A no-kill Shelter dedicated to loving and nurturing the animals in our care until they find new homes - no matter how long it takes.

OSAS 
by: Renee Robins

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Success Story:
Little dog pulled
from icy water;

We depend on donations from private funding to support our Spay and Neuter Fund.

Keep up-to-date  with our schedule.

Spring has Sprung
Can't say that I am as excited as I should be. The wildlife calls have started, the wandering cats and dogs are at it full force, and the kittens have started pouring in. The list has been created once more! Thank goodness we have a bunch of cats going soon, altered and Kisco is now one of them and doing fine!

As we are once again filling up, I was very disappointed with the surrenders that came in today. They told me they are moving tomorrow and no matter what, they will not take them (two females and four tiny kittens). My heart breaks to know momma will be with me now three months and that I will spend many of the short supply of resources on her and her babies, but it will be worth it. The babes are only about three weeks old and I knew there would be a tragedy if I turned them away. 

As the animals were handed over, I shuddered as she said "she is a good mommy, this is her SIXTH litter". I replied, "well this will be her last"! She is a three year old cat! This means this poor "mommy" has been expecting or nursing her entire life - ever since she was a kitten. 

Turns out, this cat had already been living a tragic life!

MOM?
I am the nervous mom, more than I have been in a while. Pleased that tomorrow holds seven cat neuters, and thrilled we have the money to do them. 

Some of these boys are "semi wild" and need the snip to, well, tame and relax them. Others just need to be done for those millions of other reasons, as well as having a better pet and most importantly to go home soon. 

One is my pal Kisco, hence the nerves. It has been a long time since I worried about a neuter, and for my friend I am quite stressed. I am sad to be a part of the "removal" but thrilled he won't be coming back to me months or a year later for peeing in the house, biting, fighting, or "getting outside and wandering". That would kill me! So, I am focusing on happy thoughts ... all those tragedies he will be safe from in the future. 

I worry for all the boys until they return from the vet ... it's only for a short time. 

Watch for the new arrivals on the adoption page!

Adoptions have been fabulous with no time for me to rest - which is great! With almost all those puppies gone (two left, one male and one female) and even Laddy, Maddy and Ty finding good homes, and a few cats, Zoe and Zoie. The added publicity proved helpful for at least Ty who found his home with his picture in the paper (love at first sight; love that). Thank you so much, Laurie, Sandi, Candice, and Michelle for joining me on this wild adventure, I could not have done it alone. I will not forget what we did (crazy!).
(May take a moment to download, but worth the read)

Click on picture to read the Owen Sound Sun Times article from 
Feb. 22, 2007 on the Shelter Slumber 

Slumber Party
Here is the plan ... tomorrow morning I do a radio show with Bob and Diana at 8:20 am. I then go back to the Shelter to grab my snazzy t-shirt to advertise the Slumber Party event (thanks Candice for the duds). 

We have team names, "Hip to Snip" 

and "Snooze U Lose".

You need to make light of spending the night in the dog cages don't you? 

The the Mix Morning Zoo happens at 10:40 am and then it gets normal again ... let's hope. With a bit of luck, donations will come in for the Slumber, and the Morning Zoo pup will get adopted. More is good! 

Then we start a zoo of a different sort. At 6:00 pm we will be in lockdown, a slight alteration in the schedule, as we have people coming in to see us. You can come out to visit us too - come between 6 and 7 pm. The Owen Sound Sun Times and the newspaper photographer, as well as Rogers TV will arrive to take shots, film us and do interviews.

At 7 pm it's lights out - after everyone has left it will be quiet. It is not certain what will happen after that, but I am sure there won't be a whole lot of sleeping. I suspect I will be the nervous dog who cowers in the corner, and goes off her food and talks to no one - just a hunch.

We will be sure to take photos and even try for a video. On Saturday morning Rogers TV returns to interview again and more photos .. to see how it went ... urgh (hope I look OK? lol).

Thank you for all your well wishes ... I couldn't do it without you ... I think I will need them.

On a good note. Will has been resting up for the event ... and luckily Llyle doesn't mind, as it is his bed that Will is sleeping on.

I will let you know how the Slumber Party goes ASAP - after a hot bath, Tylenol, message and at least 24 hours of sleep.

Sunny
It sure was nice to feel that sun today. I opened the windows to share that fresh air, and all the animals enjoyed it. 

Llyle the Shelter cat perched himself on the ledge for some time, which is unlike his typical spot on my desk. It did grow cool quickly, so it was a brief enjoyment. 

Will and I took a walk today. Each day his walks are getting a little longer as his strength improves. I was thrilled to see his excitement to be in the snow, in the sun, as he rolled and made whole puppy snow angels. Apparently he has forgotten the terrible things that white stuff did to his body. We left dark spots, and squiggles and smudges in the snow, evidence of a happy puppy; this sure made for a happy start to the day. 

I had an update from Harley ... all is well and another from Sierra yesterday and she is "perfect". 

And the best news is that my princess Ticky found her way home. A great start and a great end to my day.

Read what people are writing ...>

What Was It?
What was wrong with Will? We didn't know, all we could do was help him through with medication and love. We had him at the vet almost every day - they didn't know any more than we did. They ran all the tests - we kept changing the medication and hoping his IV would stay in his veins.
 
Some thought it was because he was malnourished, underweight and not fed properly. Others thought that maybe he was dying of a broken heart. But without the vet having any information on what was wrong, we were grasping at straws.

Finally, this last week, when Will was getting better, Todd fell violently ill. Todd had been with Will non-stop through all the worst of his sickness, he held up Will's head while his own rested on the counter. We didn't know what could be wrong and then the vet told us.

Suddenly and without warning I became ill as well. Laughingly, we called it "Will's Disease", although it really wasn't a laughing matter. A bacterial infection ... c-coli we found out, which was passed from that deer carcass, to Will and then to Todd and myself. There would have been no way of Will being infected had it not been for the poachers who killed those deer in the vicinity last month - 
Will would never have tried to eaten it or have become so ill. Thankfully, we had taken all precautions when Will started to take that turn for the worse. From the beginning we wanted to be sure Will could not share whatever was making him sick with the others and kept him isolated. This made the situation more easily contained so no other animals were ever at risk.

But, without our intervention Will most certainly would have died. He would have been alone and without anyone there to help him, he would have perished because he was in poor shape when he was dumped.

As for Todd, he is better, and I will surely improve, the three of us are on matching medications, and this will pass. A "bummer" part of the job (Will shared all his fluids with us, and all those feedings ... my hands were always in his mouth; it was bound to happen) but I would not change it. Saving that boys life was worth it.

I am hoping this sickness will only last a couple of days because the Slumber Party will be going this weekend. I don't think I want to be sick and in a cage overnight ...

On another sour note, we lost one of our swans from the Owen Sound Harrison Park over the weekend. Someone jumped over the fence and beat the swan to death with a large branch and left it for dead. Again, today the keepers found 2 more birds dead in their cages. Please keep your eyes open for any strange sightings, or any information which would help us find these killers!

Shelter Slumber Party
The countdown is on. Five days to the Slumber Party? All four of us climbed in today in preparation for the big day, with Rogers TV there to film us. We will air tomorrow at 6:00 pm for those that can watch. Although we doubled for the interview, we will be on our own for the big night. After spending only a few minutes behind bars, we had all decided we were pretty much crazy. Although Kris from Rogers TV must have not heard this, as she too took a minute in the cage.

My anxiety must have been showing - did I mention I was claustrophobic? But, I will do it for Will! (and for those like Will who will need medical treatment). We cannot save lives without donations; we rely on these donations to pay for veterinary care. If I have to spend the night in a cage to save lives, then it is well worth it.

Also tomorrow I'm going to be on AM 560 CFOS at 9:30 am for the "open-line", as we will be talking about our Shelter Slumber then too. Have a listen and feel free to call in - I know it will be a great show! 

Our Shadow
It has been one week since Will crashed, and honestly it feels like a lifetime. In a sense, it was for him too. The road he has traveled to get this far is incredible. More prayers for him are coming in and as far away as Florida! 

Smoky was the superstar today on the Mix, and made an appearance on Rogers TV. Smoky was a surrender because his people couldn't keep him due to allergies and did the responsible thing and called me. Smoky found himself a fantastic home today and it all worked out for him regardless of his status. Poor Smoky though, everyone loved him, but most of the talk was about Will. 

Will has become a superstar without the air time. He is loving every minute of the attention too, and I think perhaps he may have some separation issues when the time comes to finally go home. His pitiful self follows us everywhere we go, he has become a shadow (literally), and when you are so darn pitiful, loved so much, well, we let you. On a trip to the store today, I was stopped three times by people asking about Will and hoping he is getting better. 

On another note - I need your help, if you live in or near Maxwell can you contact me at 519-372-1123 or email me at osas@bmts.com. 

Long Road
Your good wishes keep me going, and in turn Will is progressing ... yup, he is getting better and better everyday. 

He enjoyed playtime today, and many small meals. He is bouncing back slowly. We are all so worried that it could happen again and are taking all precautions, and monitoring him so closely. 

He, of course, doesn't understand any of this, and loves the attention. He loves the love and really doesn't care what we are doing to him. He has tolerated countless injections, sub Q fluids, Iv fluids, pills and force-feeding. All with respect, and loyalty, never once questioning our reasons, and never with so much as a snarl. He allows us to carry him, poke and prod. For a dog with such a terrible start to life, he seems to have forgiven it all. A lesson to us in forgiveness perhaps. Wish I had the same ability - the search for "his dumpers" never far from my mind and continues.

On a happy note, thank you Leanne for your visit today, and your donation to the "Will Bills" fund. Thank you for your words of support and compassion.

If you sent me a prayer or a donation and have not heard from me; my apologies. I will get back to you as soon as I can.

Almost Out of the Woods
Thank you all! I am brought to tears every time I get your messages and prayers for Will. 

He is very much loved and in the thoughts of so many of you. Please continue to keep Will in your thoughts and prayers it seems to be working. I really do tell him how much you love him AND give him all the details. I sit with him and tell him of your emails while waiting for the bag of fluids to empty. 

I am so pleased to give you some good news. It seems as though he is returning to us, slowly but surely. Today it was not about counting mls., or teaspoons (we passed those markers at breakfast), but it was about counting quarter cans, (we almost did a full can of food today) and a cup of water. Will has come a long way ... literally, this boy came out of his sick room to meet me this morning and has leapt himself out of two IV's! (uh, who needs'em right good boy). The bum wiggles are slowly coming back and the boy is starving! He would really like us to give him the cat's food, the cookies, the garbage and whatever else smells like it could be eaten. Try telling a starving dog not to eat. Now that is sad. In time, he will get that feast I promised him. 

He is not out of the woods, but has definitely made my Valentine's Day a lot brighter. I am a witness to the power of love and prayer that is for sure!

Another Long Day
Thank you for your thoughts, prayers and kind words of support. Please keep sending them. I will be posting them so we can read them during the day to keep us going.

Another long day, which I think was twelve straight hours of working with our boy Will. We were there real early, and I literally climbed in the cage with him, and stayed most of the day (sleep over anyone?). We have all spent so much time talking and loving him, and promising him the world. Luckily, the prayers, the work, the kind words and loving may be helping. Things may have improved today. 

Will successfully ate (it went down and did not come up) FOUR teaspoons of Gastro canned. I know that is such a tiny amount, but hey that is more than he has had in as many days. He also had 12 cc's of rebound (a meal replacement) and that too stayed down. I held my breath which each spoonful, and then rubbed his head and ears, and his muzzle to keep it in. When he actually indicated he wanted to eat, I cried. He is peeing A LOT (with the success of IV drips he has had non-stop since he got sick) and it is clear, blood free, and smells like he is going to make it. A sign of his small success. 

Please keep those prayers coming, I know they are helping.

Will Needs Your Prayers
It pains me to write this as I am tired, frustrated and so emotionally exhausted. Will is terribly sick. He has been terribly sick since Saturday. His upset tummy from Friday just got worse and worse, and has become a serious situation. He has not held down a meal since Thursday, and has been hooked up to an IV on and off. Unfortunately, his veins are weak, and are not holding the IV line properly. 

We have made three trips to the vet now, and we are all stumped. All our efforts are keeping him alive, but he is failing to thrive.

As you can see in the picture, Will has been put in isolation and my heart is broken as I have to tell you he may not make it and I was so hopeful and positive. We have come so far together. 

I must ask for your help. Will needs your prayers. We know this boy has a guardian angel to help get him through this.

He has such great opportunities out there for him, and also a new home. 

I pray that Will makes it - he is such a good boy.

They're Back
GOT'EM! Can you imagine me, jumping up and down, screaming, border line hysterical, and so full of excitement.

First, we did get that cat from yesterday which started things off pretty good, as he was in serious need of being rescued from the streets, and I was certain he did not have much time. Although he was a little better off then my friend Kisco who was near death when we found him, but not by much. Is anyone missing a longhaired gray, neutered male. Potentially he has been out a long long time, but in this weather it is hard to say.

Now for the best part .. and my apologies this will be long ... but without the whole story, you won't get the full effect...

Will had a sore tummy, I believe we overdid it on the treats and attention yesterday, so we were keeping a careful eye on him today. He sat with his head on our laps for most of the day. Not feeling well, he just kind of laid around, and enjoyed the cuddles. It was a busy day, with many calls and a couple came in to look at the dogs, and then the cats as they were considering a new pet. I directed them to the dog room, and never thought twice about it. But before they could do anything, a miracle happened ... Will bolted out from behind the desk and he ran to them, tail wagging, and I said "wow he really likes you", odd, he is normally so shy", and I followed it with - "it's like he knows you". Then I realized who I was talking to ... you bet - in the flesh - they totally fit the description. They went into the dog room and I ran (honestly) to grab a vehicle check ... and you bet an old Chevy was sitting in our small parking lot. So, I am filled with rage, anger, frustration and seriously - complete excitement as I know I had them. I will pretend they grew a conscience and wondered about their friend, and not that they were really here to adopt another animal (the thought of that makes me sick). I LOVE that they gave me their name and phone number so that I could contact them when a dog "just like this one" (Will) comes in. Thanks for that. I love that they confirmed they had children, and live in town. Thanks for that. It broke my heart to see Will follow them to the door and watch them leave the Shelter. He still wants to be with you... if only he knew what you had done.

I look forward to seeing you soon!

Frostbite and Poisoning
As the blizzards continue, the Shelter has been bombarded with weather concerns. 

Although, I have made it a personal mission to try to keep them all safe, today, the Shelter had an injured stray cat call, and we are not sure what happened (something terrible to his hind leg). We also had another call about a starving cat, and we are hoping he returned home, as he was no longer around when we arrived.

Concerns about sore dog feet, frostbite, and cold weather issues have prompted the need for me to go over cold weather concerns:

1. It is way too cold outside for an animal, if your pet MUST be outside (and I am not sure I know why) please be sure there is a warm up spot. Shelter from the wind, and a source of heat would be even better. It takes very little time in this cold for your pet to freeze. Tips of the ears, tail, and toes can freeze in minutes! 

2. Shelters built outside must be dry ... otherwise the pet's wet fur will become ice, remember urine is water. 

3. Water freezes, please be certain your pet has access to moving or heated water. Snow does not count as water and ice will lower your pet's temperature, plus many won't eat ice to quench thirst.

4. Food that freezes is also not very likely to be eaten. They won't eat what they can't smell.

5. If your dog is tied BE CERTAIN the chain does not tangle or get frozen to the ground, or does not permit the dog from reaching safety.

6. Please know that a parked car is a great shelter for animals in the cold. Please check under it and bang on the hood before starting your engine (I don't want to tell you about that story).

7. Antifreeze is poison, as is most washer fluids, transmission additives, and any deicer. Keep an eye on spills and know your pet may want to consume it as it is sweet tasting - store it properly.

8. De-icers are often used on roads and are poison. Your pet may consume this while licking to warm their cold toes! Use protection on the feet and wipe the feet when you come inside.

Snowed-In
I couldn't take it anymore. I had to get to town, two days was too many with my pals to see. My concern was mostly for Will, as I was thinking of him as the snow kept falling. The staff do an awesome job, and I knew all was well, but I needed to see them how everyone was getting on. 

We battled the snow, the slips and the wind and snowdrifts, and I am so glad that we did! A wonderful Happy Tail came in from an old friend Decker - the pup who broke my nose! Turns out, she is doing fantastic, besides failing puppy class (my nose would have bet on that). Check her out on the happy tails. 

As expected, my friends are all better than fine, with Kisco, soon to be up for adoption, all fat and friendly now!I still cannot believe how far this boy has come - he was dead!

And Will has proven himself to be an excellent pal as well, a little fatter and quiet, but he has developed an excited wiggle, and skip when you call him. A real happy boy now, who can sit and shake both paws and lie down. Smart boy ... learns fast.

It was worth the struggle to get in, and now I can rest better tonight, knowing they are thriving. I think missing a day perhaps made the changes that much more obvious. I am very happy. Thrilled actually!

Blizzard
And it snows, and it snows and it snows. 

I have been thinking the entire weekend about my friend Will. I was pretty sure that if we had not caught him he would not be around until Monday, and now I am positive after the weekend weather we just had.

Not only Will, but I am thinking of the other pets who spend their lives outside and may not be sheltered from this weather. I am sending warm wishes their way and hope it keeps them well and that this cold spell stops. 

It was a trying Sunday, getting to town without the roads entirely plowed. We did take precautions in the event Monday continued to be as bad, with extra care given to the animals, extra bedding, extra food, extra love'ns. Thoughts of the ice storm last year and the power outages were in my mind, and I filled the tub with water just in case (farm girl remembers this trick). 

The weather continued to be horrid on Monday and I did not make it in, our road, is still closed as I type ... however I have a fantastic staff, who happen to live around the corner! Not only did Candice and Sandi manage to care for everyone, they even were open for business, and managed to adopt out a kitten! 

Less business at the Shelter, meant playtime for all the creatures (hey, boss is away so play), for my friends it likely was a better day?

Will
I have named him Will. That lucky boy with such a strong will to run to survive. Anyone who runs 30+ hours in the snow to get home has some pretty serious will power. The name suits him - no goofy name for this boy.

Sandi stayed with him until 8:00 pm to ensure everything was OK and to comfort him. He did not eat last night, but I am certain it was just his need to sleep, the shock of it all and not to mention his new surroundings. 

He has now filled his belly (little meals) and is beginning to move around so much better. As the picture shows (below), he is malnourished, a little cautious of his new surroundings and the people here. Maybe our excitement at getting him into the Shelter was a little overwhelming? It felt like déjà vu for me, as I remember my friend Kisco going through the same thing. 

Soon the pup will be over the worst part, I know he can overcome this. If anyone can it will be this tough guy. 

Searching
WE HAVE HIM! We have a witness who said that "he saw a women in a dark chevy". This witness has placed you at the scene, and watched the dog chase your car for miles, while you sped away. Anyone in the area who may have seen this dark older car, with a dark heavy set women around 23rd St East at approximately 9:30 am Thursday Feb 1/07, please call me at 519-372-1123.

It is now 5:20 pm, and we have him! Thank you Paula, for your time and help ... you caught him! Ironically, the pup had stopped to chew on some deer parts (which I will deal with later) and Paula grabbed him! A stranger driving by stopped to help, and within minutes, I had him in my van. 

He collapsed with the warmth and I am sure pure exhaustion ... and now our journey can begin together. Will as I now call him is only a pup, four to five months, Rottweiler and Lab/Shepherd mix. 

When he met my daughter I saw his face light up, clearly a child's pet ... his tail wagging when he saw her and he approached. Makes me ill thinking about how the pup has been mistreated, but I am now concentrating on all the happy stuff. 

Thank you Paula ... your the best ... wanna job?
~Update~
It is now 4:34 pm, and it has been a long day for my running friend, who can still run. He has covered a great area, as we have been called to the Heritage Mall, across from the mall and even to 9th Ave. E. to retrieve him (this is about 3-4 city blocks). He is traveling through open fields in the snow, and always returns to the place he seems to know. 

Many people have mentioned their concerns for him, have tried to catch him and offered help, tips and prayers. I hope tomorrow is a better day for this poor soul.

If for any reason you are able to capture this poor pup tonight, please don't hesitate to call.
~Update~
It is 9:30 am, and the wandering dog and I have just had another romp in the snow. 

I was immediately relieved when I took sight of him this morning, but was disgusted at the same time in knowing he has now been running 24 hours. 

He allowed me to approach a little closer, close enough to know he is a young male and likely a Shepherd/Rottweiler. I spoke kind words to him, and moved so very slow, but his fear is still moving him to run. If I could have willed him into my arms I would have, and I wished with all my might, but unfortunately my will is not that powerful. 

This is a plea to the owner of the dog, in the off chance you may read this, please go to him, it is you he is searching for. Take him out of the cold, and bring him here, where he can find warmth and shelter. I will not hassle you, and you will be given respect. Please do what is right for him!

Lost 'n Cold
I am typing this at 3 pm today, a little earlier than normal, as I have something important to tell you. 

My pants are in the dryer (thanks Candice for the use of the spare scrubs) and my boots are filled with snow and drying. I have just spent the last hour running through waist-deep snow searching for a dog who is searching for the owner who clearly has dumped him here at the Shelter.

When I arrived at the Shelter early this morning I saw him at the corner, I attempted to catch him, failed and have been trying ever since. His foot prints can be seen in the snow where he runs back and forth and back and forth - clearly not sure where he is to go, and clearly not a stray. You can tell that he is scared, won't come to anyone and at the time of writing this, he will be quite cold. 

His paws were bleeding, and I was following the droplets in the snow. Sweetie and I, along with Sandi, tried to track the dog, actually with some success, but we were not successful in locating him. 

We ran fast through the snow, and now I think I know how that poor boy feels. 

On the slight chance he is a stray, is anyone missing a black and tan Shep mix? This runner is the second dropped at the Shelter today. When I arrived this morning another was tied to the front of the Shelter. 

It could be possible that the pair were originally together. Anyone missing a Walker Hound, male about two years old? Thank goodness the one tied to the building is now in from the cold, and not stressed out or running.

I'm hoping the other pup can find his way to us or his owner real soon.

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