Operation Kindness Welcomes New CEO Jim Hanophy

DALLAS - July 30, 2013 - PRLog -- CARROLLTON, TX (JULY 26, 2013)…Operation Kindness (http://www.operationkindness.org/) is pleased to announce that Jim Hanophy has been named the organization’s new Chief Executive Officer. The area’s largest no-kill animal shelter officially welcomes him July 29, 2013.

“Operation Kindness is dedicated to advocating for no-kill animal shelters throughout Texas,” says Pam Milacek, Board President of Operation Kindness. “The role of our CEO is critical in this endeavor. Our Board of Directors was committed to finding a CEO who could accomplish our vision while growing and expanding upon on our history of success. Attaining status as a ‘No-Kill Nation’ will take serious, continued progress by all area animal advocates given the current euthanasia rates specifically here in North Texas.”

According to a 2012 study funded by PetSmart Charities in conjunction with the American Humane Association’s Animal Welfare Research Institute, 3-4 million healthy, adoptable pets are euthanized each year at our nation’s shelters. That translates to a healthy, adoptable animal losing its life approximately every nine seconds.

Closer to home, numbers released by Dallas Animal Services on October 25, 2011, indicate that 28,392 dogs and cats ended up in the City’s shelter in 2011. 75% of these animals - specifically 20,684 - were euthanized.

“Operation Kindness wants to literally turn these dynamics upside down. We have to push Texas to become a no-kill state and in order to accomplish that, we have to focus in our own ‘back yard’ first. Operation Kindness already accepts fifty percent of our dogs and cats from city shelters and we want to see this percentage increase as one step in helping reduce our area’s euthanasia rates. Rather than euthanizing 75% of healthy animals, our community needs to be saving 90% or more. It’s totally doable as many cities across the nation - including several in Central Texas - are already there.” Milacek notes.

Hanophy comes to Operation Kindness from the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) – an agency focused on assisting individuals with disabilities find jobs through vocational rehabilitation, ensuring that they live independently within their communities. DARS also assists families with children dealing with disabilities and delays in development to reach their full potential.

“Jim’s experience at DARS aligns well with his duties as Operation Kindness CEO where he will continue advocating on behalf of those with unique life challenges,” says Milacek.

At DARS since 2006, Jim’s group provided services to 85,000 people annually and he was responsible for a budget of $235 million. Hanophy helped craft and advocate for federal  legislation, wrote and oversaw multiple successful grant applications at DARS and other organizations and was very comfortable as the public face of his organization.

“Jim has the specific strengths we felt were key to this position,” says Milacek. “Among them are his legislative background, his executive leadership experience and his potential to maximize community and partnership opportunities to achieve critical initiatives like becoming a no-skill state.”

Says Hanophy, “Animals have been a love of mine since childhood. I’m thrilled to be in a position that will marry my nonprofit expertise with my passion for animal advocacy.”

About Operation Kindness:Founded in 1976, Operation Kindness is the oldest and largest no-kill animal shelter in North Texas. Its mission is to care for homeless cats and dogs in a no-kill environment until each is adopted into a responsible home and to advocate humane values and behavior. On a daily basis, Operation Kindness cares for an average of 300 animals at the shelter, with more than 100 animals in foster homes. Operation Kindness has saved more than 75,000 animals since its inception, and it assists more than 3,000 dogs and cats each year. Operation Kindness is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and receives no government funding. All of its income comes from donations from individuals and businesses, adoptions, fundraising events and the sale of pet-related merchandise. Learn more about Operation Kindness by calling 972-418-PAWS or by visiting http://www.operationkindness.org, https://twitter.com/OpKindness or www.facebook.com/pages/Operation-Kindness/30251945822).

Media Contact:

Jo Trizila

TrizCom Inc.

jo@Trizcom.com

Office: 972-247-1369

Cell: 214-232-0078