Winter 2011 Speaking of

Animals4242 South 300 WestMurray, UT 84107

Phone: (801) 261-2919

www.utahhumane.org

The Humane Society of Utah is dedicated to the elimination of fear, pain, and suffering in all animals.

Plus:A New Outlook on Life,

Talk to the Pro, and more!

Landmark Ordinance Passes

Unanimously! Page 3

HSU Participates in Rewards Offered in Animal Killings

Page 2

Saving SmokeyPage 4

Board of directors

Craig S. Cook, PresidentDr. Eric Belnap, Vice PresidentDr. JoAnn B. Seghini, Secretary

Randy John, Treasurer

Directors:Michelle Christensen, Janet E. Haskell

Steve Starley, Tim J. Williams

administrative staff

Gene Baierschmidt, Executive DirectorPaul Chapin, DVM, Veterinarian

Shama Chapin, DVM, VeterinarianLena DeTar, DVM, VeterinarianJohn Paul Fox, Chief Investigator

Pauline Edwards, Director of ClinicCarlene Wall, Director of

Operations and EducationCarl Arky, Director of Communications

Katharine Brant, Director of Publications and Membership

Oliver Schmidt, Director of Electronic MediaLoraine Delgadillo, Business Manager

Human ResourcesCarrie Glavin, Volunteer Coordinator

Kris Smith, Community Outreach Director Jessica Almeida, Animal Transfer CoordinatorBarbara Conrad, Foster Animal Coordinator

services Providedv Adoption of animals to qualified homesv Low-cost sterilization surgeriesv Receiving of unwanted animalsv Preventive immunizationsv Investigation of animal abuse and neglectv Animal rescuesv Humane education and pet-facilitated therapy

For further information on services provided by HSU, call (801)261-2919 during business hours.

Remember, HSU is your shelter.We are here to help the animals of Utah.

Please help maintain and support our programswith your contributions.

The Humane Society of Utah is an independent 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization

that is not affiliated with any other group, nationally or locally. We receive no funding from taxes or any

source other than your contributions.

Incorporated 1960

4242 South 300 WestSalt Lake City, UT 84107-1415

Telephone: (801) 261-2919 Fax: (801) 261-9577

www.utahhumane.org © 2011 Humane Society of Utah. All rights reserved.

HSU Participates in

REWARDSOffered in Animal Killings

Last fall, two unrelated cases of random and pointless killing of several animals — three cows and a horse — led outraged members of the community to protest, and generous rewards were offered in both instances for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators. The Humane Society of Utah willingly contributed monies to the reward funds.

In the first instance, a family out for an afternoon drive in Tooele County passed two freshly killed cows lying close to the road, then saw in front of them four young men in a Jeep; one of them was slumped across the Jeep’s hood and armed with a rifle, which he pointed at the herd of cows. After witnessing the boys shoot a third cow, the family — Michael Ostler, his son and grandson, and a cousin — asked the boys what they were doing. They replied that they had been shooting at rabbits, but said they had “missed and hit the cows by mistake.” The Ostler family told them to “get along out of here,” and then dialed 911. The dispatcher asked them to follow the Jeep. They did so for a number of miles, but lost them when they reached I-80; however, by then authorities had located the Jeep and arrested the 18-year-old man and three minors who had been shooting from it.

Valuable Property — Precious LifeThe assistance of the Ostler party enabled prosecutors to seek $12,000 in restitution

to the cattle’s owner for his losses. Two of the cows happened also to be pregnant, which compounded the rancher’s financial grievances. (It was later discovered that in their spree the teens had illegally shot and killed an antelope as well.)

In November, the Ostler family was honored at the Utah Farm Bureau’s annual convention for their help in bringing the shooters to justice. “For what you did, we thank you,” said Farm Bureau President Leland Hogan. “You did what was lawfully right, and morally right.” Ostler replied, “I don’t know if it was brave, but it had to be done. It’s a big area out there; if you want to plink at some tin cans, fine, but there’s plenty to do without destroying someone’s property or abusing wildlife.”

HSU Executive Director Gene Baierschmidt was present at the ceremonies during which the Ostler family was given a $4,000 check as a reward for their actions. The money had been contributed by the rancher who owned the cows, the farm Bureau, the Farmers Union, and the Humane Society of Utah. Mr. Baierschmidt said, “The men who reported the egregiously callous shooting of these cows had the integrity to take the proper course of action. They had absolutely no idea that they would receive any sort of reward in any form; they simply did the right thing for the right thing’s sake. The Humane Society is more than willing to step up to the plate in an incident like this.”

He concluded by saying he hoped that the prompt issuance of a reward in this case would serve as a deterrent to anyone who might in the future contemplate committing similar acts.

Outrage #2 — the Murder of a Beloved HorseThe second instance in which HSU has contributed to a reward in a senseless

animal killing is the brutal and gruesome death and mutilation of Snap, a handsome American Saddlebred who was the beloved pet of Jennifer Carrillo.

continued on page 7 (Rewards)

On December 28th the Salt Lake County Council, led by Chairman Joe Hatch, voted unanimously in favor of the “Volume Dog Breeding” ordinance, which for the first time provides Animal Services in unincorporated Salt Lake County with a tool to help regulate people who indiscriminately breed multiple litters of puppies for profit, often with little or no concern for the welfare of the animals

involved, and establishes humane standards for those dogs that are being bred. Until now, there have been no breeding regulations in the entire state. Says HSU Executive Director Gene Baierschidt, “This is a landmark ordinance that we hope will also be adopted in other communities. Right now, about 20 municipalities across the country have passed similar ordinances.”

The average citizen isn’t really aware of the great amount of uncontrolled dog breeding going on under the radar — the activities of unlicensed, unsupervised, unregulated “backyard breeders” who frequently keep dogs in dirty, cramped conditions and force them to turn out one litter of puppies after another, expecting to sell them for high prices.

All too often, puppies produced by backyard breeders wind up being sold in supermarket parking lots or through Internet classified ads. The animals involved in these “impulse purchases” are not vaccinated or sterilized; no background check is run on the buyers; and the dogs themselves may later be abandoned or released to a shelter when the new owner realizes how much responsibility is required to care properly for a pet.

The Bottom Line: Less Suffering, Less Euthanasia

The intent of the “Volume Dog Breeders Ordinance” is, simply, to reduce the number of unwanted dogs being turned in to shelters, which will in turn result in lower levels of euthanasia . HSU wanted to get an ordinance passed

that would require stricter regulations regarding backyard breeders so that in the future fewer animals will be euthanized in shelters because there will be fewer surplus animals, and backyard breeders would also be held accountable for the health and well-being of the animals they produce. An additional benefit will be a decreased drain on taxpayers, who presently must foot the bill to manage the problem of unwanted dogs in public shelters. 3

— by Gene BaierschmidtHSU Executive Director

As I see thingsLandmark Ordinance

Passes Unanimously! HSU Spearheaded Campaign

to Regulate Uncontrolled Dog Breeding

“If breeders truly love their dogs, they should be in favor of this ordinance because it sets humane standards for dogs being bred.”— Gene BaierschmidtHSU Executive Director

This is how many irresponsible backyard breeders keep their dogs until they are sold: Too many animals in too-small cages, no exercise, infrequent cleaning, often inadequate or nonexistent protection from the elements. Why would anyone want to support such conditions by buying an animal from these people? Why would anyone want to allow those conditions to continue without any regulation?

The Structure of the Ordinance

The ordinance will ensure this by implementing these guidelines:

v Anyone who, during any 12-month period, breeds more than one litter of dogs will be required to obtain a yearly license.

v In order to get such a license, the applicant will first have to qualify and meet certain standards.

v The dog owner will be subject to a yearly inspection by representatives from County Animal Services.

v Dogs being bred must be provided with protection from the elements (e.g., access to solid indoor enclosures, temperature regulation), and waste removal will have to be performed on a daily basis.

v Breeders will be required to have all permitted dogs given a yearly examination by a licensed veterinarian.

v Female dogs must be given a rest between breeding cycles — no more than two litters in any 18-month period.

v Breeders will be required to keep detailed records for five years on any dog that is bred.

Failure to comply with the ordinance is a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail and/or a $1,000 fine.

Passage of the ordinance should represent no problem for responsible breeders, says Mr. Baierschmidt. “If breeders truly love their dogs, they should be in favor of this because it sets humane standards for dogs being bred, and also has the potential to reduce the number of unwanted dogs being turned in to shelters.”

Again, our goal is to reduce the number of unwanted dogs being turned in to shelters, thus reducing the number of animals being euthanized. In the end, the indiscriminate and careless breeding of dogs is nothing more than an ongoing cycle of cruelty which contributes to the pet overpopulation problem and creates needless suffering for countless dogs. HSU is deeply gratified to see regulations at last placed on that cycle.

We want to give very, very special thanks to Salt Lake County Council Chairman Joe Hatch and Council Member Randy Horiuchi for their support in moving this ordinance forward and getting it through; Chairman Hatch fought particularly hard for passage of these regulations every step of the way.

Thanks also to the many members of HSU and the general community who contacted the Council to voice their support of the proposed ordinance. Your actions will help us get at the root of the pet overpopulation problem, and make it possible for shelters to greatly reduce the number of dogs that must be euthanized. v

4

Among my best friends are the Ogden family of West Jordan, including their daughters Shelly and Aubrielle. I always knew that all of the Ogdens were very kind, caring people, but I never realized — until the Smokey episode — how incredibly courageous and determined they were as well.

On the afternoon of Sunday, September 19th, the family emerged from their local church into the smoggy air (the pollution from the fires had spread throughout much of the entire valley), and were startled to hear the loud cries of a cat or kitten. After following the sounds for a few moments, they were able to determine that the noises were coming from underneath the surface of the parking lot and realized, to their horror, that the animal or animals were trapped in the pipe of a storm drain, which was covered by a huge and heavy iron grille.

Unable to dislodge the grate by themselves, Shelly and her sister ran for help to my home, where my girlfriend Katrina Plunk was visiting, and breathlessly told us the story.

Katrina and I immediately grabbed pet food, a ladder, lights, live traps, and blankets, and ran with the girls to the site. Peering through the grille with flashlights, we could see that the catch basin below was about seven feet deep and four feet wide, and a broad drainpipe opened from a sidewall of the basin and ran for about 200 feet over fairly deep water, finally disappearing in the darkness of another basin on the other side of the parking lot. We couldn’t see any animals, but we clearly heard piteous meows coming from inside the pipe, and we set to work at once.

No Easy Task, This!It took all of us, working together,

a full half hour just to dislodge the massive grate; it must have weighed between 200 and 250 pounds. As soon as it was off, though, we were able to shine our lights into the shadowy recesses, and we at last saw a tiny dark gray kitten crouching in the very middle of the pipe — located precisely between the two catch basins, about 100 feet beyond our reach. Paralyzed with terror, she refused to respond to our coaxing calls or any other enticements. Eventually the evening grew dark and the smoke from the fires seemed to be getting thicker, so for the moment we decided to bait the humane live traps with cat food and set one near each end of the pipe to see if she would voluntarily venture out of her hiding place.

Later that night I stopped by to check on the traps. Both of them were empty, but I did see two more kittens skulking around in the parking lot — definitely neither of them was the one we had seen in the pipe earlier, but they obviously looked like members of the same litter. These two appeared to be less traumatized, and I was actually able to round them up without too much difficulty and take them back home with me.

Real HeroinesEarly the following morning I visited

the traps again and once more found

Saving Smokey— by David Birkley

A Very Special RescueEditor’s note: In the last issue of Speaking of Animals we reported on the horrific wildfires that swept through the community of Herriman last September, and of the heroic efforts made by the Utah Emergency Animal Response Coalition and its HSU representatives on behalf of animals in the area affected by the calamity. We later learned that, even beyond the epicenter of the crisis, caring individuals were working to save animals who had come to grief in the confusion and destruction caused by those fires.

One of these special people was David Birkley, an HSU foster parent who sent us the following account of the dramatic rescue of some trapped kittens in West Jordan — a town close to, but not directly hit by, the Herriman fires. David himself fostered one of the kittens and then brought her to the Humane Society of Utah, where she was successfully adopted into a safe and loving home.

To David and to his neighbors, the brave members of the Ogden family, who were actively involved in the adventure, all of us extend a very warm and sincere thanks for saving Smokey and her siblings.

During last September’s wildfires in some of the communities located southwest of Salt Lake City,

a frightened, disoriented kitten disappeared through a hole in this massive grate (see detail) and became trapped in the long drainpipe that runs underneath the adjoining parking lot. Thanks to the relentless determination of

an HSU foster parent and two of his young neighbors who live in the area, the potential tragedy instead ended in triumphant rescue and a good new life for the kitten.

5

them unoccupied, although I could still hear the cries of the stranded kitten; the sounds were much fainter than they had been the day before, and I concluded that it was time to seek profes-sional assistance. I first approached the local Animal Control agency, and they couldn’t help. I called the management of the City Works and they couldn’t help. I drove to the nearest fire sta-tion and they couldn’t help. By now the better part of the day had been spent fruitlessly, and I had pretty much run out of ideas.

When school let out that afternoon, Aubrielle Ogden came straight to my house to see if I had been able to rescue the kitten. I introduced her to the two that I’d been able to catch, but I was forced to tell her, very regretfully, that everything I’d tried to do for the original one had been unsuccessful. I dreaded the effect that such grim news might have on this sensitive child, but to my surprise there were no tears, no sobs of helpless resignation, no admission of defeat: Her young face simply set itself into an expression of fierce determination, and the next thing I knew, she and Shelly and Katrina and I were back at the storm drain!

We could still see the kitten halfway into the pipe, crying more and more weakly. After another hour of futile attempts to get her to come to us, Aubrielle took matters into her own small hands. She is slender and agile, and, before any of us could say anything about it, she had lowered herself down onto the platform around the first catch basin and slipped into the big drainpipe herself. With infinite patience, she slowly crawled forward, making encouraging mewing calls all the way — and thirty minutes later she and the kitten had come close enough to each other that Aubrielle was at last able to reach out and gather the dirty little bundle of fur into her hands.

A New Name, a New LifeDuring all these activities a small crowd of

evacuees from the Herriman fires, who had set up temporary camp in the church parking lot, had been closely following the little drama, frequently offering to do whatever they could to help. So when Aubrielle triumphantly emerged from the drain with the kitten safely cradled in her arms, many of these people — all of whom had already been through an agonizing ordeal themselves, and lots of whom didn’t even know if they still

had homes to return to — spontaneously burst into cheers and applause, and more than a few of them openly wept with happiness over this one small bright moment in the midst of so much trouble. Shelly and Aubrielle Ogden, who had been actively involved in the rescue from first to last, were swamped with hugs and handshakes and congratulations, while Katrina and I could only squeeze each other tight and laugh with sheer relief and gratitude and amazement that things had turned out so well.

The two kittens I had originally caught were in good shape, so I took them to the Humane Society of Utah, where both were soon adopted. I felt that the third little one, who had been pretty well shaken up by the events of the past couple of days, would do better if I fostered her for a while. Since all of her problems were the direct result of the wildfire disaster, and because of the dusky hues of her coat, the only logical name to give her was Smokey. Smokey stayed with me for a week, growing steadily fatter and fluffier and more confident, and when I took her to the HSU shelter to be spayed and put up for adoption (where her thrilling history was told on a placard prominently placed on her kennel), she was of course an instant hit and soon went home with a loving, carefully-screened family, who report that she is now the completely spoiled and adored queen of their household.

Ultimately, I know that if it hadn’t been for Shelly Ogden’s having initially heard Smokey crying in the pipe and Aubrielle’s steely persistence in getting her out of it, this little kitten’s fate would have been a very different, and far less pleasant, one.

The ironic thing about the whole story is the fact that Aubrielle is allergic to cats and can’t have any of her own — otherwise, guess where Smokey and her siblings would be living right now! v

Safe and sound! After having been given one-on-one

foster care to help her adjust after her terrifying ordeal, Smokey was brought to the Humane Society to be adopted. Here

she poses in the shelter for a good-bye portrait just before being taken by a loving family to her own wonderful new home.

6

At the beginning of last October, a pair of brother-and-sister terrier puppies came to the HSU shelter to be put up for adoption. The healthy little girl was spayed within a week of her arrival, and went to a new home of her own the very next day.

However, her brother Butters (so named because his brindle coat looked like buttered toast), had a couple of serious physical problems that had to be dealt with before we could even think of placing him for adoption. First, and worst, the cornea of his right eye was covered by a huge, badly infected ulcer; and, secondly — likely as a result of the swelling caused by the infection — the same eye had developed an abnormal condition known as “cherry eye,” which occurs when the gland of the dog’s third eyelid flips out of its proper place and protrudes from the inner corner of the eye as a small reddish mass. Cherry eye can be successfully treated with surgery, but it would have been impossible to perform this operation while the rest of the eye was so severely compromised. The veterinarians’ initial prognosis suggested that the entire eye would probably have to be removed.

Dr. Lena to the Rescue!Then the newest member of our clinic staff,

Dr. Lena DeTar, offered to make a personal effort to save his sight. “Butters was the best little dog, and had so much courage and character,” she said later. “With hundreds of animals awaiting adoption every day, there would be no way we could invest the required time and effort on a single dog for as long as would have been necessary if he were to be treated in the shelter, so the obvious solution was to get him into personalized foster care ASAP. I just wanted that little guy to have every possible chance of going out of here with two good eyes.”

Accordingly, Dr. DeTar herself took him home and also brought him in to work with her each day. He had to have healing drops and ointments administered to the eye on a regular basis, and any changes in the appearance of the ulceration had to be meticulously monitored. He also needed socialization and potty training. Dr. Lena felt that his chances for success in all areas would be better if he

were kept under close observation throughout the entire period of his treatment.

“I Can See Clearly Now”Her judgment was correct, and her efforts produced

remarkable signs of improvement on a daily basis. Butters became a familiar fixture in the HSU offices as he scampered around wearing his protective cone-shaped collar, and staff members (all of whom had completely lost their hearts to him) cheered him on while they watched the ugly lesion on his eye steadily shrink as it was replaced with healthy tissue. By the end of the month, Butters was pronounced well enough to undergo the final two things that still needed to be done — the repair of his cherry eye and his neuter surgery. The day after his operations, Dr. Lena proudly showed him off to his fans. He had two clear, bright, almost perfect eyes, and his “lampshade” attire had been replaced with a sporty Utah Jazz collar and stylish grey-striped sweater. We were even able to dress him in a plush velour pumpkin costume for Halloween.

Right now, things couldn’t look better for Butters; Dr. DeTar believes that his vision is, and should remain, very close to normal. “There may be a little corneal scarring, but I think even that is not likely to affect his sight,” she said. “I expect he’ll be able to start off his new life in a good home as if nothing had ever been wrong with him.”

Butters is now looking straight ahead to a very bright future, and he’s looking at it with two clear, beautiful eyes. Thanks, Dr. DeTar! v

No one meeting the bright, eager glance of this little fellow would ever guess that when he first came to our shelter one of his eyes was completely clouded over with an ugly, infected corneal ulcer. HSU’s new veterinarian, Dr. Lena DeTar, became his personal foster parent and, under her continuous expert care, the eye healed perfectly. Butters is now the beloved member of a good family who reports that he is normal in every regard — including all the lively, energetic, and mischievous characteristics of a typical terrier!

A New Outlook on Life for “Butters” — Thanks to New HSU Vet Dr. Lena DeTar!

Speaking of Animals is proud to feature the logo of Community Shares Utah in its pages. This is a workplace giving federation that allows employees to donate any specified amount through payroll options to a range of non-profit agencies, including the Humane Society of Utah, that work to benefit the environment, deliver critical services, improve the community, protect human rights and promote animal welfare.

The Humane Society of Utah has been a member of Community Shares for several years. Look over the list of other member organizations at www.communitysharesutah.org to see what good company we keep. HSU would love to benefit from your workplace giving program — if you don’t have the opportunity to contribute at work and would like to, please contact: Carlene Wall, Humane Society of Utah (801)261-2919, ext. 209 or Lynne Bradley, Community Shares (801) 486-9224. v

A Workplace Giving Opportunity

7

Problems Solved Here!

— by Michelle Rizzi Owner, Calling All Dogs

Michelle Rizzi, CPDT, is a certified animal trainer and the owner of Calling All Dogs (formerly Handle with Care) Dog

Training. She teaches obedience classes at the Humane Society of Utah, and here discusses one of the problems that clients frequently

bring to her, along with her advice on handling it.

When winter temperatures drop, it’s important to remember to provide for your dog’s comfort and safety from the cold. This is the rule of thumb: Under 20° is too cold for most dogs to be left outside. Of course, there are some breeds who can’t even handle 35° or less. Small or short-haired dogs, for example, need more insulation and simply can’t keep themselves warm in low temperatures.

For dogs who don’t like to walk through the snow to go potty, you can shovel a little path leading to a nearby appropriate spot. When it’s time for the daily walk, a warm coat and even some booties will help dogs brave the elements. (Booties will also be useful for protecting paws from salt and other chemicals used to melt snow.) If you won’t — or can’t — get your dogs to wear foot protection, make sure that you wash the paws with a warm, wet cloth as soon as you get back inside; if they lick their paws themselves, they might ingest some of these substances and become seriously ill.

Utah is Not the North PoleNever assume that “northern” breeds, like huskies or St.

Bernards. can automatically handle all types of cold weather. As companion animals, these dogs typically spend enough time indoors to cause their bodies to acclimate to around 70°, and they may still feel uncomfortable outside because their blood is thinner. Also, their coats will probably not have grown in as thick and full as they would be if they were in a consistently cold environment.

Are you keeping your dog outside while you’re at work because you’re afraid of “accidents” in the house? You may want to consider having an experienced dog trainer help you work through this problem (and that’s an undisguised plug for my business, by the way).

Finally, just use common sense. If you absolutely must keep your dogs outside for any period of time, make sure they have proper shelter: a snug, well-insulated house elevated off the ground and facing away from prevailing winds, with plenty of straw or dry blankets inside to help them keep warm. Remember: Just because they can’t complain, it doesn’t mean they feel no pain.

Here’s to warm, happy hearts and homes for everyone in the winter! v

Not Fit for Man OR Beast Out There!

Talk to the Pro

Q.Now that the weather has turned cold, what do I need to know about making sure that my dog stays healthy and comfortable through the winter?

A.

Snap was found dead in his own pasture in the northwest part of the valley. He had been shot once in the head, but, according to Sgt. Zach Todd of Salt Lake County Animal Services, “It does not appear that the horse immediately went down.” At the scene, blood stains stretched for more than 100 square feet around the horse’s body. “These marks indicate that Snap suffered greatly,” says Sgt. Todd. “It is not acceptable to kill a horse in this manner.”

A Final HorrorAs terrible as it is to think of any animal dying in such agony

from a bungled, amateur shooting, an additional and even greater outrage was perpetrated on Snap — whether before or after he finally died is not known: But whenever it happened, large chunks of his flesh were cut off in the manner in which slaughtered animals are butchered for meat, and were carried away from the scene.

“There is a huge and lucrative black market for horse meat for human consumption among certain people, both in America and abroad,” explains Scotlund Haisley, a spokesman for American Dog Rescue, one of the main groups involved in pursuing this

case. ADR founder Benjamin Arthur adds, “We are committed to doing anything we can to help. We cannot and will not accept this sort of abuse in our community. We demand justice for Snap and for his bereaved guardian, Jennifer Carrillo.”

Reward Still AvailableADR not only paid for the necropsy of Snap’s body, they

also immediately offered a $2,500 reward for information leading to the apprehension of whoever killed him. That reward was matched by an anonymous donor, bringing the total to $5,000, and the Humane Society of Utah has in turn matched that figure. Although no amount of money in the world can erase what happened to Snap or ease Jennifer Carrillo’s broken heart, the sum of $10,000 awaits the person or persons who can help HSU and the other involved organizations see that the perpetrators of this grisly crime do not go unpunished.

The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Unified Police Department at 801-468-3000 or Salt Lake County Animal Services at 801-559-1100. v

Rewards... continued from page 2

8

Last October, a brand new pet-grooming emporium opened its doors in West Jordan, and since then all of the dandiest dogs and coolest cats in town have been lining up to make appointments for shampoos, hair styling, pedicures, and all the other necessities that are the real hallmarks of the well-cared-for Pet About Town. Owned and operated by Jayne Morris and Eddie Pierce, both experienced groomers and former New Yorkers, Auntie Jayne’s Groomerie is definitely the place to go when you want to make a dazzling impression among the “in crowd” of the animals.

Grand Opening Benefits HSUOne of the first things Jayne and Eddie did was contact

the Humane Society of Utah to let us know that they’d be celebrating the holidays by helping out the animals here at the shelter; Auntie Jayne made a a voluntary donation to HSU for every grooming performed. The November event lasted all month and was called “Thanks Fur Giving”; following that, the Groomerie requested shelter contributions through December as well, and sweetened the deal by providing every pet with a free personalized Christmas gift. By the end of the year, Eddie and Jayne were able to present grateful HSU staffers with a generous check to help us care for the animals who hadn’t yet found loving people of their own (and who would, it is to be hoped, make sure that

their new family members are regularly spruced up by top professionals like the ones at Auntie Jayne’s).

A Different SettingThe Groomerie is unique in its layout, having been

expressly designed to meet the emotional needs of its clientele and reduce the stress and anxiety that pets often feel during the grooming experience. “We’ve talked with lots of people who tell us that one of the main reasons they don’t have their animals professionally groomed more often is the fact that the pets become so upset and frightened by being put into small kennels in strange surroundings — they feel that they’ve been abandoned and locked up. When we opened our establishment, that was one of the first issues we addressed.”

Accordingly, the entire facility is bright, open, and airy, and each animal is provided with a roomy, gated kennel that’s made to be as homey and non-threatening as possible. There are soft, clean beds, toys, treats, and all the other amenities of their own surroundings, and the groomers take time to pay special attention and give reassurance to all of the animals as a given part of the whole routine. “It’s worked well,” says Jayne. “In the relatively short time that we’ve been here, we’ve developed a base of customers who bring their pets here regularly, and they tell us that the animals actually seem to look forward to it.”

Shiny Coats for Pets, Bright Futures for Shelter Residents

Eddie and Jayne have indicated that they intend to make an ongoing process of their program for offering clients the opportunity to make a donation to HSU whenever a pet is brought in for grooming. Here at the Humane Society, we’re very appreciative of Auntie Jayne’s policies of not only making grooming an extra-pleasant experience for the pets, but also of helping out those animals at our shelter who are still waiting for good new

homes of their own.

Thanks very much to a pair of innovative and very caring people who are polishing up a lot of animals’ lives, whether they’re already well-loved family members or are hoping to achieve that status soon while they’re waiting here at our shelter for that special someone of their own. v

Great New Beauty Parlor Hits Town!Every Four-Footed Beau Brummell Should Check it Out

This elegant plate glass window in the front of Auntie Jayne’s Groomerie announces the presence of a brand new and innovative

pet grooming parlor. Located in West Jordan, Auntie Jayne’s features open, roomy holding spaces for its animal clients, and has

also donated generous support for the animals of HSU. The owners, Jayne Morris and Eddie Pierce, recently moved

to Utah from New York, where they have both had long experience in animal grooming.

A dog waiting in his own comfortable, spacious playpen exchanges a friendly greeting with Auntie Jayne herself before being given a de luxe nose-to-tail makeover. People who bring their animal companions to the Groomerie for services are offered the option of making a voluntary contribution to the animals at the Humane Society of Utah who are still waiting for loving homes of their own.