{Adoption Events} Cold Noses, Warm Hearts!

We're holding our second Mini-Super Adoption of the year and we need volunteers to help us out.

We will need volunteers help for the following positions, Bolded shifts are the most critical:

Roadies! THE MOST IMPORTANT POSITION: That’s right, people who are good at loading and unloading trucks and setting things up.

• Friday April 13, 8-9am Help needed at storage loading trucks in SLC, directions upon request
• Set-up: We need lots of help Friday April 13 starting at 9:30 am to set up the event at the Layton Petsmart, 750 N Main St.
• Sunday April 15, 4-6pm Tear-down and clean-up event, reload truck, follow us to storage if you can
• Sunday April 15 when we arrive a storage unload trucks in to storage unit in SLC, Directions upon request, we'll call you as we're on our way there

 Event Assistance: A good place for new volunteers; assist with event by watching gates, holding signs, cleaning up and directing people as needed.
• Saturday April 14th, 8-noon, noon-4pm, and 4-8pm
• Sunday April 15th, 7-11am, 11-3pm,and 3-6pm.(3-6pm also includes cleaning up.)

Cat Care: Cat care involves scooping litter boxes, making sure the cats have food and water, taking out trash and keeping the cat adoption area clean. You may need to help groups bring animals back and forth between event and trucks. Other tasks as needed.
• Saturday the 11th,8-noon, noon-4pm, and 4-8pm
• Sunday the 12th, 8-11am, 11-3pm,and 3-6pm.(3-6pm also includes cleaning up.)

Dog Care: Dog Care involves walking dogs, picking up poop, making sure they have water, shoveling up and replacing shavings that line kennel floors, taking out trash. Other tasks as needed. Not all groups will allow NMHPU volunteers to walk their dogs. Help rescue groups load and unload dogs as needed. Must be at least 18 years of age.
• Saturday April 14th,8-noon, noon-4pm, and 4-8pm
• Sunday April 15th, 7am - noon, noon -4pm

If you can help out please email me at kristinas@bestfriends.org as soon as possible! Let me know your full-name, phone number, email address and top three choices of where/when you would like to help out. We need the most help Friday and Sunday. All volunteers should come ready to help and be flexible if we need to reassign you.

Lucky in Love

The “Lucky In Love” Adoption Event at Salt Lake County Animal Services this past weekend was not only a ton of fun, but a great success as well! By the end of the weekend, 38 cats and 34 dogs had been adopted!

It always amazes me how choosing a fun theme for just a single weekend can have such an amazing impact on an adoption event.

With just a few lucky shamrock bandanas, an army of energetic volunteers, and an equally enthusiastic shelter and rescue staff, this event went off with great style! Kudos to Amber Randall, No More Homeless Pets in Utah’s Shelter Outreach Coordinator, and to Kristiina Stromness, Volunteer Coordinator at NMHPU, for assembling such a great group of volunteers to prepare all of Salt Lake County Animal Services’ cats and dogs for this weekend! An informational cage card, a bath or brushing, and a smiling human face to answer a potential adopter’s questions goes a long way.

On Thursday afternoon, I stumbled into Salt Lake County Animals Services as a happy staff helper, with not much of an idea of what had been prepared or what to expect. My first surprise was an auditorium FULL of volunteers, who had already assembled almost every cat tower needed to showcase adoptable cats for the weekend! (and that’s not an easy job-those towers are beat up, heavy, and often held together by a few zip ties!) I was so impressed.

Friday’s kick off to the weekend’s event was well-represented, with a special media spotlight with the

Salt Lake County Mayor, and a very proud, grinning from ear to ear, Salt Lake County Animal Services staff. This was the first time an adoption event I’ve attended had a start like that! Thanks, Mayor Corroon.

Throughout the weekend, I felt like I was floating through a dream; so many people coming in and out the doors, so many volunteers willing to help and talking to people and cleaning up litter boxes without even being asked, and keeping dogs busy with toys and walks!

One of my favorite things about these events is that every volunteer seems to pick an animal (or two,

or five) that they really connect with; and a new determination is kindled to find that one (or two, or five) dogs or cats a home during the weekend’s event. The excitement and passion at this opportunity to be the animals’ advocate is contagious, and it’s my favorite part about working with Salt Lake County Animal Services to help find shelter animals new homes in a new and fun way!


-Erin Olsen, Adoptions Coordinator

Volunteers Needed in Ogden for "My Furry Valentine" Adoption Event

Next weekend February 11th-12th we are hosting our first mini-Super Adoption event in Ogden! We’ve never gone this far north before and we need your help finding volunteers.

"My Furry Valentine" will be held the New Gate Mall in Ogden next to Mr. Mac. It’s open to the public Saturday February 11, 10am-7pm and Sunday February 2, 10am-4pm.

We will need volunteers help for the following positions, Bolded shifts are the most critical:

Roadies! THE MOST IMPORTANT POSITION: That’s right, people who are good at loading and unloading trucks and setting things up.
• Friday February 10, 8-9am Help needed at storage loading trucks in SLC, directions upon request
• Friday February 10, 10am-2pm or 2pm-6pm unload trucks and set-up at adoption event in Ogden
• Sunday February 12, 4-6pm Tear-down and clean-up event, reload trucks
• Wednesday February 15, 8-10am Unload trucks into storage unit in SLC, directions upon request

• Sunday February 12 around 6/7 pm Unload trucks in to storage unit in SLC, Directions upon request, we'll call you as we're on our way there

Event Assistance: A good place for new volunteers; assist with event by watching gates, holding signs, cleaning up and directing people as needed.
• Saturday the 11th,8-noon, noon-4pm, and 4-8pm
• Sunday the 12th, 7-11am, 11-3pm,and 3-6pm.(3-6pm also includes cleaning up.)

Cat Care: Cat care involves scooping litter boxes, making sure the cats have food and water, taking out trash and keeping the cat adoption area clean. You may need to help groups bring animals back and forth between event and trucks. Other tasks as needed.
• Saturday the 11th,8-noon, noon-4pm, and 4-8pm
• Sunday the 12th, 8-11am, 11-3pm,and 3-6pm.(3-6pm also includes cleaning up.)

Dog Care: Dog Care involves walking dogs, picking up poop, making sure they have water, shoveling up and replacing shavings that line kennel floors, taking out trash. Other tasks as needed. Not all groups will allow NMHPU volunteers to walk their dogs. Help rescue groups load and unload dogs as needed. Must be at least 18 years of age.
• Saturday the 11th,8-noon, noon-4pm, and 4-8pm
• Sunday the 12th, 8-11am, 11-3pm,and 3-6pm.(3-6pm also includes cleaning up.)

If you can help out please email me at kristinas@bestfriends.org as soon as possible! Let me know your full-name, phone number, email address and top three choices of where/when you would like to help out. We need the most help Friday and Sunday. All volunteers should come ready to help and be flexible if we need to reassign you.

Together we can save them all,

Kristina, Volunteer Coordinator

Meet Staff Member Ashley Farmer!

Hey there! I am Ashley Farmer and I am the new Voucher Program Specialist with No More Homeless Pets in Utah. In this position, I work to extend access to low-income Utahns for free spay and neuter surgeries through our Free Fix Program. I volunteered with NMPHU about 6 years ago at the Super Pet Adoption where I found Patches O’Houlihan—a half Irish Wolfhound, half standard poodle buddle of Iovin’. I count myself incredibly lucky to be working with this amazing group of people on behalf of all of these wonderful animals!

Let me tell you a bit about myself. I am a Virginian through and through. I was born in Richmond and grew up in Appomattox, VA (For you history buffs, that is the where the American Civil War ended.). Eight years ago, I found myself in Salt Lake City attending Westminster College (Go Griffins!) where I received my B.S. in Social Science with an emphasis in Political Science. During my time at “Westmini,” I really fell in love with the West. Everything is a bit more relaxed out here and open. In 2009 I made my way back to Westminster (Go Griffins, again!) and graduated in 2011 with my M.A. in Community Leadership.

My career aspirations have taken me into various positions within the Human Services and Nonprofit fields. I have worked with Salt Lake County Criminal Justices Services, screening those booked into Jail for pretrial release. I was the Grassroots Relationship Manager with the American Cancer Society, working with their Government Relations Department advocating for legislation for equal access to healthcare. I went over to The Road Home as worked as their Volunteer Coordinator. And then I was fortunate enough to be hired by NMPHU. There is a definite pattern in the positions I have held to advocate and provide services for those who are experiencing tough circumstance of various forms.

In my free time, I am an avid yogi. I practice Anusara Yoga and have started to venture to the hot world of Bikram Yoga. I try to escape often to Southern Utah for hiking adventures (I’m spoiled in that aspect since my Dad is a Utah State Park Ranger. I like to mooch off him to get into some really fun places.). I also love music and going to concerts (My first concert was Paul McCartney at 7 years old, thus, beginning a lifelong love affair with The Beatles.). Some of my favorite bands are the aforementioned Beatles, The Smiths, The Clash, Radiohead, The Pixies, and so many more. Plus, I have a great affinity for folky, bluegrassy, twangy, countryish music. (Sorry. Getting on a Music Soapbox for a sec.) I am also a firm believer that the only music worth buying should be on vinyl. I have the best group of friends that I like to get into various shenanigans with on a regular basis. I enjoy reading historical nonfiction and watching documentaries of the Ken Burns ilk. And finally, I am a volunteer with Catholic Community Services of Utah’s Refugee Resettlement Program and am having a blast working with a family from Bhutan right now as they adjust to life in the Salty City!

I have to say, I have had so much fun since I’ve started at NMPHU and am awe inspired by our dedicated staff and volunteers! Everyone is so nice, so funny, and have been so incredibly patient with me as a learn the ropes around here. Again, I count myself as being very lucky to be here and am very excited about the work we are all part of!

The Big Fix in January

The mission of No More Homeless Pets in Utah is to end the euthanasia of homeless dogs and cats statewide and to promote humane alternatives for feral cats. One of the ways we achieve our mission is through spay and neuter surgeries.

You may ask how something like spaying and neutering your pet will help the homeless pet problem. Why should I get my pet fixed? The sad truth is that millions of dogs and cats are euthanized in the United States every year due to pet overpopulation. In Utah alone, over 30,000 homeless, unwanted animals are put to death each year. The best way to avoid the problem of unwanted pets, and one of the kindest things you can do for animals, is to make sure that your cat or dog is spayed or neutered. Spaying and neutering saves lives.

And we won’t stop until the entire state of Utah is fixed!

In January of 2012, we are focusing on Salt Lake County. The Big Fix will be visiting Kearns, West Valley City, and Taylorsville throughout the entire month. We are making it easy for residents of these cities to fix their pets!

As an incentive to get your cats fixed, female cat surgeries are FREE, with proof of residency in West Valley, Kearns or Magna. Surgeries for male cats and all cats from other cities are only $25.

Big Fix Schedule:
Jan 3 & 4: Kearns – Oquirrh Park Fitness Center (5624 S 4800 W)
Jan 9 & 10: West Valley City Animal Services (4522 W 3500 S)
Jan 16-18: Taylorsville/Kearns – RC Willey (3915 W 4700 S) (Free gift in the store!)
Jan 23-25: West Valley City – Redwood Recreation Center (3100 S Redwood Road)

Call today to make an appointment! 1-866-PETS-FIX or 801-432-2124 x10.
Now is the time to get your pets fixed; you won’t find better prices anywhere else!

Candy's Happy Ending

The end of 2011 is approaching, and we here at No More Homeless Pets in Utah and our supporters have a lot be proud of. We can take a look back at our accomplishments over the past year and reflect upon how all of us together have made such an important difference in the lives of others. The evidence is overwhelmingly true: Kindness and second chances can truly change someone’s entire world.

Candy is just one example of the many dogs and cats whose world we’ve been able to transform. Candy was born at the beginning of 2000 and when we first met her, she was on the euthanasia list at a local shelter. Her “tipped” left ear told us that she had been living a life on the streets, most likely part of a feral colony. However, it was clear from the beginning that Candy wasn’t afraid of people. Our adoptions team pulled her from the list and took her into our adoption program. In 2004, Candy found a new home. Candy’s new family included a little girl with autism, and Candy and the young girl became inseparable. The girl carried Candy around with her everywhere and even took her to school every day. Candy was a source of comfort and companionship to this young girl and Candy’s patience and unconditional love became the center of this young child’s universe.

In June 2010, Candy was returned to us, citing “litter box issues”. Candy was dropped off at our offices and the mother told the little girl they would come back and get Candy later that day. They never returned.
Candy was taken to the vet for a check-up. It was determined that sweet Candy had a severe urinary tract infection, which was both painful and caused the “issues”. Candy was placed on antibiotics and within a few days, she was the same darling girl she’d always been.

Then Candy developed stomatitis, and had to have her teeth removed. Despite all the pain and visits to the vet, she remained her sweet self and regained her health. Candy took up residency in our offices, going to adoption events and the journey to find a loving, forever home for her had begun once again.
One day last October, we received an adoption application for a senior cat. The family originally wanted to meet another older cat in our program but when they read Candy’s profile, they just had to meet her. This prospective family was just starting out, with their first baby on the way. They came to meet Candy and immediately fell in love. She was adopted that very day.

Candy’s new family has stayed in touch with us, and the love affair has continued ever since. This older lady has adjusted really well to her new home and routine. “Candy is such a sweet little character! We love her funny twitching tail when she’s excited and her loud purrs when she’s getting the attention she wants,” her new family writes. She’s even taken up playing with Nick, her new dad. Every night around 9pm, she suddenly gets a boost of energy and she and Nick chase each other around the house playing tag. They are looking forward to Candy being a best buddy to her family’s new baby.

Candy’s incredible road from a life on the streets to cuddling with her new family has been possible because of your support. This is the kind of change you can be a part of by sending us your donation today. Most older cats don’t get second chances, but thanks to your support, we can continue to change the world for homeless pets again and again.

Candy’s story is just one of many happy endings we here at No More Homeless Pets in Utah can be proud of. Together, we can save them all.

Celebrating Seniors!

Recently, all of the staff members at No More Homeless Pets in Utah were asked to share their thoughts on adopting senior cats and dogs in honor of Adopt a Senior Pet Month. Since she recently adopted Trina, a senior cat she absolutely loves, Volunteer Coordinator Kristiina decided to write a whole blog post to express her thoughts.


Where do I start? This is going to be a bit of a ramble because I could talk about my love of Trina for days. I really didn't know how good I had it with Trina until I fostered a teenage kitten. Trina is so much easier than a kitten or a young cat. She doesn't claw my furniture at all. The only thing she claws is her scratching pad. She doesn't really care for cat toys so the only treat I need to buy her is catnip. She always uses the litter box. She doesn't have any bad habits like stealing my food or chasing our dog.

She is perfect.

I don't want to make her sound boring just because she is calm. She still has lots of funny quirks. For instance, sometimes she meows but without any sound. You can see her mouth move but nothing happens. It's so cute. She absolutely has to be in the kitchen if anyone walks in there. She'll jump up from whatever she is engaged in and bolt into the kitchen. Then she'll just meow at the cupboard. It's totally bizarre. You can open the cupboard but she doesn't really care. She is also obsessed with her scratching pad. If she thinks you are going near it she runs to it. Because if you are going to pet her, she would really prefer you pet her while she is sitting there. It's like her throne and she feels very special when she sits on it.

But the best part about her has been watching her slowly open up over the last six months. Every week she gets more and more loving and comes out of her shell. After 3 months I thought I pretty much knew her personality, but I still learn something new every day. Last night, I figured out that she likes to get under the covers and she has recently started sleeping curled up around my head instead of next to me.

So far she has not really been a lap cat and prefers to be a next-to-my-lap cat-- but the longer we live together, the trips to my lap have become more frequent and it's really exciting to me to see the progression of trust in our relationship. I think sometimes people are more drawn toward buying a puppy or kitten instead of adopting an adult because they think the bond will be more natural . . . and maybe they are right. But for me, the bond built with an older, more reserved animal has been so much more rewarding. And what it really comes down to is that if you want to bond with an animal, young or old, you just need to spend time with him or her and the bond will form on its own.

Another reason I hear people give for not wanting to adopt a senior animal is that they want more time with the animal before he or she passes. They want to put that sad time off and feel that adopting a younger animal is a way to do that. I can sort of understand this. Losing a companion animal is one of the hardest things one can go through. But in the end, wouldn't you rather have an amazing being in your life for a few years than not at all? And just imagine what a great last few years you can help a senior cat or dog have if you're just willing to open your home to one of the older adoptable animals at a shelter or rescue group.

If people aren't willing to adopt seniors, they're going to end up in limbo at rescue groups or euthanized far before their time in a shelter. Maybe years down the road after she passes I will change my mind and say losing a loved one isn't worth it. But for now I am so happy to have her a part of my family that I'm quite sure I would be kicking myself if I hadn't adopted her.

Kristiina Stromness
Volunteer Coordinator