Three Go Home For The Holidays

It was a great day at PetSmart!! Hobbes went home and so did Oreo and Razzle! Oreo and Razzle were adopted together which is wonderful!

CB came back today along with five new guys - Patsy, Brandon, Baron, Midnight and Violet. It is another great bunch! Brandon and Baron are brothers who have been in the same cage at the Shelter. Please keep the door open between their cages as they love each other's company. Cathy and CB were chasing each other around the big cage this afternoon and having a ball!

Each cat has a page on PetFinder which a picture and a biography. From now on we will display the information from the PetFinder site on the front of the cages. The Shelter cage cards will be put inside the cage room only. Whenever a new guy arrives the Shelter will include a print out from PetFinder. The page is then trimmed down to fit the clear holder on the front of the cage. It includes the bio, a picture and the adoption fee.

Merry Christmas!!

Lydia Is Home For Christmas

Lydia went home for Christmas Wednesday night! One of our volunteers was quite smitten with her and now she is part of her family. Lydia really came out of her shell at PetSmart. Thank you all for being so patient with her! Hobbes is going home on Saturday.

Arrangements are being made with the Shelter to bring four more kitties on Saturday. CB's eye is doing well and he will be back soon, too.

Thanks to everyone who attended the dinner on Monday night. It was quite a success! I hope those who were unable to attend can make it next year. Everyone had a good time.

If you are scheduled to clean and feed on Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve or New Year's Day please make note that PetSmart has special hours on these days and will be closing at 6PM. Christmas Day the store is closed but a manager comes in to take care of the store's animals and gives us access to the cats. That shift is covered.

I know everyone is busy with Christmas just a few days away. Once things have calmed down please take a look at the January schedule. It is just about full with the exception of the following mornings: 19th (Fri), 22nd (Mon), 26th (Fri) and 29th (Mon). Let me know if you can cover any of these days.

Have a wonderful Christmas and thank you for everything you have done all year long!!

Joey, Hobbes and Santa

The dogs and their owners loved Santa at PetSmart on Saturday! It was a great success! Thanks again to Doug and Patti for their help. Here is a picture of the three of us between photo shoots with the dogs.

Joey went home on Saturday. Cathy, CB's sister, a pretty calico, was brought down to PetSmart on Friday. She is a little shy so be patient with her. Now that Joey has gone home we can put Cathy in the big cage with CB once she appears to have settled in.

Hobbes got a hold on Saturday and the application looks good! Here's a first...a woman went into the adoption room and captured Oreo and her antics on video to send to her mother in Pittsburg. She thinks her mother would love Oreo and will be sending her the video by computer. Let's hope it's a match!

On Friday Heidi, a staff attendant from the Shelter, went to PetSmart and trimmed the cats' claws and cleaned their ears. Lydia was not cooperating so Heidi was unable to get her claws done. However, she was able to do everyone else.

We put some pieces of non-skid matting under the shelf pieces in the big cage and rearranged the structure. Hopefully this will rectify the slipping problem. The remainder of the roll of matting is under the cages in a cabinet for future use.

CAUTION: Twice last week cats were found roaming free in the cage room. Double check the cages when you leave and make sure when you arrive you close the outside door behind you before opening the door to the cat cages. Can you imagine trying to capture a kitty that gets loose in the store?!!

Good Bye, Scooter! Welcome New Volunteers!!

Scooter went home last night!! I am sure that makes everyone happy! Four applications were taken on him before the right match was finally made.

Yesterday I met with four new volunteers at PetSmart. Welcome Christina, Denise, Judy and Caroline! It appears our new volunteers have an interest in manning the adoption table which is wonderful! You will note on the schedule that in addition to Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays the adoption table will be open Friday nights
through January.

LAST CHANCE... To date we have 83 people attending the dinner at the Golden Inn on Monday, December 18. If you would like to attend and have yet to RSVP please contact me ASAP. I am giving the Golden Inn our final headcount Friday afternoon.

Three Pending Holds

REMINDER...if you plan to attend the dinner on December 18 at the Golden Inn please let me know ASAP! I would love to see you all there!

Little Razzle, Scooter and Joey have pending holds. Joey's application has been approved and the new owner has been notified by the Shelter. However, he will not go home until December 16. Razzle actually had two holds but the first one, taken last Sunday, was cancelled by the applicant. Apparently someone in the house is allergic to cats. Luckily Barb A had taken a second hold for Razzle Wednesday night. Scooter has two pending holds and the applications are now at the Shelter being reviewed.

Should someone else want to put a hold on Joey please explain that his adoption has been approved but still take the second hold. As you can see the adoption is not complete until the kitty is picked up and taken home.

I have had a report that intermittenly small blood droplets are being seen in Scooter's cage however it is not in his litterbox nor is there any sign of injury on his body. The medical department at the Shelter has been advised of this. I suspect it is coming out when he sneezes.

On December 16 and December 17 from 11a-4p volunteers for the Cape May County Animal Shelter Alliance will be at PetSmart dressed as Santa and Santa's helpers for pictures of customers and their pets. (My husband will be Santa and I will be his helper on December 16!!) 50% of the money generated will go directly to the Shelter Alliance. Please tell your friends, co-workers, family members, neighbors, etc to bring their pet down and support a wonderful organization. The cost for two Polaroid photos is only $9.95. If that weekend does not work for people tell them that this weekend (December 9 & 10) volunteers from the Animal Welfare Society will be there - another wonderful organization.

Two Leave and Two Arrive!

Aden and Pierce went home as scheduled on Wednesday night. CB and Joey have been transferred to the big cage. They are litter mates and hopefully will also get a home together.

Two new guys went to PetSmart today - Napoleon and Razzle. Both are nice guys and settled right in. Napoleon had an issue with eating and immediately vomitting. At the Shelter he was put on special food and fed only half a bowl twice a day. He seems to be doing just fine. For now we are going to continue feeding him the same way. His food is in a zip lock bag in the big food bin. After this week we will mix his food with the Purina Cat Chow and wean him from the special diet. Hopefully this will be an easy transition.

Scooter has a hold and the application is now at the Shelter for review.

Mary M is out of commission for a while due to a knee injury. I covered her today on the adoption table and she is covered for December 16 (Sat). However I just noticed she is also on the schedule two more times this month - the evening of December 4 (Monday) and the evening of December 22 (Friday). Let me know if you can cover either evening.

Aden & Pierce Staying Together

Tracey R took a hold from a great couple on Sunday for Aden & Pierce. The adoption application was approved today and arrangements are being made for the pair to go home together on Wednesday. Isn't that great news!

Just so you know...when someone adopts two pets from the County Shelter (and this includes PetSmart) the adoption fee for the second pet is reduced by 50%. Right now the Cape May County Animal Shelter Alliance is paying that 50% so the second guy has no adoption fee. To learn more about the CMC Animal Shelter Alliance and the work they do for the Shelter and Cape May County's animals just click on the eighth link to the right "CMCASA."

I know everyone is very busy around the Christmas holidays. Please take a minute and look at the December calendar. Someone is needed to clean the morning of December 14 (Thurs) and the evening of December 8 (Fri) & 29 (Fri). In addition the adoption table needs coverage on December 16 (Sat) and December 30 (Sat). Please keep January in mind as well and let me know what you can do.

West Cape May Christmas Parade Is For The Dogs!

Barbara A is going to have a float in the West Cape May Cristmas parade on Saturday, December 2 that will represent the County Shelter along with Animal Outreach. The float is going to be a North Pole scene with an igloo and a mock dog sled travelling in front of the float. Barb needs volunteers to help her walk her dogs. Also, if you would like to bring your dog and join the group you are more than welcome. Decorate your pooch, dress warm and join Barb! The parade starts at 5pm and line up is at 4pm. If you would like to participate please let me know.

Ginger Went Home, New Arrivals

Ginger went home today. Hopefully this home is a better fit. Tracey R took some time explaining how to introduce a new cat to the household. The new home does have one other cat. Ginger had better behave!

Scooter is back with us at PetSmart along with new arrivals, Joey and CB. Apparently Joey and CB are buddies. The Shelter vet tech asked that they be permitted to stay together so the door between their cages is open.

The reporter from the Press will let me know when the article will appear in the paper and I will let you all know. The photographer got some really nice shots of Hobbes! He looks right at the camera and poses!

You should have all received an invitation to the Shelter dinner at the Golden Inn in Avalon. I hope you can all make it. There is strength in numbers and coming together as a unit is how we can make a difference in addressing issues effecting animals in Cape May County. Please come out and meet the Shelter staff and Shelter Advisory Board and mingle with others who share your passion!

Greaser Went Home, Scooter Is Fine

Greaser went home last night. Larissa S said his new mom is absolutely thrilled and Greaser will have a wonderful little life as a spoiled kitty! I am sure you will all miss his funny antics!!

Good news...Ginger got a hold last night! Let's hope this works out for her as she has been through so much.

I checked on Scooter yesterday and he is fine. He saw a vet and the sore on his leg is a "hot spot." In a few days he will return to Pet Smart.

On Saturday a reporter from the AC Press is going to interview me at the adoption table. This should generate interest in our program and get some publicity for the Shelter cats. Hopefully it will increase adoptions and also recruit some more volunteers.

Good Luck, Gunther !

Gunther went home on Sunday! Good for him! Unfortunately the family who was going to adopt Greaser decided against it due to an illness in the family. The Shelter will be contacting the second hold to let them know they may adopt Greaser.

Scooter has a sore spot on his right front paw so I took him to the Shelter to be looked at by the vet tech. As she cleaned the spot which appeared to be raw he did not even flinch. He is such a good boy! The tech theorizes the joint may be bothering him so he licks and chews at the area. He will see a vet this week and hopefully can return to Pet Smart soon.

The December calendar is really looking good however there is still some open spots. Friday nights need to be covered as well as a few Saturday mornings. Please take a look at it. Also, Katherine S has been doing every Monday morning for a long time and is headed to a warmer climate right after the holidays until mid-March. I will miss her dedication! So, Monday mornings will need to be filled starting January 1 until she returns.

To answer your questions about Thanksgiving and Christmas... The store is closed both days however a manager comes into the store mid-morning to take care of the animals and at that time we will have access to our guys. Both holidays are covered. Also, Tracey R has generously volunteered to clean and feed in the evening on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.

Sylvia Went Home

Sylvia went home last night! Another happy ending!

Based on the observations of several of you guys I moved Lydia to a lower level cage. She is afraid to jump down from the top level. Let me know how she does in her new place.

The application for Gunther has been approved and arrangements are being made to have him picked up over the weekend. Here he is looking very handsome and ready to go home!

Gunther Got A Hold!

Gunther and his crooked bumpy tail got a hold on Saturday. He is such a nice cat and will make a great pet!

Unfortunately the holds on Pierce and Scooter were pulled as of today. Both applicants have not returned repeated phone calls from the Shelter. Their hold money is in a folder in the adoption table and can be given back should they come in. Refer them to the Shelter should they have any questions.

I taped samples of completed hold paperwork and completed final adoption paperwork to the wall next to the adoption instructions. Hopefully this will alleviate any confusion you may have when filling the forms out.

Latest Adoption Information

Greaser is scheduled to go home over the weekend. Sylvia is scheduled to go home on Wednesday. The hold on Pierce has been removed as the adoption applicant did not show up on Wednesday as scheduled to bring him home and has not returned phone calls from the Shelter. The hold on Scooter may be pulled this weekend as well.

Hobbs was brought back to the Shelter as he was experiencing some problems with diarrhea (ugh!!). However, he appears to be fine and should be returning to Pet Smart on Saturday or Sunday. Which leads me to this...please refrain from giving the cats treats and wet food as the change in diet may cause an upset in their digestive systems. I know we all love to give the guys treats but this week alot had "elimination issues." It is best to keep their diet consistent.

Wednesday night Barb A took a second hold on Greaser. Knowing that Greaser had a pending application the applicant also expressed interest in Oreo or Gunther should Greaser no longer be available. Hopefully one of the two will get to go home soon!

Welcome back, Ginger!

Ginger was returned to the Shelter as she was not playing well with other cats in her new household. She is back at Pet Smart. Let's get her a good home!!

Chocolate Chip apparently reeked havoc Thursday night into Friday morning. He managed to free himself from the confines of the cage (after trashing it) and was found wandering about the cat room by Kitty G. She no sooner put him back in the cage and he trashed it again!! Apparently he needs more time to learn how to behave! The staff and volunteers at the Shelter will continue to work with him.

Coverage is needed for the adoption table on Wednesday night, November 15, 6-8pm. As always, if you can not do the table but can do the PM feeding/cleaning please let me know.

Latest Arrivals

Chocolate Chip, Lydia and Oreo joined us at Pet Smart today. Lydia is a little shy so please take some time with her. She is very pretty!!

Becky and Sarah went home last night!

A Volunteer/Staff appreciation party is in the works for Wednesday, December 13 so please mark your calendars. Details will soon follow.

Great Weekend!! Becky is Going Home!!!

An absolutely wonderful family came in to Pet Smart on Saturday and put a hold on Becky! They had come into the store several times and seen her and had already met her once before. They went into the adoption room a second time and decided to apply to be her forever home. I think Becky is going to be one spoiled kitty in that house! They came in again on Sunday just to visit with her! Good things do come to those who wait!

Three other holds are pending as well for Scooter, Greaser and Sarah. All the applications are at the Shelter for the director to review this week. I put a note on the inside of the cages of the cats with holds so you guys are aware what is going on.

Shelter staff also brought two dogs to the store on Saturday. The jacket made by Katherine S looked fabulous on Poncho! I am working on having dogs at the store on a routine basis.

Please keep an eye on the food bowls and do not fill them to overflowing. Filling the bowls halfway is enough. I know we all love to give the guys food but it turns into a lot of waste.

I still need someone for the adoption table on Sunday, October 29. Again, if you can not do the table but could do the evening feeding please let me know. It is important that the adoption table be manned as our presence really increases the adoption rate. At the same time we can spread the word about TNR and the importance of spaying and neutering feral cats.

The November schedule is really shaping up! Please take a look at it and let me know what you can do.

Again, thank you very much for everything you do! I know that you have jobs, families and other committments that take up time. It is great that you make time for our homeless cats and the Shelter is better for it!!

New Arrivals, Becky, and More

Six new cats arrived at Pet Smart today and they are a great bunch! We have a FULL HOUSE - ten cats!! Becky was scheduled to be returned to the Shelter but one of the Pet Smart employees told me that her brother-in-law will be driving down on Saturday to meet her. I decided to keep her there in the hope that this becomes her forever home. Another thing which may work in her favor is a reduction in her adoption fee. She is over a year old and therefore her fee should be $35. A change was made to her card. Let's keep our fingers crossed!!!

You will meet Scooter and wonder why his adoption fee is only $8. When he came into the Shelter he had an injured leg that appeared to be an old fracture. For this reason he was classified as "special needs." The leg is doing fine and he does not appear to be any worse for wear. However, please be cognizant of this when handling him.

Major is scheduled to go home tonight(Wednesday). Pierce does have a hold however there is a glitch in the application. Do not hesitate to take another hold on him.

Please make sure to send me an e-mail when you sign up for a shift. The paper copies posted at Pet Smart are for two volunteers who do not have a computer. It is not a sign up sheet. I like to keep schedule changes current to make things easier for everyone and update the calendar as soon as I hear from you.

Katherine S made a BEAUTIFUL embroidered jacket/shirt for dogs to wear at Pet Smart that says "Adopt Me." Using velcro strips she made it adjustable so it can fit many different size dogs. It is in a bag in one of the lower cabinets. Take a second and look at it. It is adorable!! I am working on getting dogs down to Pet Smart on a more regular basis.

I will be at the adoption table this Saturday (10/21). If you are interested in learning the paperwork please stop by and I will be happy to go over it with you.

Ginger, Tangare & Pepper

The family who were to pick up Ginger Wednesday decided they did not want a cat after all. Luckily we had someone waiting in the wings who had already adopted Merangue last week. The adoption was quickly approved and Ginger got to go home on Saturday. Pepper and Tangare went home on Sunday. Tracey R said Pepper's new owner could not have been more excited and that Tangare did not hesitate to walk into the carrier of her new owner. How great is that! Also, there are holds on both Pierce and Major. If the adoptions are approved they should leave Wednesday night or Saturday afternoon. I am planning to bring some new kitties to PetSmart on Tuesday.

The Shelter does have three of the Himalayan and Persian cats you may have read about in the paper last week. The phones have been ringing off the hook concerning these guys so soon they will be home too.

October's schedule is complete with the exception of Sunday, October 29. Please let me know if you can do the adoption table or even just the evening cleaning that day. Also, look at November and let me know what you can do.

Rolls of the brown paper used to line the cages is kept in the managers' office. If you see you are running low just ask and they will bring you a new roll.

One Adoption & Two Holds!

Wow!! Great job while I was away!! Thank you everyone!! Arrangements have been made for Ginger to be picked up Wednesday evening. Also, holds and adoption applications were taken to the Shelter by Tracey R for Tangare (yippee!) and Pepper. Unfortunately the couple interested in Becky never returned with the completed paperwork. Poor Becky! I hope she gets a home soon.

Just a gentle reminder...please do not post holds on the outside of the cages. Remember, we will take a second hold on a cat as sometimes the first applicant is not approved or the second applicant appears to be a better fit. Also, should someone inquire about a cat you may be able to persuade them to meet another one once they learn of the hold. We want people to hang around and approach us!!

Diane Mc needs coverage for the evening of Monday, October 16. Please let me know if you can cover for her. Also, take a look at the November schedule and let me know what you can do.

Possible Home For Becky!!

Thanks to Jen and Lauren Becky may be going home! While cleaning cages Thursday night they introduced a wonderful couple to Becky and they fell in love with her! The couple took the application and hold agreement home with them so they could get their vet's number. Jen L told them to return it and slip it under the door at the adoption center. Should you arrive to clean and find the paperwork make sure you notify the Shelter so they can tell the Director. If all goes well they could be approved in time to pick up Becky Wednesday night from Barb A.

New Director, New Arrivals & While I Am Away

Wait til you see our new arrivals!! Janet K will be bringing the following six kitties to Pet Smart on Wednesday: Hobbs, Pepper, Silvia, Major, Pierce, and Ginger (yeah! Ginger is coming back all nice and healthy and ready to go home!). We sure will have a full house!

I spoke with the new Shelter Director and nothing will be changing at Pet Smart. I will continue to contact him when a cat gets a hold. He will stop in and pick up the paperwork and arrange through me to have the cat picked up at the store. Thank God!! We are all getting good at this and a change could slow us down!

Seven people attended the volunteer orientation I held at the Shelter on Thursday, September 14. Help is on the way!

Just a reminder...I will be away from Friday, September 22 - Sunday, October 8. I will be home for one day (Tuesday, October 3) and will check in with the Shelter. Should you have any issues at Pet Smart during my absence contact the Shelter and ask for Linda (vet tech). If you think a cat needs medical attention contact her - do not leave a note as she will not be going there. Should you take a hold on a cat contact her as well. She will contact the Director. She will be handling any emergency scheduling that takes place as well. The Shelter number is on the wall at Pet Smart (465-8923). I hope that is everything!! I just may send out one last update before I go!!

Thanks for everything! I know I am leaving the program in good, compassionate, feline-loving hands!!

Two More Homes Found

Lollipop went home today! I must admit I will miss him! What a personality! Mackenzie goes home tomorrow. She is so sweet and will make her new owners very happy. Sara was having some medical issues and went back to the Shelter. Hopefully we will see her back soon.

Thursday night I held another volunteer orientation at the Shelter and it was well attended. We will soon have some new help at PetSmart as well as at the Shelter. I may call upon some of you to show the new volunteers the ropes at PetSmart.

Tomorrow there will be dogs joining the cats for a few hours at PetSmart thanks to Lisa T, Sue C and Barb A. Tracey R will be manning the adoption table from 12-5p.

If you are wondering who cut all that paper it was Katherine S! Thank you!!

WOW!! Good Job on the Schedule!!

Special thanks to Kitty G, Mary M and Barb A for filling in so many slots through October!! As you can see, it is those Saturday/Sunday adoption table slots that are hard to fill. Is it because the paperwork seems complicated? Is it intimidating? Is it the hours? I would love to get some feedback on this area. Tracey R was VERY excited this past Sunday when she got her first hold ever!

Barb A normally does the adoption table on Wednesdays nights but needs a replacement for October 4. Can anyone do it? If you only want to do the PM cleaning/feeding that is fine.

Again, thank you SOOO much for the quick responses today!

The Latest & The Schedule

Holds were put on Howie and Mackenzie over the weekend! That's good news! Ginger was continuing to have problems with her eyes and went back to the Shelter for some TLC. Hopefully she will be back soon.

This weekend (Sept 15-17) is the PetSmart National Adoption Day. We will have volunteers mannning the table on Friday 12-5p, Saturday 1-3p and Sunday 12-5p. Barb A is hoping to bring a dog on Friday and Staff from the Shelter will be bringing dogs on Sunday. As you can see we have limited help on Saturday so if you can spare a few hours (3-5p) it would be great.

Please take a look at the schedule. I need someone for Saturday, Sept 23 and Sunday, Sept 24 to clean in the evening. If you are interested in doing the adoption table - GREAT - however at this point I am just trying to get a PM cleaner/feeder for both days. In October I again need help on weekends (Fri, Sat, and Sun) and Tuesday mornings. Please let me know what you can do. Again, if you are not interested in doing the adoption table on the weekend but can clean in the evening let me know. Remember - the store closes at 6p on Sundays.

Please e-mail me rather than leave me notes at PetSmart. It is often days or even a week before I get the note. Should you have any concerns about a cat needing medical attention you can e-mail me or call the Shelter and ask to speak to someone in the medical department.

I am going away from Sept 22-Oct 9 so hope to have the schedule filled through my return. Any help would be greatly appreciated!! I will let you know who to contact in my abscence for emergencies, cancellations, etc.

New Arrivals

Five new kitties arrived at Pet Smart today. They are Lollipop, MacKenzie, Ginger, Howie (don't be fooled by the name - Howie is a girl!) and Sara. They seemed to settle right in! Trixie went home on Sunday. Becky and Tangare are still waiting for homes.

Just a word of caution... I noticed today that some of the cardboard covering the holes along the bottom of the cabinets under the cages has a tendency to move. Before you let one of the guys out to run around double check all the cardboard and make sure the openings are completely covered. Some of the new guys are definitely small enough to fit into a hole. I am working on a permanent solution to those spaces!

Katherine S, thank you for taking the time to cut all that paper! I am sure it will be appreciated by others!

More Happy Endings

Jeeves, Molson and Crinkle went home on Saturday. The adopting families were all very excited about the new additions to their homes. Trixie has two holds right now so hopefully she will be leaving soon.

Remember Nike? One of his eyes looked a litle red and weepy so he went back to the Shelter for a check up. He has a touch of conjuctivitis and will be brought back when he is better.

Sophie found a home! She was adopted from the Shelter and will live in a nice quiet home with caring people. Good for Sophie!

Trixie will be the thirtieth cat adopted since the grand opening of PetSmart on June 24. This project so far has been very successful. It is important that the adoption table be open so that potential families can talk to volunteers and meet the cats. When I arrived at PetSmart yesterday (Saturday, 8/26) there was a line of people waiting to ask questions about the adoption process and meet the cats. Please look at the September schedule and see if you can volunteer for a few hours on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon and open the adoption table. There are three open Saturdays and one open Sunday. Remember, you can set the hours. If you have any questions about the process and paperwork I will gladly discuss it with you. It is very rewarding when you assist in the adoption process.

Adoption Table: Help needed

Help is needed to cover the adoption table on Saturdays and Sundays in September - specifically 9/2, 9/3, 9/16, 9/23 and 9/24. I will be at the table on Saturday 8/26 from 1-3 pm and will gladly explain the adoption application process to anyone who would like to learn. Just let me know if you will be coming by. The weekend of 9/16 is the 2006 National PetSmart Charities Adoption Weekend. Friday and Sunday are covered but there is no coverage for Saturday. Ideally someone is needed from 12-5pm. The other weekend days require less time.

In addition coverage is needed to clean and feed the guys in the evening on 9/4 and 9/8 and in the morning on 9/5, 9/7 and 9/30.

Please look at the calendar link and do not hesitate to let me know what you can do in the upcoming months as well.

Petsmart Volunteer Calendar

Click on the heading or the Calendar link to the right to view the adoption specialists and cat caretakers scheduled each day at Petsmart. See where you can fit in the picture.

2006 Fall National Adoption Weekend

September 15-17 is the 2006 PetSmart Charities Fall National Adoption Weekend. During last year's event 14,500 otherwise homeless pets were adopted. The event includes giveaways to new adopting families as well as $15 from PetSmart Charities to the Shelter for every pet adopted during the event. Volunteers are needed to work the adoption table on all three days of the event. Normally we are at PetSmart from 2-4pm on Saturday and 12-2pm on Sunday. I would like to see the table open from approximately 12-5p on Friday, September 15, and 10-5p on Saturday, September 16 and 12-5p on Sunday September 17. I would also like to see dogs brought to the store on Saturday and Sunday. Please keep in mind that one or two people can not cover this event. Ideally we should have at least two people covering every hour on Saturday and Sunday to help with the dogs. Please let me know if you are available at all to help with this Adoption Weekend.

Also, you should have received the September schedule. Let me know what days(s) you can do.

Thank you for everything you do. The partnership between the CMC Animal Shelter and PetSmart has proven to be very successful this summer. Let's keep up the good work!!

Volunteer Orientation - Kitty Klub - August Schedule

The August schedule is complete. You should have received it by e-mail. Please let me know if I made any mistakes. Also, look ahead to September as before you know it I will be asking about your availability. The nights are filled with relative ease - the mornings are tougher. Also, Jen R, who has cleaned cages every Friday morning and sat the adoption table every Sunday afternoon since Pet Smart opened will be returning to school. This is alot of time that will need to be filled.

In an effort to find Sophie a home she has been added to the Open Your Heart and Home campaign. This means Sophie's adoption fee is $10. Please remember this should anyone want to meet her while you are at Pet Smart.

Sometime in mid-September I am going to schedule a volunteer orientation for people interested in volunteering at the Shelter. Should you know of anyone interested please have them download a volunteer application from the Shelter website or stop in the Shelter and get one. The date will be firmed up by the end of this month. To volunteer at the actual Shelter site attending an orientation is mandatory.

I am excited about the start of our Girl Scout Kitty Klub!! Janet K has agreed to chair this program for me and I am sure she will need help. A local Girl Scout troop under the supervision of their troop leader and Janet will be coming to the Shelter one Saturday a month and helping us socialize cats and kittens. In addition they will be educated on the importance of responsible pet ownership, spay/neuter, and the problem of pet overpopulation. Due to the age of the scouts it is necessary that they be closely supervised. I anticipate the scouts' parents will be helping however I may give a shout out for help from time to time.

Thanks for all your help!!!

Handling the Kitties and the Schedule

Everything is still moving along very well. We are getting cats to homes at such a great rate! Poor Sophie is still skittish and a little stressed out and Cruiser can get upset if he is handled too much. Just a reminder...these cats are coming from the shelter - which is a relatively quiet atmosphere and where they are handled consistently by the same people - to Pet Smart which is a high stress situation where they basically experience sensory overload. Every day of the week, two times a day, a different set of hands is reaching in the cages. This can result in the poor cats feeling stressed and vulnerable and afraid. Please make sure you approach them slowly and keep noise to a minimum, especially with new arrivals. Do not handle a cat if he or she is giving you an indication they are not in the mood to be handled. They need to set the pace for us.

I sent out the schedule for the remainder of July and for the entire month of August. Make sure I did not make any mistakes! Take a look at August and see if there is any thing you can do.

Sasha & Tasha Find A Home

Sasha & Tasha found a home! How wonderful is that!! Also, Lawrence & Spencer! WOW! It brings a smile to my face knowing that they can all now languish in a home and are free of the cages.

The July schedule is totally complete with the exception of Sunday, July 16, in the morning. If anyone is available that day please let me know. I am working on the August schedule and will send you what I have filled so far.

Thanks again for your help!

Adoptions to Date & August Schedule

Since June 20 fourteen adult cats have gone home as a result of the County Shelter's partnership with Pet Smart. They are Peter, Penny, Atlanta, Atlantis, Otto, Marty, Aquilla, Rex, Josie, Benny, Mattie, Frankie, Holly and Groucho. There are presently holds on Spencer and Pearl. Thanks for all your help!

Please let me know what you can do for August. On or about July 15 I will e-mail the schedule to everyone and would like to have it posted at Pet Smart. Please let me know as soon as possible when you are available. Remember, the adoption table is manned on Saturdays from 2-4pm, Sunday from Noon-2pm and Wednesdays from 6-8pm. If you are not available during any of those time slots but would like to add time on another day just let me know. In June and July I was able to add one Friday evening thanks to Jess and Patti.

Organization & Paperwork

It is becoming increasingly apparent that the paperwork and organization of it is confusing and as a result potential adopters are not getting accurate information. I am going to take care of that in the next few days. It is not nearly as confusing as it looks. The problem is that we do not have a copy machine at Pet Smart so two copies of each form need to be completed. I am going to have all the paperwork organized into individual folders for each cat to make things easier. In addition I am going to have a notebook in the adoption table for you to use as a quick reference for seeing if a cat has a pending hold or has been adopted and is just waiting to be picked up. This should eliminate alot of confusion. We do take more than one hold for a cat as sometimes the adoption application is not approved or the director may determine that one household is a better fit for the cat than another. In the case of Atlanta and Atlantis the first hold failed to return and complete an adoption application. Had we not taken the second hold they would not be in their new home today.

What a Weekend!!

The Grand Opening weekend at Pet Smart was great!! Atlanta and Atlantis, Otto, Penny and Aquila went home. Groucho's adoption application was approved and he should be going home very soon. Barb A brought three dogs (Sheeba, Marlo and Corky) on Saturday and they were a smashing success! All three received adoption applications. Marlo went home on Sunday. I met so many nice people. So many more people are becoming aware of the County Shelter and the animals we have through this partnership with Pet Smart. I also got five more volunteer applications.

Special thanks to all those who helped this weekend...Barb, Vilma, Joanne, Jen L, Lauren, Jen R and Pat. Please forgive me if I forgot anyone. Also, apparently I overbooked the Sunday cleaning - sorry guys!!

Please continue to let me know how the cleanings are going. Do not hesitate to ask Pet Smart managers and employees for help if you do not know where something is or where to put things. They are all very supportive of this project and want to do all they can to help. In addition my phone numbers and the Shelter number is posted in the adoption room. Call if you need anything.

Rex Went Home!

Rex was picked up today by his new family. He was so well behaved. When I put him in the card board Pet Smart carrier he promptly sat down so I could close the top. He is a good cat and will make a great pet!

Grand Opening at Pet Smart

This weekend is the Grand Opening at Pet Smart. Volunteers and Shelter staff will be at the Adoption Center on Saturday, June 24 and Sunday, June 25 from 9am until 5pm. Thanks to Barb and Pat for getting the cages and cats ready for Saturday and Pat and Jen for doing the same on Sunday. Let's hope more of our furry friends get to go home by Monday!

3 Home Forever

This weekend three shelter cats at Petsmart were adopted into forever homes. Benny and Josie went to a home together on Sunday and can keep each other company. Marty went home on Monday. Thanks to our great volunteers for making this happen!!!

Be a Solution

Volunteers, the heart and soul of any shelter, are needed in every category. Whether you've had experience or not, your special talents will make the shelter a success for animals and people.

Interested residents over 18 can sign up to volunteer at that time. Teens 14-17 years old may volunteer when accompanied by a parent or other responsible adult.

To volunteer call the shelter at 465-8923 and leave your contact information. Or, you can email Volunteer Coordinator Judy: To volunteer call the shelter at 465-8923 and leave your contact information. Or, you can email Volunteer Coordinator Judy: ASVC@co.cape-may.nj.us

Click for VOLUNTEER APPLICATION

PetSmart Volunteers

Petsmart in Rio Grande has a beautiful location where our cats and dogs can be presented for adoption. Petsmart will supply the food, litter and toys. The shelter will supply the volunteers. That is where YOU come in. Volunteers are wanted to make the animals comfortable with clean cages and fresh food in the morning (7-9am) and evening (6-9pm). Volunteers will also man an information and adoption table at the store on Wednesdays (6-8pm), Saturdays (2-4pm) and Sundays (12-2pm). More exposure for our home seeking animals means more adoptions. Discover how YOU can help today. Call the Shelter at 465-8923 or email Judy: ASVC@co.cape-may.nj.us