The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or ASPCA, announced the winners of their 2009 Humane Awards today in a news release. Alayne and I were honored to win their Henry Bergh Award, named for the ASPCA's founder. As of this afternoon the ASPCA had not posted the 2009 award winners on their Web site, but they had sent out a news release to national media, and you can read it here.
The ASPCA will be flying Alayne back to New York City for the awards luncheon at the end of the month.
Of course, we're thrilled and humbled by the award, and delighted for the recognition it brings the special animals at the ranch!
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Still No. 1!
Please keep voting for us every day in The Animal Rescue Site/PetFinder's Shelter Challenge. Thanks to your votes, we came in third nationwide and won $3,000 for the animals in the previous contest. Now we have a shot at No. 1 and the $20,000 grand prize! Enter "Rolling Dog Ranch" and our state postal code, MT for Montana, and it will bring up our listing so you can cast your vote. Please ask your family and friends to vote, too. Thank you!
Well done! No two animal-tarians are more deserving. You are truly inspirational.
Thanks so much for what you do!
Lisa B. and Blind Hope =^..^=
Posted by: Lisa Brown | October 21, 2009 at 02:53 AM
Thank you for all that you do! You bless so many souls - those with two and four legs!
Posted by: Lisa Taron (The Pet Book Lady) | October 20, 2009 at 04:26 PM
Hooray!!!! Congrats, and well deserved!
Posted by: Adele in the Bronx | October 18, 2009 at 09:07 PM
You guys are so wonderful and inspiring and you deserve this award so much.
Congratulations and lots of love to you both and the animals.
Posted by: Inger Wiltz | October 17, 2009 at 06:51 PM
Awesome! and well deserved!
Posted by: Maxly | October 17, 2009 at 06:43 PM
Yay!!! Woo-hoo! CONGRATULATIONS! The award is well-deserved for all the amazing work & devotion you all show to each & every animal. I am so proud. I know there is a lot of celebration going on among all your furry kids that appreciate all you do for each & every one of them whether they are calling the ranch home or adopted or made the trip to Rainbow Bridge!! I am so proud to be a supporter as I am sure each of your supporters feel the same.
Posted by: Colleen & Sweet Kitty Erin | October 17, 2009 at 01:39 PM
Very well done guys!!
I love reading your blog and it's one of the first sites I check every morning...thanks for doing what you're doing...and here's to many more years doing the same!
Lisa in CA
Posted by: Lisa Lashaway | October 17, 2009 at 01:10 AM
This is awsome!So many others are seeing the GREAT WORK that you do. I make it my daily routine to vote so you will remaine #1 in the challange also, it is least all of us readers can do, for all that you do for the animals in your care.CONGRATULAIONS AGAIN!!!!
Posted by: Kathy and Harley | October 16, 2009 at 09:21 PM
What wonderful news! Congratulations to you both. You deserve it so much.
Posted by: Mary | October 16, 2009 at 07:03 PM
Just saw on Jack Hanna's website that the episode featuring RDR will air 11-6-09. Check www.jhitw.com. Also check your local TV listings. Can't wait!!
Posted by: Lynda | October 16, 2009 at 03:52 PM
Congratulations! What an honor and well deserved, you both work incredibly hard, every day!
Posted by: boundforglory | October 16, 2009 at 03:28 PM
Steve & Alayne-
You guys ROCK! Congratulations-you so deserve this honor and recognition. WAY TO GO-YIPPEEE!
Posted by: mary k | October 16, 2009 at 01:51 PM
Congratulations Steve and Alayne! I volunteered for 13 years in adoptions at the ASPCA so it is very near and dear to my heart. And it's very appropriate that you won the Henry Bergh award.
Not many people probably know about Henry Bergh but he founded the ASPCA, the first animal shelter in the US, in 1866. At a time when carriage horses and domestic animals were routinely treated cruelly, Henry Bergh was the first to raise awareness of the plight of animals. He made their voices heard. The same way you both help people see that animals with disabilities have the same potential for joy and wonder as other animals.
Congratulations again on such a well-deserved award.
Posted by: Peggy | October 16, 2009 at 01:46 PM
Congratulations Steve and Alayne! No two people are more deserving of this award than the two of you. You guys are awesome!
Posted by: Pat Silverman | October 16, 2009 at 01:25 PM
That's wonderful, I'm so happy for you! It's a well-deserved honor. I'm very glad that your hard work and dedication are being recognized in a national, highly-visible forum. Congratulations!! Are you going to bring a spokesdog along to the luncheon? Preferably one too short to reach the table?
Posted by: Tonya | October 16, 2009 at 01:17 PM
They are recognizing what we all out here have known for years, you two have the most loving hearts in the world. Any animal fortunate enough to wind up in your care has reached paradise. Congratulations, you are more than deserving!
Posted by: Miranda | October 16, 2009 at 12:32 PM
Bravo!!! So well deserved and nice recognition of the hard work you guys do. Thank you so much for all you do!
Posted by: Jen | October 16, 2009 at 12:14 PM
congratulations you 2. Well deserved.
Posted by: Ev | October 16, 2009 at 12:14 PM
Congrats to you and alayne. As everyone else has said, well deserved.
Posted by: Cheryl | October 16, 2009 at 12:09 PM
Congratulations!!!!
Posted by: Lynn (in Louisiana) | October 16, 2009 at 12:05 PM
Did you EVER in your WILDEST dreams imagine this when you "launched" from the Seattle corporate world to follow your hearts?! WOW. Such an inspiration. I know you're not in it for the recognition other that the tail wags... and satisfaction of giving comfort to all the special RDR gang. Glad that more & more folks will be exposed to your great message, work and results. YAY!
Posted by: Margaret | October 16, 2009 at 11:48 AM
Congrats, Alayne & Steve! The love you give & the work you do with your wonderful animals is totally deserving of this recognition.
Posted by: Rich Y. | October 16, 2009 at 11:36 AM
HOOOORRAAAAYYYYY!! Go Steve and Alayne! - Go RDR! - Go all the sweet aniamls! I am very happy that you are getting this recognition that you so deserve!! I also put a link to the ranch on facebook - even with my halting technical skills.
Posted by: Angela | October 16, 2009 at 11:27 AM
Congratulations on being rewarded for all your hard work on behalf of animals! Much deserved!
Posted by: Dawn | October 16, 2009 at 10:50 AM
Congratulations!
Your hard work and dedication brings another well deserved award!
Blessings to all @ RDR
Posted by: Doe George | October 16, 2009 at 10:37 AM
Congratulations! Much deserved!
Posted by: Toni Fagan | October 16, 2009 at 10:22 AM
It's time for me to break my silence. WAY TO GO TO STEVE AND ALAYNE! It's an honor to work with two incredibly remarkable people. (I'll deny writing this when we start working on the upcoming newsletter!)
With much love, your graphic/web slave for more years than I can remember.
ta
Posted by: Terrel | October 16, 2009 at 10:12 AM
Well done Alayne and Steve!! As a huge fan of yours, I'm pleased to see that the ASPCA has given you this honor. Congratulations!!
Posted by: Kristi Gross | October 16, 2009 at 10:12 AM
Congrats from myself and all the furkids you have opened your hearts to! You both truly deserve this award for the wonderful work you do. You should as proud of yourselves as all your readers are!
Posted by: Annette | October 16, 2009 at 09:24 AM
Alayne and Steve! Congratulations!
Of course, we(your long time fans) have always known you are very special people and deserve a special award for the love you give your special animals!
Nancy and Buddy in NJ
Posted by: Nancy Longfield | October 16, 2009 at 09:22 AM
Frankie and I could not think of anyone more deserving! CONGRATULATIONS!! We are so thrilled for you all... esepcially for all the animals in your tender, loving care. I plan to share this with my readers. So proud of you!!
Barbara Techel & Frankie, the Walk 'N Roll Dog
Posted by: Barbara Techel | October 16, 2009 at 09:10 AM
WAY TO GO !! Well deserved.
Posted by: Lynda | October 16, 2009 at 08:49 AM
This award and new recognition for the Ranch is just wonderful and certainly well deserved. So many more people will learn about you and additional support will mean more animals can be saved; even if it means hiring help! I'm so happy for you both and all the animals who are living wonderful lives because of you. Getting to do what you care about most every day is certainly a blessing.
Posted by: Barb Ribinski | October 16, 2009 at 08:45 AM
Heartfelt Congratulations, Steve & Alayne!
To a more worthy recipient it could not go! God bless you.
Posted by: Lisa Koch | October 16, 2009 at 08:26 AM
AWESOME - Congratulations! I'm thrilled for all of you!
Posted by: Lisa | October 16, 2009 at 08:23 AM
Congratulations on a well-deserved honor!
Posted by: Maureen | October 16, 2009 at 08:23 AM
We are so very proud of you! You two deserve recognition for all you do.
Thanks for that link, Darcie.
Posted by: Lynne Parke | October 16, 2009 at 07:28 AM
I'm thrilled that you're getting the reward you so richly deserved time after time after time. This makes me want to dance in the street! Congrats on getting your due!
Big hugs to all,
ginger, Tobias & Tlingit
Posted by: ginger & the critters | October 16, 2009 at 04:47 AM
Congratulations for a well-deserved award!
Three cheers for Steve & Alayne!
Posted by: Carla Polastro-Nigro | October 16, 2009 at 02:57 AM
WOW - that is awesome!! You truly deserve it. Congratulations you guys.
Posted by: bregda (south africa) | October 16, 2009 at 02:13 AM
What a wonderful acknowledgement of the great work that you've accomplished at RDR. Our congratulations to you both.
Posted by: Jan, Jim, Buffy and Mojo | October 16, 2009 at 12:10 AM
Adding my congratulations! And I shared the article on FB. Anything to give you guys more exposure and, we can hope, more in donations!
Posted by: Vicki Small | October 15, 2009 at 11:46 PM
Congratulations on a truly well-deserved award!
Posted by: JC | October 15, 2009 at 11:25 PM
does Alayne have a pair of stiletto heel to wear in NY or will she wear her mucking boots? :)
Posted by: Jane Tunnicliff | October 15, 2009 at 11:03 PM
Congratulations Alayne and Steve!
There is no one more deserving than you! I know your furry family would concur!!
Posted by: Beverly | October 15, 2009 at 10:56 PM
i've been brought to tears with so many of my daily RDR blog reads. the tears today are of joy and pride for both of you, your volunteers and all who support RDR. you guys are the best - a stellar example of what an animal sanctuary should be! GOOD ON YA!!!
Posted by: Jane Tunnicliff | October 15, 2009 at 10:56 PM
YIPPEEEEEEE!!!! Well deserved!!!
Hmmmmm.... any bets if Margaret will be sneaking inside while Alayne is gone?
Posted by: Heather Montana and Timmy | October 15, 2009 at 10:30 PM
BRAVO AND A STANDING OVATION!! That is what each resident at RDR past and present feels about your award!! We are all grateful for your dedication to these "SPECIAL" animals.
Posted by: Shirley * James/Portland, OR | October 15, 2009 at 10:16 PM
Congratulations!
You may be interested in this link from our Massachusetts SPCA, this little blind pup has been making the news back here the last couple of days.
http://www.mspca.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=16865
Posted by: Darcie | October 15, 2009 at 10:07 PM
That is awesome guys. Well deserved!
Michele
KING TV Seattle
Posted by: Michele Troxel | October 15, 2009 at 10:03 PM