Rob Walker Animal Compassion Award

Who loves animals more than kids?  Each of us remembers that wonderful pet we had as a child that added so much to our lives.  The compassionate feelings we develop for animals as children carry over into our adult lives. 

Thus, I would like to nominate an entire club of kids for the 3 rd Annual Rob Walker Compassion Award rather than one individual.  Perhaps it is fitting that this is the 3 rd annual Rob Walker Award because for the third year in a row, the kids of the FCCLA Club (Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America) of the Daphne Middle School have mounted a fund-raising campaign called “Pennies for Puppies” to benefit the animals of the Baldwin County Humane Society. 

The club chose the Humane Society as one of  their community service projects because the Society is a non-profit, no-kill agency that operates county-wide.  

To show their love of animals, kids all over DMS put their pennies, quarters, dimes and dollars in milk cartons placed strategically through-out the school during a two-week period each spring.  Over the three-year period DMS kids raised 212,729 pennies or $2,127.29 for the Humane Society. 

One of the purposes of the FCCLA Club is to develop our country's future leaders.  The DMS FCCLA Club's “Pennies for Puppies” campaign with the information disseminated throughout the school about the Humane Society needs and work will influence our future leaders to become life-long advocates for animal welfare and rights.   As one famous person said:  the way we treat our animals is a comment on our society.

Diana is one of those people you can always count on. She was instrumental in organizing the golf tournament, routinely attends adoption events, and runs taxi service for dogs needing to go to the vet or to pet adoptions. I am sure she does much more than I am even aware of, and is always cheerful, helpful, and knowledgeable about the adoptable animals.

I have said before and repeat that the first item in the mission statement of the Baldwin County Humane Society is the rescuing, rehabilitating, and re-homing of abused, abandoned and neglected pets. No one personifies this statement better than nominee, Beverly Hicks. She possesses all the qualities demonstrated by Rob Walker that are requirements for this award – compassion, devotion, tenderheartedness, dedication, dependability, perseverance and animal welfare advocacy on behalf of animals in need.

There are too many examples to list, but one comes to mind. A couple of years ago there was a very nice yellow lab in the shelter. Beverly persevered with the shelter staff until they finally agreed to let us put the dog in our program to insure that she would be placed in the best home possible. Even though the shelter had already scanned for a microchip, Beverly repeated the procedure and was able to identify the owner in Virginia ! She contacted the owner who had lost his dog on a visit to Alabama . After several days of searching, he had to return home to work. Her persistance resulted in the reuniting of a dog with its very grateful owner who at the end of a work week drove to Alabama to retrieve his pet.

On Beverly 's days ‘off', she is often transporting dogs to appointments with veternarians, meeting potential adopters at the kennels to meet and interview them and their new best friend and participating in pet adoptions – transporting animals, setting up tents, etc.

She wears many hats in this organization. In addition to the many activities the job office manager requires of her, she has also helped in another very critical area. When fund raising was at a very low point and very much needed, she stepped in to help there as well. She was instrumental in the planning and production of a golf tournament and provided a great deal of input in everything done to have a successful Arts and Crafts fund raiser. I won this award last year and received many accolades surrounding these activities. I could have done none of this without Beverly . She was by my side every step of the way, not interested in accolades, but only in helping to bring in some much needed funds to continue helping animals.

Helping animals is her main focus. She will do not only what is required but also will go to whatever lengths necessary to see that our rescue pets are happy, healthy and loved.

Hillary takes her dog and reads to children with him. She also takes her dog to a hospice and lets the elderly visit and get attention with him. She is a dog trainer at Petsmart and loves her job. She is very compassionate in what she does. I could not see her doing anything with her future that does not invole animals in some way. She is the absolutely loves animals and would do anything to help an animal. She is in BARC! for Books and Paws for Patients with Covenant Hospice and a Pet Trainer at Petsmart

Hillary to me has great qualifications for this particular award in many ways. She not only possesses love and dedication to her animals but also to others and helps get people aware of the importance of animals. We have class together at the University of South Alabama and she has numerously brought Hoss – her lab to school and made the fellow classmates aware of the importance of taking care of animals. Some of our fellow classmates call Hillary the “regular Dr. Doolittle”. Hillary is a pet trainer at Petsmart at the Malbis mall. She takes time out to help with functions within Petsmart such as dog adoptions. She also is a member of Barc for Books and she also volunteers for Covenant Hospice so Hoss (her lab) can make peoples day!

Hillary is a trainer at Petsmart, and she and her dog go to nursing homes which help the elderly.  She is an asset to her community, she strives for excellence.  She is the most dedicated young adult I have met in a long time.  She loves animals and there are 4 in her household. She is a volunteer for BARC! For Books and volunteers for Covenant Hospice.

•  Demonstrates tremendous love for animals

•  pet owner of numerous animals

•  advocate and participant of hospice patients' visitation through pet therapy

•  dependable pet trainer: pet owners/clients respect and trust the advice, knowledge, and love for animals she possesses

•  dedicated to her job as a pet trainer at PetSmart in Spanish Fort, AL

Hillary takes every opportunity to rescue animals in need. She personally calls people who she feels would be great pet owners when she finds an animal that needs a home. Her personal life stops when a pet needs her care and her life revolves around the care of animals. As her sister, I have seen Hillary grow into an extremely intelligent young woman with a heart that is bigger than I could imagine for animals. Whether a duck who has lost his way to the pond or a fish that was returned to PetSmart with no one to care for it ,Hillary was there and is there for all animals. She never questions how to care for the animal or who will care for it. Hillary moves with the passion of a true believer in animals and animal welfare and makes it happen.

Hillary is a tutor at Rockwell Elementary. She allows the students to pet and play with Hoss during tutor sessions.  Hillary is a volunteer for BARC! for Books and a  volunteer for Covenant Hospice Paws for Patients.

Explanation of the nominee's qualities:

1. phenomenally dedicated to her job as a pet trainer at Petsmart in Spanish Fort, AL
2. demonstrates tremendous love for animals
3. remarkable pet owner of one lab (Hoss), one rabbit (Lily), and numerous fish
4. advocate and participant of hospice patients' visitation through pet therapy
5. supporter and participant of student tutoring program through pet visits
6. dependable pet trainer: pet owners/clients respect and trust the advice, knowledge, and love for animals she possesses
7. takes Hoss for regular visits to the city of Daphne 's Dog Park in order for him to socialize, run, play, and interact with other dogs. Many pet owners use this time to discuss needs, behaviors, and concerns of their pets.

PERSON NOMINATED

Specific example of services rendered in the area of animal care, rescue or animal welfare advocacy:

1. Hillary and Hoss (her Lab) are volunteers for Covenant Hospice. They have spent time visiting patients and allowing them to pet, love, and visit with Hoss. She uses the time to visit and allow patients to find comfort and happiness through pet therapy.
2. Hillary was part of the Sit, Stay, Read Program that began in the summer of 2008. She spent numerous hours in local libraries supporting the program. The program later became BARC! for Books.
3. Hillary volunteers at Rockwell Elementary School on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. She brings Hoss. Students pet Hoss during their tutor sessions.
4. Hillary entered Hoss into the Dog Olympics at Pirates Cove in October 2009 as an avid supporter of the Baldwin County Humane Society.
5. Hillary strongly supports the Pet Adoption at Petsmart by encouraging customers to support and desire animals in shelters that need homes.
6. Pet sits for dog owners so that owners can travel out of town for pleasure and/or business with ease knowing that their pet or pets are being cared for in a safe, healthy, and loving home.

I would like to submit a nomination for Lisa Mason,owner/trainer of Mason's Mongrel's in Elberta , Alabama for the Rob Walker award. Not only is Lisa an advocate for all animals, including dogs of every breed and age, she was inspired to start her own training business on one of her trips to make donations to a local shelter. She has trained dogs since she was a little girl. She has rescued many dogs and before re-homing them had them spayed or neutered, and spent time working with them so they would be welcome members at their new homes. We are now in the process of building a training facility so that she can train during our ever changing weather, offer flexible hours for her clients, and offer additional housing during hurricane season for those animals who would otherwise be left behind. Right now she drives to each clients home.

She is an AKC accredited evaluator, and member of the ASPCA. Her profile is up @ ideacafe and she is a semifinalist for a cash grant to help finish her training facility. She always says"let's rescue them before they get to the shelters". What others see a problems she sees as opportunities, a dog with behavior problems is "misunderstood". She says" I want to get the dogs side of the story" and uses people being dropped into a forest with a group of gorilla's to explain language issues. She also works full time teaching night classes at a local College, and makes time for me and our family. I believe Mr. Walker would Love her. For more about Lisa please visit her website @masonsmongrels4dogs.com     

Nancy Johnson began her animal rescue career early when she began to bring stray animals home as a youngster. “Mom, I just couldn't leave him” was a familiar cry in her childhood home. Then as today, Nancy embodies the qualities of Rob Walker first and foremost because whatever the circumstance, she still “just cannot leave them.” This does not mean picking up every animal, but it does mean working through the animal rescue organizations and resources to which she is dedicated to get assistance where it is needed most.

Nancy cofounded Save Our Strays (SOS) outside Birmingham in 1999. This organization is no kill, helps cats and dogs and one of its primary missions is “Trap/Neuter/Return” of outside feral and stray cats. Nancy knows, as all TNR and shelter folks do that spay/neuter is the only permanent, humane way to stop unwanted cats and kittens. Nancy honed her skills of trapping, working with the community, fostering and bottle feeding kittens, finding homes for special needs cats (and dogs). Nancy is cheerful and always an advocate for the animals. When Nancy and her husband Tom moved to Foley AL in 2004, she was quick to continue her work. A landscaper by profession (now retired and working part time as a veterinary assistant), Nancy soon was asked to crawl under a building and remove 3 abandoned kittens. She introduced her self to me and the Fairhope Cat Coalition with a call outlining the need to help these kittens, offering to bottle feed them, help with vet expenses and join our organization. I signed her up the next day. She continues as a key part of the Fairhope Cat Coalition and the Baldwin County Humane Society.

Nancy works part time at a vet clinic, maintains one of the main foster homes for BCHS KK cats, traps and “fixes” dozens of cats a month, cares for several cat colonies abandoned in 2008-2009, is on call along with all Fairhope Cat Coalition Volunteers for emergency calls and rescues. Her work week is long, with volunteer hours averaging 40 plus per week. When Nancy started with the Fairhope Cat Coalition, she immediately also became a foster home for BCHS. These two volunteer jobs alone are full time and in addition, Nancy works 10-20 hours per week at Eastern Shore Pet Hospital . Nancy is a very hard worker with a great attitude. Her cheerful no kill advocacy for feral cats has helped hundred avoid death and provided a genuine no kill cat resource for the community. In 2005, the Fairhope Cat Coalition spayed and Neutered 303 cats Nancy trapped half of these. In 2009, we spayed and neutered 805. Nancy and Jayne Dillon trapped 80% of these cats.

This award is about compassion and devotion. Nancy never turns away from any TNR or rescue need. She also raises funds for the medical and sterilization work, wisely realizing that rescue is imperative, but it is not free. Nancy is dependable, on the job volunteering for the cats. Her years of service, without pay, shows her perseverance. Sometimes in this work, euthanasia is the only humane choice. Nancy stays with the cat until it slips away, giving it a loving departure. This is one of the most difficult thing a volunteer can do. Yet Nancy has the strength to help at all stages of life, not just when the animal is little and cute.

There are many who do great work, many for whom animals are important. To Nancy , the work is important because it is the only way to help the animals. Her motto, “Kindness is the best way” has inspired me to reach out to all in the community to stop cat overpopulation and bring the rescue assistance to cats in need that is required along the way. I think Rob would be proud of her.

  ---Examples of services rendered to animals-- -

Founded Save our Strays, 1999

Joined Fairhope Cat Coaltion, 2004, doing hundreds of TNR jobs, cat rescues in past 5 years

Fostered over 200 cats and kittens adopted through BCHS Kitten Kaboodles since 2005

Four single rescues stand out.

----In 2007, fed a starving dog in the woods near her home for two months. Finally won its confidence. A plain black dog with health problems named Beau today lives with his dad and brother Bruno (another FCC dog rescue) in a loving home. Nancy never gave up.

----December 22, 2008, we were called to Belk's department store to rescue a cat caught in the sewer. Nancy spent two days climbing in the sewer, finding the cat, trapping him to discover he was a tame Maine Coon who was front declawed. He ran into the sewer and could not get out. Today Mr. Belk is renamed and lives as Baxter McQueen, sending a Christmas card in 2009.

---June 2009, a call came from a disabled man who said a Mamma cat was stuck in an old car. Nancy respomed to find no mom but several kittens in very bad shape. She climbed into the car hulk, bringing out the kittens. They were like skeletons from malnourishment. Nancy saved two, who grew to be strapping KK kitties placed in a great home several months later.

----January 2010 on a very cold, rainy night Nancy stopped her car on 98 to pick up an old basset with no tags. In the freezing cold, she went to a dozen houses, eventually carrying the dog because he was so tired. No one claimed him. He spent the night at the Little House with the cats. Just as Nancy was about to do yet another rescue with no where to go, the owners claimed him. He was under a vets care and went home to food, meds and love.

I want to nominate a very deserving person, Randy Clemmons.  There is no one else I know that has all the qualities you listed for animals.

This man, retired from the service where he trained dogs in search and resuce, now he uses his time, talents and money to help the animals that he can.  He doesn't care to be affiliated with any group, hi sonly concern is for the animal he is helping.

How do I know this, because for the last 6 months I have worked with this man 4 days a week.  I am at the present attending Animal Behavior College , so 6 months ago I called Randy to ask if I could hang with him.

Bubba Gump's foster mom.  She & husband usually pull puppies from the shelter to foster in healthier environment.