The OwnUpSA Consortium Programs Task Force sponsored a workshop on Humane Education and Service Learning on February 13, 2009. The workshop was hosted by the Humane Society SPCA of Bexar County.

The workshop was presented by Jennifer Dragotta, the Assistant Director of Humane Education at the ASPCA.  Dr. Kimberly Barker, Texas A&M Kingsville at San Antonio, gave an update on the Service Learning initiative that she is leading with 5 southside school districts in San Antonio. The Service Learning initiative is another program sponsored by the Programs Task Force.

The workshop was attended by 18 representatives from Animal Care Services, Animal Defense League, Humane Society, rescue groups and volunteers from the Alamo Area Partners for Animal Welfare (AAPAW), and the San Antonio Area Foundation Animal Services/OwnUpSA team.

Future workshops are being planned on the topics of Volunteer Management, Customer Service, Spay/Neuter Transport, and Medical Protocols. The next workshop will be on Volunteer Management in May.

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Don’t miss a family-friendly, ‘dog-gone’ good time, Saturday, March 14^th, during the 2^nd Annual Pucks & Paws event. The Pet Fair starts at 5 p.m. on the West Sombrilla with events and activities, including an animal adoption tent. Also starting at 5 p.m., the Rampage Sled Hockey team will take on the Chicago Blackhawks Sled team. The puck drops for the Rampage game against the Houston Aeros at 7 p.m. Lower level tickets are $15. Dog tickets are $5, while they last. A portion of all ticket sales will benefit OwnUp SA.

For more information, visit 0wnUp SA Calendar of Events, call (210) 444-5554 or visit www.sarampage.com.

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No Kill 2012 campaign nets some all-star supporters

As OwnUp SA passes the six-month mark in a community initiative to reach No Kill by 2012, measurable results can already be seen in areas of visible support from local leaders and in the Animal Care Services numbers. In a press conference on Friday, Mayor Phil Hardberger welcomed former Spur Sean Elliott and County Judge Nelson Wolff as the newest faces of OwnUp SA.

When Hardberger launched OwnUp SA in March, he set a goal of finding homes for every healthy adoptable pet in the community by the year 2012. During the ensuing six months, the initiative has gained momentum with new programs, additional corporate supporters and increased public awareness.

Animal Care Services will soon be closing out the 2008 statistical year and the numbers they report are encouraging:

• Adoptions are up more than 44 percent since the OwnUp SA launch in March.
• Nearly 5,000 more pets have been saved this year.
  (32,210 ACS euthanasia’s in 2007; projected 27,228 for 2008)

“We’re pleased with the progress and applaud this first step toward our No Kill goal. And, with our new supporters, Judge Wolff and Bexar County and Sean Elliott, we’re moving closer to reaching No Kill by 2012,” said Hardberger.

In areas that have successfully reached this goal, such as San Francisco and the greater Tompkins County region of New York, they have utilized Nathan Winograd’s No Kill Equation. A key component in this equation is opening up new adoption avenues, which is why OwnUp SA has supported the monthly First Saturday adoption promotions at all area shelters.

In addition, T-N-R (Trap-Neuter-Return) policy for stray cats, high-volume, low-cost spay/neuter programs, cooperative relationships with rescue organizations and aggressive owner retention efforts are all keys to long-term success. It is estimated that for every $1 spent on providing low-cost spay and neuter services, $10 is saved from the city animal services budget.

However, with a little more than three years left before the No Kill target date additional community engagement will be required to ensure that every pet in San Antonio finds a lifetime home. With the name recognition and public visibility of Elliott, No Kill proponents believe more San Antonians will embrace the challenge.
“Pets have always been a part of my life and I’m thrilled to have this opportunity to repay the unconditional love and loyalty they’ve always shown me. I know how pets can enrich the quality of your life and want everyone in San Antonio to share my commitment to seeing every pet find a home where they can share that love with someone,” Elliott said.

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The City of San Antonio’s Animal Care Services Department and Metro Health have confirmed the second case of rabies in a domestic animal in Bexar County in the last three months. Like the previous incident from July, the latest case involves a pet kitten that was not vaccinated against the deadly but preventable disease.

“It’s imperative everyone understands the importance of vaccinating your pet against rabies,” says Animal Care Services Director Jef Hale. “Rabies vaccinations safeguard you, your family, your pet and our community against this deadly disease. That is why up-to-date vaccinations are required by both City and State law.”

The current case involves a six-month old, unvaccinated kitten that bit his owner. The man reported seeing a skunk in his neighborhood but was unsure if his kitten had come in contact with the animal.  Thus, the owner received medical care and the animal was submitted to Animal Care Services for rabies testing. Lab results from Metro Health confirmed the kitten had rabies.

As ACS continues educational efforts already underway, the department will return to the northwest side neighborhood on Friday, October 3, to distribute informational flyers to residents.

“These two cases of rabies in domestic cats are unusual and are of concern. Thus far this year, we have confirmed 17 cases of rabies in Bexar County, with the

majority of those occurring in bats and skunks and one in a raccoon,” said Dr. Fernando A. Guerra, director of Metro Health.  “I can not overemphasize the importance of pet owners taking appropriate care of their pets and limiting their pet’s contact with wildlife.  People also need to be extremely careful not to handle wildlife. Children, in particular, should be reminded of the dangers of handling any animals they do not know, especially bats during this migration season.”

Rabies is a potentially fatal viral disease that is spread by contact with infected saliva or neural tissue, primarily through a bite but in certain rare cases through non-bite

exposures like abrasions or scratches.  The virus infects the central nervous system eventually causing death in nearly all cases if not prevented with the rabies vaccine.

Currently, there is a nationwide temporary shortage of the human rabies vaccine due to manufacturing issues. As a result, the vaccine is only available to individuals who have been exposed and are at high risk of contracting rabies. Because of the limited supply, it is even more critical for local residents to have their pets vaccinated against the rabies virus.

All animal bites must be reported to Animal Care Services. The 24-hour Bite Emergency line is 207-6667. For more information on rabies, visit www.dshs.state.tx.us.

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The Humane Society SPCA of Bexar County took in dogs and cats, puppies and kittens from Corpus Christi Animal Control, Gulf Coast Humane, Galveston Island Humane via Houston SPCA, and Houston SPCA.

It is important to note that when Humane Society SPCA and ADL worked together and took transfers from Houston SPCA we enabled them to setup and become “incident command” for major field rescue efforts for thousands of hurricane and flood victim pets on the gulf and in east Texas.

The Humane Society SPCA have taken in 148 shelter owned evacuated pets and plan to receive 45 more (mostly cats) tomorrow.

As of yesterday 90 were adopted. Adoption prices were subsidiezed by donations from the public. Thirty more adoptable pets are leaving on adoption transfer to New York City with our friends from North Shore
Animal League.

Thanks to all of you who forwarded on our community need for volunteers at the City managed animal warehouse locations and who offered to assist at the Humane Society campus on Fredericksburg Road.

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FREE Pets for Seniors on Express-NewsView this video on Express-News Video

By Vincent T. Davis, San Antonio Express - NewsMartha de Funes considers herself a lucky woman.

A longtime animal lover, she’s taken in cats, dogs and even a boa constrictor that one of her sons had to have.

Among her brood was Furball, a dog that workers rescued during the flood of 1998. De Funes, a 77-year-old schoolteacher, adopted the white Labrador mix at a local shelter, cherishing his companionship for 10 years.

Furball died last month. She mourned him like a treasured member of the family. Then she read about a program that brightened her mood.

De Funes read about a WellMed Medical Group program that offers pets to seniors for free. She drove to the Animal Defense League of Texas office at 11300 Nacogdoches Road and found a small, white Lab mix with a brown muzzle and spots to match. She left the office as the first senior to adopt one of many stray animals in need of companionship.

WellMed’s Free Pets for Seniors adoption program pays for dogs and cats 4 months and up adopted by people 65 and older at the city’s Animal Care Services and the Animal Defense League. Dr. George Rapier, chairman of WellMed, created the program he calls a “win-win” for seniors and homeless pets.

“As health care providers to 77,000 patients here in San Antonio — 40,000 of which are senior citizens — we’ve seen firsthand the medical benefits of having a pet,” Rapier said. “We encourage pet ownership, particularly among seniors.”

Studies from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show seniors who own pets demonstrate increased health benefits, which include lower cholesterol, triglyceride and blood pressure levels. They also show pet owners have lower medical bills and better psychological health.

The founders hope the program will cut seniors’ doctor appointments and the number of animals in shelters, saving millions of dollars they say can be spent on other needs in the community.

As a partner of a consortium of corporate and civic leaders called OwnUp SA, WellMed offers the program as one more way to help the city reach its No Kill 2012 goal. Recently, Mayor Phil Hardberger called for an end to the euthanasia of 30,000 animals annually at area shelters.

The WellMed group proposes that if every one of the 188,000 eligible seniors in San Antonio chose to adopt a pet, it would help ensure that the city reaches its goal.

“As caring medical professionals, we appreciate the importance of all life — and in San Antonio, we’ve ignored the fate of pets for too long,” Rapier said.

The screening process for WellMed’s adoption program is stringent enough to ensure that the animals go to good homes, said Ron Aaron, executive director of the Animal Defense League of Texas.

“There are a lot of older people living alone,” Aaron said. “It’s a huge health benefit for folks who have an animal as a companion.”

De Funes visited Aaron at the Animal Defense League on Monday afternoon with the puppy in her arms and her son Murray Knox.

“Having a pet in the house has made a difference,” said Knox, 54, as the puppy stretched his red leash under the bench. Behind them in a compound sat several dogs waiting to be adopted.

“People need to stop thinking and come and get one,” de Funes said.

She told Aaron the puppy sounds like a cat when he yawns. He sleeps on a round pillow beside her bed, gnawing on a torn shoe when he’s awake. And when he needs to go outside, he reaches up and paws at the bed for her to get up.

Aaron told De Funes that seniors have adopted 20 pets since the program began.

De Funes named hers Lucky.

“I figured I was lucky,” she said, “and he was too.”

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Despite the ban on fireworks in San Antonio and Bexar County, there’s little doubt some neighborhoods will reverberate with the bangs, booms, pops and flashes that accompany Fourth of July celebrations. And while humans may enjoy the revelry, for some dogs fireworks — like thunder storms — can cause a great deal of stress including:

• Shaking, trembling violently
• Drooling excessively
• Barking, howling
• Trying to hide or get into/out of the house, fence or other enclosure
• Refusing to eat food or drink water
• Losing bladder or bowel control or experiencing temporary diarrhea from prolonged stress

So what can an owner do to protect their dogs from the stress associated with fireworks?

• Keep pets indoors: Close the curtains or blinds and turn on the TV or radio to provide a distraction. A quiet place, such as a carrier or crate may provide your pet with a sense of security and comfort.
• Use a leash or carrier if you must go outside with your pet to keep her from running off, which is a common response to stress and fear triggered by loud noises and sudden flashes of light.
• Practice fire safety. Keep pets away from matches, open fires and fireworks - especially ones that are lighted on the ground. Pets may try to sniff (or eat) fireworks and pet hair can easily catch fire if too close to the fireworks.
• Take pets for a walk before dark and the fireworks start. Some pets are too frightened to void once the fireworks begin and this may lead to an “accident” later on.
• Make sure pet ID is current. Make sure that your pet has proper identification tags, with current information, in case she gets away. Microchips are strongly recommended.

Frightened/stressed animals can hurt themselves and possibly run off if left alone and the results can be fatal. Animals running loose can get lost or, worse yet, hit by a car. If nothing seems to work to calm your dog, talk to your veterinarian about tranquilizers. They are not for every pet but they can help calm some who are overly stressed by loud noises.*
Contact: For more information, please contact Ron Aaron, executive director of the Animal Defense League at 210-464-0001

*Adapted from http://vetmedicine.about.com/library/weekly/aa062900.htm?p=1

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Enroll and shop through iGive.com and the City of San Antonio Animal Care Services will receive a donation with every purchase. In addition to a $5 “First-Time Bonus” contributed when anyone joins and uses the iGive shopping links, members shopping at any of the 680+ site name brand store links will be contributing to ACS each time they purchase. For more information and to enroll, visit: www.iGive.com/welcome/warmwelcome.cfm?c=43312

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During the months of April and May, 5% of the pretax total on ANY ORDER placed with Prism Tea and Gifts will be donated to the Diamond Dachshund Rescue of Texas organization. Visit www.PrismTea.com to view the selection of premium teas and gift baskets and help local ’sausage’ dogs! For more information, email tearoom@prismtea.com.

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Animal Care Services is working with Vacations by Design to offer a five-night Western Caribbean Cruise that will serve as a fundraiser for the department. For every cabin booked, $100.00 will go toward the City of San Antonio Animal Care Services Department Donation Fund, which helps to enhance the quality of life for the cats and dogs at the shelter. The vacation cruise is slated for January 24, 2009, leaving as a round-trip from Galveston, aboard the Carnival “Fun Ship” Ecstasy.

Itinerary:					Cruise Pricing:
Day	Port of Call	Arrive	Depart		Inside Cabin
Sat:	Galveston		4:00pm		2 in a cabin: $460.00 per person
Sun	Fun Day at Sea				3 in a cabin: $408.33 per person
Mon:	Cozumel	9:00am	5:00pm		4 in a cabin: $382.50 per person
Tue:	Progreso	9:00am	5:00pm		Ocean View Cabin
Wed:	Fun Day at Sea				2 in a cabin: $520.00 per person
Thur:	Galveston	8:00am			3 in a cabin: $455.00 per person
					4 in a cabin: $422.50 per person

** Triple and Quad cabins are subject to availability at the time of booking and require full deposit of $250 per person at time of booking. Names and dates of birth of all persons in the cabin must be provided at the time of booking. Not included: gratuities of $50 per person, alcoholic & carbonated beverages, bottled water, casino play, bingo, shore excursions, spa visits, travel insurance, air fare, parking at the pier, pre or post hotel and personal spending. Monthly payments are accepted. Credit cards are processed by Carnival Cruise Line. Travel insurance is strongly recommended for all persons traveling to protect your vacation investment. Price of insurance is based on age and price of cruise. $25 on board credit to each cabin.

Payment Requirements $100 per person Deposit due at booking Triple or Quad cabin bookings require full deposit $250 per person due by 8/15/2008 Final Payment Due: 10/30/2008

Cancellation Policy There is a $100 per person Agency Cancellation Fee in addition to Carnival’s Cancellation Policy.

For more information, contact: Nannette Gwaltney, ECC, owner of Vacations by Design, 522 Shin Oak, San Antonio, Texas 78233; call (210) 656-6668 or (210) 373-5580; email vacationsbydesign@satx.rr.com; or visit Vacations by Design on the Web at www.greatvacationsbydesign.com.

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SAN ANTONIO – No bones about it, the San Antonio Rampage’s first annual “Pucks & Paws” event, presented by Pedigree, celebrated sweeping success on Saturday, March 22, when thousands of fans – and their pooches – packed the AT&T Center to cheer the San Antonio Rampage in their dogfight against the Chicago Wolves.

With a portion of the proceeds directly benefiting OwnUp SA – a campaign created to help San Antonio reach No Kill status by 2012 – Pucks & Paws drew in 6,516 San Antonio dog lovers and 522 of their four-legged friends. The Paws for Pets fair kicked off at 5:30 P.M. in the AT&T Center Sombrilla and included over 25 booths of pet-related products and services. Dogs of seemingly every size and breed frolicked and mingled while their owners learned about area shelters, obedience training and the benefits of low-cost spaying/neutering. Many pet owners took advantage of discount micro-chipping and vaccination opportunities as well.

Pucks & Paws event album Click on the photo to see more.

Yet canine companions weren’t the only ones wagging their tails. The San Antonio Rampage reported a 20% increase in fan attendance on the eve of Pucks & Paws, proving that corporate sponsors’ involvement with OwnUp SA is truly a win-win solution. Thanks to the nearly 1,100 additional fans who packed the AT&T Center as a result of Pucks & Paws, ticket, concession and merchandise sales also increased, benefiting the Rampage in a big way. In addition, Pucks & Paws provided promotional opportunities for other corporate sponsors backing the OwnUp SA initiative, such as SeaWorld and Spurs Sports & Entertainment, showcasing the fact that it pays off to support a solid cause.

San Antonio pet lovers contributed to a total of $1,895 in revenue for OwnUp SA through ticket sales and donations. And more than 300 people signed OwnUp SA pledge cards, promising to spay or neuter their pet, keep their pet safe and healthy and/or adopt a pet from a local animal shelter.

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>> Click here to listen to the Pucks and Paws Interview on WOAI Radio

SAN ANTONIO – Making a decision to break with the pack, the San Antonio Rampage will host the first major AT&T Center sporting event ever to invite pets as game spectators when they face off against the Chicago Wolves on March 22 in the inaugural Pucks & Paws Night presented by Pedigree.

In support of the OwnUp SA No Kill community initiative, the Rampage will welcome up to 1,000 dogs – and their owners – to the AT&T Center for a 5:30 p.m. Paws for Pets Fair prior to the 7 p.m. hockey game. While the presence of “hockey pups” guarantees a dog-gone good time, it serves a more serious purpose. All proceeds from the sale of “dog tickets” will be donated to the OwnUp SA initiative, along with a portion of every lower-level “human ticket” sold.

As the first of its kind event, Pedigree Pucks & Paws represents several groundbreaking milestones. Not only will this be the first time companion pets are invited inside the AT&T Center, but it is the first professional sporting event in San Antonio with dogs as paid spectators and the first of many OwnUp SA occasions designed to engage a wide cross-section of the community in the No Kill 2012 initiative.

Mayor Hardberger and Rampage parent-company Spurs Sports & Entertainment CEO Peter Holt officially launched the OwnUp SA initiative on March 7 at City Hall, focusing attention on the No Kill Equation components:

• Expanding Feral Cat TNR Program
• Promoting High-Volume, Low-Cost Spay/Neuter
• Engaging Rescue & Foster Care Groups
• Staging Comprehensive Adoption Programs
• Encouraging Pet Retention
• Establishing Medical and Behavior Rehabilitation
• Stimulating Community Involvement
• Recruiting Volunteers

The Pedigree Pucks & Paws Night will address many of these elements, in addition to raising some of the much-needed financial resources required to continue this initiative through the next four years. With lower-level tickets priced at only $15, this provides an affordable – and unique – opportunity for dog-lovers and their best friends to spend some quality time together while raising some scratch for the homeless pets of San Antonio. Fans will need to have their dogs on a leash and be sure to have at least one person for each pet in attendance.

For more information, visit www.SARampage.com to purchase tickets or learn more about how to OwnUp SA at www.OwnUpSA.com.

ABOUT THE RAMPAGE
The Rampage were established in the spring of 2002 when the AHL Board of Governors approved the sale of the AHL franchise owned by the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League to San Antonio Hockey LLC, a joint venture of the San Antonio Spurs (SS&E) and the Florida Panthers (NHL).Spurs Sports & Entertainment (parent company of the NBA Spurs, AHL Rampage and WNBA Silver Stars) assumed sole ownership of the Rampage on June 30, 2005, when they purchased the Florida Panthers’ portion of the San Antonio-based AHL franchise. At the same time, the Rampage entered into a multi-year affiliation agreement with the Phoenix Coyotes (NHL).In their sixth season, the Rampage are the longest consecutive-running professional hockey franchise in San Antonio, having eclipsed the Central Hockey League San Antonio Iguanas (1994-97, 1998-2002). The San Antonio Dragons of the now defunct International Hockey League (IHL) played two seasons (1996-98).

ABOUT OwnUp SA!
San Antonio Area Foundation and City of San Antonio have formed a cooperative partnership, OwnUp SA, tasked with achieving the No Kill 2012 goal. A board of community voices – the Consortium of Partners – was created to rally the support of corporate partners, solicit the involvement of non-profit organizations and engage the participation of the community. For more information, visit www.OwnUpSA.com.

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No Kill 2012 campaign unveiled as initiative goals outlined

SAN ANTONIO – In response to a public outcry for improved animal care at the San Antonio Animal Care Services (ACS), Mayor Phil Hardberger called for an in-depth examination of the city’s treatment of stray and abandoned animals and issued a city-wide challenge to make San Antonio a No Kill community by 2012.

Today, backed by a University of Texas at San Antonio Culture & Policy Institute study, a five-year strategic plan developed by the ACS Advisory Board and a new $12 million Animal Care Services facility, Mayor Hardberger formally unveiled OwnUp SA – the public face of the community’s No Kill 2012 campaign.

Developed in partnership with the San Antonio Area Foundation, this comprehensive plan addresses the need for responsible pet ownership and offers workable solutions to move our community toward No Kill success.

Joined by Peter Holt, Spurs Sports & Entertainment CEO and corporate chair for the OwnUp SA Consortium of Partners, representatives from a number of area shelters and resource organizations, along with “Chips” and “Salsa,” the new ACS mascots, and “T-Bone,” the Rampage Mascot, Mayor Hardberger challenged everyone to help make No Kill a reality for San Antonio.

On average, a staggering 100+ unwanted companion animals per day enter the city ACS shelter, leading to a system that currently euthanizes more than 30,000 homeless animals annually. Today, the OwnUp SA partners demonstrated their commitment to accomplishing the No Kill 2012 goal and showed how the entire community can be a part of the solution through the OwnUp SA initiative.

“We’re seeking dynamic solutions to meet this challenge – saving the life of all healthy adoptable pets by 2012,” explained Hardberger.

Holt acknowledged that full community support is needed for success. “I know the people of San Antonio have enough room in their hearts to take in every healthy, homeless pet in Bexar County. It’s time for us to put this compassion into action and step-up on behalf of all companion animals.” The OwnUp SA Consortium of Partners also advocated greater public education, increased spay and neuter opportunities, more public adoption events and additional rescue efforts.

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SeaWorld San Antonio and Jack Hanna speak up for companion pets

SAN ANTONIO—SeaWorld San Antonio is offering “a whale of a deal!” Beginning March 16 and continuing through December 31, anyone who “opts to adopt” a new companion pet from a participating shelters receives a half-price admission ticket to SeaWorld San Antonio, while supplies last. In corporate partnership with the San Antonio Area Foundation Animal No Kill Consortium of Partners and the City of San Antonio, SeaWorld is encouraging shelter adoptions and participation in the city’s strategic plan to become a No Kill community by 2012.

To punctuate the importance they attach to reaching No Kill, SeaWorld invited internationally-renowned animal conservationist and television personality “Jungle” Jack Hanna to speak Friday morning in their Nautilus Amphitheater about his well-documented support of No Kill.

“San Antonio and its city leaders will set an example for other communities to take on this important and necessary No Kill goal. How a community treats its animals is becoming an important indicator for city expansion. I support this initiative and want to say thank you to SeaWorld San Antonio for their foresight in getting behind No Kill,” Hanna said.

He took center stage alongside SeaWorld San Antonio General Manager Dan Decker and Area Foundation Consortium of Partners community chair Laura McKieran, showcasing the role that everyone can play in achieving the No Kill 2012 goal.

“This is a great community initiative for San Antonio,” said Decker. “SeaWorld San Antonio is proud to be involved as part of our 20th Birthday Celebration. We look forward to assisting with the No Kill 2012 initiative in whatever way we can.”

SeaWorld’s commitment to homeless animals is evidenced by its conservation efforts for endangered species, through the Sea World & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund (www.swbg-conservationfund.org). And this is demonstrated through its “Waggin’ Tales” show, featuring hundreds of animals adopted from shelters around the country.

SeaWorld encourages sustainable solutions through a number of programs including animal rescue, rehabilitation and education, making SeaWorld a perfect complement to the Consortium of Partners No Kill goals.

This tradition of philanthropy runs deep for SeaWorld San Antonio, whose annual contributions exceed $250,000 in-kind to non-profit organizations. SeaWorld has hosted more than 36 million visitors in its 20-year history; the park will celebrate its 20th birthday with a ceremony on April 10.

SEAWORLD SAN ANTONIO:
The Worlds of Discovery parks include SeaWorld parks in Orlando, San Diego and San Antonio; Busch Gardens Africa and Adventure Island in Tampa Bay and Busch Gardens Europe and Water Country USA in Williamsburg, Va.; Discovery Cove in Orlando; and Sesame Place near Philadelphia. Aquatica, SeaWorld’s waterpark, is under construction in Orlando. Additionally, Busch Entertainment Corporation created the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund, a non-profit, private charitable foundation committed to supporting wildlife and habitat conservation, research, education and animal rescue programs worldwide.

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