Human-animal bond celebrated
Roseville, Calif. – Every year, Placer SPCA recognizes people, animals, organizations or businesses in Placer County that demonstrate the power of the human-animal bond at their annual Funny Bones Comedy Show & Awards Night. This year, Placer SPCA was pleased to honor:
Placer Hills Firefighter Andrew Beals responded to a call about a scared dog trapped in a deep canal along the river. It took four hours, but thankfully Andrew was able to pull Miles the dog out to safety. Andrew received the Ayrshire Farm Hero Award for unselfishly insisting to be the individual lowered into the canal to save Miles. To make this an even happier story, once Miles had recovered from physical and emotional injuries, he found a forever home with Andrew.
Hailey Elias of Auburn has raised eight puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind since she was 10 years old. Many have gone on to lead the visually impaired throughout the country and one of her dogs is now a service dog for an Iraq veteran. She finds her background with Guide Dogs for the Blind helps her have a strong connection and empathy with the children she works with. Hailey, who is now 17, received the Fiddyment Farms Hero for demonstrating what it means to be selfless and truly dedicated to strengthening the human-animal bond.
Sierra Ranch Pet Rehabilitation Center received the Placer SPCA Hero Award for the generous and lifesaving work they do to rehabilitate injured animals. They truly value the human-animal bond and understand how important that bond is for each furry patient’s recovery. As a result, owners get to be a pivotal part of the rehab process from start to finish. Sierra Ranch Pet Rehabilitation is the only fully equipped physical rehabilitation center in Placer County and includes indoor/outdoor therapy space, plus services such as strength and balance equipment, underwater treadmills, acupuncture, wheelchair fitting and more.
Champy the cat arrived at FieldHaven Feline Center in September 2014. He was one of 60 cats that were rescued from a hoarding situation. Champy suffered from devastating effects of a virus that caused him to go blind, but his disability has never been a hindrance for him. He absolutely loves everyone. To honor this special boy, FieldHaven Feline Center opened Champy’s Catfe in the Marketplace in September 2015. This unique location was designed as an area where people could enjoy a warm beverage while visiting with resident adoptable cats who, among other things, provide purr therapy to customers. Champy was awarded “The Boys” Hero Award alongside Fieldhaven staff Programs Coordinator Jen Paul and Veterinary Technician Natalie Mark.
Guests enjoyed the comedy of Jeff Applebaum – courtesy of our Sidesplitting Sponsor, Ayrshire Farm – dinner and drinks, silent and live auctions, and a Grand Prize Drawing sponsored by Folsom Lake Bank. The winner took home a fully-stocked wine refrigerator
Thanks to the generosity of our guests and supporters, we were able to raise $87,000 – all of which will help Placer SPCA continue its work in providing lifesaving programs and services that benefit the people and pets of our community.
