Serving the animals and citizens of Iowa County and its surrounding communities
…Spring is just around the corner - or so the calendar says. I love March because it is a month of transition. We move from the dark, cold days of winter to the long, carefree days of summer. Although I grow impatient waiting for the warmer weather to arrive, there is no way that I want summer to get here too soon. I enjoy noticing that the length of any given day is a few minutes longer than the days previous. I compare the sun’s position in the sky to a few days before and am delighted to see that it is higher in the sky every day. Although I am awaiting warmer temperatures, I want the thermometer to do a gradual climb – little by little – not abruptly. I enjoy noting the day to day melting of the snow banks, the frozen earth slowly thawing, puddles then forming and the water slowly seeping into the ground. By the time I write next, the transition from winter to summer will be over and I’ll probably be complaining about the heat and the bugs. But for now, I’m enjoying March - the month of transition. As you read my letter it is important to remember that I am a volunteer and these are MY thoughts.
I am sure that many of you have checked out the new ICHS facility (and if you haven’t, please stop by soon – we’d love to show you around)! Although the staff and the animals are pretty well settled in, the shelter is in a time of transition also. Unlike the transitions which occur during the month of March, the transition to the new shelter will continue for many months to come. So much has been accomplished, but there is still a lot to be done. Time, money, ideas and people are all needed to continue ICHS’s transition to a beautiful, functional facility. A comment that I made in the last PawPrints newsletter was, “I believe solutions will come from volunteersâ€. After thinking about that statement, I feel that I am right in that the ability to help unwanted and homeless animals comes down to VOLUNTEERS. The ICHS staff and Board can only do so much; volunteers need to do the rest. ICHS had a Volunteer Fair recently which was well attended. If you weren’t able to attend, there really are so many ways that you can volunteer. No matter what your talents or abilities are, there is something that you can do to help. The ‘Volunteer Orientation Manual’ has three pages of ways that you can help – please check these ideas out. And who knows, you may even have some ideas that aren’t even listed! ICHS needs YOU!
I must also bring up the need for ‘foster families’. Foster families are needed for both cats and dogs and especially for the animals which have special needs – including the elderly animals. When making the decision to foster, some people do so with the intent to adopt. But other people foster knowing that the animals just need a break from ‘shelter-life’. Maybe you are in a situation in which you can’t have an animal for the long-term, but you would be able to provide a loving home for a short period of time. Fostering could be a “win win†situation for both you and one of our animals who need a home!
For those of you who check in on a regular basis and keep track of our ‘long-term’ residents, it is so exciting to let you know that several of these animals have found homes because of people willing to foster. Most recently the dogs, Cody (adopted) and Waldo, went to foster families. Travis, a beagle, has a family interested in fostering (I have my fingers crossed). There are two cats, Barney (FIV+) and Callie (behavior issues), which are both being successfully fostered. Otis and Sammy, elderly dogs, have found homes because of people willing to foster. Charlie, an older Boxer, and Holly, an older dog with some health issues are both in need of homes. It is not easy fostering older animals or animals with health issues because you don’t know how long they may have left – but that’s my point. It is so important to get the animals into a loving home for a while – even if it is for a short time. I recently fostered (later adopted) Betsy, a sweet kitty, who was diabetic. I knew that I probably wouldn’t have her for long, but I did everything that I could to make the last month of her life as wonderful as possible. She was a happy cat! My only regret is that I didn’t bring her home sooner so that we could have had more time together…
A small, but enthusiastic group of volunteers meet monthly to plan the 2011 fundraisers. We meet the 2 nd Wednesday of the month (call Cheri for verification) at the shelter to 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 meetings, please e-mail Cheri at ICHS and share your ideas with her. Up-coming events include:
Live Art Auction
The 11 th annual “Artists to the Rescue†live Art Auction is scheduled for Saturday, March 26 th, 2011. This event will be held at a new location, Folklore Village, which is on Co. BB just east of Dodgeville. Viewing of the artwork will start at 2 p.m. and the auction will begin at 3 p.m. Over 30 pieces of art, donated by local artists, will be auctioned off to the highest bidder. The auction features a wide variety of media including painting, etching, wood, metal, glass, fiber and more. Appetizers and beverages will be served. Admission is $10.00. For a chance to win a free admission, send your name/address in an email to ichs@mhtc.net , “Like†us on Facebook or stop in at the shelter before March 24 th. Items are available for viewing at Spring Gate Mall in Dodgeville as well as on the website. This event is a lot of fun, and don’t forget, it’s all about the homeless animals of Iowa County!
Paws Fur a Cause
The 3 rd annual “Paws Fur a Cause†event will take place on Saturday, April 2, 2011. This is a 5K run or 2 mile walk which has proven to be quite successful. This event’s success is evident by the enthusiasm it generates as well as by the money raised. Last year the 99 runners and 131 walkers (along with 60 dogs) raised more than $3500. This event has been coordinated by Dodgeville High School students/volunteers. Melissa and Abby are the gals in charge of the event this year. Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. The run starts at 9:00 a.m. with the walk beginning at 9:15. There will be a new route this year. You can register online by going to http://www.ichs.net/5k_run.html and clicking on the link provided or at www.active.com and search for Paws Fur a Cause.
Easter Bake Sale
The annual “Easter Bake Sale†is a traditional event dating back to the early beginnings of ICHS. The sale is at Spring Gate Mall in Dodgeville (in front of Radio Shack). The sale begins at 8:00 a.m. and continues until 2:00 p.m. or until all the ‘goodies’ are gone. Every year the variety and amount of donated items is greater than the year before! It is absolutely amazing how much support from the community goes into this event. If you haven’t experienced this event, you will be in for a real treat (yummy treat(s))!
QuadruPedal
Sunday, May 1, 2011, is the date for this challenging charity bike ride. This is a HUGE fundraiser for the ICHS animals. There are four ride options ranging from 35 to 100 miles. There are rest stops with snacks, showers and a meal at the conclusion of the ride. This event also needs lots of volunteers to help make the ride a success. So whether you want to get some exercise or help the animals, go to ichs@mhtc.net for more information.
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.
Daphne
Daphne is an older yellow Lab. Daphne came to ICHS late last summer, and I thought that she would find a home relatively quickly, but that was not to be. Being an older dog, she is a joy to walk and would make a great walking companion. She gets along well with most cats and dogs. She does have some health issues which are manageable. Because of her advanced age, it is hoped that someone will take this sweet old dog (foster or adopt) and provide her the opportunity to roam your backyard, chase a squirrel now and then (never fear, she won’t catch one) and lie at your feet at the end of the day. If you could possibly provide Daphne with love, companionship and your home, please come and meet this sweet old gal. So…Daphne needs a home.
JAX
Jax is a handsome, long-haired, grey kitty who tested positive for feline leukemia. He is probably 3-4 years old. He reminds me of a BIG Teddy Bear – especially when staff and volunteers carry him around. He puts his front ‘arms’ around his person’s neck and lovingly holds on. He loves attention and is very playful. Mary (who recently fell in love with Callie and is now fostering her) gives Jax the credit for helping Callie to overcome her fears of leaving her cage. Callie was always frightened when having to leave her cage which in turn led to some ‘undesirable behaviors’. However, after she and Jax were moved to the ‘Catnip Lounge’, she would see Jax play, play and play some more which led her to want to get in on the action. So after Jax was put back in his cage, Callie started to willingly venture out. Jax, you are a ‘good guy’- you helped Callie get a home! 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.
Dominic, Walter & Sarah
Dominic , Walter and Sarah are special-needs cats. These sweet cats have been tested positive for FIV. Because I am not an expert on FIV, I went to www.bestfriends.org/theanimals/…/cats_fiv.cfm to find more information. I am going to paraphrase some facts from Kristi Littrell’s article, “FIV: Catching a Bad Case of Rumorsâ€. FIV facts include:
As I read the above facts from Littrell’s article, it seems that having a FIV cat isn’t too different from having any other cat. These kitties need lots of love, need to be kept indoors and would probably do better in a quiet household. That pretty much is what most cats need.
Dominic Walter Sarah
Dominic is very playful, very ‘kittenish’.
Walter is “sweetness personifiedâ€.
Sarah is loving but isn’t into being picked up.
So…these three special kitties need 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.
In Memory of Lorenzo…
Lorenzo was a SWEET, SWEET, SWEET elderly Redbone Coonhound who came to ICHS in November of 2009. Lorenzo was extremely mal-nourished when he came to the shelter, and he did well for a time. But alas, he never found his forever ‘earthly’ home but instead ‘crossed the bridge’ to his eternal home on February 8 th. Lorenzo was a favorite with those who knew him – he was such a gentle dog. Perhaps a highlight for Lorenzo was being selected to participate in the 4-H Dog Project. Lorenzo was so proud when he was in the show ring, and his ‘followers’ were proud of both him and the young lady who showed him. Thank you, Winndie (from the Jonesdale Jays 4-H Club) for being Lorenzo’s handler in the 4-H Dog Project. As it turns out, a foster family was about to take Lorenzo so that he could have lived out his last few weeks away from the shelter – it just wasn’t to be. Thank you, Sharon, for offering Lorenzo your heart and home. Lorenzo, we miss you, but we know that you are one, happy dog in your new ‘forever’ home.
I need your help if I am to continue to feature the success stories which begin the moment your adopted companion chooses you. It is not difficult for me to write a paragraph that showcases your pet. The problem that I have is finding YOU and your pet. I don’t know who you are or how to contact you. If you would be interested in having your pet’s story in the newsletter, please e-mail me at roadhogbiker@gmail.com . A picture and a brief write up about your pet(s) is all that I need. If I don’t have enough info, I will get back to you. It would be helpful to know your pet’s shelter name (if you renamed your pet), when you adopted, pet’s favorite activities, other pets that you have and whatever else you care to include. If you are not able to send a picture, that’s OK. Many of you send periodic updates regarding your adopted pet to the shelter. I can use those write-ups if you would please indicate (in your letter to ICHS) that you are giving me permission to include your pet’s story in the newsletter. I hope to hear from you!
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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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