Four Paws Press - Kokomo Humane Society

Four Paws Press
Fall, 2015
www.kokomohumane.org
Sponsors
Big Dogs
David & Diane Turner
William & Sandra Knarr
Bill & Karen Peelle
Cat’s Meow
Dawn Sabau, M.D.
Mick & Marydee Daily
Wendy’s of Kokomo
Heather & Milo Sekulich
Dick & Angela Zeltner
Melissa Ellis Residential Appraisals
Pat & Chuck Hinders
Paw Prints
Judge Lynn Murray
Stew & Ruth Worthley and Molly
Dave & Linda Kitchell
Cartwright Ellis Auctioneers
Dr. Pratap & Nirmala Gohil
Burger King
Janice Hinkle
Adam & Debra Whitfield
Dechert Law Office
Paws N Behave
Randy & Karol Jaenicke
Krystal Coombs
First Farmers Bank & Trust
Barktober Fest!
As summer begins to wind down, we are happy to
be gearing up for our ninth annual Barktober Fest on
October 3rd from 9am to noon. The Fest will be moved
to Foster Park this year, and we are excited about the
park’s beautiful pavilion and the paved loop around the
park that will make a great walking path for the dog
walk.
Barktober Fest is an opportunity to raise funds for
the shelter and our New Digs building fund. We request
that walkers help by asking friends, family and
coworkers to sponsor their walk in support of KHS. You
can choose to walk as an individual or in a team. A team can consist of any group you can
come up with such as school groups, church groups, social clubs, businesses, your whole
family or group of friends. Be creative and wear similar clothes or even make your own
team t-shirts. The team that raises the most funds for the event will win a pizza party
donated by Jim’s Pizza for their group. You can download a pledge form straight from our
website KokomoHumane.org to start collecting donations. You can choose to have people
sponsor based on how far you plan to walk or simply a specific amount. Continue to check
the website for the most current information. We now have a new fundraising tool called
crowdfunding. Instructions for how to use it is on our website.
Still need to get your pet microchipped? We will be offering certificates at the event
that will allow you to get your pet microchipped for a reduced cost of $10 (normally $25)
for a limited time. Along with this cost saver for pets, we have a special one for our human
attendees. Visit the Walgreens booth at Barktober Fest and receive a free flu shot on site.
This year we are expecting even more participating vendors as well as more walkers
attending. Bob Abresch with “Simply Music” will be back with us again to serenade us, this
was a real treat last year. Along with the walk and vendors there will also be some fun
contests for your dog and a great variety of raffle items that you can purchase tickets for.
As always we will have the best costume contest so make sure your pet is dressed for that
and looking their best for the fall photo opportunity.
Don’t miss Barktober Fest, this year in Foster Park! Hope to see you there!
Kokomo Humane Society • 713 N. Elizabeth St •Kokomo, Indiana 46901 • Phone 765-452-6224 • Hours: Mon-Sat 12pm-5pm
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President
Dave Kitchell
Vice President
Brent Dechert
Secretary
Karen Peelle
Treasurer
Dr. William Humphrey
Directors
Melissa Ellis
Ann Harrigan
Dr. Corey Swart
Mark McCann
Dr. Adam Vernengo
Monica Harp,
Terri King
Larry Rolland
STAFF
Karen Wolfe
Executive Director
Jackie Koontz
Shelter Administrator
Jeana Watson, C.E.T
Shelter Manager
Jackie Vore, C.E.T
Adoption Manager
Rafaela Wright
Volunteer Coordinator
Eddie Dietzen, C.E.T.
Outreach Coordinator
Billy Bryant
Animal Cruelty Investigator
Bryar Schroeter C.E.T
Animal Control Officer
Randy McKinney
Animal Control Officer
Candi Rork, C.E.T.
Animal Care Specialist
Rachel Sitts C.E.T
Animal Care Specialist
Breanna Larrick C.E.T
Animal Care Specialist
Diana Coleman
Animal Care Specialist
Marissa Shoffner
Animal Care Specialist
Ashley Hill
Animal Care Specialist
Bill Reel
Maintenance Technician
A little more about our Mission
Improving the lives of animals
A much-needed grooming was the least of
Georgie's problems. It didn't take much investigation
to see that she had a mouthful of bad teeth that
caused so much pain she would snap if her face was
touched. We grappled with investing in a costly
dental, as she is a senior dog. Lucky for Georgie, her
sweet personality overshadowed everything else
and we knew that if we could fix the problem giving
her pain she would be a wonderful companion for
someone. The removal of five teeth and a good
cleaning made a huge difference, and Georgie’s
BEFORE
sweet, loving nature has begun to shine through.
The picture of Georgie with her new best friend exemplifies
why we do what we do.
Thank you to Jefferson Road Animal Hospital for helping us to fulfill our mission.
Preventing cruelty through education
Education comes in many forms, and it doesn't always involve sitting in a
classroom. Part of the KHS mission is to prevent cruelty through education, and
we have been lucky to not only practice this ourselves but to see others doing
so as well for the benefit of the shelter. This year we have seen so many
children come to us with donations that they have collected. Generous children
have requested gifts for the shelter in lieu of birthday presents for themselves.
We are also the beneficiaries of numerous fundraisers through schools,
community organizations and businesses that bring both material and
monetary gifts. The lessons taught and learned are those of generosity,
compassion and selflessness. These kind acts not only benefit our shelter
animals but teach lifelong lessons that will serve animals and people alike.
Thank you!
Kokomo Humane Society • 713 N. Elizabeth St •Kokomo, Indiana 46901 • Phone 765-452-6224 • Hours: Mon-Sat 12pm-5pm
The holidays will be here
before we know it!
With the fun and excitement
of the holiday season comes
added responsibility to keep
your pet Safe. These days often
bring unusual decorations,
special foods and new company
to your home. Many things that
are fun for us can be dangerous
or stressful to your pet.
Check online for information
on how to make the holidays a
happy and safe time for you and
your pets.
A little more about our Mission
Uniting Pets with Families
Sweet Dee won hearts from the moment she was picked
up by our animal control officer after being struck by a car.
She was taken to the emergency vet at Pet Care Clinic of
Kokomo and given care to stabilize her while we waited to
see if her owner would come to claim her. Unfortunately,
no one did.
X-rays revealed a serious break in her front leg that was
too involved for our local vet to mend; a second opinion
from another veterinary hospital revealed a surgical option that would be very
expensive with no guarantee of success. The only other option was to remove the
entire leg, which was not a great choice but appeared to be the only reasonable
option. The surgery was scheduled and set to go at Greentown Animal Hospital when
we received a call from Dr. Mohr with a proposal. He explained that Sweet Dee was
doing so well and not showing signs of much pain while continually trying to use her
injured leg. How would we feel about waiting ten days on the surgery to see if the
break would heal well enough for her to use it? If it didn’t work we would proceed
with the amputation. We decided to wait and see.
Remarkably, Sweet Dee continued to improve and another x-ray showed that
enough scar tissue had formed to support her leg. Now named Laney, this great dog
has been adopted and is in her new home, where she is happily walking, running and
playing on all four paws.
A big thank you to Greentown Animal Hospital and Pet Care of Clinic of Kokomo
for helping us to get Sweet Dee into her forever home.
Uniting pets with forever homes
There are few
things in life more
heartwarming than
to be welcomed by
a cat.
Derek's Bruce
Kokomo Humane Society • 713 N. Elizabeth St •Kokomo, Indiana 46901 • Phone 765-452-6224 • Hours: Mon-Sat 12pm-5pm
New Faces
Randy McKinney
Animal Control Officer
Marissa Shoffner
Animal Care Specialist
Ashley Hill
Animal Care Specialist
Thoughts from the Director
What an exciting eight months it has
been since starting as the Executive
Director of the Kokomo Humane Society.
Since January we have welcomed new
personnel, updated policies, had lots of
fun adoption events as well as an
incredibly successful Ales for Tails. I
greatly appreciate all the support from
both the staff and board of directors,
and I am continually touched by their
devotion to our animals and our mission.
The work they do here is both
physical and emotional, and I admire
their ability to fall in love over and over again with the lost and homeless pets
that come through our doors.
A Lifesaving Grant from the Petco Foundation has enabled us to offer “name
your own price” cat and kitten adoptions. This has greatly increased our feline
adoptions and more off-site events have had a large impact on dog adoptions.
We have already hosted the first of three major adoption events at Petco that
are tied to the grant and will have one in October and another in December.
We continue to work diligently to raise the funds needed to build our new
humane society. Now that we have reached the halfway point of one million
dollars in our campaign we are gearing up to tackle the second half. We are
enthusiastic and confident that we will reach our goal to provide our community with a facility that will better care for the animals that come through our
doors and the citizens of Kokomo and Howard County that we serve. The new
facility will have current shelter technology offering much improved air circulation and filtration that will combat disease transmission, keeping the animals
healthier during their stay with us. We will also have increased space for animals, as well as more adequate office space, visitation rooms and space for
community activities. Our vision of our new Humane Society is one that will
be a better environment to care for the animals and a more welcoming place
for the people that come to adopt or volunteer. If you are interested in helping us get to our New Digs there are many ways to help or donate. If interested, call me for more information at (765) 452-6224 ext. 23
“Thorns may hurt
you, men desert
you, sunlight turn
to fog; but you’re
never friendless
ever, if you have a
dog.”
Kokomo Humane Society • 713 N. Elizabeth St •Kokomo, Indiana 46901 • Phone 765-452-6224 • Hours: Mon-Sat 12pm-5pm
Volunteer Spotlight
The range of volunteer opportunities at KHS is so wide that we are able to
incorporate just about anyone interested in helping shelter animals. We are
always in need of volunteers; we depend on them to help us to make a
difference. Barbara Alexander started volunteering in the spring by fostering
kittens and helping with off-sites events like the Farmers' Market and adoption
events. Her help and the help of other volunteers that do off-site events enables
us to be at multiple venues at the same time.
Foster families extend the number of animals we are able to house. Underage
kittens and puppies in foster homes often have healthier outcomes than they
might in the shelter at such a young age. Foster animals also have the
opportunity to receive more socialization from their friendly foster families, and
in turn the foster families are able to share information about the personalities of
the animals they are caring for with
potential adopters.
Tessa McCormack and Lea Logan are
two volunteers that come regularly to the
shelter to bathe dogs. Giving dogs a good
scrub increases a dog's potential to get
adopted. Lea also walks dogs at the
shelter. This simple act provides not only
much needed exercise, it also helps calm
the animal and allow them to be more
social when other people come to visit.
Tessa also cares for our cats that are
housed at PETCO. This important task
allows us to continue bringing more visibility to our available cats and also enables
our on-site staff at KHS to continue their work at the shelter instead of spending
time commuting to and from PETCO.
Kenny and Marcia Gordon are loyal
volunteers who have also been helping
us care for many amazing cats who
have spent time at PETCO. They clean
the habitats the cats stay in as well as
giving fresh food and water. Equally important is the time they spend interacting with them, giving them attention,
affection and learning about their personalities. KHS could not run without all
of our volunteers that take time out of
their lives to help us the animals. With
all our volunteers do, we are happy to
put the spotlight on individuals to
express our thanks.
COME SEE US AT...
September
12th ● Farmer’s Market
17th ● Kick Off Event
19th ● Pets-a-palooza
26th ● Farmer’s Market
26th ● PETCO
October
3rd ● Barktober Fest
3 & 4th ● PETCO
10th ● Farmer’s Market
25th ● Holwoweenie
Pet Adoption
November
14 & 15th ● Indy Pet Expo
28th ● PETCO
December
5th ● Paws for Christmas
Open House
12 & 13 ● PETCO
Next Volunteer
Orientations
September 29th
October 27th
November 17th
For more information visit our
www.kokomohumane.org
For more info visit
kokomohumane.org
Kokomo Humane Society • 713 N. Elizabeth St •Kokomo, Indiana 46901 • Phone 765-452-6224 • Hours: Mon-Sat 12pm-5pm
Happy Retirement
Most Wanted Items

Small blankets

Small rugs

Bleach

High efficiency laundry
detergent

Dawn dish detergent

Liquid hand soap

Sponges & Spray bottles

Paper towels

Dog treats (like Milk
Bone)

Cat treats

Creamy peanut butter

Kitten Milk Replacement

Small pet food (for rabbits, rodents, birds, also
timothy hay, alfalfa)

Litter Boxes

Trash bags/drum liners
(55 gallon)

Pre-paid Gas Cards for
Travel

Gift Cards (Staples,
Wal-Mart, Target, Kinko’s
and pet stores)
If the weathered scars on Billy Bryant’s arms could talk, they’d have an unbelievable
story to tell. Luckily, Bryant has plenty of stories of his own. Like the time he removed a
pair of 4-foot-long alligators from a house that had pit bulls chained to the front and
back doors. Or the time the fire department called him to extricate an injured badger
the size of a household trashcan from the scene. He’s just about seen it all in his
36-plus years as a Howard County animal control officer.
His message throughout that time, even now that he’s a little more than a month
away from retirement, has remained the same: It’s all about the animals. “It’s never
really been like a job to me, making sure people are taking care of their animals,” Bryant
said. “It’s a daily thing of educating them instead of prosecuting them. That’s what I’ve
always loved about it. “I wouldn’t have traded this job for nothing,” he said. “It was a
low-paying job with long hours. But, I’ve really enjoyed it.”
The story on how Bryant became an animal control officer is an interesting one. It
happened by chance. Bryant answered an ad about a truck for sale. The man selling the
truck, Beryl Geer, happened to be a director with the Kokomo Humane Society, and
asked Bryant if he was looking for a job. “At the time I was a maintenance man for
Holiday Inn,” Bryant said. “I told him, ‘Sure I’d like to have a different kind of a job,
especially one where I could work with animals.’ He pitched me the keys and said, ‘It’s
yours.’ I’ve been here ever since.”
The year was 1979. Bryant has spent the last three and a half decades cultivating
relationships with the people – and animals – of Howard County.
“He’s like the cornerstone of this organization,” Kokomo Humane Society Executive
Director Karen Wolfe said. “Bryar [Schroeter] and Randy [McKinney], when they go out
with Billy, they are taken aback with how well he deals with people, no matter if they’re
angry or happy. That’s his experience working to diffuse situations. He’s helped a lot of
people. “The big thing is you have to love what you do, and he does,” she added. “That
shows in the way he takes care of the animals.”
The job hasn’t changed much over Bryant’s time, but the nature of the animals has.
In the beginning, the majority of dogs he would pick up were mild-mannered breeds like
Dalmatians, cocker spaniels and poodles. Then Doberman pinchers and other large
breeds began to become popular. But today, he says it seems like the animal control
officers deal mainly with breeds like pit bulls and Rottweilers. “It’s a daily thing,” Bryant
said. “You can see our building in the back is completely full of pit bulls. I’m sure that
will fade out to a different breed at some point, but right now it’s pits and rots, and it
can be physical handling a pit bull that don’t want to be handled.” “We’re going to miss
Billy, but things change,” Wolfe said. “We’ll send [Schroeter and McKinney] to school.
Billy had lots and lots of years of experience, and without him here, we need to have
these guys feel comfortable as soon as possible.”
Kokomo Humane Society • 713 N. Elizabeth St •Kokomo, Indiana 46901 • Phone 765-452-6224 • Hours: Mon-Sat 12pm-5pm
Happy Retirement
There is some sadness that Bryant won’t be around as an employee to enjoy the new Kokomo Humane Society building
once it’s operating. Bryant won’t be going far, however. He’ll continue to own and operate Bryant’s Outdoor Store on North
Apperson Way. “I’ll be there; I only live a spitting distance away,” he said. “The most important thing is we are building a new
building. The Humane Society is a great thing for this country. Without organizations like the Humane Society, it would be
terrifying in the streets. You’d have packs of animals delivering vicious attacks and even killings. And, you’d have so many
suffering animals and overpopulation. “And it ain’t about the people. It’s about the animals,” he added. “That’s it in a
nutshell. It’s about the animals. Period. End of story. That’s why we’re here.” By Josh Sigler, Kokomo Tribune
Ales for Tails was a HUGE Success!
It was truly a night for celebration at the Kokomo
Humane Society's 10th Anniversary of Ales for Tails.
Over 450 guests filled the fundraiser hosted at
PASTArrific's elegant Bel Air Events. Chef Cynthia's food
and cupcakes by Indulgence Bakery were delicious and
the craft beer selection from Mid America beverage and
Home Brewers Association definitely put the "Ale" in
Ales for Tails. From the initial planning of the event
which started in January, until the doors opened on
June 17th we were overwhelmed by the outpouring of
community support. We had a record breaking 93
individuals and businesses stepping up as sponsors.
The support continued as an incredible amount of
fantastic items were donated to the silent and live
auctions. The winning bids on auction items contributed
to this being our most successful fundraiser to date: just
under $79,000 were raised for the New Digs building
fund. We are astounded by the generosity of the community and thrilled that the dream of a new Humane Society is indeed
an achievable goal. This support helps us achieve our mission of improving the lives of animals. If you would like to be a part
of this exciting endeavor, please contact Karen Wolfe (765) 452-6224 ext. 23 at the Kokomo Humane Society to discuss how
you can help.
Getting ready for Fall! Pet Expo September 19th and Barktober Fest October 3rd
Miles Handy was the highest bidder at Ales for Tails for the
featured spot on the cover of this year’s Barktober Fest Brochure.
His family will be the cover picture for are 2015 Brochure. Miles is
the owner of Pets Supply Plus and we are in the process of finding
new ways for the Humane Society and Pets Supplies Plus to work
together to benefit everyone, animals and humans alike! We are
starting out by participating in the upcoming Pet Expo hosted by
Pet Supplies Plus. We are thrilled to be forming a new relationship
with a local business and happy to see these smiling faces on the
cover of our Barktober Fest Brochure.
Kokomo Humane Society • 713 N. Elizabeth St •Kokomo, Indiana 46901 • Phone 765-452-6224 • Hours: Mon-Sat 12pm-5pm
NON– PROFIT
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NUMBER 594
KOKOMO, IN
Helping animals since 1891
713 N. Elizabeth St
Kokomo, IN 46901
Barktober Fest Leaders of the Pack:
● Sycamore
Financial
● William &
Sandra Knarr
● Robert Mullen & Dianna Delgado
Are you ready for Barktober Fest?
October 3, 2015
Foster Park
Make a team and raise money for
our dog walk! Call the Kokomo
Humane Society at 765-452-6224
www.kokomohumane.org
Kokomo Humane Society • 713 N. Elizabeth St •Kokomo, Indiana 46901 • Phone 765-452-6224 • Hours: Mon-Sat 12pm-5pm