November 8, 2007                                                                                          for Immediate Release

NF Humane Society to benefit from Many Hands

The Niagara Falls Humane Society has been selected as the recipient of this year’s Many Hands restoration project.

 “We’re thrilled to be selected for the project, and we know the Niagara College students will do an exceptional job at our facility,” said Niagara Falls Humane Society General Manager Valerie Brown. “The Humane Society is committed to providing a safe, clean and healthy environment for all animals that come into our care, and this project will help us continue to do so.”

Now in its eleventh year, Many Hands is a one-day community driven project organized by Niagara College students as part of the Event Management post graduate program. This year, the project has added a green touch by focusing efforts on an outdoor area. Plans for the Humane Society’s Chippawa Parkway facility include tree and hedge planting, the creation of a memorial garden, the installation of outdoor benches and more. Students will endeavor to use environmentally-friendly products in the project as well.

As in years past, students will plan all aspects of the project, which will take place April 17, 2008 leading up to Earth Day, April 22, 2008. The rain date for the project is April 18.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to gain valuable hands-on experience while contributing to our community,” said Shelley Merlo, Coordinator of the Event Management program.

Applications for the project were accepted earlier this fall. Eligible agencies were required to be an ecological friendly not-for-profit organization involved in the provision of a community- based service in the Niagara Region, and willing to commit agency resources to the project. The selection of the project beneficiary was determined by the Many Hands Project Advisory Committee.

The lead (and founding) sponsor of the Many Hands Project is Canadian Tire Financial Services (CTFS).

“The Many Hands project is an exceptionally worthy cause that we’re extremely proud to support,” said Mary Turner, CTFS Chief Operating Officer. “Canadian Tire Financial Services is committed to enriching the communities where our employees live and work.”

Event Management is a one-year post-graduate program and part of Niagara College’s School of Hospitality and Tourism. The program prepares students for careers in the planning, promotion and execution of special events in the public, corporate and non-profit sectors. As part of the program, students organize a number of events, including the Many Hands and Wedding Bells projects.
For further information on the Many Hands project, visit www.niagaracollege.ca/manyhands

For more information, contact
Mike Eybel                                                                     Shelley Merlo
Marketing Coordinator, Many Hands Project                   Coordinator Event Management Program
905 641-2252 ext 4233                                                   905 641-2252 ext 4233
Meybel2@students.niagaracollege.ca                             smerlo@niagaracollege.ca

19 pooches need homes
Shelter takes more Katrina puppies

If you have come to the shelter to see “Ham” the puppy from the article, he is at the Vet being neutered

A noisy and boisterous crew are hoping for a second chance at the Niagara Falls Humane Society. Nineteen dogs, which range in age from eight weeks to 12 years, are second and third generation Katrina dogs.

They arrived in Niagara Tuesday afternoon aboard a trailer driven by members of Boudreaux's Animal Rescue Krewe, a volunteer-based rescue organization based out of Louisiana. This is the sixth time the Chippawa Parkway animal shelter has accepted Louisiana dogs.

The Fort Erie Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has also participated in the rescue program in the past. This time around, six dogs were delivered to the Jarvis Street facility. Animals shelters in Welland, Hamilton and Cambridge also took dogs.

Valerie Brown, manager at the Niagara Falls shelter, is confident all of the wayward hounds, with names like Ham and Fannie Mae, will find new homes. "We've been very successful in the past with these dogs. Louisiana dogs typically fly out the door because people are very enthusiastic about them," she said.

The dogs' small to medium size statures - including the unusual blue and grey spotted Louisiana Catahoula Leopard breed - are also appealing. "They're all great dogs," Brown said. "They seem to be, to use human terms, so grateful for any attention from people."

Roy Pastorius, manager at the Fort Erie SPCA, agreed."They're great little dogs," he said of the new additions, which include two puppies and four adult dogs.

Even though more than two years have passed since hurricane Katrina cut a swath of destruction through Louisiana, the state continues to recover. "People still have to worry about themselves and that means the money and the care doesn't always extend to dogs and cats," Brown said.

The end result is an overpopulation of unwanted and unfixed animals. Only one of the 19 canines at the Niagara Falls facility is fixed and each will be spayed or neutered and microchipped before they are adopted.
Proceeds from the shelter's fifth annual book sale, held at the shelter, will go towards covering the cost of the procedures. The book sale begins Saturday and continues until Oct. 26.

Normally a two-day event, this year's sale was extended to a week due to the large amount of books that were donated for the event. "I don't know how many we have all together but we have an enormous amount," Brown said.

Last year's sale raised $1,600 and Brown hopes to double that amount this time around.
alangley@nfreview.com

QUEEN WALDORF GOES HOME!

April 8th picture of Queen ...........................- June 3rd - A NEW DOG, A NEW LIFE

On June 3rd we held our annual Wiggle Waggle Walk-a-thon. More than 300 people braved the heat and threat of rain to help make this special day our most successful walk to date. $15,000 was raised for our shelter which will go directly to assist in the care of the thousands of animals that enter our shelter each year.

What made this day even more special was that we saw the happy conclusion to the sad story of Queen Waldorf. The official adoption of Queen was completed prior to the walk and she was then handed over to her new family. Below is a picture of Queen with her new owner, Claudia. We needed to find a special home for this great dog and we feel we did just that.

As you can see from the pictures above, Queen has made wonderful progress and if we did not know we would find it difficult to say that this was even the same dog in fact you could almost say that she is not.

We will continue to keep people updated on how Queen is doing along with updates about the criminal charges against her previous owner.

QUEEN AND HER NEW MOTHER - CLAUDIA

More photos from our June 3rd Wiggle Waggle Walk-a-thon

LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTERS WELCOME VISITORS FROM THE SOUTH

click here for the full story

FRACTURED FELINE ON THE MEND

click here for the full story

FACS and Humane Societies Sign Joint Protocol

Photo and article courtesy of Niagara Falls Review

- Wednesday, November 01, 2006 @ 02:00

In 1863, a missionary worker in New York approached a police officer with concerns a young child was being abused by her parents.

With no laws in place to pursue her claim, the worker was able to bring the incident to court under humane laws established years earlier to protect animals.

Similarly, in 1898, the Humane Society in Niagara Falls, then known as Drummondville, assumed the additional role of child protection.

The local children's aid society came full circle with its history Tuesday, as Family and Childrens Services of Niagara and area humane societies signed a child/animal protection protocol outlining the roles, responsibilities and working relationship between the two groups.

While children's aid and humane societies have operated as separate and distinct agencies for many years, both organizations share a common goal - the protection of those unable to speak out on their own behalf and unable to protect themselves.

"This is a natural step for us, given our history and one which I think will be beneficial to both kids and animals," said Bill Charron, FACS executive director.

Humane society staff will now be more aware of the children in homes they visit and the same will apply to child protection social workers, who will be more cognizant of the conditions of animals in the home.

"If either organization is involved in a family situation, that situation will be assessed to see whether or not we need to involve the other organization," Charron added.

While animal shelters across Niagara have contacted FACS in the past, there had never been anything official put in place until now. Kevin Strooband, executive director at the Lincoln County Humane Society, said he contacts FACS with concerns about child welfare at least once every two months.

The joint protocol includes a check list of sorts which outlines what each organization looks for in terms of warning signs of neglect or abuse.

"We go to homes and see children in a poor state and FACS sees animals in a poor state. Now we can record our concerns and forward a completed form to FACS and they will do the same for us," said Don Horvath, an inspector at the Niagara Falls Humane Society.

Horvath suggested a formal protocol to FACS last spring. The region's other animal shelters quickly jumped on board.

The protocol encompasses the Niagara Falls Humane Society, Fort Erie Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Lincoln County Humane Society and the Welland and District Humane Society.

The protocol is believed to be the first of its kind in Ontario.

NEWS RELEASE

 FACS and Humane Societies Sign Joint Protocol

As Child Abuse Prevention Month draws to a close, our local children’s aid society comes full circle with its history, as FACS Niagara and area humane societies sign a joint protocol between the 2 protection agencies.

On Tuesday, October 31st, officials from both agencies will gather at the Niagara Falls Humane Society at 6025 Chippewa Parkway at 2 pm, to sign a Child/Animal Protection Protocol outlining the roles, responsibilities and working relationship between the two groups.

“We have protocols with many community groups,” noted FACS Executive Director, Bill Charron.  “The hospitals, school boards, the police and women’s shelters – just to name a few.  They are all very important but this one is kind of special because of our shared history.”

It has long been known that the child protection movement is rooted in humane laws that were established for the protection of animals, long before similar provisions were made for children. 

In 1863 in the state of New York, a mission worker approached a police officer with concerns about little Mary Ellen, who she feared was being abused by her parents.  With no laws in place to pursue her claim, she was finally able to bring it to court under humane laws established for the protection of animals.

This trend continued on this side of the border – in 1898, the Humane Society established 10 years earlier in Niagara Falls, then known as Drummondville, assumed the additional role of child protection.  It became the Humane and Children’s Aid Society of Niagara Falls.

In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, John J. Kelso, a former Toronto journalist, championed the development of the child welfare system in Ontario. Children’s aid societies established in Niagara’s cities and counties, amalgamated into a single organization in 1969 known as Family and Children’s Services Niagara.

While children’s aid and the humane society have operated as entirely separate and distinct agencies for many years, there remains a connection and common goal – the protection of those more vulnerable, unable to speak out on their own behalf and unable to protect themselves.

The protocol will help clarify and define roles and procedures between the two organizations.  Humane society workers, when visiting homes due to humane concerns, will be more aware of the children in those homes and the state of their welfare.  They will know what should be reported to child welfare authorities and how do to do so. 

The same is true of child protection social workers, in homes on behalf of children.  They will be more cognizant of the conditions of the pets and animals in those homes and be better educated about when and how to contact the humane society.

The Child/Animal Protocol will encompass Family and Children’s Services Niagara and the Humane Societies of Niagara Falls, Lincoln County, Welland and District and the Fort Erie SPCA.