Thursday's News

Thursday was exhausting as usual! I got a late start in the condo and was about halfway through when Anita came in to help! She is feeling much better--still a little congested, but no longer contagious! Anita also brought 2 foster kitties back to the condo, and due to lack of cage space, Santino has been set free! He is very happy to race around the condo, climbing the sisal pole and darting through the tunnel, much to the chagrin of the older, more "dignified" cats. Santino was becoming a little chunker, so maybe he will return to little kitty size!

Anita was a big help for me today. She took care of the office and education room cats, which freed up some time for me to scrub the floor in the condo! It sure needed it--those cats are shedding like crazy! And it is only going to get worse due to the warm weather. If anyone has a free minute (stop laughing.....no seriously, stop it!) please grab a comb and groom a kitty! Just one kitty! This will greatly help us to keep the fur from flying! The combs are in a kennel-sol solution in the condo cabinet. Please clean the comb with soap and put back in solution when done. Write down which kitty you groom in the condo log (calendar on desk); otherwise, we might end up grooming just one kitty!

I had lots of visitors today: Barb, Laura, and Susan all stopped by for a little while! Susan brought me some news articles--I hope everyone has seen the letters against ZooQuatic Pet Center's decision to sell puppies in the Roanoke times. She also brought some bad news: 167 dogs died in a fire at a puppymill in Bland County. According to the news last night, there were 192 dogs. The footage showed that nothing remained but the collapsible wire crates--which are meant only for temporary use--not permanent housing--and are inadequate at best! Proving once again that breeders care only about money!

Our friends at Pound Pals and VAPAWS were apparently interviewed for the article. You can read it here: http://www.roanoke.com/news/nrv/wb/109743.

Rebecca came by in the afternoon so that she and I could ORGANIZE! We both have been looking forward to this for a few days, which is crazy and a little sad. The medicine shelf looks neater and is hopefully easier to navigate!

JoAnne and Bob were also at the shelter in the afternoon to help out; Laura came back as well. There is certainly no need to "pretend" to be busy--there is ALWAYS something to do! If you can't think of something, just let me know--I have a million little projects stored up in my head just waiting for some free time!

I found out today Chico the Killer Shrimp's real name is Toby. I found his owner through Wythe County Animal Shelter, where she had reported him missing. Apparently, her step-dauther accidentally let him out while she was at work. She was very happy to see him when I returned him to her Thursday evening. I'm usually a "big dog" kind of girl, but I will certainly miss that little purse-dog!

New faces:
Beamer arrived on Wednesday and is the dog I reported as a border collie mix. His paperwork says he is a bernese mountain dog mix. Beamer is a BIG boy and is as sweet as he is big!

Missy is a smaller yellow lab mix who also arrived on Wednesday. She is very sweet and friendly and probably won't get much bigger than she is now.

Crissy is a sharpei mix who arrived on Thursday. She seems to be an older girl who may have difficulty hearing and seeing--she takes very careful steps when she walks. She is very calm and quiet and has the cutest little curly-Q pig tail!

Precious (yes, another Precious) is a small, shaggy, white terrier who is already spayed. Another very friendly and sweet dog! You can visit her in the puppy room.

We also got a senior chihuahua very late in the day. I don't know much about this dog, other than she looked as though her world had been turned upside down.

To my knowledge, we only got one cat in today who may be feral. He arrived in a trap and looked quite angry when I checked on him later. I would probably be angry, too, if I was snatched out of my world and put in a cage!

The weather was beautiful on Thursday and hopefully, it will stay that way. But with the warm weather comes litter after litter of unwanted puppies and kittens. Please take every opportunity you can to promote spay/neuter. Check out this link for tips on how to convince people to do the right thing: http://www.bestfriends.org/nomorehomelesspets/pdf/goodadvice.pdf.

Warm weather also brings out the wildlife! Click on the banner for info on how to live harmoniously with our fellow woodland beings: