The 150th Anniversary of Dutchess SPCA (Aired on March 14, 2021)

Executive Director Lynne Meloccaro of the Dutchess County SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) visits RadioRotary via Zoom tocommemorate the 150 th anniversary of the organization, thought to be the 2 nd-oldest SPCA organization in the United States, formed in 1871, just 5 years aftethe first in the US, the New York SPCA. Like all SPCA organizations, it is a nonprofit that arranges to have stray animals, mostly cats and dogs, adopted by families. In a new program for Dutchess SPCA, the animals may be placed in foster homes instead of being kept at a central location. Although best known for dealing with strayed animals, Dutchess SPCA also has arrangements with many of the towns in the country to be the animal-control officers for the town. There is much more presented in this hour concerning the good works of Dutchess SPCA.

Learn more:
Dutchess County SPCA: https://dcspca.org/
Dutchess SPCA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DCSPCA
Animal-Control Officers: https://thebark.com/content/job-what-do-animal-control-officers-really-do
Trap-Neuter-Return Feral Cats: https://www.alleycat.org/resources/why-trap-neuter-return-feral-cats-the-case-for-tnr/

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March 19, 2021 · Posted in Animals, Dutchess County, Service Organizations  

Virtual Video Visits from Pets (Aired on January 17, 2021)

Animal Farm Foundation Manager Nicole Juchem visits RadioRotary via Zoom to tell RadioRotary listeners about a new program from the Animal Farm Foundation geared to easing the social isolation that the covid-19 lock-downs are causing: virtual pet visits. Starting with a visit to the Pets Together website https://petstogether.org/ , you can book your virtual pet visit. The website
includes a choice of cats and dogs (and even cows and horses) that will visit the lonely human via Zoom—along with the pet’s owner who will be happy to engage in friendly talk. Animal Farm Foundation’s main work is training shelter dogs to become useful service dogs and also to work to improve the public image of dogs taken to be pit bulls. The new Pets Together program is a welcome addition to their mission.

Learn more:
Pets Together: https://petstogether.org/
Animal Farm Foundation: https://animalfarmfoundation.org/
Service Dogs: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/service-dog-training-101/
Myths and Facts about Pit Bulls: https://www.petfinder.com/pet-adoption/dog-adoption/myths-and-facts-about-pit-bulls/

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January 30, 2021 · Posted in Animals, Mental Health, Support Groups  

The Green Chimneys School, Farm, Forest (Aired on November 1, 2020)

Founded in 1947 by Brewster Rotarian and 7210 Past District Governor (1962-63) Dr, Samuel “Rollo” Ross,  Green Chimneys is recognized as a worldwide leader in animal-assisted therapy and educational activities for children with special needs. Radio Rotary learned all about this very unusual facility for children on the autistic spectrum when the current when Dr. Edward Placke visited the program by Zoom. A staff of 500 helps the children, ages 6 through 20, but much of the healing and learning (outside of regular schoolwork) is through spending time with the many animals of the farm—22 horses, alpacas and llamas, all sort of raptors, a flock of geese, and more. Even students who do not speak to other children or their parents, sometimes learn to speak to the animals. The goal at Green Chimneys is to aid children for two or three years and then return an improved child to his regular home and school. Listen to the program to learn about the two large campuses in Brewster and Kent, NY, and about the special events that help keep the program going.

Learn more:
Green Chimneys School: https://www.greenchimneys.org/
Dr. Samuel “Rollo” Ross: https://portal.clubrunner.ca/50077/sitepage/in-memoriam/dr-samuel-rollo-ross-jr
The Autistic Spectrum: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/facts.htmlhttps://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/facts.html
Animal Therapy for Autism: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6510492/

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November 10, 2020 · Posted in Animals, Children, Education, Events  

Ending Canine Discrimination—and More (Aired on August 23, 2020)

Foundation Manager Nicole Juchem visits RadioRotary via Zoom to describe themany ways that the Animal Farm Foundation improves the way dogs, especially those who have been discriminated against because of appearance or breed, are accepted and also how their other programs training dogs or using their special qualities help people across the United States. Although the Animal Farm Foundation is based in a large farm in Amenia, NY, it works around the nation to rid localities of laws or covenants that discriminate against particular canine breeds or dogs who are perceived as “pit bulls.” The Foundation also takes rescue dogs and trains them to be service dogs that can aid humans with vision, hearing, or anxiety problems. Their Paw of Purpose at Rikers Island Prison enlists prisoners to work with dogs to the benefit of both the dogs and the prisoners. Volunteers for Pets Together are using dogs and other pets to aid persons who have been socially isolated by the pandemic or just by life. There is much more that the Animal Farm Foundation is doing, so listen to this great interview and learn.

Learn more:
Animal Farm Foundation: https://animalfarmfoundation.org/
Paws of Purpose on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10154483000337076.1073741870.51042412075&type=3
Pets Together: https://petstogether.org/
Breed-Specific Canine Discrimination: https://bestfriends.org/our-work/best-friends-advocacy/ending-breed-discrimination

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September 8, 2020 · Posted in Animals, Law, Mental Health  

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