Serving the animals and citizens of Iowa County and its surrounding communities
The carefree days of summer…they are going by way too fast. Some people say that once the 4th of July is over, summer is half over; I refuse to think about that belief! As far as the weather goes, it has been a nice summer thus far. More rain than recent summers; it’s great not to have to water the flower beds and garden every day. My favorite part of summer is having more daylight; although now that the summer solstice has come and gone, the days are getting shorter. I won’t think about that either. Instead let’s think about the summer’s county fairs…As you read this letter it is important to remember that I am a volunteer and these are MY thoughts.
I am so grateful to whoever had the brilliant idea of pairing shelter dogs with 4-H kids. It is a GREAT opportunity for these dogs to receive some training in obedience and showmanship as well as maneuver an agility course. But it is not just that…it is also GREAT for these dogs to have some time away from ICHS. ICHS residents, JoJo and Cody, were in the program last year. Buddy, Duke, Josie and Lorenzo (yes, Lorenzo) are participating this year for the first time. JoJo, Cody, Josie and Buddy are being fostered by their handlers. The dogs, their handlers and the project leaders meet at the Iowa County Fairgrounds on Monday evenings. I attended a recent Monday evening training session. I was curious to see what the Dog Project was all about, but I was especially interested in how the ICHS dogs behaved with their young handlers. I was impressed! As a spectator, if I wouldn’t have known which dogs were ICHS dogs, I wouldn’t have had a clue that they came from the shelter. JoJo was absolutely phenomenal! She was so ‘tuned into’ her handler. To be honest, she didn’t even look like the JoJo that I know from the shelter. She was truly a sight to behold – both in appearance and behavior. Now, Buddy – the little rat terrier- I hardly recognized him. He was actually QUIET and wholly paying attention to the young girl who was handling him. Amazing! And to see him negotiate the obstacle course; some of those jumps were taller than he was!!! Cody’s handler was unable to attend on Monday evening; however, it just so happened that I had invited my neighbor, Renae, to accompany me to the fairgrounds. Since we had an extra dog and an extra teenager, Karolyn asked Renae to handle Cody. Keep in mind that Renae had never seen Cody before but he performed very well (as did Renae). He was so proud running the agility course and showing off to those of us watching. It almost appeared that he could have run the course without a handler. Although some of the ICHS dogs may be going to the state show(s), all 6 of these ICHS dogs will be participating at the Iowa County Fair. I encourage you to fit this event into your busy schedule.
Now on to a more somber note…it is GREAT that 6 ICHS dogs get to participate in the 4-H Dog Project. If only more of them would have a similar opportunity…Cheri has been working on the “Extreme Shelter Dog Makeover, Iowa County Edition†which was introduced in the last newsletter (see May Newsletter for details). The plan was to have this event underway by now, but it isn’t quite ‘a go’ at this time. But, again, when the Makeover does occur, only 6 dogs will participate. All of the dogs at ICHS need socialization, companionship and exercise. The 5 minute walks (morning and afternoon) are not enough. So…I’m back to the thought of “the club†which I brought up in past newsletters. The following are my thoughts...
-As many of you know, ICHS will (probably) be relocating. With that in mind, it is difficult to plan “the club†until we know more about location, space available, timing, etc.
- By “club†– I am thinking this could be both ‘formal’ and ‘informal’. People would choose a ‘suitable’ dog. Some people might prefer to simply walk “their†dog while others might prefer to work “their†dog on obedience, agility, etc.
- A ‘trainer’ would be needed to help those who want to ‘work’ the dog.
- Let’s assume that there are 25 ICHS dogs. It would be impossible to get 25 people to turn out 3-4 times a week. Even if we were talking one night a week, it would be difficult to get 25 people to the shelter on the same night. So…it seems (to me) that the solution would be to have LOTS and LOTS of volunteers. Each person would sign up for one dog one day per week (doing the math that means 75-100 volunteers). Each dog would have a ‘log’ in which the volunteers would record the session’s accomplishments.
- This “club†would probably meet in the evenings so a staff member would have to be available. Some people might prefer to walk in the afternoons which would be fine. However, evenings would be better for the dogs. The dogs are in their kennels from 4:30 p.m. until 8:00 a.m. – that’s a long night!
- These dogs really do need more than a temporary home – they need VOLUNTEER support. I know that we are all busy and most of us don’t live in Dodgeville so it is added time and expense to drive to the shelter. BUT…if we could get enough volunteers, we would only be talking ONE time a week for people, but 3-4 sessions for the dogs.
- I have rambled on long enough, but the ICHS dogs need YOUR help. If we could start a dialogue about this (rather than my monologue), that would be great. I know that there are a lot of obstacles to this “club†idea, but it is ‘doable’. What are your ideas?
And… let’s not forget about the cats. They don’t get enough socialization and playtime either. Living in a 2’x 3’ foot cage 24/7 isn’t what these cats need. Part of the problem in socializing the cats is that there is not enough space to socialize more than one or two at a time. Volunteers who spend time with the cats who reside in the ‘cat rooms’ can play and pet several at once. However, when it comes to the cats living in the cages, only one cat can be out of its cage at a time so too many volunteers at a time isn’t necessarily the answer. And think about it, what if a dozen volunteers (per day) always took out (unknowingly) the same ‘cute’ cat – the others don’t get to leave their cages at all. Perhaps the best thing that can be done for the cats (and dogs) is to spay and neuter our animals…
If you have any suggestions or ideas about the content of ICHS PAWPRINTS, please contact me, Terri Davis. And I need your animal success stories. Note that the e-mail address has changed. The address is: roadhogbiker@gmail.com
A small, but enthusiastic group of volunteers meet monthly to plan the 2010 fundraisers. We will be meeting again on July 14thto continue the discussion and planning of future events. Please join us if you would like to be a part of the fundraising committee. And, if you can’t make it to the meeting, please e-mail Cheri at ICHS and share your ideas with her. July and August tend to be quiet months at ICHS – as far as fundraising goes (which is all the more reason the committee needs your ideas), but there are some activities coming up and additional volunteers are needed. These events are:
Food Booth (Lands End Sale)
On July 28th, ICHS volunteers are responsible for the food booth at the annual Lands End Sale Event which is held at Harris Park in Dodgeville. ICHS volunteers will be at the booth from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m. serving food to raise money for ICHS. Last year almost $1,300 was raised at the ICHS food booth!!! This really is a significant event for the shelter. Volunteers are needed to work shifts throughout the day. Baked goods are also needed. Anyone that is interested in helping with the food booth can contact Cheri at ICHS. If you aren’t able to help, stop by and have a bite to eat and a beverage.
Dairyland Dare
Saturday, August 14th is the Dairyland Dare bike event. ICHS earns money when our volunteers help provide support for riders participating in this event. The more hours we volunteer, the more $$ we earn for the animals who depend on ICHS until they find a home. Anyone who is interested in volunteering at the Dare should contact Cheri at ICHS.
Wright Stuff Century
Sunday, September 5th is the Wright Stuff Century Bike event. Similar to the Dairyland Dare, ICHS volunteers help earn money for the animals who reside at the shelter until that special family comes along. Shifts are open at Unity Chapel outside of Spring Green and in Barneveld. ICHS has also been asked to have an informational table and possibly a dog or two for a ‘Meet and Greet’ at Tyrol Basin in Mt. Horeb during the event. If you have the time, this is a great way to help ICHS as well as help spread the word about our animals and our organization. For more information, please contact Cheri at ICHS.
We all know that all animals are ‘special’ but the animals featured in this section are indeed special. These are ‘special needs’ animals. The special person/family who adopts one of these animals knows that this may/may not be the long-term relationship which we hope for when we open our hearts and homes to a new family member. These animals’ ‘forever homes’ with us may be just for a short time before they move on…But, nevertheless, these animals need a home and a loving family just as we all do. Are you possibly the family that could provide a home for one of these animals? If not, do you know of a family who could provide a loving home for these animals? If so, please come out to ICHS and find out more about these animals from the ICHS staff.
LORENZO
Lorenzo is a senior Redbone Coonhound (some people feel that he resembles a Vizsla). He has been at ICHS since mid-November. It hurt to look at Lorenzo when he first came here. He was so thin; it took so much effort to take him on a short walk. Although he is eight-months older now than he was in November, he is acting like a dog much younger than his 10-12 years. Now when he goes on his daily walks, he is alert and forever on the trail of something (after all, he is a hound). Lorenzo is doing ‘showmanship’ in the 4-H Dog Project. It is so heart-warming to see this old guy going through his paces with his young handler. Can’t you just imagine him at the county fair with his ribbon waving in the breeze!?! Lorenzo gets along well with other dogs. Although Lorenzo seems to have a new ‘lease on life’, we still have to accept that he is an older dog and who knows how much time he has left. So…Lorenzo needs a home.
JAX
Jax is a handsome, long-haired, grey kitty who tested positive for feline leukemia. He is probably 2-3 years old. He is quite playful and loves all of the attention that he can get. Since Jax cannot be with other cats, he has been allowed to play with the Beagle pups. It is so fun to watch him play with them. And, on a side note, I believe that Jax is the cat who helps out when staff are doing temperament testing with the dogs. Jax does not get along with other cats so he probably needs to be an ‘only’ cat, and he must be kept indoors. I can’t go into the specifics of Jax’s condition, but it can’t be ignored that he will probably have a shorter lifespan than most cats. He is in wonderful shape right now – lots of energy and has a let’s play, play, play attitude! So…Jax needs a home.
HENRY
I call Henry “O Henry†because when I first saw him, my reaction was “Oooooh, Henryâ€. Henry is an older hound-mix. Henry was very thin when he came to ICHS a month ago. He has apparently had ongoing ear problems for some time as he has huge amounts of scar tissue and he possibly has some hearing loss. Henry has put on some weight, but he doesn’t have much interest in his surroundings. Henry is very slow when he is walked; his gait seems to be a bit unsteady. I get the impression that rather than walk, he would much prefer to lay under a shade tree and take a nap. Hopefully, Henry will continue to improve and will have several years left to be your faithful companion. So…Henry needs a home.
BARNEY
Barney is a big, handsome (if you haven’t noticed, ALL of the cats at ICHS are handsome, beautiful, gorgeous, etc.J), male, orange tabby. Barney is probably 2-3 years old. He is an absolute sweetheart and so loving. He is a definite lap cat and loves to rub against you. Barney has tested positive for FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus). Barney needs to be an ‘only’ cat, and he must be kept indoors. I can’t go into the specifics of Barney’s condition, but it can’t be ignored that he will probably have a shorter lifespan than most cats. So…Barney needs a home.
WALDO
Waldo is SPECIAL!!!-but no one seems to notice! No one notices Waldo! Waldo is a black and white terrier- mix. He is approximately 5-6 years old, and he has been at ICHS since September of 2006. Waldo was a featured pet on the ICHS website last fall and he is still here – going on FOUR years!!! Waldo does not have a PHYSICAL malady. He is energetic, shy and STRESSED! I am sure that a shelter can be a stressful place for animals. And just like people, some animals handle the stress better than others. In my opinion, Waldo is probably handling the stress quite well – considering it has been FOUR years! You notice Waldo’s agitation when he is indoors. He constantly ‘runs’ back and forth (5 feet), leaps and slams into the fiberglass wall of his kennel. It is so heart-wrenching to hear that sound. I don’t know if he stops this behavior after he is fed and the lights are turned off OR if he continues this behavior off and on through the night!!! Can you imagine what it must be like for the other dogs (or at least his neighbors) if this goes on all night!?! Waldo was fostered for a time in 2009 and it was a GREAT experience for all concerned. The gal who fostered WALDO had no intention of adopting him as she already had several dogs. The plan was simply to see how Waldo would do in a setting other than ICHS. There were no problems! Waldo gets along well with most dogs and older children. Can you, or do you know of anyone, who can possibly foster/adopt Waldo? He needs a chance to show how SPECIAL he really is!!! So…Waldo really, really needs a home!
It is never easy to say “goodbye” to our friends and family, but please note that your adopted pet has touched many lives. When your pet crosses the Rainbow Bridge, feel free to let us know about your loved ones passing.
Add Crossing Over text here or delete this block
Meet Penny and Dusty Cashman. Although Dusty came to his forever home a year before Penny, they have formed a strong bond. Dusty's name was Fenton when he lived at ICHS. He was an easy-going, agreeable fellow, who seemed content wherever he was. Penny, named Miranda at ICHS, seemed more distant but had beautiful, green eyes. When she arrived at her forever home, her personality proved to be much different. She has a sweet, friendly personality and has been known to greet visitors by jumping on their laps and making eye contact. They are both lap-landers, often at the same time. They have become welcome residents at Sue Cashman's in Darlington.
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PetFinder
Iowa County Humane Society
305 Co. Rd. YZ
P.O. Box 195
Dodgeville, WI 53533
Phone: 608-935-1381
Fax: 608-935-2884
e-mail: office@ichs.net
For additional contacts go to:
Board of Directors and Staff
WI Dog Seller & Dog Facility Operator license #267019-DS
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