You’ve already met Midnight, Scout, and Priscilla and now it’s time to meet another member of our Humane Heroes squad – Giovanni! Keep reading to find out how Giovanni, or Gio for short, works to make the lives of animals better every day.

Keep an eye out for the next Hero Highlight to meet the final member of the Humane Heroes squad!

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Name: Giovanni 

Age: 5-years-old

Breed: Mixed Breed

Hero Power: Giovanni can spot trouble a mile away! His ability to sense danger keeps the squad out of sticky situations.  

Favorites: Giovanni loves a good nap. You can usually find him curled up on his bed enjoying the sunshine.

Giovanni – or as his closest friends call him Gio – is the oldest and perhaps most fearless of the Humane Heroes. He’s always looking out for those that might be in danger and works to educate animals and humans alike about safety. When he’s not working – he’s saving up his energy by catching a good nap.

Check out Gio’s Coloring Sheet on Page 3

meet giovanni “gio”

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One of the busiest times at the Austin Humane Society is quickly approaching! Kitten season is about to get underway and that means hundreds and hundreds of teeny, tiny kittens who will need love and care to grow big and strong. It truly takes the whole team!

Kitten season is a great time to get involved with the Austin Humane Society. Whether it is signing up to foster a litter of kittens or holding a donation drive to collect items o� our special wish list, every little bit has a big impact.

Here’s the full Kitten Season Wish List:

• KRS Kitten Milk Replacer (Kitten Formula)• Kitten Bottle Kits• Royal Canin “Baby Cat” (Kitten Dry and wet food)• Small Electric Heating pads WITHOUT auto turn-o� (hard to find new, ok to be gently used) • Friskies Pate Style Wet Food (NON-FISH types only please)• Small top loading Carriers• “Snuggle Safe” Warmers (Heating Discs)• Digital Scales• Heated Cat Mats• Gift Card to Amazon, Petco, or Petsmart

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4th annual kitten shower

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Q: What do you do at AHS?

A: I am one of two shelter managers at the Austin Humane Society. I manage our adoption and volunteer programs to make sure our animals are happy and healthy.

Q: What’s your favorite part of the job?

A: When we make a perfect match between an animal and a new family. People come and talk to us a lot about what they are looking for in a dog or cat, and we try to match them with a great animal here. 

Q: Why did you become a shelter manager? 

A:  I really enjoyed working as a veterinary technician and learned so much in the 3 years I spent in clinic, but I wanted to be involved in even more of the work AHS does. I enjoy learning about how everything works and seeing how the big picture comes together as all the departments work together, so when the chance came up for me to take a big step in my career to become a shelter manager at AHS I went for it!

Q: What’s did you want to be when you were a kid?

A: I actually wanted to be the first female President of the United States! But once I realized that politics weren’t for me I knew I wanted a job that would be personally meaningful. I always loved animals so looking back this was a perfect fit (I even get to bring my dog to work!)

Q: What’s the hardest part of your job?

A: It can be hard when an animal gets returned after they were adopted. But sometimes it just isn’t the right fit between the animal and the family. We make a lifetime commitment to all of our animals and serve as a safe place for them to return to if they can’t stay with their adopters.

Q: What’s your advice for kids that want to manage an animal shelter?

A: Get involved with a local shelter or rescue group as soon as you can! Start volunteering or fostering while you are still in school, and then when you are older you can get an entry-lev-el job at a shelter to learn the ropes.

super spotlights

Our Humane Heroes were in the giving spirit this holiday season and we couldn’t be more proud of their hard work. This year, many children, families, and groups went above and beyond to make our furry friends feel loved and we just have to brag about one school in particular.

To celebrate the holidays Kiker Elementary School’s 2nd grade hosted a Market Fair at their school to raise money for the animals at AHS. Together with their classmates, peers, and families, Kiker raised over $1,100 to help us provide life-saving care for ani-mals in need! We are truly glowing – thank you, Kiker Elementary for all that you do for AHS. Together, we are unleashing hope!

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program highlight:kiker elementary

Spring is just around the corner and we are already daydreaming about warmer weather, longer days, and our favorite free event of the year – Summer Kids Series! In addition to our summer-time favorites like Story Time, Humane Hero Hour and Teddy Bear Surgery we are adding new sessions that cater to 8-12-year-olds.

We are excited about our new summer learning activities for kids of all ages and we hope you like them too. Registration for Summer Kids Series will launch May 1st, so save the date! In the meantime, check out our Humane Hero webpage at austinhumanesoci-ety.org/humane-heroes to learn about all of the ways kids can help animals find their forever homes this semester!

Thank you again for your continued support. Together, we are saving lives!

Anna ReedDevelopment & Education Coordinator512.685.0128

austinhumanesociety.org | 124 W. Anderson Ln., Austin, TX 78752 | 512.646.7387

a letter from anna