10/22/09

ASPCA's 2009 Henry Bergh Award and Lifetime Achievement Award Winners

Alayne Marker and Richard O'Barry

Show Description:
Alayne Marker join Catherine Bradford 2:00-2:30 pm PST

2009 Recipients of the ASPCA’s Henry Bergh Award
Steve Smith and Alayne Marker founded the Rolling Dog Ranch Animal Sanctuary in Ovando, Montana, in December 2000. The couple left their corporate jobs in Seattle and relocated to Montana fulltime to devote themselves to animal rescue. Their mission was to turn 160 acres of open grassland and cottonwoods into a sanctuary for animals with special needs—those pets who are least likely to be adopted and most likely to be euthanized in traditional shelters.  The animal sanctuary is now home to approximately 70 animals, nearly two-thirds of whom are blind.

The Rolling Dog Ranch Animal Sanctuary in Montana rescues and shelters disabled animals. Every animal who arrives at the sanctuary gets another chance to have a safe and loving home. Our residents include blind dogs, blind horses, deaf dogs, blind cats, and animals with other neurological and orthopedic disabilities. Although these animals may have disabilities, they do not consider themselves handicapped. They just want to get on with life and enjoy themselves. Thanks to the support of the sanctuary's friends, that's what they get! The sanctuary is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit charitable organization that is supported entirely by private contributions. All donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

Richard O'Barry joins Catherine Bradford 2:30-3:00 pm PST

Dolphin Advocate Awarded ASPCA’s Lifetime Achievement Award
Richard O’Barry to be Honored at the 2009 Humane Awards Luncheon

The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) has selected Richard O’Barry a dolphin advocate and activist, as this year’s winner of the ASPCA Lifetime Achievement Award. Mr. O’Barry is one of ten extraordinary people and animals that will be honored for their heroic deeds at this year’s Humane Awards Luncheon on October 29, 2009 in New York City.
 
“The ASPCA Humane Awards is an opportunity for the ASPCA to recognize the unique and often heroic contributions that are made on behalf of animals each and every day,” said ASPCA President & CEO Ed Sayres. “We congratulate Mr. O’Barry for his tireless efforts to end cruelty against dolphins and educate the world about the plight of dolphins in captivity.”
 
Being exposed to both sides of the dolphin world, O’Barry spent a decade capturing and training the sensitive mammals for the popular American TV series Flipper, and the last 38 years spearheading a campaign against the multi-billion dollar dolphin industry. He has rescued and released more than 25 captive dolphins in Haiti, Colombia, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Brazil, the Bahamas and the United States.
 
In 1991, O’Barry received the Environmental Achievement Award presented by the United States Committee for the United Nations Environmental Program (US/UNEP).  His book, Behind the Dolphin Smile, was published in 1989, and a second book, To Free a Dolphin, was published in September 2000.  In January 2007, O'Barry became the Marine Mammal Specialist for the Earth Island Institute and Director of Save Japan Dolphins.  He is currently the subject of an award-winning documentary, The Cove, which chronicles an effort to expose the truth about dolphin slaughter in Taiji, Japan.

http://www.rollingdogranch.org

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