By Melissa Wiley

Animal agencies partner to lower
euthanasia rates

Are two agencies sometimes better than one? That may be the case with the recent partnering of Indianapolis Animal Care & Control, a division of the City of Indianapolis, with the Humane Society of Indianapolis (HSI). The agencies have come together in an effort to reduce euthanasia by tackling the problem of too many unwanted animals from the front end––increasing
adoption of animals in shelters and requiring those pet guardians who wish to give up their companion animals to first undergo counseling.

This collaboration comes on the heels of HSI’s announcement to no longer accept stray or unwanted animals, a decision made on account of straightened finances. The agencies will draw on more community groups to assist guardians who might otherwise surrender their pets to assume continued responsibility for them. Likewise, members of both agencies hope to better manage financial resources and increase overall efficiency in the effort to reduce the number of animals in shelters and, consequently, euthanasia rates citywide.

This marks the second time that HSI and the City of Indianapolis have come together for such purposes. The agencies first collaborated in 2000 for a period of two years. Officials from both agencies say the renewed
pairing is long overdue.

Tortoise race takes center track

There’s another 500 race in town this May. And this time, slow—very slow—and steady wins the race. It’s the return of the annual Zoopolis 500, presented by the American Dairy Association. The Indianapolis Zoo invites spectators to watch its oldest residents, giant Aldabra tortoises AJ and Lyn St. James, race younger, slicker, but less seasoned tortoises as they gun for a plateful of fruit and veggies fit for an amphibious champion.

Not to be outdone by that other 500 race, Zoopolis 500 will again have its every turn—and bump—inside Dean’s Milk Chug Arena announced by Mike King, radio voice of the IndyCar Series. The green flag will drop on Wednesday, May 21, at 11:30 a.m. Pre-race festivities with the American Dairy Association will feature milk-mustache photos, free milk (while supplies last), Buttercup the mascot, and the Dairy Princess. You can cheer the tortoises on at Zoopolis 500 with regular admission to the zoo; admission is free to zoo members.

For more information, visit IndyZoo.com.

Revving up the engines to fight equine abuse

Modern racecars may well outpace the fastest horses. But thanks to car-racing fans with a heart and Mari Hulman George, chairman of the board of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, making a difference in the life of a neglected horse can be as easy as taking in a luxurious day at the track.

George donated three VIP packages to an online auction benefiting equine-protection programs through the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). The packages offered the works in VIP treatment––from trackside view in George’s luxury suite (unavailable to the public except through this auction) to four-star hotel accommodations, a police escort to the race, and access to nail-biting behind-the-scenes action. The highest bidders will enjoy this heightened level of attention at one of three events: the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 25, the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard race on Sunday, July 27, and the inaugural Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP race on Sunday, Sept. 14.

Proceeds from the auction, which ended March 13, assist HSUS in addressing the needs of neglected horses, promoting responsible horse guardianship, and countering equine abuse. HSUS was able to rescue 30 horses from funds raised through last year’s auction. In the wake of the 2007 court-mandated closing of the last horse slaughterhouse in the country, these horses would have otherwise suffered highly uncertain fates. In 2006, proceeds from the auction benefited HSUS’ efforts to assist horse-welfare organizations affected by drought.

For more information or to pledge a donation,
visit RacingLapsForBestFriends.com.

Indianapolis Zoo giving animals a run for their figure

Everyone knows that losing those love handles means more than just a trimmer figure. Shedding surplus pounds reduces the risk for a host of health problems, a fact that zoo nutritionists, including those at the Indianapolis Zoo, are clearly embracing on behalf of animals.

Keeping one’s figure—and avoiding excess fat and sugar—is not typically one of nature’s challenges to animals in the wild. Caged animals, however, run far less than their free-roaming counterparts, and the difference in body fat tells on zoo animals’ health. Fatty, sugary treats, which zoo animals love as much as the humans who watch them, also contribute to expanding furry waistlines, as treats are common tools in animal training.

Zoo nutritionists at the Indianapolis Zoo are stepping up to the plate—and making the food served on it healthier—by feeding all animals sugar-free treats instead of the traditional fattening ones. They’re also getting the animals moving like never before. Indy zookeepers have become experts at hiding sugar-free Jell-O throughout the polar bear habitat, for example, forcing the bears to forage for their food.

According to Dr. Jason Williams, animal nutritionist at the Indianapolis Zoo, “Part of a responsible animal healthcare program includes not only excellent veterinary care but also the careful formulation of diets that are species specific. Different species will deposit fat in different places on their bodies, so it may not always be readily apparent when an animal has put on a little too much weight. In some cases, it takes a trained eye to catch a small problem before it turns into a larger one.”

Although animals’ diets in captivity can’t exactly mirror those of animals in the wild, zoo nutritionists make sure that these animals’ diets mimic the nutrients that they would ingest in their native habitats. Prior to the presence of such nutritionists, many animals in zoos were overfed yet malnourished, failing to receive the appropriate nutrients.

Racecar driver making PetStops for Best Friends

Professional racecar driver Andrew Prendeville is back in the driver’s seat for the second annual Racing Laps for Best Friends, a fundraiser for Best Friends Animal Society that sacrifices speed for animal advocacy by making a number of PetStops across the country. Each stop will highlight the needs of local animal shelters and rescues, and is free and open to the public. This racecar driver with a soft spot for pets recently spoke to us about his drive to save animals.

What is your main goal for the program?
Number one is to create awareness of the shelter itself and for the Racing Laps for Best Friends program. But certainly we hope that people come down and at least consider adoption from the shelters.

How did you connect with Best Friends?
My mother has been donating to Best Friends for over eight years. She suggested we try to do something with them. So I went up to the sanctuary and thought it was an extremely fantastic place. I decided to explore what we could do with them. We tried a couple of things last year, and they worked out really well, so we’re going to continue to do it.

Tell us about Ballsy, the Katrina rescue dog you’re sponsoring.
I was looking around the Best Friends website, and I saw that you could sponsor a dog. I stumbled across the name Ballsy, and I kind of skipped over him for a second, but I said, wait a minute, that did say Ballsy, didn’t it? So I went back and looked at his profile, and I said this sounds like a pretty cool dog.

Do you think you’ll be able to get Ballsy adopted?
I think so. I’d like to adopt him myself. But I have a grueling lifestyle. It’s hard to have a pet with me on the road because I’m traveling all over the place all the time. But Best Friends has done some pretty miraculous work with other animals, and I think that eventually Ballsy will be adoptable.

Did you track animals who were adopted out through the program last year?
No. Last year was more of an exploratory year … but this year we’ll certainly be keeping track of how many animals get adopted at the shelters we go to. The most important thing is that the animals find good homes. They’ve got to have homes that they stay in. If they come right back to the shelters, that’s really not helping out too much.

For more information visit RacingLapsForBestFriends.com.