Programs & Projects
For Kids! Stories & Activities!
We’re happy to announce HSSNM is starting a new project with engaging learning activities and captivating stories about animals for children. We’re bringing the service to your home through online connection.
Click on the animals to go directly to the lessons! The topics, with focus on rattlesnakes and rabbits, are especially relevant for springtime. And interesting to note: HSSNM President Frank Bryce is a herpetologist, safely relocating rattlesnakes from city residences to their desert environment.
We hope you enjoy the stories and activities. We just added CATS and DOGS as topics! Please watch for more stories and activities coming soon! Send your comments about the stories and puzzle answers to jigilbert@zianet.com and receive a free book about animals and a finger puppet too!
We’re happy to announce HSSNM is starting a new project with engaging learning activities and captivating stories about animals for children. We’re bringing the service to your home through online connection.
Click on the animals to go directly to the lessons! The topics, with focus on rattlesnakes and rabbits, are especially relevant for springtime. And interesting to note: HSSNM President Frank Bryce is a herpetologist, safely relocating rattlesnakes from city residences to their desert environment.
We hope you enjoy the stories and activities. We just added CATS and DOGS as topics! Please watch for more stories and activities coming soon! Send your comments about the stories and puzzle answers to jigilbert@zianet.com and receive a free book about animals and a finger puppet too!
Click on the animal to go to the lesson.
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HSSNM Pet Adoption Program w/PetSmart Charities Partnership
HSSNM holds “Happy Tails” adoption events on the second Saturday of the month at the PetSmart store (2200 E. Lohman) in Las Cruces, featuring HSSNM foster animals and pets fostered by rescue organizations. Our partnership with PetSmart Charities, over the course of eleven years, has resulted in the adoptions of hundreds of deserving dogs and cats who have found forever homes! Please contact Frank Bryce at 575-647-1416 or 575-523-8020 for information about HSSNM’s foster-adoption program and volunteer opportunities.
Please see the Adoption page for photos of the many wonderful animals in need of homes, available through our adoption program.
HSSNM holds “Happy Tails” adoption events on the second Saturday of the month at the PetSmart store (2200 E. Lohman) in Las Cruces, featuring HSSNM foster animals and pets fostered by rescue organizations. Our partnership with PetSmart Charities, over the course of eleven years, has resulted in the adoptions of hundreds of deserving dogs and cats who have found forever homes! Please contact Frank Bryce at 575-647-1416 or 575-523-8020 for information about HSSNM’s foster-adoption program and volunteer opportunities.
Please see the Adoption page for photos of the many wonderful animals in need of homes, available through our adoption program.
Adopted Animals! Pictured are just some of the many lucky dogs and cats adopted into loving, forever homes this year by HSSNM.
Above: Memo kitty was adopted by a young family in a home where he receives lots of love and attention.
Right: Pip and Peep are siblings and playmates adopted together. |
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Cute, little Lexi found a loving family at a recent adoption event.
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Valentino goes home with his new mom and with kitty Artemis (not pictured).
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Handsome blue-eyed Willow was recently adopted.
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Fur’ever Friends Participants Learn Kindness to Animals & Nature
Fur’ever Friends, a free HSSNM program, offers 45-60 min. sessions on a weekly or monthly basis led by a humane educator/s. Fur’ever Friends follows a curriculum for elementary grade levels with engaging stories and activities to promote kindness and respect for animals and the environment.
Twelve elementary classrooms in the Las Cruces Public Schools District participated in the program during the 2018-2019 school year, with all students (approximately 200) receiving certificates and animal-themed books.
Fur’ever Friends, a free HSSNM program, offers 45-60 min. sessions on a weekly or monthly basis led by a humane educator/s. Fur’ever Friends follows a curriculum for elementary grade levels with engaging stories and activities to promote kindness and respect for animals and the environment.
Twelve elementary classrooms in the Las Cruces Public Schools District participated in the program during the 2018-2019 school year, with all students (approximately 200) receiving certificates and animal-themed books.
Above: Kinder students at Highland Elem., pictured with their teacher Anna Marie Rios & HSSNM educatorJean Gilbert, receive color books & awards for participation in “Fur’ever Friends“ program.
Top right: These award winning books are used with the "Fur'ever Friends" curriculum. They are also gifted to classrooms, along with other books, through teacher or educator requests for presentations on animal care and related topics. Bottom right: Kinder children receive 'Maddie Tail Wag' coloring books given to HSSNM by Maddie's Foundation." |
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Critter Connection Participants Learn Pet Care & Guardianship w/Visiting Ambassadors
Children, youth, and adults in HSSNM's free “Critter Connection” program learn about pet care and guardianship of companion animals through guest presenters with their visiting canine ambassadors. The program, held once a month Sept-May, covers a range of topics including health and safety of pets, spay-neuter awareness, anti-chaining education, and more. Sessions are available by special-request for groups.
Children, youth, and adults in HSSNM's free “Critter Connection” program learn about pet care and guardianship of companion animals through guest presenters with their visiting canine ambassadors. The program, held once a month Sept-May, covers a range of topics including health and safety of pets, spay-neuter awareness, anti-chaining education, and more. Sessions are available by special-request for groups.
Canine ambassador “Tessa” visits students at Onate High School during a HSSNM “Critter Connection” session.
Casey Jobling, HSSNM board member, holds her little "Teddy", a Maltipoo, for Grace Village residents during a "Critter Connection" session.
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Officer Ontiveros w/City of Las Cruces Codes Dept. demonstrates training of special Codes dog “L.I.B.B.Y.” for Boys & Girls Club children at a “Critter Connection” session.
Boys & Girls Club children receive toys during a Dec. 2018 “Critter Connection” holiday session. Humane educators are Susan Sammis (left) w/"Bou" & "Leo", Jean Gilbert (center), Rose Street (right) w/ "Lucas". The program completed its eleventh year at BGC.
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Environmental Education
HSSNM President Frank Bryce wears many hats! As an established herpetologist, he is in demand during the spring as a guest presenter or lecturer on snakes and reptiles. In addition to this environmental education work, Frank removes snakes to safety from residential properties per requests that come to HSSNM's pet help line. |
Above: Frank Bryce gives a presentation on "Living With Reptiles" at the Southwest Environmental Center. He is pictured with a Gila Monster from his own private collection.
Right: Frank Bryce educates Hermosa Heights Elementary students about safety and respect for rattlesnakes and desert wildlife. He shows students rattlesnakes (kept in glass enclosures) from his own private collection. |
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Pet Help Line
The pet help line, 575-523-8020, is a very important service provided by HSSNM for the Las Cruces and Dona Ana County community. Volunteers respond to calls about lost-found pets, homeless or abandoned, re-home or foster placement requests, injured or medical needs, training and socialization assistance, neglect or cruelty concerns, and other needs. Callers are provided with contact information for sources of help via a handbook-guide used by HSSNM, and with HSSNM providing resources whenever possible. The pet help line volunteer work is very rewarding and significant with about 100 calls received a month. Three-four calls a week happily result in animals bypassing the shelter for pets scanned with micro-chips and returned to owners!! Frank Bryce, President of HSSNM, and pet help line volunteers assist callers with information and resources to aid animals. |
Special Projects - Transport & Check the Chip - Collaborating with Uncaged Paws & Area Organizations
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HSSNM Board members Jeff Murphey and Frank Bryce load Cupid and her six puppies for transport to a Santa Teresa, NM animal rescue. Cupid was later accepted into ACTion Programs for Animals "P.A.W.S." program (Prisoners and Animals Working Successfully) where she went through training at the correctional facility and then was placed up for adoption.
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HSSNM President Frank Bryce stands next to Pilot Peter (Dog is My Co-Pilot, pointing at crates) and Kelly Barker (Director, Uncaged Paws) on May 14 with a group of volunteers-rescuers at the Las Cruces Airport before take-off. Over 50 dogs were transported by Dog is My Co-Pilot from area rescues, including El Paso Animal Services and Animal Services of Mesilla Valley, to Idaho where they found homes.
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"Check the Chip" weekend events held in May at Farmers Market & Buchman Farmer's Insurance in Las Cruces resulted in over three dozen implants and updated registrations, all dogs except one cat. "Check the Chip" booths are held on a regular basis and organized by Uncaged Paws/Check the Chip with HSSNM assisting, doing the implanting of chips and registration. Pictured standing are: Bruce Buchman, owner/manager of Buchman Farmer's Insurance, Stephanie Wagner (Uncaged Paws), Denise Beyer (Uncaged Paws), Jeff Murphey (HSSNM). Seated are: Cathy Buchman (Uncaged Paws) & Frank Bryce (HSSNM).
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Cans 4 Critters
HSSNM’s “Cans 4 Critters” program has raised $9,175.00 since summer 2012, helping approximately 187 animals with monetary “chip-ins” for medical needs. Proceeds from reclamation of aluminum cans donated by generous people and their businesses have made this possible!
You can help animals by donating aluminum cans to HSSNM. It's easy …. just save your cans and call us at 575-523-8020, or leave text/voicemail at 575-640-6867, for pick-up or drop-off. Any amount is welcome!
To learn about community service opportunities for your group retrieving discarded aluminum cans with litter clean-ups, please contact Jean Gilbert, C4C coordinator at 575-640-6867.
Animals Helped w/Chip-ins From Cans 4 Critters!
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Top left: Senior Chihuahua Alizay needed surgery to remove a growth.
Bottom left: PJ was attacked by a neighbor’s dog. Above: Benson suffered head trauma from gun shot wounds, was rescued & made a full recovery. |
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C4C coordinator Jean Gilbert stands w/ bags of aluminum from a generous Chaparral donor.
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Mountain View Market Co-op has donated aluminum cans since 2012!
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