MCHA Monthly Newsletter
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October 2025 Newsletter
The 30th Annual Run For the Animals is This Sunday!
Sunday, October 5 | 9:30 a.m.
Karst Farm Park
2450 S Endwright Rd, Bloomington, IN 47403
The 30th Annual Run for the Animals 5K is this Sunday, and we’re hoping to see you and your furry friends there!
Sunday’s weather forecast couldn’t be any better, and we’re also forecasting fun with a 100% chance of smiles! Whether you’re a serious runner, just want to walk with your dogs to support a great cause, come for the raffles, or simply want to hang out with a community of like-minded people, Run for the Animals has something for everyone!
The 5K starts at 9:30 a.m., followed by the award ceremony, then we’ll keep the party going afterward with raffles and fan-favorite canine contests, including the fastest peanut butter licker and best pet costume.
We can’t wait to welcome all of you—runners, walkers, spectators, and four-legged friends—to our 30th Annual Run for the Animals! All proceeds raised support MCHA’s many programs benefitting the local community and their pets.
Thanks to Our Sponsors
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Run for the Animals is presented by The Dog House, offering cage-free boarding in a cozy, home-like environment. With 24-hour staffing and personalized care, The Dog House strives to be your pet’s home away from home. Learn more at trydoghouse.com. |
Volunteer Spotlight: The Moores
Meet Jacquie and John Moore, two of our most dedicated volunteers here at MCHA. Both are huge animal lovers, with an entire crew of critters at home. They have 5 dogs (including a husky, a golden retriever, and three corgis), five cats, two ducks, three guinea pigs, and one turtle.
Jacquie’s full-time job is at Great West Casualty Company, which is how she got connected with MCHA. Great West Casualty Company did a volunteer day here at the clinic, and Jacquie loved the work we do here so much that she decided to reach out to Whitney, our volunteer coordinator, in order to start regularly volunteering.
Jacquie helps out with a wide variety of tasks at the clinic, and is known for her work ethic and eager attitude to help out wherever we need it most. Our Crisis Housing Program is Jacquie’s main passion and her favorite area to help out in, as she loves meeting the new dogs and cats that come into our care. Jacquie says she loves working in Crisis Housing because “You never know what people are going through and that’s a huge help to somebody who doesn’t want to surrender their pet”.
Jacquie’s husband, John, also volunteers at MCHA. He’s known as a jack of all trades and is also eager and willing to help us out where we need it most, such as with updates in the Crisis Housing Building. Having volunteers like Jacquie and John at MCHA is truly a blessing. Through their hard work and dedication to our mission, we are able to continue providing essential healthcare to our community’s pets and can work to keep these critters with their loved ones.
Thank you, Jacquie and John!
Celebrate the Life of a Beloved Pet with a Lasting Tribute
Celebrate Their Memory on MCHA’s Pet Remembrance Tree
October is National Pet Wellness Month—the perfect time to support MCHA so that we can continue to ensure the wellness of our community’s pets. You can make a tag in honor of a lost pet, or the pet of a family member or friend, on MCHA’s artist-crafted metal Pet Remembrance Tree.
We’ve already begun placing remembrance “leaves” on our tree, but there’s still plenty of space for more tags! Standing over six feet tall and secured in a granite boulder, this beautiful tribute is a lasting way to celebrate the love and memories you shared.
Your gift not only honors your pet but also supports MCHA’s lifesaving programs that help thousands of pets in our community each year.
MCHA's Community Sale | Saturday, October 11th
Upcoming Mobile Vaccine Clinic | Sunday, October 12th
Sunday, October 12th | 1–3 p.m.
Cambridge Square Apartments, 307 N Pete Ellis Drive, Bloomington, IN 47408
On Sunday, October 12, MCHA will hold a walk-in mobile vaccine clinic at Cambridge Square Apartments (307 N Pete Ellis Drive, Bloomington, IN 47408). MCHA’s veterinary team of volunteers and staff will be available from 1-3 p.m. with no appointment needed; all are welcome!
Our Mobile Vaccine Clinics offer a range of services, including legally mandated rabies vaccines for pets aged 12 weeks and older. Additionally, we provide nail trims, anal gland expressions, microchips, and preventive measures for fleas, ticks, and heartworm. While these clinics are intended for healthy dogs and cats, they are not a substitute for your pet’s annual wellness check-up with your primary veterinarian.
Subsidized pricing is available for clients who present proof of a government subsidy program or other proof of financial hardship.
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OCTOBER SPECIAL: Protect Your Dog & Save $$$ at the October Mobile Vaccine Clinic! Leptospirosis is now considered a core vaccine for dogs, and there’s never been a better time to protect your pet! When you choose to vaccinate your dog against Leptospirosis at our October Mobile Vaccine Clinic, you’ll receive a FREE Distemper/Parvo (DAPP) vaccine—a savings of $18–$22!
Leptospirosis is a serious, life-threatening disease that can spread to humans, so keeping your dog protected is essential. Take advantage of this special offer and safeguard your pet’s health while saving money!
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MCHA Dog Walking Club | Saturday, October 25th
Saturday, October 25th, 2025 | 9 a.m.
Meet at the MCHA Animal Care Campus (791 S Fieldstone Blvd, Bloomington, IN 47403)
Are you interested in joining a walking club with other dog lovers to learn how to walk trails with your dog? This will teach your dog healthy interactions, good leash-walking habits, and safe trail walking! Join us promptly at 9 a.m. on the last Saturday of each month, weather permitting. Just bring your dog, a leash, and good walking shoes for a fun walk on our walking trails through the woods surrounding the clinic.
Registration is not required; this is an open and free event!
Halloween Safety Tips for Your Pet!
Halloween Safety Tips for Your Furry Friends
Halloween is full of fun, costumes, and candy—but it can also bring hidden dangers for our pets. Here’s how you can keep your four-legged family members safe this spooky season.
Beware of Toxic Treats
Many popular Halloween candies can be harmful—or even deadly—to pets:
- Chocolate – The darker it is, the more toxic it becomes. Smaller dogs, like Chihuahuas, are especially at risk from even small amounts.
- Raisins – Just like grapes, these can cause severe kidney damage in dogs.
- Xylitol – This sweetener is found in sugar-free gums, candies, chocolates, and mints. Even tiny amounts can cause a dangerous drop in blood sugar, seizures, coma, or death.
- Candy Corn – Not toxic, but it can upset your dog’s stomach in a big way.
Tip: Keep all candy in high-up, closed containers, far from curious noses and paws.
Costume Safety First
Dressing up your pet? Make sure it’s safe and comfy:
- Avoid beads, snaps, ribbons, elastic, or dangling parts that could be chewed off and swallowed.
- Ensure costumes don’t block vision, restrict breathing, or cause overheating.
- Always supervise pets while they’re wearing costumes.
Glow Stick Caution
Glow-in-the-dark items may look fun, but if punctured, the liquid inside can cause mouth pain, irritation, and drooling. Keep glow sticks, bracelets, and necklaces out of your pet’s reach.
Keep Pets Indoors
Halloween night can be stressful—and dangerous—for outdoor pets. Loud noises, fireworks, and pranks can frighten or harm them. Black cats, in particular, can be targeted for harmful pranks.
- Keep pets inside, even if they usually roam outdoors.
- Set up a quiet space with food, water, and their litter box (for cats) to help them feel secure.
Wishing You and Your Pets a Safe & Happy Halloween!
By following these tips, you’ll help make sure your pets enjoy the holiday as much as you do—without any scares.
Message From MCHA's Executive Director
Get Involved – Volunteer
We’re currently in need of volunteer support! If you have a bit of time and enjoy staying active, we’d love your help with:
• Event support at the October 5 Run for the Animals 5K
• Weekend animal care
• Foster care
• Light cleaning around the buildings
• Outdoor maintenance and upkeep
• Kennel repair
Every task helps us keep things running smoothly for the animals and families we serve. Whether you’re a long-time volunteer or new to our community, we appreciate you being part of our mission!
Interested in helping out? Reach out to our Volunteer Coordinator, Whitney Pickett, at wpickett@monroehumane.com to get started, or apply online at monroehumane.org/volunteer.
Interested in sponsoring our newsletter? Email mcha@monroehumane.org for details.
September 2026 Newsletter
Year-Round Flea & Tick Prevention
As temperatures drop, it’s easy to assume that fleas and ticks are no longer a concern for your pets. Unfortunately, that’s not true! Flea and tick prevention is important year-round, even during the colder months.
Fleas can survive comfortably indoors, where warm temperatures allow them to live and multiply throughout the winter. They can also hide in carpets, underneath furniture, and in other areas of the home. Outdoors, fleas and ticks can survive in protected areas such as leaf piles, wooded spaces, tall grass, decks, and garages. Ticks can remain active when temperatures reach around 40 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning that even in cooler weather there are still opportunities for your dog to encounter them.
Fleas and ticks are more than just a nuisance. Fleas can cause intense itching, skin infections, and flea allergy dermatitis, and they can transmit tapeworms. Ticks can transmit serious diseases, including Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Some of these diseases can also affect people, making parasite prevention an important part of protecting the entire family.
There are many flea and tick prevention options available, including collars, topical treatments, and oral medications. Different products work in different ways. Some repel ticks and prevent them from attaching, while others kill ticks after they attach. Your veterinarian can help you choose a product that is safe, effective, and appropriate for your pet and your budget.
This is the best way to protect your pet is to keep their parasite prevention going year-round. In addition to year-round flea and tick prevention, heartworm prevention is equally important, with options ranging from separate preventatives to convenient all-in-one products that protect against fleas, ticks, and heartworms.
National Pet Remembrance Month
by Andrew Krebbs
September is National Pet Remembrance Month. This observance feels especially personal to me this year. A few weeks ago, I lost Suki, my beloved 16-year-old Chihuahua-Yorkie. She was part of my life for 16 years, and I feel her absence deeply.
Our pets shape our routines, fill our homes with companionship, and stay beside us through some of life’s hardest moments. Losing them can leave an enormous emptiness. Every pet owner has experienced this loss or will face it someday. The pain and grief are real, deep, and deserving of care.
When that time comes, please be kind to yourself. There is no right way or timeline for grieving. Support is available if you need it. MCHA’s cremation partner, Pet Angels, provides MCHA clients with free access to a 24/7 pet-loss grief support line at 844-472-9588.
Finding a meaningful way to remember your pet can also bring comfort and healing. You might create a photo album, plant something in their honor, make a donation, or choose another tribute that reflects the life you shared. I will memorialize Suki on MCHA’s Remembrance Tree, where her name will join those of other beloved pets who left a lasting place in the hearts of their families.
Sharing photos and stories about a pet you have lost can also be therapeutic. It gives you a chance to remember the moments that made your relationship so special and to share those memories with people who understand.
I am always here and would gladly receive your favorite pet photos and stories. They may bring you comfort, and I know they will bring joy to me and the rest of the MCHA team. You can share them with us at mcha@monroehumane.org.
MCHA's 31st Annual Run for the Animals
Run for the Animals Returns!
Sunday, October 4
Registration Opens at 8 a.m. | Race Begins at 9:30 a.m.
Karst Farm Park
2450 S Endwright Rd, Bloomington, IN 47403
The 31st Annual Run for the Animals is in a month, and we are hoping to see you there! Run for the Animals is presented by The Dog House.
We’re excited to welcome Perfect Timing Race Management back to the Run for the Animals this year! Their team will once again handle course management and race timing, bringing their experience from events like Hoosiers Outrun Cancer and the Hoosier Half Marathon to help make race day run smoothly and provide participants with reliable, accurate results.
And the fun doesn’t stop when you cross the finish line! Following the awards ceremony, stick around for raffles and our beloved canine contests, including the fastest peanut butter licker and best costume. We also want to make sure you register early if you’d like one of this year’s Run for the Animals t-shirts. Last year, we ran out of shirts before the race even began, so advance registration is the best way to guarantee you receive one! Check out this year's shirt design below!
Whether you’re joining us to run, walk, cheer on participants, or spend the day with your four-legged friends, we can’t wait to see you at the 31st Annual Run for the Animals! Every dollar raised helps support MCHA’s programs and services for pets and people throughout our local community.
Learn more and register today at monroehumane.org/5k.
Remembrance Tree
Honor a Pet with MCHA's Remembrance Tree
Our pets may not be with us forever, but the love and memories they leave behind last a lifetime. This September, National Pet Remembrance Month is an opportunity to pause and remember the special animals who have been part of our families and made such a lasting impact on our lives.
At MCHA, the Pet Remembrance Tree provides a meaningful place to celebrate those memories. Honor a beloved pet, or recognize the pet of someone special to you, by adding a personalized “leaf” to the tree. Each leaf represents a cherished life and the unique bond between pets and the people who love them.
When you make a remembrance gift, you’re honoring a pet while helping other animals in our community. Your support makes MCHA’s lifesaving programs possible, ensuring that pets and families can continue to find the care, resources, and support they need.
Give a leaf in memory of a beloved companion and help keep their memory growing within our community.
Learn more about our Remembrace Tree at monroehumane.org/donate-remembrance-tree.
Pet CPR & First Aid Class
Saturday, September 26, 2026
Noon–5 p.m.
Location: Scout’s Honor, 611 W. 11th St., Bloomington
$100 per person
Limited to 10 participants
Scout’s Honor and Train Loyal Companions are hosting a Pet CPR and First Aid Class, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting Monroe County Humane Association.
This five-hour class teaches CPR techniques, basic first aid, and health and wellness information for dogs and cats through instruction, demonstrations, and hands-on practice. It is ideal for pet owners, pet care professionals, volunteers, and anyone who regularly works with animals.
Each participant will receive a 40-page PetSaver® handbook and a two-year certification upon successful completion. The course does not include dental or senior pet care.
Pet Tech is an international training organization dedicated to CPR, first aid, and care for dogs and cats. Since 1997, Pet Tech has taught pet owners and professionals lifesaving skills that support pet safety and responsible care.
Early registration is encouraged. Register online now!
Upcoming Mobile Vaccine Clinic | Sunday, September 13
Sunday, September 13
1-3 p.m.
Monroe Fire Station 24
7606 E State Rd 45, Bloomington, IN 47408
On Sunday, September 13, 2026, MCHA will host a walk-in mobile vaccine clinic at Monroe Fire Station 24 (7606 E State Rd 45, Bloomington, IN 47408). MCHA’s dedicated veterinary team of volunteers and staff will be available from 1-3 p.m. with no appointment needed; all are welcome!
Our Mobile Vaccine Clinics offer a range of services, including legally mandated rabies vaccines for pets aged 12 weeks and older. Additionally, we provide nail trims, anal gland expressions, microchips, and preventive measures for fleas, ticks, and heartworm. While these clinics are intended for healthy dogs and cats, they are not a substitute for your pet’s annual wellness check-up with your primary veterinarian.
Subsidized pricing is available for clients who present proof of a government subsidy program or other proof of financial hardship.
MCHA Dog Walking Club | Saturday, September 26
Saturday, September 26
9 a.m.
Sample Gates
Join MCHA Dog Walking Club for a relaxed morning walk with fellow dog lovers and their pups. A local dog trainer will guide the group on a 30 to 60-minute walk and offer opportunities to practice leash manners and build your dog’s social skills.
MCHA Dog Walking Club is a welcoming, community-focused group for friendly dogs and their humans to get moving, socialize, and enjoy the outdoors together. Walks are held on the last Saturday of each month, with locations and trainers rotating throughout the season.
Friendly dogs and people of all experience levels are welcome. Please bring a leash, waste bags, and water for you and your dog.
Come for the walk. Stay for the community.
Registration is not required; this is an open and free event!
Message From MCHA's Executive Director
It feels good to finally be on the other side of the tornado repairs. After months of work, we have completed the major repairs across MCHA’s campus, and our new play yards are now in place for the animals in our care.
At the same time, we are looking ahead. We are actively working through the next steps for a new outreach and pet food pantry space that would give us more room to serve families and pets in our community. There is still plenty to work through, but we are excited about the possibilities and look forward to sharing more as those plans come together.
We are also excited to welcome Dalton Kehrt-Clouse as MCHA’s new Marketing & Development Coordinator. Dalton will help us strengthen how we share MCHA’s work, connect with supporters, and grow the resources that make our programs possible.
Thank you to everyone who continues to support MCHA by volunteering, donating, attending our events, sharing our work, and connecting others to our mission. Having so many people in our corner makes a real difference.
Get Involved – Volunteer
We need a few extra hands for this year’s Run for the Animals!
Volunteers can help with setup, tear down, check-in, the water station, and along the course to help direct and cheer on runners and walkers.
It takes a lot of people to make the event run smoothly, and every volunteer helps make the day better for everyone who comes out to support MCHA. If you’d like to be part of it, we’d love to have you join us.
Volunteering with us is not just about helping animals; it’s about creating a better community for all. Sign up today and be a part of the change you wish to see!
MAILING ADDRESS
P.O. Box 1334
Bloomington, Indiana 47402
ANIMAL CARE CAMPUS
791 S Fieldstone Blvd
Bloomington, Indiana 47403
Sunday: Closed
Monday: 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Tuesday: 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Wednesday: 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Thursday: 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Friday: Closed
Saturday: Closed
FOLLOW US
Monroe County Humane Association is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that relies on donations, sponsorships, and grants to fund all of our programs and services. EIN: 35-6064277
Monroe County Humane Association proudly collaborates, but is distinct from, the City of Bloomington Animal Shelter. For services such as adoption, lost/found pets, shelter hours, and animal control, feel free to reach out to our friends at the City of Bloomington Animal Care & Control at 812-349-3492. Together, we're caring for our community's animals.