Meeko Shall Inherit Your Heart

Welcome to fully-fledged spring!

Canine Supervisor Robyn, Feline Supervisor Kayla, and I saw the flowers blooming in Mystic, Connecticut last weekend at the New England Federation of Humane Societies Annual Conference, which drew hundreds of folks involved in animal welfare--from animal control officers, to volunteers, to tiny animal rescue organizations, to employees of the Humane Society of the United States and the ASPCA.

We found a great majority of the workshops fascinating. Topics that made us think: open adoptions; pit bull advocacy; animal enrichment; how to tell the difference between feral cats and frightened domestic cats. A lecture that sparked extensive conversation was entitled: "Shelter-ers or Rehomers?" That topic deserves an entire blog in itself, and I'd like to write about it soon.

But for now, let's discuss our animals who've gone from the shelter to a home!

Two dogs found homes last week: Quigley, a nearly blind Golden mix (sweetest guy ever), and Millie, an adorable, floppy, small breed/Terrier mix.

Eight cats went home! Congrats to Queenie, Shamus, Shanti, Parka, Luna and Sebastian. In amazing news, Curry is finally in a home! This seven-month-old cat grew up here in our shelter, in an isolation room. Sadly, over the course of his entire kittenhood, he exhibited chronic vomiting.  Our medical supervisor, Jen, and visiting veterinarian, Dr. Susan McMillan, tried EVERYTHING to fix this little guy. In the end, a raw food diet stopped the vomiting, and he was finally made available for adoption. We're overjoyed to know that he's finally living life outside of a cage.

And we're just as happy about the adoption of our featured adoptee … MEEKO!

Meeko

Many of you have seen Meeko featured on our Facebook page, if not met her in person, because she's been here a very long time. At least, much longer than Siamese kitties usually remain unspoken for here!

Meeko was relinquished to us in late February because her owner passed away. A beautiful Chocolate Point, Meeko is typical of her breed in that she has a BIG personality! And unfortunately, the particular bent of her personality is not especially adaptable to life in a shelter. Meeko has no tolerance for other animals. And is not unendingly patient with multiple human strangers handling her. After a week of "hissy/swatty" behavior with staff attempting to clean her cage, our feline supervisor moved her into her own office for closer observation. Fortunately, free of the company of other cats, Meeko came out of her shell and showed her social side. Kayla quickly learned that Meeko has her preferences: no scratching of the hind end; limited petting; a fondness for men over women; no hugging, please … but overall, Kayla observed nothing of alarm. Still, the thought of placing her in a Tokyo cage in the lobby, next to other cats in Tokyo cages, with volunteers taking her out of the cage to clean each morning … just didn't seem conducive to Meeko's success at the shelter. So the cat moved in with our volunteer and events coordinator, Shayla.

Shayla has a special place in her heart for Siamese and was excited to meet Meeko. The feeling was not completely mutual. After a week in the little office, Meeko yearned to expand her horizons and began jumping the gate. Shayla reacted by leaving her door closed … after which Meeko learned to take advantage of unwitting strangers who mistook the intentions of the blue-eyed cat winding between their legs for affection. She only needed six inches of open doorway.

Meeko's favorite thing in the office was a peacock feather--which object of sport just happens to be all the rage among our cat population these days. But Meeko's no blind follower. She genuinely loved that feather. Staff would watch from the front desk as Meeko suspiciously eyed the feather, daring it to mock her just one more time. When fed up with its cheekiness, she'd raise a chocolate paw and ferociously go to work, smacking its silky head again and again with an alacrity enviable of any boxer at the speed bag. Afterwards, convinced it had learned its lesson, she'd jump aloft Shayla's chair and gaze fondly at the chastened feather with heavy-lidded eyes. That single blue and green feather hanging in Shayla's office provided Meeko the extra bit of physical and mental stimulation she needed to make it through four weeks in a small space. But its significance would play a larger role yet.

Meeko had quite a few interested visitors, but her lack of cuddliness seemed to turn those folks away. Seven Days lent a hand by publishing Meeko's photo in the paper--which garnered quite a few calls of interest. But as soon as the callers learned of the cat's intolerance for other animals, they lost interest. Until last Thursday.

Thursday afternoon, a couple from Hardwick came in specifically to meet Meeko. Perhaps it's the fact that they live amidst acres and acres of undisturbed woods that lends them a "back to the earth" quality. Their cat had died, they said quietly, and they were ready to find a new cat. They'd seen Meeko in Seven Days. And had known instantly she was the one.

Shayla told them Meeko couldn't live with other animals, expecting the usual disappointed response. But no--they had no other animals. It was no problem. The man explained that when he first saw Meeko's photo in the paper, he grew nervous that they couldn't get to the shelter fast enough to adopt Meeko before someone else did. But then a thought came to him distinctly: Meeko is your cat and will be there for you when you are ready. His fears were calmed.

Shayla introduced them to Meeko, and watched warily as the man began to pet the Siamese without apology--pushing every button Shayla knew Meeko has. Finally, the inevitable: Meeko said "No!" with her teeth. But it wasn't her usual impatient fussiness: she communicated gently, with patience, and rubbed right up against the man again afterwards as if to say "No hard feelings!" Shayla couldn't believe it. "He was able to touch that cat more in ten minutes than I've been able to in a MONTH!" she said. And he just kept saying, "This is my cat. This is my cat!"

After a few minutes, the man turned to his wife and asked what she thought. "I don’t think I need to weigh in," she replied. "She's clearly yours."

The man left the room to fill out the paperwork, and his wife made an overture to Meeko. Shayla explained that Meeko is very male-centered--had never lived with a woman and seemed much less interested in befriending women. "You could try offering her your shoe to sniff--she likes shoes," Shayla suggested. The woman did not merely hold out her foot. She took off both of her boots and laid them on the floor. Meeko sniffed the boots--and then dropped to the floor and began to roll over them and over them. Shayla swears she caught a look of admiration for the woman developing in Meeko's eyes. 

"I have money in my pocket for this cat today," the man announced when he returned. "That's great," Shayla said, "But please know there are multiple steps to adoption that usually require a couple of days to complete." Not for this couple. Within an hour they'd completed the adoption process--including obtaining a glowing reference from their notoriously hard-to-reach vet … and we had an appointment open for their exit interview.

"Do you think she'll be a good mouser?" the man asked Shayla, as he waited for Meeko to get packed up. "We have some mice in the house."

"Oh yes!" Shayla replied, remembering the peacock feather.

Meeko's horizons expanded exponentially that very afternoon.

"But the craziest thing about all of this?" Shayla said to me in a credulous voice as she excitedly related the details of Meeko's adoption: "This man has a peacock feather braided into his hair."

That's the good news this week.

Best,
Megan

That Bunny Bond

23 animals adopted in the last two weeks! How's that for sheltering success?

One kitten, a vivacious Tuxedo named Gromet, was first to find a home. He was followed by 16 adult cats! Congrats to Babear, Minnie, Abigail, Tyson, Sabrina, Faye, Astro, Pebbles, Loki, Greta, Cissy, Bea, Miss Kitty, Chocolate Chip and Elmo together, and … finally … SALTINE! 

Saltine

This senior long-haired all-white beauty has been waiting months for a new home. As so often happens with long-term residents here, when it rains, it pours: Saltine suddenly had three interested parties all at once last week! One of the families drove here all the way from Massachusetts just to adopt her. Fortunately, their trip was not for nought: Saltine joined them for the long trip home.

Four dogs are new family members this week, too! Congrats to Terrier mix Oliver, Black Lab Shadow, Cocker Spaniel Squishy, and Lab-mix May.

 

Our featured adoptees this week? Good friends Penelope and Leonidas! Penny and Leo are one-year-old bunnies who were relinquished to us in late February because of a changing family situation. Penny, a black Rex-mix rabbit, and Leo, a gray American-mix rabbit, lived in the same home and got along well, but, we were told, were not necessarily bonded.

Penelope (L) and Leo (R)

Penny and Leo's owner called us at a time when we had no room for two more bunnies at the shelter--but was dealing with an emergency situation. So we turned to a woman who's fostered rabbits for us before: HSCC volunteer Nikki DeSarno, who also runs a chinchilla rescue named "Frodo's Friends Rescue"  from her home.

Nikki previously fostered speckled rabbits Oreo and Samoa for us, and did a wonderful job caring for them. She did just as well with Leo and Penny, who were shy and skittish when she took them in. She noticed that they loved to play, however: "They would entertain me by tossing toys and paper towel rolls all around the pen!" So she decided to use their playtime to help the pair develop confidence and trust in people. She sat with them in their playpen and pretended to ignore them at first. "After a while, curiosity kicked in and I would feel a little nuzzle on my foot or leg as they took turns sniffing me and running back to their tunnel," she said. By the time the two came back to the shelter, they were totally different rabbits. Leo was even outgoing, and ended up starring in one of our calendar shoots!

Leo in "Party Animals"

Penny and Leo are unlike our usual featured adoptees in that they didn't have an epic stay at the shelter; in fact, they were spoken for even before making their debut on the adoption floor. About a month into their foster care, Cara (our small animal coordinator), received a phone call from a woman who wanted to grant her daughter's birthday wish for a pet rabbit. They had been researching rabbit care for two years, she told Cara, and knew exactly what they wanted. Cara told her about Penelope and Leo, and the women wanted to meet them right away. Fortunately, space had opened up at the shelter, so in the bunnies came, and the woman decided on Penelope for her daughter that very afternoon.

The next day, however, Cara began to rethink splitting them up. It seemed each time we walked by their enclosure, the bunnies were grooming each other, lying smushed together side-by-side, or playing togther. Bonded bunnies will fail to thrive if separated, and Cara worried that these two had grown so close in foster care that they really ought to stay together. Nikki had noticed the same thing: most evenings when she came home from work, she'd find them snuggling together.

The mother returned with her daughter the next day, and Cara hoped to convince them to take both bunnies. But she didn't even have to try! In the first place, the daughter decided she was more intrigued by Leo than Penelope. In the second place, she noticed the rabbits' affection for each other immediately. At one point during the visit, Penelope began grooming Leo's ears. "Oh, they love each other, Mom!" the girl cried. It was an easy decision: the daughter would get double the bunny companionship she'd wished for! Leo and Penny went home with a very excited young lady on Saturday.

This is a wonderful story to feature because this family knew exactly what they were getting into. Unfortunately, many people who take on rabbits don't realize that they're actually quite high maintenance pets--or that a rabbit's lifespan is a good ten years!

Cara keeps an eye on craigslist.com, and has already begun to notice the multitude of ads that typically crop up this time of year for baby bunnies. Easter is prime time for bunny breeding, and shelters across the country are routinely slammed with rabbits from May through the summer. In fact, rabbits are the most frequently relinquished companion animals after cats and dogs.

Rabbits are highly intelligent animals that need lots of exercise and enrichment to thrive--we say at least one hour out of the cage a day, but more is ideal. Rabbits can also be clicker trained (we hope to capture video of that soon!) and litterbox trained. 

Freshly-cut Timothy hay is best for rabbits.

And let's face it: they're expensive pets. Rabbits need an unlimited supply of Timothy hay (not cheap) in their diets to prevent gastrointestinal stasis, or blockage in their digestive tracts. They also do best with a changing array of fresh veggies every single day. And don't forget the chew toys! Rabbits need to chew to keep their teeth a manageable length … and bored rabbits will chew destructively. Regular brushing and nail trims are also required.

A lot of this is relatively "new" information. I cringe to think of the life of the rabbit I had as a child, before I knew about daily exercise and training and toys and unlimited hay … The more we get to know our fellow creatures--the more intelligence and complexity we discover in them--the more we realize how few animals actually are "low maintenance pets." And isn't that intelligence and creativity the very reason we find these animals' companionship so fulfilling? More really is more when it comes to animal care.

Fortunately, it seems that Leo and Penelope will get all of the love and attention and enrichment they could possibly desire. And … they have each other :)

That's the good news this week!

Best,
Megan

All About the Connections

Hello everyone!

If you couldn't tell from our Facebook page, this week our minds have been completely dominated by our calendar shoot. Kelly Schulze of Mountain Dog Photography and her husband, Ian, worked like champs to shoot 9 pages of the calendar this week. The most complicated so far? Volunteer & Events Coordinator Shayla MacDowell's, which includes three local men and their companion animals (a lanky Great Dane, a dancing Aussie, and a clicker-trained Tuxedo cat). Most community based was Feline Supervisor Kayla Malzac's shot, which happened in the Burlington Subaru showroom (yes, they did move out every single car for us so Kelly could have the exact one she wanted in the exact place she wanted it!). And the Murphy's Law award goes to Small Animal Coordinator Cara Weymouth's shoot. We wanted to a motorcyle for the shot, and were willing to drive to Huntington for it. Of course, it snowed the night before. Which meant we were careening over icy, rutted dirt roads the next morning to get to the shoot. In the end, Kelly's husband Ian had to ferry all of us up the steep driveway to the location, and we were running 45 minutes behind. That left exactly 15 minutes for the shoot. As the snow fell and the wind blew, Cara stripped down to her mini-skirt and sleeveless shirt, and bravely perched upon the cold leather of the bike. Kelly attempted to start taking pictures, and at that moment, the battery to her flash became temperamental in the cold. Kelly was forced to remove the battery and warm it in her hand between each click of the shutter. Miraculously, she got an absolutely stunning shot. Wait until you see it!

In the meantime, however, I'd like to make our first calendar reveal! In honor of this week's warm weather and sunshine, attached is Canine Supervisor Robyn's Lane's photo :) Let us know what you think!

Robyn and her HSCC-adopted pup, Olive

On to the animals!

We had a great week, with 12 animals finding new homes. Cats Casey, Arfur, Aurie, Monqui, Dude, and Kit-Kit all went home. Dogs Beau (Rottie), Seuss (American Eskimo), Bruiser (Chihuahua mix), Whelan (Husky), and Eddie (pittie mix) found new loving families, too.  

And the featured adoptee this week? A teensy tiny little fancy mouse! Fancy by name and fancy by nature, Choo Choo the albino mouse caught a special someone's fancy last week!

If this were a Hitchcock film, we'd open with a shot of train tracks to symbolize connections. Choo Choo's story is one of lost connections, and her history as we know it literally begins on a train. I received a call last Monday from Amtrak … which was odd. "We have a mouse," the station manager told me. "Someone left it in a container in the bathroom on the train, and I don't know what to do with it. I can't keep it here. I'm thinking of letting it go in the field out back, but I think it's a pet, so I don't want to do that." I began to describe our process for taking in animals: making an appointment, possibly having to wait, etc--"No no, I can't keep it here," the station manager interrupted. "I've thought about feeding it to someone's snake, but I don't want to do that." I told him I'd pass his message on to Cara, and she'd be in touch very soon. "I need to get rid of this thing today," he said. "If I can't bring it in by tomorrow, I'm letting it go. I really don't want to do that."

I finally managed to convince him to wait for Cara's call, and fortunately, we were able to get the mouse in that day. For all of this brusqueness and threats, it was clear that the station manager really cared for the tiny white puff with pink eyes. He'd taken care of her at the station for 10 days, waiting to see if her owner would return for her. He could have gotten rid of her in many different ways--but he truly didn't want to do that. He delivered the mouse to us in the container she'd been found in: a Tupperware with holes punched in the lid and a bit of paper on the bottom.

Cara named the mouse Choo Choo, and we sighed when we thought about how long it would take to find her a home. Rats and mice tend to sit at the shelter for a long time. Cara related her worry to one of our Animal Care staff, Christina, and … a connection was made!

Christina is a self-described "rat and mouse person." She's owned two rats and over 100 mice (yes, you read that right)! But she happened to be mouse free at that moment, and decided she could make room in her home for the little two-inch being.

In the meantime, we purchased a lovely mouse habitat for Choo Choo, with tunnels and a wheel. And it was soon obvious that this mouse had never had such a grand house. She delightedly ran through the tunnels, gave the wheel a spin, and rearranged all of her bedding. "Each morning we'd set her habitat up nicely after cleaning it," Cara said, "And she'd immediately go about putting it just the way she wanted it."

Yes, Choo Choo is very particular. And Christina could sense that. So, the day she decided to take Choo Choo home, she went right out with her husband and bought an all-pink habitat that this fancy girl--renamed Chewy--could call her own. It has pink tunnels, a pink wheel, a pink food dish … As soon as Christina put Chewy inside, the mouse made herself right at home. Cara's last image of Chewy is of her picking up her nice soft bedding in her two little pink hands, and fluffing it with flair!

The little mouse may have missed her connection on the train. But it seems fate was taking her to an even better stop. 

That's the good news week!

Happy sunshine,

Megan

Little Life, Big Life

Happy March!

With 11 adoptions to report this week, March really has come in like a lion around here!

Our sleepy-eyed white bunny, Preston, was adopted this week. We may try to bring him back for our calendar shoot (Preston's people--if you're reading this--could we borrow him for a morning?).

Seven cats were adopted! Congratulations to Mia, Charlie (the Snowshoe), Muffin, Abigail, Dudley, Nathan, and Lawrence.

As for dogs, Aussie mix Kya will chase shadows at the dog park from now on. Southern Dachshund Hero has officially become a resident of Vermont, and gentle Shepherd-Lab mix Asa also found a new home.

Our featured adoptee this week went home a long time ago. But we recently had cause to revisit his story, and I've had a fantastic update from his family about the progress he's made.

Topaz was one of the 59 Labs rescued from the puppy mill/hoarding situation we helped bust back in July. We tend to talk about this case quite a lot, because for most of the five HSCC staff people who were involved, this was a first-time experience. And it's not the sort of experience you quickly forget.

To spare those who already know the story, I won't go into too much detail. But in brief, Bakersfield, Vermont resident Karen Maple had been breeding puppies in her backyard for a number of years and advertising them in local newspapers. The police had been fielding complaints about her operation for almost as long; but without strong evidence to obtain a search warrant, nothing could be done.

It was a child--a 15-year-old girl--of incredible courage and conviction who proved the dogs' guardian angel. Sallie Wilson had befriended Karen Maple's daughter, and began spending time at the Maple home. Upon witnessing the conditions the dogs were living in, she knew the situation was wrong, and decided something must be done. So she started to secretly take notes. She drew a chart depicting where each dog lived on the property, as well as the animals' names, history, body conditions--whatever she could glean from the Maple daughter. And then, knowingly sacrficing her friendship for the sake of these dogs (in my adolescent experience, friendship was everything), she turned her handwritten research into the Town Clerk. Who passed it on to the police. Who called in the Humane Society of the United States. Who contacted HSCC, Green Mountain Animal Defenders, and other local people and organizations who could help.

On Tuesday, July 26 the police made a surprise visit to the Maple household, where they found Karen Maple at home. She resisted arrest and attacked an officer, so they removed her from the scene. At that point, we animal welfare folks (who were waiting nearby until the property was secured) were called in to assess the situation. What we found was worse than many of us could have imagined. Over 70 dogs lived in absolute filth--as did the Maple family. Dogs were packed into tiny holding cells in dark sheds with no daylight or air circulation. Dogs lived in pens outside with no shelter, ankle deep in wet mud and feces. Dogs roamed in and out of the decaying house. A dozen dogs were locked into a tiny, airless back room inside the house. Three litters of puppies--very young--scrabbled around in plastic kiddy pools, their coats sticky with urine. Over-taxed mother dogs roamed from pool to pool, nursing whomever cried. None of the dogs had access to clean water or food. Most of the dogs were shockingly underweight, and suffered from eye problems. Some had other unattended medical issues going on, as well.

 

We were indelibly tattooed with the stench of the place, and our eyes burned with the ammonia-saturated air. We were able to remove 59 of the dogs according to the stipulations of the search warrant, which precluded dogs who seemed to be in reasonable health. We deeply regret having left 14 dogs behind.  

(You can watch the HSUS' video of the rescue here.)

The rescued Labs were taken to an emergency shelter (a gorgeous horse barn with 30 empty stalls) in southern Vermont. There, an army of volunteers--overseen by Joanne Bourbeau, the Northeastern Regional Director of State Affairs for Vermont and New Hampshire for the HSUS--tended to the dogs for two months. Joanne recently told us that the price tag for that care--even with volunteer workers--was $60,000. In late September, Karen finally relinquished ownership of the seized dogs, and they were dispersed among several shelters and rescue organizations in Vermont. We received eight of the dogs.

Topaz was among our eight. A one-year-old lanky yellow Lab, he exhibited the same drastic undersocialization of his fellows. He was so terrified of stairs, for instance, that staff had to do an incredible amount of cheerleading just to get him to attempt a step at a time. And house training? Forget it. These dogs had received less than the bare minimum of care for most of their lives. In general, he was very hesitant to interact with people at all when he first arrived at our shelter.

Topaz was adopted in late November by a wonderful couple named Rob and Lori, who changed his name to a masculine "Tazz." Tazz couldn't have found a home more committed to his needs as a puppy mill case. By the time the couple enrolled Tazz in our training classes here at the shelter last January, he was an entirely different dog: outgoing, happy, confident, brave. The trainer, Holly, reports that Tazz picked things up very quickly, and seemed to greatly enjoy learning among fellow canine students. One of the first friends he made in class was a Great Pyrenees, who, Holly says, is very selective about his friends!

Tazz was such a good student that he was often called on to demonstrate new skills for the other dogs and their people. He was especially good at sit, stay, and coming when called.

Rob said that when Tazz first came home, he was terrified of the basement, which is at the bottom of a long staircase. Now, Tazz leads the way down! In fact, this timid, shrinking dog has become a real go-getter. He's fearless when it comes to chasing a ball, Rob says, crashing through brush into the unknown. 

He's also very well-mannered in public. Rob and Lori have no problems when they take him into stores. From a dog who knew nothing of the world outside of four dark walls and a filthy floor, to a dog who embraces new experiences with happy anticipation of good things to come … it's like he's trying to make up for lost time!  

On Wednesday, Feburary 22, HSCC CEO & President Tom Ayres, our Board Chair Helyn Kerr, and I traveled to Montpelier for Humane Lobby Day. Joanne Bourbeau had organized this day as a platform for the general public to urge the Vermont legislature to support a few bills on the table that seek more humane treatment of animals. Among them is a puppy merchant bill that would better regulate breeders who have a certain number of sexually intact dogs. Such legislation would prevent any future cases like the Bakersfield mill from developing. One of the most rewarding aspects of this day occurred at an afternoon press conference, when Tom tearfully presented Sallie Wilson--who was in attendance with her mother--with a Humane Hero Award for her bravery. She thanked her mother for supporting and encouraging her through weak moments in her fortitude. As camera bulbs flashed, the press threw questions at her, and Senators and Representatives shook her hand, we were duly impressed by Sallie's remarkable composure and poise.

Left to right: Joanne, Sallie, Tom, Mrs. Wilson

Karen Maple will be prosecuted on at least 59 counts of animal cruelty later this month. We hope the trial will result in a relinquishment of the remaining Labs--who have since birthed more puppies. When that time comes, we'll help in whatever way we can.

In a case so long in reaching resolution, we're grateful to see resolution in the lives of individual dogs, such as Tazz's. All of the dogs have been adopted, by the way.

We thank this family for taking in a hurt being and refusing to see the damage as irreparable. Far from living life as a broken rescue dog, Tazz has proven that only his former living situation was broken. He is entirely whole.

That's the good news this week!

Until next,

Megan

Your Neighbors at Kindness Court

Hello there!

Lots of good news this week, firstly for the Southern dogs who made the long journey to Vermont from Aiken, South Carolina three weeks ago. What a journey it was! After a 20-hour drive in a horse trailer, these 11 dogs were met in New Hampshire by Canine Supervisor Robyn Lane and dog trainer Holly Godfrey.  Robyn and Holly helped load the tuckered pooches into a big cargo van, and completed the four-hour homestretch to HSCC.

Blanche

Seeing as the shelter in Aiken places only 5% of their dogs each year (to put things in perspective, they take in 5,000-6,000 dogs a year, compared to our 800 or so), we knew the dogs they sent would be highly adoptable. And they're proving just that! In fact, five of the dogs were adopted in one week: Blanche, Rose (both Terrier puppies), Carolina, Georgia (large-breed mix puppies) and Champ (Dachshund) stole hearts last week. And a sixth dog, Girl (Collie-Shepherd mix?), stole my own … formal adoption soon to come!   Lastly, we musn't forget Abby (Brittany Spaniel), a Vermont pooch who also found a loving home last week after a month's stay here.

Seven dogs out the door! Can the cats compete? Indeed they can … eight cats went home last week! Congrats to Nick, Luna, Brandy & Ginny, Riley, Goody (a stray found by his owner!), and … drum roll please: Thelma & Lightning! These two senior ladies were relinquished way back in September. Though wonderfully affectionate within their cages, they became intensely anxious when brought into a new space--which didn't show well to potential adopters. Add to that their senior status, the fact that they're black kitties (least likely to be adopted), and required special diets for urinary health … and you get lovely cats who sit in cages for five months. But, that's all over now! A totally smitten couple who'd spotted them on the web drove all the way from Cornwall to adopt them together. Thelma and Lightning reminded this couple of their previous kitty, and they just had to bring the girls home. That was a happy day for us.  

The featured animals this week must remain unnamed, because they belong to a highly confidential program that we offer here at the shelter. I want to make reference to them, however, because we just had a wonderfully positive, successful example of this program at work.

Many of you may not have heard of our Good Neighbor Program. The "GNP" was established as a resource for those in crisis situations: we provide temporary housing for pets while their people get back on their feet. We've boarded cats for a family whose house burned down. We'll take in pets while an owner recovers from illness or injury. Folks who are working with COTS (the Committee for Temporary Shelter) to actively amend a situation of homelessness can entrust their animals to us for the time being.

One of the most sensitive circumstances the program is designed for is domestic abuse. Many women (to generalize) will not leave abusive situations for fear the abuser will turn on the pets in their absence. Sadly, statistics show that this fear is credible. The American Humane Association reports that:

• 71% of pet-owning women entering women’s shelters reported that their batterer had injured, maimed, killed or threatened family pets for revenge or to psychologically control victims; 32% reported their children had hurt or killed animals. 
• 68% of battered women reported violence towards their animals. 87% of these incidents occurred in the presence of the women, and 75% in the presence of the children, to psychologically control and coerce them.

We work with Women Helping Battered Women to spread awareness about our Good Neighbor Program: we'll safeguard the pets while the human victim gets out of the house.

In a case of truly progressive legislation, the Vermont Protection Order 15 V.S.A. § 1103 ("Any family or household member may seek relief from abuse by another family or household member on behalf of him or herself or his or her children by filing a complaint under this chapter … ") was amended "to allow a court to include an order relating to the possession, care and control of any animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held as a pet by either party or a minor child residing in the household in a domestic violence situation." One more step towards acknowledging animals as sentient individuals with an inborn right to well-being ...

We offer a two-week boarding period for GNP animals, after which the owner will hopefully be in a position to take them back--or may decide to relinquish them to us. While the animals are here, we treat them just as we would any of our animals: bring them up to date on vaccinations; give them appropriate medical attention as we see fit; spay or neuter them if they're intact. The latter is a non-negotiable condition of the animals' stay here. But we cover all costs. The animals stay free of charge.

As mentioned previously, we just witnessed the GNP working effectively for a family in crisis. It's gratifying to watch our shelter take on a deeper function in cases like these: we offer a sort of emotional shelter, as well, for those who are struggling. You can imagine what a relief it would be just to know that the animals are okay.

The family is okay now, too, and all are reunited. We just love happy endings!

That's the good news this week. See you again in March!

Best,

Megan

Frankly Amazing

Happy Monday!

Sorry to miss you all last week with an adoption update, but the good news is, we've got double the number of animals to report this week: 22 adoptions in total!

We had a small influx of kittens--perhaps the last little spurt before a spring inundation--and found homes for them all with the usual speed. Congrats to Chimi, Burrito, Waffle, Pancake, and Freddie!

One smallie went home: Yoda the guinea pig, who was the most personable pig we've seen in awhile.

Yoda

I'm very happy to enumerate the long list of cats who may be watching early robins from their new window seats this very moment! Dee Dee, Clover, Bourbon, Emmy, Mickey, Shiloh, Zen and Donald didn't spend much time on the adoption floor at all. More good news: four seniors have finally gone home in the last two weeks! Yay for Lucky (here since October), Ruby, Peaches, and Dusty! What's more, Lucky's and Ruby's adoption fees were sponsored by two wonderful HSCC supporters who are invested in getting senior cats out of the shelter and into comfortable homes. Thanks to Terry Maxwell and her mother for making a difference in the lives of Lucky and Ruby!

Lucky

Ruby

Excellent, excellent news for the dogs, too. Senior Shiba Inu Nicki went home on his second day of availability. Energizer Aussie Kya is likely chasing shadows in her own backyard today. And Lexi--the white pittie with a brown mask who arrived here in September--found her perfect match at last.

But that's not all. Senior Dane mix Frank is our featured adoptee today. And we couldn't be more grateful that he's finally out of a lonely kennel and in the constant love of his new family. 

Frank

Frank has changed hands a few times--which is not easy for a young dog, let alone an older guy. At 10 years old, Frank came to us in good spirits but poor body condition. A lanky, slightly smaller version of a Great Dane, Frank was much too skinny upon intake. The man who relinquished him had rescued him from what he felt was a neglectful situation at a friend's house--but had no initial intention of keeping him. Frank proved so great a dog, however, that he tried for several months, and managed to put 10 pounds of much-needed weight on him! But Frank simply wasn't a good fit for his lifestyle.

So Frank came to the shelter in early January. We fell for him immediately. He's a super social guy who enjoys hanging out in the company of people, but he's not a party dog. He just likes to chill.

Thanks to his great attitude and pleasant manners, Frank became available for adoption very quickly--within a couple of weeks. But he wasn't snatched up right away, like we'd predicted. And we found that while he was quite upbeat when visiting our administrative area, he grew increasingly depressed in the solitude of his kennel. Frank starting demonstrating typical "sep angst" (separation anxiety) behavior: heavy salivating, pacing, panting … eventually he stopped eating. For an already underweight dog like Frank to skip meals was highly worrisome. So we brought him up to spend the day with staff as often as we could, where he would happily regain his appetite.

Really, though, Frank needed a permanent home with folks who could spend a lot of time with him. He needed help ... fast. So we posted his story on Facebook.

That did the trick! A couple of people expressed interest in Frank and called about him. One woman, Joanne Dalpe, came by to meet him. For her, it was an easy, instant match, and while the details of her application were sorted out, she came by several times to spend time with Frank. In fact, one afternoon, she had him out for nearly two hours!

While it seemed obvious that Frank and Joanne were made for each other, Joanne did have one looming reservation: she and her husband have three cats--and as many of us know, it's easy disrupt the delicate balance of a multiple-cat household. Joanne was particularly concerned about one of the cats, Raffa, who is notoriously reserved. 

Joanne found Raffa seven years ago here at HSCC, and had picked her out specifically because this elusive kitty had squirreled herself away atop one of the catwalks in a communal room. True to form, Raffa spent the next seven years atop the kitchen cupboards in the Dalpes' home. She never came down, except when Joanne's husband removed her to the basement to use the litter box.

Wouldn't such a shy kitty find society even less appealing with a new, large dog in the home?

As Joanne fell increasingly in love with Frank, she decided she had to try. Arrangements were made for a foster-to-adopt situation: Frank would get a one-week trial run in the Dalpe household.

Last Saturday was decision day for the Dalpes, and we eagerly awaited an update on the situation. Turned out … things had worked out even better than anyone could have hoped for!

I just spoke with Joanne this afternoon, and when I asked about Frank's relationship with the cats, she told me about a truly amazing thing that's happening. First of all, Frank hasn't chased the cats at all--not once. He just ignores them. "There's been almost no hissing, even," Joanne said. But get this: Raffa--the timid, reclusive kitchen cupboard cat--has been coming down from her kitchen perch voluntarily. And going upstairs. To the Dalpes' bedroom. Where she spends the night sleeping with Joanne! Just the other morning, Joanne woke up to witness Raffa in the middle of the floor--circling Frank's bed and sniffing his toes! Joanne said, "The next thing we're going to see is Raffa cuddling up with Frank on his bed!"

Frank has somehow accomplished what neither person nor fellow cat could do: he's given Raffa a new sense of comfort within her own home. Perhaps it's Frank's infectious, laid-back attitude that Raffa can't resist. The dog who could not be alone is irresistibly intriguing to the cat who preferred solitude. Proof that opposites attract in the animal kingdom, too!

Joanne also shared that Frank is a frequent ferry commuter, journeying with her to work in Plattsburgh four days a week. The other days he spends with her husband at home. Frank also enjoys long walks in the company of dog and human friends. "You couldn't have found a better dog," the Dalpes' friends tell them.

Frank on the ferry

Seems like everybody got what he needed in this situation: Frank, the Dalpes, Raffa--all are finding gratifying, life-transforming companionship. This is the stuff adoption dreams are made of!

That's the good news this week, everyone.

Take care,

Megan