Long-term Animal Services volunteer Joanne Lenahan was presented with the first annual “Jo Award” by Animal Services Director Dan Bugg at a recent Board of Directors meeting. The award, named in Lenahan’s honor, will be given annually to an outstanding Animal Services volunteer.
Lenahan has spent five years taking photos of animals at the Hot Springs Animal Shelter, giving each animal a name and uploading them weekly to Petfinder, an online pet adoption site. She has also written three Weyerhaeuser grant applications resulting in $1500 in funding for community outreach and service improvements at the shelter.
“Joanne works at finding animals permanent homes and a chance for better circumstances,” Bugg said. “She understands all too well the situations from which many of these animals come, and finds it rewarding to in positive outcomes for them. In truth, she found greater satisfaction on the day she received the award about the disposition of a small Pomeranian breed dog at the shelter. Her compassion sets the standard.”