Issue | August 2018
Please Join Us...
September 13, 2018
Grand River Center
500 Bell St. 
Dubuque, IA

Registration & Cocktails
Silent Auction  
Delectable Dining
Live Auction
Raise Your Paw 

$60 Per Person OR
$600 for Table of 10
Get your tickets early!
The Dubuque Regional Humane Society (DRHS) cordially invites you to Tails at Twilight. It promises to be an exciting evening that brings together old friends and new to revel in the life-saving mission of the DRHS, share stories of compassion and transformation, and celebrate our extraordinary community. All this, and more, while raising critical funds to ensure that lost, abandoned and unwanted animals in the tri-states have brighter futures.

Please join us in shooting for the stars at Tails at Twilight!


Please RSVP by September
6, 2018.
Thank you to the following Tails at Twilight sponsors for their tremendous support in making this event possible.
EVENT SPONSORS
TOP DOG SPONSORS
CAT'S MEOW SPONSORS
PUPPY SPONSORS
When you shop on  AmazonSmile , the  AmazonSmile  Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to the Dubuque Regional Humane Society.
Breed Free Organization
The DRHS has been battling with breed determination for an extensive period of time. Breed stereotypes are more problematic in a shelter setting as the community turns to us and trusts what we label the animals’ predominant breed. What many aren’t aware of is that we have been simply using our best guestimate. Since few dogs show up with their papers, we simply label them by the breeds they most resemble, and people tend to make assumptions about the dogs’ personalities and future behavior based on these guesses. 

Some believed the solution lay in educating shelter staff about various breeds, so they could improve the accuracy of their guesses. But then canine DNA testing came onto the market, followed by studies that confirmed what many people had long suspected: Visual breed identification is most often wrong, even when performed by veterinarians or other canine experts. One study found that for 90 percent of dogs, breed guesses by adoption agencies 
didn’t match the predominant breed identified through DNA analysis. 

Another revealed that experts seldom agree on their breed guesses, so one person’s bulldog mix is another’s boxer mix and another’s Lab-hound cross. Now that we know visual breed ID isn’t accurate … the most honest answer is, “We don’t know.” 

Therefore, the DRHS has made the transition to be a breed free organization with the goal being to help people find a dog whose personality fits the adopter’s lifestyle rather than depending on breed stereotypes.
Turn Compassion into Action in Your Community:
Town Hall Meeting
Thursday, August 23 
5:30 PM - 7 PM
Five Flags Center
 
What animal issues are you seeing in your city? What about throughout the county or the rest of the state? We want to hear about them. Join the Iowa State Director for the Humane Society of the United States and representatives from the Dubuque Regional Humane Society for a community town hall. Learn how to be a part of the change here in Iowa... not just a bystander! This is your chance to learn how to effectively advocate for the animals in our state and "Turn Your Compassion Into Action."
Clear the Shelters
The DRHS is teaming up with hundreds of shelters across the country to host Clear the Shelters, a nationwide pet adoption drive on Saturday, August 18 to help find loving homes for animals in need. More than 150,000 pets found their forever homes since 2015. The DRHS will have a reduced adoption fee for cats and dogs with cats being $25.00 off and dogs being $50.00 off. So if you're looking for a companion animal please stop out and support this nationwide pet adoption drive! Learn more about  Clear the Shelters .
Volunteer with the DRHS
Volunteers stay active assisting guests and adopters, caring for and maintaining our campus, socializing and fostering animals waiting for their forever homes, representing the DRHS at special events, as well as many other areas that help keep the shelter running smoothly. 
If you’re interested in joining our ‘Shelter Crew’ volunteer team, please click here to complete an application. Once your application is submitted, you will be contacted by the Outreach Coordinator via email to register for a New Volunteer Orientation. After you attend the New Volunteer Orientation you are all set to start volunteering!
Working Cat Program
The Working Cat Program at the DRHS provides an alternative to euthanasia for healthy, active cats that are not deemed adoptable into a traditional home environment. We recognize that there are a variety of roles a cat may play for a family or business, and that a balance must be found for the health and care of the cats, potential adopter needs, and the health and safety of the community and environment including wildlife. Potential settings for working cats are farms, warehouses, feed stores, garages, equine facilities, milk barns, etc.  

How does the Working Cat Program work?
First, potential adopters seeking a working cat will be placed on a wait list to be contacted when an appropriate cat is available for release. Working cats will be surgically sterilized, current on all core vaccines, treated with appropriate antiparasitics, have a negative FeLV/FIV test, and be microchipped, prior to release. Second, staff will verify the applicant’s address and confirm it is an appropriate area that is safe and secure. And lastly, the adopter will be provided with instructions on how to best acclimate the cat to a new environment.

Adopter agreements to having a Working Cat
  • All local law requirements such as leash laws and no roaming policies must be recognized and respected.
  • Must be able to monitor the cat regularly (at least 3 days per week) and provide year-round appropriate shelter, fresh food and water sources and regular veterinary care.
  • Kept in an area that stays between 40°F and 85°F with free opportunity for the cat to seek out ideal temperatures. 
DUBUQUE REGIONAL HUMANE SOCIETY
4242 CHAVENELLE ROAD DUBUQUE, IA 52002
563.582.6766 | DBQHUMANE.ORG