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Amigos de los Animales General Meeting

Sept 19, 2006 At Canucks.

Called to order at 15pm

1st Linda, 2nd Edgar, 3rd . Billie.

Board Members present

Pres- Alison Cunningham, Vice Pres- Billie Soltis, Treas- Edgar Barragan, Secretary-Linda Ramírez Latre Public Relations Officer- Alma Zapeda de Balingasa. Dr. Juan also in attendance.

Members present

Scott Beckman, Lynn Beckman, Lou Raskin, Ed Pierpoint, Ed Cunningham, Larry Banner, Herman Heyman, Tyra Deneé Beckman, Sam Pelzman, Germán O. Jackson V, Sandra Pierpoint, Marlene Reno, Peggy Sieber, Cheryl Drat, Sally Ross.

Proceedings

Alison welcomes Members and introduces all Board Members.

Tyra Beckman is going to visit the shelter, take pictures of animals, write a letter an put this all together at http://www.herseydawg.com/amigos.

Alison introduced Sandy Pierpoint. Sandy Pierpoint is the Centro Downtown volunteers coordinator.

Then Billie Soltis, Vice-President, briefly and precisly explained the Spay/Neuter & Release for adult cats. This program is working successfully in many States in the United States. The Board of Directors approved this program at our September 12, Board Meeting. We will spay or neuter every adult cat that is brought into the shelter and release them back into their neighborhoods. We will tag these cats with plastic collars so the general public does not bring a collared cat back to the shelter. These cats won't be producing offspring, hence, population control. The advantages will be many. These cats can then live and help us by keeping rodents at bay. Besides all the benefits, at this present time, it costs us more to euthanise cats than to spay/neuter them.

Martha Armenta, Conrehabit liaison, explained that she actually works for both, Conrehabit and Amigos de los Animales, because she had found out that many times people call for Help to Conrehabit concerning pets and also, many times people call Amigos about wild animals. So it is natural that Conrehabit and Amigos work together to give a better service to our comunity and our animals. She is giving out fliers of Hotlines including information of Conrehabit, Amigos de los Animales and Acuario Mazatlan, explaining which animals helps each and giving all telephones where people can call for assistance. She is posting these fliers in many public spots.

Martha is also getting all our Mexican Documents with Notario Lic. Jorge Buenrostro and putting all the papers together to try to get the Mexican tax deductable status. A lot of hard work.

Alma Zepeda, Public Relations, reported that during August and September she had visited some businesses to leave some flyers so people can know about Amigos de los Animales.

We still are in Noroeste Newspaper, with a free ad every Sunday, and with another ad 4 days a week. These last ad we will put sometimes in Noroeste and others in El Debate.

We are in a TV Show Vida Activa every Tuesday betwen 00 to 00 am.

Every Tuesday she reports to EXA FM 89.7 Radio Station a list of dogs and cts that we have ready for adoption. We have received a very possitive response because people say they know about Amigos de los Animales because of the La Chorcha Radio program.

She gets a monthly donation, starting September 2006, from El Cid Neighbors Association of 500 pesos. She also gets donations of dog food, cleaning supplies and other shelter needs.

Through Alma, Amigos has been invited to the Expo Salud September 23 and 24 at Salon Las Flores, across Gigante. Conrehabit will be joining us.

Alison said that because of Alma's dedication and tireless efforts, our visitors to the shelter are up to 80% Mexicans adopting and bringing in animls and leaving donations.

Edgar Barragan,Treasurer. Reports that this month we have 6 ceiling fans, that were installed in the dogs area, to give fresh air because the metal roof used to make that area very hot. Now these fans will make our team safer because we won't have any loose wires on the wet floor, and we have nicer weather. This donation was made by our Board Member Linda.

Also we have improved our surgery and euthanasia rooms. First we separated them, then we put in tile and a steel table. We have a shelf for dog and cat food.

Outside the shelter, we put a cement floor and some flowers to keep outside area clean

Financial Status

  1. US Account has $15,500USD
  2. MX Account has $30,724 MXP
  3. Donations for August $10,380 MXP
  4. Expenses this month $7880 MXP
  5. Current monthly expenses 18,000 MXP

Shelter Report by Dr. Juan. Martha to translate.

  1. Adoptions 5 cats, 20 dogs.
  2. Received into shelter 80 cats, 54 dogs.
  3. EU'd 50 cats, 12 dogs
  4. He also explained that is less expensive Spay/Neuter cats than to euthanize them
  5. The donation for a dog is 100 pesos and 50 pesos for a cat.
  6. He takes careful control of the medicines keeping them locked at all times.

Upcoming events/Fundraisers by Alison

  1. October 2006 - Halloween Costume Party At Canucks, 28th, Tkts 60 pesos. On sale now.
  2. November 2006 - Rock and Roll Sunday Bar-B-Q at Canucks TO BE CONFIRMED
  3. December 2006
    1. Pancake Breakfast with Santa, Adults/Children at Canucks TO BE CONFIRMED
    2. Christmas Basket Raffle at Canuck TO BE CONFIRMED
  4. March 2007 - Putting on the Ritz, 16th tentative. Nadine Laxen.
  5. July 2007 - 3rd Annual Taquiza Family Fun Day, 15th, Alma.

Alison talks about Star of the Week ad gave compliments to Scott Beckman for the great job he's doing. She also thank Sandy for her great help to Amigos.

Alison explain the shelter has become smaller with influx of animals brought in every day, and even if we try to adopt as fast as the animals come in, we are mostly filled beyond capacity every week. In the future, we would have to move out of the business district we are located in at this present time, so we're looking at other alternatives and a different location for a new shelter which would better serve the community and the animals. This future goal is not a dream anymore and can become a reality. Alison plans to do some research on this.

Alison thanked every one, the general public, for their support, generosity and acceptance of this new Board of Directors and our great volunteers who work as one unit to ensure the safety and comfort of the animals and the success of the shelter.

With no question from the general public, but a lot of applause,

Meeting adjourned at 00 pm.

1st Edgar, 2nd Scott, 3rd Billie.