Welcome back, Ginger!

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

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

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

Latest Arrivals

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

Becky and Sarah went home last night!

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

Great Weekend!! Becky is Going Home!!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

New Arrivals, Becky, and More

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ginger, Tangare & Pepper

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

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

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

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

One Adoption & Two Holds!

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

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

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

Possible Home For Becky!!

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

New Director, New Arrivals & While I Am Away

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

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

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

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

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

Two More Homes Found

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

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

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

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

WOW!! Good Job on the Schedule!!

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

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

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

The Latest & The Schedule

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

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

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

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

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

New Arrivals

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

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

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

More Happy Endings

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

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

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

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

Adoption Table: Help needed

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

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

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

Petsmart Volunteer Calendar

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

2006 Fall National Adoption Weekend

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

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

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

Volunteer Orientation - Kitty Klub - August Schedule

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

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

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

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

Thanks for all your help!!!

Handling the Kitties and the Schedule

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

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

Sasha & Tasha Find A Home

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

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

Thanks again for your help!

Adoptions to Date & August Schedule

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

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