What a busy and exhausting day! Our new trustee, C.J., is still getting his bearings, so things are still a little slow going.
I came in to do the condo, and C.J. was working on the dog kennels. I volunteered to get the cat intake room later as well. Nicole came in about mid-morning, walked a bunch of dogs, and cleaned the dog quarantine room. Reese had made the biggest mess I have ever seen, so this was no small undertaking. I thought I'd better get the back cat kennels done before Rebecca and Laura came in to test dogs for the Waggin', so I left the condo about 3/4 of the way done. I was so filthy by the time I got done the cat intake, Rebecca didn't want me going back into the condo, so she and Susan finished it for me! Rebecca also took care of the cat quarantine room. We certainly needed an army today!
Katrina came by this morning with Royal Canin cat food samples donated by Vinton Animal Hospital; they had some leftover from the Dogwood Festival. Katrina also told me she was coming in to help out at the shelter in the morning, so see ya there Katrina!
JoAnne also came by to drop off money for raffle tickets, and a girl came by (I think she was with Cris) to pick up flyers to hang. Barb is continuing to paper every available surface in the county with flyers!
The two beautiful, but intact, pit bulls that came in a few days ago were picked up by their owner.
Our little Stinker, the stocky Jack Russell, went to a very nice family today! He seriously had them at hello!
Brook, the senior Schnauzer, also went home with a nice lady from Salem. She works at a vet office and was taking Brook straight there when she left.
We got 2 very cute and sweet little kitties today; one is a tuxedo and the other is an interesting looking tortoiseshell. She's not really black and orange; she kind of cocoa and orange. Very pretty!
We also got a pit bull that is the same colors as my Sweet Pea--espresso and white! Maybe a relative? We have a new black lab, a new yellow lab, another new pit bull, and 3 very sad puppies. The puppies are black with a little white hound mixes. Very skinny, very wormy (thanks Nicole for helping me worm them!), very neglected looking. But of course, very sweet. They were apparently dumped on someone's property, and she brought them to us, which of course we don't mind!
The best catch today goes to ACO McMillan, who brought us a very cute and very confused Pygmy Goat! I got to hug and kiss her and name her Priscilla. She is in the large dog pen on the end in the front room, so every one come by and see her!
For some reason, I thought the Rescue Waggin' was going to be at the shelter on Tuesday morning, but it will not be until Wednesday morning! Plus, the Assisi van for Tuesday has been cancelled (see Anita's post below). So the only thing going on tomorrow is the Panleukopenia training at 1 PM. Hope to see everyone there!
Monday, April 30, 2007
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Thank You from Laura
Hello Everyone
I'm back and rested up and just wanted to thank all of you who helped get through the long hectic not so ordinary week, last week in my absence. Judith, Rita, David, Rebecca and Joanne and all the others who helped clean. Rita and Rebecca who helped with the 50 kids. Barb who was posting things all over town and Anita for fostering and work on the Assisi van and all the rest that you do. All the office folks particularly Bob who subbed for me on Tuesday. Nicole for always being there to help. And of course all the Animal Control folks. I almost feel unnecessary! Thanks again and keep up all the wonderful work.
I'm back and rested up and just wanted to thank all of you who helped get through the long hectic not so ordinary week, last week in my absence. Judith, Rita, David, Rebecca and Joanne and all the others who helped clean. Rita and Rebecca who helped with the 50 kids. Barb who was posting things all over town and Anita for fostering and work on the Assisi van and all the rest that you do. All the office folks particularly Bob who subbed for me on Tuesday. Nicole for always being there to help. And of course all the Animal Control folks. I almost feel unnecessary! Thanks again and keep up all the wonderful work.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Assisi Van- May1st Canceled
Well we don't have enough animals for the van this tuesday and the next scheduled van is May 15th. I will be contacting pet owners tomorrow to advise them of the reschedule. I will also be calling the Assisi Van folks to advise them of the cancelation. I will notify the spay van volunteers. At this point I only have 12 animals booked for May 15th. So lets book spread the word about the Assisi van providing spay and neutering services.
Friday's News
What an exhausting week! I was at the shelter for 9 hours Thursday and almost 11 hours Friday, but I will try to remember as much as I can!
I think everyone knows about the "staffing change" that occurred on Thursday. I came in that morning intending to deep clean the cat intake room, but ended up cleaning dog kennels. Judith tackled the condo and cat intake and still managed to help me with the kennels. Julie cleaned the puppy room; it was the cleanest I had ever seen it. Bobby swept and mopped the front hall area and scrubbed bowls and water buckets. I heard Joyce was helping Judith in the back, and Shay was running calls and handling folks coming in. Rebecca came in to move the PetSmart dogs to the back room, which helped clear the puppy room of all but one dog. On top of this crisis, Julie's horse was sick and we had to prepare for 50 children to visit on Friday morning!
No one knew if we would be getting any new trustees any time soon, so I went in to the shelter at 7 am Friday morning to get the jump on the dog kennels before
the kids arrived. I showed up to find that we got a new trustee, C.J., and Julie was already training him to clean the kennels (which were just about done). David was getting started on the cat intake room. Bobby was cleaning dog quarantine, and Shay was scrubbing the front dog kennels. I started scrubbing bowls and buckets and was doing meds in the condo when Judith arrived. The shelter was sparkling by the time the kids arrived. Here, our little Kellie is greeting one of our visitors.
Julie and Shay set up tables for crafts in the sally port the evening before. There were magazine for the kids to cut out pics of animals for collages, and Julie made chocolate chip cookies and Kool-aid (there were plenty of leftovers for us when the kids left, and those cookies were yummy!).
The Pulaski County Sheriff's Office bloodhound, Jerry Lee, made and appearance along with his human, Cpl. D.R. Johnson. Jerry Lee got to show off his tracking skills and got lots of lovin' for being such a good dog!
The kids were also able to enjoy story time with Bobby, movie time with me, and shelter tours with Shay and Rebecca. The kids were very excited about the animals, and we hope they will get their parents excited about visiting the shelter--and providing a good home for one of our animals!
We got 15 news dogs at the shelter since Monday, 5 of them yesterday. Two beautiful boxers should be going home with their owner on Saturday. The owner was out of town, and her dog-sitter let them get loose.
We got at least 5 new cats since Monday. One kitty, who came in on Thursday, delivered 2 more kitties on Friday! I'm not sure anyone knew she was pregnant because she was so small. Another kitty, who came in Monday, arrived with her 4 babies. I didn't mention her in Monday's post because I got her confused with 4 other kittens who arrived on Monday. It looks like kitten season is in full swing! We have 15 mostly newborn kittens at the shelter, 7 newborns from 2 litters at Anita's house being nursed by a cat who isn't the mother of any of them, and one who is being bottle fed by a nice lady I know until she is old enough to come to the shelter. If you know anyone who has an unspayed cat, please do everything in your power to convince them to have her spayed! Try appealing to their wallets--spay surgery now is cheaper than cancer treatments later! Check out this site for more information, and this site for printable literature.
To open a kennel for one of the 5 big dogs that came in yesterday, I am fostering Baby, our little-but-fiesty puppy of unknown origin.
Baby has been enjoying herself by menacing my cats, terrorizing my 60- and 80-pound pit bull mixes, and chasing the neighbor's 100-pound lab. Plus, she enjoys taking herself for long walks in the park and scratching her back in the grass with my dogs.
I really want to thank everyone who came in the last 2 days to help with cleaning and office coverage. In no particular order: Rebecca, Judith, Anita, Nicole, Bob, Joanne, and David. We all make a pretty great team when the chips are down! I also want to mention Barb for being a one-woman flyer-hanging army this week!
We have a very busy Tuesday next week, and will need as many helping hands as possible. The Rescue Waggin' and Assisi van both occur on Tuesday, we have a webinar on Panleukopenia, and it's Yappy Hour day! Whew! Some of us might be there from 4:30 am until 7 pm! I hope to see all of you!
I think everyone knows about the "staffing change" that occurred on Thursday. I came in that morning intending to deep clean the cat intake room, but ended up cleaning dog kennels. Judith tackled the condo and cat intake and still managed to help me with the kennels. Julie cleaned the puppy room; it was the cleanest I had ever seen it. Bobby swept and mopped the front hall area and scrubbed bowls and water buckets. I heard Joyce was helping Judith in the back, and Shay was running calls and handling folks coming in. Rebecca came in to move the PetSmart dogs to the back room, which helped clear the puppy room of all but one dog. On top of this crisis, Julie's horse was sick and we had to prepare for 50 children to visit on Friday morning!
No one knew if we would be getting any new trustees any time soon, so I went in to the shelter at 7 am Friday morning to get the jump on the dog kennels before
the kids arrived. I showed up to find that we got a new trustee, C.J., and Julie was already training him to clean the kennels (which were just about done). David was getting started on the cat intake room. Bobby was cleaning dog quarantine, and Shay was scrubbing the front dog kennels. I started scrubbing bowls and buckets and was doing meds in the condo when Judith arrived. The shelter was sparkling by the time the kids arrived. Here, our little Kellie is greeting one of our visitors.
Julie and Shay set up tables for crafts in the sally port the evening before. There were magazine for the kids to cut out pics of animals for collages, and Julie made chocolate chip cookies and Kool-aid (there were plenty of leftovers for us when the kids left, and those cookies were yummy!).
The Pulaski County Sheriff's Office bloodhound, Jerry Lee, made and appearance along with his human, Cpl. D.R. Johnson. Jerry Lee got to show off his tracking skills and got lots of lovin' for being such a good dog!
The kids were also able to enjoy story time with Bobby, movie time with me, and shelter tours with Shay and Rebecca. The kids were very excited about the animals, and we hope they will get their parents excited about visiting the shelter--and providing a good home for one of our animals!
We got 15 news dogs at the shelter since Monday, 5 of them yesterday. Two beautiful boxers should be going home with their owner on Saturday. The owner was out of town, and her dog-sitter let them get loose.
We got at least 5 new cats since Monday. One kitty, who came in on Thursday, delivered 2 more kitties on Friday! I'm not sure anyone knew she was pregnant because she was so small. Another kitty, who came in Monday, arrived with her 4 babies. I didn't mention her in Monday's post because I got her confused with 4 other kittens who arrived on Monday. It looks like kitten season is in full swing! We have 15 mostly newborn kittens at the shelter, 7 newborns from 2 litters at Anita's house being nursed by a cat who isn't the mother of any of them, and one who is being bottle fed by a nice lady I know until she is old enough to come to the shelter. If you know anyone who has an unspayed cat, please do everything in your power to convince them to have her spayed! Try appealing to their wallets--spay surgery now is cheaper than cancer treatments later! Check out this site for more information, and this site for printable literature.
To open a kennel for one of the 5 big dogs that came in yesterday, I am fostering Baby, our little-but-fiesty puppy of unknown origin.
Baby has been enjoying herself by menacing my cats, terrorizing my 60- and 80-pound pit bull mixes, and chasing the neighbor's 100-pound lab. Plus, she enjoys taking herself for long walks in the park and scratching her back in the grass with my dogs.I really want to thank everyone who came in the last 2 days to help with cleaning and office coverage. In no particular order: Rebecca, Judith, Anita, Nicole, Bob, Joanne, and David. We all make a pretty great team when the chips are down! I also want to mention Barb for being a one-woman flyer-hanging army this week!
We have a very busy Tuesday next week, and will need as many helping hands as possible. The Rescue Waggin' and Assisi van both occur on Tuesday, we have a webinar on Panleukopenia, and it's Yappy Hour day! Whew! Some of us might be there from 4:30 am until 7 pm! I hope to see all of you!
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Cat and Dog Treat Recipes
I got a big, thick packet of information from the National Humane Education Society today, and there were a couple of cheap and easy treat recipes I thought everyone might like, especially with this pet food recall mess!
CAT MUNCHIES
1 cup brown rice
2 cups beef, chicken, or fish broth (whichever is your cat's favorite)
2-3 Tbsp. oil
Bring broth to a boil. Stir in rice; bring back to boil and simmer, stirring occasionally about 40 minutes. ALL broth should be absorbed by rice. Spread cooked rice on a cookie sheet. Bake at 400 until rice is brown and crackly, about 20 minutes. (Or, allow to dry at room temperature for about 24 hours). Heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil in frying pan. Add rice about 1/2 cup at a time and shake until rice puffs up. Drain puffs on papertowel. Serve, or store in airtight container.
CHEESE PASTRIES FOR CATS OR DOGS
6 Tbsp. fat (oil or margarine for example)
1/2 cup finely grated cheddar cheese
1 cup all purpose flour
1 small garlic clove, mashed or minced
Blend fat and cheese until smooth. Stir in garlic, then mix in flour. Mixture will be crumbly. Roll mixture into shape of a log and chill until firm. Cut slices from roll and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 until slightly brown, about 10 minutes.
I plan to try both of these soon and will let everyone know if they "pass." (If anyone makes them before I do, let me know how it goes!)
CAT MUNCHIES
1 cup brown rice
2 cups beef, chicken, or fish broth (whichever is your cat's favorite)
2-3 Tbsp. oil
Bring broth to a boil. Stir in rice; bring back to boil and simmer, stirring occasionally about 40 minutes. ALL broth should be absorbed by rice. Spread cooked rice on a cookie sheet. Bake at 400 until rice is brown and crackly, about 20 minutes. (Or, allow to dry at room temperature for about 24 hours). Heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil in frying pan. Add rice about 1/2 cup at a time and shake until rice puffs up. Drain puffs on papertowel. Serve, or store in airtight container.
CHEESE PASTRIES FOR CATS OR DOGS
6 Tbsp. fat (oil or margarine for example)
1/2 cup finely grated cheddar cheese
1 cup all purpose flour
1 small garlic clove, mashed or minced
Blend fat and cheese until smooth. Stir in garlic, then mix in flour. Mixture will be crumbly. Roll mixture into shape of a log and chill until firm. Cut slices from roll and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 until slightly brown, about 10 minutes.
I plan to try both of these soon and will let everyone know if they "pass." (If anyone makes them before I do, let me know how it goes!)
New Kitten Video
Rebecca posted a new video on YouTube featuring Augustus at 8 days old.
Be sure to check it out here!
Be sure to check it out here!
Monday, April 23, 2007
Monday's News
What a slow day! Not very much to report at all! Anita stopped by this morning and cleaned the office and education room cages for me, which was a huge help. We had a lot of kitties on meds which always gets me off schedule. Several cats finished their meds, so let's hope they stay healthy! It's very important that people be constantly monitored in the condo to stop the spread of disease.
The best news of today is that our little Twiggy was adopted! Her new family was just BEAMING when they came to get her. She will be spending her days with 2 schnauzers and a seeing eye dog.
The condo looks and feels very empty due to the number of recent adoptions. I certainly miss Billie. It always made me laugh how she would run into animal control's office and meow as loud as she could--I think she just liked the acoustics in there!
Nicole came in to walk dogs. She also got to help me give Pepto to Dixie; I hope the Pepto will come out of my shirt!
Susan covered the office today. She made a ton of calls on adoption applications, but still found time to do some laundry and hand out cookies!
Kiara has been set free in the condo. She was darting all over the condo when Rebecca and I left.
We received 4 DARLING little kittens yesterday. I helped Rebecca vaccinate them--I just didn't think I could do it! We also realized that Prince and Princess Doolittle (condo kittens) needed to be vaccinated, so I vaccinated them--that way Rebecca wouldn't be overly traumatized! We noticed that one of the kittens has an overbite as pronounced as Sweet Pea's underbite! I wonder if it will grow out as he gets older?
Bobby picked up 2 puppies RAL--very cute! One of them looks like the brown version of Freckles--he looks like a fluffy little shepherd on bassett hound legs! The other puppy might be related to him, as they were found RAL in the same area, but he couldn't look more different! Smooth coated, long legged, and very sweet.
DISCLAIMER: The following views expressed in this post are those of the author alone and may not represent the views of PCHS.
This week is World Week for Animals in Laboratories, and Tuesday is World Day for Animals in Laboratories. Events are held yearly to educate the public about the scientific, moral, and economic objections to animal experimentation. I (and others including Martina Navratilova and Mark Twain) am vehemently opposed to vivisection, which is inherently cruel and of little to no scientific value, and I use only products that are not tested on animals. There are a ton of cruelty-free products you can buy at the whole foods store or local corporate retailer, including brands such as Revlon, Freeman, Method Cleaning Products, Almay, Tom's of Maine, and Dr. Bronner's. If you regularly donate to charities (other than PCHS!), you can find out here whether your charity experiments on animals. Think vivisection only affects rats and mice? Think again! Primates of all types, cats & kittens, dogs & puppies, ferrets, pigs and rabbits are among the millions of animals tortured in unnecessary experiments every year. Learn more here.
The best news of today is that our little Twiggy was adopted! Her new family was just BEAMING when they came to get her. She will be spending her days with 2 schnauzers and a seeing eye dog.
The condo looks and feels very empty due to the number of recent adoptions. I certainly miss Billie. It always made me laugh how she would run into animal control's office and meow as loud as she could--I think she just liked the acoustics in there!
Nicole came in to walk dogs. She also got to help me give Pepto to Dixie; I hope the Pepto will come out of my shirt!
Susan covered the office today. She made a ton of calls on adoption applications, but still found time to do some laundry and hand out cookies!
Kiara has been set free in the condo. She was darting all over the condo when Rebecca and I left.
We received 4 DARLING little kittens yesterday. I helped Rebecca vaccinate them--I just didn't think I could do it! We also realized that Prince and Princess Doolittle (condo kittens) needed to be vaccinated, so I vaccinated them--that way Rebecca wouldn't be overly traumatized! We noticed that one of the kittens has an overbite as pronounced as Sweet Pea's underbite! I wonder if it will grow out as he gets older?
Bobby picked up 2 puppies RAL--very cute! One of them looks like the brown version of Freckles--he looks like a fluffy little shepherd on bassett hound legs! The other puppy might be related to him, as they were found RAL in the same area, but he couldn't look more different! Smooth coated, long legged, and very sweet.
DISCLAIMER: The following views expressed in this post are those of the author alone and may not represent the views of PCHS.
This week is World Week for Animals in Laboratories, and Tuesday is World Day for Animals in Laboratories. Events are held yearly to educate the public about the scientific, moral, and economic objections to animal experimentation. I (and others including Martina Navratilova and Mark Twain) am vehemently opposed to vivisection, which is inherently cruel and of little to no scientific value, and I use only products that are not tested on animals. There are a ton of cruelty-free products you can buy at the whole foods store or local corporate retailer, including brands such as Revlon, Freeman, Method Cleaning Products, Almay, Tom's of Maine, and Dr. Bronner's. If you regularly donate to charities (other than PCHS!), you can find out here whether your charity experiments on animals. Think vivisection only affects rats and mice? Think again! Primates of all types, cats & kittens, dogs & puppies, ferrets, pigs and rabbits are among the millions of animals tortured in unnecessary experiments every year. Learn more here.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
NEW BABIES
Today 3 new babies 
were born in the animal control area. The mother was the worlds largest pregnant cat - HUGE - I imagined there were at least 7 babies in there --- only 3 popped out!
Mom is doing really well and all babies are well cared for and are pretty big! Judith watched over them for hours just to make sure all went well.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Saturday's News
Today started out slow enough, but picked up tremendously after 12 pm. Unfortunately, I was there by myself! I got there a little early (around 9), which I like to do so I can let out some dogs and maybe help (and hopefully not hinder) Judith with those odd random chores that always pop up on the weekends!
Peaches, our very sweet black pit bull, was adopted today! The proud new parents were trying to decide between her and Coconut, and I believe they opted for Peaches because they knew that Coconut was "safe." New dad has previously had a pit bull and understands their needs and behaviors. The new parents, Shay, and I spoke outside for quite a while before they decided. I put the time to good use--2 hot dogs and 5 minutes later, Peaches knew how to SIT! New mom practiced this command numerous times without hot dogs and was successful. Peaches seems like a very smart dog who will be easy to train!Also sleeping in a new home tonight is Callie, our timid and sweet little German Shepherd. Her new proud papa picked her up today. He seems like a very patient man (he had to wait a little while because I was swamped by 4 families at once), and he will need that patience to bring Callie out of her shell. She hid under the office desk today while we did the paperwork, probably because Birdie and Ariel were making a big show of not liking her! There were several people in the hall filling out applications, and they all stopped and looked when Ariel let out a big "cat-on-the-back-fence" howl!
Noodle, our overly shaved dilute Calico, went to spend the rest of her days with another of our former shelter animals, H.D., at her new home today. For those that don't recall H.D., he was a sweet little cattle dog puppy who was adopted about a month ago. His new dad says H.D. helps him on the farm every day by fulfilling the role of "dad's shadow." He says H.D. has been exposed to other cats without incident, and since Noodle seems calm around dogs (at least she was around my 2!), this seemed like the perfect match! I told new dad that we would love to post pictures of Noodle and H.D. on our "Happy Endings" page, and he said he would send pictures.
Two nice ladies brought us 2 nice dogs that were dumped near their home. The dogs, dubbed Thelma and Louise by Shay, look like Jack Russell weiner dogs! Very sweet, small, adoptable dogs!
Two more hound puppies came in today as well; Shay let me name them Memphis and Reno. Very sweet and very wormy! All 4 of our new arrivals were vaccinated and the hound puppies were wormed.
I had a few visitors today. Barb, Anita, and Susan (looking totally cool in her convertible) came by to pick up flyers for our Doggone Bluegrass and Fiddle Cats festival (do you just LOVE that name or what?!). Our friend Julie K. came by with towels and bought some raffle tickets and walked some dogs--HUGE help! I didn't get to say thanks before she left, so thanks to Julie!
Draper, our posterior appendage challenged kitty, is now in the condo and is totally cool with that. Boone is now in the education room, and Kiara took his place in a condo cage. As fun as it sounds, Judith and I weren't playing musical cats. Boone is losing hair and may be having a reaction to some meds he was on recently. Judith was my savior today. She talked to a few families (while moving kitties) while I was busy with others and picked up 2 cats from the vet because there was no way I could do it with all the families visiting the shelter (which is a good thing!). I hope we get lots of adoptions from these families!
Everyone please join me in celebrating my favorite holiday--Earth Day! Although to me, every day is earth day (hard to believe I'm such a hippie, isn't it?). Check out this site for things you can do to save the Earth--it's the only one we have!
Friday, April 20, 2007
Friday shelter update
It was a slow day in the office so I tried to get through the paperwork today. Noodle one of the cats in condo has been approved for adoption so the lady will come by tomorrow ( April 21st) to pick her up. Rebecca was impressed with the lady and after I talked to her further because she wants an indoor/outdoor cat she stated they live in a remote area with 7 acres and not close to a busy street. They have a fenced in yard. They had already adopted out H.D. who was nuetered on the van recently, and on that day when I asked if she needed any frontline she had told me she had already ordered the frontline and intercept.
Fonzy's owner finally came in and picked up his pet. I bet Fonzy was begininng to wonder if he would.
The man did not come and get Callie today. Altho he has been approved to adopt her.
The couple that adopted Shadow last week came in and adopted Billie today. I double checked the paperwork to the cat to make sure I was giving them the correct cat. They wanted a playmate for Shadow. Since the woman got to select Shadow it was the husband's turn to select and he stated he had been watching the website all week hoping Billie would still be available.
Last Tuesday the Assisi van took Mr Jingles and Jasmine from the back to rescue. A lady came into adopt them today but they were already gone and she was happy to hear they were rescued. She stated she will come back tomorrow with her husband to see about other cats. I gave her an application.
Well Tonya the puppy was returned (I guess yesterday) and adopted out today. Thursday, Friday, February have all been adopted out. Ocho is the only one from the litter needing a home now and he will probably go tomorrow.
Corky, a small Black Terrier was an owner turn in and it was adopted out today. I am so glad it got adopted Chuck would not be very understanding if I came home with another adorable doggy.
Later in the day Shay brought in a large brown dog that was reported to have been hit by a car. But it had no injuries, no microchip either. It's a little on the thin side. Could use a bath and maybe worming. I gave him some canned food which he wolfed down.
The two littlest kittens in condo are not to be handled. Altho the blacklight did not detect anything I believe a culture has been taken to test for ringworm. I put a tape that says do not touch.
Now back to the paperwork, On the desktop there is a folder for applications that have been processed. I have added the names to the list and noted if they were denied or approved. So if you don't see the paperwork in pending folder or approved folder then I filed it.
Some one came in and paid for the Raffles tickets she had gotten in the mail and then wanted 9 more booklets so I gave them to her and added her name to those taking booklets. She also took flyers to post in her area. AC also took 2 booklets to sell.
I think that covers it for today. Have a great weekend.
Fonzy's owner finally came in and picked up his pet. I bet Fonzy was begininng to wonder if he would.
The man did not come and get Callie today. Altho he has been approved to adopt her.
The couple that adopted Shadow last week came in and adopted Billie today. I double checked the paperwork to the cat to make sure I was giving them the correct cat. They wanted a playmate for Shadow. Since the woman got to select Shadow it was the husband's turn to select and he stated he had been watching the website all week hoping Billie would still be available.
Last Tuesday the Assisi van took Mr Jingles and Jasmine from the back to rescue. A lady came into adopt them today but they were already gone and she was happy to hear they were rescued. She stated she will come back tomorrow with her husband to see about other cats. I gave her an application.
Well Tonya the puppy was returned (I guess yesterday) and adopted out today. Thursday, Friday, February have all been adopted out. Ocho is the only one from the litter needing a home now and he will probably go tomorrow.
Corky, a small Black Terrier was an owner turn in and it was adopted out today. I am so glad it got adopted Chuck would not be very understanding if I came home with another adorable doggy.
Later in the day Shay brought in a large brown dog that was reported to have been hit by a car. But it had no injuries, no microchip either. It's a little on the thin side. Could use a bath and maybe worming. I gave him some canned food which he wolfed down.
The two littlest kittens in condo are not to be handled. Altho the blacklight did not detect anything I believe a culture has been taken to test for ringworm. I put a tape that says do not touch.
Now back to the paperwork, On the desktop there is a folder for applications that have been processed. I have added the names to the list and noted if they were denied or approved. So if you don't see the paperwork in pending folder or approved folder then I filed it.
Some one came in and paid for the Raffles tickets she had gotten in the mail and then wanted 9 more booklets so I gave them to her and added her name to those taking booklets. She also took flyers to post in her area. AC also took 2 booklets to sell.
I think that covers it for today. Have a great weekend.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
A Word from the Webmaster
The Pet Adoption Portal is all set up and it works great! It takes me 1/3 the time to update our listings and many of the functions are easier on Portal than they are if you use the actual listing sites. So cool. Thank you to Rita and Rebecca for sending me a link to this thing - I'm sorry it took me so long to decide to sign up! And a big thanks goes to my contact at the Portal, Liza, for getting everything setup and working (and putting up with all of my questions!)I've also found Google's Web Documents and Spreadsheets function. It allows you to save Word- and Excel-style documents on the web so you can access and edit them from any computer. If you're ever curious how many Animal Control and PCHS animals I currently have listed online*, just visit this site. You can see all of the names by clicking on the "Pet List" tab.
*Unfortunately, my listings may not represent all of the animals that are actually at the shelter on any given day. Hopefully that'll happen someday in the future.
Waggin' Pups Picked Up and Delivered
Yesterday morning at 5 am, 21 Pulaski County shelter dogs were successfully transported to Lollypop Farm in NY through the PetSmart Foundation Rescue Waggin' Program.We dedicate this successful transport in honor and memory of the brave students and employees of VT. Many of our board members and volunteers are VT grads or were actually on campus working when the tragedy occurred. One board member heard the shots from a nearby building, and our webmistress was in the band and friends with Ryan Clark, the RA who was killed in West AJ.
I know that this event has captured each of us but we wanted to share a little joy in the midst of such sadness and stress that GOOD THINGS DO HAPPEN even when humanity is reduced to the very lowest level.
I thank every volunteer and our waggin' folks for all they do to get these animals out of over crowded shelters and into safety.
Thanks to Susan, Laura, Rita, and David for helping load our babies today ! Thanks Barb, Linda, Nicole, and Julie for all the background work prior to the transport. So many help with this, I'm sure I have left someone out!
As the shelter opened for business this day, more puppies and dogs were entering the shelter seeking loving homes.
SPAY AND NEUTER!
The Waggin' is a great thing, but the goal is to end pet overpopulation and the flood of unwanted animals into shelters! This needs to be taken seriously, every homeless animal born is another one that could potentially die without ever finding a loving home.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Wednesday's News
Wednesday's updates are a little late in coming because I didn't have an internet connection last night! Who remembers before there was "the internet?" Did you ever think you would miss it when it wasn't there?
The Waggin' went off without a hitch (no pun intended) this morning. David, Laura, Rebecca, Susan, and I are getting good at this and evidently make a great team. Gayle, the Waggin' coordinator, said she wished she had a video camera to tape us in action to show other groups for training purposes! Twenty-one dogs (12 of whom were teeny puppies) headed for New Jersey before the rest of the world had its first cup of coffee! See below for full report and cute pics!
I found out yesterday that the 5 teeny-tiny kittens that were brought in last week (and were being fostered by Marlena) are now at Anita's house with Tabitha, the fluffy cat from the back cat room. It appears that Tabitha had a litter of kittens, although sadly, their whereabouts are unknown. She was still filled with milk, so Judith suggested letting her feed the kittens. Big THANK YOU to Marlena for feeding these 5 for almost a week in addition to the 2 she is already caring for! What a huge job!
Judith also got a pregnant cat, Sapphire, off the streets yesterday. A well meaning lady has been feeding the strays, several of whom may be pregnant. Judith prevented us from having up to 420,000 cats born in our county over the next 7 years! Read more about coping with kitten season here.
Midnight, one of our many black kitties, has been let loose in the condo. Please be sure that you are adopting out the right kitty! I won't mention any names ; )
We evidently got lots of dogs and puppies in yesterday, although I was only there until about 1:30. We got a nice, friendly, and oddly calm Jack Russell, dubbed Stinker because he had been rolling in cow pies. He was unhappy about getting a bath, but it had to be done!
A pitbull was picked up for chasing goats, and was claimed by his owner the same day.
Shay and Julie picked up a huge milk-chocolate-y looking lab dragging 20 feet of chain behind him. The chain was so rusted and dilapidated, it had to be removed with bolt cutters. If only people knew the facts about chaining dogs!
Barb commandeered the office at 1 p.m. Good thing too, since I was the only sucker left from the 4:45 a.m. Waggin' run and was getting a little loopy. She told me later that we received four 9-week old Walker hound mixes--and get this--they have already been spayed and neutered!
Barb also reported another litter of puppies came in, so it looks like puppy season is in full effect!
Bear, the fluffy black dog that was adopted with Exxon, was brought back yesterday. Luckily for Bear, he is very pretty, friendly, and ADOPTABLE, so he should get a second chance soon!
Are you a Cat lover? Do you love to listen to Irish Drinking Songs? If you answered yes to both of these questions, or are just really curious, check out this website.
That's all for now folks. You can catch my next show on Saturday!
The Waggin' went off without a hitch (no pun intended) this morning. David, Laura, Rebecca, Susan, and I are getting good at this and evidently make a great team. Gayle, the Waggin' coordinator, said she wished she had a video camera to tape us in action to show other groups for training purposes! Twenty-one dogs (12 of whom were teeny puppies) headed for New Jersey before the rest of the world had its first cup of coffee! See below for full report and cute pics!
I found out yesterday that the 5 teeny-tiny kittens that were brought in last week (and were being fostered by Marlena) are now at Anita's house with Tabitha, the fluffy cat from the back cat room. It appears that Tabitha had a litter of kittens, although sadly, their whereabouts are unknown. She was still filled with milk, so Judith suggested letting her feed the kittens. Big THANK YOU to Marlena for feeding these 5 for almost a week in addition to the 2 she is already caring for! What a huge job!
Judith also got a pregnant cat, Sapphire, off the streets yesterday. A well meaning lady has been feeding the strays, several of whom may be pregnant. Judith prevented us from having up to 420,000 cats born in our county over the next 7 years! Read more about coping with kitten season here.
Midnight, one of our many black kitties, has been let loose in the condo. Please be sure that you are adopting out the right kitty! I won't mention any names ; )
We evidently got lots of dogs and puppies in yesterday, although I was only there until about 1:30. We got a nice, friendly, and oddly calm Jack Russell, dubbed Stinker because he had been rolling in cow pies. He was unhappy about getting a bath, but it had to be done!
A pitbull was picked up for chasing goats, and was claimed by his owner the same day.
Shay and Julie picked up a huge milk-chocolate-y looking lab dragging 20 feet of chain behind him. The chain was so rusted and dilapidated, it had to be removed with bolt cutters. If only people knew the facts about chaining dogs!
Barb commandeered the office at 1 p.m. Good thing too, since I was the only sucker left from the 4:45 a.m. Waggin' run and was getting a little loopy. She told me later that we received four 9-week old Walker hound mixes--and get this--they have already been spayed and neutered!
Barb also reported another litter of puppies came in, so it looks like puppy season is in full effect!Bear, the fluffy black dog that was adopted with Exxon, was brought back yesterday. Luckily for Bear, he is very pretty, friendly, and ADOPTABLE, so he should get a second chance soon!
Are you a Cat lover? Do you love to listen to Irish Drinking Songs? If you answered yes to both of these questions, or are just really curious, check out this website.
That's all for now folks. You can catch my next show on Saturday!
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Rescue Waggin Run #4
I'm going to Lollypop...and so are my 7 siblings !21 Pulaski County Animal Shelter dogs will be picked up Wednesday by the PetSmart Rescue Waggin' and travel to Lollypop Farm in NY. This is an INCREDIBLE RESCUE and has a WORLDWIDE reputation for kindness! They take in 15,000 animals annually and many are injured or seriously ill.
"[Lollypop] employs 70 full and part time employees with an annual operating budget of $3.5M. Its 140 acre facility shelters a variety of domestic pets and livestock."
"[Lollypop] employs 70 full and part time employees with an annual operating budget of $3.5M. Its 140 acre facility shelters a variety of domestic pets and livestock."
If you would like to read more about this amazing animal refuge and rescue: http://www.lollypop.org/
I wanted to thank each PCHS volunteer, Dr. Vaughn, and the PetSmart Foundation for making this possible! We are SO fortunate to be able to save our babies from euthanasia.
-- Rebecca
NOTE: Little Kailey pictured above was being handed out at a local feed store to "just anybody that wanted one - unsterilized, and potentially into homes that would tie them out for the rest of their lives". Our volunteers rescued these 9 little 8 week old babies to ensure a quality life with no ability to reproduce. Unfortantly, one died the first night, but the others are doing really well and will travel to Lollypop and receive the best of care.
"FREE TO A GOOD HOME" is NOT a good thing - there is no guarantee that the animals will ever be sterilized or live in a loving home.
"FREE TO A GOOD HOME" is NOT a good thing - there is no guarantee that the animals will ever be sterilized or live in a loving home.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Monday's News
Today certainly had it's ups and downs! This is my first week cleaning the condo on Mondays; Judith was supposed to be off today, but ended up at the shelter twice. She picked up Draper this morning to transport him to the vet to have the rest of his tail removed, then picked him up at the vet to bring him back to us. He is in the education room looking quite perplexed. I think he's a little sensitive about the way his back end is looking right now, so please try not to stare!
Kiara and Walter were moved from the back cat room into the condo. Kiara is fitting in nicely--she swats at everyone who dares to pass her cage! She and Walter will be altered tomorrow on the Assisi van. Mister, the big fluffy cat with the big fluffy head, will also be altered and more than likely shaved. I wonder how much of him is just fur?
Thank goodness for Nicole showing up today! She helped me tremendously by cleaning the office cats' cages and scooping the condo litter boxes. She also loved on Coconut and bathed Robin, one of the Waggin' dogs, who had very bad diarrhea and walked all over it. Nicole bravely administered a big dose of Pepto to Robin and managed to only get a little on herself!
Noodle, who was allowed into the general population on Saturday, has adjusted nicely to her surroundings. She is also now one of the escape artists, so watch out for her!
We received 8 new cats today. The first two that came in are huge and fluffy! One is a 6 year old purebred blue point Persian named Silver Bells Jingle, a.k.a. Mr. Jingles. He was already named when he arrived. Mr. Jingles arrived with Jasmine, a gorgeous black and white long haired kitty. She has black tipped fur with a white undercoat. Both cats are altered, and the owner claimed they are UTD on shots. We are awaiting confirmation.
A kind citizen brought us Mary and her 3 very tiny kittens. Mary is a mostly white calico; she kind of the darker version of Fiona. She says her neighbors moved out and abandoned her with 4 kittens, but one of the kittens did not make it. Mary is VERY sweet and is a good mother to her babies. Rebecca and I vaccinated her, and she was happily feeding her babies when I left this evening.
Another kind citizen brought us Pepper, a big gray male cat. He really likes to MEOW! He was vaccinated and singing a duet with Mister when I left.
Brook arrived in a trap, so I thought she was feral at first. Boy, was I wrong! She is very friendly and sweet. She looks like she may already have URI, as her eyes were somewhat goopy. Brook was also vaccinated today.
An employee from Towne & Country vet clinic in Christiansburg came in today and picked up 2 of our cats from the back room. T&C apparently picks up cats from us on occasion, alters them, and finds them responsible homes. Today, they selected a big male Tuxedo, whose name might be Tom, and Edith, a little gray and white kitty (dilute tuxedo? semi-formal?). Sadly, Tom was FIV+ and was euthanised. As we all know, sick kitties are difficult to place, and sitting in a cage for months is no quality of life. The employee from T&C plans to return to pick up one of our friendly yellow cats (there are 2 in the back currently) and she would also like to take Mary and her babies.
Other unfortunate news: Sugar, our black and brown hound, was returned to us today after being adopted last Thursday. The new owners had changed her name to Maisie. They claimed that she was "aggressive" when they tried to take a bone away from her. She may be food aggressive, so please try to keep a little food in her bowl at all times!
Our shelter received a very nice compliment today. A man came in to drop off an application for assistance and commented on how clean and nice-smelling our shelter is! He said he expected there to be some smell due to all the animals, but our shelter didn't even have that! He mentioned another local shelter, and said their facility has a horrible smell. It may sound silly, but it says a lot about all the hard work that is put into that shelter every day to make it the nicest one around!
Our hearts go out to all the people who have lost a loved one at VA Tech today.
Everyone please take a moment to read about Clementine (article below), our most recent 3-legged animal. Rebecca did a very nice and informative article, and we all need to be aware of the information she presents. Plus, there's a warm and fuzzy story! Thanks Rebecca!
Kiara and Walter were moved from the back cat room into the condo. Kiara is fitting in nicely--she swats at everyone who dares to pass her cage! She and Walter will be altered tomorrow on the Assisi van. Mister, the big fluffy cat with the big fluffy head, will also be altered and more than likely shaved. I wonder how much of him is just fur?
Thank goodness for Nicole showing up today! She helped me tremendously by cleaning the office cats' cages and scooping the condo litter boxes. She also loved on Coconut and bathed Robin, one of the Waggin' dogs, who had very bad diarrhea and walked all over it. Nicole bravely administered a big dose of Pepto to Robin and managed to only get a little on herself!
Noodle, who was allowed into the general population on Saturday, has adjusted nicely to her surroundings. She is also now one of the escape artists, so watch out for her!
We received 8 new cats today. The first two that came in are huge and fluffy! One is a 6 year old purebred blue point Persian named Silver Bells Jingle, a.k.a. Mr. Jingles. He was already named when he arrived. Mr. Jingles arrived with Jasmine, a gorgeous black and white long haired kitty. She has black tipped fur with a white undercoat. Both cats are altered, and the owner claimed they are UTD on shots. We are awaiting confirmation.
A kind citizen brought us Mary and her 3 very tiny kittens. Mary is a mostly white calico; she kind of the darker version of Fiona. She says her neighbors moved out and abandoned her with 4 kittens, but one of the kittens did not make it. Mary is VERY sweet and is a good mother to her babies. Rebecca and I vaccinated her, and she was happily feeding her babies when I left this evening.
Another kind citizen brought us Pepper, a big gray male cat. He really likes to MEOW! He was vaccinated and singing a duet with Mister when I left.
Brook arrived in a trap, so I thought she was feral at first. Boy, was I wrong! She is very friendly and sweet. She looks like she may already have URI, as her eyes were somewhat goopy. Brook was also vaccinated today.
An employee from Towne & Country vet clinic in Christiansburg came in today and picked up 2 of our cats from the back room. T&C apparently picks up cats from us on occasion, alters them, and finds them responsible homes. Today, they selected a big male Tuxedo, whose name might be Tom, and Edith, a little gray and white kitty (dilute tuxedo? semi-formal?). Sadly, Tom was FIV+ and was euthanised. As we all know, sick kitties are difficult to place, and sitting in a cage for months is no quality of life. The employee from T&C plans to return to pick up one of our friendly yellow cats (there are 2 in the back currently) and she would also like to take Mary and her babies.
Other unfortunate news: Sugar, our black and brown hound, was returned to us today after being adopted last Thursday. The new owners had changed her name to Maisie. They claimed that she was "aggressive" when they tried to take a bone away from her. She may be food aggressive, so please try to keep a little food in her bowl at all times!
Our shelter received a very nice compliment today. A man came in to drop off an application for assistance and commented on how clean and nice-smelling our shelter is! He said he expected there to be some smell due to all the animals, but our shelter didn't even have that! He mentioned another local shelter, and said their facility has a horrible smell. It may sound silly, but it says a lot about all the hard work that is put into that shelter every day to make it the nicest one around!
Our hearts go out to all the people who have lost a loved one at VA Tech today.
Everyone please take a moment to read about Clementine (article below), our most recent 3-legged animal. Rebecca did a very nice and informative article, and we all need to be aware of the information she presents. Plus, there's a warm and fuzzy story! Thanks Rebecca!
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Clementine
Earlier this week, Pulaski County Animal Control was called out on an emergency run to rescue little Clementine.Clementine was found by a citizen that had been feeding her outside at her home. The little calico was alone, scared, and seriously injured. She was carefully rescued by Animal Control and rushed to Tipton Ridge Veterinary Medical Center for emergency surgery to remove a full sized arrow from her front leg. Apparently, some cruel neighbors had used her as target practice and left her to suffer. Her leg could not be repaired, so the Humane Society decided to give this little girl a chance -- we would figure out how to pay the bill later. In addition, Clementine was pregnant and unable to carry her babies due to this horrific injury.
Animal control is currently collecting evidence and is attempting to prosecute this case.
Please keep in mind:
- 20% of all intentional animal abuse crimes are committed by teens and 95% of those teens are boys. (source)
- Serial killers almost always started their killing sprees on animals before moving on to people. Studies of violent offenders in prison show that nearly 75% of them had earlier records of animal cruelty. (source)
- In 85% of homes where a woman or child is being abused, there is also an animal who suffers abuse. 60% of women who have been abused have had a pet violently killed. People who abused pets as children are much more likely to commit violent crimes against people. (source)
- Children who abuse animals are often abused and neglected themselves. In one study 25% of domestic violence victims did not try to get help because they feared for the safety of their pets. If you see a child abuse an animal, take it seriously and report it to animal control. It may be a clue that other problems exist in their family situation. (source)
If you see ANYONE abuse an animal, please contact your local Animal Control officers or the Police.
UPDATE: In Clementine's case, a special donor has agreed to pay her vet bill and care for Clementine for THE REST OF HER LIFE !!!! Clementine is in the process of being adopted as a solely indoor cat. She will live the rest of her life in peace, with no fear of injury by a cruel stranger. Her leg is healing very nicely, she LOVES belly rubs, and she is a big purrer. She will live a happy, normal life even though she only has 3 legs. Her fur will grow back over her "scar of saddness".
Please consider making a special donation to help our stray pets that come to us without a home to pay for their care. We have at least one animal each year that needs a limb removed . It is an expensive procedure, and although the vets always reduce the fee for us, it would be nice to have the money set aside for these emergencies. Having reserve funds for emergency care often means the difference between life or death.
Please consider making a special donation to help our stray pets that come to us without a home to pay for their care. We have at least one animal each year that needs a limb removed . It is an expensive procedure, and although the vets always reduce the fee for us, it would be nice to have the money set aside for these emergencies. Having reserve funds for emergency care often means the difference between life or death.
Donations may be made to PCHS, PO Box 1046, Dublin, VA 24084 or online through PayPal --- please mark in the memo line on your check "Clementine Emergency Fund" or select the "Clementine Emergency Fund" option on our online donation page.
Animals need our love and help. How they continue to be so forgiving to humans remains a mystery. Thanks to each of you for caring and a big, BIG THANK YOU to officers McMillian and Lorton, Dr. Vaughn, the citizen that was so upset for poor Clementine, and our wonderful donor!
Spotlight On: Becky
Becky, PCHS Treasurer
Born & raised in Pulaski County, lived here all my life! I share my home with "Minnie" a short haired gray and black tabby that I rescued from the Pulaski Wal-Mart garden center in October 2005. My previous cat "Mike", who was 18 had died that June, I was still grieving and trying to decide when would be the right time to get another cat when "Minnie" found me. I couldn't resist her big yellow eyes and the fact that she reminded me so much of "Mike". As soon as I got her home she jumped on my lap and has been there ever since!
Background/Profession: Graduate of Pulaski County High School and New River Community College with a A.A.S. in Accounting. Employed by the Town of Dublin since September 1983, started as a clerk/cashier, appointed Assistant Treasurer in August 1987, appointed Treasurer from October 1990 to present. Achieved Master Governmental Treasurer in October 2000 through the UVA Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service. Notary Public for the Commonwealth of Virginia since 1987. Named to Who's Who of American Women 2000/2001.
Other Memberships/Organizations: Treasurer's Association of Virginia; Southwest Virginia Clerk/Treasurer's Association; Virginia Government Finance Officers Association.
Hobbies/Interests: Spend time with family and friends; travel; hot air ballooning, either riding or chasing (hey, sometimes it is a good thing to be full of hot air!); hiking; white-water rafting; archery; photography; reading; cross-stitch and any thrill ride that doesn't spin me in circles!
How long with PCHS: Since October 2005. I first went to the shelter to inquire about possibly transporting a dog on my way to visit friends in Northern Virginia and was told by our former President, Mr. Hill, that volunteers were needed in all areas but they especially needed a Treasurer and as they say "the rest is history".
Hopes for the future of PCHS: continue to see the decline of euthanasia rates and higher adoption rates; to educate the public about responsible pet ownership and to see more volunteers recruited.
Hopes for my future: To be able to retire at a relatively young age, so I can have more time to volunteer and travel. Oh yeah, and to still be able to ride the roller coasters!
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Pets of the Week
ARIELAriel is a very special kitty. She came to the shelter with serious injuries and almost didn't make it. Ariel has recovered beautifully and is now a sweet, loving kitty. She's spayed, up to date on vaccines, and FIV/FeLV negative. Ariel does need special food since she has a very sensitive stomach, but we'll be happy to help you find the right stuff!
SHEBASheba is an 11 year old Collie mix who needs some very tender and loving care. She's gentle, quiet and very sweet.
Be sure to check our listings to see the other wonderful animals we have available!
Saturday shelter-update
Rebecca, Laura, Susan and Kayla assisted the vet with preparing dogs for the Rescue Waggin. The dogs got their exams, rabies certificates, and flea treatment, so they are ready to go.
The little runt from the litter of puppies brought in yesterday is being fostered by Anita to insure it is eating. Seems the bigger siblings were not allowing this little one to eat.
Bobby Lorton had a call about an injured cat. The vet checked it and its tail will have to be removed and an appointment has been made for monday. That cat will be placed in the education room to recover when it returns.
Tex was placed into a condo cage today. Noodle was released into the condo, and wasted no time exploring the new surroundings. Shadow was adopted out today to a family that had lost a stray cat they had taken in to Feline Leukemia. The little girl and mother fell in love with her. They were so happy to be taking her home.
There is a cat that has been siezed and is being held by AC in the back room. The vet examined her and stated she is ready to have kittens anytime now. There are two cats in back that need medication so check the book. Meds are in the office refrig.
I signed up a couple more people for the spay van so we did reach our goal of 25 pets for the van. Everyone was given a courtesy call today to remind them about the van and one lady did not have a carrier so I told her about the cardboard carriers we sell for $3.00 and she rushed into the office to buy one.
We had a gentleman who stopped by interested in Callie. He stated she is a beautiful German shepard and he wanted to put a deposit down on her and I had to tell him that she could not go till Monday. She is an AC dog and it is a matter of first come first get, so he is going to try and be here to get the dog Monday.
I called the folks that adopted Exxon and Bear. Exxon's name has been changed to Sugar and the dogs are doing great. Bear is very affectionate and learning to walk with the leash on and likes to sit near the lady. Sugar aka Exxon tries to hog their attention. They are behaving well with no house training accidents. However, Sugar is learning that the furniture is off limits. The couple have scheduled obediance classes so they can train the dogs. The lady stated the two dogs love to play together and she said they could not be happier with their new pets. I reminded her if she had any questions or problems to please feel free to contact us.
The lady who adopted Tonya the puppy called earlier this week and she stated she was returning the puppy. She has not yet returned Tonya.
A lady came with her teen daughter to turn in a cat. I asked why was she was turning it in. She stated the cat was pregnant. They have had a the cat for about 9 months now. It was a stray they saved. I told her about the pregnant cats in back and that the chances of us finding it a home would be slim. So I asked her if I could give her a deal to get it spayed, would she keep the cat. She said "yes", so her cat is scheduled for the van tuesday and the teen daughter thanked me and told me she loved this cat. Mom said thanks so much for helping them out with getting the cat fixed. It feels good to know we can please some of the people some of the time.
On a sad note, a man came in upset that his pit bull which was chained was very ill and everytime he tried to touch it the dog would growl. Bobby was out on an injured cat call so I phoned him. The man waited a few minutes till Bobby returned. Bobby lent the man a muzzle and the man went and picked up his dog. He brought it to the shelter where the vet looked at the dog and stated it was best to put the dog down. The man suspects it may have been poisoned. That was so sad. The man was so upset when he came in that I even let him call the vet from the office to see if he could use tranquilizers to calm the dog so he could handle it and bring it in. Bobby had to stop the dogs suffering. I guess we will never know what caused the dog to become so ill but it is best not to chain your pets and be very aware of what is being fed to your pets. Also, be alert to all of the pet food recalls. Have you checked your pet food to make sure it hasn't been recalled?
There are raffle tickets in the office. Please log on the back of the volunteer sign in book how many booklets of tickets you take.
See ya all soon.
The little runt from the litter of puppies brought in yesterday is being fostered by Anita to insure it is eating. Seems the bigger siblings were not allowing this little one to eat.
Bobby Lorton had a call about an injured cat. The vet checked it and its tail will have to be removed and an appointment has been made for monday. That cat will be placed in the education room to recover when it returns.
Tex was placed into a condo cage today. Noodle was released into the condo, and wasted no time exploring the new surroundings. Shadow was adopted out today to a family that had lost a stray cat they had taken in to Feline Leukemia. The little girl and mother fell in love with her. They were so happy to be taking her home.
There is a cat that has been siezed and is being held by AC in the back room. The vet examined her and stated she is ready to have kittens anytime now. There are two cats in back that need medication so check the book. Meds are in the office refrig.
I signed up a couple more people for the spay van so we did reach our goal of 25 pets for the van. Everyone was given a courtesy call today to remind them about the van and one lady did not have a carrier so I told her about the cardboard carriers we sell for $3.00 and she rushed into the office to buy one.
We had a gentleman who stopped by interested in Callie. He stated she is a beautiful German shepard and he wanted to put a deposit down on her and I had to tell him that she could not go till Monday. She is an AC dog and it is a matter of first come first get, so he is going to try and be here to get the dog Monday.
I called the folks that adopted Exxon and Bear. Exxon's name has been changed to Sugar and the dogs are doing great. Bear is very affectionate and learning to walk with the leash on and likes to sit near the lady. Sugar aka Exxon tries to hog their attention. They are behaving well with no house training accidents. However, Sugar is learning that the furniture is off limits. The couple have scheduled obediance classes so they can train the dogs. The lady stated the two dogs love to play together and she said they could not be happier with their new pets. I reminded her if she had any questions or problems to please feel free to contact us.
The lady who adopted Tonya the puppy called earlier this week and she stated she was returning the puppy. She has not yet returned Tonya.
A lady came with her teen daughter to turn in a cat. I asked why was she was turning it in. She stated the cat was pregnant. They have had a the cat for about 9 months now. It was a stray they saved. I told her about the pregnant cats in back and that the chances of us finding it a home would be slim. So I asked her if I could give her a deal to get it spayed, would she keep the cat. She said "yes", so her cat is scheduled for the van tuesday and the teen daughter thanked me and told me she loved this cat. Mom said thanks so much for helping them out with getting the cat fixed. It feels good to know we can please some of the people some of the time.
On a sad note, a man came in upset that his pit bull which was chained was very ill and everytime he tried to touch it the dog would growl. Bobby was out on an injured cat call so I phoned him. The man waited a few minutes till Bobby returned. Bobby lent the man a muzzle and the man went and picked up his dog. He brought it to the shelter where the vet looked at the dog and stated it was best to put the dog down. The man suspects it may have been poisoned. That was so sad. The man was so upset when he came in that I even let him call the vet from the office to see if he could use tranquilizers to calm the dog so he could handle it and bring it in. Bobby had to stop the dogs suffering. I guess we will never know what caused the dog to become so ill but it is best not to chain your pets and be very aware of what is being fed to your pets. Also, be alert to all of the pet food recalls. Have you checked your pet food to make sure it hasn't been recalled?
There are raffle tickets in the office. Please log on the back of the volunteer sign in book how many booklets of tickets you take.
See ya all soon.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Friday shelter- update
It was busy today and I would say very successful. Ten small puppies came in and they have been vaccinated, wormed and bathed. One of the puppies was adopted out by AC. They look like they are lab mixes.
Suddenly we have a bunch of cats in the back holding area. We did adopt out Chili and Patch today from the condo.
I am struggling to fill the Assisi van for Tuesday. I managed to get about 6 more pets signed up on the van today, with the cats we want to add from the back we should make our 25 pets needed to get the cost break. The lady that adopted Chili said she has been looking for a kitten for awhile now but they are hard to find. Yeah! Does that mean our efforts to have animals spayed and neutered is working? I also got a call from a man who has four stray cats he feeds. He enjoys the cats although 2 are wild and 2 he can pet. So he called asking about trapping them and getting them fixed. Have to talk to Rebecca maybe this could be our first venture at TNR. I am so excited.
A woman came in and was upset that she had to fill out an application to adopt a cat. She had hoped to go home with one today. I explained that in the future all animals will need to have adoption applications and only responsible pet owners will be approved. She filled out her application which I quickly processed so Chili could go to a loving home.
Raffles tickets should be in the office tomorrow, so if you want to sell tickets stop by and I will try to assign you some.
Well TGIF but I will be in the office tomorrow. See ya all later!
Suddenly we have a bunch of cats in the back holding area. We did adopt out Chili and Patch today from the condo.
I am struggling to fill the Assisi van for Tuesday. I managed to get about 6 more pets signed up on the van today, with the cats we want to add from the back we should make our 25 pets needed to get the cost break. The lady that adopted Chili said she has been looking for a kitten for awhile now but they are hard to find. Yeah! Does that mean our efforts to have animals spayed and neutered is working? I also got a call from a man who has four stray cats he feeds. He enjoys the cats although 2 are wild and 2 he can pet. So he called asking about trapping them and getting them fixed. Have to talk to Rebecca maybe this could be our first venture at TNR. I am so excited.
A woman came in and was upset that she had to fill out an application to adopt a cat. She had hoped to go home with one today. I explained that in the future all animals will need to have adoption applications and only responsible pet owners will be approved. She filled out her application which I quickly processed so Chili could go to a loving home.
Raffles tickets should be in the office tomorrow, so if you want to sell tickets stop by and I will try to assign you some.
Well TGIF but I will be in the office tomorrow. See ya all later!
My thoughts for the day
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this post are those of the author alone, are subject to change, and may not represent the views of PCHS. They are being provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. Any copying, reproduction, or redistribution of any of the documents, data, content, or materials contained in this post, without the express written consent of the author, is enthusiastically encouraged.
The American Kennel Club announced in a press release on April 3rd that they believe bans and restrictions on tethering are unnecessary because of the "substantive animal cruelty statutes already in place." The press release then goes on to quote North Carolina's cruelty statute as an example. Like to hear it? Here it go*:
§ 14-360. Cruelty to animals;
(a) If any person shall intentionally overdrive, overload, wound, injure, torment, kill, or deprive of necessary sustenance, or cause or procure to be overdriven, overloaded, wounded, injured, tormented, killed, or deprived of necessary sustenance, any animal, every such offender shall for every such offense be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.
The AKC's anti-dog, pro-commerce press release goes on to state: "This law applies to any act, omission, or case of neglect causing or permitting unjustifiable pain, suffering or death to an animal. Enforcement of this law effectively negates any need for the proposed legislation."
Let me first point out that animal cruelty statutes are far from being substantive; they are, at best, vague and inadequate. And even if a law is enforced, the punishment is grossly insufficient. Many law enforcement, animal control, and humane officers work diligently to get cruelty cases prosecuted, only to be scoffed at by prosecutors, defense attorneys, and judges for clogging up the court system when there are "real" crimes to be prosecuted. Several animal control/humane officers at the VFHS conference expressed that they generally had to rely on the "failure to provide veterinary care" part of Virginia's statute to get cases prosecuted. North Carolina's statute does not specifically have a vet care component; therefore, situations like the one pictured here may be difficult to prosecute:
Hard to believe, but it happens EVERY DAY.
The AKC would have you believe that a tethering ordinance is not necessary. Why? Because the AKC receives income registering breeder and puppy mill puppies, and many breeders and puppy millers notoriously keep their dogs chained and penned outside 24/7. Tethering ordinances would affect the breeders, which would negatively affect the AKC's money making abilities. But, you might ask, wouldn't this also mean that breeders are against tethering ordinances? Why yes, yes they are, including Roanoke's own Tom Garner.
You might be thinking, "This is insane! What can I do?" Well, you might want to contact AKC President Dennis Sprung at dbs@akc.org. And for more information on what you can do to help chained dogs, click this.
Thanks to Jack's blog for keeping me informed and for the witty disclaimer.
*I would love to hear from you if you understood this reference ; )
The American Kennel Club announced in a press release on April 3rd that they believe bans and restrictions on tethering are unnecessary because of the "substantive animal cruelty statutes already in place." The press release then goes on to quote North Carolina's cruelty statute as an example. Like to hear it? Here it go*:
§ 14-360. Cruelty to animals;
(a) If any person shall intentionally overdrive, overload, wound, injure, torment, kill, or deprive of necessary sustenance, or cause or procure to be overdriven, overloaded, wounded, injured, tormented, killed, or deprived of necessary sustenance, any animal, every such offender shall for every such offense be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.
The AKC's anti-dog, pro-commerce press release goes on to state: "This law applies to any act, omission, or case of neglect causing or permitting unjustifiable pain, suffering or death to an animal. Enforcement of this law effectively negates any need for the proposed legislation."
Let me first point out that animal cruelty statutes are far from being substantive; they are, at best, vague and inadequate. And even if a law is enforced, the punishment is grossly insufficient. Many law enforcement, animal control, and humane officers work diligently to get cruelty cases prosecuted, only to be scoffed at by prosecutors, defense attorneys, and judges for clogging up the court system when there are "real" crimes to be prosecuted. Several animal control/humane officers at the VFHS conference expressed that they generally had to rely on the "failure to provide veterinary care" part of Virginia's statute to get cases prosecuted. North Carolina's statute does not specifically have a vet care component; therefore, situations like the one pictured here may be difficult to prosecute:
Hard to believe, but it happens EVERY DAY.
The AKC would have you believe that a tethering ordinance is not necessary. Why? Because the AKC receives income registering breeder and puppy mill puppies, and many breeders and puppy millers notoriously keep their dogs chained and penned outside 24/7. Tethering ordinances would affect the breeders, which would negatively affect the AKC's money making abilities. But, you might ask, wouldn't this also mean that breeders are against tethering ordinances? Why yes, yes they are, including Roanoke's own Tom Garner.
You might be thinking, "This is insane! What can I do?" Well, you might want to contact AKC President Dennis Sprung at dbs@akc.org. And for more information on what you can do to help chained dogs, click this.
Thanks to Jack's blog for keeping me informed and for the witty disclaimer.
*I would love to hear from you if you understood this reference ; )
Thursday, April 12, 2007
thursday shelter update
Hey I was only there from 3:30 till 7 pm today. I saw Rita, Nicole, Joanne were there and everyone was busy while Bob was sorting out paperwork in the office and answering calls.
A couple came in who had been pre-approved for two dogs and they selected Exxon and Bear as their new pets. They had their car filled with dog feeding supplies, a metal crate, auto watering bowl, new leashes and they said they had new collars at home. They also showed me their new vets business card. I am glad they selected these two dogs as they get along very well playing together.
I looked and Sugar was gone so I assume AC adopted her out. Rebecca and Laura were testing dogs for Rescue waggin and those that passed testing are now in the back room and signs have been placed on the doors that the pets in back are not up for adoption. So they were they there till after 7pm. Cris was in preparing our deposit.
However we still can show Precious, Sheba and Coconut. I am going to ask Julie tomorrow if we can moved T-Bone and Jacki up front.
A litter of tiny kittens came in that need bottle feeding and one of our volunteers is fostering them till they can be weaned.
I can hardly wait to see the flyers for the raffle. I hope everyone signs up to help sell the tickets. There are some awesome prizes. All Committee Chairs and any interested volunteers need to attend the next meeting at McGuires Tuesday April 17th at 6pm. We will need help with booths , walking dogs and all kinds of things. Don't worry there will be plenty of time to join in the fun as well. This is an opportunity to make a lot of money to help with our future goals.
Well I am pooped it has been a busy week for all the volunteers but we are getting alot done. So a big thanks to you all.
A couple came in who had been pre-approved for two dogs and they selected Exxon and Bear as their new pets. They had their car filled with dog feeding supplies, a metal crate, auto watering bowl, new leashes and they said they had new collars at home. They also showed me their new vets business card. I am glad they selected these two dogs as they get along very well playing together.
I looked and Sugar was gone so I assume AC adopted her out. Rebecca and Laura were testing dogs for Rescue waggin and those that passed testing are now in the back room and signs have been placed on the doors that the pets in back are not up for adoption. So they were they there till after 7pm. Cris was in preparing our deposit.
However we still can show Precious, Sheba and Coconut. I am going to ask Julie tomorrow if we can moved T-Bone and Jacki up front.
A litter of tiny kittens came in that need bottle feeding and one of our volunteers is fostering them till they can be weaned.
I can hardly wait to see the flyers for the raffle. I hope everyone signs up to help sell the tickets. There are some awesome prizes. All Committee Chairs and any interested volunteers need to attend the next meeting at McGuires Tuesday April 17th at 6pm. We will need help with booths , walking dogs and all kinds of things. Don't worry there will be plenty of time to join in the fun as well. This is an opportunity to make a lot of money to help with our future goals.
Well I am pooped it has been a busy week for all the volunteers but we are getting alot done. So a big thanks to you all.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Wednesday's News
What a busy day! I'm tired, so this will be quick! Lots of visitors and helpers today. Kayla helped me in the condo, while Anita tackled the puppy room. Lisa and JoAnne came in to help LuAnn get spay/neuter packs together in preparation for our clinic. Laura came by to visit and to check on some paperwork. Nicole came in to walk dogs. Debbie came in to do some MUCH NEEDED grooming in the condo. Barb covered the office (harder than it sounds) and Billy beat a pile of laundry into submission! Lisa and Kayla both helped me do some pre-testing on dogs who have been chosen to go on the next Waggin'. It takes an ARMY to get things done some days!
Ariel and Birdie are back in the office, and Tex has moved into the education room. His hair is growing back nicely. Chili has been let loose in the condo, and he is very happy to be swatting at everything in his path. The new kitty in the condo is Topaz, a very sweet long-haired black kitty. Some of you may remember giving her meds while she was recovering from her spay surgery.
LOTS of adoptions today! A very good friend of our friend Lynne came in to fill out a volunteer application, and ended up going home with Fletchen and Farley--our bonded pair! I hope she comes back to volunteer so I can hear about her new kitties' antics!
Walker, the little black terrier, went home to spend the rest of his days with his new little girl. Boomer, the border collie puppy, went home with his new little girl and a big brother named Lucky. A very nice family came all the way from Salem to meet Banika because they fell in love with her picture on the internet.
FIVE animals were adopted today! Barb got to do all the paperwork AND answer the phone AND call vets for references AND log the money. See why it's harder than it sounds?
A very cute little terrier named Fonzy came in on Tuesday. He has the cutest underbite! A new puppy came in today; not exactly sure what she is! Julie named her Sierra, and she is very sweet. I think Kayla fell in love with her instantly!
Other good news not directly related to our shelter:
Last night, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act! This legislation is now before President Bush who, according to the HSUS, is expected to sign it into law. This will enact FEDERAL PENALTIES for animal fighting! More info on this bill here: http://www.hsus.org/legislation_laws/federal_legislation/cruelty_issues/animal_fighting_bill_forward.html
Martinsville stopped using the gas chamber! This means that the only jurisdictions in Virginia who still use this dangerous and cruel method of euthanasia are Lee, Scott, and Wythe Counties, although I have been advised that Lee County's gas chamber may have been shut down by the state.
Get the facts on Carbon Monoxide poisoning at http://www.peta.org/feat/yadkin/co2.html.
To help in the fight against gas chambers in the remaining jurisdictions, go to http://www.virginiavotersforanimalwelfare.com/index.htm.
Ariel and Birdie are back in the office, and Tex has moved into the education room. His hair is growing back nicely. Chili has been let loose in the condo, and he is very happy to be swatting at everything in his path. The new kitty in the condo is Topaz, a very sweet long-haired black kitty. Some of you may remember giving her meds while she was recovering from her spay surgery.
LOTS of adoptions today! A very good friend of our friend Lynne came in to fill out a volunteer application, and ended up going home with Fletchen and Farley--our bonded pair! I hope she comes back to volunteer so I can hear about her new kitties' antics!
Walker, the little black terrier, went home to spend the rest of his days with his new little girl. Boomer, the border collie puppy, went home with his new little girl and a big brother named Lucky. A very nice family came all the way from Salem to meet Banika because they fell in love with her picture on the internet.
FIVE animals were adopted today! Barb got to do all the paperwork AND answer the phone AND call vets for references AND log the money. See why it's harder than it sounds?
A very cute little terrier named Fonzy came in on Tuesday. He has the cutest underbite! A new puppy came in today; not exactly sure what she is! Julie named her Sierra, and she is very sweet. I think Kayla fell in love with her instantly!
Other good news not directly related to our shelter:
Last night, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act! This legislation is now before President Bush who, according to the HSUS, is expected to sign it into law. This will enact FEDERAL PENALTIES for animal fighting! More info on this bill here: http://www.hsus.org/legislation_laws/federal_legislation/cruelty_issues/animal_fighting_bill_forward.html
Martinsville stopped using the gas chamber! This means that the only jurisdictions in Virginia who still use this dangerous and cruel method of euthanasia are Lee, Scott, and Wythe Counties, although I have been advised that Lee County's gas chamber may have been shut down by the state.
Get the facts on Carbon Monoxide poisoning at http://www.peta.org/feat/yadkin/co2.html.
To help in the fight against gas chambers in the remaining jurisdictions, go to http://www.virginiavotersforanimalwelfare.com/index.htm.
Tuesday update
Tuesday was busy as always at the shelter. I brought in our litter of 9 pups that Rebecca found and Rita picked up and thoughtfully brought to my house for an overnight visit before coming in to the shelter. They all had breakfast and baths and came in to the shelter just before lunch. Julie signed them over to us as Rebecca has arranged for them to go to the Rescue Waggin.Yes, folks another early morning comin up next week when the Waggin swings into town, on Wednesday, I think. More later. Meanwhile Rebecca was busy as well ordering meds and coordinating our testing schedule among the thousands of other things she does. Anita and Kayla were busy walking dogs and coordinating play dates as well as doing some grooming and whew! I can't keep up. Precious and Exxon had a great date in the yard as well as others. Sheba got brushed some --so far to go-- and got out to the yard as well.
Joanne was cleaning the condo and medicating cats and she and Anita bathed at least four cats who perched very indignantly in the Ed Room for part of the afternoon. Joanne and Rebecca were also doing meds and Anita helping with a major scrub in the cat condo.
Susan stopped by with a Volunteer Sign in book for the office. It's on the desk. Thanks Susan.
She was looking for doner letters in the office???? Has anyone seen them? I'll try and get some more there today.
Nicole was walking dogs and brought us some new kong type toys for the dogs as well. There are stuffing ideas on the fridge in the office. Thank you Nicole. She also noted that Walmart in Pulaski has all their pet things on sale if anyone is by there. Anita brought in peanut butter for stuffing, thanks to you as well Anita.
I was just in the office returning calls and working on adoption applications. We had phone calls about a rooster fighting ad on NRV Today which the editor kindly deleted when I emailed him. When anyone has time, you might email him and thank him for the support that they give us. They run free ads, have a shelter animal needing adoption on their front page for us that changes each time the site is hit. Linda works hard with this keeping it up to date. Thanks for all you do as well, Linda, even though we don't see you often, we know you are there.
I did get applications approved for Boomer and Lad and Boomer will go to his new home tomorrow. When I called they were estatic and the little girl called back and thanked us again. They are coming right after school. Lots of folks were looking for dogs and put in applications yesterday as well.
It was both Donnie and Dean's birthday so Animal Control provided an ice cream cake! Thanks for lunch Guys! Julie and Jane came in for Yappy hour and walked all the dogs again! They walk for us every Tuesday night. Shay is working on a sign to advertise Yappy Hour for us and I'm trying to get it printed. Rebecca will be doing train the trainer for those who are interested in working with our dogs on hot dog or clicker training from 5-6 at Yappy hour for the next several weeks. It's amazing and really fun!
That's all that I can remember foks although I know that I left out a lot. Feel free to add!
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Monday, April 9, 2007
Monday- Shelter Update
Just to update our volunteers: Dehaven, Reese and Sam the puppy had been adopted out over the weekend. Al was adopted out today and Joyce changed Hazel the german shepards name to Callie. Banika is back. If dogs come in with fleas and ticks please bath and try to remove the ticks, we have the jar in grooming room to put those type critters in. It seems tick season has come early and many of the dogs as of here recently are coming in with them. For those dogs that have major ticks problems we do have an application in the office that can be used. Please remember tick control is very expensive and we need to use with discretion. Rebecca advised me that all animals going to Rescue Waggin will have to be treated. Make sure should you use tick medication on a dog to write it on their paperwork. Laura brought in bones for the dogs these bones are to stay with the dogs they are given to. These bones can be filled with peanut butter as can the kongs. I will place a large jar of peanut butter in the office refrig. Lets try to keep an eye on the kongs, they can be reused after cleaning and sterilizing. Also if you are going to go in and groom the cats it's highly recommended that you use a blue volunteer apron.
Tuesdays evenings during Yappy hour from 5-6 pm Rebecca will be teaching some training techniques so we can teach shelter dogs some basic commands. This will increase their chances for adoption.
Tuesdays evenings during Yappy hour from 5-6 pm Rebecca will be teaching some training techniques so we can teach shelter dogs some basic commands. This will increase their chances for adoption.
Doggone Bluegrass Season
The McGuire's Campground's First Annual Doggone Bluegrass Show benefiting the Pulaski County Humane Society
is scheduled for May 12th from 11:00 to 5:00 and the big day is just a month away! We are very excited and very much appreciate the hard work and effort of Mike and Sherry McGuire in coordinating and this awesome event!
Sherry will be stirring up some of her good Shamrock Cafe' cookin' with hotdogs and the fixin's while Mike and the boy's are mashin' it on the strings with live music throughout the day. You might even catch Laura Walters throwing down a little flat footin' on the stage.
We are going have lots of great music, fun activities, craft vendors, and awesome raffle prizes.
Corporate Sponsors are invited to participate in this fun event for the entire family. If your business would like to be a corporate sponsor or make a donation, please contact me. This is a great opportunity to publicize your business while making a tax deductible donation towards supporting homeless pets in Pulaski County.
If you are an area craftsman or vendor that would like to purchase a spot, you may call 276-233-3528 or email cris_thompson1@yahoo.com. Vendor spaces are $50 and these, as well as all other proceeds, go directly to the Pulaski County Humane Society.
One last thing...we need man and woman power to successfully hold this event. Scout troops, civic groups, and individuals are invited to participate. We have numerous duties (walking shelter pets, tickets, food, bake sale and raffle, set up/clean up, parking) and need your help. Contact me if you or your group would like to help.
So, mark your calendar for May 12th and join us for some good food, good fun, and good golly bluegrass at McGuire's Campground in Dublin. And keep checking the blog for updates!
Cris Thompson
cris_thompson1@yahoo.com
276-233-3528
Saturday, April 7, 2007
Saturday's News
I hope everyone is staying warm this weekend!
I hadn't planned on going to the shelter this weekend, but since it was cold and I didn't feel like doing anything else, Billy and I rolled in at about 11 this morning. My original plan was for Billy and I to have some quiet time with a few dogs that need it (Poncho, Walker, and Bear), but I ended up doing so many other things!
Becky and Brenda were helping a family when Billy and I arrived. Brenda had already had Poncho out for a walk and had some quiet time with him in the education room. The family asked to see Wendy, the small yellow lab who came in a few days ago. She seems a little scared out of her kennel, so she may need to be added to the quiet time list. I offered to show them Al, a bigger yellow lab, and they really liked him! They found him to be very sweet and smart. He may also be house trained because he was scratching at the front door, so Billy took him out and he went to the bathroom. They plan to pick him up Monday, and filled out an application in case he was transferred to us.
A lady came in and seemed very interested in either Walker or Coconut. She took an application with her and plans to bring her fiance back to see who he likes.
Good news! Santino went to his new home today! Billy was holding him earlier and saying he couldn't believe that he was still at the shelter! He went to a very nice family, and I was glad I got to be there to say good-bye. Barb and Bill came just in time to say good-bye as well. And they brought dog food!
Cookie, the little black and white spotted terrier, went to his new home on Friday. Sheffey (the Dalmatian) and Trigger (one of Bell's trio of puppies) were also adopted this weekend.
Two cats came in on Thursday that I wasn't aware of: Burt and Edith. Burt is a tuxedo, and Edith is a pretty little gray and white kitty. They have not had their shots yet because they are possibly feral, but Judith has been working with them since they got here. A huge fluffy tuxedo named Mister came in yesterday; he was found stray and brought in by a citizen.
A sheriff's deputy brought in a pretty and friendly walker hound today. She was trying to catch rabbits, which is what hounds do. Unfortunately, the rabbits she was trying to catch were in someone's hutch! She was vaccinated and was sitting happily on a fluffy towel when I left.
Billy was able to spend some quiet time with Walker. He combed Walker and found him to be tick-free! Nicole and Rita-1; Ticks-0!
A lady came in with a donation of a very nice cat bed, toys, 2 litter pans, and some food. I wasn't up front when she came in, but Becky and I got the feeling that her cat recently passed away. Since we don't use the large, open litter pans in the condo, I scrubbed and bleached them and put them in the puppy room for foot baths--it looks so much roomier in there! The dog beds that were being used as foot baths are in the grooming room, along with the bed I removed from Cookie's kennel. We only need one more litter pan to replace dog bed in the front dog area, so we can start using the dog beds for their intended purpose!
I would really like to thank Judith for cleaning and rearranging the education room and straightening up the office. Wow! What a difference! Now we can get to the chalkboard easier to check the chore list and there is more floor space in the office. Great job, Judith!
Everyone, enjoy your holiday!
Friday, April 6, 2007
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Thursday's News
Today was one of those days where you wonder what the heck goes on in the Cat Condo at night! Those cats must be havin' some kind of party!
Got a late start this morning and had to call Laura and Judith (who graciously offered to come in to help me on her day off) to make sense of the condo log. Please try to be clear in the log about medical issues, medications, etc. so that no animal is left sick or suffering. Even if you know what you mean, the person coming in the next morning might not! It is also very helpful to start the log for the next day. I try to do this every Thursday, and I only hope that Judith can read my chicken scratch!
Luckily, I had lots of help today. David got finished with the back cat room, so he got a clean shirt and scrubbed up like a surgeon to do the education room and office cats. What a big help that was! Everyone please be careful what you put on top of the office cats' cage! I came in this morning to a shredded roll of paper towels that was stuck behind the basket! Also, Tex somehow got a hold of a large screw and was chewing on it---thank you David for finding that!
Jessica came in today and was also a great help. She scooped the general population litter boxes and swept the floor while I cleaned the cages. I also had her take down the last of the Valentine's Day hearts (we saved them for next year--they were very cute). Too late to decorate for Easter; any ideas for what to do next?
Susan came by "just to say hi." Seriously. She just rolled in, and rolled out. I don't know what kind of voodoo magic that woman is using, but I need some of that! She has evidently been sharing it with Laura, who also made an appearance.
Bob came in to handle the office--Thank goodness for the office folks! That's a job I could do without! I can deal with unruly dogs and fractious cats all day, but people are a different story!
Nicole came in to walk dogs, and JoAnne came in for PM meds. Thanks to both of them because I had several side projects going on. A lot of the plastic dog bed/platforms were outside leaning on the wall--only 2 dogs on rescue row had beds! So I scrubbed and bleached, and JoAnne put them in the kennels for me, and now our dogs don't have to sleep on the floor. Has anyone ever sat on the floor in one of the kennels? The concrete is COLD on your butt, isn't it? Imagine having to sleep on it.
All of the general population cat beds were flogged, laundered, flogged, dried, and flogged again, in hopes that the cat hair will lessen somewhat. Remember gang---comb just one kitty!
Some kinda sad/kinda happy news: unfortunately, Precious (the black terrier) didn't work out in his new home. We did learn that he should not be placed with cats (no kitties were harmed during the course of this adoption). His new mama had to bring him back and felt terrible but still wanted to get a dog from us, so she took home the other Precious--the white terrier. I hope she will get along with her new canine and feline family!
Another dog was returned today: Banika, the dog that never stops barking. She is in a big kennel in the back room now, and she barks less. She is still as cute and playful as ever!
Snoopy, the white pit bull who was related to Caine by marriage, was picked up today by his owner. That's all I've got to say about that.
No new cats today, but we did get 4 new dogs. Sheffey, an adult male Dalmatian, seems very sweet and is beautiful. Also beautiful is Hazel, a german shepherd that Bobby and Shay trapped today. Very bright and alert! She looks like a tiny police dog! Possibly, a tiny, PREGNANT police dog! A kind citizen brought in Wendy, a hound-y/lab looking mix she found stray. Another sweetie! My favorite of the day (and I'm sure Nicole's favorite, too) is Walker, a small male terrier that looks like the black version of Precious. Walker wins the award for having the most ticks Nicole and I have ever seen at once! His furry little butt was just covered in burrs, and he was stinky, so I started giving him a bath. Then the tick army started marching up my arms, so Nicole grabbed the "Death Jar" from the cabinet and we started picking. I'm sure we got 50 ticks off this dog, and strangely, they were just running around for the most part! Hardly any had bit into him, so we had to chase them! What made this experience even more enjoyable, though, was the fact that this dog was very gassy! So I had to worm him as well. What a tolerant dog!
No adoptions today, but lots of visitors. And there are a few animals that will be going out this weekend. The animal control website changes are nice, and hopefully, with the animals being kept up to date, more folks will come to see them! Thanks Linda!
Good luck to you in the morning, Judith. I'm sure the cats are pouring some out for their homies......
Got a late start this morning and had to call Laura and Judith (who graciously offered to come in to help me on her day off) to make sense of the condo log. Please try to be clear in the log about medical issues, medications, etc. so that no animal is left sick or suffering. Even if you know what you mean, the person coming in the next morning might not! It is also very helpful to start the log for the next day. I try to do this every Thursday, and I only hope that Judith can read my chicken scratch!
Luckily, I had lots of help today. David got finished with the back cat room, so he got a clean shirt and scrubbed up like a surgeon to do the education room and office cats. What a big help that was! Everyone please be careful what you put on top of the office cats' cage! I came in this morning to a shredded roll of paper towels that was stuck behind the basket! Also, Tex somehow got a hold of a large screw and was chewing on it---thank you David for finding that!
Jessica came in today and was also a great help. She scooped the general population litter boxes and swept the floor while I cleaned the cages. I also had her take down the last of the Valentine's Day hearts (we saved them for next year--they were very cute). Too late to decorate for Easter; any ideas for what to do next?
Susan came by "just to say hi." Seriously. She just rolled in, and rolled out. I don't know what kind of voodoo magic that woman is using, but I need some of that! She has evidently been sharing it with Laura, who also made an appearance.
Bob came in to handle the office--Thank goodness for the office folks! That's a job I could do without! I can deal with unruly dogs and fractious cats all day, but people are a different story!
Nicole came in to walk dogs, and JoAnne came in for PM meds. Thanks to both of them because I had several side projects going on. A lot of the plastic dog bed/platforms were outside leaning on the wall--only 2 dogs on rescue row had beds! So I scrubbed and bleached, and JoAnne put them in the kennels for me, and now our dogs don't have to sleep on the floor. Has anyone ever sat on the floor in one of the kennels? The concrete is COLD on your butt, isn't it? Imagine having to sleep on it.
All of the general population cat beds were flogged, laundered, flogged, dried, and flogged again, in hopes that the cat hair will lessen somewhat. Remember gang---comb just one kitty!
Some kinda sad/kinda happy news: unfortunately, Precious (the black terrier) didn't work out in his new home. We did learn that he should not be placed with cats (no kitties were harmed during the course of this adoption). His new mama had to bring him back and felt terrible but still wanted to get a dog from us, so she took home the other Precious--the white terrier. I hope she will get along with her new canine and feline family!
Another dog was returned today: Banika, the dog that never stops barking. She is in a big kennel in the back room now, and she barks less. She is still as cute and playful as ever!
Snoopy, the white pit bull who was related to Caine by marriage, was picked up today by his owner. That's all I've got to say about that.
No new cats today, but we did get 4 new dogs. Sheffey, an adult male Dalmatian, seems very sweet and is beautiful. Also beautiful is Hazel, a german shepherd that Bobby and Shay trapped today. Very bright and alert! She looks like a tiny police dog! Possibly, a tiny, PREGNANT police dog! A kind citizen brought in Wendy, a hound-y/lab looking mix she found stray. Another sweetie! My favorite of the day (and I'm sure Nicole's favorite, too) is Walker, a small male terrier that looks like the black version of Precious. Walker wins the award for having the most ticks Nicole and I have ever seen at once! His furry little butt was just covered in burrs, and he was stinky, so I started giving him a bath. Then the tick army started marching up my arms, so Nicole grabbed the "Death Jar" from the cabinet and we started picking. I'm sure we got 50 ticks off this dog, and strangely, they were just running around for the most part! Hardly any had bit into him, so we had to chase them! What made this experience even more enjoyable, though, was the fact that this dog was very gassy! So I had to worm him as well. What a tolerant dog!
No adoptions today, but lots of visitors. And there are a few animals that will be going out this weekend. The animal control website changes are nice, and hopefully, with the animals being kept up to date, more folks will come to see them! Thanks Linda!
Good luck to you in the morning, Judith. I'm sure the cats are pouring some out for their homies......
Update: Ruth went to Rescue
Ruth is doing wonderful! She is such a sweetie. She is very funny too. She likes to sleep alot. She found a favorite spot - the bottom shelf of a shelving unit we have in our laundry room. she squeezes herself in next to the towels and goes to sleep. She also likes to snuggle on the couch in the evenings. She is eating well and my 6 other dogs love her. She had a bath but did not like that at all. She smells really good now. Ruth does like to run off. She can not be trusted outside in our yard alone or she will run to the gate and try to squeeze out. I keep her on a long long leash (not tiedup to anything) and let her run around the yard that way I can catch her when she tries to make her escape. Yesterday she started to join in the evening race around the property. she tried to keep up with the younger dogs! We have 2.5 acres and she especially loves to explore the wooded area in our yard. We really love her and she knows it.
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Precious
I checked on Precious today and she has learned to go downstairs and sleep in the bed. She had chicken for dinner last night and shared with her new dog friend Snoopy! She's not food aggressive but still a little scared of her surroundings and doesn't like loud noises. She likes to fetch and play ball. Ute says her dad likes her too! She's doing great!
Wednesday Shelter update
It was not as busy today as it was yesterday.
A large white pit bull which is believed to have been with Caine has been brought in. It has some injuries to its ear. It will be needing triple antibiotic ointment applied to the injuries. Nicole gave the dog a bath.
Three small puppies were brought into the puppy room. They are cute as can be. Billy, Nicole and I each grabbed one gave them a bath, removed ticks, cleaned ears and dried them with a hair dryer and brushed burrs from their coats. All above dogs were vaccinated.
An application has been approved for Cookie and the people will come on Friday bringing their dog to make sure that the two get along. Santino has been approved for adoption and should get picked up Friday or Saturday. There is a couple coming from Roanoke and they are approved for pets. Just check the approved adoption folder of not sure.
I looked for the kongs and I found 3 so just refilled and gave back to the dogs. Later I found the other 2 small ones they still had a biscuit in them. I am new to kongs and could not figure out how to get the biscuit out so I could clean , sterilize and give to another dog. I found those two in the little basket near the grooming room door with the toys.
Billy and Nicole walked all the dogs. Billy did laundry and put things away and made copies we needed.
There is a list of chores on the chalk board in the Education Room that need to be done.
So volunteers if you should run out of something to do check the board. Also if you see something that needs to be done and you could not get to it, please add it to the board.
Please remember to walk Precious the white terrier, and Poncho needs to take a nice long walk for socialization reasons. If you have time to play with him that would not hurt either.
Well Barb popped in got some info and pictures and will be featuring Bell's 3 puppies as pet of the week. It was hard trying to get 3 wiggling puppies to pose for a picture.
Exxon is so happy and you would never know she just had been spayed. However I did have the LVT check her and all seemed well.
I did ask about Maddy the dog on AC site and it was adopted out. Julie stated she went to a great home.
There is a choke chain and flea comb in the grooming room sink I sprayed with bleach and forgot to put them away so if you read this and go in please hang the collar on hook near back door and flea comb can go back in drawer.
If you are showing cats in the condo, please make sure people do not pet a cat through the bars then pet a different cat . Some of the cats currently in cages have colds. I had that happen today after I had just explained they should not put hands from one cage to another without sanitizing between cats. I tried to explain to the lady that she had just transmitted one cats illness to the other cat. She became very indignant and left. People just don't seem to understand how easy it is transmit disease. Hopefully we can educate them.
The shelter is open Friday regular hours.
Hope you all have a wonderful Easter Weekend.
A large white pit bull which is believed to have been with Caine has been brought in. It has some injuries to its ear. It will be needing triple antibiotic ointment applied to the injuries. Nicole gave the dog a bath.
Three small puppies were brought into the puppy room. They are cute as can be. Billy, Nicole and I each grabbed one gave them a bath, removed ticks, cleaned ears and dried them with a hair dryer and brushed burrs from their coats. All above dogs were vaccinated.
An application has been approved for Cookie and the people will come on Friday bringing their dog to make sure that the two get along. Santino has been approved for adoption and should get picked up Friday or Saturday. There is a couple coming from Roanoke and they are approved for pets. Just check the approved adoption folder of not sure.
I looked for the kongs and I found 3 so just refilled and gave back to the dogs. Later I found the other 2 small ones they still had a biscuit in them. I am new to kongs and could not figure out how to get the biscuit out so I could clean , sterilize and give to another dog. I found those two in the little basket near the grooming room door with the toys.
Billy and Nicole walked all the dogs. Billy did laundry and put things away and made copies we needed.
There is a list of chores on the chalk board in the Education Room that need to be done.
So volunteers if you should run out of something to do check the board. Also if you see something that needs to be done and you could not get to it, please add it to the board.
Please remember to walk Precious the white terrier, and Poncho needs to take a nice long walk for socialization reasons. If you have time to play with him that would not hurt either.
Well Barb popped in got some info and pictures and will be featuring Bell's 3 puppies as pet of the week. It was hard trying to get 3 wiggling puppies to pose for a picture.
Exxon is so happy and you would never know she just had been spayed. However I did have the LVT check her and all seemed well.
I did ask about Maddy the dog on AC site and it was adopted out. Julie stated she went to a great home.
There is a choke chain and flea comb in the grooming room sink I sprayed with bleach and forgot to put them away so if you read this and go in please hang the collar on hook near back door and flea comb can go back in drawer.
If you are showing cats in the condo, please make sure people do not pet a cat through the bars then pet a different cat . Some of the cats currently in cages have colds. I had that happen today after I had just explained they should not put hands from one cage to another without sanitizing between cats. I tried to explain to the lady that she had just transmitted one cats illness to the other cat. She became very indignant and left. People just don't seem to understand how easy it is transmit disease. Hopefully we can educate them.
The shelter is open Friday regular hours.
Hope you all have a wonderful Easter Weekend.
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