Umm, don't want to alarm you, but that's no feral kitten

On Saturday, Feb. 23, join the SPCA of the Triad on a visit the Carnivore Preservation Trust. You'll get up-close to 15 species of endangered or threatened wild cats who live on this 60 acre refuge. The SPCA has arranged for you to see the big cats at feeding time during this private tour.  More than 200 other carnivorous species reside at CPT, many of them rescued from circuses, illegal home breeders and zoos. You'll see them all.

We'll also visit historic Fearrington Village for lunch and the 6th Annual Folk Art Show.

Email Jenny at forpaws@triad.rr.com or call her at 336.339.6169 or more information or to reserve your seats. Only eight seats remain on this trip.

SPCA of the Triad Wins Maddie's Fund $15,000 National Award for

 Marketing

The SPCA of the Triad has been recognized by Maddie's Fund with a cash award for its marketing campaign, Adopt Your Own Mini-Panther. Created by SPCA Program Director Lisa Crosby & volunteers and launched during the Carolina Panthers football season, the campaign marketed black cats as "Mini- Panthers." For reasons of perception and notions of aesthetics, black cats have a difficult time finding homes. The initiative helped re-imagine black cats as something special: "Curl up with your own mini-Panther and watch the football game" was the tag line. Every black cat in the SPCA adoption centers found a home within weeks.

Almost 200 rescue groups, shelters and animal control agencies across the country competed for the Maddie's Fund prize. SPCA of the Triad was among eight top winners.

Maddie's Fund is one of the largest animal welfare foundations in the world and is committed to helping create a no-kill nation.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                            Media Contact:

Lara Urano | SJI, Ltd. (Bark Busters PR)

303-748-4760 | lara@sjiltd.com

SPCA International Names Bark Busters 'Best of the Best'

Bark Busters, the world’s largest, most trusted dog training company, and its global network of dog behavioral therapists are recognized for excellence in dog behavior therapy and training services

GREENSBORO, NC. —Dec. 31, 2007—SPCA International (www.SPCA.com) announced the selection of Bark Busters Home Dog Training (www.BarkBusters.com) as an inaugural winner of its Best of the Best award, designating Bark Busters dog behavioral training services the “best of the best” in its category. No other training company or dog trainer received such a distinction.

“This is a high honor for us,” says AMY CLEAR, Bark Busters dog behavioral therapist and trainer. “It is a testament to our founders, Danny and Sylvia Wilson, and the highly effective and all-natural training system they developed. This award also speaks to the dedication of the hundreds of Bark Busters dog behavioral therapists around the world, who everyday make a difference in the lives of dogs and their human families.”

The Best of the Best award from SPCA International is designed to recognize products, services, and programs that represent high quality and exceptional value. Each company receiving the Best of the Best award was nominated and approved by SPCA International’s panel of animal experts.

 “Since pet parents have many options for products and services designed for their animal companions, SPCA International has sought after and identified the ‘best of the best’ in multiple categories,” explains Stephanie Scroggs, SPCA’s director of communications. “We exercise great care in determining the Best of the Best award winners. To receive the SPCA International Best of the Best award and be listed on our website, an organization must provide the highest quality product or service and unequivocal value to consumers. Bark Busters delivers that to its customers and their animal companions. SPCA International is pleased to support them 100 percent.”

As world leaders in natural home dog training, Bark Busters global network of dog behavioral therapists have trained more than 400,000 dogs worldwide and are committed to helping people care for and communicate clearly with their dogs—not only to reduce misbehavior or the risk of maltreatment, but also to enhance owners’ relationships with their dogs. For more details or to find a local trainer, call 877-500-BARK (2275) or visit www.BarkBusters.com. To view a complete list of winners of the 2008 Best of the Best award from SPCA International, visit www.SPCA.com/best,

About Bark Busters: Bark Busters, the world's largest, most trusted dog training company, started in Australia in 1989 and came to the United States in 2000. Since inception, more than 400,000 dogs have been trained worldwide using its dog-friendly, natural methods. With 240+ franchised offices in 41 states and more than 400 offices in 10 countries, Bark Busters is continuing its mission to build a global network of dog behavioral therapists to enhance responsible dog ownership and reduce the possibility of maltreatment, abandonment and euthanasia of companion dogs. Bark Busters is the only international dog training company that offers a written lifetime guarantee. Therapists will provide future sessions free of charge if problem behaviors recur, or if any new problems develop. For more information, call 1-877-500-BARK (2275) or visit www.BarkBusters.com, where dog owners can complete a Dog Behavioral Quiz to rate their dogs' behavior.

About SPCA International: The mission of SPCA International is to raise awareness of the abuse of animals to a global level, to teach and foster good pet parenting practices, and to promote spay and neuter programs around the world with the goal of eradicating the need to euthanize healthy and adoptable companion animals.   

www.SPCA.com also provides a global information and referral resource to animal guardians and advocates throughout the world to those who seek a shelter or wish to adopt a shelter animal.

Traer Scott, author of Shelter Dogs and Street Dogs will be coming to Greensboro the first week of December.

Traer Scott will be traveling in Greensboro to promote her new book Street Dogs during her North Carolina visit. . She will visit and photograph For this exciting new book, Traer traveled to Puerto Rico and Mexico to capture these remarkable and soulful photographs of dogs living alone or in pack on city streets. Since many street dogs were formerly pets, they are often friendly, approachable and eager to be adopted into new homes. As Scott documents in her introduction in the book, she witnessed and assisted in the rescue of many of the dogs she photographed for the book; thanks to the collaborative efforts of Puerto Rican, Latin American and US organizations, these dogs have now been adopted into new homes both in the US and Mexico

.

Traer's first book Shelter Dogs which sold approx. 40,000 copies across the country is an endearing portrait of dogs living in American shelters who are irresistible and heart-rending ----and makes a passionate appeal to dog lovers everywhere. Some of the dogs subsequently found good homes; others were never adopted. The portraits reveal the strikingly intense emotion, dignity and, sometimes humor and whimsy that Scott saw in each face despite the dog's circumstances. By documenting the undeniable expression of emotion in the dogs encountered in her volunteer work, Scott raises awareness of animal rescue causes, and especially the need for more adoptive homes for abandoned dogs.

Traer Scott will be in Greensboro the first of December to take portraits of our prison dogs participating in A New Leash on Life. Her relentless work in bring awareness to those creatures often forgotten and who need our help the most have made those of us in rescue work humble and indebted forever.

We look forward to having Traer as our guest and ask that you reward yourself with the purchase of all of Traer's books.

A New Leash on Life and SPCA of the Triad were very honored when the Nubian Queens rode up on their motorcycles during the ceremony to participate in the 10th graduation ceremony of A New Leash on Life.   These beautiful exciting professional ladies who have a passion for riding motorcycles use this passion for giving back to the community.  They visit schools and demonstrate to youths that they can succeed in all areas of life and that they can have fun doing it. 

WFMY News 2 filmed part of the graduation ceremony.  You can see the video clip by clicking the TV below.