Johnson County Humane Society

Pawsing to Celebrate

Every year in June we gather at The Cottage Bakery & Café to celebrate the human/animal bond and to honor those who have demonstrated uncommon respect, generosity, compassion, and valor, as well as boundless, unconditional love.

Animal Advocacy in Action Award

Animal Advocacy in Action Award

Nancy Crist—Oxford Junction, Iowa

Abandoned animals have little chance of being adopted in many of Iowa’s counties because there are no animal shelters to take them. In areas like these, strays, at least the dogs, are often held for seven days. If not claimed, (and most aren’t because they’ve been intentionally abandoned) they are simply euthanized.

Nancy wishes that every companion animal could live a peaceful life, cared for by an adoring family. In reality though, she knows first-hand that human cruelty, ignorance, and irresponsibility have created a world of pain and suffering for animals. That’s why Nancy started the Animal Welfare Foundation (AWF).

AWF routinely gives unwanted dogs and cats like these a chance to be adopted into secure, caring homes. Their efforts have saved the lives of homeless animals in Jones County, Linn, Johnson, Cedar, Benton, Keokuk, Muscatine, and Poweshiek.

The Foundation’s Good Citizen Prison Dog Program was launched in June, 2004. It gives Eastern-Iowa stray dogs who are unclaimed and at risk of being euthanized a second chance. By teaching the dogs to be canine good citizens, each dog’s chances of being adopted increase. And coincidentally, their transition to their forever home is smoother. At the same time, inmates benefit from the experience by learning patience, dedication to a worthy goal, and personal responsibility for another living being.

“Visiting dogs their new homes and seeing how happy and content they are is the most rewarding part of what I do for animals. Knowing that because I am willing to be inconvenienced, and give up certain things in my life and prioritize others, many dogs are alive that would have not otherwise made it.

When I help a dog, it’s like being in church. There is a peace I get from animals that I find nowhere else. Learning what a powerful effect you can have on other people when you devote yourself to improving your corner of the world has made a big impression on me.”

It’s More than Just a Job Award

Stacy Dykema

Iowa City Animal Care & Adoption Center

Like most of us here today, Stacy was interested in animals from an early age. Unlike most of us though, she went to school with the intention of following that interest. Stacy graduated in 1992 from Parkland College in Champaign, Illinois with a degree in Veterinary Technology. While there, she did a rotation through various facilities that helped her decide she wanted to work in an animal shelter.

Stacy worked with large and small animals at a veterinary clinic in Kewanee, Illinois. While at a clinic in New Mexico, she focused mainly on boarding and grooming.

In 1999, Stacy began working for the Iowa City Animal Care & Adoption Center as an Animal Care Technician, and has been employed there ever since. Her duties include feeding and exercising the animals, temperament evaluations, and assisting with surgeries and medical procedures.

In addition to being a licensed veterinary technician, Stacy is certified in dog behavior evaluation through Sue Sternberg. She is also certified to perform euthanasia by injection through the American Humane Association. Stacy is an Emergency Animal Rescue Service (EARS) volunteer with United Animal Nations and has completed Swift Water and Low Angle Rescue Training. In the wake of Katrina, she went to New Orleans and helped rescue displaced animals with Best Friends.

Stacy believes that the very best part of her job is interacting with the animals and finding them forever homes. “Children need to realize that animals are part of the family and are to be treated with love, kindness, and respect like other family members.” Her most interesting and challenging work has been educating the public about the importance of spay/neuter.

One of the biggest gains for animals Stacy has noticed is the improvement in sheltering facilities where the standard for animal care has risen to include volunteer programs, training classes, and more careful evaluation for successful adoption matches.

Stacy had one dog while growing up. And now, she shares her home with three very hairy dogs: Riviera, Jenga, and Fly, and four cats: Soffat, Elfie, Bullhorn, and Tangier. “Animals give my life purpose. Through them I feel that I am able to make a small difference in the big picture. They fill a place in my heart with their wagging tails, purring sounds, and unconditional love.”

Leave No Animal Hungry Award

Jeremy Miller

Coralville U-Haul

Jeremy has always had dogs and other animals in his life, “there’s just something about animals that can always cheer you up.” Currently, Jeremy and his wife Jamie, share their home with a Eurasian Chow named Sandy, a Yorkshire Terrier named Sabina, and two chinchillas, Cheech and Keebler. 

Jeremy is definitely a “good-cause” kind of a guy. If he had one wish that could be fulfilled for animals it would be to make sure each one had a home with plenty of love, where they’d be fed properly and have their health needs met.

When initially approached about helping the Johnson County Humane Society with our Petfood Project, there was no hesitation on Jeremy’s part. He recognized our project as a good cause, and equally important, he knew that we couldn’t spend a lot of money. As general manager at U-Haul, Jeremy immediately worked out a way we could schedule affordable transportation through U-Haul for our frequent food donation pickups at Nestlé Purina PetCare Company in the Quad Cities.

Knowing that U-Haul was truly helping animals has kept Jeremy involved with our project. “I hope other companies will help too. JCHS is a good cause.”

Entrepreneurship Benefiting Animals Award

Julie Phye & Laurie Smith

Leash on Life

Julie—My mom worked at the ISU Veterinary Teaching Hospital most of my life. I remember as a little kid, meeting Sarah and Wilbur, two little piglets who were orphaned runts. I fed and played with Sara and Wilbur a lot one summer. That was when I first realized that sometimes little guys don’t always get a fair chance and need help from people.

I think up to that point my parents had taught me that animals take care of their young. Cows, birds, cats, dogs—the mother animal knows what to do and she does it. Sara and Wilbur helped me realize that people sometimes need to intervene or else the animal might die. The older I got and the more I was around the vet hospital, I learned that people could be the best or the worst thing to happen to an animal.

Animals are important to me because they keep us in touch with the world, they live in the moment, and they give unconditional love. Animals are great listeners, too and don’t give a hoot about politics!

My three wishes that could be fulfilled for animals are:

•  No more puppy or kitten mills.

•  I would welcome stronger punishments AND that they were actually applied to people who abuse and neglect animals.

•  I wish there were a way we could better communicate with our animals. We’d learn so much more from them and be able to reassure them when they are frightened and we could understand more fully what’s going on when they are sick.

If I could teach “the general public” three things about animals, they’d be:

•  Behavior training doesn’t have to be harsh.

•  When it comes to nutrition, you get what you pay for.

•  Engaging, durable toys for cats and dogs are not frivolous expenditures. They are essential for physical and mental development.

My dog Rosie is so incredibly happy the moment she wakes up. I wish I could learn from her to greet each and every day with such enthusiasm and energy. What keeps me going is there’s plenty more good work to be done on behalf of animals and I’ve met so many great people in the process.

Laurie—Animals were always in the house as I was growing up. A dog, cat, pony, and even a stray chicken who showed up at our house got to stay. We always considered them part of the family. Animals remind us what is important, they live in the moment, and are also very forgiving. They always seem to give back more than we ever give them.

I wish that people would understand that keeping animals requires a lifetime commitment. It doesn’t matter where they came from or what breed they are...the relationship needs to be a lifelong one with plenty of time, patience, and love.

Both Julie & Laurie—Leash on Life celebrated its first birthday on May 19. Business-wise, it’s a juggling act just staying on top of products and food so we have the best we can offer for our two- and four-legged customers. We also buy from independent businesses as often as possible and try to keep price in mind.

Although we’ve only been in business a year we have already learned of several cats and dogs who are no longer with us. We miss these animals and our hearts go out to their caregivers. Those relationships were so important. The loss is so great.

The most rewarding part of what we do for animals is seeing the joy that pets bring into peoples lives (as well as the joy people can bring to their pets). We stay involved with supporting animal organizations to help animals who need homes to find the perfect place. One where they find just the right fit with human companions.

Neither of us could live in a house without animals—it just wouldn’t be a home.

Animal Advocacy in Action Award

Rinthea Satterlee—Williamsburg, IA

Safe Haven (Iowa County)

Nothing prepared me for what I was about to see, smell, and feel. Eight dogs in a tiny enclosure, barely surviving, their feces and urine caked in their fur. No light or access to fresh air. No socialization.

The first seven were easy to move, but the last (a Corgi who had evaded capture the year before), was terrified of people and desperate to stay away from them. We were determined not to leave him behind, even after he bit two of our volunteers. Back at Safe Haven, he chewed through wire kennels to get away from people. He couldn’t to eat or drink in front of anyone. It was six months before he would potty on lead.

Tucker the Corgi joined my family of six felines on Christmas Day, my own gift from Heaven. He taught me so much about trust and the ability to change, but most of all he taught me to never give up!

Since starting Safe Haven 17 months ago, we’ve rescued 167 stay cats and dogs. Now the County Sheriff knows Safe Haven is an alternate to killing strays. The most rewarding part about animal rescue for me is looking in their eyes after they’ve been on the streets for so long and seeing them switch from ‘survival mode’ to ‘saved mode.’ It’s that deep sigh of relief that comes over them when they know they are safe.

Although it’s frustrating dealing with the stubborn, uneducated people who don’t have their animal’s best interests in mind, I think I have noticed an overall positive change in peoples’ mind set regarding the care they give to their animals. Humane education is an essential part of animal rescue work. Children need to know about responsible pet caregiving, how to handle animals safely and avoid getting bitten, and how to advocate for all the animals of the world. I view educating and building relationships with people as one of the most important parts of what I do.

I volunteer because I feel a moral obligation to give back to our rescues what my own animals have given to me. Long days are little to bear knowing a rescued animal’s suffering is over.

First-Class Feral Cat Wrangler’s Award

Rozella Sorrenson-Grabin—Oxford, IA

Growing up on a farm we always had lots of animals around. My parents taught my sister and me that showing respect to others was important.

I remember going to visit my grandparents before the days of cat carriers. We put a litter box in the backseat and my sister and I took turns holding our kitty on our laps. Then the kitty used the box. Maintaining respect was not easy. Especially with the windows rolled up. At first we snorted, and then we dissolved in laughter because the smell just about killed us.

Once we left the farm we’ve always had a cat or cats and a dog as house pets. I guess it’s my parents’ doing that I’m crazy about cats and dogs, but I certainly don’t consider that a disadvantage. After a stressful day at work I come home and the animals all seem happy to see me. I know it might have something to do with the fact I am the food bowl, but they still are glad I came home!

Working with feral cats often means I never get to touch them after they are released into the colony. So when I do calm a feral down enough so she doesn’t run from me, or when that big male flops over and lets me pet him...that’s a good feeling. We rarely know the story behind the cats who come to live with me, but I know each of them has seen some hard times. That’s why I want to make their lives as safe, comfortable, and carefree as I can.

The biggest gains I’ve seen for animals over the years are that more individuals and groups are taking notice of the over-population problem. Groups like JCHS have made some good dents in getting more and more animals spayed and neutered.

The addition of the cats rescued from the St. Patrick’s demolition and others who joined my colony right before the cold weather set in made for a busy winter…more feeding stations, checking more beds for straw, more water to be hauled. But I’ll never stop doing this. With all the help and information I get from my “JCHS family,” winters for my colony of cats get better and better.

I wish these cats could all have an inside forever home and never meet any of the cruel people of the world. But that’s not going to happen. So I’ll continue to stay in the background and work with one feral at a time and do what I can to help the poor creature trust me. I give these animals the best I can offer. It’s just “what I do…”

The Cat’s Pajamas Foster CareGiver Award

Linda Tomblin—Iowa City

I came to love animals though the example set by my father who worked in downtown Los Angeles, and often brought stray animals home with him. He couldn’t tolerate suffering, but often we had neither room nor money for more than one animal at a time. Getting strays off the streets and either giving them a home (or at the least, taking them to the animal shelter) was important to him.

So it’s no surprise that I wanted to pass on those same values of respect and sharing. It’s very rewarding to see my own children (now adults) saving animals and making them part of their families. I wish that every animal could have a safe and loving permanent home and be valued as a family member. The most rewarding part of what I do on behalf of animals is simply making a difference, one animal at a time. Animals are important to me in perhaps a selfish way—because as we nurture them, we are nurtured in return. What you give, you get back.

It’s also been rewarding to meet and work with like-minded people. On our way to Florida, a friend and I were driving south, curving through the foothills in Tennessee. Out of the corner of my eye I saw what seemed to be a large gold-colored dog lying near the side of the road. There were no buildings in sight and the next highway exit was about 25 miles. Of course we circled back, both of us scanning the roadside carefully. Then my friend burst into laughter! What was thought to be a golden retriever who might have needed some help turned out to be a gold-colored recliner abandoned by the side of the road. We slowed down, but did not stop to rescue the golden recliner.

The hardest part of doing what I do is letting go. At our house, we often say ‘once you look into their eyes, you just can’t refuse to take that animal in.’ In that instant, the ‘I am responsible for you’ feeling kicks in. Sadly, not all of these animals make it. Sometimes a humane death is the best gift we can offer. Knowing that when I rescue an animal I am one of the few who would go out of their way to do so, is also a grim reality. Most people claim they love animals, but love without taking responsibility just isn’t enough.

(Why cat’s pajamas, you ask? The phrase conveys “the height of excellence.” Used by hipsters of the 1920s, it describes people who are the best at what they do. What better award for someone who has fostered upwards of 205 animals for the Johnson County Humane Society since we started keeping track in the late 1980s.)

Lifetime of Caring Award

Cameron Vanni—Iowa City

Although ours was a Lysol® kind of house, we did convince my mother to let us take in a stray cat who looked like a raccoon with it’s black mask and mottled fur. We named him Rascal because we were reading Rascal by Sterling North in my fifth-grade class. This was the beginning of my love affair with animals.

Animals are wonderful teachers. They have a great deal in common with children. Both share an intense curiosity about their world. If we adults would take time enough to observe animals in the wild, we might learn how to interact with the environment more sparely and respectfully. When I tutor, I find it fitting to use an animal’s curiosity to remind children to ask questions and explore their environment.

The biggest gains for animals I’ve noticed over the years is the burgeoning of technology. Human beings need constant reminders about the plight of our planet and its occupants. Technology is connecting even the homebound with the wild, wild world. Hopefully, we are learning from all the images that technology captures.

I make time in my life for animals because I greatly benefit from all the gifts such companionship affords. The steadfast commitment that companion animals offer to their humans is such a comfort. In my experience, the hardest part of living with animals involves losing cherished friends, since they generally predecease us. This loss is a challenge for me.

I really can’t say that I do anything special for animals. My neighborhood walks and contribution to feeding feral cats are but tiny contributions. I truly benefit from the animals in my world. I’m the taker, not the giver. I wish that all animals would be treated with respect whether theirs is a wild or tamed life. I also wish for empty shelter cages across the world.

2006 Awardees

Wayne Ahearn, DVM—Guttenberg—Animal Kingdom Veterinary Care Center

Happy to Be on the Same Page Award

Bruce Freeman—Coralville—Coralville Police Department

The Scarlett Award for Above and Beyond

Stinky Kurk & Randy Kurk—Iowa City—The Guitar Foundation

Shop Cat Extraordinaire Award

Teresa Mangum—Iowa City—The University of Iowa Department of English

Capturing Animals in Higher Education Award

Alisa Meggitt—Iowa City—Lucas Elementary School ANIMAL Club

Preparing the Next Generation of Kind Kids Award

Pam Micheal-Milder & Ben Milder—Iowa City—College of Nursing Feral Cat Colony

First-Class Feral Cat Wranglers Award

Sue Pearson—Iowa City—SPOT & Co

Entrepreneurship Benefiting Animals Award

Lisa Drahozal Pooley—Iowa City—Paws to Train (Iowa City Animal Care & Adoption Center)

Dances with Dogs Award

Kayla Sanders—Iowa City—American College Testing (ACT)

Faithful Service from Behind the Scenes Award

Judy Warth—Iowa City—SPOT & Co

Entrepreneurship Benefiting Animals Award

Chris Whitmore—Cedar Rapids—Iowa City Animal Care & Adoption Center

It’s Way More than Just a Job Award

“Happy to Be on the Same Page” Award

Wayne Ahern, DVM—Guttenberg, Iowa

Animal Kingdom Veterinary Care Center

“I can’t say that I’ve had any special epiphanies about animal care or veterinary medicine. I just grew up as a farm kid with respect for animals and the realization that everything wants to live.”

Dr. Ahern purchased the existing Puffer Animal Care Center in North Liberty two years ago and renamed it the Animal Kingdom Veterinary Care Center. This general small animal practice strives to provide a comfortably thorough experience for animals and the people who live with them.

Wayne is quick to add that Jennifer Smith, (who has been with Animal Kingdom from its first weeks) brings a wide range of experience and skills from other veterinary clinics. Found mainly at the front desk, Jennifer has become the face and voice of the clinic as it welcomes their current clients and newcomers.

Animal Kingdom’s basic philosophy in regard to rescue work is to help as many animals out of miserable situations as best they can. This seemingly simple statement speaks volumes. Before you think to yourself “Well, duh,” you need to understand that some veterinarians view animals who don’t have addresses as second-class citizens. They treat them that way, too. That’s why “being on the same page” is an important enough concept to become the basis for an award.

The clinic’s readiness to regularly accept emergencies and deal with unanticipated needs on very short notice is uncommon. In addition, Wayne is kind enough to provide substantial discounts on his services. And his willingness to work with feral cats (when many others decline) is rare.

Wayne attributes his motivation to become a veterinarian to an incident that happened in first grade. One afternoon, he watched the vet perform a postmortem on a pig at their farm. He went to school the next day and at lunch, reported to everyone that he had seen something inside this pig that looked like blackberry jelly. The teacher called him down for this, chastising him and insisting that his comment was in very poor taste. Wayne was dumfounded, as he thought it had just been a simple, yet interesting observation.

Years later, after he had graduated from vet school, Wayne ran into his old teacher and told her that she had inadvertently steered him toward a career in veterinary medicine. We’re delighted that she did!

Scarlett Award for Above and Beyond

Sgt. Bruce Freeman—Coralville

Coralville Police Department

Sgt. Freeman is a Philadelphia native who has been a Coralville police officer for 25 years. He describes his duties as Day Sergeant on the 7 am to 7:30 pm shift as including “everything” a police office might be called upon to do. It’s important to know that Bruce is a life-long dog lover who grew up with a Dachshund. He’s also an avid ice hockey player and fan who holds season tickets to the Cedar Rapids Rough Riders.

On the morning of February 22, 2006, Sgt. Freeman received a dispatch from the Coralville Fire Department reporting a dog trapped on an ice floe in the Iowa River near the Quarry. Bruce was met at the scene by a Coralville firefighter.

A brown dog was in the water, barking, about 20 yards from shore. She had her front paws on an ice floe. Two men on the shore nearby had been throwing a rope toward the dog, hoping to rescue her. The firefighter said they were awaiting the arrival of a red suit (a buoyant wet suit which would enable a rescuer to enter the frigid water without risking hypothermia).

As the minutes ticked away, Bruce saw that the dog had only one paw on the ice floe and was no longer barking. He figured she was about to go under. Knowing he’d have nightmares for the rest of his life if he didn’t try to rescue her, Bruce quickly removed his coat, belt, gun, and keys. After getting the rope from the men who had been trying to rescue the dog, he looped it around his right arm. Bruce then ventured out, crawling onto the thin ice. Half way to the dog, the ice broke and Bruce sank like a rock into the icy river.

Fortunately, it was not the hockey player’s first time in really cold water. Bruce swam the remaining 8 yards to the dog. Upon reaching her, he was able to heave her up out of the water a number of times until she reached good ice and the rescue was completed by those on the riverbank. When the dog was safe, Bruce was pulled to shore. The five-month-old chocolate Lab (Molly) was taken to a veterinarian where she was injected with warm saline solution, had her coat blown dry, and spent time under a heat lamp to help her warm up.

Molly’s owner had reported her (and dog-friend yellow Lab, Sandy) missing earlier that morning. The dogs apparently breached their underground electric fence and struck out for an adventure. Someone walking on a trail near the Iowa River heard barking, saw a dog in the water, and called the police. No one knows how long Molly was immersed. Sandy was found later that day, not far from where Molly was rescued.

The grateful owner (amazed that her animals had strayed so far from home) acknowledged, “If Bruce hadn’t acted when he did, Molly would have died.”

Bruce lives in Coralville with his wife, Tracy. He has two daughters, one in her second year at the University of Wisconsin and the youngest, a sophomore at West High School. Two Brittany spaniels and a dachshund complete the family.

Shop Cat Extraordinaire Award

Stinky Kurk (Randy Kurk)—Iowa City

The Guitar Foundation

Mojo, affectionately known as Stinky, started down the path to her reign as The Guitar Foundation shop cat one Saturday morning in 1997. The long-haired dilute tortoiseshell with a white bib and pink collar was seen hanging around the doorway and peering through the window, willing someone to invite her in. The collar indicated a previous home, but the cat’s actions revealed she apparently had left it to seek a career in music.

One of the employees, (arriving at work late and nursing a hangover) allowed the cat to slip through the door with him. After he stumbled into the back room to “rest his eyes,” the beautiful little cat curled up and fell asleep on his chest. The next day, however, an ailurophobic employee called and had the cat taken to the Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center. A couple days later the other employees approached Randy, the store’s owner, with a request for a shop cat. Randy grew up living in the country where there were plenty of cats around. New ones were always appearing, and always taken in. “Shop cat...why not?” Randy adopted Stinky and she officially joined the staff!

If you perhaps miss noticing Stinky in the window as you walk by, you’ll be alerted to her presence by the sign on the front door warning all who enter “Don’t let the cat out, no matter what she says.” Not that Stinky seems too interested in escape—she takes her job as shop cat far more seriously than that!

Stinky has a bed in the store’s front window, from which she presides over the comings and goings on Linn Street, including those of a particularly obnoxious ground squirrel who lived in the planter box and taunted her through the glass. She also has a box lined with a pillow made by the mother of one of Randy’s guitar students, located in the room where he gives lessons.

She has definitely made her mark on the store—literally! The kiosks for displaying guitar strings are missing some paint on the lower corners where Stinky has rubbed, and claw marks illustrate where she has climbed up to get a better view of her kingdom. She has found the kiosks, amplifiers, and speakers to be marvelous climbing platforms, far better than those sold at any pet supply store!

Her high perches allow Stinky to watch for potential shoplifters, and she jumps up on the counter to help calculate sales tax. She enthusiastically entertains the spouses of customers who are hopelessly obsessed with guitars. In return, Randy supplies her with all the truly indestructible cat toys she could ever want made from used steel guitar strings with a bit of cardboard or a shiny piece of Mylar tied to the end.

Stinky has been good for business and adroitly manages Randy, his staff, and their customers. She rules The Guitar Foundation with a velvet paw—but mind the claws!

Capturing Animals in Higher Education Award

Teresa Mangum—Iowa City

The University of Iowa Department of English

Animals have been a part of Teresa’s real and imagined lives since she was a child. Her favorite books and movies featured animal protagonists, ranging from the series of novels about the wild ponies of Chincoteague (near her home in North Carolina) and Jocelyn Arundel’s Simba of the White Mane, to Rin Tin Tin, Flicka, Lassie, and Trigger.

Her younger sister happened to be born the same day Teresa’s cat, Li’l Abner, produced “his” litter of kittens. Characteristically, Teresa distinctly remembers being more focused on the arrival of the kittens. She counts animals among a lifetime of friends who have given her immeasurable happiness.

While Teresa has advocated for animals in small personal ways for many years, she’s grateful for the support of the English Department and others at the University, both when she designed a course about the way animals are represented in art, film, and literature, and when she decided to begin writing about human-animal relationships.

Helping students explore cultural perspectives on animals and how they’ve evolved over time; and learn about the ways animals have inspired art, literature, and social change; and discover what respect, justice, responsibility, and compassion mean between human and animals has been a rewarding task. Watching students think through how they relate to pets—and also to wild animals, global conservation projects, and the ethical questions raised by zoos, animal research, and eating animals—all give Teresa hope.

Hearing her students who walk shelter dogs talk about forming relationships with the homeless men who gather near the animal shelter reminds Teresa of the powerful connections animals create and help humans create. Last fall, when she visited the Great Ape Trust in Des Moines, Teresa literally had conversations with several bonobos. Communicating so actively with an animal, especially another primate, calls all the boundaries we use to separate “human” from “animal” into question.

For Teresa, no one has been more inspiring than Misha Goodman who directs the Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center, where staff work hands-on wonders for animals every day. Teresa enjoys her time as a member of the Friends of the Animal Center board.

Teresa is also working with several other UI faculty members to raise awareness about the importance of animals to Iowans. They’re hosting a photo-essay contest called The Animals Among Us and co-curating an exhibit at the UI Museum of Art called Animal Expressions, which opens October 21.

This fall Teresa will co-direct a Thursday-night film series on campus that will be open to the public. Some of the films deal with animal abuse, habitat destruction, the bush meat trade, and other grim topics. She’s found it a challenge to remember that working to solve problems is far too important to be overwhelmed by one’s own emotional reactions to the suffering of animals.

For Teresa, the great rewards of animal advocacy are the generosity of the animals and the fundamental goodness of so many people. Educating others about the needs of non-human animals and trying to convince people that as sentient beings, all animals should be treated well seems a very small effort compared to what animals give back in return.

Preparing the Next Generation of Kind Kids Award

Alisa Meggitt—Iowa City

Lucas Elementary School ANIMAL Club

“Teacher extraordinaire” is only one descriptor for Alisa Meggitt, a sixth grade civics teacher at Lucas Elementary School. Her teaching extends much further than the daily classroom routine. Alisa is the teacher-behind-the-scenes of the sixth graders’ ANIMAL Club. (ANIMAL is the student-derived acronym for Animals Needing Immediate Medical Assistance Locally.) Prior to teaching, Alisa served two years with the Peace Corps in Senegal, Africa. Afterwards, she worked in Washington, D.C., on issues of environmental policy. Alisa has also worked for the Department of Natural Resources.

During her four-year teaching career, Alisa has introduced her students to a wide range of social issues, such as child labor, ageism, world hunger, and factory farming. She believes that children are our future and that they need (and deserve) an outlet to express themselves and do something positive for the world around them. Each year, the sixth graders organize an after-school service club and choose its mission. Because of their love for their own animal companions and animals in general, the mission of the service clubs has frequently focused on animals.

ANIMAL Club students have worked with the Macbride Raptor Center; held a Spay Day for which they contacted local veterinarians about free or low-cost spay/neuter services; held a drive to raise food and supplies for the Iowa City Animal Care & Adoption Center; and raised $2,000 to provide humane relief for the horses of Senegal, (which Alisa had the opportunity to personally deliver when she made a return visit to the village she served in the Peace Corps).

For this year’s service club, the students began with a list of 87 issues they were concerned about, which covered everything from acid rain to campaign finance reform. After whittling the list to eight, the students chose the one issue about which they believed they could make a real difference: factory farming and its impact on the animals, the environment, and human health.

• The students produced a PATV video highlighting the differences between a family farm and a factory farm. These sixth graders quickly surmised that if legal limits regarding the amount of antibiotics used in factory farming were reduced, the animals would have to be given more space to survive.

• They conducted a letter-writing campaign to their legislators, the department of agriculture, and newspapers and magazines. They made posters for the library kiosks. As a fund-raiser, the students made bracelets out of wool from Friendly Farms (Iowa City) to which were attached fact sheets about factory farming.

• The students even designed a web site and spoke out at legislative forums to advocate for factory farm animal rights and antibiotic regulation. They are also developing a questionnaire regarding various animal issues to send to the gubernatorial candidates.

In addition their work, there are other interesting features of ANIMAL Club. Despite a membership of about 30 children (approximately half the sixth-grade class), they have no Club president. Instead, they use a team approach, breaking down into committees where all work as equals. The Club meets every Friday after school to pursue their goal of helping animals, as they learn about the political process, how to impact policies, and how to effectively support their beliefs.

The students often find their own behaviors changing as they research issues. For instance, some of the students no longer eat meat as a result of what they have learned about factory farming. As you might imagine, this level of “informed decision-making” poses its own set of challenges for the teacher-behind- the-scenes.

Alisa also enjoys a rich life outside her teacher/activist role and makes quality time for her family members, Eddie-Puss (cat), Washington (golden retriever), Josh (husband, and also a teacher), and newest addition, James (baby son). Why does Alisa continue to spend time and energy working on behalf of animals? “Because I am one,” she states simply. She feels well guided well by the apt quote of Martin Luther King, Jr. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

First-Class Feral Cat Wranglers Award

Pam Micheal-Milder & Ben Milder—Iowa City

The University of Iowa College of Nursing Feral Cat Colony

Ben Milder’s smile is infectious as he sits in his recliner, cats at his shoulder and dogs at his feet. He tosses a hunk of peeled banana to a dog who catches and devours it on the fly.

While Ben was in Vietnam and his unit was camped out in the middle of nowhere, a tomcat entered the tent and sprayed his duffle bag. “Sprayed it real good.” He laughs about it now, but clearly remembers how that pungent smell followed him throughout the war. It did nothing to endear the concept of living with cats. Although Ben grew up with pets, he didn’t know much about house cats until he met Pam and heard her say enthusiastically, “Benny, we can do this,” for the first time.

Feral cats are the canniest cats around. Untouched by human hands and more like wild animals than not, they have no reason to trust anybody. Pam, however, was earnestly taking care of a group of these descendents of student cast offs, right outside her office window. They lived on the steep cliff behind the College of Nursing. Her office overlooks this wooded area that was home to an array of wildlife and wild cats.

The cats gathered twice a day for the food and water Pam provided, and in cold weather, some even spent the night huddling in snug boxes under the eaves. After a while a couple of the cats succumbed to Pam’s charms and allowed themselves to be touched while they ate. A few of the younger cats taught one another how to play with jingle balls and catnip mice. Rain, snow, or shine, Pam (with Ben’s help on the holidays) cared for the growing colony. Pam named many of the regulars, careful to stick with generational descriptors, like Baby, Sister, and Mama, rather than burdening the cats with traditional pet names and expectations.

After Pam captured, socialized, and placed two of the colony’s kittens, she called JCHS before the population burgeoned out of control. Using Stanford University’s feral cat program as a model, we approached UI officials with a trap/neuter/release (TNR) proposal. University veterinarian Paul Cooper helped us get the most appropriate group of administrators together.

Studies have proven that TNR is the single most successful method of stabilizing and maintaining healthy feral cat colonies with the least possible cost, while at the same time, providing the best life for the animals themselves. Unsocialized cats are humanely trapped, spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and released back into their campus territory, where they are fed and monitored daily by a volunteer. Every effort is made to find the owners of stray tame cats. Unclaimed tame strays and any kittens are fostered until adoptive homes are found. No cats are euthanized, except as warranted by a veterinarian to relieve suffering.

The plan went into action in March 2001, with Pam as the colony caretaker (the role she had been playing for years) and Ben as director of feline transportation. It came to a sudden halt 15 months later in mid-July, after the dean of the College of Nursing had been convinced that feeding cats would draw potentially rabid raccoons into the building. She insisted that Pam’s caretaking stop abruptly, despite kitten season and blistering heat.

The dean assumed her “animal problem” would simply disappear when the caretaking stopped. But of course, it didn’t. After about two weeks, the dean gave us five days to round up and remove the remaining cats. We trapped the seven cats in a record two days. In all, the Project placed seventeen kittens and cats in homes. Five of the final seven cats remain in fostercare with little hope of being adopted, but at least they’re safe.

Pam no longer catches glimpses of cats playing in the shade outside her office window. She keeps the blinds shut. It’s just easier that way. Pam and Ben’s memories of the Nursing Building Feral Cat Colony live on in Mama and Baby, who wait patiently for them to come home after work every day.

A few years ago the Milders considered adding an adult shelter dog to their clowder of cats. Somehow they ended up with three sizable canines who think of themselves as lap dogs. Their most recent addition is Lena, a Papillion, who (after many years as a caged puppy producer) is learning how to be a dog.

If you close your eyes and listen carefully, you can hear Pam say, “Benny, we can do this.” You’ll see him grin, shake his head ruefully, and hear him reply, “yeah, let’s go for it.”

Entrepreneurship Benefiting Animals Award

Sue Pearson and Judy Warth—Iowa City

SPOT & Co

Sue Pearson has been enamored with dogs since the age of eight. On her way to school, the people living at the end of their block had a dog house and a beagle who sat up on the roof. Sue often stopped to crawl up on the roof and sit there with him. Ever since, beagles have been an integral part of her life.

In the early 90s Sue acquired her soulmate beagle Jesse. Together, they took some local classes in dog obedience training. Sue got hooked immediately and decided that dog obedience was what she really wanted to.

She began helping with obedience classes at Kirkwood, but after the floodwaters of 1993 ruined the facility that served as the training arena, Sue began toying with the idea of opening her own dog-training business. She was drawn to the name SPOT with its dog-friendly sound before realizing that it was an acronym that fit Sue Pearson’s Obedience Training. That’s when SPOT & Co was born. Her business offers a variety of puppy kindergarten, dog obedience, and Canine Good Citizen classes.

“Making a difference in a dog’s life (and making a difference for the person who lives with the dog) is so rewarding. I just love watching people and dogs learn!” Her most treasured memories are when people tell her things like they’d never considered living with an “inside” dog before, but now they can’t imagine it any other way.

Sue still dances with beagles. Jesse’s gone, but her son Alex, and a beagle-mix keep her life (and world) in order. “Animals bring out good things in people and have the capacity to help us find the good things in ourselves.” Encouraged by the growing cultural awareness of the human/animal bond, Sue believes more people are realizing that animals have true value—that they are not “throw away” possessions—but rather, necessary connections to quality of life.

Sue feels she has benefited much from being around animals. They improve our lives in so many ways and bring a great deal of joy. And the camaraderie with others who work with animals has drawn many of Sue’s closest friends into her life. “Animals have many things to teach us and I hope that more and more people on the planet will begin to appreciate this. I want to be a part of making that happen.”

Judy Warth joined Spot & Co nearly six years ago. She considers working with animals her salvation. Being able to work with dogs and their families, after a long day, is absolutely delightful. She feels fortunate that they make time for her! “Every puppy who comes into class shows me more about teaching, learning, joy, and unconditional acceptance.”

“Teaching positive training techniques helps everyone. Leading our pets, families, communities, and our country in a compassionate and educational manner just has to make the world a better place.”

When Judy thinks back about her first dog, Perry (after Perry Como—her mother’s idea), she remembers that he loved her unconditionally, whether she was riding him or petting him. Perry was always there for her. It’s one of the few memories she has from that portion of her childhood. She also remembers how much she missed Perry when he was gone.

Judy says her work with animals takes her back to her roots. Several years ago, she rescued some orphaned opossums and a baby robin. As she took responsibility for their well-being, it reminded her of the connectedness that all beings share. Judy had worked with Sue Pearson at UI’s Center for Disabilities and Development for several years before she joined SPOT & Co. For almost four years, Judy repeatedly asked if Sue needed any help with her dog-training business but Sue was never interested.

“Those opossums and the robin won me the job. I guess Sue figured anyone who’d get up in the middle of the night to take care of these creatures must love animals as much as she did.”

The most rewarding part of Judy’s work with SPOT & Co is the joy of the animals themselves and of their owners as they build relationships based upon trust and love. “I especially enjoy having children in our classes. It’s exciting to see their self-esteem and knowledge expand as their dogs learn new things too.”

“Working with Sue is a great honor. She’s is one of the top positive dog-training professionals in the country. Her expertise and compassion are inspirational to me. It’s so humbling to be recognized alongside someone of her experience and calibre. Not only is Sue my mentor—she’s family!”

Dances with Dogs Award

Lisa Drahozal Pooley—Iowa City

Paws to Train Iowa City Animal Care & Adoption Center

Hearing people say “I just couldn’t volunteer at an animal shelter because it’s way too depressing,” is a real turn-off for Lisa Pooley. To her, the big tragedy would be if no one ever went to interact with the dogs. “We have a great core group of volunteers at the shelter, and it’s a good feeling to know we help make life just a little easier for the dogs—and the dogs know that we really care about them.”

Animals have always been a part of Lisa’s family’s life and she loves sharing her time to help them. It’s the special moments that keep her actively involved:

• a dog sits when meeting a potential adopter;

• you play hide-and-seek in the field with a seemingly aloof dog who finally comes to find you, wagging her tail;

• a dog who arrives at the shelter nervous and wound up learns to enjoy belly rubs and hugs;

• a former Center dog recognizes you in class and you realize how significant the time was that you spent with her at the Center;

• the pride in peoples’ faces when you recognize the dog they adopted and they share with you what they love about him;

• when an especially hard-to-place dog finally finds a forever home and you breathe a sigh of relief.

Lisa has seen her own life change with gradual increases in her awareness and self growth. Her work with dogs helps Lisa look beyond the behavior and watch for what the dog is telling her. It’s about leaving your baggage and personal chaos behind and being in the present. “Animals always know when you aren’t there 100 percent.”

What’s most challenging for Lisa is when dogs who can’t handle the stress of the shelter environment start to deteriorate mentally and physically despite efforts to keep them healthy and happy. “We need to savor the small triumphs but keep hoping big.”

The most rewarding aspect for her is knowing when a dog goes to a forever home and it’s obvious that she will truly be part of the family.

Faithful Service from Behind the Scenes Award

Kayla Sanders—Iowa City

American College Testing (ACT) Pop-can Recycling Project

Kayla’s first animal-oriented memory is about her dog Snuggles, a schnauzer/poodle mix. She felt bad that he always had to eat dog food, so she sat on the floor and ate dog food out of the yellow and red bag from Hy-Vee right along with him. “It’s kind of embarrassing to admit, and not very flattering, but that’s my memory.”

Kayla originally got involved with the ACT/JCHS Pop-can Recycling Project for a couple different reasons. First, she wanted to help animals. And second, Kayla believes in giving back to her community. “To be completely honest,” she says, “I’m not actively involved right now, which sort of makes me feel not very worthy of an award. I’ve passed my Pop-can Recycling duties on to a coworker of mine, Chanda Hallen, who loves animals just as much as I do.”

Kayla didn’t find the job hard to do. It was just a matter of finding the time to do it. She says she wouldn’t be able to accept this award without mentioning her mother, Sandy, who helped out on many, many occasions. Whenever Kayla needed an extra hand, her mother was always ready to help. Kayla’s work with the Recycling Project made her realize that helping out in small ways can help a lot. Every little bit really does count. She never thought that what she did was a big deal. She just took bags of empty pop cans to the store for recycling, and forwarded the money to JCHS. Tedious maybe, but not very taxing.

According to Kayla, “Knowing that I’ve helped in some sort of way makes me want to do more. Iowa City is a great community, but think how much better it could be if everyone donated just a little bit of their time to a worthy cause.”

“It’s Way More than Just a Job” Award

Chris Whitmore—Cedar Rapids

Iowa City Animal Care & Adoption Center

Chris makes time for animals because that’s pretty much what she knows best. “Animals make my life complete and whole. I just feel that they need someone like me to take care of them.” A true professional, Chris has done sheltering work for the last 23 years. Not surprisingly, careers in animal sheltering tend to be brief. The turn-over rate is high and there’s a lot of what’s know as “compassion burn-out.” Chris keeps at it because she knows from experience that there is always an animal in need. “How could I quit knowing that some animal might not get help?”

The most frustrating part of the job for Chris is that she “catches” so many people in lies that it has become hard for her to trust any of the words people say to her. Before working on behalf of animals, she trusted everybody at face value.

Chris’ first animal-related memory is accompanying her mother and poodle to the groomer. She noticed a bunch of poodle puppies for sale in little cages so small they could barely turn around. “I told the groomer that the puppies were way too big to be in such tiny cages.” Chris’s mother agreed and they never took their dog to that groomer again.

There has always been a soft spot in Chris’ heart for small dogs (yaps, yips, and all). Chris describes her life in animal advocacy as being divided in two parts: pre-Dinky and post-Dinky. Dinky the Chihuahua was relinquished to the Center by her owner. She went up for adoption and three applications later, Dinky was still there. None of her three potential adopters had called back.

Already living with two dogs, Chris was having trouble deciding whether she could responsibly manage and care for one more. It soon became obvious that Dinky and Chris were soulmates, destined to be together. Looking back, “What was I thinking?” she quips, “Nine small dogs later, and I have a dozen living happily with me!”

Dinky is now 12 years old and comes to work with Chris every day. From that dog on Chris’ house, car, and locker have been plastered with layers of Chihuahua stuff. After all, she’s rescued nine. “I just love their spunk and couldn’t begin to live without them!”

The absolute most rewarding part of Chris’ job at the Center is when an animal finds a forever home or when a concerned family arrives to claim their missing pet. Sending any animal out the front door of a shelter is reason enough to rejoice.

Caroline Barthel—St. Charles, Illinois

Next Generation Volunteer Award

Ericka Dana—Guernsey, Iowa—Catnip Farm

Wildgirl Award for City Cat/Country Cat Rescues

Eleanor Dvorchak—Muscatine, Iowa—Spay Neuter Assistance for Pets (SNAP)

The “I Am Only One” Award

Dave & Betty Funk—Iowa City

Lifetime of Caring Award

Dolores Hebl—Iowa City

The Cat’s Pajamas Foster CareGiver Award

Janet & Don McClain—Iowa City

Faithful Service from Behind the Scenes Award

Tammara Meester—Iowa City—Pet Central Station

Entrepreneurship Benefiting Animals Award

Amy Parker & Matt Schikore—Iowa City—Iowa City Animal Care & Adoption Center

The Not Just Web Geeks Award

Peanut Doll (deceased)—Jenny Doll & Torben Platt—Schueyville, Iowa—Witty Kitties (a special-needs animal shelter)

The Scarlett Award for Valor

Salem Russo (deceased)—Nick Russo—Iowa City, Iowa—Kinnamon, Kinnamon, Russo & Meyer

Office Cat Extraordinaire Award

Amy Sacks—Iowa City

First-Class Feral Cat Wrangler Award

Maryanne & Bob Ziomek—Coralville, Iowa

The “Bottle Babies R Us” Award

The Next Generation Volunteer Award

Caroline Barthel—St. Charles, Illinois

The University of Iowa

Animals were an integral part in her family’s daily life when Caroline was growing up. Being away from her pets as she began her college studies made her miserable, and she longed for animals to interact with. After hearing about Preferred Stock, Caroline began dropping into the shop a few times a week (pretending to look at clothes) just so she could pet all the roaming cats.

Caroline asked to become a volunteer for Tammara and arranged her schedule so she could come to the store three times a week to clean cages (and of course, play with the cats). When the Preferred Stock location closed, Caroline knew she had to start looking again for another animal fix.

She searched online for a nearby humane society and came across JCHS. Caroline showed up at a monthly meeting and had a great time chatting about cats with the other attendees. The other attendees were pretty blown away with thoughts of “Ah, new blood!” “She is so together for a student. A freshman? No way!” “Ok, let’s not loose her.” JCHS has never been a big draw for college students, yet this young woman found us.

Volunteers looking for hands-on experience with animals usually start at the Coralville Animal Clinic by meeting with the JCHS member who goes there in the late afternoons and Saturday mornings, helping clean cages, grooming and playing with the animals, and just hanging out observing the cats and encouraging them to have positive interactions with one another.

It’s a good reality check. After a few visits people know if they’re “cut out” for the repetition of cleaning mixed with the high drama of cat fights, and the thoughtful patience required to entice a withdrawn animal into a lap. Caroline was a purrfect fit, right from the start. She was such a natural that it was easy to ask if she’d be interested in being the live-in cat wrangler for a JCHS member who would be out of town for nearly two weeks. “So, how many cats are there?” Caroline asked. “All in the house? Wow. (pause) That’s, a lot of cats. (pause) Sure, I can do it.” And she did it just fine.

“I’ve loved pet-sitting for Janet because it’s the perfect environment for learning about how cats interact with each other. I’ve gained a greater understanding for cat personalities and emotions. But most of all, cats teach us more than we could ever teach them. “For instance, I’ve learned patience from Bajeera, a JCHS cat at the Clinic, who took almost a year to get to know and trust me before climbing into my lap. I’ve loved working with the animals at the Clinic and although it’s hard to let them go when they find their new homes, it’s great because you know how much happiness they will bring with them.”

Wildgirl Award for City Cat/Country Cat Rescues

Ericka Dana—Guernsey, Iowa

Catnip Farm

Wildgirl self-identifies as a rock’n’roll, Go-Go-Rama, drag-race DJ, gearhead for life, who actually knows Evel Knievel, Benny the Bomb, Animal Jim, Big Daddy Don Garlits, and the late Dale Earnhardt. She’s an organic farmer with a solar, geodesic-dome greenhouse and a custom-built, outdoor kitty playpen; who raises free-range laying hens; and makes jewelry, ceramics, mosaics, window sparklers, ornaments, and wreaths. Catnip Farm also produces Mr. Nipster Fine Organic Fresh & Dried Catnip, potted “kitty greens,” catnip toys, and Wildbaby Kitty Greens cat grass seed kits.

Wildgirl’s also known as Ericka Dana, the cat-rescuing proprietor of a new gift shop called FERAL! on the pedestrian mall in Iowa City, who once packed up her life plus fifteen cats, and drove from New York to Iowa. Straight through, from Brooklyn to what is now Catnip Farm, a 14-acre organic farmstead in Iowa County, owned by Rich and Ericka since 1996.

Proceeds from all the kitty-product sales help offset the food and veterinary costs for Ericka’s rescued stray, feral, and special-needs cats. But proceeds don’t always help with the hard questions. Like most animal rescuers, Ericka has had to make some tough decisions.