tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73991974302003063542024-03-23T11:20:48.082-07:00The HSCC BlogWhere Best Friends MeetHumane Society of Chittenden Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192279005227070577noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399197430200306354.post-50337068829056371922013-12-23T09:05:00.003-08:002013-12-23T09:05:45.051-08:00Love and Logan<div class="MsoNormal">
There's a story behind every adoption. Some
involve love at first sight; some require lots of thoughtful
deliberation. We love Shawna and Sam's story about how they found Logan
the cat--and what an integral member of their little family he's become.
Just in time for the holidays, here's a tale of togetherness:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
"Let me tell you about our experience adopting our walking,
talking, giant mess of fur named Logan, because it's one of my favorite stories
to tell. <br />
<br />
Logan, our 15 pound, 10 year old, long haired, Maine Coon mix, cat came into
our life surprisingly quickly, considering how long we'd been looking for him:<br />
After finally moving out of our tiny downtown studio this past May, my
boyfriend Sam and I decided we were ready for our very own furry friend. We
started our search in June, and every 4 or 5 days we'd stop by the Humane
Society of Chittenden County to spend some time with its feline residents, and
checked the website for new arrivals daily. Our adventures included kicking
HSCC volunteer manager Shayla (who was more than happy to oblige!) out of her office once or twice so
we could hang with her office kitty; asking adoption supervisor Amanda limitless amounts of
questions about each cat we considered, continuously taking twenty minute
blocks of her time; my partner Sam rubbing his fingers in his eyes after petting each cat
to see if he was allergic (as it turns out, he was allergic to many!); and
learning, on my birthday, that after being placed on a waiting list our very
first choice was, indeed, adopted by someone else. I believe that in our
process of finding and adopting Logan, we first learned to adopt the spirit of
the HSCC staff. We found this spirit to be one of generosity, endless
enthusiasm, and an infallible ability to roll with the punches. <br />
<br />
Finally, on Saturday, July 13, our day came. We'd planned a hike up Camel's
Hump, but after I opened my laptop for one quick look at HSCC's website - just
in case! - we soon found ourselves cycling like mad people over to the shelter
to see this cat, this Logan fellow, that looked quirky in an our-kind-of quirky
way. I can't tell you how much we wanted to ride our bike right through the
doors, come crashing into the shelter and get this cat in our sight just a <i>little</i>
bit faster. We did manage to compose ourselves, huff out an excited,
"Amanda! Logan - yeah?", and get a quick rundown of his story. We
walked into his room, and when we called out an inquisitive,
"Logan?", we were instantly met with an equally intense and
inquisitive look from this distinguished guy, previously sleeping contentedly
on a shelf. That was it. We knew instantly. Within five minutes we were
purchasing a kitty carrier, signing papers, telling our new buddy that we'd be
back with the car. <br />
<br />
Once home we were acquainted with Logan's distinct grumpy-old-man voice, and
learned that he likes to talk as much as we do, if not more. He was nervous at
first, slowly stalking the perimeters of our living room, letting out loud and
long words to express his fear, but we were lucky: we scooped him up, put him
on our laps, and scratched his cheeks. That was it. He was home, and he's been
our friend ever since. The rest of our first night was actually rather
unfortunate. After being so careful to watch Sam's allergies, we realized after
a full night of kitty cuddles that I was actually quite allergic to Logan; so
allergic, in fact, that my throat closed. So there we were, 3am, sitting in bed
with a bottle of benadryl, listening to our lovely and long-awaited new cat cry
outside our bedroom door, which we had to close because of my reaction. We were
scared; he was scared. We were sad; he was sad. I wondered if we'd made a
mistake, and I hated leaving him alone on his first night. There were tears. It
makes my chest ache to think of this even now.<br />
<br />
Luckily, we were equipped with the spirit of HSCC's staff, and the help of Pet
Food Warehouse. We started a new project: project revitalize Logan's coat. We
brushed him several times a day; we fed him cat food and treats specifically
for hair and skin health; we pet him so much, spreading his oils around, that
his hair was shinier than ours. By Monday, July 15, his dander was under
control, his old flea dust was gone, and we were smooth sailing.<br />
<br />
I can't tell you how much we love our cat. Sometimes we think he's more like a
child than a cat, with his big, distinctive personality and need to be a part
of everything we're doing. We're so happy for that, as he's made our lives, our
little family, so much richer. Wherever we are, he is, too. If we're on the
computer, he's attempting to sit on the keyboard. If we're eating dinner, he's
right there, telling us he'd love to share. Lying down? He's on your back,
kneading your hair, or wrapping his arms around your neck to engage in a big
buddy hug. He loves to hold hands. He's terrified of the exercise ball, and of
bath bubbles. He's a serious spider hunter. He's quite the gymnast, as we've
watched him, numerous times, flip over the couch/chair rails/cat
scratcher/counter to catch a toy. He loves playing in boxes and bags, and
really loves to tear them up. He may love Sam's ice cream most, as he'll follow
the scent across the house and sit at his side, loudly asking for just a small
taste, and occasionally try to dunk his head in the bowl. He's the quirkiest,
most distinguished cat I've every known; he's like a Wes Anderson character, or
maybe Woody Allen. We love him, and we know he loves us, too. He knows we're
his people. <br />
<br />
I didn't want to write in about our wonderful experience until the cat Logan
came in with, Nikke, was adopted too, because we thought it might be too
bittersweet for his previous owner, knowing one cat was well and one was still
waiting. I checked in on Nikke often, asking Amanda about her status and such,
and was overjoyed when I saw she was adopted in August. I know that Logan and
Nikke were very loved in their earlier life, and I really want his previous
parents to know how loved he is still. I'd love for them to know how happy he
is, and how thankful we are to have him in our family now. I was so
appreciative of his sponsored adoption fee, and was really eager to give back
in some way. This is what made me so excited to head our promotion here at
Edgewater Gallery, and I'm so happy that it's been so successful.<br />
<br />
Thanks so much to HSCC's staff for such a positive experience, and for giving
us this amazing opportunity to spend our time with such a funny little guy. We
still have his original photo that was posted on HSCC's website, and looking at
now still inspires me to rush over to him as fast as possible, give him a
squeeze, and thank him for being here with us."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
~Shawna and Sam, HSCC adopters<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgazBCE8wZzx-s2Ze6kmF5Sk8u5p9H0k9cViAbrjVSywIT3DOnpmifqcMUF0hzrhXkkVKu3shMUoTbzDkzQOh7a2eXaVj36tA89g7seQwZeECXM0PisRVjUp0pBoksy_nIGsSb67ZhRtNEY/s1600/Logan+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgazBCE8wZzx-s2Ze6kmF5Sk8u5p9H0k9cViAbrjVSywIT3DOnpmifqcMUF0hzrhXkkVKu3shMUoTbzDkzQOh7a2eXaVj36tA89g7seQwZeECXM0PisRVjUp0pBoksy_nIGsSb67ZhRtNEY/s400/Logan+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sam and Logan get into the holiday spirit!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicmaqSNLxCBpCEmG20Pq1y-89TrmMtvRd4UyYijTlFm8j1Ydv8hY8YeCYPV_s_gxlNNP28u762ofOzSLNVMBneYfEZd7kdN2SX5VQTvjyNJHQEVKW_ad07H-vULBdeTjthMEFX8taj0Fzb/s1600/Logan+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicmaqSNLxCBpCEmG20Pq1y-89TrmMtvRd4UyYijTlFm8j1Ydv8hY8YeCYPV_s_gxlNNP28u762ofOzSLNVMBneYfEZd7kdN2SX5VQTvjyNJHQEVKW_ad07H-vULBdeTjthMEFX8taj0Fzb/s400/Logan+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... and share a moment of tenderness.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Humane Society of Chittenden Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192279005227070577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399197430200306354.post-26456849374813698652013-09-30T14:12:00.003-07:002013-09-30T14:12:50.973-07:00Diamond TravelerIn early September, a beautiful marbled tabby arrived at our shelter as a stray. The woman who brought her in said she'd been hanging around her neighborhood for a few weeks, and seemed to be abandoned. She would have loved to keep her if she weren't allergic! And no wonder--this kitty was incredibly friendly and affectionate. We named her Bobbie-Jo.<br /><br /> Bobbie-Jo appeared healthy and well-fed, so we did what we always do when strays come in: looked for a microchip. A microchip is a tiny chip of semi-conducting material that holds an animal owner's address and contact information on it. The chip is implanted just under the skin at the back of the animal's neck. If the animal is lost, anyone with a microchip scanner can scan the animal for the chip and retrieve the owner's information. <br /><br /> In Bobbie-Jo's case, she did have a microchip--and we were shocked when we saw the address on it: Illinois! <br /><br /> We called the phone number listed and were even more shocked after talking to Bobbie-Jo's owner, Laura: Laura and her family did live in Illinois now, but this cat--originally named Diamond--had gone missing in New York City. A <i>year</i> ago!<br /><br />
It turns out that Diamond had escaped from their home while the family was in the process of moving. They had closed her in a bedroom while movers loaded up their furniture--but the movers accidentally let her out, and she disappeared. The family had only three days to look for her before leaving New York. Laura writes, <br /><br /> <i>After she escaped from our home while moving to IL from NY, we searched everywhere for her. We called the animal control, the military veterinarian, and the animal shelters as well as asking around the neighborhood if anyone had seen her. I even continued to call the shelters and animal control for a few months after we had moved - and nothing. No sign of her.<br /><br /> I had nearly given up on finding her. A few weeks ago, I was looking at her health records and nearly threw them away because I didn't think I'd see her again after so long (over 14 months). Something told me to hang on to them, and I thought "what can it hurt?" Then I got the phone call from Jen that Diamond had been found (hooray for microchipping)! I was shocked to say the least, and very excited, yet anxious to see her. I kept the news a surprise for my kids, and arranged it with Kayla to fly Diamond back home. </i><br /><br /> On Friday, September 13, Diamond caught a flight to Illinois. Laura met her at the airport that afternoon.<br /><br /><i>I was worried Diamond would be stressed out from the trip, and when she arrived she was hiding in the back of her kennel. As soon as we got her settled in the car, she relaxed some. Once we got home, my kids took one look at her and their eyes got so big! They were so excited to see and pet her, and couldn't believe she was actually found - and in Vermont! We were all pleasantly surprised that she was just as healthy and beautiful as she was before. We introduced her to our new home and let her settle down in her little room for awhile. After a bit, she meowed to let me know she was ready to come out (she was always very communicative). I opened the door and she walked around a bit, then settled right onto her place on the couch. It was like she was never gone. She wasn't timid or afraid of the new surroundings, and seemed to remember all of us. She even returned to sleeping in her favorite spot at night - on my oldest daughter's chest. We are so happy to have Diamond home finally, and are so very grateful for all of the assistance everyone gave us in caring for her and getting her home to us! Thank you all - you are appreciated! </i><br /><br /> As for the missing link about how Diamond traveled from New York to Vermont? That'll have to remain Diamond's secret. <br /><br /> We're so happy for this kitty and her family. She's our new poster cat for microchipping!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diamond</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
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<br />Humane Society of Chittenden Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192279005227070577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399197430200306354.post-44904325860640235502013-09-18T10:18:00.002-07:002013-09-30T12:51:27.852-07:00A Gift to AnimalsOne month ago, our CEO, Nancy, got a phone call from a man in our community named Andi. A leave of absence from work meant he had a lot of free time on his hands--and Andi is not one to sit idly by. He wanted to help in some way--was there any volunteer work he could do for HSCC? Scooping poop, even?<br />
<br />
Our volunteers are the lifeblood of our shelter. We're fortunate to have an active volunteer force of 250--and we depend on each and every one of these folks! Just to give you an idea, last year, the number of hours logged by volunteers <i>equaled nine full-time staff positions</i>. Can you imagine how much would NOT have been done without that help?<br />
<br />
At the moment Andi called, we happened to have a very pressing need for administrative help. We had a huge data entry project--hours and hours of work--that needed to be tackled. Lucky for us, Andi was game.<br />
<br />
Three weeks later, Andi finished that project. He asked if he could be of service in any other ways. Could he ever! Andi hauled sand for one of our dog yards. He organized our retail inventory. He accompanied our humane investigator on a couple of cruelty calls. He chased down an escaped dog. He replaced a faucet, repaired dog kennels and disinfected cat rooms. And last Friday, when one of our staffers witnessed two men escaping on bikes after breaking into another staffer's car, Andi was out the door like a shot. He swung on to his own bicycle and chased those guys through the urban wilds behind our shelter. Unfortunately, they got away, but Andi didn't give up looking for an hour in the cold rain. <br />
<br />
Over the last month, we have all become incredibly fond of Andi. In fact, we wish we could find a way to keep him around permanently! His good nature, humility, and sense of humor keep us all in high spirits--and the fact that no task is beneath him makes us all want to chip in a little harder!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andi helping us keep our records up to date!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Of course, Andi couldn't escape without adopting an animal. Last Friday, he adopted a kitten who's now leading a wonderful life as the bosom buddy of Andi's doting daughter.<br />
<br />
We asked Andi if he would share a bit about his experience volunteering for HSCC. Here's what he had to say:<br />
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</xml><![endif]--><i>A gift.</i></div>
<i>
</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>I was looking to give my time to an organization that works
for the greater good in our community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The personal void I was trying to fill was the internal call to ‘give
back’--it is something that has been so much a part of my life since childhood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What better place to turn than the Humane
Society of Chittenden County?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew
that they have a well organized volunteer program and over the years I have had
many positive interactions with the staff for a number of reasons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My daughter had once even attended Camp
Paw-Paw and found it most rewarding.</i></div>
<i>
</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>I first made a call to the newly appointed CEO, Nancy
Cathcart, a well respected community leader.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a warm and pleasant greeting, Nancy invited me to the ‘animal
kingdom.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was then that I met the
rest of the team and began to learn what goes into making the Humane Society of Chittenden County a
true success story. Their pride,
caring, dedication and energy exudes true professionalism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But most importantly, the animals that come
into their care are treated as if their own!</i></div>
<i>
</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>In the weeks that I have spent at HSCC I have
been afforded several rewarding tasks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not one I could rate better or worse than the next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew in my heart that the work I was doing
allowed the experts to focus on what they do best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have helped with things such as data entry to
track gift giving, decontamination of the isolation rooms, kennel repairs,
plumbing, and humane investigations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
even tried my hand at rounding up a fast moving fugitive chihuahua that made it
off the premises for just a few minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<i>I have heard the stories of animal abuse and neglect that
some of these pets have endured.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It tugs
at your heartstrings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the flip side, I have seen the flow of
volunteers that come daily to help with the chores; I have seen the line of
people waiting patiently for the adoption center to open; I have seen the eyes
light up when someone makes that special connection with a pet who has been
waiting for a loving home; I have seen the generosity from those around the corner
to those from as far away as London; and finally I am witness to the love and
affection the staff has afforded these animals while in their care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Truly amazing!</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<i>I myself finally made the move to adopt!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a beautiful, patient and equally energetic
kitten my daughter and I have named “Sonny” in memory of my dad who absolutely
adored cats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<i>I have had the unbelievable good fortune to have spent the
last couple of weeks with some of the finest and most dedicated individuals
that truly believe in the work they do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
should be proud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am and I take my hat
off to each of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all owe them a
debt of gratitude for giving these animals a second chance!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i><br />
<i>This has been a memorable experience for me and the
friendships that have been forged will be most cherished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My time with the Humane Society of Chittenden
County has been a gift.
</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<i>Andi L. Higbee.</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Andi, we couldn't ask more of a volunteer! You've been a gift to the animals.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKkn5MQGYg9pgtPvuMzhzvnDHR0SRjiEXGPbHzRhlbaMMr2mju4nqbzvXggXWk72BTMd0Equ61u4ds0chVXo7538JIwM9WFrWLSV9R56PU8VAvKvwphnIqLFUdlTpYCMMbwYVVPhD3Yem0/s1600/Jerry+couch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKkn5MQGYg9pgtPvuMzhzvnDHR0SRjiEXGPbHzRhlbaMMr2mju4nqbzvXggXWk72BTMd0Equ61u4ds0chVXo7538JIwM9WFrWLSV9R56PU8VAvKvwphnIqLFUdlTpYCMMbwYVVPhD3Yem0/s400/Jerry+couch.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyuzNBI5UZA1c_QM8gz5CtNPwcJ16j24xv7ACxZ_S7c0p4DeaSqDtRVQx4rr6yoJvqT4q74M_29lB9t1fFvDV_hqmt_k6XAYVHbr8gfAjkMi4kBjHUz4VJueLcRqcWLo5U2LtrglSRrLRR/s1600/Jerry+tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyuzNBI5UZA1c_QM8gz5CtNPwcJ16j24xv7ACxZ_S7c0p4DeaSqDtRVQx4rr6yoJvqT4q74M_29lB9t1fFvDV_hqmt_k6XAYVHbr8gfAjkMi4kBjHUz4VJueLcRqcWLo5U2LtrglSRrLRR/s400/Jerry+tree.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sonny in Andi's home</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Humane Society of Chittenden Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192279005227070577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399197430200306354.post-21556353994485010102013-06-27T08:08:00.000-07:002013-06-27T08:15:34.476-07:00Watch out for Wildlife!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Summer is a wonderful time to be in the Green Mountains: trees have blossomed, flowers have bloomed, and the area wildlife has come out of hiding!<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbnrhCv3gddR2VP5wBRL_mBlwHXmptXDlg7z2xUtAVJk0WH4RyFq1qeS8GkWzUj4drB7nHao8AJgvxU3ZMp5MY5zhuF3lRFJZgwckH4yz59ijNw0KLppz4lneltu7UFvYvMmtmwEQi1IvT/s533/wildlife+crossing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbnrhCv3gddR2VP5wBRL_mBlwHXmptXDlg7z2xUtAVJk0WH4RyFq1qeS8GkWzUj4drB7nHao8AJgvxU3ZMp5MY5zhuF3lRFJZgwckH4yz59ijNw0KLppz4lneltu7UFvYvMmtmwEQi1IvT/s200/wildlife+crossing.JPG" width="196" /></a></div>
Unfortunately, wildlife and modern life don’t always integrate as well as we’d like. Merging nature with motor vehicle traffic can be especially troubling, and it’s not uncommon for fellow animal lovers to express concern over the well being of wildlife on the road. <br />
<br />
While HSCC is <i>not</i> licensed to handle wildlife, our <a href="http://www.chittendenhumane.org/about/meet-our-team" target="_blank">Humane Investigator, JoAnn Nichols</a>, runs her own <a href="http://www.wildneighbors.net/" target="_blank">wildlife exclusion business</a> and has shared some advice on what to do when confronted with wildlife on the road. <br />
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Who To Call</h3>
Stopping to check on an injured animal can put you at risk of getting hit and is highly inadvisable. It's best to report wildlife incidents to the appropriate local agency.<br />
<br />
If a <b>“game” animal</b>, such as a turkey, bear or deer is on the road--alive, injured or deceased--it's best to call the fish and wildlife department. For more common types of wildlife such as raccoons, skunks and opossums, call your local town and roads office. The <a href="http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/" target="_blank">Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department</a> also has a helpful list of licensed wildlife rehabbers on their website. <br />
<br />
In the event of a <b>domestic animal</b> found injured by the road, calling your local animal control officer (or, absent an ACO, the police department) or public works office is the way to go. If you are able to safely rescue an injured domestic animal, <a href="http://bevsvt.com/" target="_blank">Burlington Emergency Veterinary Specialists</a> in Williston offers 24-hour emergency services 7 days a week. They'll also care for injured strays free of charge (please help by donating to their stray fund!).<br />
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
What to Say</h3>
When reporting wildlife on the road, it will help officials understand your concerns if you address it as a public safety issue. Injured and deceased animals on the roadways may cause drivers to swerve or stop suddenly. Even if an animal is on the shoulder and out of the way, it may attract more wildlife--such as crows and scavenger rodents--to converge near traffic. Some animals may have young searching for them, or parents may come searching for babies that have been hit, and cause an accident or get hit as well. <br />
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Solutions</h3>
It can be frustrating to see wildlife and traffic at odds, but there are solutions! Here are some great ideas enacted in other areas of the country: <br />
<br />
In Texas and Colorado an organization called <a href="http://www.ahnow.org/" target="_blank">Animal Help Now</a> provides immediate information on the nearest appropriate resource for animals injured on the road. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=roadkill-endangers-endangered-wildlife" target="_blank"><i>Scientific American</i> recently published an article</a> regarding the threat of vehicular traffic to wildlife populations. In one example concerning turtle migration in Florida, a PhD student was able to persuade the local transportation department to provide nylon fencing along the roadways, saving almost 5,000 turtles by forcing them away from high-traffic areas. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/critter_crossings/overview.cfm" target="_blank">The Federal Highway Administration website</a> has information on how traffic impacts wildlife and the ways in which specially-designed wildlife crossing structures such as underground tunnels are helping to preserve the habitats and livelihoods of the animals we share our roads with.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj27DqT4ia3OFzZR-NDd22sFPVHwc6r8wNVn1Ab2sr7hDVV5_5yX7MnsHMPVKJe43RHMjxzDVvqlDqcoqXK7AJAursRaTAws4siu7OehBgabJLYH6MqpPaGCanhe2a5enSVSaudEKQ8ap5C/s640/badger+tunnel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj27DqT4ia3OFzZR-NDd22sFPVHwc6r8wNVn1Ab2sr7hDVV5_5yX7MnsHMPVKJe43RHMjxzDVvqlDqcoqXK7AJAursRaTAws4siu7OehBgabJLYH6MqpPaGCanhe2a5enSVSaudEKQ8ap5C/s400/badger+tunnel.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Badger crossing tunnel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwY898ZqisBTEEBCLa5ROfzwwNcFTayfBkLvy3YVY5P_gB_26eVzddOBb55O1_PsGOfNFR5ZQDseX1_blUNlmUbR8cJ4Cfl6dCPD3oqNohq44vxKP7zYyxxvivNDG_Sfty89VKiKsDZJxs/s600/bear+underpass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwY898ZqisBTEEBCLa5ROfzwwNcFTayfBkLvy3YVY5P_gB_26eVzddOBb55O1_PsGOfNFR5ZQDseX1_blUNlmUbR8cJ4Cfl6dCPD3oqNohq44vxKP7zYyxxvivNDG_Sfty89VKiKsDZJxs/s400/bear+underpass.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bear crossing tunnel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
What solutions would you like to see enacted in Vermont? Share your thoughts in the comments section!<br />
<br />
<i>by Janine Fleri, HSCC's social media intern extraordinaire </i>Humane Society of Chittenden Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192279005227070577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399197430200306354.post-34762222850878728192013-02-25T08:00:00.000-08:002013-02-25T10:28:43.612-08:00Fat CatsHere at HSCC, we take in a lot of "big" cats. Obesity in kitties seems to be a growing epidemic in our country. The "fat cat" image is often considered cute and funny, but in reality, obesity is just as serious a health risk for cats as it is for people. <br />
<br />
What can we blame for this trend in the expanding feline silhouette? At its most basic level, obesity is a result of caloric intake exceeding caloric metabolism--or food intake exceeding exercise. Cat foods today are often high in starch, carbohydrates, and additives--and it can be hard to ensure that your indoor-only kitty gets enough exercise.<br />
<br />
But that's not to say that obesity is unavoidable for today's cats. There is a growing variety of healthy cat foods that are high in protein and low in starch, and more and more advice on how to keep indoor cats active and engaged with their environment. The folks at <a href="http://pfwvt.com/index.php" target="_blank">Pet Food Warehouse</a> are highly knowledgeable when it comes to feline nutrition and enrichment--as are our local veterinarians. And of course, we're always here to help, too! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnMy4anEb3aRhCSTzMOlucVhS1uhtDMpD3rULkZFS7IzlWMgmFW2BPX1L9LsB8BzBsGqlBP2WW_e66EABvzlSZeJ96Kiw-PO6_KSzjbcMGWE3llQkhC-wBtzYBFJuBPgx-uGG_Qe9edhA/s1600/Harbor_092211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnMy4anEb3aRhCSTzMOlucVhS1uhtDMpD3rULkZFS7IzlWMgmFW2BPX1L9LsB8BzBsGqlBP2WW_e66EABvzlSZeJ96Kiw-PO6_KSzjbcMGWE3llQkhC-wBtzYBFJuBPgx-uGG_Qe9edhA/s320/Harbor_092211.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
Harbor provides a great success story. Harbor was one of the most obese cats we've ever cared for at HSCC. Weighing in at close to 23 pounds, Harbor more closely resembled a beach ball than a cat, and spent his days in the communal cat room mostly sprawled on his back--probably because that position was most comfortable for his stomach, spine and joints! <br />
<br />
So we were thrilled to receive this update from his adopters the other day:<br />
<br />
<i>"Hello. I adopted a cat named Harbor from you in October 2011. When I
brought him home he was 22.8 pounds. He couldn't walk across the entire
living room without stopping to rest, he couldn't clean himself, or
reach his own face to scratch it when he had an itch. But he's always
been incredibly playful and loving. It took us a bit to find a weight
loss plan that would work. But, almost 1.5 years later, Harbor is
weighing in at a slim(mer) 17.2 pounds. He has more energy than ever. He
loves to run, jump, chase, and play and can now do so without hurting
himself. Weight loss is still progressing slow but steady. <br /><br /> At
first, I wasn't sure I was ready for the commitment of an animal. But,
the odds seemed to be stacked against him as far as finding a home. And I
knew he needed someone to not only love him, but to help him get
healthy. I love him more and more everyday and I haven't regretted my
decision for one second since I brought him home. He has the biggest and
best personality I have ever witnessed in a cat. He loves to love and
loves to be loved. </i> <i><br /><br /> I've attached 2 photos of Harbor so you can
see his progress. One is a side-by-side comparing the day I brought him
home (Oct 2011) to him on Christmas 2012. The second is just to show his
adorable face."</i> <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5YQ1e2oRoJVRVJyuOqG_FBL060j2ZBTWbHr2PMZvGFv6UeOlAD_sLueekGiZHcKmNBBVE7vRDud0kVTsaL_A5lAXKPZYxPuXCDqF6ESHbQJRcvtHtmN_vMTUr9mhZ0YB9xBU931kx-xGY/s1600/Harbor+Before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="417" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5YQ1e2oRoJVRVJyuOqG_FBL060j2ZBTWbHr2PMZvGFv6UeOlAD_sLueekGiZHcKmNBBVE7vRDud0kVTsaL_A5lAXKPZYxPuXCDqF6ESHbQJRcvtHtmN_vMTUr9mhZ0YB9xBU931kx-xGY/s640/Harbor+Before.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">October 2011 Christmas 2012</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
If your kitty is overweight, the first step is to talk to your veterinarian about a weight-loss plan. <i style="color: #666666;">It can be dangerous--</i><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><i style="color: #666666;">even lethal--for a very overweight cat to
lose weight too quickly<span style="color: #666666;">,</span> so this must be done under the supervision of your
veterinarian.</i><br />
<i> </i><br />
<br />
If you're wondering how to tell if your cat's overweight, a quick test is to feel for his ribs and backbone. If you can't feel them without pressing, your kitty may be a carrying a few too many pounds!<br />
<br />
Thanks so much to Harbor's adopters for committing to his health and well-being. We're sure he's grateful to have his normal kitty life back!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-ONiavydGQRsii3RfCdpdChctJcvIY8AWVKpsEAm2TYzOOqsw8deNOtFFso5ZirMPy8jG486Q0RC0ufd1h0ElOm38fYk1cKuSwf_7gad1s2vgB2vvUVMiAbo8drdsqGLLS86awmu-UlD/s1600/Harbor+final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-ONiavydGQRsii3RfCdpdChctJcvIY8AWVKpsEAm2TYzOOqsw8deNOtFFso5ZirMPy8jG486Q0RC0ufd1h0ElOm38fYk1cKuSwf_7gad1s2vgB2vvUVMiAbo8drdsqGLLS86awmu-UlD/s640/Harbor+final.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A happier Harbor!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Humane Society of Chittenden Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192279005227070577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399197430200306354.post-62554735860648922082013-01-03T10:45:00.000-08:002013-01-03T10:48:41.508-08:00A New Year for a New Poodle<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Poor Charlie looked more bedraggled mop than canine when he arrived at
HSCC.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf0z8X1nRQXpAaOtfMzSiOM5gIMQZSGKk54YxZqr69HOEPHGK_eGHIWmpLZM55CuYWftZoawTOzMiBArxIeZrMXAREW6JIJe9-q5ozli9HE4zNk0uI7HUsB2_6eC3QYGYQ2tJxy1ZA4VWR/s1600/charlie+before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf0z8X1nRQXpAaOtfMzSiOM5gIMQZSGKk54YxZqr69HOEPHGK_eGHIWmpLZM55CuYWftZoawTOzMiBArxIeZrMXAREW6JIJe9-q5ozli9HE4zNk0uI7HUsB2_6eC3QYGYQ2tJxy1ZA4VWR/s640/charlie+before.jpg" width="636" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>A white miniature
poodle mix, Charlie had been purchased at a pet store as a young puppy. Over
the next five years, his daily life was limited almost entirely to the confines
of his home. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As our medical supervisor, Jen, examined his severely matted
coat and overgrown toenails (which were so long that they were causing his toes
to twist in odd directions), Charlie bravely held still for her—but quietly shook
in fear. With the help of our canine supervisor, Robyn, Jen gave him the first
grooming he’d seen in a very long time—carefully shaving the tangled fur that
was matted down to his skin in some places, and clipping his curling nails. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25L0UqCtzMDPZDkiq1SnE__Ltl9zxVcRxL_S-AcJBRaD5atWSg-mxLqdwD8171wlQnXI9JCTtfwHnGA-lgB0oI_wQLukR6wIkOfU7uMMPglZN5A1sXhQR2EpzJZrrSdzbg3ipLkXs0XID/s1600/Charlie+Collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25L0UqCtzMDPZDkiq1SnE__Ltl9zxVcRxL_S-AcJBRaD5atWSg-mxLqdwD8171wlQnXI9JCTtfwHnGA-lgB0oI_wQLukR6wIkOfU7uMMPglZN5A1sXhQR2EpzJZrrSdzbg3ipLkXs0XID/s640/Charlie+Collage.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left: Charlie's overgrown nails. Right: Charlie's right front leg groomed.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjFRni7ck0ZowGHn0wP6SYgrLExlDL_o2Ud-rH2954rZ6ghqHZcSVA6rYzOnW-pDnpuURyoIeX76ZoQZ8MjBtzLLhJgzMjAjQ1rf74fFkoG3IKf6MhcKXggNqFh6orZunjt2CSnxXktuby/s1600/charlie5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Two
and a half hours later, Charlie resembled a miniature poodle again! Yay, Charlie!<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7JjpcElBPyWPAsRcnNQ1LCsXSBlQ1sULquGJiaHcu6QlYQvSLYj6rLEH4gL22ugHj03msk1cfLK4-uymLLtWB_8f7g4t1wqZ_b3jSkzQVVHW9fqI4V3FjsAS483yUIJjZn24cB_EHOtbz/s1600/charlie2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7JjpcElBPyWPAsRcnNQ1LCsXSBlQ1sULquGJiaHcu6QlYQvSLYj6rLEH4gL22ugHj03msk1cfLK4-uymLLtWB_8f7g4t1wqZ_b3jSkzQVVHW9fqI4V3FjsAS483yUIJjZn24cB_EHOtbz/s640/charlie2.jpg" width="466" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
His medical check-in and grooming complete, Charlie’s first
major ordeal was over. But he now had to face life at the shelter. Robyn brought
him downstairs to the kennels, where he was greeted by loud barking and strange
dogs staring at him from behind their glass doors. According to his former owner,
Charlie had never met another dog before. He’d never met many other people
aside from his owner, either, and now suddenly he was being cleaned, fed, and let
outdoors by multiple unfamiliar people. Not surprisingly, Charlie reacted with
fear-based aggression over the next few days, growling and barking at our staff
from within his kennel. When reached for, Charlie would growl and lunge, and we
had to keep a lightweight leash attached to him to avoid having to reach for
him directly. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fortunately, once outside of his kennel, Charlie would eventually
warm up to his handler, and after some time even began to solicit attention and
play!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Though he was making progress, we
realized that Charlie would gain the confidence and world exposure he needed a
lot faster in a foster home. He needed a quiet space with patient, dog-savvy
folks who could invest a lot of time in giving him positive experiences with
new things. Robyn contacted Poodle Rescue of New England to see if they might
be able to take Charlie into rescue. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any
room, but referred us to <a href="http://www.poodlerescuevt.org/" target="_blank">Poodle Rescue of Vermont</a>. Within moments of
seeing Charlie’s picture, Poodle Rescue of Vermont agreed to take him!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQUJhf2K7awb8PuN5E_iYOclClma9HLdUXGAt5YeSP_Pim-yGKbLkS_3dLWXn8VFQ0MENQcJEy8qsNRjvr3lq5P2ewwot60bFATUeqvb3onMWynnXwrRpDVt5N152Se0gNulRgpipPy4Ab/s1600/charlie+in+sweater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQUJhf2K7awb8PuN5E_iYOclClma9HLdUXGAt5YeSP_Pim-yGKbLkS_3dLWXn8VFQ0MENQcJEy8qsNRjvr3lq5P2ewwot60bFATUeqvb3onMWynnXwrRpDVt5N152Se0gNulRgpipPy4Ab/s640/charlie+in+sweater.jpg" width="456" /></a></div>
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br />Soon after we'd said goodbye to
Charlie and wished him luck, we received an update from the president of the Poodle Rescue, Terri Gerard, saying that as soon as Charlie reached his foster home, he ran right up the steps, found his dinner, and gobbled the whole thing down. A great first start!</span><br />
<br />
Charlie's foster dad works from home, so the pair bonded quickly, and Charlie spent his afternoons napping right next to his foster dad's desk.<br />
<br />
Now, two weeks later, Terri writes:</div>
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<![endif]--><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Charlie is such a
little superhero who has come so far from the scared little boy in the shelter. Charlie has had his first professional groom at Doggie Styles in
Colchester. Charlie raced around the place happy to meet
all the dogs there, large and small. </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><i></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><i><br />
Since arriving in foster care with Poodle Rescue of Vermont, Charlie has
mastered the stairs, is nearly 100% potty trained and has expanded his play to
toys other than a ball and has an excellent appetite and eats two meals a
day. Charlie is working on losing a few pounds which will come off easily
now that he is getting exercise and a healthy diet. Just in the last few
days, Charlie will leave his foster Dad's side and venture into the other room
to snooze by the fire. <br /><br />
Charlies' foster parents had a very busy holiday season and Charlie was right
in the thick of it, with overnight house guests, parties, other family
dogs. Charlie had a few moments of nervousness and feeling unsure but for
the most part, no one would be able to know that just a few weeks prior Charlie
was in terrible shape. </i>
<i><br /><br />
Charlie went snowshoeing this past weekend, riding in a front pack and enjoyed
the trip very much.</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Could Charlie have ever envisioned a life like this just one month ago? For this little poodle, the New Year truly brought a new life. </span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPn7KOaUZun5yH9t8NfPwMaScXzZiBOb9tga7w2Pb4Pw8AdBU-Q5_9FNNd4VT8eNXKzD8Xv0sI3JHOVzjhtXBX9hNKdrpZD8AObvwmZ-PzAs_z9AHlUauLn3APNv4BeTYw6d3-bmBbC2Mx/s1600/Charlie+before+&+after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPn7KOaUZun5yH9t8NfPwMaScXzZiBOb9tga7w2Pb4Pw8AdBU-Q5_9FNNd4VT8eNXKzD8Xv0sI3JHOVzjhtXBX9hNKdrpZD8AObvwmZ-PzAs_z9AHlUauLn3APNv4BeTYw6d3-bmBbC2Mx/s640/Charlie+before+&+after.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i><br />
</i><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Charlie is currently available for adoption through Poodle Rescue of Vermont. <a href="http://www.poodlerescuevt.org/" target="_blank">Click here to view him on their site.</a><br /> </span><br />
Charlie was in a loving home for the holidays, and
so were the 725 other formerly homeless animals we matched with new
families in 2012--plus 25 lost animals who were reunited
with their people! </div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Of course, we wouldn’t have been able to place any
animals in homes if you--our community--hadn't opened your doors to them. This is
teamwork, really, and we’re so grateful to be partnering with such a compassionate community! Whether you
adopted, fostered, volunteered, or donated in 2012, THANK
YOU for helping us give so many dogs, cats, and small animals a better life. </span></div>
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Humane Society of Chittenden Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192279005227070577noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399197430200306354.post-85403877980125806662012-09-27T11:54:00.001-07:002012-09-28T08:03:34.281-07:00In Lieu of Gifts<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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When I ask eight-year-old Aidan Hall if he has any pets, he gives
me a businesslike nod. “We have four dogs, two cats, four turtles, two
tortoises, a Quaker parrot, three hermit crabs, and Biscuit.” (Biscuit is a
hamster the family recently adopted from HSCC.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When I look at Aidan’s mom in surprise, she explains, “I used to work
for Dr. Metz at Shelburne Vet.” </div>
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<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIoee2NgiU143JGF2ImlKva8MXuhAuQ6BaDrMVkbjoqavXM1SZ4wkaa-YiRLQDJromBH40IgrudQhJUfvE2YFM6XwAcCPVXt71J_zbCZAmZvloosNT-wYDMQB38fNai4E7DX2X1V_xNwMW/s1600/2012-09-01+04.48.30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIoee2NgiU143JGF2ImlKva8MXuhAuQ6BaDrMVkbjoqavXM1SZ4wkaa-YiRLQDJromBH40IgrudQhJUfvE2YFM6XwAcCPVXt71J_zbCZAmZvloosNT-wYDMQB38fNai4E7DX2X1V_xNwMW/s400/2012-09-01+04.48.30.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aidan visiting the cats at HSCC</td></tr>
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I ask Aidan if he has
a favorite animal and he says no—he likes them all. I ask him if he helps care
for the animals at home. Aidan gives another serious nod. I expect him to tell
me that he feeds them dinner or walks the dogs with his mom. Instead, he
surprises me again with, “Buddy the parrot used to be quite cage-aggressive.
I’ve been working with him—petting his head through the cage and feeding him.”
Aidan demonstrates how he strokes Buddy’s head. “Now, I can put my hand in the
cage and he doesn’t bite.” Training an animal out of cage aggression—that’s a
complicated challenge for a professional trainer! Let alone the fact that this
eight-year-old boy is even familiar with the term “cage-aggression.” </div>
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<br /></div>
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It may come as no surprise that HSCC ranks among Aidan’s
favorite causes. However, the fact that a child would forgo gifts for his own
birthday to benefit an organization—that’s yet another remarkable feat for this
young man. This summer, Aidan asked his birthday guests to donate to HSCC
rather than buy him presents. He ended up collecting $200 for the shelter, plus
cat toys and dog biscuits. I asked Aidan why he’d choose to give up gifts on his
birthday. “I have bazillions of toys in my room,” he explains. “Probably more
than 50. I don’t need more.” </div>
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<br /></div>
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Aidan has demonstrated this philanthropic bent since turning
six. Two years ago he selected Outreach for Earth Stewardship as the beneficiary
nonprofit, and last year he chose Hunger Free Vermont. He picked HSCC this year
because of his obvious love for animals. </div>
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<br /></div>
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I asked him how he felt turning in his donations, and he
says, “proud.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Aidan’s never been
‘stuff-oriented,’” his mom says, equally proud. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Another one of our long-time supporters can relate to Aidan’s
lack of interest in “stuff.” </div>
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<br /></div>
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"None of us need more <i>stuff</i>,” says Emily Morrow, a former
kitten foster mom and HSCC adopter. “Stuff is more of a problem than a benefit.
Giving in tangible ways gives me a more tangible sense of happiness." Emily
celebrated her 60<sup>th</sup> birthday this year, and also asked her guests to
donate to HSCC in lieu of buying her gifts. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Emily explains that she chose HSCC as the beneficiary of her
birthday honor because it makes her sad to think of animals not being cared for.
In addition to adopting animals from our shelter and fostering kittens, Emily
felt this was an effective and meaningful way for her to help.</div>
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<br /></div>
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"It made me feel great to do this," Emily says.
She had gotten the idea from young couples she knew who asked their wedding
guests to donate to charities rather than give gifts. </div>
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We have an example of that, too! One of our board members,
Kyla Sternlieb, was recently married. She and her husband Bruce Lisman asked their friends to donate to
HSCC in honor of their marriage. Well, we never could have predicted this, but
that simple ask <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">raised nearly $10,000</i>
for our shelter!</div>
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Because we rely almost entirely (88%) upon donations from
individuals to keep our shelter and programs running, we are enormously
grateful when our community gets creative in finding ways to support our
mission. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqqyN70lU3NtQhcmj_rcgKnrXNztUzy8UWBzi9bb1GY7PDad59RMuGSPH0RlwIoXAbBW3bn5zhP4ydmZbNhCcHlH1LDmK-HPwjvKdtg4zHcMys426G7R3hyphenhyphenPV-nHx4NZFK-GEmRik5cCwB/s1600/Aidan+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqqyN70lU3NtQhcmj_rcgKnrXNztUzy8UWBzi9bb1GY7PDad59RMuGSPH0RlwIoXAbBW3bn5zhP4ydmZbNhCcHlH1LDmK-HPwjvKdtg4zHcMys426G7R3hyphenhyphenPV-nHx4NZFK-GEmRik5cCwB/s400/Aidan+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aidan's donation jar. Notice his rendering of our logo at the top!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Thanks to EVERYONE who’s set personal gain aside to benefit homeless animals--as well as those who have made a donation in someone's honor! </div>
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Because really, isn't a companion animal's love the greatest gift of all?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiSlBGdWoZMEL-fsxB52JcDrj6AX8mslYabgWRziKIgUq4EMJ0dKDf-IyVObP0jasS0BjpCACrjTWbjJtqttCECfdWjYkSOSL1vwSvXdozuXz3SS9CZ3TDA_ZBD3IAPBSHuvF1kgHL-Jly/s1600/Fred+&+girl.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiSlBGdWoZMEL-fsxB52JcDrj6AX8mslYabgWRziKIgUq4EMJ0dKDf-IyVObP0jasS0BjpCACrjTWbjJtqttCECfdWjYkSOSL1vwSvXdozuXz3SS9CZ3TDA_ZBD3IAPBSHuvF1kgHL-Jly/s640/Fred+&+girl.JPG" width="499" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Booey (formerly Fred), adopted this summer, with new best friend Emma.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Humane Society of Chittenden Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192279005227070577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399197430200306354.post-60136949646867608282012-08-15T07:10:00.000-07:002012-08-15T07:11:13.614-07:00Chubbs<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Hello, all!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We have an
unusual category of adopted animals to report this week: PUPPIES! After a long
lull with no puppies, HSCC recently had a sudden influx of youngsters. Of
course they never stick around for long … <b>Congrats to Ricki, Sienna,
Javelin, Dash, Montel and Fallon</b> on finding new homes to grow up in!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ODo738lgy9DqxQJigWInt6W10ABuizLFpejcxMCu9GvCcD3LMlCl9p_liGG-g6nKudJSe2ZVMQ4bYyTu9asCoFRqEe500J5gAVJv45WlB8HSf6KpYKbpLkFyRS1bH7kkFfRHYVIV1IzZ/s1600/Puppies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ODo738lgy9DqxQJigWInt6W10ABuizLFpejcxMCu9GvCcD3LMlCl9p_liGG-g6nKudJSe2ZVMQ4bYyTu9asCoFRqEe500J5gAVJv45WlB8HSf6KpYKbpLkFyRS1bH7kkFfRHYVIV1IzZ/s400/Puppies.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Javelin and Dash</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We had four
adult dog adoptions, as well: <b>Thumper, Speedy, Gracie </b>and<b> Copper </b>went
home.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">Kittens <b>Dill,
Butter, Vlasic, Gherkin</b>, <b>Bugs, Sylvester and Merle </b>are romping in
new homes!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">And 12 adult
cats became new family members over the last couple of weeks. Congrats to <b>Agatha,
Cliff, Silver, Bewster, Cooper, Zoey, Sparkles, Dilly, Loki, Abbott, and
Muffin!</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">Our featured
pet this week is also a cat, and we're returning to a previous adoptee. <b>Chubbs
</b>the cat went home at the end of July--but his story is just too good to
skip.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7q5BQtkFz9Ww1XZKypFvEr2K-C15kU-t_Rt2v9L655SbGWB2a2SHXR713-bkbqx03_ZWtxuEY6rNoDgxtYr0rN3GQisHDW15zhYczgQAU8UcUwWpGHvrto7igPp8c5krc74NHbxALVvM/s1600/Chubbs_May1712.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7q5BQtkFz9Ww1XZKypFvEr2K-C15kU-t_Rt2v9L655SbGWB2a2SHXR713-bkbqx03_ZWtxuEY6rNoDgxtYr0rN3GQisHDW15zhYczgQAU8UcUwWpGHvrto7igPp8c5krc74NHbxALVvM/s400/Chubbs_May1712.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chubbs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Chubbs
arrived at our shelter in mid-April. True to his name, he weighed in at 19.6 pounds.
Despite his plump physique, we found Chubbs very handsome with his smart orange
tabby coat and engaging yellow eyes. His owner, Sally, was moving to the
Midwest, and would not be able to take him<span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span>in
the car with her. She explained that Chubbs was deathly afraid of his carrier,
and could never tolerate the road trip. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">We gave
Chubbs the usual medical check-up that we provide all animals on arrival:
checked his skin and coat, eyes, ears, mouth, teeth and gums. We gave him a
blood test for FIV, which tested negative. We tested him for feline leukemia
virus (FeLV)<span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span>… and it came back faintly
positive.<span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span><i>Twice</i>. Not good! Obviously,
we can't expose our entire feline population to FeLV. So Chubbs moved into a
medical isolation room while we considered what to do next. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">In the
meantime, staff addressed Chubbs' carrier phobia. Our resident cats are fed in
their carriers<span style="color: #1f497d;">: </span>convenient because it allows
us to clean their living spaces, and beneficial because it helps them associate
their carriers with yummy food<span style="color: #1f497d;">.</span> But cats
with extreme crate aversion are treated to our "I Hate My Crate"
intervention program. The averse kitty is assigned a chart on which staff
notates which rewards they've tried to convince the cat that a crate ain't so
bad, and how effective each tactic is. Staff might try stocking the crate with
especially yummy treats or tuna, filling it with a blanket that the cat's been
sleeping on (familiar smells are comforting), or placing a cotton ball soaked
with Feliway (a synthetic copy of the feline<i> </i>facial pheromone used by cats<i>
</i>to mark their territory as safe and secure) in the carrier.<span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span>Ultimately, Chubbs learned to feel comfortable in
his crate. </span><br />
<br />
<div style="color: #444444;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">And then good
fortune struck. Dr. Ryan Canales of the new <a href="http://longtrailvets.com/" target="_blank"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Long Trail Veterinary Center</span></a> in Williston, Vermont dropped by our shelter for a visit. Our medical supervisor,
Jen, gave him a tour of the building. When they approached Chubbs' isolation room,
Dr. Canales paused and inquired about Chubbs' quarantine. Jen told him about
the positive FeLV test results. Dr. Canales suggested we try a different test
that's more specific and sensitive. It's also more expensive, but can detect a
false positive. Jen followed his advice, sent the test to the lab, and lo and
behold, discovered the positive results <i>had</i> been false! Thanks, Dr.
Canales!</span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">Chubbs was
cleared for adoption take off, and moved to a Tokyo cage in our lobby. ... But
there he sat. Chubbs simply didn't elicit much interest from our visitors, and
he grew increasingly despondent. Our feline supervisor, Kayla, decided he
needed another intervention. Chubbs moved to our administrative area, where
most days he was permitted to roam at will. That spiced things up for him! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNWCV95veSqEvb5ZG6FIMGkv3_EPjpOsdVvhJC1rXPWD3dR51aMdUS__bQCf5bBJzpGpv7mLhrg0GqV_nNn3OZ5_xJrKby45UWIFSzC_kunRHhQz8c4fUdpsnorC2yi-BCWF2EviGFJN31/s1600/Chubbs+in+cabinet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNWCV95veSqEvb5ZG6FIMGkv3_EPjpOsdVvhJC1rXPWD3dR51aMdUS__bQCf5bBJzpGpv7mLhrg0GqV_nNn3OZ5_xJrKby45UWIFSzC_kunRHhQz8c4fUdpsnorC2yi-BCWF2EviGFJN31/s640/Chubbs+in+cabinet.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">We soon
discovered Chubbs to be the Shaquille O'Neal of cats: despite his prodigious
size, Chubbs could MOVE! Our jaws dropped as we watched Chubbs fly across the
admin space after plastic balls, scale the backs of computer chairs ("Timmmmmberrrrrrrrr!"),
and leap three-foot gates. On days we needed him sequestered in an office, we
tried stacking two gates in the doorway. That didn't deter Chubbs, who nimbly
leapt five feet, caught the top of the gate with his paws, and hauled himself
over the top.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">In the
meantime, we opted to cut dry food from Chubbs' diet in an attempt to bring his
weight down (we supplemented it with more wet food). The diet change coupled
with the exercise did wonders for Chubbs' waistline. In fact, over the three
months he was here, Chubbs lost a little over two pounds!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">And we fell
in love … although Chubbs wasn't always a charmer. In perhaps stereotypical
feline style, Chubbs desired affection on his own terms. Often, after just a
few pets, Chubbs would roll on his back and dare you to try that again. Other
times, he'd seem positively voracious for attention, and would claim a staff
person's lap as his own--purring and kneading and rubbing his nose all over his
hostage's face. One quickly learned to let Chubbs call the shots. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Still, how
could we not fall in love with a cat as intelligent and inquisitive and wholly
active as Chubbs? He loved new objects and changes in his environment. He liked
meeting new people (though with some time for deliberation). He was very
curious about the other cats and dogs who occasionally visited the
administrative area, and developed a peaceful coexistence with staff
dogs. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0BMs_zR3uUjmJggjoW23BbUR4jmzqGgV2mgm_4x7VCdne0GC0kI_gTTFy84D3_cbqNxLDxpsUr4Kw7q5dfzb9jULOTMBNxYl2Et4cWEVFTn6-u3XT1Oz2Q0ZNo_LM4bcAIZ86mJAWfCB-/s1600/Chubbs+and+Isla.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0BMs_zR3uUjmJggjoW23BbUR4jmzqGgV2mgm_4x7VCdne0GC0kI_gTTFy84D3_cbqNxLDxpsUr4Kw7q5dfzb9jULOTMBNxYl2Et4cWEVFTn6-u3XT1Oz2Q0ZNo_LM4bcAIZ86mJAWfCB-/s640/Chubbs+and+Isla.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_RltVoLs_Dgx5EB9u0WWOiyQZlLFImmU8naVnMhhHb84Wtc9XZJChTrpV2Ds9Sg5gcWFzd2Iq3OhucjLQjAVe9T7btYTlMBcYqY3fJfoUyVvUGz7w2wypFT33RaanuFv4pDe3Qq3KvaI/s1600/Chubbs+and+Isla.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">Sadly, though
several potential adopters did meet Chubbs, none left totally impressed
(probably didn't help when he got a little swatty with them). Chubbs grew bored
again, and we did our best to keep his environment enriched.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Y_jqUwE5lOxvwfTsZ-o8e-REUY4n1EDvsNBQ-i23-1yixYAoGd85UppK7vTelYyrMgFTckPIs5QFtk3h2idrtnh26vni5DZEG7djZKUtaVC9SziJyle1Ei3akF1QfJ0DmvQWoRtn1iJm/s1600/Chubbs+in+grass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Y_jqUwE5lOxvwfTsZ-o8e-REUY4n1EDvsNBQ-i23-1yixYAoGd85UppK7vTelYyrMgFTckPIs5QFtk3h2idrtnh26vni5DZEG7djZKUtaVC9SziJyle1Ei3akF1QfJ0DmvQWoRtn1iJm/s320/Chubbs+in+grass.jpg" width="262" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chubbs nesting in cat grass.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVx3k9xYjjZoqYl8b17yKbRv3Lw77Z-41T-IOaLn6Rbm8hd_OFAbU-8KeYAmIb3fhbU3I6qtxqDuLScdyHbRB9eT1VNzgHE93A53WmCPVFglJ78qhTO0u3l0h9p91OWCt5lnba7hwcFn0Z/s1600/Chubbs+in+grass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyOcHS_XQypMBzoDTh5PhG373O3Ei3COubCVkbtGcK7F82aH9acdU25h4gJ59IMn-vBBS5K1noS2d1xwTsRlw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But good
fortune had not forgotten this plump pussycat. In early July, Kayla received an
email from Sally, Chubbs' former owner. She missed him dearly. She'd be
returning to Burlington for a visit in late July, and would now be able to fly
him back to the Midwest with her. Was he still available? He sure was!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We thought
surely Chubbs would be adopted before Sally's visit … but at least we had a
back-up plan. However, when mid-July rolled around and Chubbs was still here,
we began to hold our collective breath for Sally's return. On July 20, we put
Chubbs on hold for Sally. And on July 21, she made it to the shelter just
before we closed, completed the adoption requirements, and scooped Chubbs up!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">There wasn't
time for the joyous reunion we'd all yearned to observe. But fortunately, the
story doesn't end on that anticlimactic note!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">Sally had
spoken with a veterinarian ahead of time about Chubbs' flight home. He
recommended she give Chubbs both <a href="http://www.petcomfortzone.com/" target="_blank">Comfort Zone</a> and <a href="http://www.1800petmeds.com/Composure++Bite+Sized+Chews-prod11251.html?AFFID=GG&ID=512930066" target="_blank">Composure</a> before the flight,
and reminded her that he would need a health certificate signed by a
veterinarian and a carrier small enough to fit under her seat (good thing we worked on crate training!).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">Sally
followed his advice<span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span>… but ran into a problem
at the airport when she got to security. Apparently, she had trace amounts of
the rememdies she'd given Chubbs on her hands, and one of them tested positive
for explosives! Chubbs had been taken out of his carrier and patted down for
weapons! Sally says that Chubbs was so drugged that he didn't mind being
dangled in the air while they looked him over (<i>she</i> felt a little traumatized <i>for</i>
him, though!). Fortunately, the rest of his journey went smoothly.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">Sally reports
that Chubbs does seem to remember her (he slept next to her the entire first
night of their reunion) and is enjoying his new home. A six-toed cat often
comes calling on the porch, and Chubbs enjoys covertly spying on him. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdk8PCYcsS0uq1P2RxUSlvKI-6Zu_MO6_Gjh8ro_P-S_jdgWpLoXa5XGNFRriheJe3ORlNlbyV-1eNAYOSWgU4JWr-M36TgKiyXqsDCvC7vRe2SVBU1IQuBeE7gxYty8ZsPHjD0hXxNyr7/s1600/Chubbs+new+friend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdk8PCYcsS0uq1P2RxUSlvKI-6Zu_MO6_Gjh8ro_P-S_jdgWpLoXa5XGNFRriheJe3ORlNlbyV-1eNAYOSWgU4JWr-M36TgKiyXqsDCvC7vRe2SVBU1IQuBeE7gxYty8ZsPHjD0hXxNyr7/s640/Chubbs+new+friend.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chubbs' new friend.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This brainy orange
kitty lists James Patterson among his favorite authors (when it comes to
napping, anyway), and<span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span>is very considerate
about keeping<span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span>Sally's graduate school
assignments warm. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2VcchtzcbFWcxdOVn65dcyQAUOcNGJzu-hiyq-iv9-6ImUFyCTgEkaA5j7P_nqMbNc7aVLM7YBb57X1PV_VzmTUmnQvhOFlse7El20ESM1YOF5JCmu1N4foOpT_1lmL8DQG8vkVIBomaw/s1600/IMAG0722.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2VcchtzcbFWcxdOVn65dcyQAUOcNGJzu-hiyq-iv9-6ImUFyCTgEkaA5j7P_nqMbNc7aVLM7YBb57X1PV_VzmTUmnQvhOFlse7El20ESM1YOF5JCmu1N4foOpT_1lmL8DQG8vkVIBomaw/s640/IMAG0722.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fortunately, Chubbs would rather sleep on homework than eat it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">From a
medical isolation room at the shelter to a new home in a big city halfway
across the country … Chubbs' journey has been long and sometimes arduous. But
good fortune always stepped in just when his situation seemed particularly
dire.<span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span><span style="color: #444444;">We'll never
forget this floppy-tummied kitty or his funny antics ... and Sally sent us a
photo to remember him by. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1W0U93jQG5E5iB1lnQzDZpNFjj6e7mbgIoOs8-5qfJYtoMeb6QamXLP3vctPmi42GUybvKpTfOrAbEGsFTQYLI_-xhv0FG7xHhiBUvYIrorz7YbwcOYhs8fWA0P1oicUilMZQ0WaGebh3/s1600/Chubbs+fat+belly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1W0U93jQG5E5iB1lnQzDZpNFjj6e7mbgIoOs8-5qfJYtoMeb6QamXLP3vctPmi42GUybvKpTfOrAbEGsFTQYLI_-xhv0FG7xHhiBUvYIrorz7YbwcOYhs8fWA0P1oicUilMZQ0WaGebh3/s400/Chubbs+fat+belly.jpg" width="287" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">That's the
good news this week from HSCC.</span></div>
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Humane Society of Chittenden Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192279005227070577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399197430200306354.post-66077038957486453742012-07-31T07:42:00.001-07:002012-07-31T10:00:42.033-07:00If Your Love Should Stray<div style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Hi all! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">July has been our <b>Cat Days of Summer</b> promotional month: the
adoption fee for all adult cats has been reduced to just $50 (usually $95). I'm
very, very happy to report that we're dealing with either happy coincidence or
enormous promotional success … either way, a LOT of cats have gone home this
month!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Congrats to: <b>Simba</b>,
<b>Charlotte, Tiara, Gabby, Potter, Cali,
Kermit, Magnum, Cameron, Baby, Buck, Moe, Sova, Pantera, Kusco, Frita, Lucy,
Patches, Ruby, Buddy,</b> <b>CHUBBS!,
Hawthorn, Graphite, Tubby, Tank, Spade, and Finkster.</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8J1j4_vIB1tauBdbPOdpQWk7bIH2-l9UTdkg8E8nPVTkbNps3a9iwvjSGBU2IWspbVD3elM7UBQFkSO8V2pBO6guAiZoHJzvb2fNOsgG9COuIEI-UHSSfRrFdd1B90prV6yttQhJOWHs_/s1600/Tubby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8J1j4_vIB1tauBdbPOdpQWk7bIH2-l9UTdkg8E8nPVTkbNps3a9iwvjSGBU2IWspbVD3elM7UBQFkSO8V2pBO6guAiZoHJzvb2fNOsgG9COuIEI-UHSSfRrFdd1B90prV6yttQhJOWHs_/s320/Tubby.jpg" width="235" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tubby was adopted last week!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The promo isn't quite over yet … still one day left to bring
a new feline companion into your family at the reduced adoption rate!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Our kittens have been going just as quickly, of course;
their babyish cuteness is the only promotion they need. Congrats to <b>Friday, Pikachu, Pudge, Sonoma, Smokey,
Napa, Dasher, Cupid, Dancer, Prancer, Comet, Donner, Ariel, Jasmine and
Belle </b>on their new homes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">We had one rabbit adoption last week: <b>Quincey</b><b>!</b> And <b>Alice, Beatrice
and Bianca--</b>all guinea pigs--also found new homes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Our dog population has been incredibly low this summer. In fact,
as of last week's census we only had 16 dogs in house (about half our capacity)!
So we don't have a lot of dogs to congratulate, which in this case is a happy thing. <b>Brody, Fred, C.J., Miles Davis,
Layla, Delilah, and DeeDee </b>found new families.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">A few other dogs who never made the adoption floor recently
found their way home, too. These three were strays, brought to us by animal control.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">We named two of
them <b>Little Debbie and Daniel Boone</b>. They seemed to be from the same
family, as they clearly knew each other and seemed very close. In fact, the
animal control officer (ACO)<span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span>had
only been able to catch Daniel Boone … but once he got Daniel in the truck,
Little Debbie came running and jumped in the truck of her own accord, not
wanting to be without her buddy! Both appeared to be older in age and we found
a number of tumors on one of the dogs. Little Debbie was so covered in
fleas that most of the hair on her lower back around her tail area was
missing. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Fortunately, we
were able to find a microchip in one of these dogs and tracked down the person
listed on the chip--a woman who lives in New York State. Upon getting in
touch with her, this woman told us that when she and her partner had separated,
he had taken the two dogs (actually named Lady and Baxter). She had not
seen the pups in over two years and had assumed that they were still living
with her ex-partner. </span><span style="font-size: small;">After hearing from u</span><span style="font-size: small;">s, she checked in with her ex,
who said he had re-homed Lady and Baxter. There the trail goes
cold. The important thing is, they ended up back together again, and were found
by the police.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">After completing
their mandatory week-long stay (legal hold) at the animal control facility,
Lady and Baxter were turned over to us. We decided to place this pair with
their original owner, who was very obviously upset over the ordeal the dogs had
been through and was eager to take them back to her farm in New York. She said
the dogs are very bonded and was not surprised they had been found
together. She joyously picked them up at the shelter </span><span style="font-size: small;">(Lady and Baxter no doubt equally joyous!) </span><span style="font-size: small;">and brought them home
again.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">So why must dogs
complete a legal hold with animal control? It's meant to provide owners
with time to reclaim the dogs before they're turned over to a third party (like
HSCC). Animal control will usually scan a found dog for a microchip and look
for ID tags in an effort to contact the owner. Because this is such a small
state with a relatively small dog population, it's fairly unusual in Vermont
for a dog who is wanted at home to <i>not</i> be reunited with his family.
That's why we have very few cases like Lady and Baxter's, in which dogs coming
from animal control are returned to their owners. Or like <b>Audrey Hepburn</b>'s
case. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Audrey came to
us from animal control, too. Our lost cat coordinator, Amanda, regularly checks
craigslist.com for lost pet postings, and came across a post for a missing dog
named Suzie. Suzie looked just like Audrey, and upon getting in touch with
Suzie's people, we soon learned that Audrey <i>was</i> Suzie! The really
frustrating thing was that she had been missing for two weeks--all the while
sitting in animal control, right there for reclaiming. Unfortunately, the
owners had not thought to check with towns outside of the one they occupy
(Suzie had ended up in a different town). To make matter worse, they <i>had</i>
had Suzie micro-chipped, but numerous scans did not pick up the chip (it will
likely need to be re-implanted). Needless to say, the family was thrilled to be
reunited with their pup, and we were happy their searching had finally come to
fruition, too!<span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCRJkRNbHSUOObq8vDN_b5lig7IxLsog9hgumY-B-_lIFJCcNVqmAr7rgZ5bh54BKxx0o7fHJ6kB07kULxwQcBLZNkp7ATI1rsLFJfa-o_l7u2wAh9Z3bNCEeJYQ3cn8F7u-ZEPcCpd2XI/s1600/VT+Animal+control.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCRJkRNbHSUOObq8vDN_b5lig7IxLsog9hgumY-B-_lIFJCcNVqmAr7rgZ5bh54BKxx0o7fHJ6kB07kULxwQcBLZNkp7ATI1rsLFJfa-o_l7u2wAh9Z3bNCEeJYQ3cn8F7u-ZEPcCpd2XI/s400/VT+Animal+control.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Working with and
understanding the animal control system can be very confusing. It doesn't help
that there is no official state- or federally-mandated protocol for how towns must
handle strays ... so every town does it a little differently. It's important to
learn about your town's process (how long the hold is, where found dogs are
posted by animal control, etc.), and especially important to understand that
once a dog has been held for their town's required stray hold, the ACO or town
officials are free to do <i>whatever they want</i> with the dog (take the dog
home, give it away, euthanize it, bring it to the shelter). At that point the
original owner is no longer the legal owner of the dog, and may need to go
through an adoption process and/or pay fees to get the dog back. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Some helpful
tips:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">1) Contact all
proper authorities (ACO, police department, humane society, etc.) to report
that the dog is missing. Craigslist, Front Porch Forum, the Lost & Found
Animals of Vermont Facebook page and other online resources are great, but not
all town officials check these for postings of missing dogs. It's best to
be as proactive as possible and get the word out to as many people as you can,
especially the people who will be caring for the dogs once they are in the care
of a municipality.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">2) Keep current
information on your dog's tags and consider micro-chipping. A microchip is not a
tracking device; it's more like information storage. It stores an owner's
name, phone number and address, which will appear when the chip is scanned by a
shelter or authorities. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">3) Get your dog licensed with the town you live in! It's not only the law, it can help authorities reunite a missing dog with the family it's been licensed to. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">4) Call
officials in other surrounding towns. Dogs have a tendency to travel long
distances and can cover a considerable amount of ground in a short period of
time. It's not uncommon for a dog to end up in another municipality
before s/he is recovered.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;">Hope
that helps. After all, we'd really like to keep our dog population at its
current low numbers ;)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;">That's
the good news this week! </span></div>Humane Society of Chittenden Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192279005227070577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399197430200306354.post-25764760086925554152012-06-21T10:16:00.001-07:002012-06-21T13:47:24.757-07:00Give a Penny, Save a Penny<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">At
last, an update! With the Walk behind us, we can all breathe a little easier
now. We had a great time at the Walk, by the way--it was lovely to see so many
of you there! Some of you have already heard about this year's milestones, but
they bear repeating:</span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This year, you all raised <b>$7,000 more</b> than has ever been
raised online before.</span></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The average amount raised per fundraising page this year was <b>$200
higher</b> than last year's page average! </span></div>
<div style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> And 98% of those who created fundraising pages actually
obtained donations, which is a <b>25% increase</b> from last year!</span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Pretty
awesome. The money our community raised will do a ton for our animals!</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixRm5p2-CWwLUgrmPKJtEep8Mwk7DBeF_GIw-8SZBcfRDgVw-FnUZTdefeoowUSnPJn_dcABt4yTR0345a9UiJPLGUxtcGpYHQIyQwuBn5p8ynWpgsABtbEBDSBt3OM7YCNJUB7UqFVGo0/s1600/Walk+2012+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3PqXNIzbqTs9mwIbmNEsiK3av9nevwe1G4zjhfTzFu9Tdg5o6551om07FqmNWxr9rJC-UYk_Pwm4V5HcjqPVkZxBW9iJmXBxqWXj1wCFkvxk5gxxpGCFC39LpUY71WzqtFNd_JjVZVxSi/s1600/Walk+montage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3PqXNIzbqTs9mwIbmNEsiK3av9nevwe1G4zjhfTzFu9Tdg5o6551om07FqmNWxr9rJC-UYk_Pwm4V5HcjqPVkZxBW9iJmXBxqWXj1wCFkvxk5gxxpGCFC39LpUY71WzqtFNd_JjVZVxSi/s640/Walk+montage.jpg" width="447" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150889472441659.409779.144774391658&type=1" target="_blank">See more fun at the Walk here!</a> Photos by Jared Katz of <a href="http://blackdogphotos.com/" target="_blank">Black Dog Photos</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Speaking
of, let's get to the adoptions. We have <i>so many</i> to report since the last
update!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Cats: <b>Nuzzi
Jade, John, Mike, Sam, Rocky, Taylor, Casper, Odie, Midnite & Seymour (!),
Allycat, Garfunkle, Maggie, Pacer, Layla, Malikeye, Colors, Izzy, Zebra,
Chowder, Panda, Ella, TJ & Cooper, Kathina, Captain Jack, Costello,
Kinslee, Bisque, Paprika, Suzie </b>all went home.<b> </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Kittens: <b>Jake,
Jill, Jen, Jim, Jack, Neville, Spock, Ronald, Batman & Robin </b>found new homes.<b> </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Smalles: <b>Mango
the guinea pig; Biscuit and Crumb (hamsters) </b>went home. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Dogs: <b>Tucker,
Ohren, Lola, Jackson, Bella, Soleil, Maddy, Maximus, Pugsley, Sterling, Bear,
Jake </b>are in new homes.</span><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">That's
56 animals in six weeks!</span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">And
there's yet one more. Our featured adoptee is … <b>PENNY!</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Penny is a
young beagle-type mixed breed who came to the shelter in mid-March as a stray.
Right off the bat, it was easy to see she was in need of help: Penny had a
condition called "cherry eye," in which the gland of the dog's third
eyelid becomes inflamed and protrudes over a portion of the eye. Our medical
supervisor, Jen, also found an umbilical hernia. Other than that, though, she
appeared to be in relatively decent health. And her temperament was downright
wonderful. At just 20 pounds, Penny's small stature did nothing to dwarf her
big personality. Inquisitive and engaged with her surroundings, Penny had
definite thoughts about the world and was not afraid to express them. For
instance, if one of our animal care staff asked her to sit, Penny had plenty to
say about it. Barking and baying, she would eventually plunk her small rear end
down -- but our staff swear she talked back while doing so, retorting something
like, "Why don't you sit first!"</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">At other
times, Penny was not about to interrupt her nap in yard if she wasn't ready to.
If staff called her in while she was sprawled in the yard enjoying a snooze,
she opted to "play dead" instead. Short legs and long ears akimbo in
the sun, Penny would grant the flustered animal care person no more than a
slightly opened eye before sinking back into slumber.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Yep, Penny
was a playful and often silly girl. But because of her eye condition, her time
spent at the shelter was definitely not all fun. Penny spent the majority of
her residence here in a cone. Anyone who's observed a dog in a cone knows just
how enjoyable they find that to be.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">In early
April, we sent Penny to <a href="http://greenmountainah.com/" target="_blank">Green Mountain Animal Hospital</a> to get her spayed,
repair her umbilical hernia, and correct the cherry eye. GMAH gave us a
fantastic deal: $500 to do everything! The spay and hernia healed well, but
unfortunately, Penny's eye did not (not uncommon with cherry eye). GMAH
suggested we try medication rather than revisiting surgery right away--so
Penny's cone stayed on for two more weeks, and she was not allowed to
roughhouse with other dogs. Penny remained patient and upbeat. But … the meds
didn't work either. So we scheduled a consultation for Penny with the only
Board-certified vet ophthalmologist in the area, Dr. Hoy of Vermont Veterinary
Eye Care. </span><br />
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlHkfTQGsqbJf2eLSlcNhM_GBxji7jvbmyplScY2En0JvrcRXL6rEZ7G6hxoKHAElcf0-kC7k1nC4q5rC0B2XDHcmggG4zOw2Kw04Zc7KLtkZg1Cao_aSqA9wY9LcCONLGr0gPj0z6BTCI/s1600/Penny's+eye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlHkfTQGsqbJf2eLSlcNhM_GBxji7jvbmyplScY2En0JvrcRXL6rEZ7G6hxoKHAElcf0-kC7k1nC4q5rC0B2XDHcmggG4zOw2Kw04Zc7KLtkZg1Cao_aSqA9wY9LcCONLGr0gPj0z6BTCI/s640/Penny's+eye.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Penny on her way to a consult with Dr. Hoy. Photo taken by our med supervisor, Jen Parker</td></tr>
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Living up to her excellent reputation, Dr. Hoy discovered
the cause of inflammation to be a small, sharp piece of cartilage under the
swollen gland that was not allowing the eyelid to heal. She told Jen that
another surgery was the only fix--otherwise Penny would be destined for a life
of chronic eye infections. We sent Penny back a few days later for surgery, not
realizing then that if the surgery were a success, we would have to follow it
up with eye meds administered <i>four times a day for two weeks straight</i>! Poor
Penny. The surgery did go well, and Jen posted signs around the shelter to help
staff remember to treat Penny's eye according to the rigorous schedule. Our staff did
a fantastic job, and Penny's eyelid dramatically improved over the next two weeks. By
the end of that period, Dr. Hoy was satisfied enough with the results to
recommend she be made available for adoption.</div>
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<br /></div>
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What a glorious day for Penny! </div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSw_4GZ7NVm0lWGo1YxyUG9VgUJtI4wOTV6EgWWhrjkhDRzec5boJVZbPFky_Qc3t8fpUdSlPDv3sA2eYQuUAAbp2nIBBs10VGSbWW13DdYL5f427h4RxoI9aNE0pnowBjMXTeaCLs6Sc1/s1600/Penny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSw_4GZ7NVm0lWGo1YxyUG9VgUJtI4wOTV6EgWWhrjkhDRzec5boJVZbPFky_Qc3t8fpUdSlPDv3sA2eYQuUAAbp2nIBBs10VGSbWW13DdYL5f427h4RxoI9aNE0pnowBjMXTeaCLs6Sc1/s640/Penny.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by <a href="http://mountaindogphotography.net/" target="_blank">Mountain Dog Photography</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The cone finally came off for
good for the first time in two months, and Jen and our canine supervisor, Robyn, gave
Penny her first official play date in a very long time. They brought her out to
our large play yard with Jen's pup, Winnie, and burst into laughter as Winnie
and Penny somersaulted over each other, Penny--in typical fashion--telling
Winnie exactly what she thought about her rough play as soon as she was right
side up again. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJMGYeNt-UA2KLcMaLOxrrXkpwKPYMV2LNPUW9gDkPgUnyTAB2EJp-eDF_aMfaAUAHKjIQ9Op2lY-fWAkQB0PqcpHZXNNZYdKT1H6V2Kn-wpz6buYKIDzxvq1jPjn4SBIUf4IrutuCRKzx/s1600/Penny+running.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJMGYeNt-UA2KLcMaLOxrrXkpwKPYMV2LNPUW9gDkPgUnyTAB2EJp-eDF_aMfaAUAHKjIQ9Op2lY-fWAkQB0PqcpHZXNNZYdKT1H6V2Kn-wpz6buYKIDzxvq1jPjn4SBIUf4IrutuCRKzx/s640/Penny+running.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by <a href="http://mountaindogphotography.net/" target="_blank">Mountain Dog Photography</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Penny went home three days after she was made available--we
knew she'd go fast, that cutie! We were so happy to watch her prance out the
front doors with her new family, butt a-wiggle and nose held high.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All in all, we'd spent ~$1200 on Penny's two eye surgeries
and various medications, hernia repair, and spay surgery--all provided at great
discount. We had some outside help, too: Mrs. Heinz's fifth grade class at
Orchard School decided to hold a Yankee Candle sale to raise money for HSCC.
Would you believe they raised $800 profit in candle sales?! Well, $400 of that
covered Penny's second eye surgery. The other half was spent on all kinds of
pet supply goodies at Pet Food Warehouse! Such an amazing help. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We have seen so many examples of youth fundraising over the
last year: bake sales, candle sales, greeting card sales, art sales, pet supply
drives, donations in lieu of birthday gifts … the kids in our community
continually show incredible selflessness and compassion. We hope Penny's story
shows the impact that hard work makes in the lives of shelter animals! Penny,
for one, will now live a life free of chronic eye discomfort. We're sure she'd
have PLENTY to say about that! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That's the good news this week. Thanks for your support!</div>
<br />
<br />Humane Society of Chittenden Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192279005227070577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399197430200306354.post-76311994351024153892012-06-06T07:16:00.000-07:002012-06-06T07:27:20.683-07:00Queen Charlene Led the WayToday we write in honor of a faithful participant of our Walk for the
Animals: a beautiful lady with long, flowing white hair and sparkling
dark eyes; refined taste; and the confident ambition of a successful
leader. Queen Charlene made Walk history. She also stood about two feet
high. She was a gorgeous American Eskimo.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"> Charlene’s doting person, Marian, assisted the Queen in her many successful Walk ventures. Marian writes:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;">“The 6th Walk for the Animals [twelve
years ago!] was the first event for Charlene and me … I chose Charlene
out of all of my dogs because she was beautiful, she loved attention,
and she loved to go for a walk. She knew my walking shoes and she'd have
a fit when she saw me putting them on; she'd run around the house
barking until I snared her and put her leash on. Each year at the Walk,
no matter where we started in the crowd, she'd pull ahead until she was
in the lead. Then she'd hold her beautiful head high, smile, and
wag that beautiful plume of a tail. She loved it. And she loved
winning."</span><br />
<br />
Indeed, Charlene and Marian have taken the top fundraising prize for
several years now, and together raised thousands of dollars for HSCC!<br />
<br />
“People loved giving Charlene money,” Marian writes. “After a while
people would ask if it was ‘time to give Charlene money again.’ She had a
following.”<br />
<br />
And Marian helped.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;">“Each year I made a postcard with her
photo and a theme: ‘Take Charlene for a Walk,’ ‘Still Going Strong,’
and, of course, in 2010 as ‘Sweet Sixteen’ with her crown and
sash. Somewhere I also have ‘Queen Charlene,’ ‘Keep Charlene on Top’
(she's sitting on a bench and my other dogs are under the bench) … you
get the idea. I'd enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope so it was
easy for people to send a check back to us.”</span><br />
<br />
We, too, looked forward to the advent of Charlene’s inevitable win at
the Walk each year. It became tradition to announce Marian and Charlene
as the winning fundraisers. In the midst of applause, a proud, petite
white dog would emerge purposefully from the crowd, approach the stage
with her starlet smile—fur blowing in the breeze—and accept the award
with the knowing grace and humility of a dignitary. We loved that
moment.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img align="left" height="640" src="http://gallery.mailchimp.com/6c15366dd2855a750931f8660/images/Charlene_28_2010.1.jpg" style="border: 0pt none; display: inline; line-height: 100%; margin: 15px auto; outline: medium none; text-decoration: none;" width="549" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h3>
<a href="http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/marian-fritz/18th-annual-walk-for-the-animals" target="_blank">Make a tribute to Queen Charlene's work for shelter animals</a>.</h3>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On May 5<sup>th</sup>, we received this email from Marian:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;">“The star of the walkathon, the lovely
(both inside and out) Charlene, died today. She lived for two words:
‘good girl’—and she earned those words hundreds of times over her almost
18 years. So the walkathon this year, for me, will be in her memor</span><span style="font-size: 14px;">y.”</span><br />
<br />
As you can imagine, we were deeply saddened by this news. It’s hard for us to imagine the Walk without Charlene.<br />
<br />
Marian has chosen Charlenes’ 15-year-old sister, the Fair Miss Bianca,
to fill her predecessor’s dainty white shoes this Sunday—because Miss
Bianca is “the softest dog in the world.”<br />
<br />
Marian and Bianca began their rounds over the weekend, and have raised over $700 already.<br />
<br />
If you haven’t begun fundraising yet, could you follow Charlene's lead? <a href="http://www.firstgiving.com/hscc/18th-annual-walk-for-the-animals" target="_blank">Set up a fundraising page online</a> or <a href="http://www.chittendenhumane.org/get-involved/2012-Walk-for-the-Animals" target="_blank">download a pledge form to raise money offline</a>.
Don't feel like fundraising? <a href="http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/marian-fritz/18th-annual-walk-for-the-animals" target="_blank">Make a tribute to Charlene by donating to Marian and Bianca's page</a>.<br />
<br />
We have only five days left to make the Walk a success for our shelter, and
are still $13,000 from our goal. You do not have to attend the event to help.<br />
<br />
We have a special award for Charlene planned for this year’s Walk. We
hope you’ll join us in honoring her steadfast work for her temporarily
less advantaged fellow animals. And what better way to remember her,
then by asking your friends, neighbors, family to invest in the futures of
the animals at HSCC ... with a wag and a smile!<br />
<br />
Thank you.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.chittendenhumane.org/get-involved/2012-Walk-for-the-Animals" target="_blank">You can find details about the 18th Annual Walk for the Animals here</a>.Humane Society of Chittenden Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192279005227070577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399197430200306354.post-15253697732202010152012-05-07T15:21:00.000-07:002012-05-07T15:21:12.816-07:00Strika Out at the Shelter<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Happy May! </div>
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<br /></div>
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In explanation of the recent irregularity in updates, it's
officially crazy time for us here at the shelter. This month alone our event
schedule includes the annual rabies clinic (last weekend); the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/events/288134747939840/" target="_blank">May Day benefit concert</a> at the Monitor Barn in Richmond (this
Friday); another restaurant night at the The
Scuffer (date TBD); and a flurry of planning for our largest fundraiser of the year:
the <a href="http://www.chittendenhumane.org/get-involved/2012-Walk-for-the-Animals" target="_blank">Walk for the Animals</a> (June 10th!).</div>
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<br /></div>
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We've got exciting things happening on the adoption front,
too. For example, starting tomorrow, May 8th, NorthCountry Federal Credit Union
will kick off a creative new promotion to help get our animals adopted! Every
Tuesday they'll post a featured animal of our choosing on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/NorthCountryFCU?ref=ts" target="_blank">their Facebook page</a>.
If the animal is adopted within two weeks, they'll donate $100 to the shelter! Needless
to say, we love this idea. </div>
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With three weeks of adoptions to report, please bear with a couple of
loooong lists (long lists of adoptees=good thing!):<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</div>
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Cats: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Zack</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ella</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Inka</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Petunia</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Honey</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Lola</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Nutmeg</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ozzy</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Daphney</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Moca</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Jinx</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Molly</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Mary Anne</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Callie</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bubby</b> &<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Baby Girl</b>
together, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Flapjack</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Aurora</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Princess</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Casper</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Strika</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Mike</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sam </b>found new
homes. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Wendy</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Buffcat </b>were reunited with their
searching owners. And kittens <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Monty</b>,
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Kaboodle</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Friskee</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Whiskas</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Fancy</b> were here for no more than two
days. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Dogs: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Lou </b>(Beagle),
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ike</b> (GSD), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Scrappy</b> (Terrier mix), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ginger</b>
(Golden), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Jaeger</b> (Lab), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Wilbur </b>(Lab), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Zoey </b>&<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Meisha</b> (Silky
Terriers), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Stella </b>(Lab), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Zeus </b>(Golden) and<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Charlie</b> (Springer Spaniel mix) are enjoying the springtime with their new families.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Charlie</b> is a
great candidate for the featured adoptee because he came to us last December in
a <i>very</i> sorry state. This two-year-old Springer Spaniel mix suffered from an
extreme case of demodetic mange and allergies that left lesions, bald patches,
and sores all over his body. </div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFSsrd8TJF57k2KGUPeWZxlaqSWhdkw3-cU53rHzU7-bwWZ6daulOvNrHpuN97rxZBaoSDdpJnDAoD2uPcH6R5fh9P3ru1DMzdmzZ4Mgh7DVL_ZqkgIJMiOGJrjM_HwEXF3S7hcpd4Ersm/s1600/Charlie+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFSsrd8TJF57k2KGUPeWZxlaqSWhdkw3-cU53rHzU7-bwWZ6daulOvNrHpuN97rxZBaoSDdpJnDAoD2uPcH6R5fh9P3ru1DMzdmzZ4Mgh7DVL_ZqkgIJMiOGJrjM_HwEXF3S7hcpd4Ersm/s400/Charlie+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbDsR7Ixohn7dOGeVNidfzYG_M4e8W7XnYS1xziF64DAQAOuPhVaVEig05PDyDrrfBn9nnIl8FT6Ut7CWZNPSpA7DgrcILTVULkBJt-EMyMKYiUg-IKKSspmpXMCZKKmJg3uXTsUCpILIt/s1600/Charlie+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbDsR7Ixohn7dOGeVNidfzYG_M4e8W7XnYS1xziF64DAQAOuPhVaVEig05PDyDrrfBn9nnIl8FT6Ut7CWZNPSpA7DgrcILTVULkBJt-EMyMKYiUg-IKKSspmpXMCZKKmJg3uXTsUCpILIt/s640/Charlie+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMMRo59l6JCmq1wKsRsP1eS6wBfmlF_CTvKKhhKUG4Ix50fjjkDUmsXyDr9NhMZXAKaTcJu_H1qeYUkpOKoBy64ito6ksy4z-y5AmH-uma1KU8gSM8jVLRbuFCza70eW8bZrAMyqyrIkV/s1600/Charlie+1+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMMRo59l6JCmq1wKsRsP1eS6wBfmlF_CTvKKhhKUG4Ix50fjjkDUmsXyDr9NhMZXAKaTcJu_H1qeYUkpOKoBy64ito6ksy4z-y5AmH-uma1KU8gSM8jVLRbuFCza70eW8bZrAMyqyrIkV/s400/Charlie+1+.jpg" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charlie before</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Despite
the severe discomfort he must have been in, Charlie was the sweetest dog you could ask for. Through a host of medications and treatments over five long months, our medical supervisor, Jen, was able to help this affectionate guy beat the
mange and simultaneously get his allergies under control. Finally, last week, Charlie emerged all shiny, fresh and new to join the ranks
of available dogs--fully displaying the happy-go-lucky, bright, goofy pup he
was born to be!</div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigCHAdpPmQWmo7hG4dqhJ8yo6wgVg48Oa0Vh4nR31h3mHcycmNisetYHkqb0Mrw4Rx4gzJailtKR53Y3fb3QsaT31eNRRPv9c5MdXmTupKaS-MeUUz1fIJ76fKpD-ycbVz41TubuGePXJM/s1600/Charlie_Apr1912.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigCHAdpPmQWmo7hG4dqhJ8yo6wgVg48Oa0Vh4nR31h3mHcycmNisetYHkqb0Mrw4Rx4gzJailtKR53Y3fb3QsaT31eNRRPv9c5MdXmTupKaS-MeUUz1fIJ76fKpD-ycbVz41TubuGePXJM/s640/Charlie_Apr1912.jpg" width="390" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charlie after</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
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Last Saturday, in the midst of our rabies clinic, Charlie danced out the front doors of the shelter with his new parents in tow. The couple beamed with with pride as we wished Charlie a wonderful future, and Charlie? That sparkling dog gave us a big ol' hound grin with those generous lips of his!</div>
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Fabulous news, but I'm not quite done yet. I also wanted to tell you about <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Strika</b> the cat! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Strika is a one-year-old gray tiger kitty who was
relinquished to the shelter with her litter of one-week-old kittens. When Jen
checked Strika in, she specially noted that this cat wasn't just shy … she was terrified!
For whatever reason, Strika seemed to be very undersocialized. And as you might
imagine, a cat who's uber shy is much less likely to attract potential adopters.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Because Strika's kittens were so young, she and her brood
went straight into foster care with one of our invaluable foster moms, Connie. Our
feline supervisor, Kayla, crossed her fingers that Connie's care might help Strika gain confidence just as much as it did her kittens …
and wouldn’t you know that Strika had a bit of an effect on Connie, too! The
foster mom ended up falling in love with the young gray mama, and vowed that
she would help Strika learn to trust people.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Nine weeks later, the kittens were spayed/neutered and ready
to return to the shelter for their big debut on the adoption floor. As
mentioned above, those kittens didn't have much time to get used to the
shelter. They were whisked right into new homes! But what of Strika? Strika
also never had to face the difficult task of adjusting to the shelter environment
and meeting lots of new people every day. Because in the end, Connie just
couldn't part with her. And when you consider that just last week Strika--who'd always been most comfortable in hiding--willingly
<i>approached</i> Connie and <i>asked</i> her for pets … well … it's evident that this
particular cat ended up in Connie's nurturing care for a reason. And why should
she ever have to leave it?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yep, foster parents make great differences in the lives of
homeless animals--even when they don't adopt their charges! "Kitten
season" (which is now mostly year round) will soon hit its peak, and we're
always in need of more temporary homes for young kittens. Does this sound
appealing to you? A "failed" foster mother myself (I adopted a
singleton kitten I fostered), I can say that it's not for everyone! Aside from
the obvious hazard of not being able to say goodbye, caring for youngsters who
are very young and motherless, or who have health issues, can be quite
time-consuming. And of course, the older they get, the more kittens tend to
take over the home … But if you have the right living circumstances and a
lifestyle that's conducive to raising kittens, please consider helping our
mission in this very important way. Because when we run out of foster homes,
the kittens have to remain at the shelter. And shelter life is far from optimal
for babies who have weaker immune systems and need social development. A good
way to start in exploring foster care is by reaching out to our feline supervisor, Kayla, with questions (<a href="mailto:Kayla@chittendenhumane.org">Kayla@chittendenhumane.org</a>). </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Okay, now I'm done. That's the good news this week. Enjoy the flowers!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Best, <br />
Megan </div>Humane Society of Chittenden Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192279005227070577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399197430200306354.post-86950975289600242352012-04-19T08:46:00.000-07:002012-07-31T07:46:54.095-07:00Meeko Shall Inherit Your Heart<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Welcome to fully-fledged spring!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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. </div>
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<br /></div>
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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. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But for now, let's discuss our animals who've gone from the shelter to a home! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Two dogs found homes last week: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Quigley</b>, a nearly blind Golden mix (sweetest guy ever), and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Millie</b>, an adorable, floppy, small breed/Terrier mix. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Eight cats went home! Congrats to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Queenie</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Shamus</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Shanti</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Parka</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Luna</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sebastian</b>. In amazing news, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Curry</b> 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.</div>
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<br /></div>
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And we're just as happy about the adoption of our featured adoptee … <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">MEEKO</b>!</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7qq4YwDX8AoAXu-Y0UGktmL_3K77lmi4C4g92X_MH7W9in8z_xZkXs2SK8-LM1IlSJXbvQTMFI5Ff_2urkN5jS_AW0r3df-yyX4s3vL3d0Q8bSzAmic-4-Qn3MQ-GBXn5nGgXPO5gObtZ/s1600/Meeko_Mar0812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7qq4YwDX8AoAXu-Y0UGktmL_3K77lmi4C4g92X_MH7W9in8z_xZkXs2SK8-LM1IlSJXbvQTMFI5Ff_2urkN5jS_AW0r3df-yyX4s3vL3d0Q8bSzAmic-4-Qn3MQ-GBXn5nGgXPO5gObtZ/s400/Meeko_Mar0812.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meeko</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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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!</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhienuQASae0gPopteuZI2Z0cnarlrH-kaq6xkrF-Sr273nk1H7GVXm__3vpJSC58GIx-g6Om0I54wcjCPoCnpxzndzyKltLVBf4eDzbk-oXbKp_pVrdT1tTo1vF_s-a9YgnLxdS1Qcc634/s1600/Meeko+duo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhienuQASae0gPopteuZI2Z0cnarlrH-kaq6xkrF-Sr273nk1H7GVXm__3vpJSC58GIx-g6Om0I54wcjCPoCnpxzndzyKltLVBf4eDzbk-oXbKp_pVrdT1tTo1vF_s-a9YgnLxdS1Qcc634/s640/Meeko+duo.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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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.</div>
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Meeko had quite a few interested visitors, but her lack of cuddliness seemed to turn those folks away. <a href="http://www.7dvt.com/" target="_blank"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Seven Days</i></a> 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.</div>
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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 <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Seven Days</i>. And had known instantly she was the one. </div>
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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: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Meeko is your cat and will be there for you when you are ready</i>. His fears were calmed.</div>
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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!" </div>
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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." </div>
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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. </div>
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"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 … <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> we had an appointment open for their exit interview. </div>
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"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." </div>
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"Oh yes!" Shayla replied, remembering the peacock feather. </div>
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Meeko's horizons expanded exponentially that very afternoon.</div>
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"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 <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">peacock feather</i> braided into his hair." </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyfQB9gSu9iS6AwOSiEV19qEKFuuuXng8vyemJcLRNBoEWBG0jI0Z_xypcPStKv6Y9NzFO9kKALlPQjUtEqeucHaox50iTmpRGTXTXBLarYbXwdUw56zuHRHRHA-Cc_ZfQKGqLE4rfFT2U/s1600/peacock_feather_300_rotated_small.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyfQB9gSu9iS6AwOSiEV19qEKFuuuXng8vyemJcLRNBoEWBG0jI0Z_xypcPStKv6Y9NzFO9kKALlPQjUtEqeucHaox50iTmpRGTXTXBLarYbXwdUw56zuHRHRHA-Cc_ZfQKGqLE4rfFT2U/s400/peacock_feather_300_rotated_small.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
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That's the good news this week.</div>
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Best, <br />
Megan</div>Humane Society of Chittenden Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192279005227070577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399197430200306354.post-60829302393056336492012-03-26T15:22:00.001-07:002012-03-26T15:26:33.257-07:00That Bunny Bond<div class="MsoNormal">23 animals adopted in the last two weeks! How's that for sheltering success?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">One kitten, a vivacious Tuxedo named <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Gromet</b>, was first to find a home. He was followed by 16 adult cats! Congrats to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Babear</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Minnie</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Abigail</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tyson</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sabrina</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Faye</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Astro</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pebbles</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Loki</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Greta</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Cissy</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bea</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Miss Kitty</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Chocolate Chip </b>and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Elmo</b> together, and … finally … <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">SALTINE</b>! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhEk9r90JP1wh5WZQZ-BW342FRDY_tAGxICwILlCNgXXdohtGFUW-L3TDXzoLGfRypPGX8SZNFzugPjsN-r3PeGU3VOADpx06eRk0yddyaX-GctQslg1Hj0fuHk59_ic6Mmi6E4uBrml6U/s1600/Saltine_Jan1212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhEk9r90JP1wh5WZQZ-BW342FRDY_tAGxICwILlCNgXXdohtGFUW-L3TDXzoLGfRypPGX8SZNFzugPjsN-r3PeGU3VOADpx06eRk0yddyaX-GctQslg1Hj0fuHk59_ic6Mmi6E4uBrml6U/s200/Saltine_Jan1212.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saltine</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">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.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Four dogs are new family members this week, too! Congrats to Terrier mix <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Oliver</b>, Black Lab <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Shadow</b>, Cocker Spaniel <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Squishy</b>, and Lab-mix <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">May</b>. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal">Our featured adoptees this week? Good friends <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Penelope and Leonidas</b>! 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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbYf6CHo0j13GMgoJ9SZjVbc2w13InkjothWUQTKWoYOm65E6mb8_6AihJpoAMqC8uDgV63ds-oPctCglM09xzod1K2fyB03zyWGateYgZ4exgeKY0VqY6066q3q0ng7XBqPi60135i6u1/s1600/Penny+&+Leo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbYf6CHo0j13GMgoJ9SZjVbc2w13InkjothWUQTKWoYOm65E6mb8_6AihJpoAMqC8uDgV63ds-oPctCglM09xzod1K2fyB03zyWGateYgZ4exgeKY0VqY6066q3q0ng7XBqPi60135i6u1/s640/Penny+&+Leo.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Penelope (L) and Leo (R)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRpCJUsXU_bEYII-mFf8aCQ7fQcmguqkjrZN0BcbwXTvKmoyLH9n6aMpBP6sH4jxUWXrzEPg43Txrn4GSQe2fhsSlcbUCEof236C-wtdfV__gUSqj6vRokGe2DH9NTz-ZlIl10Cn5TRvoU/s1600/Leo+in+calendar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRpCJUsXU_bEYII-mFf8aCQ7fQcmguqkjrZN0BcbwXTvKmoyLH9n6aMpBP6sH4jxUWXrzEPg43Txrn4GSQe2fhsSlcbUCEof236C-wtdfV__gUSqj6vRokGe2DH9NTz-ZlIl10Cn5TRvoU/s1600/Leo+in+calendar.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leo in "Party Animals"</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOX9NFI2Z5GK1cfKypwNcsRFgSgbiJBgDB4e1sp8BzosEwpBesHBIysb8sNxtgkHxbEZuoR58tDFYpBacVG_mnj9WQa2FCp-vQIEYAeiLG74Kih-4jBTu7Hsy7QdH2cXE1dliJf-oiSTut/s1600/Two+rexes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOX9NFI2Z5GK1cfKypwNcsRFgSgbiJBgDB4e1sp8BzosEwpBesHBIysb8sNxtgkHxbEZuoR58tDFYpBacVG_mnj9WQa2FCp-vQIEYAeiLG74Kih-4jBTu7Hsy7QdH2cXE1dliJf-oiSTut/s320/Two+rexes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikg3KdqxWlJ4SQ_2eTsjBkseaDpfrahyphenhyphenJYGfOAamwQ-FPSLcDTsCl_GgsX7DLwfWU0WHGH9IG-itq49tk43I7D4Jq3hYqv8Tc_k2U9oW-PDfZKCsJAe-4bZ5NX7kll4JaMkHgw_PqsIn9y/s1600/Timothy+Hay.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikg3KdqxWlJ4SQ_2eTsjBkseaDpfrahyphenhyphenJYGfOAamwQ-FPSLcDTsCl_GgsX7DLwfWU0WHGH9IG-itq49tk43I7D4Jq3hYqv8Tc_k2U9oW-PDfZKCsJAe-4bZ5NX7kll4JaMkHgw_PqsIn9y/s320/Timothy+Hay.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freshly-cut Timothy hay is best for rabbits.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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 <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">few </i>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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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 :)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">That's the good news this week!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Best, <br />
Megan</div>Humane Society of Chittenden Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192279005227070577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399197430200306354.post-66220354221096794572012-03-12T14:33:00.000-07:002012-03-12T14:33:21.883-07:00All About the Connections<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal">Hello everyone!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggwXRZLIAIqTcS0cCnADusGCQ7_Vu6lJUnD95x9BJkRj6hYzuBJFaGqQolHtAL8cyqub1H3upL5WIF_YXgkoDKlF2m1vbcseZIx-4goa1iV39YuAYz-H5bsCqNeZcezSaFG2bJwFURwSBe/s1600/MDP_RefreshingAndSweet-+Robyn+August.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggwXRZLIAIqTcS0cCnADusGCQ7_Vu6lJUnD95x9BJkRj6hYzuBJFaGqQolHtAL8cyqub1H3upL5WIF_YXgkoDKlF2m1vbcseZIx-4goa1iV39YuAYz-H5bsCqNeZcezSaFG2bJwFURwSBe/s1600/MDP_RefreshingAndSweet-+Robyn+August.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Robyn and her HSCC-adopted pup, Olive</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">On to the animals!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We had a great week, with 12 animals finding new homes. Cats <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Casey</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Arfur</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Aurie</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Monqui</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dude</b>, and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Kit-Kit</b> all went home. Dogs <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Beau</b> (Rottie), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Seuss</b> (American Eskimo), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bruiser </b>(Chihuahua mix), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Whelan</b> (Husky), and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Eddie</b> (pittie mix) found new loving families, too. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzVBBDKkncUrPxnz-XdcuayFjOps2oGvmcYBaEvr4GvARDBxiULs1q46_YEuJ__bKT80LxLHLlqHdTWGJyFTVmER_6SphBaj-W16I2ykgd02TZowE7SWBvHr7VGsUt3lH8q4qFXw2aERPQ/s1600/fancy+mouse+in+hand.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzVBBDKkncUrPxnz-XdcuayFjOps2oGvmcYBaEvr4GvARDBxiULs1q46_YEuJ__bKT80LxLHLlqHdTWGJyFTVmER_6SphBaj-W16I2ykgd02TZowE7SWBvHr7VGsUt3lH8q4qFXw2aERPQ/s640/fancy+mouse+in+hand.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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 <i>really</i> don't want to do that." </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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."</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrqY8ZeRQs3IskCnHCx23R_Fa8ObMx9XUPxjr72Yl_Do6l81nACwlRkdp50nqIdG8qTCGmaCBjS3zQByULjFzCFL2PqPX0S5dkS4TxM8hAns5jLl8JSTq30e3jkewcD34EhyURdUAAuMn5/s1600/pink+habitat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrqY8ZeRQs3IskCnHCx23R_Fa8ObMx9XUPxjr72Yl_Do6l81nACwlRkdp50nqIdG8qTCGmaCBjS3zQByULjFzCFL2PqPX0S5dkS4TxM8hAns5jLl8JSTq30e3jkewcD34EhyURdUAAuMn5/s320/pink+habitat.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The little mouse may have missed her connection on the train. But it seems fate was taking her to an even better stop. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_LJDi839tDvynSVCD7wLLWvIbOTmUSE5gKmBiL_6T0C-TxNLUhI6738pa8M43A-zwREugHXpRlCG7iNIKBkPGygNYfvBB-4EcTM6yHyapkpZUUK4icJIdS65s04rlYmcp_RqHLyfIZbE/s1600/Choo+Choo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_LJDi839tDvynSVCD7wLLWvIbOTmUSE5gKmBiL_6T0C-TxNLUhI6738pa8M43A-zwREugHXpRlCG7iNIKBkPGygNYfvBB-4EcTM6yHyapkpZUUK4icJIdS65s04rlYmcp_RqHLyfIZbE/s1600/Choo+Choo.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">That's the good news week!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Happy sunshine, </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Megan</div>Humane Society of Chittenden Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192279005227070577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399197430200306354.post-84987215833584788202012-03-05T16:43:00.002-08:002012-03-28T10:17:18.587-07:00Little Life, Big Life<div class="MsoNormal">Happy March! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">With 11 adoptions to report this week, March really has come in like a lion around here! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Our sleepy-eyed white bunny, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Preston</b>, 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?).</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Seven cats were adopted! Congratulations to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Mia</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Charlie </b>(the Snowshoe), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Muffin</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Abigail</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dudley</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Nathan</b>, and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Lawrence</b>.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As for dogs, Aussie mix <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Kya </b>will chase shadows at the dog park from now on. Southern Dachshund <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Hero </b>has officially become a resident of Vermont, and gentle Shepherd-Lab mix <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Asa </b>also found a new home.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Topaz</b> 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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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 <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">everything</i>), 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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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.</div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal">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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">(You can watch the <a href="http://video.humanesociety.org/video/629262638001/Channels/602022756001/Latest-Videos/1082763239001/Dogs-Rescued-From-Vermont-Puppy-Mill/" target="_blank">HSUS' video of the rescue here</a>.) </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguI4WVi3RTDFC9BwblwiHM5E7e6nXs2WP1cOraKclLKUAhyYB5LqtcZ-mVXBjXWPf53ZlxlFR0__myF_CZT5uJfdB53ITk0HeyTUDovcwdSa4BEZtS5GupKO-OyJ0drMLWQQ6f_OjhcaoT/s1600/Topaz_100611.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguI4WVi3RTDFC9BwblwiHM5E7e6nXs2WP1cOraKclLKUAhyYB5LqtcZ-mVXBjXWPf53ZlxlFR0__myF_CZT5uJfdB53ITk0HeyTUDovcwdSa4BEZtS5GupKO-OyJ0drMLWQQ6f_OjhcaoT/s320/Topaz_100611.jpg" width="245" /></a>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.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwo9ekiY1m7TyOAsAdkMuJnlGusI9IiaXcmflxSc7fRu58imhTZw6Ehlz1LEBMO1owMi_Slf6n15AAyu4p3FA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwULViaPepw2CB-hUaPCz5qwVZuWQJGPRJLdnVwpdDfgZUnP4Rnah-RZ9loQXdU6DR8-ZmqS4-Tt4UTZbvNWZRH7c_Hp3FiYsWeb3twDcxcWZcJU7qjwUDKiALZyYyHfoXygf0Ev9KSQ19/s1600/tazz_hiking.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwULViaPepw2CB-hUaPCz5qwVZuWQJGPRJLdnVwpdDfgZUnP4Rnah-RZ9loQXdU6DR8-ZmqS4-Tt4UTZbvNWZRH7c_Hp3FiYsWeb3twDcxcWZcJU7qjwUDKiALZyYyHfoXygf0Ev9KSQ19/s320/tazz_hiking.JPG" width="239" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-dqi2a8VK8y93iSFW98O79pQujLgPP5eF41f_Y4DqjRwLcrC6igAIaI46pQsAFPxHBgJaGrkkKbNwKdp2ikwaxAJyLrf7ObtcZ5CbOFDxTsYoUliHjsKbv2LIvgVqNiJiixgGKK-PWWc0/s1600/tazz_thirsty.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-dqi2a8VK8y93iSFW98O79pQujLgPP5eF41f_Y4DqjRwLcrC6igAIaI46pQsAFPxHBgJaGrkkKbNwKdp2ikwaxAJyLrf7ObtcZ5CbOFDxTsYoUliHjsKbv2LIvgVqNiJiixgGKK-PWWc0/s320/tazz_thirsty.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMfT-jiVnbhnXVyVJweB-RoeAjy8bWdbKgBH288qo_d5oshaWO2I2_f3nDMcyWNqmW_WWniTPV5FUb3R0fmlHKP_FYyPYozdBX5QZ_P1kZLYvQnEfewt1OQ3fcq6rR3L_MpIsp6TUgoE4s/s1600/Humane+Hero+Award.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMfT-jiVnbhnXVyVJweB-RoeAjy8bWdbKgBH288qo_d5oshaWO2I2_f3nDMcyWNqmW_WWniTPV5FUb3R0fmlHKP_FYyPYozdBX5QZ_P1kZLYvQnEfewt1OQ3fcq6rR3L_MpIsp6TUgoE4s/s640/Humane+Hero+Award.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJiFrFUp-tcVo3dKiRvkxohec1gHZzbsfH1Z5xEKAkI7JedCc7LdEBAfcix-Wyro9jEYtmEuM1i8jZlSA1jeDaXRDTKJV760DlhPXe8plleG0FHsT93cWl1HQSXF5nqIc_o5qSqj7cuUy/s1600/Sallie+gets+award.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJiFrFUp-tcVo3dKiRvkxohec1gHZzbsfH1Z5xEKAkI7JedCc7LdEBAfcix-Wyro9jEYtmEuM1i8jZlSA1jeDaXRDTKJV760DlhPXe8plleG0FHsT93cWl1HQSXF5nqIc_o5qSqj7cuUy/s640/Sallie+gets+award.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left to right: Joanne, Sallie, Tom, Mrs. Wilson</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ6qDaPPKgZrbCIF4StG6UJEnZdgJMGKgBDNmrtJTe-jsLOxkfrnu_EzKdR-fD_EFGHSAMLM2LdErk9ZnlJS9uXVLoiWCHJ7zUMVQZDRiUEIefmXDUULuNU4dB7LyLJAf5zFl_h7ayU00U/s1600/tazz_presents.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ6qDaPPKgZrbCIF4StG6UJEnZdgJMGKgBDNmrtJTe-jsLOxkfrnu_EzKdR-fD_EFGHSAMLM2LdErk9ZnlJS9uXVLoiWCHJ7zUMVQZDRiUEIefmXDUULuNU4dB7LyLJAf5zFl_h7ayU00U/s320/tazz_presents.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ATt9CmBbKDCBrCwF2re3VmzM1i129c-sNe4wXBWGrpblGiYVKoUsqmh7LhbVYzlKro8bvWJWoMUlUZhzI-TT36boWGjNwpbhNkcnmkNT3H565AjZEAptZfEsF1tGzWYPLp_frHAFfrpW/s1600/tazz_belly+rub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ATt9CmBbKDCBrCwF2re3VmzM1i129c-sNe4wXBWGrpblGiYVKoUsqmh7LhbVYzlKro8bvWJWoMUlUZhzI-TT36boWGjNwpbhNkcnmkNT3H565AjZEAptZfEsF1tGzWYPLp_frHAFfrpW/s400/tazz_belly+rub.jpg" width="266" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjOLFONnwZmwmYTI7Gy-6RNSYbWeWb6Uyr7ryjNxktZEsH-dyehYyFbrvCWjp31unW3GPqy6ca9oULdC0SzaNdqnNF0tcWWUUnxSfDdNSROoX4yCXz7DOAsPb1HGKgdKl8NPKhz7YUqNG/s1600/tazz_relaxing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjOLFONnwZmwmYTI7Gy-6RNSYbWeWb6Uyr7ryjNxktZEsH-dyehYyFbrvCWjp31unW3GPqy6ca9oULdC0SzaNdqnNF0tcWWUUnxSfDdNSROoX4yCXz7DOAsPb1HGKgdKl8NPKhz7YUqNG/s320/tazz_relaxing.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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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.<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">That's the good news this week!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Until next,</div><div class="MsoNormal">Megan</div>Humane Society of Chittenden Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192279005227070577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399197430200306354.post-73475530231286618012012-02-28T08:14:00.000-08:002012-02-28T08:14:01.683-08:00Your Neighbors at Kindness Court<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal">Hello there!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ahHqmKStuLgEZjWNDkscvOey-4FfO7iXamgl9C0xRzK3AzhYbPEa2IuOkzT7qBB-Flb5u4FNPbjV6CuCD4AU2p4Ec1FF2ir8oUbMVHSaDgoH6Z0InQBAfUrxoTW4Mze46asnU4YbDhdN/s1600/Blanche_Feb1612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ahHqmKStuLgEZjWNDkscvOey-4FfO7iXamgl9C0xRzK3AzhYbPEa2IuOkzT7qBB-Flb5u4FNPbjV6CuCD4AU2p4Ec1FF2ir8oUbMVHSaDgoH6Z0InQBAfUrxoTW4Mze46asnU4YbDhdN/s1600/Blanche_Feb1612.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blanche</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">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: <b>Blanche</b>, <b>Rose </b>(both Terrier puppies), <b>Carolina</b>, <b>Georgia </b>(large-breed mix puppies) and <b>Champ </b>(Dachshund) stole hearts last week. And a sixth dog, <b>Girl </b>(Collie-Shepherd mix?), stole my own … formal adoption soon to come! Lastly, we musn't forget <b>Abby</b> (Brittany Spaniel), a Vermont pooch who also found a loving home last week after a month's stay here.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Seven dogs out the door! Can the cats compete? Indeed they can … eight cats went home last week! Congrats to <b>Nick</b>, <b>Luna</b>, <b>Brandy</b> & <b>Ginny</b>, <b>Riley</b>, <b>Goody</b> (a stray found by his owner!), and … drum roll please: <b>Thelma</b> & <b>Lightning</b>! 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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicsF2maVP4hhf4kOSxlvJgjH1QgsSnxMZSBRZ0Um-KRmVCl_eyfrS5G-6tQ18eSbFOQjXAyQtgyvf6I2OLZHENGaTF5PtXJ9xe-UMSdzIEauSLaYpeNN7f0QwX0QTSogHmQH774Vo-6xuB/s1600/Thelma+&+LIghtning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicsF2maVP4hhf4kOSxlvJgjH1QgsSnxMZSBRZ0Um-KRmVCl_eyfrS5G-6tQ18eSbFOQjXAyQtgyvf6I2OLZHENGaTF5PtXJ9xe-UMSdzIEauSLaYpeNN7f0QwX0QTSogHmQH774Vo-6xuB/s640/Thelma+&+LIghtning.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Many of you may not have heard of our <a href="http://www.chittendenhumane.org/programs-services/good-neighbor-program" target="_blank"><b>Good Neighbor Program</b></a>. 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 <a href="http://www.cotsonline.org/" target="_blank">COTS</a> (<span class="st">the Committee for Temporary Shelter)</span> to actively amend a situation of homelessness can entrust their animals to us for the time being. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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 <a href="http://www.americanhumane.org/interaction/support-the-bond/fact-sheets/animal-abuse-domestic-violence.html" target="_blank">American Humane Association</a> reports that: </div><ul><li>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. </li>
<li>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. </li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal">We work with <a href="http://www.whbw.org/" target="_blank">Women Helping Battered Women</a> to spread awareness about our Good Neighbor Program: we'll safeguard the pets while the human victim gets out of the house. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In a case of truly progressive legislation, the <a href="http://www.animallaw.info/statutes/stusvtstt15_1103.htm" target="_blank">Vermont Protection Order 15 V.S.A. § 110</a><a href="http://www.animallaw.info/statutes/stusvtstt15_1103.htm" target="_blank">3</a> ("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 "<b>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.</b>"<b> </b>One more step towards acknowledging animals as sentient individuals with an inborn right to well-being ... </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh50Wph66zsmnjz2xMlJgyhCLhsHNOi-2QPvX_CG5JcUvlFHQPIZyeUf25uxhMA1dHyBiA8NWyrWUYtrRisWYR9TbgMDVgbM9Mjq4iYKEfUcrxgs26tkKewpI0cVm8nQPKdG36ipYn5Sy2/s1600/available+kennels.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh50Wph66zsmnjz2xMlJgyhCLhsHNOi-2QPvX_CG5JcUvlFHQPIZyeUf25uxhMA1dHyBiA8NWyrWUYtrRisWYR9TbgMDVgbM9Mjq4iYKEfUcrxgs26tkKewpI0cVm8nQPKdG36ipYn5Sy2/s320/available+kennels.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">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.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The family is okay now, too, and all are reunited. We just love happy endings! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>That's the good news this week. See you again in March!<br />
<br />
Best,<br />
<div class="MsoNormal"> Megan</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Humane Society of Chittenden Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192279005227070577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399197430200306354.post-44696505905192462482012-02-20T14:36:00.001-08:002012-02-23T08:12:32.150-08:00Frankly Amazing<div class="MsoNormal">Happy Monday!</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">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: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">22 adoptions in total</b>! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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 <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Chimi</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Burrito</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Waffle</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pancake</b>, and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Freddie</b>!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">One smallie went home: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Yoda</b> the guinea pig, who was the most personable pig we've seen in awhile.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh344QdkwQOKeTdYitsCQBoz0RIPw63Hqbkx9N-1qmzV0NLbHKYZAGi0R0P9k796nAglY1nL_D3tnM6Qqo08sQfOgx40ltVdKdca5z0FP1MAP3TKfvkGn8X93vFV6tHALRP7vJShYgIylgt/s1600/Yoda_Jan2612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh344QdkwQOKeTdYitsCQBoz0RIPw63Hqbkx9N-1qmzV0NLbHKYZAGi0R0P9k796nAglY1nL_D3tnM6Qqo08sQfOgx40ltVdKdca5z0FP1MAP3TKfvkGn8X93vFV6tHALRP7vJShYgIylgt/s320/Yoda_Jan2612.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yoda</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">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! <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dee Dee</b>,<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Clover</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bourbon</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Emmy</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Mickey</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Shiloh</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Zen</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Donald</b> didn't spend much time on the adoption floor at all. More good news: <i>four seniors</i> have finally gone home in the last two weeks! Yay for <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Lucky</b> (here since October), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ruby</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Peaches</b>, and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dusty</b>! 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!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ24Ns-8ewHasTRBEs7fNwHp3eod7exGJYVj6s95uOqMgLlHzTMrmmRy4cKee_PNNcheK_PebhOJEQPA__aaVz7o1zKujmuK05FLBFLuqp1Ri7dTRY9VWNtGYp9jVDwoyGoCmwIfhQQNxw/s1600/Lucky(reshoot)_120111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ24Ns-8ewHasTRBEs7fNwHp3eod7exGJYVj6s95uOqMgLlHzTMrmmRy4cKee_PNNcheK_PebhOJEQPA__aaVz7o1zKujmuK05FLBFLuqp1Ri7dTRY9VWNtGYp9jVDwoyGoCmwIfhQQNxw/s200/Lucky(reshoot)_120111.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lucky</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcRT56te9H0bi-3qjUu1_tH3OVipeWFN7GN0xDuIsK63a980um8f-SqbVaycf1YvWxp5usD24aJLxeOvLZ7u3f_kDsM4rbwyX41TBUFFsHkiBIhc5ynfFisgOZvEmD4BiLeneopAQLDJyo/s1600/Ruby_122211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcRT56te9H0bi-3qjUu1_tH3OVipeWFN7GN0xDuIsK63a980um8f-SqbVaycf1YvWxp5usD24aJLxeOvLZ7u3f_kDsM4rbwyX41TBUFFsHkiBIhc5ynfFisgOZvEmD4BiLeneopAQLDJyo/s320/Ruby_122211.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruby</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Excellent, excellent news for the dogs, too. Senior Shiba Inu <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Nicki</b> went home on his second day of availability. Energizer Aussie <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Kya</b> is likely chasing shadows in her own backyard today. And <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Lexi</b>--the white pittie with a brown mask who arrived here in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">September--</i>found her perfect match at last. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But that's not all. Senior Dane mix <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Frank </b>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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUt00BsW7AH-2HQRRxUYWPbklapIUfds9mAS-jjbuN5-e9sZE-Xm0vrdumZZBGGbIlPagYA5LwyKGIR8KYvYWT2LtnYlruBRs-VrNTZ9Ck1ZN9VnRfP9Qxy2EaI47riF8modGI6n1xDRJQ/s1600/Frank_Jan2612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUt00BsW7AH-2HQRRxUYWPbklapIUfds9mAS-jjbuN5-e9sZE-Xm0vrdumZZBGGbIlPagYA5LwyKGIR8KYvYWT2LtnYlruBRs-VrNTZ9Ck1ZN9VnRfP9Qxy2EaI47riF8modGI6n1xDRJQ/s400/Frank_Jan2612.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frank</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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 <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">never</i> came down, except when Joanne's husband removed her to the basement to use the litter box. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Wouldn't such a shy kitty find society even less appealing with a new, large dog in the home?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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 <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">voluntarily</i>. 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!"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnkM38bSYgDXhzSIvpy5HY3M_58l9BUyadhlsw6TFvEqN2Onc-B9-lVsLjiaxZVqQEwkH4jhSX1perzz9fEkId_nOlGHDXbfqERl4R0B6VjSRjb8yq8hiZNU7oKe_iA1pOeyB9tGb8vw6n/s1600/Frank+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnkM38bSYgDXhzSIvpy5HY3M_58l9BUyadhlsw6TFvEqN2Onc-B9-lVsLjiaxZVqQEwkH4jhSX1perzz9fEkId_nOlGHDXbfqERl4R0B6VjSRjb8yq8hiZNU7oKe_iA1pOeyB9tGb8vw6n/s320/Frank+2.JPG" width="267" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW58E7Uj_nSrIYQyPja9_EfxSqtWPNUyXIbrMxIa7FKKoyOMrooE6J_-7ammSzTW0RJGNEeBotfVIb-rMJ9H_G74IgiVr3-Grz22SR7mLHDnF9lVuj5oIH7wYjbVs2oGSNBAxeh0J2JqOl/s1600/Frank+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW58E7Uj_nSrIYQyPja9_EfxSqtWPNUyXIbrMxIa7FKKoyOMrooE6J_-7ammSzTW0RJGNEeBotfVIb-rMJ9H_G74IgiVr3-Grz22SR7mLHDnF9lVuj5oIH7wYjbVs2oGSNBAxeh0J2JqOl/s400/Frank+3.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frank on the ferry</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN78ZV_3YeIvuWGxrpuo3-vD0obfjlClIhUabkmYoQIqcNZFYRDptRghW_c0GND77sLptraPWKgmEs1sMtzI_u_joWQa9Psj3KO5xBX0xBkot3Q5oUksB_7GnT-FB1WW3ktcTIvsjYV2Bp/s1600/Frank+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN78ZV_3YeIvuWGxrpuo3-vD0obfjlClIhUabkmYoQIqcNZFYRDptRghW_c0GND77sLptraPWKgmEs1sMtzI_u_joWQa9Psj3KO5xBX0xBkot3Q5oUksB_7GnT-FB1WW3ktcTIvsjYV2Bp/s320/Frank+1.JPG" width="292" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">That's the good news this week, everyone.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Take care, </div><div class="MsoNormal">Megan</div>Humane Society of Chittenden Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192279005227070577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399197430200306354.post-61006021583229862892012-02-06T14:06:00.000-08:002012-02-07T04:33:20.193-08:00In Your Arms<div class="MsoNormal">Happy sunny afternoon!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We had an uncharacteristically low number of adoptions last week, but are grateful for them nonetheless!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjii1D7-AjE-slZxORPtLOpI2Vz0uXLhwtfuVqsT11EQMQ9FdlOsjZwJYZJoDsnd2ALEg85c4WfKnSxQu7ZlHIXoGPezKxlsvFBKEiUnVsfgqFwvEkYl-2d8J6LxbCauE1H7zYE8yqOgboE/s1600/Handsome_Jan2612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjii1D7-AjE-slZxORPtLOpI2Vz0uXLhwtfuVqsT11EQMQ9FdlOsjZwJYZJoDsnd2ALEg85c4WfKnSxQu7ZlHIXoGPezKxlsvFBKEiUnVsfgqFwvEkYl-2d8J6LxbCauE1H7zYE8yqOgboE/s200/Handsome_Jan2612.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Handsome</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">Tuxedo kitty<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Handsome</b> found a new home. Handsome was a stray, and the family who scooped him off the street came in just to visit with him several times before he found his forever family. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Nell</b>, a shy, rather rotund girl also went home--after just a few days on the adoption floor!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We're immensely excited about the adoption of black cat <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Stout</b>--an affable Tom with a linebacker's physique who was growing increasingly restless in his cage. After two months of religiously providing him with exercise outside of his cage, we're glad he now has plenty of room to roam and be his Tom self all day long.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfFd1IElkY3LyiddViR0op7GhhFUGuodxpP5kfqEuCH6UebEp_Nm9kN50iMlapChyphenhyphenWIi3kIXzItpfYqvxsjtlWOsiWyhEcJna-smBanyWY0yLxMdRpIS5Y88Xv0E3jLsLnwg-72Ie0Su5E/s1600/Prince_Jan2612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfFd1IElkY3LyiddViR0op7GhhFUGuodxpP5kfqEuCH6UebEp_Nm9kN50iMlapChyphenhyphenWIi3kIXzItpfYqvxsjtlWOsiWyhEcJna-smBanyWY0yLxMdRpIS5Y88Xv0E3jLsLnwg-72Ie0Su5E/s200/Prince_Jan2612.jpg" width="160" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prince</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">One dog went home last week: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Prince</b>. Prince is a Lab/Newfie mix who wandered Riverside Avenue for months and months and months--evading concerned community members and even Burlington Animal Control--before our humane investigator lured him into a huge live trap with Kentucky Fried Chicken. Dog rescuers know that KFC is always your best bet when it comes to catching a dog (sans bones, of course)! Prince had a wonderful journey here--from a skittish guy with no trust or confidence, to a loveable charmer who delights in a good snuggle.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Our featured animal this week is not an adoptee, but a "Return To Owner." <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Howard</b>'s story is testament to the conscientious dedication of our <b>lost cat coordinator</b>, <b>Amanda Sorrell</b>.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">None of you would know Howard, who never made it out of isolation while he was here. It all started just two weeks ago, on a day we were closed, when one of our staff witnessed a car pulling up to the shelter, and the driver depositing a cat carrier in the parking lot. Apparently the driver yelled out the window of the car that she was delivering a stray, and then drove off. (While we're grateful that our community takes initiative to help strays, incidents like this put a kink in the works, because our system is set up for appointments only.) Thereby, we met Howard. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bgv2rGnOiappNxNBTDvTOS-e7y3zFq7VLQ5GatGfeEeF0kau0S6757VEVu7cO5ipjts8_SQ81eM5OSxI22TtbjMwFt_YG95omtlPSsSDWSmsGJ3RgudjXVpCXo_WTIH9qt-XdLm-UpGv/s1600/Howard-Bear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bgv2rGnOiappNxNBTDvTOS-e7y3zFq7VLQ5GatGfeEeF0kau0S6757VEVu7cO5ipjts8_SQ81eM5OSxI22TtbjMwFt_YG95omtlPSsSDWSmsGJ3RgudjXVpCXo_WTIH9qt-XdLm-UpGv/s400/Howard-Bear.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Howard/Bear</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">Howard is a long-haired Tuxedo cat with big, sleepy yellow eyes. He was a nice enough guy during his medical check-in, but had a runny nose and gurgly breathing--likely indicators of an upper respiratory infection. And so into an isolation room Howard went. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Enter lost cat extraordinaire, Amanda</b>. Amanda's professional motto is, "If it were my cat or dog missing, I'd want someone going the extra mile to find him!" And so that's exactly what she does. We keep a log book here of lost cat reports, and strongly encourage the public to report their missing cats to us. After taking down key information about the cat in question, we offer advice on how best to proceed, and make follow-up calls every couple of weeks to see if there's been any progress. Finally, we check each stray that comes in against all of our reports. But Amanda goes even further than that. After leaving work every evening, she heads home, logs onto craigslist.com, and reads through each new lost animal posting. That's how she found Howard's people. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Last Wednesday, Amanda burst into our administrative area, where our shelter management team was meeting, held up the craigslist posting she'd printed out, and said, "Isn't that Howard?" </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIFeBShB63jWU5VSdnMmxUdnEEPHrXJY47Uc-sPPQ-2NnFaXXaEwEsEFl5dQSWjEzDLoolgQt-QK7uJsQINNtfQRjh07wqTk2aIqWTjMkjVgVaOoiUlwGsSf8XbzMX1EJwyqROXu5GcfO5/s1600/Howard-Bear+whole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIFeBShB63jWU5VSdnMmxUdnEEPHrXJY47Uc-sPPQ-2NnFaXXaEwEsEFl5dQSWjEzDLoolgQt-QK7uJsQINNtfQRjh07wqTk2aIqWTjMkjVgVaOoiUlwGsSf8XbzMX1EJwyqROXu5GcfO5/s640/Howard-Bear+whole.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM0bjKd2ZI_rUjZad_GBbjswXll3VHPW27aM075bWbGDtAFnFYpjFWXlaQrcrolKRcvGRBL7wNZLtgG2NTp2DZmTLc4LwIDtsC5DxMZZhiLqkj1CQmNu9q11UWLRa1_InEoUQ_0LfTdyyl/s1600/Howard-Bear+whole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Indeed it was! Amanda replied to the anonymous email on the ad. On Friday, a woman came into the shelter to fill out a missing cat report for her kitty, Bear. As a member of our adoption staff took down the information, she heard a few bells going off in her head. "Wait a minute … this is Howard!" she said. Indeed--Howard's mom had not seen Amanda's email yet, but had fortunately come in anyway. Howard/Bear went home with her then and there, and the reunion was a joyous one. Just goes to show that it's useful to cover as many bases as possible when it comes to locating missing pets!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm9pk7L8gxN37JBMiNfgIpJB-KeirUA464c798DaVMdQ5qagobjsW6DHuBzET4D_pPPMeEmpCTXVJsTtpSFZL1-bye9nzOFbZjX-JLPY51N_l3jaGzyiDLdrHV84bA5ktRgix7RrDwXtAK/s1600/Ike_060211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm9pk7L8gxN37JBMiNfgIpJB-KeirUA464c798DaVMdQ5qagobjsW6DHuBzET4D_pPPMeEmpCTXVJsTtpSFZL1-bye9nzOFbZjX-JLPY51N_l3jaGzyiDLdrHV84bA5ktRgix7RrDwXtAK/s320/Ike_060211.jpg" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ike</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">Other essential tips: remember to provide a photo, as well as details about any distinctive features! We had a kitty here dubbed "Ike" who'd been brought in as a stray. Cats don't get much more distinctive-looking than Ike, who was white with two black spots on his nose that looked like flared nostrils. His mom had filled out a report for him as soon as he'd gone missing--and that could have been enough to reunite them. But unfortunately, she didn't provide a photo or mention his funny nose when we asked about distinctive markings. So Ike spent three months at the shelter until Amanda was finally given a photo for his report. Of course, it became immediately evident at that point that Ike had had a home to go to all along!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The most touching story of a lost cat being found belongs to Einstein. Einstein is a 13-year-old declawed male kitty who came to us in terrible shape. His coat was a wreck, he was wobbly and half-starved, and all of the fur on his front paws was missing. You can imagine how especially difficult the stray life is for kitties who have no claws. As our med supervisor checked Einstein in, we had little hope that this cat could even make it through his shelter experience--but reserved any further judgment until our visiting veterinarian could see him.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The woman who brought Einstein to us created a "Found" poster for him with a notification that he was at HSCC. Fortunately, Einstein's family saw the poster and came here looking for him. He'd been missing for months, and was the special companion of a son who had tragically passed. I was in the room when staff set Einstein's carrier down on the table in front of mother and son and opened the door. The mother took one look at the forlorn kitty and burst into tears. He was nearly unrecognizable. It was a sad case, but thank goodness Einstein's family found him at that pivotal point. We hope he has fully recovered and is living comfortably again. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Perhaps the worst feeling to accompany a pet gone missing is helplessness. Our mission is to help the families of missing pets feel as empowered as possible by providing multiple avenues of recourse. And with Amanda at the helm of our lost cat program, the temporarily bereft can rest assured that someone<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> is</i> going the extra mile to restore their beloved companion to them again. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal">Best, <br />
Megan</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div>Humane Society of Chittenden Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192279005227070577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399197430200306354.post-81911401972522896072012-01-31T08:50:00.000-08:002012-01-31T14:29:57.777-08:00Angora Allure-a<div class="MsoNormal">As we say goodbye to January, we bid adieu to eleven animals, too! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">That number may not be as high as what we're used to from December, but it's actually quite a large percentage of our current population, because we're feeling quite empty right now! We've got maybe 15 cats, three dogs, and one guinea pig available. You should see our lobby. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There are usually lots of cats here ... </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Handsome has a room all to himself!</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">That's about to change, however. Firstly, we've got a lot of cats scheduled to come in in February. Secondly, our canine supervisor, Robyn, will drive to New Hampshire this weekend to meet a transport of young dogs from South Carolina who are being pulled from a high-intake municipal shelter. This shelter receives around 5500-6000 animals every year (by comparison, we take in about 800 a year, and that number is carefully controlled by our intake-by-appointment-only policy, to avoid overcrowding). According to Robyn, the overcrowding they do experience results in 95% of the animals they receive having to be euthanized for lack of space. We're happy to help them lighten that load just a tiny bit ... <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Back to the good news. Fuzzy pittie <b>Dodger </b>(the last of the <a href="http://chittendenhumane.blogspot.com/2011/11/fuzzy-pitties.html" target="_blank">batch of fuzzy pitties</a>!) found a forever home this week, and his mom has since let us know over Facebook that he's aptly named (he's proven to be quite artful): "<span class="commentbody">Today he has learned how to escape 2 stacked gates, and also how to open a heavy fire-rated door with the lever handle ... and it's not even 2 pm!"</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dodger climbing a ladder to raid his treat stash!</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="commentbody">One kitten found a new home: <b>Stevie</b>. As did our last bunny pair: <b>Oreo & Samoa</b>!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="commentbody">Seven cats found new homes! <b>Grover</b>, our last <a href="http://chittendenhumane.blogspot.com/2011/12/from-shadow-into-light.html" target="_blank">transformed feral kitten</a>, was officially welcomed into a life of domesticity by a smitten young couple. Both <b>Fraidy</b> and <b>Carrie </b>ended their stay on the adoption floor after just a couple of days, and we had another black cat adoption with <b>Sid</b>. Lovely, shy tiger <b>Kylee</b> stole a heart, and two seniors found new homes: <b>Oreo</b> (age 9) and … our featured adoptee … <b>Mya </b>(age 8)!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvEjLfUPs1YjH6QIcb8iIaqAtSIIivgRs2FzqUUKs2zYOKfVw0tzn1_4wzWOloVInlGdWsZu7hpPqYzGlXFiwY4JW3caBGJNwj-1G_OtTBGdu2S0MGA886XHVtlMKiWpZ4hI7lvWy18r3q/s1600/Mya_111711.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvEjLfUPs1YjH6QIcb8iIaqAtSIIivgRs2FzqUUKs2zYOKfVw0tzn1_4wzWOloVInlGdWsZu7hpPqYzGlXFiwY4JW3caBGJNwj-1G_OtTBGdu2S0MGA886XHVtlMKiWpZ4hI7lvWy18r3q/s1600/Mya_111711.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mya!</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">Mya is remarkable in many ways. A lovely Angora, she sports a diluted pink and gray coat, which is nicely set off by her distinctive sap green eyes. And her personality is just as lovely: Mya is outgoing, confident, and sociable with people--and positively enthralled with dogs. But this sweet cat had a long haul here, due first to litter box issues, and secondly to chronic asthma. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Mya was relinquished by her owner in September. She had found Mya as a stray and taken her in to a home that already included a lot of animals: cats, dogs, a ferret, a lizard. When a visit to the vet revealed that Mya had asthma, the owner could no longer afford her care. Furthermore, Mya was having a hard time managing the other animals in the home, who weren't always nice to this newcomer. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It became immediately clear that Mya had trouble with the litter box. By the second day at the shelter, she had gone outside of it, and it happened several more times before we were able to move her into a litter box testing zone (for whatever reason, we've found ourselves up to our elbows in "pee cats" lately: cats who exhibit inconsistent box use. With only four testing zone kennels (and a mandated two-week period in the zone, at least), our pee cats have lately had to wait their turns). By this point, our medical supervisor, Jen, had discovered crystals in her urine (can cause a urinary tract infection in cats, which would definitely cause inconsistent box use). She switched Mya's diet to u/r (prevents crystal formation in the urine) and started her on amoxi to quell an infection. Often, cats develop crystals in their urine when stressed. And from the sound of Mya's contentious relationship with the other animals in her previous home, there's a strong likelihood that stress was the culprit. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This is a good time to mention that Jen and I recently attended a nutrition seminar presented by Drs. Kessler and Berger of <a href="http://www.affectionatelycats.com/" target="_blank">Affectionately Cats</a> (Williston). They have groundbreaking new findings on feline nutrition, and the lecture was quite eye-opening. We hope to host them at HSCC in March for a free seminar for the public, so I won't relate everything, but a keystone of their hypothesis is that dry food is the cause of the top three feline medical issues seen by vets (UTI, Gastristis, renal disease). Our house cats descended from wild cats who lived in desert environs, so their bodies are built to store water. Because of this, they don't have high thirst drives (if your cat is in good health, you don't see him/her at the water bowl very often). Take the fact that they don’t drink much, and add it to a diet of dehydrated food … and you get dehydrated cats. This leads to all sorts of issues, particularly with flow and sediment build-up in the urinary tract. To make a long story short, these findings have led the vets to reconsider the usual prescribed UTI dry diets of u/r and c/d. They contend that simply giving the cat a totally wet-food diet would resolve urinary issues. We are taking all of this into consideration as well, here at the shelter. Of course, we're also having to work within a restricted budget. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Back to Mya: in accord with the previous owner's report of asthma, we did notice frequent bouts of coughing and wheezing. Jen started her on prednisone to calm inflammation in her airways, and recommended that she go to a smoke-free home and use a very low-dust litter. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">After a full month in the zone, Mya's litter box issues cleared up, thank goodness, and she finally made it out to the adoption floor two months after her arrival, in mid-November. Despite her asthma, special diet, and senior status, we assumed that such a unique-looking cat would get a lot of interest. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Mya went unnoticed through the rest of November, December, and January. Her coughing seemed to increase with her length of stay in the Tokyo cage. We were careful to try to get her out more often for exercise, and loved watching her interact with our shelter manager's big German Shepherd when she visited the administrative area. She frequently rubbed on his baby gate, inviting a hello. She also quickly became a favorite among the volunteers for her warm personality. Yes, she had a lot working against her. But she had so much more working for her … </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Finally, last week, a couple came in whose daughter had worked at HSCC in the past and is starting vet school this fall. They have three senior dogs: a collie and two beagles. And apparently those dogs just love cats. In describing what Mya's life would be like in their home, they wrote, "Our house sprawls and there are cat toys and a cat tower and catnip and dogs and plenty to see. Sunny windows, too." Sounds pretty perfect, no? They were immediately struck by Mya's sweet nature, but a little nervous about their fireplace: would that cause an asthma attack? </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It was determined that Mya would go with them on a foster-to-adopt basis: they could have a one-week trial run with her. As we said goodbye to Mya on Tuesday, we crossed our fingers and toes that this home would be the one.The very next day, we received an email from the adopters, entitled, "Mya's first night--splendid!" They reported, </div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText"><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">"Just a quick update to let you know that Mya is doing great, seems incredibly happy, is very social & affectionate. She had one brief coughing episode late last night and another this morning around 7:15, but neither one lasted long - less severe than the one we experienced on Saturday while visiting with her.</span></i></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText"><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">She has taken up all of my previous cat's favorite perches, including sleeping next to me on the bed. She is anxious to explore more of the house, so she'll get expanded territory tonight.</span></i></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText"><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">So far, so good!"</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Today is the decision day: adopt, or return? We've heard nothing else yet, but are taking that as a good sign. From life as a stray (and who knows what before that), to bad relations with other animals in the home, to transitioning to shelter life, having trouble with the litter box and dealing with asthma … to a rambling, sunny house with people who are just as warm as she is, and all the canine companionship she could wish for. Keep your fingers crossed with us!<span style="color: #a64d79;">**</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">That's the good news this week. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">More good news to follow soon (you'll see) … !</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Best, <br />
Megan<br />
<div style="color: #e06666;"><br />
</div><span style="color: #a64d79;">**UPDATE on Mya: She's been adopted for good! With a $70 donation over and above her adoption fee! Congrats, Mya, for finding such fantastic people :) </span></div>Humane Society of Chittenden Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192279005227070577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399197430200306354.post-59701793566333895972012-01-27T12:19:00.000-08:002012-01-27T20:39:10.774-08:00A Thousand Words of Love<div class="MsoNormal">It takes a lot of talent to photograph animals well. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Those of us who whip out the camera each time our beloved cat or dog pulls a cute stunt, know that. As our smart phones quickly fill up with shot after botched shot of blurry, under-exposed, half-in-the-frame animals, we sigh … and then realize we're now half an hour late for whatever productive thing we're <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">supposed</i> to be doing.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Better to leave it to Kelly Schulze, really. The photographic phenom behind <a href="http://www.mountaindogphotography.net/" target="_blank">Mountain Dog Photography</a>, Kelly and her husband Ian know what the heck they're doing when it comes to successfully capturing an animal's appeal. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">The photographs of our shelter animals prove it. The quality of an animal's portrait really can determine how quickly that animal finds a new home (if at all, in some shelters), and Kelly's work maximizes our animals' potential for alluring adoptive hearts. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Many of us are familiar with author <a href="http://www.gladwell.com/" target="_blank">Malcolm Gladwell</a>'s 10,000 hour rule, which asserts that success in any field is achieved after 10,000 hours of practice (<a href="http://www.gladwell.com/outliers/index.html" target="_blank"><i>Outliers</i></a>). It seems Kelly's burgeoning success at such a relatively young age confirms that: she grew up with camera in hand, spending her childhood taking, as she puts it, "really bad pictures of my pets" (she can relate to us!). Her interest in photography got a major boost when she joined the<a href="http://www.uvm.edu/llcenter/" target="_blank"> Living/Learning</a> program at UVM, and was housed in the Art of Photography suite, gaining 24/7 access to a darkroom. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">She also grew up working with animals. Throughout high school and continuing into college breaks, Kelly and her sister worked at a shelter in New Milford, CT, where she "did everything": caring for cats, walking dogs, nursing sick animals, grooming, helping with adoptions. As college graduation loomed and she had to choose a career path, she quickly ruled out photography in lieu of working with animals. "I thought professional photographers are like actors," Kelly says. "You had to know someone--have connections--to make it." So she earned a living as a milk tester at local dairy farms. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But while on the job, Kelly often witnessed inhumane treatment of cows. And rather than become desensitized to it (like she assumed she would), she found herself increasingly less tolerant of the abuse. It wasn't long before she realized that working directly with animals--rescue work, grooming, milk testing--would inevitably lead to burn out for her. Which brought her love of photography back into focus. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoOU7bBxftrmydPQwCQnX8aQtOJdswOvxkbjSxwWbi_DrnbIHyWSzKZNKjVIoOgbtK786WaWd5RcaPv5ctpDUM88NhAtL8fXGAurGeyFEyi9YdmTkqUzH9npOFfpAGd-NXMXjtNnh6KGiR/s1600/Kelly+Head+shot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoOU7bBxftrmydPQwCQnX8aQtOJdswOvxkbjSxwWbi_DrnbIHyWSzKZNKjVIoOgbtK786WaWd5RcaPv5ctpDUM88NhAtL8fXGAurGeyFEyi9YdmTkqUzH9npOFfpAGd-NXMXjtNnh6KGiR/s320/Kelly+Head+shot.jpg" width="212" /></a>By 2009, Kelly couldn't ignore the fact any longer that photographing animals was the perfect marriage of her two greatest passions. Furthermore, after doing some research, she discovered that a handful of photographers were actually making a living at animal portraiture! That was enough to convince her to take the leap. She formed her business, <a href="http://www.mountaindogphotography.net/" target="_blank">Mountain Dog Photography</a>, that very year. The plan was to pursue it only part time for several years while she built a client base, but by May of 2010, Kelly had had enough of the dairy industry. She left for good six months later, and has been pursuing her business full time ever since. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Kelly's involvement with HSCC began in 2009, too. She had long been missing volunteer work, but felt the shelter had plenty of dog walkers and cat socializers. She wanted to contribute in a unique way. So she stopped by with some 5"x7" snapshots, and two weeks later, the then Executive Director called her back. After an informal interview, Kelly agreed to begin photographing the shelter animals on a volunteer basis every week … and it's continued ever since. When asked if she had any initial sense that she would become such an integral part of the adoption process, Kelly said no. "It was just something I knew I wanted to do. And now, I can't imagine it ever ending." </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Kelly and Ian come to the shelter every Thursday morning to photograph that week's newly available cats, dogs, and smallies. She usually sends the finished products by Thursday afternoon--and staff is always excited to see them. Commentary on favorite portraits is a frequent topic of conversation among staff. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I captured a recent session, and took footage of three very different cats. These sessions further attest to the unique individualities of animals: their introversion or extraversion; confidence or shyness; attractions and repulsions; sense of humor or gravity; goofiness or refinement. You'll notice in these videos (rough as they are--more bad camera work with the cell phone!) how adept Ian has become at holding the animals' attention. What also struck me was how well this husband-wife couple work as a team. Kelly gently directs, and Ian happily complies. </div> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">First up was Moon, a six-year-old female. As you'll see, try as Ian might to woo her with the Da Bird cat toy, all she could think about were the treats in his hand. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwELBF9q8gXzz7bfyDy4iS68CtU3grhmE1dsED8Xm2ktcthzZnyZQBurHLPfp7mzRbGqH0_Y42x3mpy0DA_Gw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">Moon lost concentration and got somewhat riled up, so Kelly demonstrated how she gets cats to sit calmly.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxF8LMfURsZr_KyxTh3NUJEV114oEGUq60d0wIWNXKfe9hdTwhRYp2Cys_3bOYWbnMKXj2I2zwC24pGMz8z1g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">Next up was Zen, a three-year old female. As you'll see, she's aptly named. Kelly quickly realized that a "flop" pose would be best for Zen, and Ian attempted to arrange her accordingly.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxobjSb9aGPYc09t6G9uI7sE91ggqCnLvUy9YFrxlkXpzn710-jImdaNjz2fPRqIOZBm549I-z9z7ZnN2rx_Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">This cat was not into treats or toys, but a scruff massage made her relax and give Kelly a Zen expression …</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">Last up was Peaches, an eight-year-old female. Though the oldest of the bunch, she's the most kittenish! Peaches was all about the Da Bird, and gave Kelly photographic gold.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwSc-OfQt0CKSH0P3k7VeDQZJtiFwKlSwIFjB7PBjeWVwXm-inmSxqHLBRzn8iMckXZkiYH_pQT_NubYEtJKg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">And then we got to see Peaches' softer side … </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">And now, without further ado, the end results … !<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_fzFSReHwbgoMWJVP0CMmidWEPZdUzZaXq4CwfIktzRlpVSJVP4-A90tR_wSOd8NUc_2bkOgEexW8XzG71VwZlUUtQdAboAjL96QKHGqFCQXseRHKI79k1MXFbx991WPdyv5JVySWz6Wv/s1600/MDP_HSCC_Moon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_fzFSReHwbgoMWJVP0CMmidWEPZdUzZaXq4CwfIktzRlpVSJVP4-A90tR_wSOd8NUc_2bkOgEexW8XzG71VwZlUUtQdAboAjL96QKHGqFCQXseRHKI79k1MXFbx991WPdyv5JVySWz6Wv/s1600/MDP_HSCC_Moon.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moon</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivpAE3cvJis7Zh7ggB77kv-04fwdl9Y9Irj2rJSyjfzdz4Xw3HlH0JHYyv0q4eIs_-Kwx3NGIHDjxrOu3UDIx_bb8ZrDMU3OHlOUDRt4a3yeqgsAIs-UNZDDtgQKk_kofCHkR-I6K_cmcp/s1600/MDP_HSCC_Zen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivpAE3cvJis7Zh7ggB77kv-04fwdl9Y9Irj2rJSyjfzdz4Xw3HlH0JHYyv0q4eIs_-Kwx3NGIHDjxrOu3UDIx_bb8ZrDMU3OHlOUDRt4a3yeqgsAIs-UNZDDtgQKk_kofCHkR-I6K_cmcp/s1600/MDP_HSCC_Zen.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zen</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYZnjj-X5alYqXD6_fw6yJU-zyLeABa78wm9WKTRBQxrSwgMlXQnRQtLlVxh0f4WhkOGb5ZS_OACC4ai747TwXffx2tG5y_gutmrLIdvPzmmRVJUVCKxpimOw45ApNjyTVa7zEBHOuxF2/s1600/MDP_HSCC_Peaches.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYZnjj-X5alYqXD6_fw6yJU-zyLeABa78wm9WKTRBQxrSwgMlXQnRQtLlVxh0f4WhkOGb5ZS_OACC4ai747TwXffx2tG5y_gutmrLIdvPzmmRVJUVCKxpimOw45ApNjyTVa7zEBHOuxF2/s1600/MDP_HSCC_Peaches.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peaches</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Okay, so be honest: how many of you are ready to adopt at least one of these fabulous felines based solely on what you see in the photos?<br />
<br />
I prove my point.<br />
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Kelly and Ian, from the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI07pjFBW3f3v_7hf9dKwW94ttoLaR2HOy6aovJNpHxtb0mhxxoD_NIeHptAsb4D7_CI39BohmeLiWpuFU7jQNok2TuE3UQGLdLQyZaU4Fx5zmDO_6hKFreFN28fRZCN4XJJriSQl3TDXk/s1600/Kelly+&+Ian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI07pjFBW3f3v_7hf9dKwW94ttoLaR2HOy6aovJNpHxtb0mhxxoD_NIeHptAsb4D7_CI39BohmeLiWpuFU7jQNok2TuE3UQGLdLQyZaU4Fx5zmDO_6hKFreFN28fRZCN4XJJriSQl3TDXk/s400/Kelly+&+Ian.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ian and Kelly Schulze</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
</div>Humane Society of Chittenden Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192279005227070577noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399197430200306354.post-45289389114059323312012-01-23T15:42:00.000-08:002012-01-23T15:42:46.222-08:00A Bronx Tale<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hello there!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We're still walking on air around here after a week flush with good feeling! We're just stunned by how much our community cares about animals. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On Wednesday, JoAnn responded to a call about neglected chickens. Upon investigation, she found that 30 chickens, two ducks, and two rabbits had been left to their own devices with totally insufficient food and water. The woman's husband had died, and she had moved off the property and mostly given up caring for them. JoAnn was able to find immediate placement for all but eight chickens, and didn't know what she was going to do with these last birds. We discussed temporarily housing them at the shelter, but didn't want them to acclimate to indoor temps, and realized our dog yards were not predator proof. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>JoAnn suggested we could maybe ask for help on Facebook? We decided to give it a shot … and the response was tremendous. The post was widely shared across Facebook by individuals and other rescue organizations, and by the end of the day we had 16 options for foster care or permanent placement. The widespread public interest inspired a brilliant thought for JoAnn: Could she develop a network of foster/permanent homes for future livestock investigation cases--a list of contacts to call in such situations? We made a second ask, and the public said yes. JoAnn now has a sizeable network of safe havens for rescued livestock. (THANK YOU, community!) Incidentally, the chickens are now happily roosting at the home of a young couple who had seen the Facebook post--with the exception of one rooster, who was relocated to the farm of one of our staff member's parents.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiav5gGLLB9m-skHFi34VisKSsT92ci84RwuPpMYl-MT8H04rOTbHmbfhczKXRpNmYa0OwN4_gCzg7yvuDCa3Kf4cGal28_LRW8Wi4ULBsg6Leh3tO6MhWNGNxvaEY5kKyOuOLQAdMwgC-q/s1600/rooster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiav5gGLLB9m-skHFi34VisKSsT92ci84RwuPpMYl-MT8H04rOTbHmbfhczKXRpNmYa0OwN4_gCzg7yvuDCa3Kf4cGal28_LRW8Wi4ULBsg6Leh3tO6MhWNGNxvaEY5kKyOuOLQAdMwgC-q/s320/rooster.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This rescued rooster went to Wolf Hollow Farm in New York</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Secondly, we kicked off two sorely needed cat promotions on Friday. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our adoption floor has become increasingly saturated with black cats and senior cats. In fact, half of the population was black, and half was senior (yes, there was some crossover there). We published a <a href="http://chittendenhumane.blogspot.com/2012/01/black-fridays-and-senior-moments.html" target="_blank">blog</a> on why black cats and senior cats are least likely to get adopted</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">, and created "Black Fridays" and "Senior Moments." Our Senior Moments promo will extend until February 4th, and offers cats aged 7+ for 50% of the usual adoption fee (just $30!). Black Fridays will continue until our black cat population has been drastically depleted. As you may have guessed, the adoption fees for black cats are reduced by 50% every Friday. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzS_GjJU2rZHZEjFqce1iPln_5Ho4wxocMS_X6KD9KrWMHw-eWyw_OPCu78Qt1Ai3Klcvjpo8Y_CD_V8CQaIJUBpnjN8rq0ylMv68U7IUB4mq1fIGAJhLurzz-PVDl4yTeRI4eYXI6D9RK/s1600/Senior+Moments+Promo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzS_GjJU2rZHZEjFqce1iPln_5Ho4wxocMS_X6KD9KrWMHw-eWyw_OPCu78Qt1Ai3Klcvjpo8Y_CD_V8CQaIJUBpnjN8rq0ylMv68U7IUB4mq1fIGAJhLurzz-PVDl4yTeRI4eYXI6D9RK/s320/Senior+Moments+Promo.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigGRcwhpPTEAUuQlcK3lbm0Ir6CZpygC4uhbnSZUOWmgL-iqiEe87Kwh_25wFqW25bcis2IGmrgERh4dfzJZLoFCQ3HZCp_7ut8t2aA_Vtlc0vm87U_x2vjtdNaJquqgoPGxM5_6ziE6TF/s1600/Black+Fridays+Promo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigGRcwhpPTEAUuQlcK3lbm0Ir6CZpygC4uhbnSZUOWmgL-iqiEe87Kwh_25wFqW25bcis2IGmrgERh4dfzJZLoFCQ3HZCp_7ut8t2aA_Vtlc0vm87U_x2vjtdNaJquqgoPGxM5_6ziE6TF/s320/Black+Fridays+Promo.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The great news here is that two senior cats (<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Kona</b>, age 7, and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Nala</b>, age 7) were adopted, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">five</i> black cats were adopted (<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Emma</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sid</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Violet</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bella</b>, and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Miss Muffet</b>) since our promos began on Friday! We also can't forget to mention <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Oakie</b>, who is neither senior nor sable, but was here for a VERY long time before finding an excited family with three happy young children on Friday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Three kittens found new homes: sisters <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bonnie & Betsey</b> went home with the aforementioned Bella (yes, three cats adopted at once by the same family!), and the adorable buff-colored <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Caramel</b> went home. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Two rabbits also found new homes this week: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Quincey</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Mel</b>. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibzmYC2b3-HfXAPf_NoNO4jJWYLoCcA2_hbgtzGt8-M1qcU5E68vx4_DLYsBBQiwCATTEm1iWHMNWMimhly7RmusMqpAdCDdXwaqMGW6MZOkUHR_UMW5VW04EofEVaHT4aKuvOrrSCERZy/s1600/Quincey_122211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibzmYC2b3-HfXAPf_NoNO4jJWYLoCcA2_hbgtzGt8-M1qcU5E68vx4_DLYsBBQiwCATTEm1iWHMNWMimhly7RmusMqpAdCDdXwaqMGW6MZOkUHR_UMW5VW04EofEVaHT4aKuvOrrSCERZy/s320/Quincey_122211.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quincy </td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We have no new dog adoptions to report, but then again, our dog population is extremely low right now: we've only got nine dogs in house! <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That said, we have a wonderful dog story to tell. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bronx</b>'s adoption happened the week previous to last, but we felt we couldn't let it slip by untold. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bronx is a one-year-old Boster Terrier mix with the amusing self-importance and Napoleonic swagger typical of his breed. Staff quickly fell in love with his inquisitive persona, his zest for life, and the fact that he talked with his ears. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQtlUTh2_V53LftkvJDGruApI5kn5p9puo7V0KlIJt3-cMG8sccsq1r5AJG7oKOWWIP-hZwk-UDrnqCBtcYxxmkAGqqyrbwi2fZGjoC3Qn5-LEXYc3hPS-8F__6X8jH1PH1JHlNUALwV-/s1600/Bronx_121511.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQtlUTh2_V53LftkvJDGruApI5kn5p9puo7V0KlIJt3-cMG8sccsq1r5AJG7oKOWWIP-hZwk-UDrnqCBtcYxxmkAGqqyrbwi2fZGjoC3Qn5-LEXYc3hPS-8F__6X8jH1PH1JHlNUALwV-/s320/Bronx_121511.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bronx</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bronx was relinquished at the end of November because his owner had to serve in the military. He came to us in good health, but with some handling sensitives (doesn't like his feet touched), nippy-ness, and reactivity to other dogs. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bronx was unendingly cute, and we knew he'd appeal to lots of people, but his home would have to be very specific. We ruled out children under the age of 13 because of his nippy behavior, and stated that he needed a high-energy family to really thrive. Unfortunately, most of the people who spotted him on the web saw an adorable little dog and looked no further. They came to the shelter expecting a low-energy lap dog, and were rather astonished to meet instead a busy little inquisitor who thought he was thrice his size. They quickly changed their minds. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Until one day, a woman came in who thought the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">real</i> Bronx might be just perfect. She and her husband had another dog named Earl--a Lab/Cattle Dog mix who was similarly high energy and looked remarkably similar to Bronx in size and coloration. That similarity--superficial as it was--struck the woman as the first sign that Bronx might be the right dog for them. She met him in our adminitrative area, and loved him immediately. Bronx ran back and forth on business, sniffing here, looking there, his ears deftly communicating each thought with delicate twitches and nuanced swivels … and the woman's heart melted. She snapped some photos of him with her phone (difficult to do with Bronx in constant motion) to share with her husband, choked up a bit about having to leave, and promised to be in touch.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She returned to fill out paperwork for Bronx on January 3rd, and returned on the 4th with her husband and Earl for a dog introduction. We always conduct dog introductions between adoptive families and the potential new adoptee, just to rule out any surprises. In Bronx's case, it was especially imperative, because he simply doesn't approve of many dogs. This couple seemed perfect--they had asked all the right questions, and had the busy lifestyle to keep Bronx exercised and entertained--but would Bronx deign to accept Earl? <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The day of the introduction, Earl and his family waited in the administrative area. Bronx was formally presented, and … he caught sight of Earl and barked. Everyone held their breath … and then suddenly they were playing, chasing each around and around the room in manic glee! It was brotherly love. As we watched this amazing exception to Bronx's rule of dog reactivity, we felt this match must be fated in the stars. But the decision wasn't final yet. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The couple needed time to think. They just didn't know if they were ready to add a second hyper dog to their lives. They would be out of town for the next ten days … and there was a very good chance that Bronx might find another home before then. The woman sighed. "If it's really meant to be, it will be," she said. For the third time, they left. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We anxiously waited as the ten days dragged on and other people came in to meet Bronx. We wanted him to end his shelter stay as quickly as possible, but we were also pulling for Earl's family to adopt him. It had just seemed so … right. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Friday the 13th proved a fateful day for Bronx. The woman called and said they had decided. First thing Saturday morning, Earl and his parents returned. They took Bronx up to the play yard with Earl, and watched them race around together. The woman explained that she felt she had gotten several more signs about adopting Bronx over the week: for instance, she met a woman at a dog park who said she was going to name her new rescue dog Bronx. Mostly, however, she'd come to the conclusion that she just didn't want to leave the shelter again without him. The man swung Bronx up into his arms, and in an unusual moment, Bronx relaxed, his paws draped languidly over the man's forearms. He wasn't going anywhere, his placid ears seemed to say. Joining this family was his main point of business. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After the exit interview, Bronx donned his new harness and leash and trotted out the doors at a self-assured clip, with nary a look back. As Earl happily fell into step with him, we thanked the universe for making this union "be."<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That's the good news this week. Stay warm!<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Best, <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Megan <o:p></o:p></span></div>Humane Society of Chittenden Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192279005227070577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399197430200306354.post-15506664342159124872012-01-19T15:14:00.000-08:002012-01-19T15:14:08.232-08:00Black Fridays and Senior MomentsA black cat and a senior cat walked into a shelter … and several months later, they still hadn’t left.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgph1IRTIz1asHEiAbcCm5IOwNWRZgN8wSmT6AxzCert8VrxrkyZN83sGTGegdTYbSW3qUI60GWAqz9V3ERedCNxUdhkZchqrR6SzsmwKxMJHDF6P0XVWsZ1xOI-mrEFxXUK_1tyXxxUnzG/s1600/Juniper_102011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgph1IRTIz1asHEiAbcCm5IOwNWRZgN8wSmT6AxzCert8VrxrkyZN83sGTGegdTYbSW3qUI60GWAqz9V3ERedCNxUdhkZchqrR6SzsmwKxMJHDF6P0XVWsZ1xOI-mrEFxXUK_1tyXxxUnzG/s320/Juniper_102011.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juniper, age 14</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6qb8CFHh2RdfjL3Ba2oHCQltDqdoFets43KH3CnhRrrNhub0qJRJW9hZwE_Qxvg_hFquNriVHbJ9DV8jXzM8jhlrP02Ks1E20rZsBvrwxC5KMU_Eo2bTCFDl4pY_bfYT-aNmyIWqYyjJP/s1600/Thunder_102011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6qb8CFHh2RdfjL3Ba2oHCQltDqdoFets43KH3CnhRrrNhub0qJRJW9hZwE_Qxvg_hFquNriVHbJ9DV8jXzM8jhlrP02Ks1E20rZsBvrwxC5KMU_Eo2bTCFDl4pY_bfYT-aNmyIWqYyjJP/s200/Thunder_102011.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thunder, age 8</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Here at HSCC, we see the same trends in cat adoptions that are consistent nationwide: black cats and senior cats are at the greatest disadvantage for finding new homes. Now, we realize we're probably preaching to the choir. No doubt many of you reading this post are diehard cat lovers who have found unforgettable companionship with both black and senior cats (after all, young cats become seniors). </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3srt5KXgpGHMsVegewjiDtaBdMyEmBbE9KbkRTmXmqtNB3YKBfNMHT2WX7mrWmnJo_tyy8Vbco6OTSyJYFIJja4I4Jkga936qpJHgUw0GffX9-JcFzAFFd4jR6kcLICXAOnqUa41Ld-LJ/s1600/Alphonse_111711.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3srt5KXgpGHMsVegewjiDtaBdMyEmBbE9KbkRTmXmqtNB3YKBfNMHT2WX7mrWmnJo_tyy8Vbco6OTSyJYFIJja4I4Jkga936qpJHgUw0GffX9-JcFzAFFd4jR6kcLICXAOnqUa41Ld-LJ/s200/Alphonse_111711.jpg" width="143" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alphonse, age 8</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">But judging from the fact that 11 of our 24 current feline adoption candidates are black, and a full half of the 24 are seniors, it’s clear that biases exist. In the case of senior cats, it’s a little easier to understand. Older cats are generally more prone to illnesses, which may result in larger costs upfront at the vet. Furthermore, most adopters are looking to invest in long-term companionship rather than a few years of friendship. Lastly, senior cats are usually less engaging at the shelter, and therefore less tempting to adopt. Young cats are active in their living spaces—drawing attention—and tend to put themselves forward; whereas older cats often find the environment overwhelming, and hit the shut-off switch in an afternoon nap.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJvBdi9namWs8X6DC2ZoGfU0KQAwyK1DyqynRhx8XhydR1ggm6FFO5pStSVe_dWfIuEMVtxTbkkAFseJuvQrsiTRaJ0ZjC6IvecQieF7wTJzP9oMxb3pIw3queIUHEaGd2M7DB7JG0oIUi/s1600/Stout%2528reshoot%2529_122911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJvBdi9namWs8X6DC2ZoGfU0KQAwyK1DyqynRhx8XhydR1ggm6FFO5pStSVe_dWfIuEMVtxTbkkAFseJuvQrsiTRaJ0ZjC6IvecQieF7wTJzP9oMxb3pIw3queIUHEaGd2M7DB7JG0oIUi/s320/Stout%2528reshoot%2529_122911.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stout, age 6</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The dearth of adoptions of black cats, however, is a bit more puzzling. It’s a well-known fact among cat afficiandos that sable kitties tend to be the most outgoing, vocal, athletic, and personable of the domestic felines. Of course, we can’t generalize across the board; every cat is an individual. But for all of the hundreds of cats that come through our shelter, we’ve noticed a definite pattern: black cats have personality to spare. </div><br />
So where’s the missing link? Psychology offers up a theory: because the color black absorbs more light than lighter hues, the human eye can’t make out facial features of black animals as distinctly. We feel less of a connection to faces we can’t see as well. Alternately, there’s the old superstition that black cats are bad luck. <br />
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Or perhaps it comes down to simple aesthetics: a gleaming, jet black coat just isn’t as appealing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Whatever the reason(s), the bias against black animals is so ubiquitous that the shelter world has actually coined the term <span style="color: black;"><strong>“Black Cat/Dog Syndrome”</strong></span> in reference. <br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Why does this matter? Because a shelter is not a home. Not only is it less comfortable (a life of confinement with minimal physical and mental stimulation), it’s a less healthy place to live. Sure, we use shameful amounts of bleach, clean like demons, observe strict protocols limiting animal intermingling, and give them exemplary medical care. And yet, stress chronically looms in the background, threatening to undo every careful measure we take. A stressed animal will deteriorate—if not physically, mentally. And length of stay in a shelter is directly related to the likelihood of deterioration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So what can we do to end the bias and get black cats out the door faster? How can we convince adopters of the benefits of rescuing senior cats, who are generally more mellow, self-possessed, and endlessly grateful for love?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyAvhyphenhyphen66x_mH7LV-Po9oUImWvREU6xGV-5HJXLc9KCP4dRjJY-oU82zDUnLg3r7mdeR9v2Vn7ncdTi1u1MadMIB58aiqCDh3XQT9q6dgBUQU29d0MpNYRRGIaByiNUP4HpNIgqJRfuZHWU/s1600/Mya_111711.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyAvhyphenhyphen66x_mH7LV-Po9oUImWvREU6xGV-5HJXLc9KCP4dRjJY-oU82zDUnLg3r7mdeR9v2Vn7ncdTi1u1MadMIB58aiqCDh3XQT9q6dgBUQU29d0MpNYRRGIaByiNUP4HpNIgqJRfuZHWU/s400/Mya_111711.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mya, age 8</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">For now, most shelters resort to financial incentives—lower adoption fees. I guess the hope is that if one more person gives a black cat a chance, onyx cats everywhere will earn one more convert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If someone decides to take compassion on a senior kitty, there will be one fewer seasoned sweetheart spending his golden years curled up in a cage. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI-9WOCGHwWC90_3VlTHYWby58m6ime46xKrPXwQYUGpjmwMEbKITfjeYu92wmGeRHowrcxddp8XJf3FF77vDuEIGQjmZbEp6DhjZ-OgNixyil7HRfDcntQ_ze6d99jiNbLnbMrw7P5agC/s1600/Bella_121511.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI-9WOCGHwWC90_3VlTHYWby58m6ime46xKrPXwQYUGpjmwMEbKITfjeYu92wmGeRHowrcxddp8XJf3FF77vDuEIGQjmZbEp6DhjZ-OgNixyil7HRfDcntQ_ze6d99jiNbLnbMrw7P5agC/s200/Bella_121511.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bella, age 5</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We hope so, anyway.<strong> </strong><span style="color: #a64d79;"><span style="color: #999999;">So for the next two weeks, we’re taking</span><strong><span style="color: #999999;"> </span></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">50% off of senior (seven years and older) cat adoption fees</span></strong></span><span style="color: #999999;"> (lowering the price from $60 to $30).</span> And, for the indefinite future, we’re presenting <span style="background-color: white;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="background-color: white;">Black Fridays: 50% off the adoption fees of black cats of every age—every Friday</span>.</span></strong></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Both of these promotions begin tomorrow, January 20th! <br />
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Can you help us spread the word? If your friends or family are in the market, can you encourage them to take advantage of Black Fridays, or have a Senior Moment? <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUT_B2XmQ729OMNHGN3wMTPRPngqDExKqCh0X3n44OWBBsM87qr9sk2SF7-TKQlnInD1L1CHdT2EjEZdaxoIg34-_s8TeHBPM0aJVwIcJhV90Lj1XEvnwL_kAXHdp6jqt88DA9_iMmHMHW/s1600/Lucky%2528reshoot%2529_120111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUT_B2XmQ729OMNHGN3wMTPRPngqDExKqCh0X3n44OWBBsM87qr9sk2SF7-TKQlnInD1L1CHdT2EjEZdaxoIg34-_s8TeHBPM0aJVwIcJhV90Lj1XEvnwL_kAXHdp6jqt88DA9_iMmHMHW/s320/Lucky%2528reshoot%2529_120111.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lucky, age 9</td></tr>
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Because these cats spend every day waiting … just waiting to love a family of any age or color. <br />
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Admire the rest of our available senior and black kitties on our <a href="http://www.chittendenhumane.org/pet-adoptions/cats" target="_blank">website</a>.<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Humane Society of Chittenden Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192279005227070577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399197430200306354.post-44958009172583466802012-01-16T13:19:00.000-08:002012-01-16T13:26:29.996-08:00The Royal Lotus<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Good chilly afternoon!</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The freezing temps (welcome back, Vermont) last weekend didn't stop a slew of adoptions on Saturday, with seven animals going home that day alone!</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Another influx of kittens helped boost our adoption numbers for the week. Congratulations to <b>Auggie</b>, <b>Bridget</b>, <b>Hudson</b>, <b>Alaska </b>& <b>Pacific</b>, <b>Caspian</b>, and <b>Arabian</b>--all of whom emerged from foster care only to immediately find new, loving families to take them home for good.</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Four dogs are no doubt enjoying the heat in their new digs today! <b>Daesyn</b> (Bichon Frise), <b>Ava </b>(Wheaton Terrier mix), <b>Bronx</b> (Boston Terrier mix), and <b>Annie </b>(Chihuahua) are all living the good life. </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On to cats! I mistakenly reported <b>Lyndi</b> as adopted in last week's update, but that must have been a moment of prescience--because she went home on Thursday! She and a cat named <b>Merlin</b>--who went home on Tuesday--were two of the <a href="http://www.chittendenhumane.blogspot.com/2012/01/20-for-12.html">20 animals taken in from the family who'd been evicted</a>.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The third cat adopted last week is our featured adoptee: … <b>LOTUS</b>!</span></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje5jCSf3lGeYTJP_iZVCJkGceIET-pumBB3Hp7_dnqW0uv-Z2kBIHzLnVT83-WNsVnEWDcR8EiztnKIiJipp7ph64I_wJyvIln7zQ4ne5l1N775Jh1Wo7Ojq-_fFJL_fdyMYxXIqdS7gIP/s1600/Lotus_081111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje5jCSf3lGeYTJP_iZVCJkGceIET-pumBB3Hp7_dnqW0uv-Z2kBIHzLnVT83-WNsVnEWDcR8EiztnKIiJipp7ph64I_wJyvIln7zQ4ne5l1N775Jh1Wo7Ojq-_fFJL_fdyMYxXIqdS7gIP/s1600/Lotus_081111.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lotus</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lotus was here for what felt like FOREVER. In fact, he'd been at the shelter since mid-July, relinquished because his owner had to move into housing that did not accept pets. A six-year-old male with a distinctive white ring around his tail and humongous green eyes, Lotus was reported to get along with other animals, but had a history of being fractious with his vet. </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We saw a bit of that here, too. Staff found him initially hissy and somewhat wary, but friendly enough when given attention. As he settled in, his spirits seemed to rise, and staff declared him "sweet." We still weren't quite sure what to make of this cat, but his behavior was deemed safe and predictable enough for a home. The feline supervisor rated him a "black diamond" cat, and he was made available. </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I bet many of you are thinking, "What's a black diamond cat?" Though we've used our feline personality rating system for years, it seems to be largely overlooked. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Each available cat is placed into one of three different categories based upon the cat's history and our observations of his or her preferences and temperament. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht2QOunJT7_6a09ehduqzPuNKqwu_cn5156eHT87YbzCvEG_E-dQkj5566FlAYLMVLnPWr38Zrg2BurBewLudH3y2NhX7WOoU2CYe7qkszQQsyi-RsjlUpSYKxGJbuICJ3OGBMucFaNzXs/s1600/green+circle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht2QOunJT7_6a09ehduqzPuNKqwu_cn5156eHT87YbzCvEG_E-dQkj5566FlAYLMVLnPWr38Zrg2BurBewLudH3y2NhX7WOoU2CYe7qkszQQsyi-RsjlUpSYKxGJbuICJ3OGBMucFaNzXs/s1600/green+circle.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A <b>"green circle" cat</b> is ideal for a first-time cat owner or families with small children. These cats are usually highly adaptable, laidback, confident, very tolerant, and gentle in their interactions. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbyiA2KSaKyFZnYb2vW_Kny5IZ7UT5WGaA5JL4Qt3xEDya4SZrqM7inAjt8L45hYdwY7pMRNjMxWcS9OF3bynL-nSnaYusBBK0I52kxOpmyPO6ErUdNoD64h3qPhDhQM5bVji2ztY72-YQ/s1600/Harry_022411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbyiA2KSaKyFZnYb2vW_Kny5IZ7UT5WGaA5JL4Qt3xEDya4SZrqM7inAjt8L45hYdwY7pMRNjMxWcS9OF3bynL-nSnaYusBBK0I52kxOpmyPO6ErUdNoD64h3qPhDhQM5bVji2ztY72-YQ/s320/Harry_022411.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harry</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMYTz9s4P1pB3c2f93QepiZV1MgghAsqlgOr_dJU_wDoaNV97F52edydcyjhtbQVgsV0O_DU7ldW34nIsC9lhJCsIBy33I739LQsKWf1fsPiP737bB3vfsRB5rz_ZtSqOA727RiQUaUjf/s1600/bluesquare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMYTz9s4P1pB3c2f93QepiZV1MgghAsqlgOr_dJU_wDoaNV97F52edydcyjhtbQVgsV0O_DU7ldW34nIsC9lhJCsIBy33I739LQsKWf1fsPiP737bB3vfsRB5rz_ZtSqOA727RiQUaUjf/s1600/bluesquare.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b>"Blue square" cats</b> are great companions for those with basic experience with typical feline behaviors. These kitties may have mild handling preferences or sensitivies, and they may exhibit shyness or reserve at first; but with patience and encouragement they tend to come out of their shells and prove loyal friends. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLGPkI48i7i2m6siSKNjp4HzmM-bY40qkR1bKRllLmgmkO5X66AalyXPet5A4xwNaRWagVI2xP8-c3KxzmiqaZ91uOQZGbo-oqz9OYiHJc1sBRmycMYsKHlowoifr19oKEFO-E41ZiPMvj/s1600/Lady_031711.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLGPkI48i7i2m6siSKNjp4HzmM-bY40qkR1bKRllLmgmkO5X66AalyXPet5A4xwNaRWagVI2xP8-c3KxzmiqaZ91uOQZGbo-oqz9OYiHJc1sBRmycMYsKHlowoifr19oKEFO-E41ZiPMvj/s320/Lady_031711.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lady</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Svp5JigT7FJaHIdzKIC82wm4xLUqUQYRCaC5FKJSIyICbVZ2kNi0BnPfI9baaNVuP1oX2VLnRaO8dVmQUe0WT77TOaH9-suJvLYGq7q-puyvFd_8VbHbs3AybKdBDUm9IYk74BFKetwH/s1600/black+diamond.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Svp5JigT7FJaHIdzKIC82wm4xLUqUQYRCaC5FKJSIyICbVZ2kNi0BnPfI9baaNVuP1oX2VLnRaO8dVmQUe0WT77TOaH9-suJvLYGq7q-puyvFd_8VbHbs3AybKdBDUm9IYk74BFKetwH/s1600/black+diamond.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And then there's Lotus' category: <b>black diamond cats</b>. These finicky felines are best suited for those with considerable cat experience and an appreciation for distinct feline personalities. They are quite resolved to live life on their own terms, and unreserved about saying so. If their boundaries are respected, black diamond cats will bond closely with people they trust, and allow interaction they likely wouldn’t with "just anyone." These cats tend to do best in mellow, low activity homes. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzjpW5oceUx_N3tTzH833Z7AAx3smscKWYblb9rqEiD1D3OiyuTNUOAPYz8F-tLNy4-f5CCW_6AUa8rQrOE4NUxRY1W95ApcuJLklr-fYrX0BkLilmMrbf3SmsOSDlBKAg_zJ6fCyPXuX/s1600/Belle_021011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzjpW5oceUx_N3tTzH833Z7AAx3smscKWYblb9rqEiD1D3OiyuTNUOAPYz8F-tLNy4-f5CCW_6AUa8rQrOE4NUxRY1W95ApcuJLklr-fYrX0BkLilmMrbf3SmsOSDlBKAg_zJ6fCyPXuX/s1600/Belle_021011.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bella</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As you can imagine, our green circle cats tend to fly off the kitty shelves, while black diamond cats usually endure much longer stays at the shelter. </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lotus' case was no exception. His daily routine was the same: he darted from the communal cat room every morning when unsuspecting animal care volunteers opened the door, and made a beeline for our potted palm, which he delighted in gnawing on. After being escorted back to the room and served his breakfast, Lotus spent the rest of the day upon his cat tree castle, curled up on the topmost turret oblivious to afternoon visitors. </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In Buddhist theology, the Lotus represents "<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">floating above the muddy waters of attachment and desire; the full blossoming of wholesome deeds in blissful liberation" (Wikipedia). </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KFqhql5f2TmjSePPMV2K17ezSNv15Xku2Tql0z58PdT2sizrCohF8TlTVAkCbyjF_e2As6xnRwfay7QVbJ2lq9-nonm7dDNADFc4jZxLR1na-InrLb6BNUetzXgJBCBeKmFz-REpYLOB/s1600/Lotus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KFqhql5f2TmjSePPMV2K17ezSNv15Xku2Tql0z58PdT2sizrCohF8TlTVAkCbyjF_e2As6xnRwfay7QVbJ2lq9-nonm7dDNADFc4jZxLR1na-InrLb6BNUetzXgJBCBeKmFz-REpYLOB/s1600/Lotus.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">For all of his pionted ignorance of potential adopters who stopped in to visit, you could say Lotus was floating above the waters of attachment and desire. He certainly wasn't working on developing any attachments or attracting desire. The months dragged on.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Finally, as the new year approached, our feline supervisor, Kayla, decided something had to be done. It just wouldn't due to let Lotus go on living out his days on top of a cat castle--not when he could find a real home to be his castle. Lotus was moved into our volunteer and events coordinator's office on January 8th--and we hoped he might show better! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Weren't we surprised to find that Lotus bloomed like his namesake! Turned out that in true black diamond cat style, Lotus had no interest in winning the hearts of the masses: he prefered to bond with one or two people. And boy did he bond with Shayla! She reports of her daily love sessions with Lotus, who spent the first ten minutes of every morning saying hello with vigrous head butts to Shayla's face. Who was this new kitty who'd clearly developed an attachment? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was just three days later that a wonderful couple stopped in specifically to meet Lotus. <i><a href="http://www.7dvt.com/" target="_blank">Seven Days</a></i> had run a spread on him (they periodically do that for our animals, and it always works wonders!), and the couple had seen it. Shayla worried Lotus might not show interest in new people with her around, so she left. The couple met him ... and he was courteous, but aloof. They decided to look at other cats. Our staff's collective heart sank as they walked away. Shayla returned to her office, disappointed. Lotus hopped right up on her lap to say hello. She sighed as he began his headbutting regimen. "It's all well and good that you're so lovely with me, Lotus," Shayla said, "But how will anyone else ever get to see what a special cat you are if you aren't nice to strangers?" Lotus gazed up at her with his huge green eyes, blinked, then turned his head to the door. Shayla followed his gaze, and saw the couple standing just outside the office. "He wasn't so friendly with us," they remarked thoughtfully. "No," Shayla explained. "He's a one- or two-person cat. We had no idea he was this affectionate until he moved in with me. Now he's like this all the time. He'd certainly bond in the same way with whomever takes him home!" They smiled. "Alright," they said, and asked to fill out the paperwork. </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lotus went home the next day, to a very fine residence. We can envision this black diamond cat now, the royal Lotus, asleep in his real castle, finally "blossoming in blissful liberation." </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That's the good news this week. Stay warm!</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Best, <br />
Megan</span></div><br />
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</div>Humane Society of Chittenden Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192279005227070577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399197430200306354.post-43564066763585016202012-01-09T15:52:00.000-08:002012-01-09T15:59:45.205-08:0020 for '12<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The good news is: W</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">hat we're lacking in numbers this week we make up in great triumphs. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Most exciting to animal care and adoption staff is the adoption of <b>Salty and Pepper</b>, ten-year-old sisters who'd been waiting for months to find a forever family. The couple who adopted them had been in to visit with all of our cats multiple times. In the end, they felt that this black-and-white duo had exactly the mellow personalities they were looking for. We couldn’t be more grateful! </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGzW6_nExd51_BOHvGsZp1pws_-o51E5RhTQbgV1pylhv0MdJsWgyeA2lJkUWYb5hJmtjUfR7ghTj6juxXGNaFuoTQ6cXInCFDESZ0q4l3PXp5xYR4M33M_5OrQu-tV8KauTVXQWODkKqr/s1600/S%2526P.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGzW6_nExd51_BOHvGsZp1pws_-o51E5RhTQbgV1pylhv0MdJsWgyeA2lJkUWYb5hJmtjUfR7ghTj6juxXGNaFuoTQ6cXInCFDESZ0q4l3PXp5xYR4M33M_5OrQu-tV8KauTVXQWODkKqr/s640/S%2526P.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top: Pepper, Salty<br />
Bottom: Salty and Pepper sit nicely for a treat from feline supervisor Kayla.</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Chocolate Lab <b>Kip</b> went home with an older couple who was super excited about him. Cat <b>Mansfield</b> found his new family in JUST ONE DAY! Lovely feline lady <b>Tofu </b>had been returned by her adoptive family a month ago when the home environment just didn't prove the right match for her. She was adopted by a new family on Saturday, and we hope she's home to stay this time around.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We have multiple featured adoptees this week, because they all came from the same home.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Husky mix <b>Posey</b>, and cats <b>Wendie</b>, <b>Trout,</b> and <b>Adrianna </b>were four of 20 animals who came from a single household. The three cats were adopted before our photographer, Mountain Dog Photography, could even get photos of them!</span></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkRchr0EAnH3t_FCxCqy0CFzka-7469us2MUYRbLHaEIHmcy1NxLwTGE7NFlL_qaI0mUYg-jL5QPak9TO7wq3ZIPo_nmCrzQVeyO7E5Ljaut9UBBGHroXFbxS8E8JzqjSWrQygH-YMouE/s1600/Posey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkRchr0EAnH3t_FCxCqy0CFzka-7469us2MUYRbLHaEIHmcy1NxLwTGE7NFlL_qaI0mUYg-jL5QPak9TO7wq3ZIPo_nmCrzQVeyO7E5Ljaut9UBBGHroXFbxS8E8JzqjSWrQygH-YMouE/s320/Posey.jpg" width="227" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Posey</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Early in December, two town officials arrived at our doors with an emergency situation. A family had been evicted from their home, and the officials entered the premises to find stacks of crates inhabited by animals in the apartment. The animals had ample food and water, but--especially in the case of the cats, who were living, in some cases, three to a crate--not nearly sufficient living space. The town threatened to seize them. Fortunately, the owners agreed to sign the animals over with no cause for legal proceedings. </span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1KNjsBcxCDKlTo6maC9NKHCdFCP-TEvjQ-Kg7auUwhnLomBaXAH8tvBW-uvXedHIhY4UMyFo1wowQsmnfQgwUcfQRt78Vg5OU1laOZ4eq023LR0nW5-rn2D9FvPzyBdyU32_J9v7ADWcl/s1600/Three+Cats+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1KNjsBcxCDKlTo6maC9NKHCdFCP-TEvjQ-Kg7auUwhnLomBaXAH8tvBW-uvXedHIhY4UMyFo1wowQsmnfQgwUcfQRt78Vg5OU1laOZ4eq023LR0nW5-rn2D9FvPzyBdyU32_J9v7ADWcl/s640/Three+Cats+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5GU-bygg2OllloPUswIRbCcGQSwyaRnqILJJMKp78haH9p7-hpz3oS9M9F0VXllHY9IREbLAXKr3wB8ksJSj2n_vU2eEYQOA6HgHY0pMdyXvFbuAI-7p6tJHFLavXyC3Ns0XbLo2wHq8J/s1600/Three+Cats+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5GU-bygg2OllloPUswIRbCcGQSwyaRnqILJJMKp78haH9p7-hpz3oS9M9F0VXllHY9IREbLAXKr3wB8ksJSj2n_vU2eEYQOA6HgHY0pMdyXvFbuAI-7p6tJHFLavXyC3Ns0XbLo2wHq8J/s640/Three+Cats+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Under normal circumstances, we accept animals on an appointment-only basis. This helps us avoid overcrowding (and the spread of contagious disease that results), and makes it possible for animals to stay as long as they need to until getting adopted (we don't euthanize for length of stay). However, we're almost always at capacity, so suddenly receiving notice that we need to find room for 20 new animals immediately greatly stresses the system. Fortunately, a local veterinary hospital and dog kennel agreed to house the pets until we were able to make room. </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Humane investigator JoAnn Nichols, feline supervisor Kayla Malzac, and shelter manger Allison Stark loaded up the HSCC vehicle with JoAnn's tubs of emergency investigation supplies. They had only two hours available to process the animals--which involved photographing each of them with a specific tag number--and documenting the living conditions they came from. JoAnn, Kayla, and Allie processed two dogs, three rabbits, one rat, two hamsters, and 12 cats that afternoon.</span></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5u8tg-YeWaTtk7u2XVP-lk2tO7x0nno3QQCChGNRbzy-avcYGYutkExAKnAL3Hk4EvMAmdRWi6jBTG4DzRAf2KJuHbdi9pQcIFrOdafGKQlsQyvEP9Jwa-OQsgOMsm8dMR7mcf_HE9_x3/s1600/Hamster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5u8tg-YeWaTtk7u2XVP-lk2tO7x0nno3QQCChGNRbzy-avcYGYutkExAKnAL3Hk4EvMAmdRWi6jBTG4DzRAf2KJuHbdi9pQcIFrOdafGKQlsQyvEP9Jwa-OQsgOMsm8dMR7mcf_HE9_x3/s320/Hamster.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The cats had all been exposed to upper respiratory infection--the feline version of a common cold--which can spread like wildfire in a shelter environment. So they were given a single room to themselves at the shelter while we assessed them for adoption. Fortunately, most of the animals have lovely temperaments, which means they were given plenty of attention and affection. Because of their outgoing natures, they've been quick to leave the adoption floor, once made available! Aside from the four animals listed above, Lyndi the cat was adopted two weeks ago, the two hamsters found new homes in record time for smallies, one kitten was snatched up quickly, and one of the rabbits went home. </span></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8rZfCDoXmNEfxyMTpGo-AL3hFC7JUYRzjQt5nrDcWdnRmOhx1w6ersMYB-aEhMjeFZ_VfXr4bgEmylm2XrUquCbfl6-Y8KMShTOBC2psbwIisCO4JEPWMylTNwjQeRy9Wqt14NvGj1j6C/s1600/Lindi_122911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8rZfCDoXmNEfxyMTpGo-AL3hFC7JUYRzjQt5nrDcWdnRmOhx1w6ersMYB-aEhMjeFZ_VfXr4bgEmylm2XrUquCbfl6-Y8KMShTOBC2psbwIisCO4JEPWMylTNwjQeRy9Wqt14NvGj1j6C/s320/Lindi_122911.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lyndi</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hoarding situations are often like this: the owners love the animals, and want to do the best for them. But because they become overtaxed on space and resources, the animals' wellbeing is compromised. A family who can't make rent payments certainly can't afford spay/neuter surgeries. These cats may have been confined to crates simply to prevent breeding, as there's some evidence that small groups of cats were periodically given free time in the home. And in stark contrast to the lack of space, we did find lots and lots of food stored away for the animals. Our hearts go out to this family, who lost their home and companion animals in one fell swoop. But hopefully, just as the 20 animals were given fresh starts in far better circumstances, we hope this occurrence might afford the family the same kind of fresh start. </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We currently have three more cats and two rabbits from this household available for adoption--and they're all very sweet. We're confident that each of these animals wil have a happy ending--homes in which they can run and play freely. </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That's the good news this week! </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Please don't forget to join us tomorrow night at The Scuffer steak and ale house! 15% of food and alcohol proceeds from the evening will be donated to the shelter. We'll see you there!</span></div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Best, </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Megan</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Director, Development & Outreach<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div>Humane Society of Chittenden Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192279005227070577noreply@blogger.com3