Great Week!!!

Fabulous weekend at PetSmart! OK...so where do we begin???  Gladys left on Saturday.  When her new family came to pick her up they also decided to adopt Gabby, a 12 year old lab mix who was at the store with volunteers.  Both of these senior pets are going to have a wonderful life!  They will be the only pets in the home.

Below is a picture of Gabby with her new mom. In addition the other dog that went to PetSmart this weekend, Stretch, a basset hound mix, was also adopted and went home from the Shelter today! 

Gladys' new mom and canine sister

Here is BIG news....Daisy went home today!!  Yay!  Her new mom put a hold on her Sunday and she was so happy to be able to pick her up today.  Daisy cheerfully got into the carrier and seemed more than ready to go home. AND...Daisy just may get a new brother or sister, too.  Even after being warned that Daisy can be a tad annoyed with other cats they still think they may adopt a kitten as well.  Maybe Daisy will behave herself in a home.  There would be room to get away from a younger sibling...or for him/her to get away from Daisy! For now Daisy will be the only pet.

Honey is leaving on Sunday!  She also will be the only pet in the house. After being at the mercy of her evil sister, Lily, while here at the Shelter this is a well deserved break for her!

Two precious kittens arrived at PetSmart today!  You guys are going to love them! Both are about three months old. Archie and Armando - along with their calico sister who has since been adopted – were found down a long road that ran along a stretch of woods abandoned in a box . A good Samaritan was walking her dog and came upon them.  They had obviously been domesticated and living in a house.  They were so clean and very friendly!  She carried the box for almost half a mile and sure they were delivered safely to the Shelter. We cringe to think what would have happened to them had they not been found!  They do not need to be adopted together however it would be wonderful if they were.  Two brothers from the same litter will be fast friends forever and anyone who adopts them need never worry about leaving them when they go out. AND...as always…adopt one and the adoption fee is waived on the other! 

Archie & Armando

We have three new volunteers helping us at PetSmart!  Two of the three, Diane and Kayla,  are a grandmother, granddaughter team who will be covering every Tuesday.  The third,Marianna, has committed to every other Thursday night for a while.  Welcome, newbies, and thank you so much for your help!  You are joining a great group of people! Please do not hesitate to ask questions!

Due to a cancellation someone is needed to cover the morning cleaning on Sunday, July 29.  let me know if you can do it.

 

The August schedule is really shaping up.  Below is a list of the dates that still need to be covered.  Please let me know if you available to do any of them:

Friday, August 10, PM cleaning

Saturday, August 11, AM cleaning

Sunday, August 12, AM cleaning

Friday, August 24, PM cleaning

Sunday, August 26, AM cleaning

So, there ya have it!  Good week all around! Let's hope the adoptions continue!

Catch Up Time!

First,  I would like to thank everyone for their patience while I was out.  Things went smoothly!  Hopefully this entry will get us all caught up.

Stallone went home and will be the only pet in the house.  He left PetSmart with a cart load full of new items to make his new life complete!

Neither Skittles and Starburst, nor Leigh and Sentra, received a proper introduction.  Skittles and Starburst came into the Shelter together in October of last year as strays.  At that time we estimated them to be three months old. They are just about a year old now.  The adoption fee is $10 for these guys because they have been with us so long and also to encourage someone to adopt them together.  Starburst is a friendly orange male and Skittles is the female gray tabby.  Skittles is a nervous girl.  These two love each other so we really need them to go home together.  Orange males are so popular.  We want to avoid sending the friendly guy home while his scared sister continues to sit in a cage.  If adopted together the total adoption fee will only be $10 since the Animal Alliance of CMC pays the fee for the second adoption. (We did have a hold on them but the landlord did not approve the adoption.)

Leigh and Sentra arrived at PetSmart together however it is okay to send them to different homes. Leigh, the black female, came into the Shelter in early August of last year. She is just over a year old.  Sentra, the calico, came into the Shelter two weeks after Leigh.  She also is just over a year old.  As you can see,  soon they will have been in the Shelter for an entire year.  At one point during their stay with us they were put into the same cage to create room. They will be fine if separated.

Our newest arrival is Honey.  Honey is about a year and half and is very nice.  She and two other cats were left behind when their owner could no longer care for them.  One of the cats she came in with has been adopted.  The other cat, her sister Lilly, is here at the Shelter.  Honey and Lilly were sharing a cage but Lilly was so mean to Honey!!  She was always swatting her, growling at her and beating her up!!  What a horrible sister!  You could not even pay attention to Honey without evil Lilly intervening.  Lilly is all lovey dovey with people but is so mean to other cats!  Honey must be sooooo happy to be away from her!

Happy Honey

This weekend we will be bringing kittens to PetSmart on Saturday and Sunday.  Staff will stay with the kittens on both days and bring them back at the end of the day.  We have many, many, many kittens.  In addition this Saturday we will be bringing dogs to PetSmart.  We were originally scheduled to be at Smeltzer's - however he had to cancel so we are bringing the kittens and dogs to PetSmart.

Two reminders: 1) Bowls are to be placed in the container on top of the cart in the back room.  The manager named Amanda is washing them for us.  This will not be done daily - however there should be ample bowls there to cover a few days at a time. After washing Amanda will put the bowls on the second shelf to air dry.
2) Please use the measuring cup and only put 1/2 cup of food in the bowls - once in the morning and once at night. It is very difficult to monitor if a cat is eating or not when the amount of food being placed in the bowls is not consistent.

There is one opening in the schedule this month: Tuesday, July 31, Evening Cleaning.  Please let me know if you are available.  Also, look ahead to August and let me know what you can do.

Hooray for Francesca!! Finally!!!

Yes it is true!!  Francesca finally got to go home!! She is living with another cat and a little dog. For the most part she is being cared for by a very happy nine year old girl.  All her things are in the little girl's room until Francesca feels comfortable enough to have run of the house. I did speak to the mom who adopted her and she said Francesca was a little afraid at first and hid but was getting more comfortable with each day.  They have another cat who is an indoor/outdoor and since Francesca's arrival he is more outdoor than indoor! I assured the mom that with time and patience both cats will settle in with each other.

Trooper is arriving tomorrow. He is a big handsome orange and white tom cat about seven years old.  He is very friendly and loves to be brushed and groomed!  Trooper was part of a group of cats being cared for in Upper Township by a wonderful caretaker.  Unfortunately, like others have experienced lately, she lost her home and had to leave it.  All the cats were taken to the Shelter. For the most part they all lived outside but she spend a lot of time with them.  It is evident when you meet him that he spent a lot of time with human companionship. Trooper's adoption fee is $10.

Big Handsome Trooper

Finally...some official word on the dreaded cleaning of the bowls!!!!  I spoke with the store general manager, Stacey.  Stacey told me that Amanda (another store manager) will personally be washing the bowls.  Pull the food bowls in the morning ONLY and place them in the square tub that is on the cart with three shelves.  When the bowls are washed they will be placed on the small dish rack on the second tier of the cart.  PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not put soiled bowls in a cabinet.  No one knows they are there!!! Toni is bringing litter pans to the Shelter every Thursday morning that are then put through our sanitizer.

A new volunteer started with us and will be doing every other Friday evening cleaning. Welcome, Elizabeth!!  We love new volunteers!

The following regular spots are available if you are a person who prefers routine:
Every other Tuesday evening starting July17.
Every other Friday morning starting July 6.

Please look ahead to July and let me know what you can cover.

For the month of June all cat adoption fees are reduced by 50%. At this point all the cats at PetSmart still have $10 adoption fees marked on their cage cards.  The Shelter will honor those prices as marked.  Trooper's actual adoption fee is $20 but for the month of June it is $10.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS: I am having surgery next week and will be out of work for an undetermined amount of time.  I am hoping to be available by computer and telephone within a week.  Starting on June 20 and until I send out an email stating otherwise please contact the Shelter if you need to cancel a day or need to relay any information about the cats or any information from PetSmart management.  Remember, the Shelter is open seven days a week until 4:00pm.  Someone answers the phone Monday through Saturday beginning at 8:30am and on Sundays at 9:00am. If it is an emergency and the Shelter is closed please call the store at 886-7356 and advise the manger that you are unable to make it.

Minerva and Fabio Go Home!

After being in the Shelter since May of 2011 our Minerva was finally adopted!  She will be living with an older cat and a nice quiet couple.  Perfect situation for her!  Fabio also was adopted.  He too will have feline companionship in his new home.  When Fabio's new parents first saw him at PetSmart they could not believe how closely he resembled a cat they had owned and sadly lost.  They were very happy to bring him home both for his sake and to also help them mend their own broken hearts.

Two newcomers arrived today at the store...Gladys and LJ.  Both will do fine with other cats and kids.  Most likely they will both be fine with dogs as well. For now they will be occupying single cages at PetSmart until they appear settled and at ease.

Poor Gladys really needs the luck of PetSmart to help her.  She has lived in a variety of homes and needs to find that last one where she can no longer worry about again finding herself living in a stainless steel cage. She is approximately nine years old.  She first arrived at the Shelter in July of 2009 and was pregnant.  She had a litter of kittens and went home with a kind foster mother until her kittens were weaned and able to be put up for adoption.  Shortly after that she was adopted and went home with a nice couple.  Sadly, in January of this year Gladys was brought back as her owners were moving and could not keep her.  In May Gladys was adopted and we were all so happy!  Imagine how sad we were when she was brought back two weeks later as someone in the home was allergic to her.  We were heartbroken for Gladys!  Gladys needs you guys at PetSmart to help her find her forever home - we promised her this was it!

Gladys - a good girl!

Then there is handsome, regal, majestic LJ!  He, too, has had a bit of a tough time but won't let you see it! In January his actual owner left him behind with family when he moved. In April they brought him to the shelter saying they had too many pets and could not care for him.  He was already neutered and had been a strictly indoor cat. He is so friendly!!  He will walk right into your arms! He has gorgeous markings and will make a wonderful companion.  LJ is between three and four years old.

LJ

So, by now hopefully all of you have had a chance to review the substantial changes in the volunteer calendar.  Some of the vacancies have been filled and some still need coverage.  Thank you, Leona,  for volunteering to do every other Monday until Paige is available again!  Thank you, Barb A, for volunteering to cover the third Wednesday of each month! And thank, Deb and Warren, for taking every other Saturday morning! 

I neglected to include in the list of changes sent by email that another regular spot that needs to be filled is every other Tuesday evening beginning July 3. Friday evenings still need to be filled effective immediately as well as every other Friday morning beginning June 8.

To complete the month of June the below dates need coverage:

Friday, June 1, PM Cleaning

Wednesday, June 6, Adoption Table or PM Cleaning

Friday, June 8, PM Cleaning

Friday, June 15, AM Cleaning

Friday, June 15, PM Cleaning

Sunday, June 17, AM Cleaning

Friday, June 22, PM Cleaning

Friday, June 29, AM Cleaning

Friday, June 29, PM Cleaning

PLEASE let me know if you can help with any of the above dates. You do not have to commit to every Friday.  You can commit to one or every other.  Whatever you can do helps.

This Saturday we will have two dogs available for adoption at the store from 12:00-3:00pm.

Happy Tails, Char, Duchess and Knight!

Last week was a good one for adoptions!!  Char, as we suspected, did not last long at all!  She went home on Wednesday night.  Duchess and Knight went home together on Friday night.  Their new dad was so anxious and so afraid that he would lose out on their adoption!  He was thrilled to be approved!  The two will be the only cats in the home and will live happily ever after TOGETHER!!!

Three new cats have taken the place of the lucky three adopted.  They are Minerva, Skittles and Starburst.  Minerva has been at the Shelter since she was just a few weeks old.  She came in on May 31 of last year. That makes her just over one year old.  She is very sweet!  She has gorgeous copper colored eyes!  She is a little nervous about making the change to PetSmart but will be fine.  She will do well with other cats and with kids.  She will probably do well with dogs as well.

Mild Manerva

Skittles and Starburst are littermates discovered in crawl space at the end of last October.  At that time they were about three months old.  They are under a year old - eight or nine months.  (Even though they are under a year their adoption fee is still $10 for this month.) Skittles is a female gray tabby and Starburst is a male orange tiger.  They are together in the big cage.  We would prefer to see them go home together.  Of course the fear is that someone wants Starbust because orange males are pretty and desirable and they leave poor Skittles behind! We need to get them taken together!

Handsome Starburst

Sweet Skittles

So far we have been doing pretty well with adoptions as a result of the May promotion.  This month is typically slow - maybe because families are focused on graduations, weddings and proms. 

A warm welcome to new volunteers Debora and Warren who trained today at PetSmart!!  Their first day is this Sunday.  You will not be sorry you joined this compassionate team!!

Please look at the June calendar and let me know if there is any open dates you can cover.

Prince and Clyde Go Home!

Yay for Clyde!!!  Finally he was adopted!  He left last night and will be joining another cat and a dog.  His primary caretaker is a young girl who is thrilled to be adding Clyde to her household.  Prince also left last night.  He was adopted by a vet tech who works at Abri Animal Hospital so we will be able to keep very close track of him!  He left in a new carrier and was quite content to be in it!!

Two new guys arrived today. Char is a fabulous young lady who was discovered inside the remains of a house following a fire. Even though she was wearing not one but TWO collars at the time she came in to the Shelter, still no one called to report her missing. She is very affectionate and will purr as soon as you pick her up!! She is a petite little torti and will acclimate well to a household with cats, kids and dogs.  She is just under a year old however her adoption fee is still $10.00.

Petite Char

Fabio is a big, handsome,  friendly boy that seems to LOVE children!  He has been staying in our main cat room and every time kids come in the room he runs to the front of the cage to say hi!  This poor guy was relinquished to the Shelter when his owner moved and could not take him.  He is two years old and very friendly.  He gets along with other cats and would more than likely be fine with dogs as well.

Fabulous Fabio

As always please allow Char and Fabio to settle in and do not force them to socialize with the other cats.  Both should be fine once they have settled in however let that happen at their pace.  Do not open the door between cages for them until you are certain they will be ok.

At this time of year unfortunately the kittens totally over shadow the adult and teenage cats.  To entice adopters to take cats and not kittens we are having a promotion at the Shelter for the next two months.  For the month of May the adoption fee for all cats over one year old is $10.00.  All the cats at PetSmart - regardless of age - are $10.00.  For the month of June (which is Adopt A Shelter Cat Month) all adoption fees for cats are 50% off the regular fee. Please look to the right under "Links" and click on May and June 2012 Cat Adoption Promotion and you will a flyer detailing the promotion.  Please forward it to any one you know who may be interested or make copies and distribute it.  If customers at the store are interested in kittens we do have them at the Shelter.

Help is still needed for the last two Sundays of this month for the morning cleaning.  The dates are May 20 and May 27.  Please let me know if you are available.

Candy & Raven Go Home TOGETHER!

Candy and Raven went home Friday night to a couple who are thrilled to be adding them to the family!  They will be joining an eight month old French Bull Dog.  Initially the applicants were only interested in one of the girls but after meeting them and seeing how devoted they were to each other they could not break them up! I think the two of them, along with Frenchie, will have a wonderful life!

Sinatra left on Thursday from the Shelter.  He was scheduled to leave Wednesday but due to a mix up that did not happen.  He was picked up Thursday afternoon so his adoption could be complete.  He, too, will be living with a canine roommate - as well as two other cats. 

Litter mates named Duchess and Knight arrived today.  They are about ten months old.  Knight is a black male and Duchess is a female long haired gray tiger.  They came into the Shelter last summer as kittens and had to spend some time in sick bay.  They were so afraid back then!  They have since come around and are very sweet.  This is a pair that really needs to stay together!  They love each other! As always - the adoption fee is waived for the second cat when adopted together.

In addition to Duchess and Knight,  an irresistible cutie named Prince arrived.  He is so sweet!  He is buff colored and is about eight months old. He is active and playful and reaches out to grab anyone who is within paw distance!  You can hear him purring from a mile away! This love bug is not gonna last long!

Meet the latest in feline royalty:

The Pretty Duchess

The Handsome Knight

The Irresistible Prince

The May calendar is complete with the exception of every Sunday morning.  Please look ahead and let me know if you are available to cover any of them.  The dates are May 6, 13, 20 and 27.  The store does not open until 10:00am on Sundays so you can arrive a little later than on the other days.

May 4, 5 & 6 is the Spring Adoption Event and dogs will be at the store on all three days!  

Sorry For the Delay!!!

Shame on me!! I have not said good bye to our latest adoption nor introduced our latest arrival!  It somehow got away from me.

As expected it took no time at all for Arianna to get adopted.  She immediately drew a lot of attention.  She was adopted by the same family who adopted Randall and Rusty from us in the last few months.  They are thrilled to add her to their household. On Easter Sunday she readily got into the carrier and headed home.  She will have a very nice life!

Another long-haired cat took Arianna's place on Wednesday.  Sinatra is a four year old buff and white colored handsome man who will be fine with kids and other cats.  He has never spent time with dogs so we are not sure how that would go - however based on his disposition it should be fine.  He may act a tad shy when you first meet him but he is a lovebug that craves attention!

Calendar looks great for the rest of the month - knock on wood!  There is one opening yet to be covered...Sunday, April 29, AM cleaning.

VERY IMPORTANT REMINDER: If you observe anything  you feel needs to be checked concerning the health and welfare of one of the cats do not only write it in the notebook.  In addition to writing it there note that you also either emailed or called the Shelter.  If you email please put ATTENTION MEDICAL on the subject line and email it to animalshelter@cmcsheriff.net AND daviesdunhour@comcast.net. Routinely the animalshelter email is checked however an occasion may arise where it is not checked for a day or so.  If that is the case I will be aware of it and can insure it is followed up.  Thank you!!!

Isis Goes Home

Isis went home Wednesday night and will be the only pet in the house.  She did leave along with a cart full of new kitty cat supplies and will have a nice life!  Sadly the new family did not want two cats so Imp is still with us.

We do have an application for Lottie.  The applicant is also interested in Imp but may only be permitted one cat.  We are still waiting on the final word on this adoption.  Hopefully she can have two cats!

Arianna is a beautiful full bred Norwegian Forest cat that arrived at PetSmart today. She is so pretty!  Her owner moved to Florida and could not take her along.  Arianna is nine years old and would be fine in a home with other cats and kids.  She has never spent any time with dogs.  She is very friendly and loves attention!!  Potential adopters must be aware that Arianna will require very frequent groming!! She was brushed daily with a wire comb which kept her fur looking so beautiful!  the below picture says it all....

Tomorrow is the first Saturday of the month which means our dogs will be making an appearance at the store.  Joyce, Peggy and Barb will be there 12:00-3:00pm.

It appears that ever since we began to pre-cut the brown paper at the shelter we are flying through it!!  Please do not change the paper daily.  It is not always necessary and the paper is very expensive.  Try to sweep it off and even flip it over before deciding to discard it.

IMPORTANT: Double check the cages before you leave and make sure they are securely shut.  Last night and one day last week cats were found running free in the cage room!

There are a few dates remaining this month that need coverage.  They are below:

Sunday, April 8, AM Cleaning (Easter)

Sunday, April 15, Adoption Table

Sunday, April 29, AM Cleaning

Have a wonderful Easter with your families - two legged and four legged alike!!!

Happy is quite happy!!

Happy went home Wednesday night.  He will be the only only pet in the house and is going to be quite spoiled! We knew he would be adopted quickly!

Daisy arrived on Friday.  She is between two and three years old and is a sweetheart!  She is very friendly and outgoing and even does not mind being picked up.  Daisy is not very fond of other cats so be cognizant of this during play time.  Introduce her slowly and give her space if it appears she needs it.  Potential adopters need to be aware of this should they have other cats in the home. She is very pretty!!

I received an email that PetSmart management left a note with instructions concerning the arrival of new cats as well as other things.  I will contact the manager on Monday to get details.  It appears the responsibilities outlined will fall on the shelter staff and not the volunteers.  I will pass on the information as soon as I have it.

For the most part Thursdays and Fridays are now being covered.  It looks like Sunday is going to become my "special" day now!!  Special thanks to Joe B for jumping in this week to cover the cancellation! Below is the dates still needing coverage for April:

Friday, April 6, AM cleaning

Sunday, April 8, AM cleaning

Sunday, April 15, AM cleaning

Sunday, April 22, AM cleaning

Sunday, April 29, AM cleaning

Please let me know if you are available to cover any of the days.  If you can do a regular Sunday schedule that would be great!  It can be once a month, every other, every third, whatever.  It is easier to work around regulars.

Two New Arrivals

Here is the two guys who have replaced Calli and Snowball. They arrived Tuesday afternoon and were placed in separate cages. Both cats should acclimate quickly and will be fine with other cats - however, as always, please watch how they are doing and let them begin to socialize according to their schedule!

Meet Happy! As the name implies he is a happy cat! He an orange and white guy three or four years old. He loves attention and is definitely a lap cat. He even enjoys being picked up! He will make someone very "Happy!"

Our other arrival is a sweet tiger and white female named Francesca. She is also three to four years old. She was living with MANY other cats and four dogs prior to her arrival at the Shelter. Her owner was unable to take care of her any longer. She will do well with kids, also.

Leona had occasion to speak with the new family who adopted Calli and Snowball and both cats settled right in!! Snowball is a lap cat and Calli is sleeping in a bed!! Such good news!

Toni and Irene are back (yay!!!) so, for the most part, Thursdays and Fridays seem to be getting coverage. Also back is Patty and she does every other Thursday. Whew!! That was difficult to keep covered.

There is an adoption event at PetSmart Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 4, 5, 6. Dogs will be brought to the store on all three days from 12:00-3:00pm.

Below are the days in April when coverage is still needed:
Friday, April 6, AM Cleaning
Sunday, April 8, AM Cleaning (Easter Sunday)
Saturday, April 15, Adoption Table
Sunday, April 22, AM Cleaning
Sunday, April 29, AM Cleaning

Lydia will be covering the adoption table the third Wednesday in April and May. Starting in June the time slot is open for a regular. Please let me know if you are interested in a permanent spot. It is only once a month!!

I spoke with Jackie, one of the managers, today. She was unaware that store associates would be cleaning the food/water bowls and will check with the other manager, Amanda, to see how this will be accomplished.

Snowball & Calli Go Home!

Thanks to everyone for holding down the fort while I was away! We had two new arrivals that did not receive a proper introduction so I shall do it now!

Raven and Candy are two sisters who came into the Shelter as part of a litter of five right around Halloween. The other three have since been adopted. These two girls are about seven months old and are really sweet. They love to be petted and held and are very playful! They will adjust to a home with cats, kids or dogs. As always, adopt both of them and the fee for the second is waived! (Candy - to the left - is the sibling with less black around her nose.)

Calli and Snowball were adopted together and left on Friday. They will be the only pets in the home and will have a wonderful life together. A mother and her adult daughter met the cats at PetSmart and at the Shelter before making a decision. They did really enjoy Imp and Isis but after careful consideration thought that the two kittens had a better chance at adoption than the older girls. What a thoughtful choice! They brought their application and deposit money to the Shelter on Thursday. At that time they met Snowball's sister Lizzie as well. They just may be back for her! Two new cats will arrive either Monday or Tuesday to take their places.

Ron's new mom called and said he is now known as Rusty and he is "fabulous!" She said he is doing well with her other cats and has really blossomed in her home. She thanked us repeatedly for allowing this cat to become a part of her life. How nice is that?!!

I know there is a bit of a mis-communication among PetSmart staff concerning the cleaning of our food and water bowls. Ruth washed 48 bowls on Friday so we should be good for a few more days. I need to talk to Amanda as she is the manager who was going to see that this policy was put in place. Hopefully I can get this rectified on Monday. Thank you for your patience!!!

Please look ahead to April and let me know if you can cover any of the available time slots. Also, any takers for a permanent adoption table the third Wednesday of the month?? Let me know!! If you are new to the paperwork I will train you at your convenience. The shelter is open seven days a week so I am sure we can work out a time.

Hope you all had a great
St. Patrick's Day!

Three out & Three In!

Little Ron went home last week!! He will have a nice life living with three other cats of various ages - all females!! Johnny finally got to go home! He will be living with a very nice man who already is taking good care of him. The original applicants were not permitted by the landlord to adopt. They were so sad to see him remain at PetSmart so they convinced a good friend to meet him. He did and he loved him and now they are a family!!

Sabrina was not doing well so we took her back to the Shelter. She was depressed and not eating. Back at the Shelter she is so happy! Don't worry - she 'll be fine!!

Below are the three new cats. Imp and Isis are from the same litter as Ivan and just as nice! They are about seven months old and are both lap cats. They will do fine with other cats, kids and dogs. They are both sweet and playful. Isis is a gray and white female and Imp is a male gray tabby with white.

Callie is a sweetheart! Yes, as the name suggests she is a calico. She is two years old and is very friendly. She is playful and energetic! She will be fine with everything and everyone!

The Shop-A-Holics event in Avalon was great!! It was a three day event at two locations. We received $3200 in donations and a full truck load of linens, pet supplies, food, toys, cleaning supplies, etc. People were so generous! Joyce and Peggy brought several dogs over on Saturday and they were a big hit!

Feline Frenzy February was fabulous! Thirty-five cats were adopted!! This will be an annual promotion for sure!

A young intern from The Herald came into the Shelter last week and wrote a very nice article about the Shelter. Please click on the link to right Shelter In The News to read it.

The March calendar is complete with the exception of the difficult-to-fill Thursday and Friday mornings and one Sunday morning. Below are the dates:
Thursday, March 8, AM
Friday, March 9, AM
Thursday, March 15, AM
Friday, March 16, AM
Thursday, March 22, AM
Friday, March 23, AM
Sunday, March 25
Thursday, March 29
Friday, March 30

Beginning in April someone is needed to do the adoption table on the third Wednesday of each month. The time now is 6:00--8:00pm. I would like to keep the time the same and keep it consistent however if need be I can change it. It would be great to have a regular! Let me know if you are interested. If you are I will arrange for you to be trained on completing the paperwork. It is not difficult!! Do not be afraid of it!! I am always just a phone call away, too.

Feline Frenzie Going Well!!

The February Feline Frenzy promotion is going very well. Lots of cats are being adopted from the Shelter - including some of our friends that spent some time at PetSmart. Rutgers, Petunia and Frannie all have left the Shelter in the last two weeks. Tiggers has been adopted, too!! Her new mom first saw her at PetSmart and then came to the Shelter to complete the application. She will be the only pet in the house and will have a wonderful life. as well!

In addition we had two guys go home this week from the store - Ivan and Ricky. Ricky will be the only pet in a house hold with three young adults. He will have a lot of attention. Ivan went home with a family that Leona (one of our volunteers) knows very well! Three young girls are very excited to add Ivan to their household. He is going to love stretching those legs out!

Two new cats arrived last night...Clyde and Sabrina. Clyde is a gray and white male who is a couple of years old. He is a very nice affectionate cat and should acclimate quickly to PetSmart. Sabrina is a brown striped tiger and white female with a cute little pink nose. She will sit next to you and purr away and loves attention! She struggles a bit when held but so do most cats! They are both smaller cats so will be fine in a cage alone while they get comfortable in their new environment. Here they are:

Our February promotion continues for six days. Adoption fees are $22 through February 28. On February 29 the adoption fee is $29.

If PetSmart employees do not wash the bowls for a day or two we should be fine as there are plenty of food and water bowls in the cabinet below the big cage. Please be careful not to push the stack of bowls to the back of the shelf where they are difficult to see.

Rationing the food has worked out well and really decreased waste. Thank you!

Please look ahead to March and let me know if you can fill in on any of the open days. Barring unforeseen cancellations we are covered for the rest of this month.

Musical Cats AGAIN!

Tiggers had a weepy eye, was lethargic and had some blood tinged sneezes so we brought him back to the Shelter. Candy was showing pretty much the same thing so she was brought back as well. She was adopted from the shelter shortly after arriving back! Her new family LOVES her! Tiggers is doing well and looks great! Hopefully he will be adopted soon, too.

Lil' Cat and Laura were both adopted from the Shelter and went home today!! Oh, and I just approved an application for Rutgers. See...no need to worry when they come back!

Ron arrived on Friday and as of yesterday (Monday) he was still nervous and afraid. At the shelter he was friendly and social. Hopefully he will come around soon. He came into the Shelter when he was about two months old. He is about eight to ten months old now. If you have not met him already - here's Ron:

Ivan is arriving at the store on Wednesday. He is cute little guy and is very friendly! He is the sort of guy that will walk out of the cage and into your arms. He has been at the Shelter since July and is about eight months old. He is a tiger with very pretty markings. As a result of basically living almost his entire life in a cage you will see that Ivan is a tad bow-legged. Let's make sure he has some time to stretch those legs out at PetSmart. He will be fine with other cats, dogs and kids. He should settle in quickly however look for signs of stress and give him privacy until he appears comfortable. Here's Ivan ( he was difficult to photograph!):

Looks like we have finally figured out how the food and water bowls will be disinfected. Those who clean in the morning will pull all the bowls and replace them with clean ones located in the cabinet underneath the big cage. PetSmart management has set up a cart on wheels for us in the back store room near the mop sink. The soiled bowls will simply be placed in the container on the top of the cart. It is clearly marked. PetSmart employees will clean the bowls and place them to dry on that same cart on a drain board. When you leave the dirty bowls take any cleans one back to the cage room and store them. As for litter pans and toys...we will continue to pull them all on Thursdays mornings and bring them to the Shelter to run through the sanitizer.

As for those little locks on the cages...good news...we no longer need to use them. As long as the first door is locked and the door to the cage room is locked we do not need to use the little locks. Each cage has a little lock still on it secured to a bar. In the event we need one it will be accessible. One less thing to worry about!!

There is a measuring cup in the food canister in the adoption room. In the morning please allot only one half cup of food per bowl per cat. In the big cage put one cup of food in one bowl. It is not necessary to put any more than that in the bowls. If it is properly measured out then the evening cleaners can tell how much was actually eaten. If, in the evening, half of that allotment is still in the bowl then there is no need to add to it. We need to be mindful of waste. Also, if a cat is in a cage by itself we can see if it is eating. The same goes for the litter - please do not overfill the boxes.

The adoption event went well! Thank you to all the volunteers who assisted with it. Our dogs received a lot of exposure!

Our February Feline Frenzy promotion appears to be going well. The month is halfway over - let's hope this continues!

There is one opening this month...next Friday, February 24 in the morning - in addition to this Thursday, February 16, in the evening. (Toni and Irene...you guys back yet??)

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

An Adoption and New Arrivals

Jade left Wednesday night. It is always so nice to see the senior guys get adopted. She will be living with other cats and will have plenty of company.

Even after the thorough scrubbing of all cages and the entire adoption area a couple of the cats showed eye irritation this week and were brought back to the Shelter. Mo and Laura showed the same weepy eye we keep seeing. Hopefully they will be back shortly. Lotti did not show any eye issue so we left him. Please, for a few days, keep him isolated from the rest and see how he looks.

While Mo and Laura convalesce at the Shelter these four cuties will be at PetSmart. Zazu and Carlos are wonderful littermates who spent the first couple of months in one of our best foster homes. Both are males. They lived with other cats, dogs and kids. They should adjust just fine in any home. These two love each other so much that we are requiring that they go together. Once you see how they interact you will understand why. The below is not a great picture but you will get a glimpse of them at least. Zazu is the medium haired black one and Carlos is the gray guy. They are in the big cage. They are a a tad nervous right now but should be fine in a day or two.

The other two, Candy and Tiggers, are not litter mates but we had them together at the Shelter because we needed the cage space. They are now sharing two cages at the store. They will be just fine if adopted separately. Candy is a black and white female about six months old. She was surrendered by a family who could no longer take care of her. She is soooo friendly and sweet! Tiggers is a white and tabby male about the same age as Candy. She was a Christmas gift given to someone who could not keep her so they brought her to the Shelter. Both of these kittens will adjust to a household with cats, kids and dogs.

Remember we have special adoption rates through the month of February. There is a flyer posted in the adoption room with the rates and you were all emailed a copy of the flyer. Our existing policy stands for these rates...the adoption fee is waved if you adopt a second cat. These rates still apply to the reduced fees. In addition Hartz has donated cats toys to the Shelter. Every cat gets a "Kitty Casters" when they go home. These are in a litter pan on one of the shelves above the cages.

Hartz also donated beautiful large dog bowls to the shelter as well as flea control, dog toys and vitamins!

I spoke with Stacey at PetSmart and they have not set up the new system for sanitizing the food and water bowls. I'll let you know as soon as that is up and running. The system in place for sanitizing the toys and litter pans is working well.

Kitty was picking up a couple more rolls of brown paper and dropping them off on Wednesday. I assume they made it there! Thank you, Kitty!

Seems no one likes to volunteer on Thursdays and Fridays - except Christine S, of course!! Please hurry home, Irene and Toni!! Patty H, we miss you, too!! Below is the days that still need coverage for February:
Feb 9, Thurs, AM Cleaning
Feb 10, Fri, AM Cleaning
Feb 16, Thurs, AM Cleaning
Feb 17, Fri, AM Cleaning
Feb 23, Thurs, AM Cleaning
Feb 24, Fri, AM Cleaning

Reminder: this Saturday the dogs will be at PetSmart from 12:00-3:00pm.

Return of Two Old Friends

Two old friends were brought bcak to the store which brings us again to full capacity...Johnny and Petunia! To refresh your memory their pictures are below. Petunia is a sweet calico that was initially brought to PetSmart in September. She actually had a home but was sick and we suggested to the applicant that Petunia be picked up when she was well. The applicant had applied for two other cats as well and decided that three was too many. Petunia is a year old now so her adoption fee is $35. Johnny is a black and white male that spent some time with us at PetSmart right up until the holidays. We waited to bring him back due to an eye infection. After two weeks of meds he is doing just fine! He is about three years old.

Remember Ethan who was at PetSmart some time ago?? He was adopted last week from the Shelter!

Thanks to Tony and Larissa the last two time slots in January were covered. Below is the open times for February. As always it all mornings. Once Irene and Toni are back from their respective trips Thursdays and Fridays will not be such a problem. One date below is a Sunday. If you could volunteer for just one of these days it would be a big help!!

Thursday, Feb 2, AM Cleaning
Thursday, Feb 9, AM Cleaning
Friday, Feb 10, AM Cleaning
Thursday, Feb 16, AM Cleaning
Friday, Feb 17, AM Cleaning
Sunday, Feb 19, AM Cleaning
Thursday, Feb, 23, AM Cleaning
Friday, Feb 24, AM Cleaning

Next weekend (Feb 7) is Dog Day Saturday!! Chcek the calendar to see if you are scheduled. The following weekend is the mid-winter adoption event held annually at PetSmart. Dog handlers are needed for both Saturday and Sunday 12-3pm. Let me know if you are available.

On the right under "Shelter In The News" is the press release about Feline Frenzie February. Please feel free to share it!!

Sarah Is Adopted & Jade Arrives!

Sweet Sarah was adopted this week and left Wednesday night. She will be living with another one of our cats named Dusty who was adopted two weeks ago. She will also have two canine siblings! It is a nice family and Sarah will be happy there!

The second application received for Ricky was not approved. The applicant has a dog that apparently is aggressive toward other animals to the point it requires muzzling when brought to the groomer. I was assured the dog would be carefully watched and kept away from Ricky but that is a chance I am not willing to take. Too many things can happen. So, Ricky again has no holds!

Jade arrived on Thursday. She is an older quiet girl - 10 plus years old. She was living in a car at the airport in Erma along with another cat we have at the Shelter named Oreo. She is a polydachtal that was already spayed when she came in. She will take some time to settle in so please do not drag her out or force her to co-mingle. Let her assimilate on her own terms. For now she will need privacy.

In February we will be offering reduced fees on cat adoptions to make room for the inevitable influx of cats and kittens in Spring. We are calling it February Feline Frenzy! The adoption fees for the month will be posted so everyone is aware of them. The fees increase from $12 for Lincoln's birthday to $14 for Valentine's Day to $22 for Washington's birthday to $29 for leap year.

I have been getting a lot of positive feedback from everyone concerning the cleanliness of the adoption center. Very good to hear!!! Thank you all for your cooperation. This week we began to pick up litter pans and toys, sterilized them at the Shelter and returned them.

Gabbano's application has been approved and he will become the prized possession of a 7 year old girl!

Last night Ruth took a hold on Steel and the application has been forwarded to the Shelter. It will be processed once we receive confirmation that the landlord allows pets.

I have three open dates this week so PLEASE let me know what you can do:
Tuesday, January 24, PM Cleaning
Thursday, January 26, AM Cleaning
Friday, January 27, AM Cleaning

Once Irene and Toni get back from extended vacations we can get the Thursday and Friday mornings covered a lot easier! Until then please let me know if you can help.

Big Cage Gets Filled and Old Friends Get Adopted!!

Two young sweeties are in the big cage now...Laura and Lotti. They were born under a deck back in August and have been at the Shelter ever since. These siblings are very friendly and don't mind being held! They will love to curl up and snuggle with everyone they meet. Laura is a tiger striped female and Lotti is a black male. We really would prefer they go home together as they are totally bonded to one another. Adopt one and the fee for the second is waived!

Great news!!! Carter was adopted yesterday from the Shelter! The applicant originally put a hold on Ricky at PetSmart. Then she met Carter at the Shelter and fell for him. No worries - Ricky is a love and will get adopted quickly, I'm sure. Keep your fingers crossed - an application was received for Gabbano yesterday. We are still waiting on supporting paperwork and hoping for the best.

Welcome to three new PetSmart volunteers who were trained Friday afternoon...Robin, Irene and Kathy! We are happy to have you!!

OK...the dreaded new procedures...I don't think it will be so dreaded or complicated after all. I think we are just about under control and it should not be difficult. I met with Stacey yesterday and everything will be set up and implemented February 1. A two gallon bucket will be placed in the back room on a shelf along with two dish racks. The evening cleaner and adoption table cleaners will simply fill that bucket with one gallon of water and watchdog NF - a line will indicate on the bucket where that is. You then insert a hose that leads from the disinfectant into an injector on the side of the faucet and turn the water on. The system itself will automatically provide the proper ratio of disinfectant. The bowls will be placed in the bucket to soak for a minimum of ten minutes, rinsed and then left to air dry on the racks provided. (It is important to remember to disconnect the hose from the faucet or you will be rinsing with disinfectant.) The bucket is then emptied right there. If you are not able to pick up the bucket and empty it a store associate or manager will gladly do that for you. Any questions please let me know. I apologize for any inconvenience!! By the way...the new District manager was in the store on Thursday and inspected the adoption center and was very impressed!! Kudos to all of you!

Also, we have changed litter. This new litter does not appear to generate as much dust.

PLEASE...since bowls will be emptied every day it is very important that we not over feed. One half cup per cat in the morning should be plenty. If there is plenty of food left in the evening please do not throw it out - simply transfer it to the new bowl and make sure that bowl goes back to the exact same cage.

Calendar dates still open:
Jan 20, Friday, AM cleaning
Jan 24, Tuesday, PM cleaning (recent cancellation)
Jan 26, Thursday, AM cleaning
Jan 27, Friday, AM cleaning

The next adoption event at PetSmart is the weekend of February 11. Dogs will be at the store on both days. More detail will follow as the date gets closer.

We Are Back In Business!!!

Happy New Year, Everyone!! We are officially back in business at PetSmart. When you arrive you will see that for the most part we have new arrivals. I know everyone gets attached and hates to see their favorites go but don't worry! They are fine at the Shelter.

Caramel was adopted right after Christmas. We did receive an application for him and Carter together on Christmas Eve. After a week and numerous attempts to contact the applicant - including knocking on her door - we received a second application for Caramel. Caramel was approved and went home where he will be the only pet and will be spoiled rotten. Three days later the original applicant finally called and advised she had seen a missed call on December 28! Well, you know what they say...things happen for a reason!

Two of the cats returning you already know. Remember Ricky?? He is a long haired black mail and is a sweetheart. He came into the Shelter in late July at twelve weeks old. He will be wearing a blue collar because another long haired black male is scheduled to come down this week. Here is Ricky if you don't remember him:

Also returning is Johnny. He left the Wednesday after Christmas and had developed an eye infection. He has been on meds since and hopefully will be back this week. A cage is reserved for him! Feel better soon, Johnny!

Snowball is a black and white female about five years old who came to us in late October. Her owner was evicted and was living in a car with her. She is sweet and loves attention but does not necessarily like being picked up. Then again...how many cats do?? Meet Snowball:

Steel is gorgeous!! He is just over a year old and is gray male. It appears he was shot by an arrow and you can see the scar on his side. You will love him!! Here is Steel:

Sarah is a four year old friendly torti who is a sweetheart. She loves getting attention and will purr away and let you know how pleased she is!! She came into the shelter in late September.
Here is Sarah:

Last but not least is our boy Mo. Mo came into the Shelter in August because of the reason we hear so often..."the baby is allergic." He is only two years old and is a playful little guy. He may appear to be shy at first but he comes around. He still is trying to figure out what he did wrong than landed him in the Shelter! Hi, Mo!

So, there you have it...the new line up for 2012. Please keep the doors between cages closed for now as these guys are all singles. Let them settle in and see who likes what and who. Remember...a stressed out cat often turns into a sick cat. Being forced into a living situation with no control and no ability to find solitude can stress a cat out. They are delicate animals!!

The big cage is empty but not for long. The two slated to go looked like they may have a slight eye infection so we decided to wait on them.

The following dates need to be filled this month - yes, most are the dreaded Thursday and Friday mornings!
Thursday, Jan 12, AM cleaning
Thursday, Jan 19, AM cleaning
Friday, Jan 20, AM cleaning
Monday, Jan 23, PM cleaning
Thursday, Jan 26, AM cleaning
Friday, Jan 27, AM cleaning

Let's hope 2012 is a great year for adoptions!!!!

Kit Goes Home For Chrsitmas

Kit will be home for Christmas!! Actually she left last Wednesday. Initially her new dad was going to take Franny, too. Not having had pets for a long time and living alone he decided to only adopt Kit and see how things went. No worries! Franny was just happy for Kit and very understanding! She will be in a quiet home which suits her!

After Kit left we brought Monty to PetSmart. Monty at the Shelter was super sweet, friendly and loving. A long haired orange and white male - we thought he would be snatched up in no time. Well, our sweet Monty apparently hated PetSmart and had trouble settling in. After three consecutive days of receiving reports of growling, swatting and even lunging at volunteers we decided to bring him back. He was VERY happy when he was picked up.

So, pretty Mistle Toe has replaced Monty. She is so gorgeous! She is a five year old torti blue point with a bit of a Himalayan face. She was definitely someone's pet. She had been spayed when she arrived - brought in by animal control. She was thin and had a lot of fleas. She feels a lot better and she is ready to go home for Christmas! (In her picture she looks a little angry but believe me, she's not!)

Our Holiday Open House & Pet Photos With Santa was a huge success. If you have not seen it please read the article and the pictures that appeared in The Herald. The link is to the right.

I am not going to bug everyone about the calendar until after Christmas! Special thanks to Larissa for covering Christmas morning!!!

May all of you, your family, pets,
friends and loved ones
have an absolutely wonderful Christmas!!
You are all on Santa's nice list!!

Rusty Long Hair Is Out The Door!!!

Well, we knew that wouldn't take long and indeed it didn't!! Rusty Longhair left Wednesday night with a very excited new dad. He will have several feline companions in his new home and shall want for nothing!!

Kit and Frannie have been adopted together however will not be picked up until Wednesday night. Rather than put them through the stress of bringing them back to the Shelter only to be moved again in a few days into their new homw we are going to just let them stay at PetSmart.

Two new cats arrived yesterday - Carmel and Carter. Carter is the black one. These two were left along with Rusty Long Hair at the vet office a few weeks ago. They are both very friendly and outgoing!! Both are males, over five years old and came in neutered and ear tipped. They are sharing two cubicles.

The December calendar is one time slot short of being complete. The last open date is the morning cleaning on Friday, December 23. Let me know if you can cover.

Don't forget our Holiday Open House and Pet Photos With Santa tomorrow! It will be fun!

Say Hello To Rusty Long Hair!

Speckles seems to be suffering from the same eye issue as Ricky so we brought her back to the Shelter. Rusty Long Hair was brought to PetSmart on Saturday to take her place. About three weeks ago Rusty was left over night along with four other long haired cats at the door of Parkway Veterinarians on Route 9 in Court House. All the cats are several years old, spayed/neutered and ear tipped. All are VERY friendly. A couple of them may be over ten years old. We estimate Rusty LH to be about five years old. As you will see he is VERY friendly and sweet!! He will fit in well in a home with other kids, cats and dogs.

Barb A and the crew won another first place prize in the West Cape May Christmas Parade on this past Saturday with the theme "Bow Wow Pow Wow." Below is a picture of the float and one of our participating PetSmart volunteers. Nice job, guys!!!!

Slowly but surely we are getting the December schedule complete. Only two open dates remain - both in the morning: Thursday, December 22 and Friday, December 23. Let me know if you can cover either of them.

Reminder....Holiday Open House and Santa Pet Photos this Saturday, December 11 at the shelter!!! Should be a lot of fun!!!