A Couple of Lucky Girls Get Christmas Gifts!

Silky has gone home for the holidays!! She was a surprise Christmas gift for a young girl from her mom and dad. The lucky girl met her furry little gift at PetSmart Wednesday night and the two clicked immediately! Silky then happily allowed herself to be packaged up and carried out. What a wonderful gift for both of them!

Josie is going to be a surprise Christmas gift for another lucky little girl. She was brought back to the Shelter as Dad wants to pick her up Christmas Eve. Lucy has an approved application and will also be brought back to the Shelter. She will be picked up in a week or so. Her new mom is having some work done on her home and will pick up Lucy as soon as she can. Lucy is going to be joining another cat named Jack that was adopted from the Shelter a couple of years ago. We love repeat customers!

Gray has an approved application and will be going home on Saturday. It sure did not take her long!

The hold on Nora fell through. Guess it just was not meant to be!

Sweet little calico Geisha was brought to PetSmart this week. She is under a year old. She is a little nervous and shy but nice. Please give her a little extra TLC and let her settle in at her own pace. Here she is:

Anybody have time Christmas Eve to to do the evening cleaning?? I know everyone has alot going on but if you can stop in and check on the guys that night please let me know ASAP. The store closes at 6pm. My mom is doing Christmas morning - that's one of my gifts!!

Here is the remaining openings in January:
January 8, Friday, AM

January 14, Thursday, AM

January 15, Friday, AM

January 22, Friday, AM

January 28, Thursday, AM

January 31, Sunday, Adoption Table

January 29, Friday, AM

Please remember that PetSmart has some schedule changes due to the holidays. Here they are:
Christmas Eve: 7a-6p
Christmas: closed
New Year's Eve: 9a-6p
New Year's Day: 9a-6p

It was nice to see so many of you on Sunday for our little holiday gathering. It was a nice time and a good turn out.

New cages arrived at the Shelter and were installed this week. They look so nice!!! The isolation/sick area was upgraded as well as the area for housing new arrivals. Please stop in and see us at the Shelter and check out the new stuff. We are all VERY excited about it!! Yep, feels like Christmas!!!

Look At All These New Arrivals!

Three leave and five arrive! Lonnie and Emily left on Saturday. Both were very well behaved when packed up to go. Heart left on Sunday. She will be the only pet in the house so should be spoiled and happy.

On Sunday three youngsters arrived. Bentley is a black male and was from a litter of ten! He is small for his age. As a kitten he was alot more friendly than his litter mates and domesticated easily. Silky is a really nice gray striped tabby. She loves other cats so will really enjoy the romping time at PetSmart. Oliver came into the Shelter marked as a "feral" cat by animal control. He is anything but feral! He is sweet and playful.

A warm welcome back goes out to Rascal!! Remember him??? He did some time in sick bay at the Shelter but is back and better than ever! Gray came with him. She is a big dilute calico. She came into the Shelter in July along with four other housemates. Their owner was being evicted. One was immediately adopted, two were over ten years old and the owner came back for them. Gray has been with her last housemate, Puddy, ever since. Puddy was adopted and Gray is the last one remaining of the group. Let's hope she gets to go home very soon! She is a nice old girl but may need some time to settle in. Be patient with her.

Lucy was in with the three new guys (Bentley, Silky and Oliver) and not having a very good time. She is now sharing space with Rascal and seems happy. Please leave her there.

Izzy appears to be doing well with Oriella in the big cage. Poor Izzy!! When will he get to go home! Nora is continuing to express dislike of her fellow felines. Keep her by herself!

I have received a great response for the holiday get together this Sunday. Ya got one more day to RSVP!

Here's Oliver, Silky and Bentley:

...and here's Gray and our old friend Rascal:



Please look ahead to January and let me know what dates you can do.

New Homes For the Holidays!

Good week!! Coconut and Harlequin went home Wednesday night. Harlequin will be the only pet in the house which is just the way she likes it! Her new dad was getting alot of attention from her when he arrived to pick her up. Coconut was packed up in a pretty blue carrier and carted away - he had an appointment with the groomer the very next day! Two wonderful homes!!

Emily is scheduled to be picked up tomorrow and so is Lonnie. Lonnie's new mom came to the Shelter and completed the application today. He will be the only pet in the house and she is very excited to get him. She has grandchildren that visit often so Lonnie is guaranteed to have some fun!

Lucy and Nora were dropped off yesterday at PetSmart. Lucy is orange and white and is a great cat. She likes it all - dogs, kids, other cats, people - everything. She is about two years old. She was adopted from us over a year ago and was returned. Her story is one that is all too familiar - her owners were moving and couldn't take her with them. She hates being in a cage. She is very sweet and very friendly.

A couple of months ago Nora and a male cat - her brother maybe - were left in a box in the foyer of the spay/neuter clinic which is next door to the Shelter. The male cat (we named him Nick) was adopted several weeks ago. Although she was left with Nick she appears to be stressed around the other cats. This could be because she is not familiar with them. Watch her carefully with the others and do not force her into an uncomfortable situation. Let her mingle at her own pace. She may be just fine once she settles in.

Here's Lucy and Nora:



Thanks to Joyce, Joan, Ruth, Fran and Lauren for helping to make the Princeton fundraiser this weekend a success. Because we had so much help four Shelter dogs got to spend a few hours out and about. Below is a picture of Joan with Anchor. He was very well behaved! He is a young Treeing Walker Coonhound and is a great dog! He is presently in a foster home and is proving he is crate trained and house trained. If you know anyone interested in a hound dog please let me know.

Lauren did a GREAT job working the crowd! After the dogs and owners posed with Santa Lauren gave them a bag of ribbon-tied dog treats and asked for a donation for the Shelter. Who could say no to that face?!!! She is pictured below in action....

There must have been close to one hundred dogs at the Sandy Paws 5K & 1 Mile Pooch Walk in Stone Harbor! It was alot of fun! Pictured below is one of the dogs entered in the Best Dressed Competition. Check out BatDog!

Don't forget - Barb and company will be in the West Cape May Christmas parade tomorrow night with a float representing the Shelter. Anchor will be representing the Shelter dogs. Contact Barb if you want to participate.

On Sunday, December 13, 1:00-3:00PM come to the Shelter for a little holiday get together. Light lunch and refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP if you plan to attend. Family members and friends are invited, too! Throughout the year the Shelter staff and volunteers work hard for the animals of Cape May County. It's nice to get together and spend some time with people who share a common bond. I hope to see all of you there.

House and Wilson - together forever!!

It was great week!! Grace went home on Saturday. An entire entourage came to pick her up! Grace's new dad bought out PetSmart to prepare for her homecoming! This is a wonderful way for Grace's story to end.

House and Wilson left TOGETHER on Sunday! I am sure everyone is as happy as I am about this! The two big boys were a tad difficult to load into the carriers but did great once they got home. It seems their first night home Wilson slept in bed with his new mom and House spent the night in his new cat bed. When I called today to check on them I was told that as we spoke Wilson was sitting on mom's lap and House was at her feet. It seems this is a perfect home for the guys!

Three cats arrived today - two females, Josee and Emily - and one male, Coconut. Coconut was brought into the Shelter by animal control. Someone found kittens and suspected Coconut, who had been hanging around, was the mother. Um, no, it seems Coconut was not anyone's mom OR dad - he was a neutered male! He is a beautiful, sweet, long haired all white cat. You will love him!

Emily is a brown and black tabby and is very friendly. She is a sweetheart. Josee is a little younger than Emily and is also friendly. The below pictures are a tad deceiving - the two are not difficult to tell apart. Both respond quickly to attention and should settle in easily. For now leave all three in separate cages so they can acclimate to the new surroundings with as little stress as possible.

Here they are: Coconut, Emily and Josee.

I had a special request from two devoted volunteers - put Heart and Oriella in the big cage together as sometimes this helps the shy cats come around and they show better. Please leave the two in there and lets' see how it goes. (Always have to do what my mother says! LOL!)

The dog pictured below is a chow mix that was adopted from the Shelter about two months ago. His family is soooo thankful they took him home. It seems that Buddy brought a medical emergency to the attention of the family! At the request of the family I am not going to reveal alot of details. Suffice it to say that as a result of Buddy's canine communication this story had a happy ending! See what a difference a Shelter dog can make!!! Meet Buddy the Hero....

I have a good list of volunteers helping in Avalon at the Princeton Bar with the Santa pictures and Veteran's Plaza. Looks like dogs will be at the Princeton and cats will be at the Plaza! I will e-mail all of you directly with the logistics.

There is three openings in December - all in the morning. They are Tuesday December 1, Sunday December 6 and Friday December 18. Please let me know if you are available. I will be working on the 2010 schedule right after Thanksgiving. Feel free to e-mail any requests for January.

Have a Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving!!
(Leona, thank you for covering so the rest of us can stay home!)

Ralphie and Confetti Go Home

Didn't take long at all for Confetti to go home!! She arrived on a Monday and went home the following Wednesday. Her new family brought all the necessary paperwork straight to the Shelter so she was an easy application to approve!

After Confetti left Lonnie arrived. He is so cute! He has longer hair, is that pretty gray color and is so soft. Lonnie has come a long way. Initially he was very shy. Now he is just a tad skittish but loves to be held and will purr away once he feels comfortable. Although many of you have already met Lonnie I am including his picture below.

Ralphie left last night. He will be the only pet in the house and although his new mom has had a dog in the past Ralphie is her first cat. (Um...let's see if she comes back for a second! You know what they say - cats are like Lay's potato chips - ya can't have just one!)

I hope this weather does not ruin our adoption weekend. Volunteers will be at the store on Friday 2-4pm, Saturday 12-4pm and Sunday 12-4pm. Dogs and Shelter staff will be on hand both Saturday and Sunday. Please spread the word. Five cats will be brought to the store on Friday that will spend the weekend. In addition Harlequin is coming to fill the cage vacated by Ralphie. Harlequin is a beauty! Like Lonnie she has longer hair. She has a very sweet little face. Please give her time to settle in.

Here's Lonnie and Harlequin.


Below is a picture of one of our resident dogs, Rocky, who went into foster care yesterday (Wednesday). Do you think he likes it??? It did not take him long to settle into the comforts of a real home. (Thank you, Traci, for giving him this break!) Rocky is about five years old and is a mixed breed. He has been in the Shelter for many months. In his foster home he is living with five other dogs, two cats and two parrots. He just may make an appearance with his foster mom this weekend at PetSmart. If anyone is wondering how Rocky will do once he gets home just take a look at this picture...it is indeed worth a thousand words! If you know someone looking for a dog tell them about Rocky and let's arrange a meeting!

One of our Shelter volunteers, Fran, made the Press of Atlantic City this week. She and her husband are making and selling stained glass cats and dogs at a coffee shop in West Cape May and the proceeds will benefit the Shelter. Please click on the link Shelter in the News to the right to read all about it. Thank you, Fran!!

Oh, yea, that's right, the calendar.... It looks great!! There is still some open slots - both AM & PM - in December.

Stay high and dry and outta Ida's way!!

Hope It's Over!!!

OMG!! I thought this latest dry spell would NEVER end! Thankfully it has! Randall left on Saturday following a little bit of drama. An application was taken on Jana over a week ago and had been approved. The applicant was telephoned four times by the Shelter to arrange for Jana to go home. A second application came in for Jana that was subsequently approved. Not wanting to stop an adoption one last message was left for the first applicant. That message again went unanswered. So, the second applicant made arrangements for pick up. Come Saturday applicant number one came to PetSmart thinking she was still in the running for Jana. After being advised that her application was approved BUT that Jana was no longer available she chose Randall. So, off he went!

Jana went home on Sunday. Her new mom had adopted another cat from the Shelter about nine months ago.

Two new girls were brought to PetSmart today - Grace and Confetti. Confetti is a young torti with really pretty markings. She is a friendly girl and is going to love running around and playing while she waits to get adopted.

Grace is an older female who is solid gray and is also de-clawed. She was so pathetic when she arrived at the Shelter a few months back. In a driving rain storm she was found simply sitting on the side of the road. A Good Samaritan saw her and stopped. It appeared that Grace had been hit by a car and she suffered from injuries that were a few days old. Oh, she was a mess! We rushed her to the vet and she remained in our "sick bay" for a long time. Each day her breathing got better, her infection began to clear and her "road rash" healed. She had an injury to the left side of her face that gave her a concave look. We wanted to give her a chance and we are so glad we did! I loved to walk into the sick bay and have her immediately get up and come to the front of the cage with such appreciation in her eyes! She is very sweet and will be forever grateful when she gets a home!

Here's Grace and Confetti....

PetSmart has added another adoption event weekend to their calendar. (See The Shelter in the News under "Links" to the right for a copy of the press release.) This event is called the National Holiday Adoption Weekend. It is Friday - Sunday, November 13-15. Volunteers are needed to work the adoption table Friday, 2-4pm. On Saturday and Sunday additional volunteers are needed to work the adoption table from 12-4 on each day. Dogs will be brought to the store based on the numbers of volunteers available to help. On Saturday the dogs will be there from 12:30-4:00. On Sunday they will be there 12:30-3:00. In addition to the dogs we will bring more cats to the store for the weekend. Please let me know if you can help.

Unfortunately Devil Dog Training had to cancel the dog training session scheduled for Wednesday, November 4. As soon as it is rescheduled I will let the dog walkers know.

Barb A and her gang will once again represent the Shelter in the annual West Cape May Christmas Parade. This year the theme is "All Dogs Go To Heaven." The parade is on Saturday, December 5. Parade line up is at 4:00pm. I will send out more details about this as it gets closer. Please bring your dog and join Barb!!

OK...the calendar...two openings remain this month...Tuesday, November 10 in the morning and Friday, November 20 in the evening. Please look ahead to December as well. I will fill in the calendar for 2010 with the regulars by the end of the month. If you need to make any changes and have a regular recurring time slot please let me know ASAP.

Penny Goes Back Home!

Gladys went home Wednesday night. Penny and Alice went home on Saturday. Alice's new mom was so excited to be approved!!

Penny has quite a story. It seems that eight years ago she was given away when her owner died. That person kept her for about two years and then gave her to someone else. That woman brought her to the Shelter after eight years and said she could no longer care for her. Penny went to PetSmart. A friend of the original owner recognized Penny immediately and even remembered her name. She contacted the daughter of the original owner who lives in Mount Laurel and told her that her mother's cat was at a PetSmart in Rio Grande. The daughter was amazed and called the Shelter. In the meantime I called the pending hold taken on Penny and they could not have been happier to be turned down given the reason why. They adopted a kitten from Animal Outreach. Penny truly went home!

The new guys, House, Wilson and Randal, arrived Sunday.... House and Wilson are male litter mates that were brought to the Shelter due to allergies. They are big and soft and nice. We have kept them together since they arrived and hopefully will get to stay together in their next home. They are in the big cage. Wilson is the white and black guy and House is the gray and white tabby. They are a few years old. They settled right in.

Randall is a gray and black tabby that came to the Shelter as a stray and is also a couple of years old. He is really nice and friendly and very vocal. At the Shelter he talked all day long! He is a little scared right now at PetSmart and is sharing cages with Ralph (who seems to sorely miss Alice). I think he will settle in quickly but please give him time.


Last Saturday volunteers Janet and Fran brought Marty, the shepherd mix below and Boots, a young male cat, to Saint Mary's Episcopal Church in Stone Harbor for the annual blessing of the animals. They represented all the Shelter dogs and cats who were blessed by proxy. It was a nice little service. Thanks to Janet and Fran!!

Attention dog walkers....please let me know if you can attend the training scheduled at the Shelter on Sunday, October 25, 1:00-3:00pm. Devil Dog Trainer, Donna Lawson, has alot of experience and has been coming to the Shelter and working with our dogs. She looks forward to working with volunteers and staff.

PetSmart Charities has added another three day adoption event - Friday through Sunday, November 13-15. Please keep it in mind as in a few weeks I will need to know who is available. I'd love to get at least two dogs per day there as well as additional cats.

OK, please forgive me but I need to say this....GO EASY ON THE LITTER. There is no need to fill the pans more than 1/2 - 3/4 inch from the bottom. Remember, we go in twice a day, every day. Also, the litter is a mess to begin with. Let's not give them mountains of it to throw about.

I am going to see about giving the cages a really good cleaning in the near future. We need to get a vacuum in there and get some of the smaller particles out of those hard to reach spots.

October schedule is done! (fingers crossed!!!)

Sorry For Falling Behind!

PetSmart adoptions are out of control!!!! I keep putting off doing the updates until cats definitely go and the new ones arrive. Then, next thing I know ANOTHER cat gets to go so I decide to wait and see who we are sending and then ANOTHER cat gets adopted and I wait again.......get the picture!!! I am going to try to catch up right now...

OK, so, Ivana had a hold when she first arrived but the applicant changed her mind. No worries though...she got another hold over the weekend and is going home as I type this. Her cage is clean and ready for a new arrival.

Millie came and went so fast! Here is a picture for those of you who did not get a chance to meet her.... She is a snuggly, sweet dilute calico. It is no wonder she got adopted so quickly.

Bart and Sprinkles went home during the adoption event. Freddy and Johnny went home together and are probably wreaking havoc at this very moment.

Gladys, Penny, Alice and Ralph arrived most recently. I can't even remember who came when! Ralph and Alice are very affectionate and love playing together. Of course we would love to have them go home together. An application was taken for just Alice over the weekend but it has not been approved yet.

Gladys is a nice old girl with tabby markings and a funny meow. She can be shy at first but she will settle in fine. Poor old Penny!! She is an older cat - twelve years old. A woman came into the Shelter with her and said she could no longer keep her. She had Penny since she was nine years old so actually was her second owner. Penny also has some issues with her hearing. Not deaf - but has difficulty hearing. She is long haired and very pretty and sweet. She is also declawed. I'm hoping she gets adopted quickly.

Check it out!!! The October schedule is complete with the exception of one day...Saturday, October 10, in the morning. Let me know if you can cover it. Don't be afraid to look ahead to November! :-)

Special thanks to the group who handled the Adoption Event the weekend of September 12. A couple of the dogs got to spend some time out of the Shelter thanks to the volunteers.

I'll try to keep up a little better - but let's hope the cats keep getting adopted so quickly that I can't!!!

One of the little locks is missing. Anybody have any idea where it may be?? Is this an intentional act ;-) (Just kidding!!)

Here's Penny and Gladys.....

Siam Is One Happy Cat!!!

What a weekend... Siam went to his forever home on Saturday as scheduled! OMG!! How exciting! Leona said he jumped into his carrier and was ready to go. I am sure he was! Penny left on Saturday also and was carried away by a very excited family. Bart already got a hold! The application is at the Shelter and I will be reviewing it tomorrow.

Two females arrived at the store on Sunday. Sprinkles is very pretty and loving with beautiful colors and markings. She likes people but ain't all that crazy about other cats! Please keep this in mind and give her some space. She is an amusing cat. At the Shelter she has been very vocal - having full fledged conversations with me!

Heart is a cute little black and white cat. She got her name from a marking on her paw that looks like a heart. She is very sweet.

A new volunteer trained today...welcome Frances!! Thank you, Joanne, for doing the training!

The adoption event scheduled for this weekend is falling into place. If you would like to help at any time during the three day event please check the calendar and let me know what hours you can do. I will send out an e-mail to all involved Wednesday evening.

The October schedule looks great!!!! You guys are awesome! There is only three openings at this point...please let me know if you can cover any of the dates.

It is my understanding that when we need to replenish litter and/or food we are to let the manager know and he/she will remove the item from the shelf for us and then be given the UPC code. I do not know that this has changed. Has anything else been happening?? If so, please let me know. There is several assistant managers which can result in confusion. I can place a call to the store manager and verify the procedure if necessary.

The two new girls.....

Summer Ends With A Bang!!

Yes, things have picked up!! We are ending the summer with many successful adoptions. Big Graham left last Sunday. He is going to be so happy being able to stretch those legs out and be free! Ben and Jerry left last night. I am so happy they went together.

You are going to really like the four cats that arrived today. Two littermates, Freddie and Johnny, are in the big cage. They are really great! They are full of personality and are alot of fun. Hopefully they will go the way of Ben and Jerry and get to go home together. Unfortunately I don't have a picture of them. One is black and one is a gray tabby. They are eight months old. Bart is a big old nice lap cat. He has a funny eye but is just fine. Mia is a gray female and is very friendly and loving. She is beautiful. Mia and Bart should stay in their own cages until they get settled in.

We are getting ready for the adoption event being held next weekend. Please check the calendar and let me know what you can do. The more volunteers we have the more dogs we can bring. Please be specific about the hours you can be there. Also, only those volunteers who come to the Shelter and walk dogs can handle the dogs at the event. Below is the hours I would like the adoption table to be open:

Friday, September 11, 12-3pm.

Saturday, September 12, 12-4pm

Sunday, September 13, 12-4pm

Bart & Mia.....


Have a safe and fun Labor Day weekend!!!!

Hooray for Big Stedman!!

Stedman went home on Saturday. He will be living with a very nice couple who have three other cats and a beagle. They came into the Shelter to put a hold on him and were so excited about it. I have no doubt he will be well taken care of.

A cute little boy named Rascal took Stedman's place today. Rascal is an orange tiger and is a little under a year old. He is very friendly and very playful. He will not have any trouble settling in.

Hold on Ben and Jerry - together!! We have alot of litter mates at the Shelter and this is the way we like to see 'em go! The applicant originally applied for Mikey but as the second hold. The original application had been approved so this is a mere formality. I am hoping they get to leave on Saturday.

Just a reminder...since volunteers come in twice a day it really is not necessary to use alot of litter. The more litter there is in the box the more it seems to be every where. Also, remember, we need to keep our costs down. Please do not fill the boxes halfway to the top - put only about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch in the bottom.

I have been busy this summer and rarely have had an opportunity to get to the store. Every time I do go I am so impressed by how orderly all of you keep it. Things looked great today!! Thank you again for being patient about the locks on the cages and the change in litter. The ten cages at PetSmart are responsible for 30% of our feline adoptions. Your help and commitment to this program is so important to the Shelter.

The September schedule is almost complete. There are two openings - both in the morning: Thursday, September 10 and Monday, September 21.

In addition to the regular schedule we are participating in a fall Adoption Event on Friday, Saturday & Sunday, September 11-13 and will have extended adoption hours. We will also bring dogs based on the number of volunteers that are available. Please let me know if you can help. The more the merrier!

Here's our Rascal:

Say Good Bye To The Dry Spell!!

It looks like the summer dry spell is finally over. I am very happy to report that we have had many adoptions over the past week to ten days. I don't know where to begin... Myrna was adopted by one of our volunteers and is doing well. I love her - she is so pretty! Frankie went home last Saturday and Mikey went home last Sunday. Pretty little Fluffy who got sick got a wonderful home when she returned to the Shelter. Get this...HAZEL got a home! She was adopted along with a shy cat named Cassie. Her new family was made totally aware of Hazel's dislike for other cats as well as her...shall we say"spunk" and they had to have her! I know everyone worries when a cat goes back to the Shelter. The return worked out great for Hazel and Fluffy.

PetSmart is having their annual September adoption event on Friday through Sunday, September 11-13. I would like to have the adoption table open on Friday 11-3pm, Saturday 12-4pm and Sunday 12-3 pm. The Saturday adoption table is covered from 12-4 for the resident cats. I would like to have dogs at the store on Saturday and Sunday for two or three hours. I also would like to bring down more cats to spend the weekend. Let me know if you are available for any of the hours. The shelter will receive $25 from PetSmart Charities for each animal adopted during the three days.

Five new kitties arrived on Wednesday. Two brothers, Ben and Jerry, are absolutely adorable! They are littermates. Jerry is a gray tiger and Ben is solid gray. They are in the big cage together. Hopefully a customer will simply have to have the pair of them after seeing them run and play - and, boy, do they run and play!

Oriella is a couple of years old and is a little shy. She is a black and white female. She is sweet and very pretty. Penny is a blue cream who is just about a year old. She snuggles and hugs and is very loving! Jana is about two years old and is a torti. She can also be a tad shy but is friendly when she becomes comfortable. Please leave these three in their own cages until they appear to settle in.

The following dates are still open in September:
Thursday, September 10, AM
Friday, Saturday, Sunday, September 11-13, Adoption Event (see calendar)
Sunday, September 27, Adoption Table

Here's the new girls...sorry, no pictures of Ben and Jerry.

Toto Goes To The Emerald City!

Toto went home on Sunday. He is going to be living with a small dog, another cat, mom and dad, and a ten year old boy who is absolutely THRILLED to be getting him! I suspect that both the boy and Toto are going to be quite spoiled.

Tonight a hold was taken on Oliver and from what I have heard so far it sounds like a good application. I will review it tomorrow at the Shelter.

Three really nice cats were brought down today. Graham is a big old tom cat without a tail that is absolutely gorgeous. You are going to love him. He is a personal surrender that came to the Shelter in December. Less than an hour after arriving at PetSmart we received an inquiry from someone very interested in adopting him.

Fluffy is a sweet long-haired female who is about three years old. She came into the Shelter last month with six other housemates. Their owner was being evicted and could not take the cats. He did come back to the Shelter for two older cats once he found a place to live but he could not take the other four as well. One has since been adopted. Fluffy is a little sad (understandably so) but I do not think she will be for too long once people start to see her.

Mikey is a young male who came into the Shelter as a stray in early June. He was already neutered so it is no surprise that he is friendly and playful. Somewhere in his short life he definitely had human companionship and with his personality he will again very soon!

Hazel was brought back to the Shelter today. Do not worry about her!! She just seems to be a tad too temperamental for PetSmart. The setting is not for every cat. She will be well taken care of at the Shelter and you just may see her again - if she learns to behave herself!

If you are in the area of the 8th Street Recreation field in North Wildwood on Tuesday night (August 4) look for Shelter staff, volunteers, dogs and cats that are all participating there in National Night Out from 5:30p-8:30p.

We have a couple of new PetSmart volunteers - mother and son, Johna and Joe. Welcome aboard!

Special thanks to Leona for pulling double duty on this past Saturday - doing both the morning cleaning AND the adoption table!! Thank you, thank you!!

The September calendar is shaping up. Please take a look ahead and let me know the dates you can cover. Shelter volunteers, please remember to e-mail Tom and let him know when you plan on being at the Shelter.

Below is the cats that arrived today: Fluffy, Mikey and Graham....

Fae Gets To Finally Go Home!

Fae left on Saturday and very calmly allowed herself to be placed in a carrier. Her new family was very excited to be taking her home. Stedman and Frankie will remain roommates and hopefully will get to go together one day!

Ugh! This dry spell is terrible! I looked at the blog for last year and saw that the month of July was pretty slow then, too. We were able to bring kittens and youngsters overnight Saturday to Sunday again. Although we did not get any applications it did give them some much needed exposure.

The 5th Anniversary Celebration last Thursday at the Shelter was a success! Thank you to everyone who stopped in. We had so much support from the County!! You will see in the below picture that four Freeholders, the Sheriff and the County Clerk were all on hand to support the Shelter. Congratulations to Janet K on being named "Volunteer of the Year" for 2008! You can see her proudly displaying her plaque in the photo below. Also among the pictures is the freeholders and the Sheriff with one of our resident dogs, Fudge. He did so well posing for the picture! Also pictured is the freeholders holding up the Shelter's birthday cake. Thank you to the North Cape May ACME for donating such a wonderful cake!! It had a picture of one of our dogs and one of our cats on it - not too mention is was delicious!! If you click on the links to the right - The Shelter In The News and 5th Anniversary Celebration at the Cape May County Animal Shelter you can see an article from the Cape May County Herald as well as a copy of the Anniversary program. Again, thanks to everyone!!

I do have some dates in August that need to be filled. Please let me know as soon as you can if you are available to cover any of them:
Saturday, August 1, Adoption Table or PM cleaning
Monday, August 3, AM and PM
Monday, August 17, AM
Friday, August 21, AM
Saturday, August 29, AM

Here's some pics of our little celebration.....(if you click on the picture it will open up larger and is easier to see)

Hooray For Jess!! Good Bye Miss P!!

OMG!! Jess finally got to go home! She was picked up Wednesday night and her new mom was very excited. She will be living with a little girl and a dog. Apparently Toto is a tad anxious to leave - he jumped in Jess' carrier and had to be reminded it was not for him.

Miss Pirate left with one of our fellow volunteers, Barb C. She will have a great life. Thank you, Barb! I feel like this is the jump start we need!!

Three new cats arrived on Thursday. Siam is a brown tabby that has been in the Shelter since May of 2008. Getting him adopted is a top priority! He had some stomach issues for a long time and was on meds but we have found that he does just fine on the PetSmart brand food. Please make sure he always is by himself with his food or he will start vomitting every time he eats. Let him out to play but do not give him access to the other food.

Oliver is a youngster who is very social and playful. He's the orange guy.

Myrna is pretty and sweet with beautiful eyes BUT is not real crazy about other cats. She needs to have her own space. Please keep her alone and do not rush her into being with the others - that can really stress out a cat who prefers to be alone.

We have alot of kittens at the Shelter between the ages of six weeks and five months. Throughout the summer we will be bringing those who have reached a point where they can be spayed or neutered to the store on Saturday afternoons and picking them back up Sunday afternoon. They are adorable and alot of fun. Hopefully this exposure will increase our adoptions.

The Shelter will have an information table at the 4-H Fair held on Thursday-Saturday, July 16-18. Please let me know if you are available to spend any time there.

We will be celebrating the 5th Anniversary of the opening of Shelter on Thursday, July 23. Please see the link to the right for more information. We will have light refreshments and an open house. We will be offering microchipping for owned pets for $20 from 12:00-3:00. There will be a short ceremony at 3:00PM - Freeholder Director Beyel, Freeholder Desiderio and Sheriff Gary Schaffer will say a few words. (I think I will, too!!!) Please spread the word and please make sure to come yourself and have a piece of cake!!

Meet Siam, Myrna and Oliver.....

Hector Moves to Barb's Assisted Living

Yes, it is true...another elderly cat has moved into Barb A's assisting living area for aging cats. Hector will be joining the two senior girls Cassie and Ella - remember them?? What a lucky little man! Thank you, Barb!! Let's hope this jump starts adoptions at PetSmart!!

By now everyone should had dealt with the change in litter. How's it going?? I know we don't like it but unfortunately we have no choice. PetSmart does so much for us so we need to cooperate. As I said in my e-mail the store was audited by the District Manager and as a result the store managers must make some adjustments in policy. The Pet Adoption Center is not the only area of the store that is undergoing some changes.

Thanks to some volunteers several Shelter residents went on outings last week. Janet K and staff brought dogs and cats to the Loyalton of Cape May on Tuesday, June 23. The residents of the Loyalton loved meeting the guys! Jenn J, Barb A, Larissa, Joan S, Janet K and the Gerys helped with the Jaworski Youth Fund Family Festival in Stone Harbor on Sunday, June 28. With all this help the Shelter was able to bring four dogs and four cats to the event. We all met alot of nice people and the animals got to spend a couple of hours in the fresh air.

The Shelter and the Animal Alliance of Cape May County (AACMC) have joined together to start the Barn Buddy Program. Click on the link to the right for details. I am sending all of you a flyer explaining the details of the program. Please forward it to anyone you know who may be interested.

OK...the schedule...there is presently two openings in July - both in the morning - Sunday, July 5 and Friday, July 17. Please let me know if you are available. Remember...the store opens at 10am on Sundays so you can sleep in a bit.

Happy Fourth of July!!!