgery subsidized by PSNP.
Michael Miller, Teddy’s companion,
had always planned for Teddy to get the
“big fix”. But living in an apartment
in Tacoma, it didn’t seem quite as
urgent. Without room to roam, it
felt like intact Teddy couldn’t
do much damage.
Teddy and Michael are BOTH happier after Teddy’s surgery
Unfortunately, when
Michael’s economic situation changed, he and Teddy had to move back home to his
parents’ acreage in Olalla. With no fenced yard to contain his pent-up wanderlust,
Teddy was all over the place. He was also getting into frequent tussles with his
playmate Bernard, a Husky/Golden mix.
When Michael’s stepmother Tessa began shopping around for neuter prices, she
was crushed to find average prices well beyond the family’s means. Fortunately, one
of those veterinarians referred her to PSNP. For a mere $15 copayment, Tessa received
a certificate covering the entire cost of the surgery. Teddy’s days of being able to
contribute to the burden of companion animal overpopulation are now over.
“We never could have done this without your help,” said a grateful Tessa.
Save the Date!
Celebrate Spay Day USA with
PSNP at Whiskers Wine & Dine,
on Friday, March 4, from 6 - 9 p.m.
at the Mountaineers Club in Old
Town Tacoma. This event will
feature a spay-ghetti dinner and
small silent auction, as well as
displays of art for sale by local
artists. Join the fun and help to
raise money for PSNP services.
More details are coming soon!
Our Report Card
January - October 2004
√ 392 pet cats and 34 feral cats
altered at local veterinarians
√ 752 feral cats altered through
the Feral Cat Spay/Neuter
Clinic
√ 79 dogs altered at local
veterinary clinics
Our 2004 Year End Goal:
Alter 900 feral cats
Alter 450 pet cats
Alter 75 dogs
2
The Wise Alter-native
Vol 04, Issue 4
Another election is behind us, and even though the result appears to be
indisputable, you can still cut the political tension with a knife. As polarizing
as this election was, I imagine it will take quite some time - if ever - for our
political parties to find some common ground to work towards again.
That’s the beauty of what we do. No matter what political agenda we individually support, we all share
a common interest in helping animals. And no matter who the President of the United States is, we have the
power to care for the cats and dogs in our own communities. Even better, we’re not alone!
Other groups like The Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Project are tackling the problem of animal overpopulation.
Pierce County Animal Welfare helps subsidize emergency vet care for those in need. Pasado’s Safe Haven
investigates animal cruelty complaints. The Humane Society for Tacoma and Pierce County and scores more
shelter/rescue organizations are caring for abandoned animals until they can find new permanent homes of
their own. Together we are all part of a true community of compassion.
Nowhere is our effort more necessary than in our own backyard. As our local economy continues to
underperform the rest of the country, too many of our neighbors who have pets are having to balance their
ability to care properly for them with their ability to put food on their own table. In that kind of environment,
animals are frequently the first to be left behind.
It doesn’t have to be that way. In the Disney movie “Lilo and Stitch,” one of my daughter’s favorite lines
comes from Lilo, a little Hawaiian girl who lives with her big sister since
their parents died. When her sister is trying to tell Lilo that Stitch (a
lovable little demon of a space alien) can’t remain with them, Lilo reminds
her sister, “Ohana means family - that means no one gets left behind.”
Regardless of income level, more and more caregivers are coming
around to believe that their pets ARE members of their family, and rightly
so! As we enter the holiday season, no matter your political leaning, we
ask that you please join with us as we pledge to continue to work towards
a day when no animal, whether stray or homed, is ever left behind.
Wishing you a peaceful holiday season,
Message From
the Board
Patty Rusnak’s Own “Experiment 626”
Pit Bull Perceptions: Is Their Bark Worse than Their Hype?
As aggressive spay/neuter programs continue to
address the source of unwanted animals, one effect has
been a noticeable shift in shelter intake. In particular,
there has been an explosion in the number of “at-risk”
dogs coming into shelters - mostly pit bulls and
Rottweilers. According to Animal People editor Merritt
Clifton, pit bulls, Rottweilers and their mixes now make
up over 25% of the total
US shelter population.
Even worse, the
anti-pit bull media
frenzy that began in the
1980s has caused many
animal shelters to be
reluctant to even
attempt to find homes
for these breeds. High-
profile pit bull attacks have led many shelters to
implement “not-adoptable” policies for all incoming pit
bulls, regardless of the individual dog’s prior history.
Even when shelters do attempt to find homes for
carefully screened pit bulls, their efforts are often
thwarted by stiff insurance and other legal liability
requirements for potential adopters.
If those hurdles can be overcome, the shelter must
still take extra precautions for the sake of the dogs
themselves. Pit bulls are the fighting dog of choice,
and lack of a thorough background check for potential
adopters can end up sending these dogs to a fate worse
than a shelter death. Dog fighters and other abusers
often send in their female family members or friends
to do the adopting, which makes it exceedingly difficult
to guarantee a loving permanent home.
(Continued on page 3)
Vol 04, Issue 4
The Wise Alter-native
Pit Bulls (cont.)
Sadly, it didn’t use to be this way. The pit bull
(which is not a breed of dog, but a group of several
different breeds) used to be a popular family dog, like
Petey from “The Little Rascals.” Helen Keller had a
pit bull as an assistance dog, and they are still frequently
used as therapy dogs in nursing homes and hospitals.
In fact, temperament testing of pit bulls by the American
Temperament Testing Association has them scoring at
the same level or better than Golden Retrievers and other
stereotypical “family dogs.”
Unfortunately, media hype has damaged pit bull
perception beyond repair. As a result, more communities
are responding with breed-specific legislation (BSL)
which essentially outlaws pit bulls and other designated
dogs from those communities. While this “not-in-mybackyard” response might seem effective, it fails to
address the true issue – what do to with the oversupply
of these dogs? Worse yet, it creates a sense of public
fear without any rational justification. In these
communities, any dog with a big “block” head or a
brindle coat is under suspicion
So, what can be done? It’s clear that adoption is
not the answer. It takes an average of six months to
find a good home for a pit bull type dog. Very few good
adoptive homes want them despite the fact that, in the
right circumstance, they can be wonderful family pets
for those who take the time to understand them.
One possible solution is a proactive spay/neuter
program targeted toward “at-risk” dog breeds. Animal
welfare groups are slowly starting to offer very low-cost,
free, or even incentivized spay/neuter programs for pit
bull type dogs. One of the first is “We Pay to Spay”
offered by the Sacramento SPCA. Though the program
is only three years old and it’s too early to say for sure,
shelter intake numbers for pit bull type dogs seem to be
on the decline. Since pit bulls make up such a large
percentage of dogs admitted to the Humane Society for
Tacoma and Pierce County, PSNP is looking into the
possibility of offering such a program as well.
One thing is certain – whether you like or dislike
these dogs, the fewer of them the better. It may take
more than spay
Think you know pit
and neuter to solve
bulls? Take the test at
this problem, but
www.pitbullsontheweb.com/ spay and neuter is
clearly a good
petbull/findpit.html
start!
Simon
Says...
In the spirit of the season, I shall cast no
hairballs in my column. Now, please pass the catnip!
Two Paws Up...
To ARF, CAPS, PAWS, The Humane Society
for Tacoma and Pierce County, and the 42 other
Washington animal shelters and adoption
organizations who are participating in the 2004
Home 4 the Holidays campaign. This year’s event
is expected to break adoption records across the
country, with over 300,000 companion animals
expected to be in new homes by January 1, 2005.
The event is the brainchild of Mike Arms,
Executive Director of the Helen Woodward Animal
Center in San Diego, CA (www.animalcenter.org).
In 1999 Mike recognized that shelters needed to be
more willing and active to market animals in their
care, especially during the holiday season.
Traditionally, shelters had been reluctant to
adopt out animals during the holidays, for fear the
animals would simply be returned once the holiday
excitement and novelty wore off. Mike knew that
people were still going to get pets during the
holidays, and if shelters wouldn’t provide them, pet
stores and puppy mills would. So he organized a
holiday-themed super-adoption event to make sure
that shelters were working to meet the supply.
In 1999, the first year of the campaign, 14 San
Diego shelters adopted out over 2500 pets. Last
year, the event included 1300 shelters from across
the United States, and together they found homes
for 270,000 animals. Amazingly, average pet return
rates from these events are less than 10%, well below
the average national return rate.
Sending a Big Purr Out...
To Dr. Phil, for advocating on his TV show
the joys of adopting a pet from a shelter, rather than
buying from a breeder. More people listen to
Dr. Phil than to their own mothers. Not sure if this
is necessarily a good thing, but whatever works!
3
4
The Wise Alter-native
Vol 04, Issue 4
Volunteer Spotlight
If human cloning is ever legalized,
we’re going to sign up Tyra Blaisdell!
Last year Tyra’s husband created
several vibrant posterboards for us. This
past summer, Tyra organized a garage sale
for PSNP that netted us over $450. Just
recently, she donated a specially decorated
mini Christmas tree, which we will be selling Tyra and her Lab mix, Molly
at the Paws for the Holidays event December 11th (see page 4). She is
also on the Whiskers Wine & Dine planning committee.
Thanks, Tyra for all that you do for us and the animals!
Board Members Needed
In case you didn’t get your
election fix, PSNP will be choosing
2005 board members at a special
election meeting in late January.
According to PSNP’s
organizational bylaws, current
board members may nominate
new candidates, with a simple
majority vote from the entire board
required for confirmation. While
all four current board members are
expected to return for 2005, PSNP
bylaws allow for up to seven total
board members.
Due to the small size of the
organization, all board members
are expected to perform some
operational duties. Of particular
interest currently are those with
previous volunteer management
and fundraising experience.
If you or someone you know
would be interested in filling one
of the three board vacancies,
please contact PSNP President
Chris Kim at ckim@psnp.org, or
leave a message at (253) 884-1543,
opt #4.
We Get Mail!
You have my continued praise and
support for the great work you do.
Peggy,
Homeward Pets, Woodinville
This $15 is for Oscar’s operation. He’s
a cute puppy but will be a happier
puppy when this is all over. Thank you
so much for helping us out. Gratefully
yours,
Janet, Vaughn
Frances and I appreciate this help and
thank you very much!
Jennifer, Gig Harbor
Thank you so much for being there! We
all feel better knowing the cats we are
feeding won’t keep on reproducing into
more wild kitties. Please keep up the
good (and important) work! Thanks so
much!
Martha & the Suburban Dental Lab
crew, University Place
In Memory
LitteR-Free Communities
Maine Launches Spay/Neuter Program
Following the lead of New Hampshire and New Jersey, the state of
Maine recently began offering low-cost spay/neuter services to qualifying
low-income households through a program administered by their
Department of Agriculture.
To qualify, applicants must show eligibility for one of several
government assistance programs. Cat spay/neuters will require a $10
copayment, while dog spay/neuters will require a $20 copayment. Initial
funding of $100,000 came from an increase in licensing fees for unaltered
animals. Next year Maine residents will be able to donate to this account
via their state income tax form.
This program was initiated by animal activist Susan Hall, after
she heard Peter Marsh (from Solutions to Overpopulation for Pets) at a
Spay USA conference discussing his similar program in New Hampshire.
Her advice to others: Do your homework, enlist the assistance of experts,
keep the communication lines open, and don’t get discouraged.
We’re working on it, Susan!
This is for the little old, one-eyed,
deaf dog we called Ohana. We found
him wandering the streets of San
Francisco, took him home and tried
to give him a bit of comfort in his
Golden Years. Though he suffered
with many aches and pains, he never
complained and always gave us plenty
of lovin’.
Michael Stanley & Mark Lovett
If you have a pet or person you’d like to
remember or recognize in this column, just
submit all information to PSNP Memorial,
PO Box 306, Burley, WA 98322. Photos will
be included when space is available and will
be returned if possible on request.
Vol 04, Issue 4
The Wise Alter-native
Thanks for your generosity
Since words cannot express how grateful we are for the
extra financial support we received from the following
donors, we’ll have to make sure our actions do!
Kevin Anderson
Tyra Blaisdell
Constance Carter
Joan Hedum
Kathleen Lund
Joan Mathison
Jerri Newman
Ridgetop Animal Hospital
Jean Balman
Gary & Lorri Brines
Beverley Haddon
Charlene Holmes
Stephen & Patricia Marek
Vicky Nelson
Dr. Timothy & Kristin Quinn
Happy Holidays to all
of our contributors!
May your season’s celebrations
be filled with peace and joy.
5
Give a Gift of a
Holiday Spay !
Wondering what to
get the person who has
everything or wants
nothing? How about
donating the cost of a spay/
neuter in the name of that person?
Just send your check or money order
in increments of $30 per spay to PSNP
Holiday Spay, PO Box 306, Burley, WA
98322, and include a note with the name
and mailing address of the person(s)
you’d like to honor.
For your generosity, each honoree
will receive a hand-designed Holiday
Spay thank you note. That sure beats
getting week-old fruitcake or another
pair of argyle socks!
Help Us Make a Difference This Holiday Season!
PSNP is actively working towards a day when every healthy, adoptable companion animal has a loving and
permanent home of its own. Our goal is to reduce the thousands of unwanted animals entering our local shelters
by tackling the problem at its source - through spaying and neutering
neutering! We are an all-volunteer, nonprofit
organization, so no one is paid for their work. No donation is too small and all are needed and greatly appreciated!
Please return this self-addressed form along
with your tax-deductible donation of:
[ ] $25 neuters one male cat!
[ ] $50 spays one small female dog!
[ ] $100 alters 10 feral cats!
[ ] Other $____
[ ] Check here if you’d like a receipt mailed to you (all donations are tax
deductible up to the limits allowed by law).
[ ] Check here if there are any changes/corrections to your name or
address, and please note them on reverse.
[ ] Check here if you know someone who would like to receive our
latest newsletter, and print information below
Name ___________________________________________
Street Address ____________________________________
City/State/Zip ____________________________________
We now accept all major credit cards!
Go online at www.psnp.org
and click on How You Can Help
The Wise Alter-native
MARK your calendar!
December 11, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Paws for the Holidays
Puget Sound Pet Pavilion
2505 S 80th St, Tacoma
Come meet other PSNP volunteers at this holiday
bazaar featuring vendors, Santa photos, and
information on pet care, animal welfare and more.
A portion of the proceeds from this event will be
donated to PSNP.
January 15, 2005
2005 PSNP Board of Directors Elections
Interested candidates should contact Chris Kim,
PSNP President, via email at ckim@psnp.org.
February 22, 2005
Spay Day 2005
PSNP will be celebrating the Tenth Annual Spay Day
with a special spay-a-thon all month long in February.
March 4, 2005
Whiskers Wine & Dine
Our first annual dinner and auction fund-raising event.
See details on page 1.
Peninsula Spay/Neuter Project
PO Box 306
Burley, WA 98322
FORWARD SERVICE REQUESTED
Vol 04, Issue 4
Harbor Hounds a
Howling Success
Over 320 canines and an
estimated 800 canine lovers
participated in the 2nd Annual
Harbor Hounds Walk the Town
on September 25.
This benefit dogwalk was Patty Rusnak (left) and
hosted and run by the Gig Nancy Wolf scan the crowd
Harbor Mid-Day Rotary Club, for intact animals - happily
there were hardly any!
with proceeds benefitting PSNP
and the Prison Pet Partnership Program. Thanks to their
efforts, PSNP received a check for $4000!
In just its second year, this event nearly doubled in
size, including participants,
sponsors and vendors. Thanks
to Harbor Hounds Co-chairs
Kim Leone and Holly Bukes,
and everyone else at Gig Harbor
Mid-Day Rotary for allowing us
to share in the bounty of this
A happy participant refuels great event!
NONPROFIT
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
BURLEY, WA
PERMIT NO. 1