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.

I spent the last two days watching the clock. Busy, busy days with some fabulous adoptions like Mya, Bella, Cuddles, and Geronimo; to name just a few. 

But, I wasn't expecting the next two to happen any time soon, and really couldn't stand the suspense. I have no patience, hate surprises and knowing what was coming didn't make it any easier.

Today, finally at almost closing time (you know I had to get those tricker treaters going) ... I almost missed it - Nacho my dear sweet Nacho, and my pal Decker (whom I will never forget thanks to that permanent bump on my nose - check out my broke nose blog), were adopted and received the best homes.

Decker came to the Shelter, as an active, wiggly, jumpy pup with no manners and little training. When she became too much for her owner to handle he put her outside and she became an "outdoor dog" (chained dog). This was a temporary solution which did not fix anything. When people came to visit, she jumped on them and at them, she was so excited to see them (all this at the end of a chain). The petting encouraged it and the situation never changed, thus the knock'em over habit was developed. Her contact with neighbourhood children was minimal and they threw stones at her, and the dogs Decker met were a threat. Fortunately, her owner did care enough to want more for her (or was it the landlord who cared about the dog barking??). The owner's words to me were "she needs a farm, and someone to spend time with her and teach her things". Today, this is what she got. It took a great deal of effort to get her to settle down and this is due in part thanks to our "dog runner" who walked and ran with her every day! Decker left wearing a halti and walking perfectly - it brought tears to my eyes. I know her day tomorrow will be fun filled and with plenty of fields to run in. 

And then there is Nacho... he was injured and then captured wild off the streets. He too had been mistreated and neglected. It took months to gain his trust, and tons of effort to make him enjoy attention. As an injured cat his only handling was to be treated and this did not help his situation. Ironically, the woman who trapped him, who knew he needed help and loved him enough to save him took him home today. Seems that her elder cat recently passed and the other day she came looking for a new friend to fill the void. To see her surprise she noticed a cat rubbing her legs which resembled the cat she once fed on the streets. You know, Nacho's health and confident personality showed off our good work and his adoptability. 

Today, Nacho became a part of her family. This was something Nacho has never known, but I am sure he will love it. 

Good luck to both; enjoy your new families.

Trick or Treat
Stopped by to see my Strathcona pals today with my newest friend Misty. I thought the kids might like to meet her. It was a great surprise to see Halloween treats all packaged, wrapped and ready for my four legged friends. Those kids sure think of everything! 

A reminder, however, of the big night ahead, and a reminder to tell people to start preparing and not just with the little ghosts and gobblins. Remember that chocolate can be fatal to pets and to store those human treats in a safe place. Most pets snoop and even non-chocolate snacks can cause sore tummies. 

Halloween night is a scary time for dogs with all those visitors dressed up so ghoulishly ... so, keep your dogs away from the door to keep all people and pets safe. Know that dogs will bark, and even the nicest dogs will not take too kindly to those scary beings at their door or in their home. Prepare now for places that will be safe for your pets. Think about the door opening and closing and remember to confine your cats too. It is hard to chase them in the dark and the roads will be filled with strangers which will make it even harder to find them if they get out. 

This is a plea to keep cats indoors for the nights leading up to Halloween as it is not uncommon to hear of cats painted, shaved or worse. Always keep a keen eye on your four legged friends. 

I would prefer to spend my Halloween trick or treating with my kids than retrieving pets :)

Princess
Today, I met a princess wearing her royal purple jacket, new shiny collar and purple matching leash. 

Her highness, formally known as Dotty, and now Princess Lexi came to the Shelter all dressed to the max. Well loved and with a new lease on life. It was great to see her smile and itch free (her poor skin has healed) and in dapper new duds to keep her warm on her long walks. She was thrilled to show them off and so proud of herself. 

I was so proud of her new parents for keeping her despite her odds. AND then, for the best part, a celebration for the whole family, as those 'cancer' remarks made following her adoption turned out to be nothing more than a bad rumour. She tested clear on all her bumps which turned out to be just dog bumps and nothing to fear. 

I hope that was not the reason "those people" (and we know who you are) tossed her away. Although, if it was, all I can say is ha, ha, ha! Lucky for Lexi, she found a new family who cared regardless of her health status and who will now give her love unconditionally.

Adopt an Older Pet
I had another senior dog brought in today. I'm beginning to think I am getting quite a collection. 

Watch for Kia a 10-11 year old hound mix (her previous owner called her a Hushpuppy hound... remember those old advertisements about the Hush Puppy Shoes - she looks just like that dog). It breaks my heart to see her shiver and shake and vomit in the cage. Another old dog under unnecessary stress. I will help her get through it ... she has to! When they are older I worry about how their body reacts to the pressure and stress of being at the Shelter.

Here's hoping her stay with us will be short, and that there is someone out there looking for an older dog to love.

Poor Rex is still off his food, and Katie loves us all, but really would rather be with her people playing ball.

On a paws-ative note, Pawsh was adopted today. She is a senior cat who needed a quiet senior home. Ironically, ( I love it when that happens) a women came in to replace her 16 year old Turkish Angora. I just happened to have one... odd how things work out.

Older pets are excellent and low maintenance ... and have lots of love to give. Think about adopting an older pet today...

Stray vs. Feral
It has always been a challenge to deal with feral cats. Todd and I keep our no kill motto - we always need to think and cross our fingers when a stray who is wild comes to the facility.  

A feral cat is a "wild cat" a cat not domesticated, unsocialized, and has no idea how to  be a pet.  We only happen upon a few each year, a handful  or so (odd really since more than half our cats are "strays" - lets not go there with this blog). Few people realize that our beloved mascot Llyle was once feral and wild and after his big snip and TLC, he is the perfect cat to rule the Shelter. These cats are easy to recognize with their  bulging eyes and the way they bounce off the walls of the cage, as they don't understand boundaries (much like a wild bird who gets into the house); they hiss and spit and are down right hard to manage. With each one that comes in, we debate the "is this fair? what should we do? will we run out of room with this cat here? will they be with us for months" (it's always a thought about safety for both the cat and the public). Luckily, my father has a farm, and many who are over-stressed, are altered then become farm cats. He never sees them during daylight hours (thankfully, for my sake), but know we all know they are safe and happy. 

Tina was a borderline feral. A found cat, slightly tamed by someone who hoped to re-home her and brought to the Shelter as an unsocialized, scaredy cat. She started to socialize, enough to be spayed, and then tolerated that so well, moved on to find a loving family home. I was so thrilled to find her a family, and then heartbroken when Tina was returned for hiding under the bed ... aaaaaaaaaaaargh. Last week a women passing through caught Tina's  attention, and something magical happened. Tina now very giving and loving, but still a little stand-offish began to call and meow for attention. Tina called to come out of the cage, crawled up into this woman's arms and rubbed her body all over this lady. It was definitely love at first sight. I was in awe and pleased to see Tina give her heart to someone other than the Shelter staff. 

Today, this lady returned after thinking about Tina all this time, and Tina was thrilled to see her back, almost as much as I was. A great ending, Tina now a house cat, and me  feeling pretty good about homing ferals. 

Turkey Anyone?
I'm sure a few of you out there wondered why we had a kitten by the name of 'Turkey'? Well, here's the scoop...

On Thanksgiving Sunday, right in the middle of Thanksgiving dinner, the pager went off. It was the city police, and as it turns out there was a young kitten dropped at their station. Luckily, they were good enough to wait (so we could finish eating) before we made a run over there. So, that little miss was named Turkey, due to the way we were feeling about going into town after our supper and a little about the occasion.

And then, on Thanksgiving Monday, we were blessed with another turkey dinner, and you betcha another page. This time a young couple with a puppy they were tired of keeping, and could not wait a minute longer to get rid of it.

We explained that we would not make a special trip into town and that they could come to the Shelter on Tuesday - it was not an emergency, and I was really trying to avoid making it too easy for them. No call came in on Tuesday and wouldn't you just bet that a few days later that puppy was picked up running the streets.

Ironically, today was the day both of these pets went home! Turkey's lovely tale might have been her selling feature, I know the kids loved the name, and I know that it was a keeper.

Thanks guys for the chocolate Turkey to celebrate the occasion of kitty going home.

Now, they are adopted and I can celebrate for both!

Odie
A little love goes a long long way. Two months ago, we had a little bald butt Shih Tzu, with a terrible flea allergy, and parasites. An older dog, at nine, it was uncertain the outcome of this dog with what is often termed "Elephant Skin" - the result of damage to the follicles with years of itching. I had no idea the cause of his itch other than the lack of care he had been given, and I could only guess what the end result would be for this fella and his bad itch.

You know how I love upates ... well, today, I was totally dumbfounded, speechless, and in shock when a little Shih Tzu walked through the doors for his update. 

I did not recognize him, and this is not common for me, I remember them all. I actually asked who it was and the shocker came when she said "why it's Odie" - remember his picture? (click on his picture below ... you're going to love this):

Wow... I had no idea hair could grow that fast. He is so much lighter in colour too - just amazing. She wasn't kidding when she said she knew what she was doing! And she was thrilled to share this.

The best part is that he looks, and acts ten years younger! If it hadn't been for his extra skin on his hiney, I wouldn't have believed her. He looked good, was happy and feeling great too! What a difference!

Dotty
An emotional roller coaster once again, and by the end of the day I was quite exhausted, mentally mostly, and warn out (thanks to UKA Self Defense, this did not last too long ... great stress relief). The day started with court preparations for cats dropped in July. Time consuming, and requires quite a bit of leg and brain work. 

Mid- morning I received a miserable email about my dear Dotty. Dotty came in as a stray and I have no information on her. Sheeba's family, who regularly volunteer, loved Dotty, adopted her and took her home. Now, this email gave me some answers into Dotty's history, for instance, they knew Dotty was dying of cancer and that the new owners would like to know this.

Poor Dotty was dumped as a "stray" because someone couldn't be bothered to care for her or couldn't trouble themselves to tell us about her health problem? Thank Goodness that her new home loves her more than these people ever did, and will not abandon her now that she needs them so much.

I would like to send out a plea for help, as I am trying to locate Dotty's health records. If anyone knows where she has been please let me know; for her sake and her quality of life. I need to know the degree of her illness so a vet will know how to treat her. 

Please contact me at 519-372-1123 or send me an email at osas@bmts.com.

Fool Me...
I have been in this business long enough that not only can I read animals quite well, but I have learned to read people even better. 

The other day a man entered with a "stray dog he found at the mall" and I quickly had my suspicions. As protocol dictates I had him fill out a stray animal surrender. This being a form that lists the animals information, the finders information, and then sign it to swear that the 'said' animal is in fact a stray. While he was filling this out, I did notice the leash the dog was wearing, and the way they watched each other. I also noticed the way he knew this dog's breed, and quite frankly I was uncertain of the combination myself. I also noted the way he shuffled his feet and took his time filling it out the form. He claimed he "had no drivers license" and I also noted he had driven himself to the Shelter. I did not fall for the phony name, or the address which does not exist in the city (I know them all by heart). I took note of his license plate, however, and smiled as he walked out the door leaving his dog full of mange behind. As I searched for ID on the dog, it lunged at my face confirming this dog did not like strangers and likely would not travel with one. 

I loved that I traced the plate, and loved it even more when not only did I find his address, but his landlord and contact information. How pleased with myself I was when the landlord confirmed this was his dog, and when he told me the dog was aggressive I was relieved I had figured it all out. Did he think we would just adopt this dog out. What if we had? What if this dog hurt someone? Or passed his skin problem onto others? 

When he came to retrieve his dog, I was slightly saddened, for what kind of a person this must be who rips off the animal shelter? I did get relief in knowing a vet appointment was arranged (and confirmed by myself) and that the dog would be treated tomorrow. Here's hoping for the best outcome for this dog, at least the losers that tried to dump him got what they deserved.

Now, I will continue to watch these people, I will be riding them which unfortunately means that they have made my bad book. I will be ensuring that this dog is cared for. Tomorrow, I will be checking in with the vet, and probably the SPCA as well. I will be keeping them in my sight from now on.

They're Here!!!
They have arrived! I am excited to see them and I will be equally excited to see them all go...

The great "I Am A Lifesaver" bracelets are here and in a variety of colours ... red, pink, purple, blue, orange and yellow. I think I will need to purchase more than one for every outfit! Hope everyone else feels the same .... oh no, maybe we didn't purchase enough ...

On another fundraising note, a great opportunity was presented to the Shelter today, and has been booked for Saturday morning, December 9th. A pet "Bling Fling" is being offered from PetValu to do pet tag engraving. With each tag sold, $2.00 goes to the Spay/Neuter Fund. The tags are great and adds a little bit of bling to your pet's life. More details will be coming soon. Might be a great way to make your pet jingle for Christmas.

Freaky Friday
The day flew by today. Actually the whole week did, but today it seemed to be a struggle to stay on top of things.

The weather didn't seem to cooperate either. We had snow, but not as bad as our neighbours to the south. So, for a Friday the 13th, I guess we made it through without too many weird things happening (glad I didn't get my snow shovel out just yet).

Katie was the radio star, and I do think she was the best behaved yet. She did a few tricks, and curled up to go to sleep. Quite comfortable entertaining. I remember that about Katie well. I have known Katie since she was just a mature pup. Way more active, and on the go then, but always willing to please and to want love. She has been in and out a few times since then, NOT her fault ever, once was a divorce, once they lost their home, once they were moving, once they had a baby, once they had no time for her. 

Breaks my heart really to look into those eyes, and to see that face and to know she is homeless again.

Lights Out
So we were a little late getting started this morning at the Shelter - errands to run, a cat to pick up, etc., etc. So, instead of our usual 9:00 am start it was more like 10:30 ... a real bummer as the power went out at 10:45. Ever tried cleaning cages in the dark? I must admit that I do know the cages off by heart, every inch has been well memorized, however, it is very tricky to maneuver around live animals who are very interested in my cautious movements, which made things more difficult. What a riot! By 11:30 a quick trip to the dollar store had us knee-deep in candles, however, this provided little relief and can be a fire hazard (cats love to chase shadows). This really changed nothing but made it a little more romantic (??romantic cleaning??). With no hydro, the air was off and the place was way more stinky, with a great deal of air freshener around the desk area. Relief came as the hydro kicked in by 12:30 - plenty of time to get things tidy and the air moving ... phew ... literally! I was worried about not letting people in, as I was expecting some visits today (not so safe to do that without hydro).

Congrats go to JoJo who has gone to live with Lucky (aka Louis) who by the way is doing wonderfully and Lucky never hid even once!! And to Marina who has found a family of her own.

Fortunately, no complaints about the condition of the Shelter (after hydro outage), guess we pulled it off!

Surprised
It has been a long time since we have done it, and today when it happened, I must admit I was taken by surprise.

Today I adopted out a cat who was not altered. It is very rare to find someone who is prepared to pay for the surgery themselves. WOW! So, on that note, I would like to mention to those people who are looking for a cat and do not find it on the web site, let me know as there are others available.

Congrats to my girl who stayed with me so long, was on my list for the vet, and who is now #1 on someone else's list.

More Thanksgiving
I think I held my breath today ... would it be possible? 

Mr. Wiggles had his appointment for blood work, exam and test results at noon. He left just before, and did not return until almost 1:00 pm. I paced and rushed around trying to keep busy while I waited for the results. What a stress that was. Turned out it was all worth while. Mr. Wiggles failed his test (it was negative), which means he passed and can go home tomorrow! Happy dance! On another note, it was noticed he has some damage to his ear drum, not sure how or why, but this may be part of his wiggle problem. Not fixable but good to know. 

I had a wonderful visit from my dear friend Shelby, remember him? red dog, special needs, extra lump he needed removed. Well, he looks great, and now sports the microchip which makes it all final. He has lost some hair (runs in the burrs) and has gained tons of muscle (runs with the horses) and looks so happy. Glad to see him, happier to see him go home again, forever. 

Kelso was also adopted today thanks to PetValu, and tomorrow we will send Garfield. A few cats in, and two chinchillas out (the adopters had waited years to find a pair to take home) ... another successful day.

Thanksgiving
The Shelter was closed today, but as always I spend the holidays with my pals. A pleasure to make sure they are given special treats and Thanksgiving wishes (and today we cleaned drains too? lol). 

We are so thankful for your great support and encouragement. Thank you today and everyday.

You are helping me make a difference in their lives!

Mr. Wiggles
It was all about Mr.Wiggles today, from about 8:00 am until 7:00 pm this evening. Mr.Wiggles has had the best day, and I know he will sleep well tonight. He has had so much love, and people just can't get enough of him. Something I really like to see as he has been the rejected cat for so long. 

Bob and Diana loved him, and no wonder as he rolled and wiggled and purred, and even allowed tummy rubs. We stopped by to see my friends at Strathcona, so they could visit with the Superstar (the cat that is) before we headed off to Rogers. At Rogers he met a special friend, and it was love at first sight. Turns out Chris has always wanted a wiggly cat... why?? ... to name it Melvin of course. They spent 20 minutes kissing and hugging, quite literally as Mr. Wiggles wrapped himself around her neck. Unfortunately, Chris has a cat at home. Fortunately, we have spent the day chatting with veterinarians and some blood work will determine if he is contagious, or any risk to the cat at her home. 

Luckily, there was some money donated recently which will cover this :). So, if Mr. Wiggles does not go before Tuesday. He goes for the test - passes and he will go home with Chris. If he doesn't pass, well he will stay with me. 

Strathcona School - Pennies for Pets
I was once again humbled this week by the support this community gives me. In a normally thankless job, I am so blessed to not only be thanked, but supported and encouraged.

This week another "Pennies for Pets" fundraiser held by Strathcona School raised two thousand dollars for the Shelter, and that is a ton of pennies! I should mention that this is a senior school of grade 7's and 8's and is only about 300 students. How terrific is that. The hard work and dedication is appreciated so very much, and has touched us all very deeply. Thank you to all of you.

A thank you to everyone who donated pennies, or any of your change, a thank you to Dollarama, and Looney Tooney for providing the coin rollers to put it all into, thank you to the Mix 106 as always for your support, especially Jamie Johnston who went the extra mile. Thank you to Family Ties restaurant and Little Caesars Pizza for the donation jar in their store for a week. Thanks to National Grocer for the donation of pet food, Nothern Sanitation for the deal on the deodorizer, and sanitizer. Thanks to the Wired Mouse for the great big cheque which looks fabulous on my wall. The biggest thank you to Staples for the excellent comfy cozy totally washable and non hair gathering leather office chair.
The kids spent half of the monies raised on treats, toys, latex gloves, paper and get a fax machine/ copier/ printer... we needed that so bad!

The dogs are getting Cooleroo beds! Six of them, all our elderly will be sooo comfy soon. Boxes and boxes of blankets, and sheets, towels, and boxes of plastic bags, and even a crate was donated!

They really thought of everything, including a donation to the Midland SPCA, which was destroyed by fire in August, a great way to share, as what goes around comes around, I know they need it too.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart, and from the hearts of all my friends, who will be having a better life, waiting for their turn to come to go to their forever homes. You have made a difference in their life, and in mine.

Children Make the Best Allies
What an excellent month for the Shelter... and an excellent year it is turning out to be! The Strathcona School children... only Grade 7 and 8's raised $2,000.00 dollars! They presented the Shelter with a cheque for $1,000.00 dollars and the rest went towards much needed supplies and a fax machine. So much, from so many who care.

And, Jake was adopted today as well as the two kittens together (the kittens rescuer is paying for the spay fees) ... yipee! Another great day. Also Sweetie was adopted too! Must have been her great Strathcona performance, as she behaved so very well.

Now for Mr. Wiggles!

Names Make the Cat
King Louis was given his chance today to be royalty. Now an only child, and an only pet this lucky street cat is now going to be spoiled the way he should.

A stray someone had tried to gain the trust of, and then finally captured, it took us months to gain his love and trust and finally today it all paid off. I wanted so much more for King Louis than to roam the streets and knew that if we put the effort into him it would all pay off... Phew, glad that worked out. I named him a royal name with that hope in mind? So pleased to see him go. Good luck big boy.

Maggie and Buddy found great country homes too, a great break from the computer stress that was putting a damper on my day.

It took ALL DAY to get that slide show ready. Thank you Keith for finally completing that job for me well after 6:00 pm. Computers are clearly not my thing. Looking forward to a great day tomorrow, and friends to share it with. Makes it all worth while!

Pennies for Pets
The countdown is on... Wednesday is pennies for pets! I am excited, although kind of nervous at the same time and that seldom happens! 

I have chatted briefly with Mrs. Gardener about the what the Shelter needs (stuff we might want, our wishes), etc. She really won't tell me and I can't wait...

I can tell she is excited. They did such a fabulous job last time and just two classes, it left me speechless (when does that ever happen??). I heard that this is going to be a big event and bigger and better than last time. I spent time preparing a slide show, a speech to avoid the uh... um... uh... thanks... - syndrom that happened last time... (hate that!) I am working hard on the slide show which I will continue to check over and erase, delete add, cut and copy, and then delete again - until I'm happy with it. How do I say 'you have made a difference in more ways than I can describe and that you have touched me deeply'. 

My goal is to work with the community, to serve the community and to loose the "dog catcher image" - does this mean success? Hey perhaps I will use that...

Comments
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Adopt an Older Pet

My heart just broke reading about Kia, you have to wonder why people would give up a lovely old girl. I hope they had a really good reason and I sincerely hope you can find someone to take her home soon. 

Cathy 
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Posted by: Cathy  | Oct 25, 2006 at 3:52 PM

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