Minnesota Valley Humane Society
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Animal Tails newsletter 1997An example of the Minnesota Valley Humane Society's newsletter from the fall of 1997. Lisa Simer was executive director at this time.
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Minnesota Valley Humane Society closing 2010An online story by the St. Paul Pioneer Press - December 1, 2010 reports on the upcoming closing of the Minnesota Valley Humane Society in Burnsville.
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Move over Rudolph 1999Car Fancy, December 1999 includes Big Red, the 18 pound, 26 toed king cat from the Minnesota Valley Humane Society.
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Tails, tongues set to wag for MVHS annual dog walk 1998April 29, 1998 Burnsville Sun Current - It's annual dog walk fund raiser for the Minnesota Valley Humane Society.
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Minnesota Valley Humane Society - Pet visitation 1998February 1, 1998 - Thisweek News - features the Minnesota Valley Humane Society's visits to Senior Living centers such as the Apple Valley Health Care Center.
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Minnesota Valley Humane Society Dog's DayMay 10, 1998 - Thisweek News - The Minnesota Valley Humane Society's 15th annual Woofer and Hoofer Walk raises over $10,000.
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Minnesota Valley Humane Society Fur Ball BallInvitation to the Minnesota Valley Humane Society's Second Annual Fur Ball Ball.
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Fiery Ford renews shelter's search for vanJuly 8, 1996 Burnsville Sun Current -The Humane Society's van caught fire June 25, 1996, a new van is needed.
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Minnesota Valley Humane Society's Woofer and Hoofer walk-a-thonAn informational brochure for the 14th annual Walk-a-thon to benefit the Minnesota Valley Humane Society.
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MInnesota Valley Human Society Fur Ball Seemingly, there was no "dance", rather than Fur Ball Ball served as a fundraiser for the Minnesota Valley Humane Society.
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Animal Tails newsletter 1996The Minnesota Valley Humane Society newsletter, volume 1 - number 3.
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Humane Society has several ways to help our furry friendsFebruary 11, 1998 - Burnsville Current:
Members of the community can help the Minnesota Valley Humane Society continue aiding animals who suddenly find themselves without homes.
The Humane Society, with a shelter at 1313 East Highway 13 in Burnsville....
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Minnesota Valley Humane Society 1995 -1996The 1995 - 1996 Annual Report for the Minnesota Valley Humane Society, located in the prior City Hall at 1313 East Highway 13.
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Humane Society seeking a good home 2009July 8, 2009 Minneapolis Star Tribune reports on efforts of the Minnesota Valley Humane Society to move from the former Burnsville City Hall on Highway 13 to the former Maxum Furniture building across town.
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MInnesota Valley Humane Society preparing to close 2010The Burnsville Current - December 16, 2010 reports on the planned closing of the Minneosta Valley Humane Society in Burnsville.
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Humane Society finds cash crunch is inhumaneSpecific date not noted - 1996 or 1997 - February St. Paul Pioneer Press story:
The MInnesota Valley Humane Society is begging the public for table scraps...
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Humane Society now seeks building for animal shelter 1990October 10, 1990 Burnsville Current
The Minnesota Valley Humane Society is taking a turn in its plan for an animal shelter and returned to the Burnsville City Council Monday to make sure that the city will stand by its promise to help pay for it...
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Hard work, persistence make Humane Society shelter a reality 1991July 21, 1991 Burnsville Thisweek reports on the activities of the Minnesota Valley Humane Society, housed in the former Burnsville City Hall.
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Last minute rush at Minnesota Valley Humane Society 2010Minneapolis Star Tribune online story dated December 11, 2010 reports on the upcoming closing of the Humane Society in Burnsville.
Last-minute rush at Minnesota Valley Humane Society
The Bunsville-based group, faced with growing financial pressures and due to close Dec. 31, will only accept animals through today.
By HERÓN MÁRQUEZ ESTRADA Star Tribune
December 11, 2010 — 9:21pm
When the Minnesota Valley Humane Society announced it was closing, more than 40 people rushed in last weekend to adopt abandoned cats, dogs, birds and other animals.
Unfortunately, an almost equal number of people rushed in to get rid of their animals before the financially strapped organization closes its doors at the end of the year after almost 20 years.
In fact, today is the last day that the Minnesota Valley Humane Society will accept animals at the facility at 1313 Hwy. 13 in Burnsville.
Officials at the society are not sure how much of a last-minute rush there will be, but the good news is that the staff "is pretty confident" the roughly 50 animals remaining at the shelter will be adopted or taken in by other humane societies around the Twin Cities.
However, officials with the organization, the largest in the south metro area, say they have all but given up hope that someone will step in at the last minute to stop the Dec. 31 closure, which has been months in coming and years in the making.
"You always just kept hoping that some angel, that someone would step in and help us out," said Cathy McCoy, chairwoman of the group's board of directors. "That just didn't happen."
The group has been around for decades, and in that time it has outgrown its present facility, located at the old City Hall in Burnsville, which is roughly 10,000 square feet.
The group had been trying to raise about $1 million to move into a new building of about 18,000 square feet in Eagan. But that fell through when the society was not able to come up with enough cash.
Lynae Gieseke, the society's executive director, said it has been having financial difficulties for years.
"The costs have just kept increasing every year," said Gieseke, who has a staff of about 15 full- and part-time employees.
The weak national economy, especially the recession that hit in 2008 and 2009, simply hastened the inevitable. The group has seen donations drop off, especially during the past three years.
"This recession has hit everybody," said Gieseke, who has been with the group for more than 20 years. "A lot of small animal shelters like us are really on the brink."
The final blow
The final blow came when the group was unable to reach its fundraising goal after months of trying. It reported on its website that it had reached about $650,000 of the $1 million it needed for the move.
The problem, Gieseke said, was that even it had received some donations in the $25,000 to $50,000 range, a vast majority of the donors were in the $25 to $50 range. Also, the group actually had less cash in hand than was being reported on the website.
She noted that about $150,000 of the $650,000 was for in-kind donations, pledges from carpenters or electricians or plumbers to work on the new facility for free.
Another $100,000 of the reported total, she said, was only pledges that were not yet collected and now probably will not be, given the closing.
As a last resort, the group also tried finding land to buy to put up a facility -- even a scaled-down one to suffice until it could get the necessary space. But city after city kept turning the group down, citing zoning issues because of the type of operation involved, Gieseke said.
The group will use the money it has collected so far to pay off existing debt and fund its ongoing operations through the end of the year.
Gieseke said, however, if donors want a refund, she would talk to them about providing one.
"There is such a sadness here," Gieseke said. "We've been getting a lot of calls from supporters and donors saying, 'We're so sorry, you folks do such a wonderful job.' We hope people will miss us when we're gone and realize what a community resource they had."
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Lynae Gieseke to lead Humane SocietyFebruary 18, 1989 - Sun/Current
Lynae Gieseke is the new executive director of the Minnesota Valley Humane Society.
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Do you love animals letter - 1998An initial proof for a fundraising letter for the Minnesota Valley Humane Society, including a typo and the need for a correction in spelling.
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Minnesota valley Humane SocietyThe Minnesota Valley Humane Society's mission statement.
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Minnesota valley Humane Society 2007June 6, 2007 Minneapolis Star Tribune: Miss Teen Burnsville International, Brenna Lyden and her golden retriever, Maggie, welcomed guests to the Minnesota Valley Humane Society's Woofer and Hoofer dog-walking event...
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MInnesota Valley Humane Society 2002A flyer for the Minnesota Valley Humane Society, then located in the "second" City Hall on Highway 13.
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Minnesota Valley Humane Society Paw Prints 1999January 18, 1999 issue of Paw Prints.
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Minnesota Valley Humane Society - Paw Prints newsletters 1999The September, 1999 issue of a newsletter for volunteers and staff of the Minnesota Valley Humane Society at 1313 East Highway 13.
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Minnesota Valley Humane Society - Paw Prints newsletters 1999November, 1999 issue of the Minnesota Valley Humane Society's Paw Prints newsletter.
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Humane Society expects to hire new director soon 1998January 21, 1998 Burnsville Sun Current - A new director is expected to soon lead the Minnesota Valley Humane Society following the resignation of Lisa Simer...
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Lynae Gieseke new executive director 1998Burnsville Sun Current - February 11, 1998 reports that Lynae Gieseke is new director of the Minnesota Valley Humane Society.
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Group opens animal shelter 1991Minneapolis Star Tribune August 21, 1991 reports that the Minnesota Valley Humane Society will move to the former Burnsville City Hall on Highway 13.
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