Media Partners for Pets helping halt euthanasias

David Clayton

Thursday, May 11, 2000 | 9:48 a.m.

What: Media Partners for Pets.

Mission: To save healthy animals from euthanasia.

Contact: Ann Herrington at 364-8917 or 460-6658.

Web page: Mediapartnersforpets.com.

Needs: Volunteers and donations; call 617-3323

Next event: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, West Flamingo Park; 200 dogs and cats will be up for adoption; special guests at noon will be Annabelle and her puppies.

Disney and the "101 Dalmatians" have nothing on Ann Herrington and her 1,512 reasons for quitting her good job and going full time with Media Partners for Pets.

Herrington's reasons include the 1,500 dogs and cats rescued over the past three years by the organization she founded. The additional 12 reasons are known simply as Annabelle and her puppies.

A year ago on the day before Annabelle was to be euthanized because her time had run out as a shelter dog with no home, Herrington arrived in Annabelle's life as the pregnant Dalmatian's own private guardian angel.

Herrington learned of Annabelle's plight and called the shelter, which happily responded with a stay of execution. So, instead of drawing her last breath that next day while dying the death of yet another healthy but unwanted dog, Annabelle experienced the glorious moments of labored breathing every mother knows.

Eleven spotted puppies were the reward for the rescue of Annabelle and her brood, which found temporary quarters in a plastic pool filled with sheets and blankets in a guest room of Herrington's home. Within eight weeks mother and puppies were doing fine in loving homes.

It's stories such as Annabelle's that inspired Herrington to turn Media Partners for Pets into a full-time labor of love. Last month she quit her job as director of marketing of KNPR 89.5-FM, Las Vegas' public radio station. She is now devoting every day to Media Partners for Pets, which she founded in 1997 after adopting Harley, her blue-eyed and deaf Dalmatian, from the Dewey Animal Care Center.

She refers to Harley as "the dog who started it all" because on her way out of Dewey with him in tow, she had this recurring vision: "All those cages. All those dogs. Six days is all they've got ... Horrible."

She couldn't get out of her mind what she had seen at Dewey, perfectly fine animals with spirits aching to bond with a family but in reality perfectly doomed because not enough people knew they were there.

As a member of the Las Vegas media, Herrington knew how to get the word out. She also knew that words alone don't get much play. There had to be events.

She called two other media friends, Patti Mills, of KKLZ 96.3-FM, and Pat Miller of KVWB Channel 21, thus the name Media Partners for Pets. Partnering with Dewey, Veterinary Centers of America, local businesses, radio and TV stations, newspapers and magazines and various hotels and entertainers, the three women began holding pet adoption events. The events were supported by dozens of volunteers and publicized by reporters throughout the Southern Nevada media. The next event is Sunday at West Flamingo Park.

The publicity is what drew enough people for 150 dogs and cats to find new homes at each event.

"Traditionally, the news media only gets involved with animal stories if there's something extraordinary, like if somebody in an apartment has a wild pig," Dr. Joseph Freer, a veterinarian who runs Dewey, said. He added that Herrington's efforts have been invaluable in setting up off-site (away from shelters) adoptions and educating the public about the scope of the homeless animal problem and the importance of spaying and neutering.

"As long as we are euthanizing one animal, there is a need for it," Freer said, referring to the work of Herrington and others in the no-kill movement.

Although she has only been working full time with Media Partners for about three weeks, Herrington has already made progress in achieving her ultimate goal of taking the organization national. Working with Veterinary Centers of America, she has appointments scheduled in California, Arizona and Utah to explain her program in those states.

If 1,500-plus animals can be saved in Las Vegas through well-publicized adoption events in public places, then so can thousands of animals in other cities be saved, she reasons.

Herrington has also opened discussions with Disney, hoping to head off the wave of abandoned Dalmatians that invariably follow movies about the dastardly Cruella de Vil. A sequel, "102 Dalmatians," is set for release this fall.

Through Media Partners and Dalmatian Rescue Las Vegas, which she also heads up, Herrington is hoping to work with Disney in educating the public about Dalmatians so only those people who can handle the energetic dogs will be tempted to acquire one, and then from a shelter or rescue group, not a pet store.

Bob Barker applauds Herrington's efforts, so much so that the venerable game show host and outspoken animal lover has agreed to record two public service announcements for Media Partners, one for TV and one for radio, on the subject of Dalmatian rescues.

"He feels very, very strongly about this," Herrington said. "Now that he's involved there will be national attention for sure."

No matter how national Media Partners becomes, however, Herrington says she will remain committed to Las Vegas' homeless animals. The group's trademark adoptions in public parks will continue, as will smaller adoptions at businesses around the valley. Support from the local business community is growing. Findlay Automotive Galleria, the Orleans hotel-casino, Petco and Wild Oats are among the businesses that have sponsored events.

The timing is right for Herrington's group, as a no-kill movement is gaining momentum across the country in respect to public animal shelters. In the April 30 New York Times, for example, an article spotlighted the no-kill efforts in Las Vegas.

"Media Partners is dedicated to the no-kill movement," Herrington said. "We're a part of it. We're going to be a no-kill country soon."

David Clayton is the Sun's deputy metro editor. Reach him at clayton@lasvegassun.com or 259-4056.