ANNUAL REPORT Fiscal Year
2021
June 30, 2020 to July 1, 2021
Cedar Bend Humane Society’s Vision Cedar Bend Humane Society (CBHS) exists to maintain and improve the health and well-being of surrendered, lost, abandoned, neglected, and abused companion animals in Black Hawk County and surrounding areas. We provide shelter, medical care, compassion, and love to homeless animals in need.
Once in the care of CBHS, animals placed on the adoption floor have no time limit and every effort is given to find the animals loving homes. CBHS is the only open-admission shelter in Black Hawk County. We accept animals brought to the shelter for any reason, no matter its age, heathy, or behavior.
OUR MISSION
P lace animals in lifelong, loving homes. E ducate on the issues of humane care. T each responsible pet ownership. S helter the stray, neglected, and unwanted. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Joanne Koweil (President) Leon Galehouse (Vice President) Tom Blanford (Treasurer) Karen Steffes (Secretary) Corrine Brown Nick Hedrick Craig Holdiman Joni Krejchi Mark Little Laurie Lumetta Mark McCombs Becky Riehm Mary Williams
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Dear friends of Cedar Bend Humane Society, As it did for many businesses within the Cedar Valley, the COVID pandemic created a variety of challenges for our organization, and we often worried about the ability to help the hundreds of sick, injured, and homeless animals that so desperately need us. Much to our amazement, adopters, volunteers, and donors were always there for the animals! Not only did Cedar Bend Humane Society continue to provide shelter and care for every animal that needed us, but we have been able to sustain and even grow some of our shelter programs and services. We are thrilled to share this annual report featuring some of our furry friends that have benefited from your generosity and highlights from the last year showing how some of our programs and services have helped to make a difference for the homeless animals in our community. I want to personally thank each and every one of our supporters for helping us be able to help them! With much appreciation,
Kristy Gardner Executive Director
Kristy Gardner and Chief Chief is a beautiful dutch shepherd who arrived with an eye injury and tested positive for heartworms. Chief was treated at CBHS & happily adopted into a home!
MAKING A DIFFERENCE Day in and day out, our hardworking and compassionate team of staff, volunteers, and community supporters met new challenges head-on to help thousands of homeless pets in an unprecedented year. This fiscal year saw rapidly changing procedures and protocols, a spotlight on virtual events and fundraisers, the gradual re-opening of shelter services, the renovation of our adoption building, and a commitment stronger than ever to help homeless pets.
Brittany holding Sophie Sophie was one of our shyest senior cats. At 10 years old, she found a wonderful home that helped her come out of her shell!
2021 OPERATING ACTIVITY (audited)
Programs & Services 30%
REVENUE
Donations, Fundraising, & Events 63% Investments & Unrealized Gain 7%
Donations, Fundraising, & Events Programs & Services Investments & Unrealized Gain
Total Revenue
Animal Care, Programs, & Services Medical & Adoption Cost Management & Fundraising
$780,787 $220,441 $163,798
67% 19% 14%
Total Expenses $1,165,026 100%
EXPENSES Cedar Bend Humane Society is a local, independent, private, 501(c)3 non-profit organization. We are dependent on contributions, in-kind donations, grants, revenue from services provided, and monies received for city contracts. We do not receive any government funding.
Management & Fundraising 14%
Your support truly makes a difference!
$1,100,822 $526,274 $117,362
63% 30% 7%
$1,744,458 100%
Animal Care, Programs, & Services 67%
Medical & Adoption Costs 19%
GIVING SECOND CHANCES
Rock River Trainers & Kristy Gardner Sally, Teddy, and Koda were our first three graduates from the Second Chances: A New Leash on Life program! Photo Credit: Chris Zoeller
Through Second Chances, we have helped shelter dogs that are overly fearful, struggle with anxiety, are excessively energetic, or have unique behavior issues. This two-week training program gives them the foundation needed to continue to grow into good canine citizens.
16
deserving dogs graduated from this life-changing program!
Second Chances: A New Leash on Life is a new program forged with Rock River Pet Resort aimed at transforming dogs to be obedient and respectful to increase their chances of finding and staying in a home.
The shelter’s longest resident during this year, Sally, was the inspiration for this program. Sally was a large, energetic, and strong dog that had no obedience training. Through Second Chances, Sally learned how to be respectful and polite and is now easy to handle on a leash. Days before it would have been a year waiting for a family, Sally was adopted and has been doing great in her new home!
Second Chances is funded solely by donations. Support is needed to ensure it continues!
CAT HOUSING UPGRADES The cats at CBHS received some serious housing upgrades! Custom-made kennels purchased from Snyder Manufacturing have increased our cat holding capacity from 60 to a minimum of 111 in our adoption building and from 25 to 90 in two rooms of our intake building stray hold. We now have a variety of individual and community cat condos providing accommodations to meet the personal needs of every cat and kitten in our shelter. By moving our cats from large community cat rooms to smaller colonies and individual living quarters, our cats have been healthier and happier! The adoption building also received a beautiful new coat of paint and flooring. Our new look and upgraded cat comforts were only possible thanks to the generosity of our community.
Thank you for making a big difference in the lives of homeless cats!
In loving memory of Linda Dobbyn Our new cat kennels were made possible in large part by the generous donation from William Dobbyn in memory of his wife, Linda.
ANIMAL INTAKE Cedar Bend Humane Society is contracted to accept stray and abandoned animals from the cities of Waterloo and Cedar Falls and rural Black Hawk County. Without CBHS, there would be nowhere for many of these animals to go. Homeless pets arrive as owner surrenders, brought in by the public and Animal Control Services as lost or stray animals, and as transfers from partnering animal rescues.
For the first time in over 50 years, CBHS made the decision to temporarily stop our adoption program and various other public services for a few months due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic. The world seemed to have halted, but the need to care for our community’s homeless, injured, and neglected animals did not. CBHS continued to receive animals that needed our help and thanks to our generous support were able to care for them all until it was safe to re-open our adoption program. Stray & Seized by Animal Control 49%
Transfer from a Partnering Rescue 28%
DOGS
Owner Surrender 22%
CATS Stray & Seized by Animal Control 74%
Brought as Feral in Live Trap 14% Owner Surrender 12%
POCKET PETS
Owner Surrender 54%
Stray & Seized by Animal Control 46%
ANIMAL DISPOSITION
DOGS
Adoption & transfer to partnering rescue Reunited with their family Euthanized due to behavior or aggression Euthanized due to health/age/other
CATS
67% 29% 2% 2%
Adoption & transfer to partnering rescue Reunited with their family Trap-Neuter-Return & Barn Cat programs Euthanized due to behavior or aggression Euthanized due to health/age/other
POCKET PETS
Adoption Euthanized due to health or temperament
Cedar Bend Humane Society is committed to reducing euthanasia and to providing humane care for all animals under our protection. We are an open admission shelter and continually strive to end animal overpopulation and homelessness. We aim to do the greatest good, with limited resources, to help the largest number of animals.
63% 3% 14% 1% 19%
95% 5%
We use all possible resources as alternatives to euthanasia when possible. It is the last resort to relieve suffering for an illness or injury unable to be treated or for an animal with aggressive behavior. We continue to set our sights on a future where all animals are in loving homes.
REUNITING LOST PETS
350 Kuro & his family After missing for over a year, Kuro was reunited with his family!
RESCUE TO RESCUE Cedar Bend Humane Society partners with numerous humane societies and animal rescues to help save more lives and promote animal welfare on both a local and national level.
312
pets were saved through our rescue to rescue partnership.
lost pets were reunited with their families!
Cedar Bend Humane Society makes every effort to help lost pets find their way home. Through our new partnership with Iowa Pet Alert, CBHS can share photos of incoming stray pets. Families are also able to submit a photo and description of their lost pet to help reconnect with them even sooner. It has been instrumental in helping even more pets find their way home!
ADOPTION READY
686 dogs,
1,218 cats,
&
59 small pocket pets
found loving homes! Cedar Bend Humane Society’s number one mission is to place animals in lifelong, loving homes. In order for homeless animals to become “adoption ready”, shelter pets receive a full medical examination, vaccinations, treatment for parasites, testing for heartworm or feline leukemia virus, receives a microchip, and are spayed or neutered (if age and health allow). The pandemic caused a greater need to connect with our community online and an emphasis was
put on highlighting as many of our adoptable pets online as possible. CBHS began meeting with interested adopters by appointment only which brought us a few surprise benefits. Adoption counselors are now able to spend one-on-one time with interested adopters in order to best assist them with selecting the best pet to join their family. The homeless pets in our care also receive more quality time with fewer individuals making for a less stressful environment.
FOSTERING SAVES LIVES Many animals entered the shelter sick, injured, or too young to survive on their own. Our foster program relies on families willing to provide inhome care and love to the animals most in need, truly giving them a second chance.
Thank you to our foster families for their time, efforts, and dedication!
SAVING THE SICK & INJURED
After eluding rescue efforts for weeks, Shiloh arrived severely emaciated, covered in ticks, had double cherry eyes, wire embedded in his skin, and tested positive for Lymes Disease. X-rays then revealed the unthinkable. Shiloh had a bullet lodged near his spine. He had been shot. Shiloh underwent surgery for his leg amputation and made a full recovery! Shiloh was such a fighter through all the hardships he went through. He is now living a happy and love-filled with the family he was meant for.
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Cedar Bend Humane Society’s medical program provides shelter pets with examinations, behavioral assessments, vaccinations, treatments and surgeries, and preventative care. Dr. Kent Melick, DVM is a veterinarian contracted by CBHS who performs our in-house spay and neuter surgeries and other various medical procedures. Throughout the pandemic, thousands of sick and injured animals continued to arrive to CBHS. Some of the life-saving care CBHS included mange treatments, heartworm treatments, tumor removals, leg amputations, incision repairs, eye and ear surgeries, and treatments for a variety of viruses.
sick & injured animals were saved!
A happy hug-filled meet & greet Shiloh meeting his new family for the first time!
THANK YOU FOR HELPING US, HELP THEM Weighing under 5 pounds and completely skin and bones, Jasper barely had enough strength to lift his head. After receiving immediate life-saving care, Jasper went on to grow big and strong in a foster home. Jasper’s foster family became “foster failures”. He now lives a love-filled life as a permanent member of their family!
Mr. Potato arrived with a fractured pelvis and dislocated hip after being hit by a car. He underwent a surgical procedure that restored pain-free mobility to his damaged hip. After a full rehabilitation at CBHS, Mr. Potato was adopted into a loving home!
Ramona’s big beautiful ears were severely infected and she had a cyst on top of her head. She underwent a lateral ear resection surgery, had the cyst surgically removed, and tried multiple antibiotic treatments to find the one that worked best. Ramona found a wonderful family who will continue her life-long treatment. Throughout the year, CBHS received many abandoned and neglected litters of puppies and kittens. Babies in the shelter environment are more susceptible to disease and infections and their survival is never a guarantee. CBHS staff and foster families work tirelessly to provide all the care needed to give them their best start in life.
FIGHTING PET OVERPOPULATION Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)
Through our TNR program,free-roaming cats are humanely trapped, altered, vaccinated, ear-tipped, and then returned to their outdoor home. CBHS has partnered with the cities of Waterloo, Cedar Falls, Hudson, and Evansdale to create TNR programs.
BARN CAT PROGRAM
The Barn Cat program saves lives by offering homes to healthy cats not suitable as house pets. Stray cats are altered prior to finding homes in safe outdoor enclosures.
270
outdoor cats’ lives were saved through our TNR & Barn Cat programs, preventing thousands of unwanted litters.
IN-HOUSE SPAY/NEUTER Over 3,000 pets enter our shelter on an annual basis and the majority of these animals are unaltered. Our in-house spay and neuter program is crucial in fighting the pet overpopulation crisis within our community.
By reducing the number of potentially homeless, unwanted, stray, and abandoned pets, existing pets are more likely to receive the care and nurturing they need.
Community support is vital to address this issue and continue this program!
1,680 pets were altered at CBHS
SUPPORT FOR OUR COMMUNITY To assist our low-income families, Cedar Bend Humane Society offers low-cost vaccination, microchip, and spay/neuter clinics as well as pet food assistance through our PAWS Pantry program. Offering low-cost services to our community reduces the financial burden of pet ownership and helps to keep healthy pets in their homes. In mid-March, we saw a steep rise in families needing pet food assistance. In response, CBHS expanded our PAWS Pantry program and partnered with Animal Control Services to offer delivery to those in desperate need. Even when things were the hardest during the pandemic, CBHS aimed to assist our pet-owning community however possible.
Dr. Kent Melick, DVM Hundreds of pets were assisted in our low-cost clinics during the pandemic
Pets helped through low-cost services
351 spay/neuters 335 vaccinations 143 microchips
Countless
families helped with our PAWS Pantry pet food assistance
OUR VOLUNTEERS The tough decision was made to close our volunteer program multiple times during the worst portions of the pandemic. It was during these times we truly realized how important and special volunteers were to the success of Cedar Bend Humane Society. The volunteer program reopened in the spring and welcomed a surge of new volunteers eager to work with the animals! Volunteers assist in nearly all areas of the shelter such as dog walking and bathing, cat socialization, kennel cleaning, shelter projects, and working at CBHS events.
292 volunteer hours
170 active volunteers 12 junior volunteers
Carly enjoying the day with Frost CBHS volunteers love taking adoptable dogs on field trips to local parks and trails to give them a fun day outside
CONNECTED ONLINE Cedar Bend Humane Society enjoys being connected to our community through a vibrant outreach program that fosters partnerships with community businesses and organizations. Through our educational programs, our hope is to instill better knowledge and compassion toward animals in general and expand the reach of shelter services. The need for social distancing during the pandemic forced us to re-imagine many aspects of how to stay connected. Our two largest annual fundraisers of the year, the Furry 5K and our Help Us Help Them event, were both hosted virtually. We found other fun and creative ways to stay involved with the community by using online tools such as Zoom to give educational presentations, tours of the shelter, and highlight shelter services, events, and adoptable pets.
We appreciate our community’s patience while we navigated this unfamiliar terrain and found a new normal during unprecedented times.
Hansen Elementary’s Fundraiser for CBHS Educational presentations and “visits” from shelter pets were done over Zoom when meeting in person weren’t possible.
Thousands of sick, injured, neglected, or homeless animals exist right here in our community.
You can help Cedar Bend Humane Society provide shelter, food, medical care, and love by giving generously when asked to donate.
BOARDING WITH A PURPOSE MUTT HUTT DOG & CAT BOARDING All boarding fees at this state-of-the-art, climate-controlled dog and cat board facility go towards caring for the homeless pets at Cedar Bend Humane Society. For reservations, please call 319-233-0159 1136 W. Airline Hwy, Waterloo, IA
1,012
pets were boarded at the Mutt Hutt which helps raise funds for shelter pets
BENEFITS OF GIFTS IN A WILL Legacy: Extend the impact of your generosity beyond your lifetime
PLANNED GIVING
Simplicity: Easily add CBHS and your other favorite charities as beneficiaries in your will or trust. Availability: Retain access to your resources for the remainder of your lifetime or as long as you need them. Flexibility: Change your mind at any time about how your gifts are designated. Capacity: Potentially give the largest gift you’ll ever have the ability to give.
Leave a legacy to provide for the animals of tomorrow
LANGUAGE FOR YOUR WILL
I give to Cedar Bend Humane Society, a nonprofit 501(c)3 with its office located at 1166 W. Airline Hwy, Waterloo IA [the sum of $ ] or [the residue of my estate], to be used for [DESIGNATE PURPOSE]. If, in the opinion of CBHS the designated purpose no longer exists, CBHS is authorized to use these funds for a similar purpose. Thank you for considering a gift to Cedar Bend Humane Society in your will. In doing this, you help ensure CBHS has the resources to fulfill our mission. Please contact your life insurance provider, retirement plan administrator, and/or financial institution and file the appropriate forms or payable on death forms for other gift options. Please feel welcome to contact us at 319-232-6887 with any additional questions. Cedar Bend Humane Society, Inc. 1166 West Airline Highway, Waterloo IA 50703 TAX ID NUMBER: 42-0843378
THANK YOU FOR HELPING US, HELP THEM Every dollar has an impact on the lives of the pets and people in our community who are struggling the most. This lifesaving work can’t continue without you.
1166 West Airline Highway Waterloo, IA 50703 www.cedarbendhumane.org 319-232-6887