Interview

Jo-Anne Dixon

Executive Director/ Medical Director , The Animal Shelter of Wood River Valley
Hailey

Jo-Anne Dixon practiced veterinary medicine for 10 years before becoming the medical director of the Wood River Valley Animal Shelter — Idaho's first "no kill" shelter — in early 2006.

What is your mission statement?

The Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley promotes companion animal welfare by providing temporary shelter for homeless pets, adopting them to qualified homes,and reducing animal abuse, neglect, and overpopulation through community education and spay/neuter services.

We envision a community where all people demonstrate compassion and respect towards animals and where all companion animlas have loving homes.

When was it created, by whom, and why?

Our board of directors created our mission statement some 25 years ago. While it has been updated over the years to our current mission statement, it has always remained grounded in the original concept and vision.

How long have you been involved with the shelter?

I adopted a dog from the Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley while I was still in veterinary school back in 1995. I volunteered at the shelter for many years when I was in private practice but began officially working at the shelter in January of 2006.

Why did you get involved?

I believe we all have a responsibility to give a voice to the voiceless. These animals we care for live in a society that has created a culture where it is ok to euthanize healthy adoptable companion animals. I feel we have a responsibility to act on their behalf.

Have you always worked in the NGO field?

No. When I got out of veterinary school in 1997 I started working in a small animal practice. I worked in that practice for almost 10 years. While I volunteered at our animal shelter for 8 of those 10 years I didn’t start working here until 3 ½ years ago.

What is your operating budget? What would you do with more funds?

Our operating budget for 2008 was $679,142. We are in desperate need of a new facility. We have been in the same facility for the past 25 years and while the population in our area has grown dramatically in the past 25 years our facility has not. We are bursting at the seams in a facility that is being held together with duct tape and zip ties.

Outside of funding, what are some of the biggest challenges it faces? Or, specifically, what is the most frustrating part?

Our biggest challenge is getting our message out as to what we do, our services, and our mission. Fundraising is always our biggest challenge, particularly in the current economic climate, since we are almost exclusively funded by private donations. Educating people as to the reality of homeless, abused, and neglected animals in their community is a challenge. People often don't want to believe it is happening at all much less in their community.

Changing the cultural thinking of the status of companion animals is always a challenge. Stopping the acceptance of needless euthanasia of healthy adoptable companion animals is our goal.

What is your dream for the NGO?

My dream for our organization is to get a new facility that matches the quality of work that we are doing and the quality of life that our animals deserve. I would like us to be leaders in animal welfare education and champions for the cause of ending animal abuse.

What would you consider the shelter's greatest accomplishment?

Our ability to maintain a no-kill shelter while also providing a high quality of life for our animals. Our staff knows each of our animals by name and does their best to see that each is cared for in a loving humane way. We have adopted out over 10,000 animals from our shelter.

What are three things about your NGO what you wish people knew?

Three issues our organization deals with every day:

• That animal abuse, neglect and homelessness is alive an well in our county and country.
• The problem of pet overpopulation can absolutely be solved in our lifetime. Through effective spay/neuter programs and education the end of the needless euthanasia of healthy adoptable pets can be a reality.
• There is a direct link between child abuse and animal abuse.

Three things you may not know about our organization:

• We are almost exclusively funded by private donations and we are always struggling to meet our operational expenses.
• All of our animals receive excellent medical care while at our facility and all are spayed and neutered before adoption.
• We partner with other organizations in our community to help people who can't afford to feed their pets and who need help with animal care when they are fleeing from abusive homes.

Do you think media accurately portrays the issues your organization represents?

At times there is accurate information about animal welfare issues but too often people only want to hear positive stories and the press often does not tell the true plight and extent of the homeless, abused, and neglected animals in our country.

How can people get involved?

Log on to our website and check out how you can adopt, give, or volunteer. Read our past newsletters and our annual report (which will be up the first of May) to learn about more ways to get involved.

Why is NGO work important?

I believe that non-profit work keeps our society humane. It isn't always profitable to do the right thing, but it is still the right thing to do.

Did you have an inspirational figure in your life growing up?

While I didn’t realize it at the time, growing up my mother was an inspiration for me.

Are there other selfless leaders out there you admire? If so, who and why?

Steven Lewis is one of my heroes, particularly in the work he has done as an advocate for reproductive rights and gender equality. He is a true champion for basic human rights.

American Humane Organization because its mission is to give a voice for the voiceless-animals and children. They are committed to ending animal abuse and child abuse and educating on the connection between the two.

If there is one place or issue out there in the world you could personally explore, what would it be?

Issues: Gender inequality and its effects on the world.

Place: I have always been drawn to the Arctic. It is one of the most fragile and vulnerable environments. The animals and people that live in this ecological system have adapted in amazing ways to this harsh environment.

How was the grant given by explore through the Annenberg Foundation used?

The Annenberg foundation grant was used for general operational funds. Many of the grants we have received in the past restrict funds for specific projects when in fact most of our greatest need is for general operational funding. The Annenberg grant really helped us out with the day-to-day work that we do at our shelter, our core services.

Do you think it had an impact? How?

We depend almost exclusively on private donations to fund our shelter. In light of the current economy we are seeing a decrease in donations, much like other non-profits in our area. Without the Annenberg grant we would be forced to cut some of our most life-saving services at a time when they are needed the most.

What was your biggest surprise when explore came to visit you?

When thinking about this question I immediately thought that my biggest surprise was simply the Explore film crew’s arrival. I had just gotten off the red-eye Monday morning on my way back from doing a weekend spay/neuter clinic in Hawaii when I got the call from my staff that the explore film crew was coming that day to film. I think I set a speed record for the 2 hour drive from the airport to the shelter on literally no sleep. With little preparation and without a well-needed shower we filmed the piece.

In fact, my biggest surprise came much later when I was contacted by the editing staff to give updates on the animals that were filmed that day. The day of the filming I had originally planned to direct the film crew to the animals in our shelter with the most compelling stories. But, because of the tight schedule and the short notice of the film crew’s arrival they simply shot a random group of animals. What I realize later in giving the updates to the editing staff was that every animal at the shelter had a compelling story. Every homeless animal has a compelling story and it is our job to be their voice and their advocate.

Why is it important to be a selfless person?

Because no one is an island, for better or worse, we all need each other. Compassion is our only hope.

If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?

If I could change one thing in the world would be to instill in everyone the belief that there is always hope, and that we can each make a difference. Kindness is the key.

What do you believe to be the biggest challenge facing our planet today?

Apathy and the inability to think globally.

What do you think will be our planet’s biggest challenge 10 years from now? 25 years from now? 50 years from now?

Resources.

What is the key to living a happy life?

Doing work that is meaningful and that you love. Act from compassion.