Winter 2009 • V ol. 43 No. 4 - San Diego Humane Society and SPCA

president’s message
Leading By Example
Mark Goldstein, D.V.M.,
CAWA, President of
the San Diego Humane
Society and SPCA
with his dog Ren.
We have all heard the expression, “actions speak louder than words.” Though one can speak about the
changes they would like to see in the world or in their community, real change happens when we model
the change we hope to see. Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world” – that
philosophy guides us each and every day at the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA. From our home-like adoption
habitats to our positive reinforcement training philosophy, doing what is best to strengthen the human-animal bond is
at the heart of every action.
As an organization that believes education is the key to promoting the human-animal bond, one of the most effective
ways we can educate the community is by demonstrating best practices ourselves. For instance, we feel that homeless
pets deserve the same level of care that an owned animal would receive, including not just food, water, and shelter, but
also complete medical care and unconditional love. In this issue, you will read about Janet, a sweet, young Shepherd
mix that received extensive surgery to overcome a congenital health problem that may have ended her life if left
untreated. When healthy pets are admitted to the San Diego Humane Society, they are able to move to the adoption
floor quickly. However, pets with treatable medical conditions may utilize many resources before becoming available for
adoption. By offering this kind of thorough care to Janet and other homeless pets like her, we hope that all pet owners
will, within their resources, extend the same level of care to their own pets.
As we successfully work towards a day when every pet is welcomed into a home as a member of a family, we hope
that the actions we model each day at the San Diego Humane Society will bring our community closer to this goal as
well. When a family that keeps their pet in the backyard visits our shelter for the first time and sees pets in home-like
environments, perhaps that family will feel inspired to open up their living room to their own pet. Before you know it,
they may even be playfully fighting for space on the bed with that pet!
When disaster strikes and San Diegans turn on the news to see our Animal Rescue Reserve (ARR) out on the front
lines rescuing animals in peril, we hope that families will assess their own disaster preparedness plans for their pets.
Just as we want our ARR volunteers to be prepared for any and all situations, we hope the community at large will
follow our lead and put disaster preparedness best practices into use in their own homes.
From the adoption habitats to the ARR’s rescue efforts, all of the San Diego Humane Society’s programs and
services are funded solely through contributions from donors like you. We are not affiliated with any other local, state
or national organization such as the Humane Society of the United States in Washington D.C. or the ASPCA in New
York. Charity Navigator, an organization that helps donors make responsible charitable gift decisions by ranking
the financial health of nonprofits, has awarded the San Diego Humane Society its highest four-star rating for three
consecutive years. This is an honor bestowed on fewer than six percent of charities they evaluate nationwide, so you
can rest assured that your contribution to the San Diego Humane Society is being used in ways that will achieve the
most effectiveness and provide the greatest impact to the animals we care about in our community.
The San Diego Humane Society continues to strive to be a beacon for animal welfare, yet our light cannot shine
without your help. Just as your utility bill will continue to grow with each new lamp you plug in, our ability to shine
brighter depends upon your contribution. It is because of you that we have been able to achieve so much, and it is
through your continued support that we will be able to model best practices for many years to come.
Mark Goldstein, D.V.M., CAWA
President of the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA
Photo: Melisa Codgell