MARIAN'S DREAM: Philanthrophy for Animal Advocates (Marian Rosenthal Foundation)

Marian's Dream is an incredible foundation that is supportive of helping elevating the status of animals worldwide!

Marian's Dream stepped up in an underserved area where cats were voiceless.
Their "Fix by Five" campaign is accomplishing reducing the number of litters &
unwanted cats.

Esther Mechler is a mentor and a true animal welfare activist who has had a tremendous impact on reducing unwanted litters of dogs and cats, animals that ultimately would have been killed due to pet overpopulation.
Her influence is widespread and as one of the founders of Fido Fixers, I often rely on her advice. She has a great network of supporters and "students", and is considered the true and trusted expert in the area of pet population control.

Marian's Dream is Esther Rosenthal's way of keeping her sister Marian's love of animals alive. Marian was deeply hurt by the number of stray and unloved kittens in the world; she wanted a world where all kittens were born to healthy mother cats, and all kittens had good homes. Esther and a dedicated group of volunteers have worked for decades trying to bring down the number of stray and unwanted kittens, through programs like "fix by five", neutering cats before they are old enough to produce a litter of kittens. Marian's Dream has had many successful neutering programs in cities around the world, where vets donate their time; but we all know that a world were all kittens are cherished is still a far off dream. If only this dream could come true: all cats loved and cared for, making their people happy.

Esther Mechler, founder of Marian's Dream, has been an inspiration, role model and friend for many years. She is the driving force behind the Marian's Dream Fix by Five project that advocates for early age spaying and neutering for cats and dogs to truly make an impact of pet overpopulation. This message is important not only for cat and dog owners to hear, but for veterinarians as well. I support this organization and their mission whole heartedly!

Marian's Dream is a superb advocate for spay/neuter and promotes "Fix by Five" months. Their vision is inspiring, by promoting early spay/neuter of companion animals, thus preventing countless litters of being born, which is paramount to the spay/neuter movement. They have helped so many animals to get spayed/neutered before breeding, and by educating the public, this group has a great momentum going on to help stem the tide of pet overpopulation in many communities. My own community was helped immensely by Marian's Dream when they supported the efforts of Pawprints on The Heartland, which operates in the Southeast Kansas area. Spay/neuter is definitely the solution!

General Member of the Public
If you have ever seen a feral cat with her starving kittens, you have probably wished that you could do something to help. I have and for that reason I support the work of Marian’s Dream to control the over-population of cats through initiatives such Feline Fix by Five, which encourages early spaying and neutering, thus preventing kittens from having kittens.
Over the last three decades, Marian’s Dream has also addressed the over-population of all companion animals.

Marian's Dream is a small nonprofit that tackles big problems, and does so at the source. Their goal is to prevent suffering by being proactive, and they have helped many a small grassroots group. The situation that I know is here in Maine where some of the cat rescue groups in the northern part of the state really struggle to get funding and to find ways to spay/neuter all the cats born unwanted and unplanned. Recently Marian's Dream did a large campaign to promote the feline fix by five idea, and as a result many people in northern Maine are now aware of the need to spay or neuter before the cats multiply. It is heartwarming to see these hardworking groups and individuals start to see an end to the enormous problem of too many cats. But we still have a long way to go. Help this hardworking organization that has hung in there for decades!

Marian's Dream is an organization that has been in existence for nearly forty years. During that time, they have made tremendous strides in educating both the professional community and the general public about the importance of spay neuter in controlling animal overpopulation. They have provided seed funding to groups that would have had little or no chance of being supported by larger foundations.  These grassroot organizations have done a great deal of good. I am proud to have the opportunity to endorse this fine organization and their efforts on behalf of the animals.

Marion's Dream has been a godsend to grassroots organizations dedicated to reducing cat overpopulation. As a volunteer to our local shelter I have seen the results of "Fix by Five" in Maine and truly appreciate the work this organization does to prevent animal suffering.

Sylvia Ouellette
Scarborough, Maine

I cannot say enough good about Marian's Dream. Because of support from Marian's Dream we were able to start sustainable feline spay/neuter programs in two of Maine's poorest counties, and we have begun work on another county. Before the support from Marian's Dream these areas of Maine had no programs and no hope for solving their feline overpopulation problems.

Marian's Dream also looks at the big picture nationwide and is forward thinking. Currently, the organization is working on a campaign to "fix felines by five" months of age because studies have shown that the source of many cats that end up homeless/in shelters is accidental early litters. The campaign has gained the support of the major national veterinary organizations.

Marian's Dream helps animal advocates with projects that have both local and national impact.

Susan Hall
Spay Maine

I have known Esther Mechler since 2010 when first got involved in spay-neuter through starting a Humane Alliance NSNRT high-volume spay-neuter clinic. Esther was then, and is, a well-recognized leader in this field. She has tirelessly committed her resources to this effort to help animals in the most effective ways, such as influencing legislative decisions and promoting the important message of early spay-neuter. She is smart about identifying what the most pressing problems are, then applying herself to solve them. It is a privilege to work with her and to share her home state of Maine.

I have been affiliated with Marian's Dream Organization for many years. Esther Mechler, who runs the organization earns no money from it, and indeed contributed her own finances in order to get it started. I have known Ms. Mechler for many years as a leader in the Animal rescue world. She is responsible for the spay and neuter of literally million of cats in the United States, Mexico and around the world. She works tirelessly to change the attitudes of Veternarions regarding early spaying, before 5 months in order to keep hundreds of thousands of kittens from being born. I can't think of a more hands on organization or one that does as much good as Marian's Dream.

Marian's Dream, named as a tribute to Esther Mechler's deceased sister who loved animals, is a fearless leader in the area of cat and dog overpopulation. The mission of the organization, to reduce the number of excess companion animals, began in the 1980's. At that time, Esther Mechler, started a program called Spay/USA to address the source of the problem through education and discounted spay/neuter services. The organization's mission was so successful, that ultimately tens of thousands of calls were received monthly from folks seeking to address the overpopulation situation. Marian's Dreams has initiated "Fix by Five", a most practical approach to cat overpopulation. Kudos to Marian's Dream for staying true to their mission against great odds!

Marian's Dream has been working for several years to have the veterinary establishment endorse a "Fix by Five" policy for cats. They recently succeeded and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) now endorses this policy. In addition to the AVMA eight other national organizations now recommend that cats be spayed/neutered as early as five months of age.

This will prevent the birth of thousands of unwanted kittens and will save countless lives! Organizations endorsing "Fix by Five" include the American Veterinary Medical Associations, American Association of Feline Practitioners, Association of Shelter Veterinarians, American Animal Hospital Association, Winn Foundation, Catalyst Council, Cat Fancier’s Association, and the International Cat Association.

Marian's dream needs your support so it can continue its work on spay/neuter and other animal welfare issues!

Marian's dream is one of the best and most effective non-profits I know of devoted to ending pet overpopulation. Their founder, Esther Mechler, has been promoting the most innovative and best ways to spay and neuter cats en mass along with public education, and she is a master at networking stakeholders and publicizing the best models. She has been promoting early spay and neuter strategies with much success for many years. Given her credibility and persistent efforts, more and more vets and community spay programs are now utilizing this practice. When it comes to getting down in the trenches and really doing something about pet overpopulation, Marian's Dream is a true leader. My work protecting wildlife is closely tied to reducing cat numbers and impact -- and for that reason I have appreciated the work Marian's Dream does all the more!
Laura Simon

As the founder of Spay Mexico - i have been guided by Esther Mechler for many years. It has been the most rewarding supportive relationship imaginable. Currently we are expanding across Mexico to teach high speed, safe, low cost Quick Spay techniques to hundreds of veterinarians. For any project to succeed we have found it takes:

A great project
Great people
A little money

Marian's Dream has been key in our success!

If you want to make a difference - please donate to Marian's Dream - it is dedicated to solving the pet-overpopulation through spay/neuter.

Warmest regards,

Craig H. Neilson
www.SpayMexico.org

I've worked to prevent cats and dogs from being needlessly put to death in shelters for more than twenty years. Much progress has been made during that time, largely through the work of Marian's Dream and other foundations that have provided funding for small, grassroots organizations in areas where the greatest number of animals are dying.
Over the years, Marian's Dream has fought well above its weight, saving more lives than many larger organizations and foundations, by providing funding for well-informed public awareness campaigns often overlooked by other funders, like its current Beat the Heat campaign. At the same time, it has undertaken strategic projects to organize and support a new generation of leaders by sponsoring annual retreats for shelter overpopulation activists from more than two dozen states.
As the editor of Animal People commented recently, the founder of Marian's Dream, Esther Mechler has been an animal advocate for forty years and has founded or helped to found nine organizations of national prominence eight of which either still exist or have active descendants. Marian's Dream gets things done because Esther Mechler gets things done.

I have had the honor of knowing and working with Esther Mechler of Marian's Dream over the course of close to 3 decades. Esther is committed to her work and has made significant strides in educating and helping animals across the world. I strongly recommend Esther and am proud to have been able to work with and learn from her. Marian's Dream is an organization that gives so much hope to the plight of animals by focussing on reducing population and educating.

"Over the past two decades I have interacted with Esther Mechler while working with the ASPCA and while assisting the National Animal Control Association with training workshops. I have also called upon her for assistance since retiring. I found Esther to be very focused and detailed in her work which makes her an excellent resource for me as I researched solutions to various problems my clients presented. She quickly became my "go to" person for spay/neuter information because she is not only reliable, but knowledgeable of the latest research. She is tenacious at finding compatible solutions to various problems, making her a good team player."
Darlene Larson

I am very pleased to recommend Esther, President of Marian's Dream, as an invaluable resource in animal welfare. She is intelligent and passionate, and those of us who have heard her speak at conferences, or worked with her directly, always benefit from her knowledge. Esther's dedication to animals and the professionalism she displays have set the bar for everyone in the field. Collaborating with her is always a pleasure!

Esther Mechler (Director at Marian’s Dream) is an extremely competent, well-informed professional who knows the intricacies of government (all levels) , business, and the non-profit sector -- especially in regard to the areas of animal rights, the environment, and economic development issues.

Esther knows how to set and accomplish goals in pursuit of whatever cause in which she might be involved... Any organization or person that enlists her help in addressing issues/causes will not be disappointed...

Jeff Kohut

For years I have know about the incredible work of Marians Dream and Esther Mechler's personal Dream to make a difference thru Spay Neuter. It seems that when people get involved in doing something for animals the walk in the RESCUE door. After more brain cells begin to fire...we all eventually come to the real solution SPAY NEUTER.

Since the late 90s Esther has gently pushed us to take on Marians Dream goal - Spay Neuter. We began working in Mexico 10 years ago fixing pets across the northern Baja, California. In 2010 we started SPAY MEXICO and proceeded to reach out across Mexico to link with like minded vets and community groups to teach and support. Thru Esther's introduction we met Dr. Marvin Mackie the famous "King of Spay/Neuter" and the inventor of Quick Spay. It has been an incredible relationship - as Dr. Mackie has made a personal commitment to present Quick Spay to hundreds of Veterinarians across Mexico.

With the support of Marians Dream we have:

- Over 18,000 surgeries across Mexico
- Over 5,000 in Mexicali 2012
- Over 3,000 surgeries in Mexicali Jan thru July 2013
- Spay/Neuter Conference Puebla, Mexico - Presented Quick Spay 400 attendees
- Mega Spay/Neuter 5 day Training Cancun, 2011
- 5 Low cost clinics established 2013
- 10 new veterinarians trained and certified in the last 10 months

We are a work in progress and with the support and guidance of Esther Mechler and Marians Dream we have been able to learn from each other and share solutions for low cost safe spay neuter. Our proven system is well documented and we believe the ripple effect of our program is now ready to take all across Mexico. We are building a map and reaching out to veterinarians and communities that would like to share our dream.

We go into Mexico because the people there have so little to give to help animals but they give anyway.

If you can help Marians Dream you are helping Spay Mexico do something about the poor starving abandoned pets of Mexico. We are in the streets there making a difference.

Thank you!

Craig Neilson
Craig@SpayMexico.org

As a Board Member of Marian's Dream since 2007, I cannot find praise sufficient for this excellent and visionary organization.

At Marian's Dream, we target pet overpopulation at its source -- unwanted litters. Our main focus is reducing the number of surplus cats. To that end, we support grassroots organizations all over the country, awarding start-up grants for clinics, both mobile and fixed site. We host an annual retreat for the leadership of statewide spay programs, providing a collaborative forum where attendees can share knowledge, problems--and solutions.

Since our founding in 1981, we have been on the forefront of the fight against overpopulation. With programs such as Beat the Heat and the Cats Action Network (CAN), we are working to further stem the tide of unwanted litters by promoting approved protocols for early age spay/neuter (before first heat) as well as elevating the status and well-being of kittens and cats.

Nor is our scope limited to the U.S. In recognition that cat overpopulation is a global issue, we go beyond the borders to Mexico and Panama to support model programs there.

I am proud to be a member of the Marian's Dream board as we work toward our shared goal of No More Homeless Cats.

Hope C. Tarr, Ph.D.
Project Director, The Pet Overpopulation STAMP OUT Campaign (1997-2002)

Marian's Dream is unique in their willingness to help organizations meet the needs of their individual communities. They support innovative, effective new programs that develop spay/neuter services in underserved areas. Theire motto is, "work smarter not harder." They were absolutely vital to the start-up of the rural spay/neuter networks that now provide thousands of surgeries across low-income areas of Oklahoma and Arkansas. Marian's Dream is much more than a funder, they are a friend to the often isolated grass roots organizations that strive to help those who are at greatest risk of suffering in chronic poverty. Marian's Dream holds annual retreats to bring program coordinators together for information sharing and more. This organization is a power house on behalf of those who reach out to truly prevent animal suffering.

Last year our group was in its final push to raise the funds to open our low cost spay neuter clinic. Marian's Dream knew of our previous work and our mission to reduce the euthanasia of healthy, adoptable dogs and cats by making high quality, high volume, low cost spay neuter services available to all residents of our community. We were so grateful and honored to receive a matching grant from Marian's Dream that made it possible to open our clinic in a timely manner. Those funds were then matched a few times over. It was just the perfect situation needed to get our clinic up and operating. Thank you to the Board of Marian's Dream. Thank you for all you have done for the Sumner Spay Neuter Alliance and all you do to help non-profits who have this mission. We are now actively ending pet overpopulation in Sumner County, TN. Marian’s Dream- we couldn’t have done it without you.

June McMahon
President, Sumner Spay Neuter Alliance
Gallatin TN

Marian’s Dream has been a DREAM for this organization. As a grassroots non-profit for animals, chartered in the state of Louisiana, the surplus of unwanted animals is overwhelming to animal control, rescue groups, and individuals. With an estimated 350,000 free roaming feral cats, SpayMart launched a public awareness campaign entitled “Neuter Scooter” to promote humane methods of controlling their numbers and making sterilization possible. Marian’s Dream defined the meaning of feral and spay neuter to this organization, and I can say brought us to our pinnacle. If not for funding from Marian’s Dream earlier campaigns would not have taken place. The foundation’s support and belief in our mission gave us credibility and a newly defined respect for ourselves. The campaign has grown from sterilizing 100 cats our first year to over 2000 in our most recent year. Thank you for being such a cornerstone to this organization, as I am sure you have been to countless others.