SPEAKING OF ANIMALSUtah Humane Society Mid-2020 Review

UtahHumane.org

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CONTENTSA message from our executive director ...........................

Mid-year update ....................................................................

St. George mobile clinic ......................................................

In memory of JoAnn Seghini ..............................................

Success stories .......................................................................

Featured pets .........................................................................

Pet retention & rehoming ....................................................

Will’s story ................................................................................

What to do if you find a stray animal ................................

H.E.R.O. Kids’ Summer Camp review ................................

Upcoming events ...................................................................

Vaugh Maurice with one of his two dogs, Nadia.

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A MESSAGE FROM OUREXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

To say we’ve all been through a lot this year is an understatement. As I reflect on the first half of this year to write an update for you, I am inspired and amazed that we’ve been through so much together.

The Humane Society of Utah worked hard to build our lifesaving programs and services for the community into what they were at the beginning of 2020. It was difficult to see some of these services close temporarily. Due to the global pandemic, we had to suspend clinic services, end humane education efforts, limit animal admissions and cut back on other programs to weather the storm. We made difficult decisions to ensure that our organization could withstand the challenges ahead.

Months later, we’re pleased to announce that all services are not only active but thriving! Our clinic is busier than ever, and we’re continuing our plans to expand south. Taking every precaution possible to stay safe and stay open, we’ve made many adjustments, and have even found ways to work more efficiently. None of this would have been possible if it weren’t for the continued support we received during the most challenging times. We cannot thank you enough for helping us continue to Change Their World.

Sincerely,

Vaughn MauriceExecutive Director

We could not have made it through the recent challenges without the support of our donors, and we’re forever grateful.

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At the beginning of 2020, the Humane Society of Utah proudly reported its achievements for 2019 and plans for the upcoming year. Our finely-tuned departments and programs were helping animals like never before, and we were preparing to expand our clinic services to the underserved population of Washington County, Utah.

Then the unthinkable struck and a global pandemic changed everything. In the beginning, many services came to a halt as the state reacted to the COVID-19 danger. Every department at the Humane Society of Utah was effected. We temporarily suspended all

clinic services to the public, including vaccination and spay/neuter surgeries. In March, we donated most of our gowns and other personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Utah Department of Health to distribute to front-line medical personnel treating patients with COVID-19.

Luckily, spay/neuter surgeries were amended as essential services, and we resumed these for our shelter animals. In time, we offered vaccinations again and started booking new spay/neuter appointments for the public in June after catching up on canceled appointments. Since then, our clinic has been busier than ever, leading us to

The year 2020 has posed many challenges and

changes for all of us, but we’ve kept

our focus on the animals we’re here to help.

MID-YEARUPDATE

Mid-Year Update Cont.

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reevaluate our walk-in process by implementing a virtual queue system to provide even better customer service while enabling social distancing for safety.

Animal admissions also saw many changes over the past few months due to COVID-19 restrictions. We asked pet owners looking to surrender their pets to delay bringing their animals to us due to the shortage of staff and resources. Only emergency cases were admitted. Transfers from other agencies were also suspended temporarily.

To continue providing resources to keep pets and people together and encourage pet guardians to rehome animals that were not in dire need of our shelter services, we created a Private Pet Rehoming system. This online service provides a place for owners to create profiles for their pets that potential adopters can view on our website. By diverting the animal from entering the shelter, they can stay comfortably in their home until the owner finds another new, loving home for them. Private rehoming has become accepted and encouraged in the animal welfare industry. It prevents undue stress on the animal and reserves the space and resources in shelters for animals that truly need it.

Municipal shelters continued to accept animals at large during the quarantine and closing of other organizations, and they quickly became overburdened. Our Transfer Team partners with these shelters to bring in animals that need our medical attention and adoption services, thereby easing the strain on these government agencies. The Humane Society of Utah made it a priority to resume transfers with these local shelters as soon as possible, and animals were brought to us from

local shelters in May and out-of-state partners in July.

One of the programs suspended in March was our Humane Education outreach to children since we were unable to visit classrooms. We also canceled our H.E.R.O. Spring Kids’ Camp and other fundraising events. During this time, we looked at options to visit classrooms virtually. We will be moving forward with plans to reach out to classes and safely continue teaching children about the importance of proper pet care and animal welfare issues. And to instill respect and empathy for all animals in the upcoming academic year.

As a local, private nonprofit organization, our fundraising efforts are more critical now than ever. Our annual Wags to Wishes Gala has been rescheduled to December 12, and we are considering all options, including holding a virtual event. Bark at the Moon will be held at our facility to allow outdoor social distancing for dogs and their families. Upcoming events and our Wish List of physical items needed can be found, and online donations can be made, at UtahHumane.org.

As our daily work resumes after overcoming unprecedented challenges, we look forward to the future. Our staff, volunteers, and public visitors must practice recommended safety procedures when visiting. The new practices we adopted during the past few months will be retained to keep people and pets safe so we can stay open. The next few months may look different, but we are confident that we will continue to adapt to any new challenges and continue to Change Their World.

From left to right: Buddy the dog, Humane Society of Utah relief veterinarian, Dr. Emily Hays, clinic manager, Kelsie Watters, and lead surgery tech, Jade Charles.

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ST. GEORGE MOBILE CLINICSpaying and neutering your pets is the best way to curb the pet overpopulation problem and prevent homeless animals from entering the shelter system. The Humane Society of Utah opened its nonprofit spay/neuter clinic in 1962, and since that time, we’ve performed hundreds of thousands of sterilization surgeries. We currently average over 10,000 dog

and cat spay and neuter operations each year.

There is a critical demand for help in the Washington County, Utah area. With factors effecting what animals the local shelters can accept, and a lack of available veterinary services, there is an overwhelming need for sterilization options for pets.

St. George Mobile Clinic Continued

After witnessing the dire situation in the Washington County area, the Humane Society of Utah executive director, Vaughn Maurice, proposed that clinic services be expanded to reach this underserved pet population. With the approval of the Board of Directors, Maurice initiated plans to open an affordable wellness clinic in the St. George area to provide the same services that are offered at the Murray City location.

As the population of St. George continues to grow, so does the number of pets. An affordable space was located where pet vaccinations and spay/neuter surgeries could be performed for the community; however, the clinic’s scheduled opening was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Not giving up on the people and pets who were eagerly awaiting the help that the Humane Society of Utah had proposed, Maurice found an alternate solution to begin scheduling spay/neuter surgeries for the overburdened animal shelters and rescue groups in the area using a mobile clinic trailer. The use of the veterinary trailer was donated by the Utah State University Veterinary School of Medicine. With the addition of shelter veterinarian, Dr. Gray, and staff, appointments are scheduled to begin in September 2020.

Spay and neuter surgeries will be performed in the mobile clinic until the wellness clinic can open for the community.

The affordable public wellness clinic is expected to open later this year. Until then, this crucial service will be available to the local animal welfare community and

public. As we work together to help the homeless animals throughout the state, we know many other areas are also in need of spay/neuter services. We hope to be able to bring this mobile clinic to other locations in the near future.

Dr. JoAnn Seghini passed away at the age of 82. JoAnn was a dedicated member of the Humane Society of Utah Board of Directors for over 30 years and a lifetime animal advocate.

Her public career started with the Jordan School District, where she had a 36-year career as a teacher then as an administrator. She went on to become the first woman to be elected to a Midvale public office, served three terms as a council member, and 20 years as the mayor. JoAnn retired as mayor in January 2018 but continued her public work with local nonprofits. The Humane Society of Utah honors Dr. JoAnn Seghini for her many years of devotion to the people and animals of Utah and her significant contributions to its Board of Directors in fulfilling our mission.

IN MEMORY OF JOANN SEGHINI

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In 2020, we’ve celebrated these adoptions and many, many more!

Hagrid and his sister, Ruby came to the Utah Humane Society from the Tooele City Shelter. They were small, scared, and Hagrid’s eye needed treatment. Our shelter vet determined that Hagrid had a condition called entropion, which means the eyelid is inverted, causing the eyelashes to roll inward and irritate the eye itself. Hagrid and Ruby were sent to foster care with the Collard family to treat the infection in Hagrid’s eye. Also, 9-year-old Zoe Collard is a “kitten whisperer” who has worked wonders with many shy kittens from the Utah Humane Society.

By the time Hagrid and Ruby were big enough for spay/neuter surgery, they had transformed into healthy, happy kittens. They are both comfortable around kids and nice dogs, thanks to time with Zoe and Zach Collard and Gille, their Portuguese Water Dog, who was adopted from Utah Humane Society in 2010. Our shelter vet was able to repair the entropion in Hagrid’s eye, and he is now available for adoption.

We are so grateful for our transfer partners, the 400+ active foster volunteers who have already helped us in 2020, and the donors who make our shelter medical program a community resource!

Puppy came to us at six months old and only weighed about 3 pounds. Puppy was thin and dehydrated, and he could barely hold up his head. He also had a ruptured eye and an abscess in one leg that made the leg unusable. He went to a

staff member’s home for six weeks of foster care to build his strength.

Puppy started to improve after a week of fluids, warm compresses, spoon-feeding and taking lots of naps. Our shelter veterinarian amputated his leg and removed his injured eye. Once recovered, he was adopted within hours after being made available. Puppy is now living his best, pampered life. His best friend is the family cat, and they spend hours each day playing hide-and-seek.

SUCCESS STORIES

Hagrid and Ruby resting comfortably in their foster home.

Puppy before.

Puppy after.

FEATUREDPETS

Snowy is a 16-year-old spayed female who has been waiting over 116 days to find a home! A quick brushing makes her purr like crazy and keeps her beautiful coat tangle-free. She enjoys cuddling and lounging in the sunshine. Snowy is on a prescription diet that costs about the same as most top-shelf brands of cat food.

Bat Woman is a friendly 6-year-old spayed female who enjoys salads and cuddles. She lived with cats, rabbits, and dogs in her previous home. Bat Woman has been waiting over 14 days to find her home, is it with you?

You can Name Your Own Price to adopt Snowy and Bat Woman.

Visit Utah Humane Society and speak with our Adoption Team to learn more!

UtahHumane.org/Adopt

Oreo before.

Oreo after.

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Oreo was surrendered to our shelter with chronic ear infections, allergies leading to severe hairless, and a grade-one heart murmur. He was not house trained, and his behavior was declining in the shelter. One of our amazing foster parents took him home to give him the loving care he needed. His ear infections got better, his hair started growing back, and he worked on his house training manners.

He was adopted out of his foster home a month later. His new family said, “Oreo fits right in here. He runs around with the kids and is always lounging with us, getting all the cuddles and giving kisses like no other. We already love him so much!”

We have a great facility, and we work hard to provide the best possible care for the animals who come to us, but a shelter is still a stressful place for any animal. There is a shift in the animal welfare industry to divert animals from entering the shelter system when possible, thereby reserving the space and resources for the animals who need them most.

Our vision is to bring pets and people together and keep them together. Before deciding to surrender a pet to a shelter, we encourage owners to look into alternative solutions to keep or rehome their pets.

Our Pet Retention Program is intended to provide assistance and resources to pet owners who wish to keep their pets but are experiencing hardship. Will’s story on the next page is an example of this program. More information may be found at UtahHumane.org/petretention.

Another important service that is part of our shelter diversion program is Private Pet Rehoming. As a responsible owner, you can rehome your pet and save them the stress of entering a shelter. You know your pet better than anyone, and you can find a new loving home for them with the resources we provide at UtahHumane.org/rehoming.

“We were able to find a wonderful family who are thrilled to take Nika in. We feel she will be very happy in her new home. And I just want to thank you for providing this service. It allowed us to find the right people who will love and take care of her just as much as we have.“ – Family who

utilized our Private Pet Rehoming service

A shelter system may not be the best environment for every animal. We help pets who need us in more than one way, and encourage responsible pet ownership.

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SHELTER DIVERSIONTHROUGH PET RETENTIONAND REHOMING

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WILL’S STORYWill came to our clinic for medical services in June 2020 because his urine had turned dark, and he had quit eating and drinking. Our shelter vet diagnosed Will with bladder stones, known as uroliths or cystic calculi, which are rock-like formations of minerals in the urinary bladder. In dogs, bladder stones are more common than kidney stones. For Will to regain his health, our veterinarian recommended surgery to remove the stones. The cost of this operation with a specialist is roughly $3,400.

Will’s owners wanted to do everything they could for their sweet boy to live a long, healthy life, but unfortunately, they couldn’t afford to pay for the surgery. That’s when they contacted the Utah Humane Society to discuss their options. Our Admissions Team determined that our Pet Retention Program could assist them. The program provides resources to pet owners who wish to keep their pets but may be experiencing hardship. Since our vision is to bring pets and people together and keep them together, our Pet

Retention Program plays a vital role in helping owners who do not want to surrender their pets to a shelter.

As part of our Shelter Diversion Program, Pet Retention helps keeps pets in their home and out of a shelter, which benefits the people and their pets and allows the shelter to offer its resources to animals who genuinely need them. Due to Will’s dire situation, our staff quickly scheduled him for a bladder stone removal operation. Upon arrival at our clinic, Will was showing signs of acute renal failure on top of his other ailments, so he was rushed into surgery. Stressed and worried about their pet, Will’s owners called to check on him every four hours. They wanted more than anything for Will to recover and return home as soon as possible. Fortunately for Will and his family, the surgery was a success, and after one day of recovery, Will was cleared to go home! Since then, Will’s owners have expressed their sincere gratitude to our team, who helped save Will’s life and make it possible for them to afford the costly surgery. Pet Retention is another progressive way that the Utah Humane Society can Change Their World. Learn more about our Pet Retention Program at UtahHumane.org/petretention.

Will recovered after his cystotomy in the Foster Department.

Will reunited with his family.

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WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU FIND A STRAY ANIMAL?

In Salt Lake County and most other counties and municipalities of Utah, it is illegal to harbor a stray animal. When individuals lose their companion animals, they tend to look at their jurisdiction’s municipal shelter. If you harbor the animal in your home instead of bringing the animal to the municipal shelter, you are depriving the rightful owner of reuniting with their companion animal. Do the right thing by informing animal services of the found animal immediately.

If you find a stray dog

Dogs can be both in danger and a danger to others when at large. If you find a stray dog, you must take the dog to the municipal shelter in whatever

Please note: Utah Humane Society

cannot accept stray animals.

jurisdiction the dog was found. The chances are that a family is missing the dog and will look for him at their local shelter.

If the dog is friendly and approaches you, take the dog to your local municipal shelter. If the dog flees or seems aggressive, do not chase him.

Call your local animal services dispatch to retrieve the dog. If animal services officers are unavailable, you may be able to call your local police dispatch to retrieve the dog and take the dog to impound.

If you find a stray cat

Caring people bring stray animals to shelters to help them, but cats

The annual meeting of the Humane Society of Utah will be held on Nov. 10, at 6:30 p.m. in the adoption center auditorium at 4242 S 300 W in Murray, Utah. The Board of Directors has nominated the following candidates for directors: Catherine Nelson (2 year term to 2022); Dr. John Ziegler (2 year term to 2022); Christina Sears (3 year term to 2023); Steve Starley (3 year term to 2023); and Tim Williams (3 year term to 2023). All members and interested parties are invited to attend.

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have different needs than dogs. If you find a healthy stray cat, leave them where they are. Data indicates that owned cats at large will find their way home up to 75% of the time when left in place. However, less than 2% of cats (without microchips) may be reclaimed from a shelter. If the cat does not have a traditional home, but is healthy and appears well-fed, the cat is either finding their own abundant food source and shelter or is being fed and cared for by someone who will be missing them. Crowding them into a shelter promotes stress and disease, and lowers the likelihood of a positive outcome even if the shelter has a return to field (RTF) program.

If you find an ill, injured or endangered stray cat, please take the cat to the municipal shelter in the jurisdiction in which the cat was found. The shelter will attempt to find the original owner while the cat is treated. The cat may be altered and released or humanely euthanized, depending on the needs of the individual animal and the shelter’s resources. If you are unable to get the cat into your custody safely, report the cat’s location to your local municipal animal services.

If you see large populations of unaltered, reproducing cats—characterized by adult cats without tipped ears, or litters of kittens present, call your local shelter and inquire about their RTF program and how you can help. A tipped ear indicates that they have been spayed or neutered and returned to the field already.

Advocating for the animals in your community

Find out about your local ordinance regarding the care for stray cats and dogs by checking your city’s code webpage or calling your local animal control. Many

cities do not have any services for cats, even those that are injured.

If your city doesn’t have services to protect companion animals, contact us at advocacy@utahhumane.org. We are happy to guide you on how to go about getting valuable services for all companion animals in your area. Thank you for caring about the stray animals in your community!

Our new CATNIP program

The Utah Humane Society Clinic recently launched our CATNIP program to help spay/neuter trapped feral and community cats at an affordable price to help trap, neuter, return (TNR) efforts to curb the homeless cat population. Appointments must be made in advance for each cat.

This is not a service for the general public. Please visit UtahHumane.org/CATNIP for more information.

PUBLIC NOTICE

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H.E.R.O. KIDS’ SUMMER CAMP REVIEW

Enrichment DayCampers had the opportunity to get to know our Kitty City residents and read to them. Reading was part of Enrichment Day, where campers learned several different ways to enrich the lives of companion animals.

Education DayCampers learned about the basic needs of several small companion animals and had the opportunity to pet/interact with them. Stevie, our education guinea pig, is shown here bringing a large smile (hidden beneath the mask) to a camper.

Environment DayCampers learned all about our farm animal companions and the different ways people impact the environment for both animals and humans. We also discussed ways that they can help improve our environment for future generations. Serf the goat was one of many farm animal visitors that day. They also met an alpaca, pig, sheep, turkey, and mini donkey.

In our 2020 Humane Educators Reaching Out (H.E.R.O.) Kids’ Summer Camp, children participated in age-appropriate humane education workshops, presentations, games, and more. Workshops focused on different types of animals, how to care for them, and related animal welfare issues.

Our goal is to provide campers with information and experiences that foster empathy, appreciation, and respect for all animals.

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Sept. 27Bark at the Moon

Oct.–Nov. Picture Your Pet with Santa

Nov. 10 Annual Members’ Meeting

Dec. 12 Wags to Wishes Gala

UPCOMINGEVENTS 2020

For details, visit UtahHumane.org/Events

Staying Safe at HERO CampWhen deciding to host our annual H.E.R.O. Summer Kids’ Camp, we knew extra preventative measures would be required to ensure the safety of our campers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During each camp, our staff enforced the following safety precautions:

• Each camp was limited to eight campers with three staff members max.

• Each camper was given a plastic tote with their own supplies to use all week.

• Each camper’s temperature was checked upon arrival, and parents completed a short health questionnaire each morning.

• Masks were worn at all times.

• Proper hygiene was reviewed each morning, including handwashing and cough/sneeze etiquette.

• Staff and other campers maintained a 6-foot distance whenever possible.

• Staff facilitated one-on-one animal interactions with each child, sanitizing in between.

• In accordance with CDC guidelines and recommendations, the Utah Humane Society cleaned and disinfected all areas of the shelter and camp area daily.

Children still enjoyed fun, informative, and engaging activities while staying safe. We look forward to offering our H.E.R.O. camp to more children next year!

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