A Rockwall Patriot Paws Dog and Piano-playing Cat Among Winners Honored

October 15, 2009

NEW YORK -— Ten remarkable animals and people were honored for their heroic deeds at this years ASPCA® (The American
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) Humane Awards Luncheon in New York City. The ASPCAs annual Humane Awards Luncheon, sponsored by The Hartville Group, was held on Thursday, October 29 at the Pierre Hotel in New York City. The ceremony recognized animal heroes
that have demonstrated extraordinary efforts, as well as individuals who made a significant impact in the lives of animals
during the past year.

“The ASPCA is proud to honor those who have demonstrated extraordinary compassion, bravery and
commitment to furthering the human-animal bond,” said ASPCA President & CEO Ed Sayres. “The Humane
Awards celebrates the important role that animals play in our lives.”

Following a nationwide call to the public for nominations in February, an ASPCA-appointed committee reviewed hundreds
of entries and selected winners in seven specific categories. The 2009 ASPCA Humane Award winners are:

ASPCA Dog of the Year
A true four-legged hero, Archie is an eight-year-old black Labrador retriever, who serves as an assistance dog and social
lifeline for Sergeant Clay Rankin. Sgt. Rankin suffered spinal injuries while serving in Iraq, and Archie is his primary
caregiver and social safety net. Archies loyalty and perseverance in helping Sgt. Rankin accomplish his daily tasks has
allowed the veteran to regain his confidence and independence, move forward with his life and continue serving the
country he loves.

ASPCA Cat of the Year
When Betsy Alexander and Burnell Yow visited an animal shelter in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, they never imagined they
would adopt a feline prodigy. Nora is a five-year-old gray tabby, whose special piano-playing skills quickly became a
YouTube sensation, drawing more than 15 million page views and inspiring a Lithuanian composer to arrange a symphony
in her honor. Nora is a talented example of how shelter pets—far from being castoffs—often make the best animal
companions.

ASPCA “Tommy Monahan” Kid of the Year
This award is dedicated to Tommy Monahan, a 9-year-old Staten Island boy who perished in 2007 trying to save his pet
from a house fire. Eleven-year-old Monica Plumb in Powhatan County, Virginia, decided to make a real difference after
seeing a news story about a pet that was saved from a house fire due to the use of an oxygen pet mask. Monica
launched PetMask.com to collect online donations to purchase pet masks for fire departments, and has since purchased more than 50 mask kits for fire stations in nine different states. Monica is truly an inspiration for other young people and a beacon for those who cannot speak for themselves.

ASPCA Firefighter of the Year
Deputy Chief Mark Duff and the Hingham Fire Department are renowned for their bravery and commitment to saving the
lives of animals. In February 2009, they participated in the rescue of a two-year-old black Labrador retriever named
Ollie, who fell through thin ice into the frigid waters of Hingham Harbor. Firefighter Jim Sheard was one of the heroes on
the scene. He donned a coldwater rescue suit to attach himself to the suffering canine, while his fellow firefighters pulled
the two of them to safety on shore. Ollie was transported to a nearby animal hospital, and thanks to the noble efforts of
the Hingham Fire Department, now has a second lease on life.

ASPCA Law Enforcement Officers of the Year
On July 8, 2009, the ASPCA participated in a massive dog fighting raid, the largest federal crackdown on dog fighting in
U.S. history. The raid spanned eight states, including Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Nebraska and
Mississippi, which resulted in the rescue of more than 400 dogs and nearly 30 arrests. The success of the raid was
largely due to the efforts of Tim Rickey and Kyle Held of the Humane Society of Missouri (HSMO) and undercover agents
Sergeant Terry Mills and Sergeant Jeffrey Heath of the Missouri Highway Patrol. The bravery and tenacity of these four
individuals not only means a second chance for countless dogs, but also serves as a giant step forward in the effort to
end animal cruelty nationwide.

ASPCA 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.

ASPCA Lifetime Achievement Award
Richard OBarry has been exposed to both sides of the dolphin world. In the 1960s, he trained dolphins for the popular
American TV series Flipper. During the course of spending day and night with these sensitive mammals, OBarry had a
life-altering change of heart and his about-face led to a lifelong crusade to free dolphins and educate the world about the
plight of dolphins in captivity. In 1970, O’Barry founded the Dolphin Project and launched a campaign against the multibillion
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. O’Barry is currently the subject of an award-winning documentary,
The Cove, which chronicles an effort to expose the truth about dolphin hunting in Taiji, Japan.

———-

Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) was the first humane
organization established in the Americas, and today has more than one million supporters throughout North America. A
501 [c] [3] not-for-profit corporation, the ASPCA’s mission is to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to
animals throughout the United States. The ASPCA provides local and national leadership in animal-assisted therapy,
animal behavior, animal poison control, anti-cruelty, humane education, legislative services, and shelter outreach. The
New York City headquarters houses a full-service, accredited animal hospital, adoption center, and mobile clinic outreach
program. The Humane Law Enforcement department enforces New York’s animal cruelty laws and is featured on the
reality television series “Animal Precinct” on Animal Planet. For more information, please visit www.aspca.org.
Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) was the first humane
organization established in the Americas, and today has more than one million supporters throughout North America. A
501 [c] [3] not-for-profit corporation, the ASPCA’s mission is to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to
animals throughout the United States. The ASPCA provides local and national leadership in animal-assisted therapy,
animal behavior, animal poison control, anti-cruelty, humane education, legislative services, and shelter outreach. The
New York City headquarters houses a full-service, accredited animal hospital, adoption center, and mobile clinic outreach
program. The Humane Law Enforcement department enforces New York’s animal cruelty laws and is featured on the
reality television series “Animal Precinct” on Animal Planet. For more information, please visit www.aspca.org.