CNN Hero and Crime Stoppers Unite to Save Animals in Tidwell Park on April 16

HOUSTON - Corridor Rescue kicks off its community outreach program this Saturday at Tidwell Park. Crime Stoppers and Corridor Rescue Inc. are joining forces to raise awareness about animal cruelty.

Saturday, April 16, will mark the 6-week kick-off of Corridor Rescue Inc.’s Corridor C.A.R.E.S. (Community Animal Relief Care & Services) outreach program at Tidwell Park. For the next six weeks, Corridor Rescue will be hosting its community outreach program every Saturday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. to educate the community about animal cruelty, spaying and neutering pets, dog fighting and much more.

Corridor Rescue Inc. is a Houston area non-profit organization dedicated to saving lives and correcting injustice to animals who have been thrown away and left, often times injured and starving, to fend for themselves in the Highway 59 and York area of Houston, commonly known as the Corridor of Cruelty. Please visit Corridor Rescue Inc.’s website at http://www.corridorrescue.org/ to find out how you can volunteer with the Corridor C.A.R.E.S. Program.  Check them out on CNN Heroes -- http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/07/15/cnnheroes.hoffman.dog.rescue/index.html and in the Houston Chronicle- http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7354771.html.

Crime Stoppers will have information available at the event to educate citizens on animal cruelty and dog fighting as well and how to report crime via the 713 -222- TIPS line.

Crime Stoppers will offer up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest or filing of felony charges against any suspect involved in animal cruelty or dog fighting. Callers are urged to call 713-222-TIPS, or submit a tip online at http://www.crime-stoppers.org/. Tips can also be sent by text message; text TIP610 plus your tip to CRIMES (274637). All tipsters remain anonymous.

From Community Reports observereditor@hcnonline.com

Press Release: Building a No Kill Community April 30 in Houston

"Building a No Kill Community" workshop could end shelter killing in Texas
HOUSTON, April 13, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Houston and Harris County animal shelters kill roughly 80,000 animals a year, as much as 54% to 89% of all animals entering the shelter, depending on which Houston shelter is involved.  San Antonio, Dallas, Ft. Worth and other shelters kill tens of thousands as well.  But that number could plummet if shelter leaders attend the upcoming "Building a No Kill Community" workshop taught by Nathan Winograd, director of the national No Kill Advocacy Center.  The No Kill model of animal sheltering created by Winograd will teach shelter directors and the community the practices that allowed shelters like Austin's animal control and Williamson County, TX animal control to save 90% - 96% of all dogs and cats entering their doors.
"This workshop will teach us how to "Turbo Charge" adoptions so that animals have a real chance for a new home. It teaches "marketing" strategies to effectively market shelter animals so new pet owners will choose a shelter pet instead of looking elsewhere. It also teaches shelters how to work with rescue organizations and foster parents efficiently rather than kill animals," said Bett Sundermeyer, President of No Kill Houston. "It makes no sense for Texas shelters to kill animals, especially at taxpayer or donor expense, when rescue organizations and private citizens are willing to save them".
This No Kill model of sheltering has created No Kill communities nationwide including Reno, Nevada, Shelby County, Kentucky, Marquette, Michigan, Tompkins County, New York, and elsewhere.  In addition to the United States, shelters in Canada, Australia and New Zealand are following this model and are consistently saving 90% or more of all animals.  ("No Kill" means that 90% or more of all healthy and treatable pets are saved.)
Last year Austin, Texas passed a city ordinance mandating parts of these No Kill programs and their save rates have risen ever since.  H.B. 3450 or Texas CAPA, based on this No Kill model of sheltering, was also recently introduced in the Texas state legislature.
"People of all walks of life want to protect pets, so this workshop appeals to a wide range of people." said Sundermeyer.
Workshop details:
Date/time: Saturday, April 30, 2011; 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Location: South Texas College of Law, 1303 San Jacinto, Houston, TX 77002
For Tickets: Go to No Kill Houston's website at http://www.nokillhouston.org/.