No More Homeless Pets in Alachua County

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 1, 2005
Contact: Ray Sim, ACAS: 352-955-2333 x 109
Becky Goodman, ACHS: 352-373-5855 x 12
Sharon Yeago MPRPAC: 386-454-3950

*ALACHUA COUNTY*
*PET RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS*
*REACH MAJOR GOAL*

GAINESVILLE, FL - Alachua County Animal Services (ACAS) and Maddie's Pet Rescue Project of Alachua County are pleased to announce that through the combined efforts of all six Maddie's partners, including ACAS, no healthy adoptable pets were euthanized in Alachua County during February 2005. Ray Sim, Director of Alachua County Animal Services stated, "This past month, we did not euthanize any healthy adoptable animals. To my knowledge we have not previously attained this goal during any full month in the past. And, it sets a benchmark that we don't want to deviate from in the future."

"Maddie's Fund is overjoyed and immensely proud of the fabulous achievement of Maddie's Pet Rescue Project in Alachua County. It signals to us that the coalition of partners, Alachua County Animal Services, Alachua County Humane Society, Gainesville Pet Rescue, Haile's Angels, Helping Hands and Puppy Hill Farm, is well on the way to reaching its goal of saving all healthy and treatable shelter pets county wide. Congratulations to all of the project partners and to the animal lovers of Alachua County," stated Rich Avanzino, President, Maddie's Fund.

Becky Goodman, Executive Director of the Alachua County Humane Society, the local Maddie's Project Lead Agency said, "It is wonderful our coalition has demonstrated this type of success. Having no healthy animals euthanized this past month shows not only the strength of the coalition, but also how the entire community is backing the project. Without this community's willingness to provide loving homes to shelter animals, and without the continued support of local veterinarians who provide low cost sterilizations for the community -- reducing the number of unwanted animals -- the coalition could never have achieved this milestone."

Maddie's Pet Rescue Project of Alachua County plans four Super Adoptathons this year. The first one, "Lucky Pets", will be held next weekend, Saturday and Sunday, March 12-13, 2005 on the Oaks Mall's South Lawn. The event will feature more than 200 adoptable dogs, cats, puppies and kittens, "Ask A Vet" booth sponsored by the Alachua County Veterinary Medicine Association, live Celtic music, and activities for children of all ages.

Maddie's Fund, ® The Pet Rescue Foundation, (www.maddiesfund.org) is a family foundation funded by PeopleSoft Founder Dave Duffield and his wife, Cheryl to help create a no-kill nation. The first step is to help develop programs that guarantee loving homes for all healthy shelter dogs and cats throughout the country. The next step will be to save the sick and injured pets in animal shelters nationwide. Maddie's Fund is named after the family's beloved Miniature Schnauzer who passed away in 1997.

For more information about Maddie's Pet Rescue Project of Alachua County, please call 352-373-5855 x 15 or visit www.maddiespetrescueofalachua.org.