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Recent News Archives
Summer, 2011:
July ObservancesNational Share a Sunset With Your Lover Month (Really!)National "Doghouse Repairs" Month Social Wellness Month Dog Days: 7/3-8/11 Rabbit Week: 15-21 National Zoo Keeper Week: 17-23 Independence From Meat Day: 4 Don't Step On A Bee Day: 10 Teddy Bears' Picnic Day: 10 Cow Appreciation Day: 17 National Get Out of the Doghouse Day: 18 |
August ObservancesNational Immunization Awareness MonthInternational Assistance Dog Week: 7-13 Feeding Pets of the Homeless Week: 7-15 Bowl-a-Rama for Animal Rescue Day: 6 International Friendship Day: 7 Kool-Aid Days: 12-14 Set up a Kool-Aid stand to benefit ALF! Best Friends Day: 15 Adopt your new best friend! National Relaxation Day: 15 Cats calm and relax you International Homeless Animals Day: 20 Be An Angel Day: 22 (Do one small act of service - ask us how!) National Dog Day: 26 National Holistic Pet Day: 30 |
September ObservancesHappy Cat MonthResponsible Dog Ownership Month Ovarian and Prostate Cancer Awareness Month National Preparedness Month Disaster Preparedness and Pets World Animal Remembrance Month National Hug Your Hound Day: 11 National Pet Memorial Day: 11 Puppy Mill Awareness Day: 17 Elephant Appreciation Day: 22 Fish Amnesty Day: 24 International Rabbit Day: 25 Shamu the Whale Day: 26 National Good Neighbor Day: 28 TNR in Your Neighborhood World Rabies Day: 28 |
2nd Quarter (Very Special) Rescues
Which means a whole lot of spaces are left available for the adoption groups to save more cats from being killed at the open-access shelters like the county "pound" and humane societies.
Winter and Dusty were placed with our adoption partners. Austin (center) is available on our Adoption page.
During 2nd Quarter, 2011, ALF also rescued a social, tame cat who found herself surviving off the food at a feral colony. Ashleigh's tail had been injured, and looked like a dead plant, sticking straight up in the air. When she was taken to the vet, her entire tail had to be amputated. She now has a completely round bottom, without even a stump, nor a fan-tail like Curious George. After all she had endured, we couldn't return her to live on the streets again, so we put out a plea to our adoption partner in Tucson. Ashleigh is a beautiful long-hair gray kitty, who is very sweet-natured, but still a little shy. She'd love to have her own safe and loving home. Please let us know if you're interested, and we'll put you in touch with the rescue who is currently caring for her.
Pledge to Spare the Alley Cats: Bowl-a-Rama 2011
Help us to raise $2500 by August, for this important cause. We're joining PACC911 and other animal welfare groups for the 9th Annual Bowl-a-Rama for Animal Rescue. This event brings much-needed awareness to the plight of homeless animals in our community. Did you know that the Phoenix area has the 2nd largest population of homeless animals in the nation? Help us to help them by clicking here to make a donation.
Just $50 saves 20 lives!
Please give generously to help those who have been left behind.
Get Your Custom Web and Print Service from Artistik Designs
AND help out the animals in need with referral ID
ALADS1011
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Promotion ends October 1, 2011
ALF Wins New Cat Condos Contest
We're ecstatic! We won 2nd place in the recent New Cat Condos Contest on Facebook, and will be awarded $1,000 in merchandise! Make sure you're signed up for our Newsletters, as we'll be using part of these winnings for a fundraiser, and offer our ALF Friends the chance to pick up one of these high-quality, locally-made pieces for a donation to ALF.
News YOU Can Use
Sadly, severe attacks on stray animals have been reported in several areas: 32nd St/Thomas in Phoenix, Chandler Mall, Gilbert and Southern, and more. Many hoarding cases have also come to light, cruelty and legal agencies have intervened in some, others remain without intervention.
We want to remind everyone that harming or neglecting an animal, even stray or feral cats, is illegal in Arizona, and can result in Felony charges.
Please report all incidents of any type of cruelty, neglect, or violence towards animals, even if you aren't sure. Let the authorities investigate and decide. Agency contact information can be found on our ALF Recommends page. Please be insistent that the agencies perform their civic duties to protect the animals, and follow up to be sure it's being taken seriously.
On our recommendations page you'll also find a host of other resources, from pet food standards, to groomers and sitters, to vaccination locations. We try to provide resources for you as well, to help the animals in your families and communities.
Why Spay/Neuter?
Unwanted births: nearly 60,000 animals in our County are killed every year because they're homeless.
Prevent cancer: Eliminate risk of testicular, ovarian, and uterine cancer, reduce risk of prostate and breast cancer. Risk increases tenfold with an undescended testicle; 50% develop tumors.
Many other diseases and hazards occur when an animal is not sterilized. Read more at this link.
It's Still Kitten Season, Let's Get to the Root Cause!
Let's just get right to it: The Root Cause of Kitten Season is unsterilized animals, due to irresponsible owners who don't spay and neuter their pets.
Kitten Season 2011 is upon us, and it seems to just run together from year to year. Even though a cat's breeding cycle will be more intense in the spring and summer than at any other time of year, cats have moved toward year round breeding, and their season doesn't actually end. Some do not come out of heat until they are either impregnated or spayed. The majority will return back into heat approximately every other week. Mating is painful for female cats, and they often struggle to find enough nourishment for themselves and their kittens. Mama cats are often hit by cars while searching for food, leaving orphaned babies behind.
A breeding pair of cats can result in nearly 20 kittens being born in one year, and as many as 420,000 over a 7 year period. Sadly, many young, beautiful kittens are put to death because they simply have no place to go. By conducting TNR (Trap/Neuter/Return), nearly 10 community (or outside) cats are saved from the dangers, for every one sterilized. At around 100 spays and neuters each year, ALF keeps 1,000 animals out of danger, or adoption and kill shelters. That's the "ripple down effect". This leaves space for 1,000 more to be saved by adoption groups. We believe the rescue community will never adopt our way out of euthanasia; the root cause has to be fixed: unaltered animals.
We also believe that rescue and TNR groups alone are unable to fix the problem by ourselves. YOUR PARTICIPATION IS NEEDED. Are YOU ready to address the root cause? You can help eliminate the suffering for these homeless cats as well, by sterilizing those living in your own community. Visit our Spay One Stray™ Campaign page to learn how.
So what if you do you do if you find kittens? Don't remove them! You must capture kittens and Mama to make sure they're all spayed and neutered. Somewhere out there is a Daddy too. If you take away the kittens and leave the Mama cat, you'll just have more kittens in the Fall. And again in the Spring. In fact, by next Summer, the Fall kittens will be having kittens of their own!
Only if you're certain the Mama cat is gone or the kittens are in imminent danger, should you ever remove them, unless you can foster the entire family - Mama too - spay and neuter them all, and then find homes for them. Read our Found Kittens brochure for all the details. Please share it with others, so more people are prepared before stumbling upon an urgent situation.
Shelter+ Challenge July 4 - Sept 18
The current Shelter+ Challenge from The Animal Rescue Site and Petfinder.com is happening right now. Animal Loving Friends is once again eligible to win any of the grants!
Enter your pet's funniest photo for an additional chance to win a $2,000 grant for ALF!
All you have to do is visit The Animal Rescue Site, and place your vote for Animal Loving Friends. It's free! And no personal information is collected.
Read past stories submitted by Animal Loving Friends in the Archives
Spring, 2011:
April ObservancesCancer Control Month: Spay and Neuter to prevent cancer!National Frog Month National Pet Month Pet First Aid Awareness Month Prevent Lyme in Dogs Month Prevention of Animal Cruelty Month Stress Awareness Month - Adopt a Cat! World Habitat Awareness Month International Pooper Scooper Week: 1-7 Medication Safety Week: 1-7 National Week of the Ocean: 3-9 Animal Control Officer Appreciation Week: 10-16 National Volunteer Week: 10-16 Coin Week: 17-23 National Pet ID Week: 17-23 World Rat Day: 4 Any Rat Rescue in AZ ASPCA Day: 7 International Beaver Day: 7 National Farm Animals Day: 10 National Pet Day: 11 Teach Your Daughter to Volunteer Day: 16 Bat Appreciation Day: 17 Pet Owners Independence Day: 18 Earth Day: 22 Bulldogs Are Beautiful Day: 23 National Pet Parents Day: 24 National Kids and Pets Day: 26 National Hairball Awareness Day: 29 Save The Frogs Day: 29 Bugs Bunny Day: 30 Eeyore's Birthday: 30 National Go Birding Day: 30 Penguin Day: 30 |
May ObservancesGo Fetch! Food Drive for Homeless Animals MonthAmerican Wetlands Month National Foster Care Month National Moving Month Lyme Disease Awareness Month Be Kind to Animals Week: 1-7 National Pet Week: 1-7 National Dog Bite Prevention Week: 15-21 National New Friends, Old Friends Week: 15-21 EMS Week: 15-21 AZ Humane Society EAMT Mother Goose Day: 1 National Specially-abled Pets Day: 3 Respect for Chickens Day: 4 Mother Ocean Day: 7 Mother's Day: 8 Donate a Day's Wages to Charity: 11 Hug Your Cat Day: 12 Frog Jumping Day: 13 International Migratory Bird Day: 14 Endangered Species Day: 20 Neighbor Day: 22 World Turtle Day: 23
June ObservancesAdopt a Shelter Cat MonthPotty Training Awareness Month (Thinking Inside the Box) World Oceans Day: 8 Garfield the Cat Day: 19 American Eagle Day: 20 Public Service Day: 23 Take Your Dog to Work Day: 24 Ugly Dog Day: 24 Fish are Friends, Not Food Week: 6/27-7/3 |
Which means 122 spaces are left available for the adoption groups to save more cats from being killed at the open-access shelters like the county "pound" and humane societies.
Confident, Fun-Loving RB would LOVE to find an inside home! Tiki and Monroe were released back to their managed colony.
Fixed Ferals looking down on the human race
Spice is still waiting... And waiting... And waiting... for a home. Charlie Bear was finally captured by his new Dad...
Shelter+ Challenge Ends June 19
The Animal Rescue Site is hosting the next challenge for Petfinder.com shelter and rescue groups starting on April 4 and ending on June 19. Animal Loving Friends is eligible to win any of the grants!
All you have to do is visit The Animal Rescue Site, and place your vote for Animal Loving Friends. It's free! And no personal information is collected.
Read past stories submitted by Animal Loving Friends in the Archives
We hope you'll join us in pledging to
According to a study presented at an American Stroke Association conference, cats reduce stress and are good for the heart.
During Kitten Season, adult cats sit in the shelters for months, just waiting for that special someone to notice them. They're often overlooked next to cute, playful kittens. But those kittens will grow into adults in no time! And adult cats have already adapted to human schedules, and learned everything they need to know about living with people. They're happy to curl up in your lap and watch a great movie, or the Evening News. Why not do something that's good for your heart, as well as a cat's?
 January ObservancesAdopt a Rescued Bird MonthNational Be On-Purpose Month (don't let accidents happen, spay/neuter ALL pets and community cats) Happy Mew Year for Cats Day: 2 National Bird Day: 5 Positively Penguins Day: 9 Rubber Duckie Day: 13 Dress Up Your Pet Day: 14 Live Like a Cat Day: 15 Appreciate a Dragon Day: 15 Bald Eagle Appreciation Days: 15-17 Winnie The Pooh Day: 18 AFRMA Fancy Rat and Mouse Day: 22 Answer Your Cat's Questions Day: 22 Seeing Eye Dog Day: 29 |
February ObservancesAdopt a Rescued Rabbit MonthNational Bird Feeding Month National Pet Dental Health Month Responsible Pet Owners Month Bikers Against Animal Cruelty International Hoof Care Month Groundhog Day: 2 PACC911 & Earnhardt Ford Pet Adopt-A-Thon: 12 Random Acts of Kindness Week: 12-15 (help a homeless animal, spay/neuter/feed/foster/adopt/volunteer) Man Day: 13 (Real men eat quiche, and real men care about animals. Did you know that ALF has NO male volunteers?) National Donor Day: 14 Westminster Dog Show: 14-15 Great Backyard Bird Count: 18-21 Love Your Pet Day: 20 Spay Day USA: 22 |
March ObservancesAdopt A Rescued Guinea Pig Month (visit Piggie Poo, Arizona's small animal rescue)National Pig Day: 1 (visit Ironwood Pig Sanctuary, Arizona's home for rescued pot-bellied pigs) National Horse Protection Day: 1 What If Cats And Dogs Had Opposable Thumbs? Day: 3 National Professional Pet Sitters Week: 6-12 Donald Duck Day: 13 K9 Veterans Day: 13 Wildlife Week: 13-20 International Ask a Question Day: 14 International Day of the Seal: 15 Swallows Return To San Juan Capistrano Day: 19 National Animal Poison Prevention Week: 20-26 National Puppy Day: 23 |
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Shelter+ Challenge Now through March 20
The Animal Rescue Site is hosting a new challenge for Petfinder.com shelter and rescue groups, with prizes ranging from $1,000 to $10,000. Animal Loving Friends is eligible to win any of these grants!
All you have to do is visit The Animal Rescue Site, and place your vote for Animal Loving Friends. It's free! And no personal information is collected.
New this time! Enter your own beloved pet in the
New Beginnings Story Contest to win money for your favorite shelter. That's Animal Loving Friends, of course! Please let us know when you enter your pet, so that we can help you win by sharing with all of our Friends of ALF!
Read past stories submitted by Animal Loving Friends in the Archives
Play the TNR Game!
We hope you'll bring the kids and stop by the ALF booth on Saturday, Feb 12 at the
Ultimate Matchmaker
Pet Adopt-A-Thon
Earnhardt Ford
7300 West Orchid Lane, Chandler
Ray Rd/I-10
The event runs from 10am - 3pm, and will feature more than 30 rescue groups with scores of pets looking for lifetime partners.
Animal Loving Friends presents The TNR Game, a fun and educational way to learn about overpopulation and saving lives. We work hard all year to keep hundreds of animals from breeding. This prevents thousands of births, making room for our adoption partners to save more lives from euthanasia at open-access shelters.
Come play the game and learn how you can help reduce overpopulation and euthanasia through TNR (Trap/Neuter/Return)!
Southwest Airlines Tickets Available for a Limited Time
Take advantage of this opportunity to help homeless cats and reward yourself too!
Thank you to EVERYONE who made this a very successful event
for all the animals and for the winning bidders!
Congratulations to:
Lori B: Winning bid Ticket 1: $365
Lori B: Winning bid Ticket 2: $365
Elaine P: Winning bid Ticket 3: $355
Elaine P: Winning bid Ticket 4: $355
We would like to offer faithful followers and volunteers of Animal Loving Friends the opportunity to bid on the tickets.
- Southwest has estimated the value of each roundtrip ticket at $400.00.
- The roundtrip ticket may be used to and from any Southwest city. You may check their flight map at www.southwestairlines.com.
- These tickets have no restrictions or blackout dates, and are valid until February 2012.
- Bidding will begin upon receipt of this email.
- Bidding will end at midnight (Arizona Time) on 2-2-11.
- Winners will be notified by midnight 2-6-11.
- Bids are accepted via email to alfrescue@hotmail.com.
- We are asking for a minimum bid of $300.00 per ticket.
- Please give us your name, email address, mailing address, and the amount of your bid for each separate ticket (up to 4).
- Payment will be accepted only via paypal, certified check or money order (made payable to Animal Loving Friends).
- Payment must be received from the winners by midnight 2-10-11.
- Tickets will be sent via certified mail (signature required) on 2-15-11 to the address provided.
- In the event of a tie or duplicate bids, the first bid received will be chosen the winner.
Heat Race!
Though Kitten Season 2010 is over, we can't let up. We still need to trap and spay/neuter a lot of community cats, to prevent the births of as many kittens as possible this Spring! Female cats have already gone back into heat, so it's a race against time!
ALF is still in need of volunteer help. Just a few more hands, a few times a month, would make a HUGE difference in the lives of many!
Are you a Night Owl? Or an Early Bird? Do you have a free hour or four, that you could spare to help us once a month or more?
We're looking for the next Trapper John, or Trapper Jane. While Hawk Eyes are not required, we do sometimes take the cats to the MASH clinic. If this is something that you can do, please visit our Volunteer page and send us your application today! If you can help, even once a month, please visit our Volunteers page and let us know what you can do to help the homeless, community cats.
We still need:
- people who can set humane traps and stay with them late at night
- drivers who can transport them early mornings especially on Sundays
- people who can set out food and water at dusk at our Tempe and Chandler locations
- write and maintain information about events, volunteering, and adoptions on our partner sites on the web
- write for grants
- facilitate fundraisers
If you want to make a real difference in your community, please be a
You can assist our team trapping cats in our colonies, or
7650 S McClintock Dr
Suite 103-120
Tempe, AZ 85284
Email:
alfrescue@hotmail.com