Home » News » Change for Change - You Can Do It Too!...

News

Change for Change - You Can Do It Too!

February 12, 2009, 6:18PM MT

By Denise A LeBeau

A unique fundraiser to help dogs at local shelter

A unique fundraiser to help dogs at local shelter

by Denise LeBeau, Best Friends staff

Aubrie Kavanaugh is a Best Friends Volunteer and an animal advocate. She’s also extremely innovative when it comes to helping the animals in her community. It was her ingenuity that is giving the dogs at her local shelter a soft, comfy place to lay their head.

The Change for Change program was started after Aubrie saw a sad image of a dog in her local shelter. She had seen the dog, dubbed Hope, on the internet through a friend in New York because folks were fiercely networking to help get her a home. Hope got a home and launched a program that will help other dogs like her.

Hope in the non-adoption area looking wet & sad

“That first picture of Hope really upset me. I later asked the shelter veterinarian why Hope looked wet and why her kennel was empty. I was told that the "strays" do not leave the building at all during their property hold period in the non-adoption area and they do not have any bedding. Even though Hope had been saved by this point, it became very important to me to try to do something for the other dogs in the shelter like Hope,” Aubrie shared.

She immediately decided that getting beds for all the dogs in the unadoptable area was her mission. There were 96 kennels in this area as opposed to the 20 kennels in the adoptable area! The disparity in number of unadoptable kennels compared to the adoptables made her resolve that much greater. Although it seemed like a daunting task at first, Aubrie set up a donation center in her office. The installation consists of a sample dog bed and a donation jar.

Donation Center! Stuffed pooch optional

Soon the spare change began pouring in, followed by checks and bills and enough money to buy dozens of dog beds! Well, 30 so far, and counting. The support has been amazing, and the beds are from a local distributer in Alabama.

Aubrie’s ultimate goals are multipronged:
A) Spread awareness of the amount of animals at the local shelter
B) Make the dogs more comfortable
C) Open up the dialogue of reaching No More Homeless Pets in her community

Aubrie is also talking to their new Mayor about ways they can take strides in getting to No Kill. While she thinks there are still far too many animals not making it out of the shelter through adoptions or reunions, she believes the only way to effect change is to work together. She is working with the local officials to improve the conditions for the animals and help change the way they’re approaching animal control.

You Too Can Be An Angel for the Animals!
There is no magic solution pill, but making strides is the way Aubrie gets things done! She also wants the public to know that they too can make a difference in their community.

“The kid selling lemonade and giving money to his local shelter, he’s making a real difference. Anyone can! Fundraising doesn’t only help by raising funds for homeless pets – it also is an immediate way to spread awareness. Some of the people in my organization didn’t realize so many animals were still going to the shelter, and this fundraiser made the plight of the animals very real for them,” Aubrie said.

She also indicated that there are many ways to help your local shelter: "Look at their website, what do they need? Towels, grooming supplies, interactive toys? It’s been eye opening at how many people want to help they just didn’t know what the need was! Show them how they can help and they will!"

Aubrie has also given her area’s shelter director a ticket to the upcoming No Kill Conference. This was the best education that she could quickly share with a person in the seat of authority on how to make sustainable changes for the homeless animals!

It’s selfless people like Aubrie that have helped get the number of animals killed in the shelter system down from 25 million to approximately 5 million. To get that 5 million down to zero will need more people that think they can’t do anything – to do something! Aubrie showed us how easy it can be!

Get Into Action!
* What One Person Can Do Resources: Click Here

*Get Your Community to No Kill:Click here

all images including, lead photo of Hope looking up, courtesy Aubrie Kavanaugh

Comments

Posted February 13, 2009, 10:15AM by cattees

Whee! You go girl!!!!

Posted February 16, 2009, 10:10PM by carrie_fosters

Great article about a great person. Simple yet brilliant ideas we can all use. Go Brie!

Posted February 18, 2009, 9:20PM by mxipp

Wow! Great job and very inspiring!

Posted February 13, 2009, 5:16PM by Joy

Go Aubrie!

Posted February 13, 2009, 9:53AM by crazysleepingcatlady

Brie, sweetie, you rock! You are an inspiration to so many people, and especially to me! People think they have to do huge things to have a huge impact and my hope is that people now realize that is not necessarily the case.

Everyone can find their way of helping and making a difference to these animals. When we better their lives we also make an impact on our lives as well. We're all connected.....................and what goes around comes around in the form of a better world for us all.

I applaude you for not sitting on the sidelines hoping that someone else would come along and make a difference. I hope this motivates others to look inside of themselves and find ways to contribute.

Together we CAN make a huge difference in the lives of animals, locally, state wide, nationally and internationally.

Thank you my friend!!

Posted February 15, 2009, 6:18PM by Kelly4cats

A description of one of Nathan Winograd's workshops, found at www.nokilladvocacycenter.org

Reforming Animal Control
When animal control refuses to change.

Despite success in many communities, most animal control departments are failing to embrace this renaissance in lifesaving. Many refuse to change with the times. Still others are adopting the name and language of No Kill, but not the programs and services that save lives. With large national groups and other industry associations mired in the failed philosophies of the past, many agencies are holding their guard against demands by citizens for a more progressive orientation. In the face of this entrenchment, this workshop will teach animal advocates how to structure a campaign to reform their local shelter and help end the killing in their community.

Posted February 16, 2009, 8:55PM by mindusmae

Horray again for Brie and her dedication to helping animals. Thank you BF for posting this. She does so much in her own quiet way but trust me, she's a force when it comes to animal welfare and caring.

I'm honored to be part of her "pack"..

Mindi

Posted February 12, 2009, 6:57PM by bogiedew

Great job, Aubrie! And great lead picture of Hope. I remember seeing her shelter pic as well. She looked so sad. Great to hear she got a home!

Posted February 13, 2009, 3:45PM by leapyr

Aubrie, I know of you through Shelley. I think you are wonderful!!

Bruiser's Mom

Posted February 13, 2009, 9:40AM by bear1

Brie you are such an inspiration! Way to go girl! You make such a difference in the lives of so many dogs in your area with your selfless acts of kindness....including your secret donations to people in your area who's dogs need shelter from the elements.
I am so proud to call you a friend and I am still so tickled that sweet Hope found a forever home thanks to you!
Many hugs,
Lisa, Jiminy, Bissa and Zephyr
(Your Texas Fan Club)

Posted February 16, 2009, 8:27AM by southerndogmom

I'm sure that Dogs Deserve Betterhas used this slogan before ("change for change"), so I'm hoping Tamira doesn't mind! Since I'm literally collecting change from people, it just fit. A friend who was playing devil's advocate asked me this: why bother getting beds for dogs who will never leave the building? The anwer to me is simple: it's the least we can do for them.

Posted February 13, 2009, 8:28PM by just_tracy

Brie... you know I'm a fan of yours already.... but this? Girl? YOU ROCK MY SOCKS OFF!

Posted February 15, 2009, 12:19PM by marys

This story brings me to tears, Aubrey! What a very special person you are!! Thanks for everything you are doing.....talk about one person making a difference! May all your dreams come true.

Posted February 15, 2009, 11:9PM by bprincell

Great work-you are an angel to the animals :)

Posted February 15, 2009, 3:59PM by Kelly4cats

Now you're talking Aubrie! When I read you gave the shelter director a ticket to the No Kill Conference I knew big change for the animals was going to be possible. Thank goodness there are people out there like you seeing the big picture. Even though the homeless pet problem is extensive, it shouldn't take this long to solve it. There are specific things we can all do to reach that goal of No More Homeless Pets in a shorter amount of time. Every year that goes by millions more animals lose their lives. Let's speed things up and not just work harder but smarter. Every shelter director should attend this conference. It can only better help them to serve the animals and their community. Also do your part to help publicize it by putting ads in papers and at pet stores and vets so that people in your community will come to the conference so they can understand why killing millions of innocent dogs and cats every year is never going to solve the problem. If they really are animal lovers it will be the single most important conference they could ever attend. It will truly change everything they have been told before and thought about this. You can't have change until people's minds change and I have no doubt every person will walk out of that conference a believer.