AML Publisher
Photos courtesy of Kevin E. McPherson with the exception of the venerable Miss Mary Todd Lincoln

Tigerlilly, who was pictured previously in our Be Mine on the Main Line article preview, is still available for adoption at the PSPCA. A brindled and absolutely beautiful two-year-old pitbull mix, Tigerlilly captured the heart of AML and will be sure to capture her next owners as well!

Since Valentine’s Day fell on a Saturday this year, so many activities abound in and around the region as businesses and organizations took advantage of the calendar’s (strategic) coincidence. With a weekend afternoon free on the 14th, I was thrilled when an email came across my desk. The PSPCA, headquartered in Philadelphia, was planning a fantastic afternoon of fun for local friends and families called, appropriately enough, a ‘Valentine’s Paw-ty.’ Fresh off of AroundMainLine.com’s first fundraiser, Be Mine on the Main Line, which drew over 300 attendees and raised thousands in donations for the PSPCA, I thought it was due time to visit their facility on East Erie Avenue in West Philadelphia. I’ve been fortunate enough to be working with the great staff of this organization for months. And, what a better day than Valentine’s Day to experience the love and compassion behind the great work of my PSPCA friends!

So, down the Schuylkill I drove and was so pleased when I walked in the doors and saw dozens of families and couples bustling about the lobby and the kennel looking at the great animals available for adoption. The fun, festive atmosphere at the PSPCA headquarters included a ‘smooch-a-pooch’ booth which was temporarily occupied by PSPCA Public Relations Assistant Kim Wolf’s adorable pug, Mary Todd Lincoln. Mary Todd is a PSPCA graduate who came to the shelter last December from a breeding shelter that was shut down. Since then, MTL has taken advantage of the low-cost dental services available at the shelter and now has a fantastic, loving home with Wolf and her husband Thaddeus.The funny thing–Kim’s Mary Todd actually does bare a very striking resemblance to her namesake, the wife of the 16th president of the United States. And, she seemed to hold herself in an equally distinguished manner as the wealthy and socially accomplished ‘real’ Todd. Showcasing a perhaps a bit of high-maintenance mojo, Mary Todd Lincoln got a bit fatigued about an hour into her duties at the kissing booth and other (very willing) participants were put into place to take over the smooching duties!

The PSPCA’s Valentine’s Day Paw-ty was an afternoon full of hope and love that also brought to reality the great need of the hundreds of animals available for adoption.

The lobby also featured games and representatives from partnering organizations such as Sniffles and Friends, a local professional pet sitting service (www.snifflesandfriends.com). The activities and giveaways included a great raffle that showcased some of the PSPCA’s evolving corporate partnerships, namely a cool relationship with the makers of Bounce fabric softener. Bounce is partnering with the PSPCA and Petside.com to introduce their dryer sheets as a way to repel pet hair from clothing, which is a key benefit of Bounce. In addition, Petside.com is hosting an online contest where visitors can vote for one of the “Bounce 15 Most Lovable Shelter Pets” as well as an adoption drive to help find these fifteen animals a forever and loving home. “Animals from the Philadelphia area are given up every day and find their way into our shelter,” said Wolf. “Our goal for this partnership is to give these homeless animals the chance to start a new life. By partnering with Bounce and Petside.com, we are not only helping these five animals find loving homes, but also raising awareness for the cause.”

The Most Lovable Shelter Pet will be announced at the conclusion of the contest on www.petside.com/BouncePets, where an up close and personal feature of the winner will be showcased. The shelter from which the winner of the “Bounce Most Lovable Shelter Pets” contest comes will receive an additional $2,500 toward vaccinations to aid in maintaining the health of their animals.

There was such a positive feeling abound in the area outside of where the animals live as dozens of families spoke with PSPCA volunteers and filled out paperwork for their new family member! I guess what I had not prepared myself for was the stark reality of what the PSPCA sees day in and day out–dozens upon dozens of fantastic furry friends who deserve a second chance at life awaiting a new home in the large kennel room. I started a self-guided tour in the first aisle on the left and saw some absolutely beautiful dogs. As I reached the end I looked to my left and a familiar, gorgeous face greeted me! It was the famous Tigerlilly, one of the fabulous pets profiled in our feature Buzz: Be Mine on the Main Line Party. It was very emotional for me to see Tigerlilly, I had assumed she would have been long gone from her shelter home as many of the animals we had photographed have been adopted. But there she was looking back at me waiting for her lucky day—maybe it would be Valentine’s Day? I promised Tigerlilly I would mention her again on AML and told her that gorgeous picture from her professional photo session would be published a second time for everyone to appreciate.

A Field of Dreams Awaits! The PSPCA is close to completion of The PSPCA Dog Park, a great communal play area that sits adjacent to their Philadelphia headquarters. You can help build their beautiful park by purchasing a memorial brick or bench online at: www.pspca.org/donate or call 1-215-426-3000.

After I left Tigerlilly’s neighborhood, there was row after row of awesome dogs for me to visit and view their profiles. And, it was one great name and face after another. The families who were walking around were most definitely having a difficult (although fun) time choosing…would their new family member be Seabiscuit, a terrier, pitbull mix? Or perhaps they would be taking home Polo, a stunning caramel-colored female terrier and pitbull mix. The other adoptable and friendly furry friends included Adonis, Gobstopper, tatertot, Harriet, Shira, Bijou, Sprinkle, Gorgonzola…and many more! There are so many great dogs at the PSPCA that deserve a new home and are waiting that lucky day—it seemed overwhelming and a bit depressing to me. Yet the environment was so positive and each volunteer I met exuded an enthusiasm and love of animals. So, I gained a new hope that each of the great dogs I came across will find a new, forever home very soon.

As I was leaving the kennel area, I came across the quiet sweet face of Miracle. Miracle is a female terrier pitbull-mix, three to five years old. What an awesome name and gentle disposition—and how fitting of a way to end my visit. Would it take a miracle someday to reduce the number of animals that are filling shelters across America–just like the PSPCA’s? How can, in this economic environment, these shelters survive and provide for the record number of animals they are taking in daily? Then I looked around the room at the parents and children who were working hand-in-hand with a friendly volunteer to choose their new family member. The PSPCA had 22 animals adopted on Valentine’s Day and raised over $500 at their festive ‘Paw-ty.’ A fantastic party indeed. And, as I walked over to the large wall of windows that look out onto an empty lot, I could see a handful of bulldozers busy clearing the new, 18,000 square foot dog park that will open this summer adjacent to the facilities kennels. This gave me a great feeling of hope–it is a field of dreams that the hundreds of great animals who live there so deserve!

AroundMainLine.com will be continuing our fantastic relationship with the PSPCA—planning a series of upcoming events along the Main Line. Stay tuned to AML for exciting details, coming soon!
Pictured: Mary Todd Lincoln

The PSPCA’s Valentine’s Paw-ty was an educational and enlightening experience for me. As I have mentioned before, I feel sometimes when you are vested in a great cause (and the parties and fundraisers that go along with it), you can loose site of the real task or goal. But, by visiting the PSPCA’s headquarters and experiencing first hand the joy and love they put into their work each day, I’m tremendously inspired. If you are thinking of adopting a pet, I would encourage you to take a drive to your local shelter—whether it is the PSPCA or one right in your own backyard. It’s a gift of love that will last a lifetime and an experience that you will cherish. As best stated by the PSPCA in their slogan, “Give Love, Get Love.”

The Pennsylvania SPCA is dedicated to rescuing animals from abuse and neglect, providing lifesaving care and treatment, guaranteeing a home for every adoptable animal, and reducing pet-overpopulation through low-cost spay-and-neuter clinics and public awareness initiatives. Through these efforts, they prevent cruelty towards animals and promote respect for their welfare, thus enhancing the lives of people and their companion animals throughout the state of Pennsylvania. Headquartered in Philadelphia, PSPCA has satellite shelters in Wellsboro, Centre Hall, Danville and Montrose. The Philadelphia branch houses a full-service animal hospital, obedience training academy, adoption facility and the PSPCA Law Enforcement Department, which is responsible for enforcing Philadelphia and Pennsylvania animal cruelty laws. In Philadelphia, the Animal Care and Control Team Powered by the PSPCA (ACCT) is charged with enforcing the City’s animal control codes, as well as finding homes for Philadelphia’s thousands of stray and surrendered adoptable animals via rescue, foster care and adoption.

The Pennsylvania SPCA is located at 350 East Erie Avenue, Philadelphia, PA. To view all the animals currently up for adoption or to make a charitable contribution, visit: www.pspca.org or call 215-426-6300.