Animal TalesAnimal Tales1820 Princeton Road • Hamilton, Ohio 45011(513) 867-5727

Spring 2012www. animalfriendshs.org

Danica

Dodger

Raspberry

Cassie

Leopole

Jewels

Ruthie

Templeton

Bonnie

Lori and Matt Miller from Oxford adopt a kitten named Cuddles.

Pam Taylor and daughter, Ali, of Cincinnati adopt Gigi the day before Easter.

The Newsletter of

HUMANE SOCIETY

Congratulations! Turnip is Butler County’s #1 Doggie! ...interview on page 2

Turnip...

th

Gets Rave Reviews... By Nancy Bender

Animal Friends Humane Society is proud and pleased to announce that this year’s event surpassed all others. Held at Recep-tions on St. Patrick’s Day, not only did it sell out in record time, it was the shelters most successful auction to date. By all measures, the Bark’n’Purr is panning out to be the larg-est, most spectacular animal fundraiser of its kind in Butler County.

Along with all its loyal supporters, there were many new faces. People marveled over the caliber of the event. Among them was special guest and first time attendee, WLWT lead reporter, Karin Johnson.

...continued on page 2

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Forever Homes

Bark’n’Purr Ball

AFHSBoard of Trustees

Richard G. FoxPresidentFairfield

Kendra Robinson1st Vice PresidentHamilton

Ronald C. Short2nd Vice PresidentMiddletown

Dee ParraghSecretary, Fairfield

Jeremy TaylorTreasurer, Trenton

Jack ArmstrongHamilton

Robert T. BaeselHamilton

James FehringWest Chester

Greg HullHamilton

Walter J. LeapMiddletown

Nancy NichtingHamilton

Nancy PiperHamilton

Susanna Schwartz, DVM Diplomate ACVSCincinnati

Be a voice for the animals... if you witness animal

neglect, cruelty or abuse, report it to the

proper authorities!

Cynthia

Quincy

2

Name: Turnip Nickname: Turnip Green, TGAge: 4 years old Breed: Chihuahua MixGender: Spayed FemaleOwners: Michele DeCresce and Bruce Carter, with daughter MayaWhere did you get Turnip? Turnip was adopted from Animal Friends

Humane Society! Woo Hoo! How long have you had Turnip? She was adopted on September 3, 2011.

Maya saw her photo online and fell in love with her Yoda-like ears. Maya’s 16th birthday was September 5 and after discussing dog ownership with her, the family came to Animal Friends and left with Turnip.

Favorite Treat: Duck Tenders. YUM!Favorite Toy: Turnip doesn’t really like toys but LOVES her rawhide bones. Who are Turnip’s siblings? Tiffany, Gizmo and Shadow are Turnip’s feline

siblings who live at home. She also has feline siblings that live at her dad’s office… Allison and Football. (Tiffany and Allison are AFHS alumni) Her canine siblings are Bubbie, a maltipoo, and Owen, a beagle.

Interview with the #1 Butler County Dog, Turnip!

Another guest of honor of the four-legged variety was Mad-die, the pooch Karin mentioned in her letter. Maddie is a pit mix that was adopted from Animal Friends Humane Society by Eric Stockman. She was proudly escorted to the event by Eric and his wife, Leeann. This dear brindle pup exemplified all that is good with the recent elimination of Ohio’s law that singled out pit bull breeds as “vicious” dogs. She behaved like a dream as she was paraded throughout an audience of 500 people.

Typical Day: Turnip follows her moms lead. She goes out in the morning, then enjoys a mid-morning nap. Then heads to work where she visits her other siblings. She heads home and takes an evening walk. The night ends with hanging out with the family. And lastly she’s off to bed.

Special Tricks: Turnip has mastered ‘lay down and pet me’. She also can find any pathway to get on the bed. It may involve jumping from chair to dresser to bed, but she maneuvers it with ease.

How does it feel to be the #1 dog in Butler County? “I am the alpha dog. I am the boss. And I know I am loved. My mom thinks that she rescued me but I really rescued her.”

Advice to Pet Owners: Adopt from a shelter. Special recognition: Turnip won the cutest costume contest at Red Dog Pet

Resort’s Open House Halloween Party. She was a Pink Butterfly. Favorite Vacation Spot: Crystal Beach, Ontario. Her first out of country trip

was over Thanksgiving break, 2011. Turnip loves the beach. She watches the sea gulls and enjoys the breeze. She admires the water from a distance, but keeps her paws in the sand. She knew she was on vacation and loved every minute of it. This vacation spot is frequented once to twice each year and Turnip is a great traveler.

Any more siblings for Turnip in the near future? No. 5 cats and 3 dogs make for a complete family. However, Michele (mom) helps with animal transports and is making a difference in the lives of homeless animals in the Midwest.

When I first sat down at the Bark'n Purr Ball, I knew immediately it was going to be a great night. Not because of the St. Patrick's Day theme and yummy shamrock cookies on my plate, but because of who was sitting next to me... Maddie, the guest "pooch" of honor. I think she enjoyed all the attention.

When I was finally able to bring myself to stop petting her, I had a chance to meet some wonderful people. To me, the passion of the folks who attended the Bark 'N Purr is what made it special. There was so much commraderie, more than any other function I've attended. The sense of community made me feel welcome--even when I was having a bidding war over one of the silent auction items.

The silent auction was amazing. I have never seen so many unique items. A lot of time and energy must have gone into putting together all of those baskets. I must've circled the loop where the items were a hundred times just to make sure I didn't miss anything. (okay, and to make sure I was still winning the bidding war)

The live auction, split the pot, chinese raffle, food, drinks, music all added to an enjoyable evening for such a great cause.

Thanks to Animal Friends Humane Society for inviting me. I'm still talking about what a great night I had!

She greeted supporters with kisses and was eagerly rewarded with belly rubs when she requested them. Having no use for a Coach purse set or a premium custom made cat tree, she spent the live auction laying on the floor contentedly chewing on her bone. As far as Maddie was concerned she had already won her prize, a forever home. Auctioneer, Colonel Billingsley took the event to a whole new level as he generated exciting bidding wars not only in the live auction, but for the first time ever, in the silent auction. He worked the audience producing bids of $1500.00 for the autographed Rolling Stones guitar and $550.00 for the fully signed Harry Potter movie poster. Another happy camper walked away with an NFL football signed by Andy Dalton to the tune of $1,000.00. The silent auction did not take a back seat to the exciting items available, including an autographed photo of Justin Bieber and a model of the RCA dog, Nipper. Three days prior to the auction, there was an unexpected donation of an autographed photo of Whitney Houston. All items in both auctions were sold thanks entirely to the generosity of all the winning bidders. An especially fun highlight of the evening was an interactive game of “Heads or Tails”, introduced by Director, Meg Stephenson. The incentive to play? How about the latest released Apple iPad! A large number of patrons participated in this lively and humorous game as they stood with their hands on their heads or on their tails. If the call was for tails and you had your hands on your head, you were out of the game. Narrowed down to three contestants, the final coin toss had the audience on the edge of their seats. Applause erupted for the prize winner while high-fives awaited all around her table! From the time the event starts, the momentum is constant. Dinner is barely complete and before you know it, four fun hours have passed. Good-byes are exchanged as everyone leaves with their treasures. Every basket, every item toted out represents a donation that benefits the animals in the shelter. We have Maddie to thank for reminding us that this is what the Bark’n’Purr is really all about. Already in progress are preparations for the next one, scheduled March 16, 2013. Behind the scenes, there is an incomprehensible amount of work involved with the Bark’n’Purr. Much of it is orchestrated by vol-unteers who also work full time jobs. To be commended are the members of the fundraising committee: Dee Parragh, Linda Dunaway, Lana Sickinger, Dena Coyle, Jackie East and Meg Stephenson. Countless volunteers help in multiple ways. Add to this all of the gener-ous donations made by businesses and individuals. There are no magic fairies involved. No magic wands. If there were, they would most assuredly wish away the need for this wonderful non-profit organization. Animal Friends Humane Society graciously thanks everyone who contributed. Above all, a very special thank you goes to those in the audience without whose continuous support this annual event would quite simply never be.

In her own words, Karin shares her experience at the Bark’n’Purr.

- Karin Johnson

...continued from page 1

...By Meg Stephenson

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shared by Meg stephenson

Hello Animal Friends Humane Society! I promised to keep in touch, so: It’s been a week, and I LOVE THIS DOG! She is just the perfect match! She’s very Shepherd-like in personality – smart, tuned in to humans, very affectionate. She’s playful and fun but not hyper. She’s great! Does anyone there know her story – how she came to your shelter? I’m just curious. She does not act like a dog who had been on the streets for a long time. She’s trusting and has good house, people, and dog manners, so I’m just curious how she wound up in the shelter. It’s hard for me to imagine anyone ever giving her away. She goes to doggy day care (because she is a professional escape artist who handily escaped the 6’ pen in my lower level) AND a chewer (my TWC remote looks like a piece of Swiss cheese: some of Blueberry’s handiwork when she got out while I was at work). Thus, doggy day care until I can work on the pen concept, a little at a time. We do one on one obedience classes every week and she is such a quick learner. She’s impressive in her speed and willingness to learn. - Loving Blueberry Already – Peggy

I am not sure if you remember but I had brought my older friend, Dorothy, into Animal Friends a couple of months ago to get a cat after her 15 year old cat had to be put down. Dorothy was concerned what would happen to Tillie if she died and I assured her that I would take Tillie.

Unfortunately, Dorothy passed away a few weeks ago and now we have Tillie. It has been a great couple of weeks with Bill becoming the new Senator for the district and having Tillie become a part of our family. She is an adorable cat, has adjusted well to our 2 old english sheepdogs and is very social and loving.

Just wanted to send pictures of her and Bill and say Thank You to Animal Friends for Tillie being in our lives! We just love her!!

Warmest regards,Carolyn

success stories

great adoption

tillie

blueberry

Dear Friends,

I wanted to thank you! We adopted “Lee” on Saturday at your very affordable event. Our beloved family dog died in July leaving behind a very sad Beagle named “Max” and a very sad family. We brought “Lee” home, renamed him “Gus”.

Within 5 minutes here was the result:

gus

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HOUSE BILL 14The Difference a New Law Makes

Governor Kasich signs HB 14

House Bill 14 was officially signed into law February 21, 2012 by Governor Kasich. Until now Ohio was the only state that singled out the pit bull breed as a “vicious dog” under the former provisions of this 25 year old law. The revised legislation known as House Bill 14 was developed and introduced by Ohio Representative, Barbara Sears. On a local level, Chief Dog Warden, Julie Holmes of Butler County Dog Warden was involved. With Julie serving as President- Elect of the Ohio County Dog Warden Association, the OCDWA assisted in the crafting of the language of HB 14. The story of HB 14 and a photo of the officials involved, including Julie Holmes captured national attention as headline news in Utah’s Best Friends Animal Society on-line newsletter. I would like to publicly thank Julie for giving me the enormous and thrilling opportunity of a lifetime to witness this historical mo-ment in animal welfare at the State Capitol. It was a first for both of us. In a room buzzing with people, Julie graciously introduced me to Representative Sears and Ledy VanKavage, Senior Legislative At-torney for Best Friends Animal Society. Dr. Ledy, as she is known, has also served for the big guns including the HSUS and the American Humane Association. While the Governor was signing HB 14 into law I noticed a few photographers taking pictures. On the lighter side, the thought quickly crossed my mind that Governor Kasich didn’t know if I was

there as a professional for a newspaper or maybe Time magazine. In my haste, I crawled up to his desk with my camera and took several rapid shots. As his pens were being put away, I nudged a copy of the fall 2011 edition of Animal Tales across the desk square in front of the Governor. It was opened to Jackie Easts’ story, “For the Love of Zoey”, her and her husband, JD’s pit bull. I asked if he would be so kind and he smiled, autographed the article, stood up and left. The

East’s are two of thousands who are celebrating the victory of this law; they rejoice not only for Zoey, but for all the pit bulls that have been wrongly mislabeled as vicious. So, what exactly does this new law mean to Ohio’s dog owners? Chief Julie Holmes has agreed to supply us with answers to some hypothetical questions people may have.

1. What is this new law all about? House Bill 14 is a revision to Ohio’s Dangerous/Vicious Dog law. It

gives dog wardens, animal control and law enforcement the tools needed to protect the public from nuisance, dangerous or vicious dogs by classifying the dog based on its ACTIONS and not on its breed.

2. When does it go into effect? May 22, 2012.

3. Does this mean that regardless of where I live in Ohio the law will be adopted and enforced?

Yes, this is now a state law. However, individual cities and ju-risdictions can have their own laws and ordinances that require more than the state law, but NOT LESS than.

4. Who has the authority to investigate and cite me if my dog is aggressive?

Any dog warden, animal control or other law enforcement officer that is charged with the enforcement of this law.

5. If I disagree, do I have the right to appeal this decision? You have the right to request a hearing within 10 days of the

notification that your dog has been classified dangerous or vicious.

6. What precautions am I required to take if I have a dog that bites people and/or other animals?

Depending on the Classification you could be required to: • Register your dog as a dangerous dog yearly. • Micro-chip your dog. • House or confine your dog in a certain way. • Dangerous/vicious dogs are required to wear a special tag. • Post ‘ Dangerous Dog’ signs at your residence. • In addition, a judge can order you to obtain liability insurance.

7. I have a small poodle that bites because it is easily frightened and protective of my family. Does this mean I have to report my own dog to authorities? Not necessarily, however if you do have a dog that, without

provocation, can or would bite, you can still be held liable (civilly and criminally) if you fail to do enough to protect others from being bitten by your dog.

8. I have a loving pit bull with no known history of biting. Can I drop my liability insurance and how soon?

The state law does not require you to have insurance on any breed of dog. Only a judge can order it. However, since you can now be held liable for your dog’s actions even with no known history of biting, it’s still a good idea to have protection.

9. Where do you obtain liability insurance and what happens if you can’t afford it?

Any Insurance agent or broker can help you with questions on coverage and costs. If you are required to have the insurance by court order, you could be held in contempt or face other criminal charges by not having it, even if you cannot afford it.

10. Does this new law eliminate pit bull bans wherever they have been put into place?

No. Individual cities and jurisdictions can still write and enforce their own animal control ordinances. Remember they can require MORE than the state law, but NOT LESS.

by Julie Holmes and Nancy Bender

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11. My neighbors kids and their dog taunt my dog through my fence. My dog tries to bite when this happens. If he were to bite one of them, whose fault would it be, theirs or my dogs?

Depending on the facts of the incident, YOU could be held liable.

12. I have a Doberman that spends most of the day in the yard. I have a wire enclosed split rail fence with three ‘Beware of Dog’ signs posted. If someone trespasses onto my property and gets bitten by my dog doesn’t that mean I am off the hook?

Again, depending on the facts of the case you could be, however the law does exempt provoked attacks on your property. If you know your dog bites and you don’t do enough to keep people safe from your dog you could be liable. For example, a child who has managed to wander onto your property and is not able to read the ‘Beware of Dog’ signs.

13. I am a senior citizen getting ready to move into a retirement facility. They won’t let me keep my 8 year old basset hound. He does randomly bite. I have no family or friends to take him in. What am I to do with him?

This would be a decision only you as an owner can make. However, with the new law you are required to give notice to any new owner about the dog’s behavior and if the dog is already registered as a Dangerous Dog, there are transfer of ownership forms that must be completed and given to the appropriate agencies.

14. What is meant by a nuisance dog and what is the difference between a dangerous dog and a vicious dog? The definitions of these 3 classifications, as covered by the law,

are extensive. Each contain exceptions. The presence or absence of provocation(i.e., torment, abuse of the dog) is a factor. A nuisance dog is a dog that, while off the premises of it’s owner/keeper, without provocation, endangers the safety of others. The condensed key distinc-tion between a dangerous dog and a vicious dog is that the latter, again without provocation, has caused an extremely serious or fatal injury to a person. Again, there are exceptions and police dogs, while serving in the line of duty, are one of them.

Chief Holmes summarizes that dogs, like people, can be very complex. Often in Animal Control we are told that a dog’s behavior is all in “how they were raised” or “how they were trained”. Although some behaviors are learned or trained, it’s just one piece of the puzzle. As a responsible pet owner, you should be aware of all the compo-nents that make up your dog: • Breed characteristics– what it was bred to do, the physical and be-

havioral traits. • Socialization – both now and as a puppy. • Genetics – Is it too purebred, overbred or simply pet quality/possibly

mixed? • What were its parents like? • What was its environment growing up and what is it now? • Your dog’s medical history-past and present. • Temperament: Is it shy or afraid? Is there a history of abuse? Is it

dog or food aggressive? • Has your dog been spayed or neutered? So many factors, including the availability of proper nutrition and exercise, influence the personalities and behavior of our canine companions. Every dog is different. You cannot compare one based on others. This is where owners need to be pro-active. KNOW your dog. Do your research. Identify its needs and be prepared to meet them. This is key to having a happy, successful relationship for both of you. It is the responsible, legal and loving thing to do!

What affect will the new law have on the dogs at Animal Friends Humane Society? Director, Meg Stephenson responds: “The passing of HB14 will make pitbull ownership less challenging. Previously, pitbull owners were required to do a number of things including carry lia-bility insurance on their dog, place a muzzle on them while in pub-lic, and not leave them unsupervised in a yard. Now pitbulls will be treated like any other dog, and aggression/viciousness will be determined by the acts of each individual dog. We have, and will continue to place pitbulls up for adoption. We will also continue to review applicants interested in adopting a pitbull, and any other dog or cat, to determine if they are approved to adopt. The passing of HB14 is a huge step in showing people that this breed is truly mis-understood and should be given a fair chance. Finally no state in the United States has breed specific legislation and we are THRILLED!” HB 14 was designed with fairness in mind to make ALL dog owners responsible for their canine companions and to help increase public safety from dog bites. The Butler County Dog Wardens and Animal Friends Humane Society thanks you,Butler County, for your understanding and co-operation in looking out for the welfare of our animals and one another.

AFHS Volunteer Awarded Steel Magnolia Honor & $1,000 to Support PetMobile Adoptions

by Carolyn Kramer You know her as the volunteer whose idea for a levy to build a new animal shelter resulted in our present location. Two years later, she was the impetus behind getting the Memorial Monument moved. She’s a tireless worker for the Bark ‘n’ Purr Ball, leader of Compassion Fatigue Seminars for caregivers suffering burnout, and also Editor of Animal Tales Newsletter. She promotes pet adoption while dressed in a Scooby Doo costume at many Animal Friends’ events. Nancy Bender was selected as the Steel Magnolia honoree by the Middletown Community Foundation in October 2011. The AK Steel Foundation sponsors the program and presents a plaque and $1,000.00 to the charity of the honoree’s choice. The program honors women who have faced personal adversity and have shown exceptional strength, courage, compassion and leadership through their work in support of their commu-nities. Nancy’s nomination letter* explained that she had been born with severe hearing loss that was not diagnosed until she was five years old. Dependent on hearing aids and lipreading, Nancy became a registered nurse and valedictorian of her class at Sinclair College. She was instru-mental in incorporating medical sign language into Sinclair’s curriculum. Nancy has endured cancer and many complicated medical problems. Her life has been dedicated to helping others and supporting animal welfare. Congratulations to Nancy Bender, Steel Magnolia 2011. Thank you for the donation of $1,000.00 to the PetMobile Adoption Program.

*Nomination submitted by Carolyn Kramer

Ledy VanKavage, Best Friends Animal Society; Nancy Bender, AFHS Volunteer; Representative Barbara Sears; Chief Dog Warden, Julie Holmes, Butler County Dog Warden

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We recycle for $$$ for the shelter! Please bring your newspapers and aluminum cans

(no glass, etc.) to the collection receptacles located at the far end of the parking lot. Bring your old cell phones and inkjet cartridges to the shelter for recycling & fundraising.

Drop off at front desk.

Check Important Updates, Volunteer Orientations & Events...

For the most current info, please go to our

LIVE WEBSITE: www.animalfriendshs.orgto find upcoming events, micro-chipping and

Pet-Mobile schedule for off-site adoptions

Ashley Davies has been a volunteer for Ani-mal Friends Humane Society for 3 years. When she learned about the new assistive pet therapy program she knew for her it would be a perfect fit. While she loves volunteering for the shelter she also loves volunteering for nursing and group

home facilities. A perfect fit, indeed. Early morning on March 6th, I met Ashley at the shelter. After signing in, she looked at the board to see which animals had been selected by management as appropriate for the therapy visit. Today, a 6 year old Beagle, Daisy Mae would have the opportunity to venture out bearing the title and purpose of a therapy dog. She was calm and confident as she got into the car. Ashley was, too. This was going to be a great experience. Little did we know just how great it would be. Ashley is a 21 year old Fairfield resident who works full-time and is a biol-ogy student at U.C. When her aunt was in a skilled nursing facility Ashley rou-tinely took her own dog to help brighten the visits. In December, she attended the required in-service for pet therapy provided by Director, Meg Stephenson. Once a month, Ashley comes to the shelter to take a dog out. Today’s destina-tion: Berkeley Square. This facility and another nursing facility, Westover receive routine prearranged visits from Animal Friends. For Daisy, her nose pressed against the window, the car ride alone was shear heaven. Upon arrival, Ashley and Daisy proceed through the halls and sprawling, clean lounges as permitted by the director of nursing. The staff and residents are lovely. Some residents chose to pass on by, while others stopped to greet Daisy with a pat on the head. If someone took a particular interest Ashley would politely offer to pick up the Beagle enabling the resident to have closer contact with Daisy. As people coddled Daisy they would smile and on occasion wipe away tears as they reminisced about the dogs they once had. Ashley instinctively knew who and who not to ask if they wanted Daisy on their lap. Some welcomed

it while others politely declined. Either way, Daisy was eager to please, wagging her tail, just happy to be there. As we strolled down a hall a nurse approached Ashley and told her she knew just the person who would want to see this dog. She led us to a woman’s room, knocked on the door and we were invited in. The resident, Priscilla was seated in a wheel-chair with her back turned to us. She took one look at Daisy, perked up and immediately asked to have Daisy on her lap. Ashley carefully placed the pooch on Priscilla’s lap and from there, the vis-

it took on a life of its own. Priscilla retreated into silence as she ran her thin, frail fingers under Daisy’s collar checking to make sure it wasn’t on too tight. Then, much to our astonishment, she sternly inquired, “Has she been spayed?” She nodded her head with approval as Ashley reassured her that she had. Priscilla expressed her dismay that people aren’t spaying and neutering their pets like they should. With help, she recalled the name of the former game show host, Bob Barker and said he always reminds everyone to do this. As she stroked Daisy’s head and back she commented on how soft her fur was. At times she would hug her, as if never wanting to let go. Her demeanor was generally serious and the few times she really cracked a smile were when she was gazing into Daisy’s eyes or when Daisy offered kisses. Yep. She is a dog lover. Her lips, her face, nothing was off limits. These were heart swelling moments. Priscilla shared about her Cocker Spaniel, pointing to a framed photo by her bed. “That”, she said, “was my real love”. She spoke briefly about her history with animals. There is more to this story I regret not being able to print, but Priscilla wanted it that way. The most

I can say, with all due respect, is that I knew Ashley and I were looking at a pioneer in animal welfare. As much as she enjoyed Daisy’s presence, it was an honor being in hers. To this day, Pris-cilla unknowingly continues to advocate, educate and inspire. The valuable lesson we took from this visit: if you have pets, hug them. May none of us take

for granted the joy and privilege of having them in our lives. Daisy was starting to get restless, signaling it was time to move on. As we were leaving the room, Priscilla expressed her appreciation and gratitude for the visit. She validated this meaningful experience with Daisy and Ashley using the very words that any pet therapist hopes to hear: “Will you be coming back?” In the lounge there were some seniors who were visiting. While making over Daisy they shared that they continue to do TNR for the feral cats in their area. Another lady stroked Daisy’s back saying how Daisy reminded her of her Beagle, Boots. She asked if many animals were being adopted and added that she used to make donations to Animal Friends, apologizing that she can no longer afford to do this. We thanked her for her support of the shelter and then headed out of the building before lunch. Daisy was one tired pup, curled up on the floor in back, sleeping all the way to the shelter. If Daisy could talk I think she would say, “What a great gig.” And she would be right. She worked hard proving herself as a therapy dog. So well behaved, sweet and wonderful, this dear homeless dog. How can this be? While we know the physical benefits pets provide, the psychological, emo-tional and spiritual benefits out-weigh all. This is especially true for animal lovers like Priscilla who yearn to feel the soft fur of a dog or cat. It is true for those who are left with only their memories and those who no longer remember. Pet therapy. Unconditional love. The two go hand in hand. Or rather, paw in hand. Let the healing begin. Namaste,

Carole’s Canine Companion FundA new fund has been established to encourage interaction between animals and senior citizens in the Hamilton community. Dr. Carole Kuhn has developed a fund called Carole’s Canine Companions with the help of Animal Friends Humane Society and the Hamilton Community Foundation. Currently the fund is servicing those senior citizens at both Berkeley Square and Westover. Animal Friends Humane Society with the help of its volunteers is taking selected dogs and cats on weekly visits to both Berkeley and Westover. While the fund is currently in its beginning stages, the goal is to expand the scope to accommo-date many more senior citizens’ organizations in the future.

~ A Pet Therapy Visit ~

...NancyNote: Daisy has since been adopted!

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All volunteers are special, each in their own way. What makes volunteer, Donna Kaufman particularly special is that she volunteers from home. And home is in Florida! From the Sun-shine State, this remarkable volunteer of 10 years continues to devote her time and service to Animal Friends Humane Society by doing the “Hearts That Care” column for the shelter newsletter, Animal Tales. It doesn’t end there. Work that was once done by three is now done by Donna, alone and it is a process she proudly claims to have down to a science. She tracks all the donations utilizing the shelter database and handles the follow up donation acknowledgement cards, stamping the date and amount on each card. Before shipping all the cards back to AFHS for special mailing she writes the addresses on each and every one. She has written many a letter acknowledging special donations, per-haps one made by a child or a donation that was accompanied with a touching story. She processes all of the online donations. Once she has completed all of the cards she enters her data into the database. Depending on the size of each batch, it takes her a good 4 to 5 days to finalize the task. All of this she does numerous times, year in and year out. In 2011 alone, she addressed and rubber stamped over 5,000 acknowledgment cards and wrote nearly 200 letters. A lot of time, energy, thought and heart goes into this. What’s more, she handles getting the cards printed in stacks of 1600 and then donates all of the printed material to Ani-mal Friends! The word ‘impressive’ is a serious understatement here. She has a request for all donors: When submitting a donation in memory or in honor

IN MEMORY OF... DONATED BYJuanita Fiebig. . . . . Dale & Judy Witzeman, Kathy Wendel, Joan Auer,

Frederick & Ava Fiebig, Kathryn Schindler, Kathleen DeLaura, Yvonne Sams

Hannah, a cat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Susan Myers, Joan and Carl CraneElmer Cornish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joe CornishTramp, Padro, Boenger, Blackie, Grey Boy, Peanut . . . Mrs. Bea WrootBandit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Derek and Karen ConklinSassy and Zac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Karen ShearerRoxanne and Samantha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Richard and Mary RoserJoseph Schrand. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mary Kay and Richard SchmeingDotty Nevin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jesse HutsonBill Mack, Sr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Greg and Sylvia JohnsonKatherine St. John . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Barbara KonradChrissy, Crane’s beloved dog . . . . . . Susan Myers, Carl and Joan CraneBarbara Mack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Faye CosbyRocky Mollineaux . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Richard and Carolyn MarraAlma Enneking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Becky SchweierClaireann Percynski . . . . . Zig Percynski, Alice Walker, Jim & Maureen

Hourigan, Kasandra Gonzalez, John & Lenore Baumann, Mike & Lonnie Crosby, the Toth Family, Robin Carver

Jim Lindle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Joy WahlburgBurt, Baroch’s special dog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Baroch’s friends on the courtDaisy . . . . . . . . . . . .Carl & Joan Crane, Carolyn Soupene, Susan MyersMeisha. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mabel BowmanBeloved sheltie, Jackson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bill and Beth KniselySagamo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jane YoungChamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mary EvansRibs, a lovely cat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Debra Garvin

Bailey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Debra GarvinNellie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Debra GarvinPierce Schwable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ellen BryantJessie Soucy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ellen BryantBruce McDaniel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sandra McDanielTed Janos . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mrs. Lois Janos, Mr. & Mrs. Edward EmrickJoyce Vogt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J. Michael VogtAndrea Sefton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sharon and Rock AlfordSue Turner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marsha WilliamsonMary Carol Spurgeon . . . . Coyzetta Bazen, Richard & Deborah LopezClyde Reiff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Erin AllenWilliam Miller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bunny, Coco, ShelbyJack Thomas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mr. & Mrs. Dan MillikinNora Pickett . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jane CartierStormy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bill & Evelyn WestAce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Harriett ByrdHarley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jane Young & Bill FultzRichard Braun . . . . . . . . . . Joan & Carl Crane, Patricia Marshall, Alan

& Linda White, Susan Myers, Dr. Constantine & Elizabeth Kademenos, Joe & Sarah Marcum, Mr. & Mrs. Robert Hill, John &

Kathleen Mitchell, III; Theresa Milders, Vaden Fitton, Nancy & Bob Cottrell, Brad McNeese, Eric & Susan Wernke, Bob & Patty

Gifford, Dr. & Mrs. J. I. Scott, Jr.; Mr. Pat Carruthers and Ms. Sara Carruthers, Mr. & Mrs. Glenn Larsen, Mr. & Mrs. Michael Light,

Susan Kalhorn, Allegra Brown Duff, Leigh Ann Kademenos, Venus Torge, Mr. & Mrs. Dan Millikin,

West Oaks Homeowners Assoc., Dinsmore & Shohl, LLPJoAnn Hutzelman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Frank Poindexter,

Tim & Michael Lakes & Family

Hearts that care...

IN HONOR OF... DONATED BYJack Head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Susan HeadLisa Knapp’s Birthday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lucy & Rick BiellerL.C. - a rescued cat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Robin SauerMolly, Morgan and Petie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bea PhillipsTigger and Tutti . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Derek & Karen ConklinRay Risch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Steve & Darlene BrownAdopted pet, Josey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David & Wilma EdmondsSue Frazier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jan FrazierMidnight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Amy DeesLynn Birdwell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeff & Michelle ShaferNellie Allgaieri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jane CartierRhonda Bohannon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .David McDanielMulligan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pamela FarrishMary Marks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Susan ShroderSue Lowery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dave & Diane EvansLinda Stidham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cathy RyePam Hoffman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David & Karen RotterPhyllis Kadle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nancy HaynesWill McAdams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Danielle WebbMurphy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Danielle Webb

Shirley Dubar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jake Sweeney Chrysler-Jeep-DodgeLee Johnson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Donna JohnsonDonald Barnhorn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Roselyn FortnerJacquelyn Feltner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brad & Susan ScottAndy McConnell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Walter McBeathBubba, beloved cocker spaniel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dr. G. Todd DavisGeorge Calkins . . . . . . . . . . Carolyn Soupene, Mrs. M. David Urmston

A Heart That Truly Cares...

of someone, please include the acknowledgement information. Donna has placed countless phone calls to find out where to send her letters. She recalls her extreme embarrassment when she once unknow-ingly asked to speak to the deceased. Even though the person was very nice, Donna couldn’t apologize enough. Donna first began volunteering for AFHS in 2002 noting that one of her initial projects was writing out adoption procedures. When the shelter first got the Petmobile her husband, Jim took it out for adoption events. She walked the dogs and in 1999 she adopted Pixie, now nearly 16 years old. Pixie still runs with the big dogs at the dog park. Donna states, “Whenever anyone says anything about getting a dog, I showcase my very cute shih tzu-mini schnauzer and tell them to adopt!” Shelter dogs are the best. In 2010, Pixie and mom and dad moved to Florida. The burning question is why does Donna continue to volunteer for Animal Friends? Taken from her email: I LOVE my volunteer job! I support our county shelter, but I am certainly not ready to give up volunteering for Animal Friends. After so many years, some of the donors feel like friends! Only a few know who I am, but I recognize all of our wonderful, loyal supporters. The shelter is so fortunate to have them. The shelter is so fortunate to have YOU, Donna. For all your hard work and dedication from a distance, Animal Friends Humane Society sends you a tidal wave of thanks!

Donna Kaufmanand Pixie

By Nancy Bender

Our Humane Society was established in 1952...Our mission is to promote humane principles, to protect lost, homeless, abandoned and mistreated animals, and act as advocates for animals in our communities.

Shelter Hours...Mon-Tues-Fri-Sat-Sun...11-4:30Wed-Thurs...1:00 - 7:00 pm

HUMANE SOCIETY

1820 Princeton RoadHamilton, Ohio 45011(513) 867-5727www.animalfriendshs.org

The oldest,largest,non-profit animal adoption agency in Butler County,Ohio.

NON-PROFIT ORGU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDCincinnati, OHPermit #967

Easter and all the spring blossoms have come and gone, but the true forget-me-nots are our furry friends in the shelter waiting for you year round.

Our Annual Easter Egg Hunt!Special Thanks to our Bark’n’Purr Sponsors

ADOPTVOLUNTEERDONATE

Our ThirdBirthdayPaw-Ty!

Animal FriendsHumane Society

and you’re invited!Saturday

August 18, 201212 noon till 3:30 pm • 1820 Princeton RoadCake & ice cream, food, games & fun!!

Please save the date and join us!

Anniversary

Shelterof the

In Honor &Celebration

601952-2012

thA

Milestoneand a

Birthday