Time to Strategize for Mutt Strut! 
We want YOU to part of the biggest, most fun, and most profitable event the shelter puts on. Because Mutt Strut is huge, we need tons of terrific volunteers like you. Volunteers are needed to staff the areas like registration, dog-walk patrol, parking lot patrol, Friends merchandise sales, Mutt Midway vendor assistance, Doggie Fun Zone (games and contests), Doggie Health Zone (microchip and mini health screenings), Celebration Zone (Doggie birthday parties and activities), Adoption showcasing, and more. 

Join us at the All Mutt Strut Volunteer Meeting on Saturday, March 28^th  at 2:00PM at the Training Center.  We'll give you more information about the event (lots of cool changes), you can sign up for your area of interest, and then you can help strategize to make your area the best ever 

Start your pledge page now: Go to www.dearbornmuttstrut.com and create your very own pledge page.

Behavior Program: Help Wanted!

Our behavior program is the key to making our animals more adoptable.  We have opportunities for volunteers to learn new skills for working with animals by becoming a Cat Coach or a Dog Training Assistant.  Support the program by becoming an evaluator assistant – helping our trainer prepare for and document the behavioral tests.  Prefer to work behind a computer?  We need a data entry assistant who has experience in Microsoft Word and Excel. 

The Behavior Program is also looking for Paw-ty Animals!  Help out at a Pooch Paw-ty , play date, or just bake some homemade doggie baked goods in your own kitchen. 
 

For more information on any of these jobs, please contact Linda Thomas, LVT, CPDT at 313.943.2697 or daslthomas@aol.com

Step up your Skills with the S.I.T. Team

 Most dogs at the Dearborn Animal Shelter were not trained how to behave in their former homes. You can help them find new homes by teaching them basic and advance behaviors.  A series of classes, held at the shelter, will enable you to work with all of the dogs at the shelter.  For more information, or to sign up, contact Sue Ringey at sringey@msn.com.

Disaster Preparation

The Disaster Preparation team is busy developing the shelter’s plan for disaster response.  This includes training, committed volunteers to be First Responders, transport, and evacuation.  If you would like more information, to help develop the plan, or to volunteer for one of these positions, contact sringey@msn.com and sign up for our upcoming meeting.

Volunteer Mentors

We have a special request for our regular volunteers, those of you that consider yourselves professional cat cuddlers, dog walkers, and cage cleaners.  Please consider sharing your skills and experience with our brand new volunteers as a part of our new mentoring program!  To get involved and help strengthen our volunteer base, contact Laura Sorensen, Volunteer Coordinator at dassorensen@aol.com.

Open your Heart and Home and Foster our Animals

Spring is almost here and that means it is almost kitten season at the Shelter.  We are looking for foster homes for orphaned babies who may just need some time to grow, and moms who are nursing babies until they are weaned and ready for adoption.  There are also puppies and dogs looking to be placed in foster homes.  If you are ready to open your heart and home, contact Heather at dasmehi@aol.com.

 Drivers Wanted!

We are looking for volunteers who want to play chauffer!  Animal Transporters are needed transport to drop adopted animals off at vet clinics in the mornings.  Not available in the mornings?  We are also looking for people who can be called for emergency transport.  Contact Heather at dasmehi@aol.com to get behind the wheel!

Join BAM: Help Us Spread the Word

What is BAM?: Volunteers who help cultivate relationships with area businesses
 

Tasks: Collecting money from donation canisters, distributing the latest event flyer or Friends communication (e.g., PawPrints newsletters). You would “own” a specific number of businesses (number of your choice) and we will assign locations geographically where you live or work. Stopping and dropping on a regular basis by the same person will create a Friend-to-Friend connection!
 

Time commitment: 1 to 2 hours monthly (if a new event is taking place) 

Information/Training meeting: Tuesday, March 24; 5:30 at the shelter administration trailer 

First task: Distributing Mutt Strut Flyers. We will have flyers ready for you to distribute to your locations.  

Contact: Judy Demko, (313) 478-6098, judybunny@comcast.net 
- When e-mailing, please indicate your city of home or work so we can assign your geographic location/

STUDENT

 Seeking Student Volunteers for Youth Advisory Council

We are excited to announce a new leadership opportunity for student volunteers who are ready to give more to the shelter and their community! The Youth Advisory Council will serve as an advisory board to the Volunteer Coordinator, helping to create and maintain the youth volunteer guidelines, and well as welcoming and mentoring our new Youth Volunteers. Participants will have the chance to work closely with a team of their peers, building leadership, gaining additional skills for working with animals, and going above and beyond to help the shelter. The Youth Advisory Council is open to all student volunteers ages 12 to 18.  There will be an informational meeting for all of those interested on April 11, 2009 at 2:00pm right at the shelter! Though we do ask that you RSVP with Laura Sorensen, Volunteer Coordinator via e-mail dassorensen@aol.com or by calling 313.943.2697 ext. 3555.

 Student Spring Clean-Up on March 21

Let’s celebrate the weather getting warmer by spending an afternoon outside, making the shelter look fabulous for our animals and their future families. We will be working from 11-2, contact Laura at DASSorensen@aol.com, or put your name on the list by the student sign-up calendar.  If you can, please bring gardening gloves, rakes, and shovels from home!