Charmin says...

I'm ready for the cold weather!

New Website Information

Just a few notes for local readers of this blog. Our SPCA website was just updated for 2009 with new information. There are a number of changes, most of them minor, but there is a lot of new information under the “Spay/Neuter” menu, encouraging everyone to get their animals fixed. Also, for anyone with feral cats near your home, we hope that you might participate in the TNR program whereby people humanely trap ferals, bring them to a free clinic where the cats are spayed/neutered and vaccinated, then transport them back to their home environment to be released. We are approaching kitten season, and these clinics are an invaluable service to prevent thousands of homeless animals.

I was informed last night that we've already received seven spay/neuter applications (new to the website as of two days ago). This is very positive news. Please help spread this news.

Emmy

Today was like any other day except that the staff accomplished something that was worth mentioning. A 10 year old cocker spaniel had an appointment to come in to the facility to be surrendered. The owner had loved and cared for this dog for its entire life but she had come upon some hard times and the dog needed medical care that she could not afford so she felt that it best to surrender the dog. The cocker spaniel had flea allergies, chronic yeast infections in her ears and hated to be groomed to the point that its toe nails had curved into the pads of its feet and the dog would try and bite her owner when she tried to groom her. Many humane societies would judge this person and take the dog in without asking questions or finding out about the situation. We aren't like most humane societies, we took the time to work with this owner to do what was right for the dog. Emmy was very nervous when we did a quick analysis and after much discussion we decided that we didn't want to take this dog in but we wanted to help the owner keep her loving dog of 10 years. We would have taken in Emmy but we thought there was a better solution so Amy the Front Desk Manager showed her how to muzzle the dog and did some basic care. One of our counselors called her vet who was willing to work with the owner because she had an established relationship with him and he was willing to be a part of the solution. We sold her some flea and tick treatment for the allergies and we sent her on her way with her dog of 10 years. Instead of tears of sorrow over loosing her companion we got tears of joy that she could keep her pet. I went home tonight feeling great because we came together as a staff to help this person and I knew that Emmy was happy sitting at home with her guardian of 10 years.

This is the time we all need to help one another when we can.

Jeep's Meet and Greet at CASPCA

Jeep is the last of my CASPCA fosters from the summer floor resurfacing project at the shelter. (His official name is Jeeves, but that is far too stuffy a name for a central Virginia hound dog.) He's a very shy guy, much better with new dogs than with new people. Jeep and I have that in common. He took a month or more to make friends with me and he's not terribly interested in making any new human friends. Apparently one is enough. That is also something we have in common.

I am not a hound person. They are wonderful dogs, sweet and gentle; I've never known a hound to bite. But they howl, oh my god do they howl. He has one note and it is off key. He throws his head up and uses his entire body as a bugle. Hounds really are nothing but trumpets on four legs directed only by their nose. Still, I fell for Jeep. Partly it was his painful shyness that I can so relate to, and also his lean, handsome look that I so envy. I've kept him as a foster and am committed to finding him a home. I take him to shepherd adoption events as the "alternative to a shepherd," but so far haven't had much luck.

At home, Jeep is a happy, confident dog. He carries his tail up high, arched over his back. At outings, Jeep's tail is tucked tightly between his legs. He will let people approach and touch him, but he won't look at them and he clearly wishes that they would go away and that he was back home running in the pasture. This is not the type of dog who works the crowd and does his part in the adoption process. Jeep is perfectly happy where he is and sees no reason to look for a new home.

On Satruday, I took him to the SPCA for the afternoon. There is a lot of human traffic there, potential adopters looking for a dog. We just sat in the lobby, hoping for the right person to come along. It was good experience for him because he needs to become a bit more social if he's going to have any chance of finding a new home. Like me at a party full of strangers, he probably hated every minute of it, but he endured. I did learn that he's particularly scared of children, and that he seems most comfortable around older men. Sunday was another shepherd adoption event, but I gave Jeep the day off. He earned it.

Home at last!

Amy was one of my "temporary" CASPCA fosters from the summer when they had to empty out a third of the shelter at a time so that the floors in the kennels could be re-surfaced. Her official CASPCA name was "Amisha," but I've just called her Amy. It actually doesn't matter what you call her because it appears that she's deaf anyway.

She is a very senior girl, and a grumpy sort. She doesn't have a lot of tolerance for young dogs jumping around and getting in her face. However, she's learned to get along with 6 or more of my other fosters, including a young pup. When I'd take her to outings she'd mostly stand there barking at the other dogs. Not aggressively, but noisily nonetheless.

Amy has arthritis too, and an eye condition that requires daily ointment. Needless to say, I didn't have a lot of takers. But, the week before christmas a woman called the SPCA to inquire about her. I happened to be there that day for their "Home for the Holidays" adoption event. I spoke with her by phone, took her number, and promptly lost it. Fortunately, she called me again after christmas.

She hadn't even seen Amy because her picture didn't come up on the website for some reason. I told her what I knew and we arranged a meeting on New Years Day. Well, she met the other dogs, made herself at home, and now has a new home. The adopter knows that she's a senior dog with some problems and will require some comfort care for the rest of her life. But she wanted to help a dog in need. There's a special place in doggie heaven for people like her. I was glad to see that she has children too, gives one hope for the future.