Turiano honored for service to animals

MARY SPENCER HUMANITARIAN AWARD

By Becky Adamietz-Deo

During the SPCA of Texas Young Professionals’ Paws Cause 2024 event Thursday, July 25 at Mata Hari House in the Dallas Design District, the “Paws for Excellence” awards were presented to honor animal welfare heroes that have made a significant difference in the lives of animals in North Texas. The SPCA of Texas Young Professionals is an emerging group of young leaders enlisted to raise awareness and funds for the most defenseless animals in our community.

“Nominations for the awards were open to the public and we received numerous entries for champions that have worked extremely hard to improve life for vulnerable animals in North Texas,” said SPCA of Texas Young Professionals chair Carlie Moe. 

The Corporate Partner of the Year award celebrates the outstanding contributions of a corporation that has demonstrated exceptional dedication and innovation in their mission to make a positive difference for animals in need. 

The inaugural Corporate Partner of the Year award was presented to Rick Garner of Pet Supplies Plus in Waxahachie, Texas. Rick and Barbara Garner have supported the SPCA of Texas mission to provide every animal a loving home by hosting monthly mobile adoption events in their store and by sponsoring the Ellis County Strut Your Mutt event for the past two years. 

They also serve on the Strut planning committee and have donated numerous items for the event goody bags — including the bags! — each year. Rick and Barbara Garner are champions for the animals in every aspect of their lives and are enthusiastically driven to make a lasting impact on the lives of animals.

The Community Partner of the Year award celebrates the remarkable efforts of a local community organization that works with the SPCA of Texas to promote animal welfare and create lasting change.

Emily Hoffman, board president of The Barking Project, received the first annual Community Partner of the Year award. The Barking Project has worked to develop relationships with as many local dog rescues as possible to support efforts of transfer and adoption with the goal of saving the lives of dogs facing euthanasia in Texas shelters because of overcrowding. This spring the organization held its third annual, large-scale adoption event which included 19 organizations, including the SPCA of Texas, with adoptable dogs. Despite having to reschedule the event because of weather, more than 80 dogs found forever homes that day, and  The Barking Project raised more than $44,000, which is twice the amount raised in 2023. This organization was born out of co-founder Emily Hoffman’s passion for transferring dogs from shelters and is run by 12 zealous women who have dedicated their time in addition to working robust careers.

The Mary Spencer Humanitarian award, which is named for an animal advocate extraordinaire and one of the brightest stars in the paws cause constellation, honors an individual or organization that has made a significant difference in the lives of animals in North Texas.

FOX4 Meteorologist Ali Turiano received the Mary Spencer Humanitarian award for going above and beyond to help promote animal welfare in her personal and professional lives. 

Not only has Ali served as emcee for the SPCA of Texas “Strut Your Mutt” and “Fur Ball” events, but she cares for a feral cat colony in her neighborhood. This includes trapping and returning the cats after they have been spayed or neutered and vaccinated, feeding the colony, and providing shelter for them to ensure they are safe and healthy. 

Ali has used her professional platform to consistently advocate for animals and promote the SPCA of Texas events and adoptable animals. In doing so, Ali has raised the organization’s profile to new audiences and increased the success of the SPCA of Texas’ mission.

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