You can shop AND help our orphans!

Up to 27% of each purchase you make through iGive.com goes to helping our adoptable animals.

FUR FUN Summer Program (for kids age 8 to 12)
Registration for 2008 sessions begins May 1st.

The Fur Fun Program offers children the chance to have hands-on interaction with animals, learn more about animal behavior, care, and health, plus lots and lots of fun!

Registration for all four sessions of the FUR FUN Summer Program will be by mail. Click here for a printable registration form. Registrations may not be postmarked earlier than May 1st, 2008. Applications postmarked before May 1 will not be accepted.

Forms should be mailed to: HSSC, 2331 15th Street, Sarasota FL 34237, attn: “FUR FUN Summer Program.” Registration is on a first-received basis and must include a nonrefundable $10.00 deposit. Your registration will be confirmed by email before May 15, 2008.

If your registration arrives after the program is full, your deposit will become a donation to HSSC’s orphaned animals. No hand delivered or emailed applications will be accepted. The balance of fees will be due on the first day of the program. Each child may attend only one session per summer.

Fur Fun Summer Program 2008 Schedule
Each session meets from noon to 4 p.m.

Cost is $150 per session, with a $10 discount for each additional sibling. Registration fee includes a FUR FUN T-shirt.

Session 1: June 9 -13
Session 2: June 23 -27
Session 3: July 14 - 18
Session 4: July 28 - Aug 1

The Fur Fun Program offers children the chance to have hands-on interaction with animals, learn more about animal behavior, care, and health, plus lots and lots of fun!

For more information about the FUR FUN Summer Program, call Kate or Dee
at 955-4131 or email education@hssc.org.

HSSC SELECTED TO JOIN NORTH SHORE ANIMAL LEAGUE AMERICA’S TOUR FOR LIFE 2008... Life-saving Adoption Event Set for Saturday, April 5

North Shore Animal League America’s Tour for Life 2008, a national initiative to save the lives of innocent animals, will partner with the Humane Society of Sarasota County for a special pet adoption event Saturday, April 5 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at PetSmart, 4942 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. A cooperative initiative with animal shelters across the country, Tour for Life, sponsored by Nestle Purina PetCare Company, aims to reinforce the importance and advantages of shelter adoptions. This year singer, actress and Grammy-award winner Mýa, soon to be starring in the Broadway musical “Chicago,” serves as the program’s national spokesperson.

“This lifesaving tour is truly close to my heart, as both a pet owner and animal lover,” said Mýa. “Hopefully, my role in this effort will inspire all who are concerned about animal welfare to find room in their hearts and homes for these sweet, deserving pets.”

Shelter dogs, cats, puppies and kittens will be available for adoption on the Animal League’s mobile adoption unit and through rescues and other shelters invited by HSSC to join the event. In addition to finding loving homes for the animals, this event will inform the public of the many educational and lifesaving services available to pet owners at the Humane Society of Sarasota County. The adoption celebration will also include pet adoption specials, HSSC’s “Smooch a Pooch” booth, goodie bags and a pet psychic.

"The Humane Society of Sarasota County is proud to be part of North Shore Animal League America's Tour for Life," said HSSC Executive Director Deborah Robbins Millman. "HSSC is continually striving to find new ways to increase pet adoptions and decrease the number of pets abandoned at shelters. HSSC takes in more than 3,500 such pets annually, each of whom deserves tender care and a loving home. We hope many of them will find their new family during this wonderful event."

Throughout April, Tour for Life will be on its life-saving mission across America, helping more than 100 shelters and rescue groups find homes for orphaned pets. Tour for Life ends with a “Grand Finale” event, hosted by Mýa at FAO Schwarz in New York City on Saturday, April 26, featuring celebrities and puppies posing in the world-famous toy store windows.

Tour For Life is sponsored by Nestlé Purina PetCare Company, Bayer Healthcare LLC, Animal Health Division, and Fort Dodge Animal Health. All pets adopted during Tour For Life receive a free gift from Purina.

To learn more about Tour For Life and how you can help North Shore Animal League America, visit www.animal-league.org, call the special Tour For Life hotline, 1-800-214-4308 or email denisez@nsalamerica.org.

HSSC partners with Comcast West Florida to Feature Pet Adoptions

Comcast has announced the placement of Pet Adoptions ON DEMAND. Every month, Comcast will air up to 30 animal profiles that cable viewers can watch any time. These short videos tell us all we need to know about each furry guest star, including its name, tag number, history, temperament and a number to call for more information. Also included are details about the shelter’s services, such as training programs or medical care. Pet Adoptions can be found under the Get Local menu of Comcast’s local video ON DEMAND -- channel 199.

“Pets ON DEMAND continues Comcast’s long tradition of supporting our local communities, using our unique ON DEMAND technology which allows customers to watch thousands of children’s programs, movies, music videos and sports whenever they want to and at no additional costs for digital subscribers,” said Comcast’s Vice President and General Manager Mark Lipford. “Through our efforts and this partnership we hope to be able to find great homes for some truly wonderful and deserving pets.”

Pet Adoptions ON DEMAND will begin October 19th and showcase both dogs and cats. All kinds of pets, including pure breds, are brought in by owners who can no longer care for them. Pet Adoptions ON DEMAND increases the chances of these orphans finding someone to care for them. Since its debut in other areas, 80 percent of animals featured have been adopted.

"The Humane Society of Sarasota County is thrilled to have been chosen to participate in Comcast's Pet Adoptions ON DEMAND. As an open admission shelter, we never turn away pets in need,” explained Deborah Millman, Executive Director for the Humane Society of Sarasota County, Inc. “That means, our kennels are usually full and we urgently need to find good homes so that we can continue to shelter all the abandoned pets that need us. Pet Adoptions ON DEMAND allows us to bring HSSC's kennels right into the homes of thousands of wonderful families."

Pet Adoptions ON DEMAND is one in a long line of signature “Get Local” programming available to Comcast Digital Cable subscribers. “Get Local” ON DEMAND provides a forum for local community-based programming such as film and music festivals, high school sports, local news, dating and more. All “Get Local” content is free to Comcast Digital Cable subscribers and allows them to utilize ON DEMAND’s interactive technology to fast forward, pause and rewind their favorite programs.

For more information about Comcast’s products and services, customers can call 1-800-COMCAST or visit the company’s Web site at www.comcast.com.

About Comcast Corporation:
Comcast Corporation is the nation's leading provider of cable, entertainment and communications products and services. With 24.1 million cable customers, 12.4 million high-speed Internet customers, and 3.5 million voice customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development, management and operation of broadband cable systems and in the delivery of programming content.
Comcast’s content networks and investments include E! Entertainment Television, Style Network, The Golf Channel, OLN, G4, AZN Television, PBS KIDS Sprout, TV One and four regional Comcast SportsNets. Comcast also has a majority ownership in Comcast Spectator, whose major holdings include the Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team, the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball team and two large multipurpose arenas in Philadelphia.

Pups at the Point is now an on-going event the THIRD Saturday of EVERY month from 9 a.m. to noon.

Pups at the Point” is a partnership between Spanish Point and the Humane Society of Sarasota County, but all dog walkers are welcome as long as they obey these simple rules:

• Dogs must be dog-friendly and up to date on vaccinations
• No dogs in heat allowed
• Keep dogs on a 4 – 6 foot leash at all times
• Please stay on designated paths – no dogs in buildings
• Use bags and trash containers to clean up after dogs.

Feline Fanciers "Cat Mats"
Baby relaxes on a "cat mat" made by the Feline Fanciers at the Humane Society of Sarasota County. The whimsical mats provide cats with comfort and security and are sent home with adopted cats to ease their transition into their new homes. The Feline Fanciers, volunteers who use innovative means to make HSSC's cats more comfortable, are seeking donations of fabric so that each of HSSC's 150 cats will have their own cat mat.

Bring donations of washable, flat-stitched (non-looped) fabric and one-inch batting to HSSC's shelter at 2331 15th St., Sarasota FL. Or, to create and donate a finished cat mat: fold a 13" x 39" length of fabric in half inside out, sew three sides, then turn the pouch right side out. Insert a 12" x 18" one-inch batting into the bed and sew it closed. Stitch down the batting in each corner, in the middle, and along each side to prevent bunching during laundering. For more information, call us at 955-4131, ext. 104.

8th Annual Adoptathon
It's time again for our annual Adoptathon, Saturday, May 3rd, running from 10:00am to 7:00pm.

FUR FUN for Everyone Who Works with Kids

The Humane Society of Sarasota County offers an exciting series of workshops that include lecture, demonstration, interactive pet therapy sessions, and an optional tour of the HSSC shelter. Handouts, web sites, and material for further study will be provided.

Our workshops in the past have included the following topics:

“Lessons Animals Teach:”
This workshop provides instruction for using humane education as character education. Values such as responsibility, respect and fairness, relate very well to animal themes. The workshop will also teach ways that interaction with animals can be a deterrent to violent tendencies in children. For teachers of grades 6 through 12.

“Telling Humane Stories:”
This workshop, geared toward grades K-4 focuses on using animal themes to tell stories about a variety of subjects. Stories, especially about animals, capture children’s attention and delight them, while also teaching. Story telling offers a great way to teach valuable lessons.

“Humane Ed: Focus on Middle School:”
This workshop instructs teachers of middle school classes how to utilize humane principles in a variety of curricula. Animal issues such as overpopulation, vivisection, and puppy mills can be the basis for classroom lessons in math, social studies, physical sciences and other subjects.

"Humane Ed for Children with Special Needs:”
This workshop focuses on ways that special education teachers can use pet therapy to enrich the learning experience for their students. The cognitive and physical abilities of the children will be considered, as well as their ages.

“Humane Ed for Pre-School Teachers:”
This workshop gives preschool teachers games and other activities they can use to help the children learn and develop social skills. There will be handouts and discussions of the value of helping kids develop compassion and empathy for animals.

“Humane Teens:”
This workshop focuses on activities appropriate for teen community service, possible careers with animals, and classroom activities that utilize humane principles.

Humane Education has proven to be a valuable tool in reaching children of all ages. There are many lessons animals teach much better than humans do. Animals are accepting, nonjudgmental, and they’re lots of fun to work with.

While we will use certified pet therapy animals in the workshops, we will also instruct participants in ways to utilize humane education when animals cannot be present in the classroom.

Kate Franklin and Dee Halpern are two of only four humane educators in Florida who have earned Certified Humane Education Specialist (C.H.E.S.) status. C.H.E.S. certification is awarded through the Humane Society of the United States after the completion of courses and exams on a wide range of humane education topics.

For more information about humane education at HSSC, or to register for a workshop, please call 955-4131 and ask for Kate or Dee.

Now you can help us by donating a used car or truck.
You can help HSSC's shelter pets by donating a used car or truck! The Humane Society of Sarasota County is accepting donated cars,
trucks, vans, RV's, boats - and even planes - to raise money to provide care for the thousands of abandoned pets it shelters each year. The donation process is fast and easy. The Auto Donation Depot will come to your home or office, pick up your donated vehicle and provide you with the necessary paperwork to deduct the value of the vehicle from your taxes. You can donate in two easy ways: simply call 1-860-548-9838, or click here to access an online donation form.

HSSC Event Photo Galleries
One of our generous sponsors, Julie B Stalnaker of Cristello & Company Real Estate has posted galleries on her web site from several HSSC fundrasiers. Thanks, Julie, for sharing your pictures!

Paws on the Catwalk (April '07)
Hot Dogs and Cool Cats "Goes Hollywood" (11/12/05)
Howl-o-ween Pet Costume Contest (10/29, 2005)
2005 Pat Lonsdale Golf Tournament (5/6 - 5/7, 2005)
Annual Wine Tasting (2/09/05)
Hot Dogs and Cool Cats (11/13/04)
Howl-O-Ween Dog Costume Contest (10/30/04)
2004 Adoptathon
The 12th Annual Pat Lonsdale Invitational Golf Tournament
Paws for a Cause Dog Walkathon (April, 2004)
Sarasota Humane Society Wine Tasting (2/07/04)
The 13th Annual Pat Lonsdale Invitational Golf Tournament (5/6-7/05)

Active Content Warning () in Internet Explorer
When clicking a link on our site, you may hear a "blip" and see the following warning at the top of your screen:

" To help protect your security, Internet Explorer has restricted this file from showing active content that could access your computer."

There is no risk to your computer's security from visiting our site. You will experience this warning if you are using Internet Explorer and have recently done any of the following:

• Downloaded the Windows XP Service Pack 2.
• Updated your Internet Explorer Browser.
• Installed the latest security patches from Microsoft's web site.
• Are using a new computer that already has these features installed.

In layperson's terms, many web pages have bits of computer code (called "scripts") that perform a number of helpful features. Examples include stock tickers, video, and animated content on Web pages.

Unfortunately, if the code is poorly written it may not perform exactly as it was intended to, causing your computer to malfunction. Even worse, unscrupulous web designers can use this same code to compromise your computer's security without you even knowing it. Since 90% of the public uses the Internet Explorer browser, many of these scripts are designed to work with (or against) it.

Microsoft has addressed this issue with their latest security update, which is included with Service Pack 2. Sadly, the technology is not yet able to tell "good" scripts from "bad" scripts so just to be safe, whenever you enter a site with this code (good or bad), the "Active Content" warning will appear.

We have NO pop-up ads or harmful code on our site. On our site, this warning is triggered by the graphical menu at the bottom of each page. When you roll your mouse over each icon, its title appears in the middle of the heart-shaped pattern. The Active Content is what makes this work, and unfortunately, it makes the warning work just as well.

For more information about this, visit the Microsoft Knowledge Base at
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=843017

You can also right-click the warning icon when it appears and click on "What's the Risk?"





We have a new Corporate Sponsorship Program
We all know that business owners are bombarded with requests for donations, but usually, you get very little in return. However, the Humane Society is presenting a unique and rewarding Corporate Sponsorship concept:

As a Corporate Sponsor, you get a full year's listing on HSSC's website (which receives about 10,000 hits per month), marked with a "medal of honor" signifying your level of sponsorship, and a direct link to your website - that's FREE advertising for your company! You are also listed as a caring sponsor in HSSC's newsletter and event publications, get a plaque that shows your clients that you care, and receive many more benefits. Plus, by mentioning your support for our local animal shelter in your own PR, you touch the largest consumer group there is: PET OWNERS. Almost 80% of the population own a pet - you could gain a great deal of new business by reaching that market. You also set yourself apart from your competition by showing that you care. And best of all, since you are supporting a non-profit, your contribution is tax-deductible!

Click Here for information on becoming a corporate sponsor or contact Deborah Millman, HSSC Executive Director at (941)955-4131 ext.102