Serving the animals and citizens of Iowa County and its surrounding communities
…And how did the summer of 2011 get away from me? It is hard to believe that autumn is just around the corner. It seemed that it took forever for the warmer days of summer to arrive, but then the heat finally did move in and it hung around with a vengeance. July was so hot! If I could persuade Mother Nature to design the up-coming fall season my way, we would have a gradual cooling trend over the next several weeks (the only thing that I don’t want cooling down are the Milwaukee Brewers). No frost until mid-October. The growing season would continue for several more weeks and then we would have an unforgettable Indian summer before we would start getting hints of the approaching winter. I know that I shouldn’t complain. At least we haven’t had to deal with hurricanes, the unrelenting drought and the terrible heat that some of the states have been dealing with. Oh well, we’ll get what we get… As you read this letter it is important to remember that I am a volunteer and these are MY thoughts.
The 2011 Iowa County 4-H Dog Project is over for the year and it was a successful year for the participating ICHS dogs. A big thank you goes to all of the kids, their parents, the project leaders and the ICHS board and staff for making this endeavor possible. It was a bit confusing to keep track of how many ICHS dogs were involved this year. Some of the chosen dogs were adopted early on and replacement dogs had to be found. Some dogs were adopted during “Operation Home Freeâ€. In fact one young lady was on her 3 rd ICHS dog. The first two dogs were adopted at the beginning of the summer and her 3 rd dog, Nala, was adopted during the “Operation Home Free†campaign. Although she did get to show Nala at the first show on August 20 th, the new family was eager to take Nala home and so this young lady did not get to do the agility class which was the following week. Cletus’s and Zorro’s ICHS/4-H program involvement had similar abrupt endings.
Two of the 4-H dogs which weren’t adopted do have stories worth noting. Duke, a handsome, black Lab – mix has been at ICHS for awhile. This was Duke’s 2 nd year in the 4-H project. He was handled in showmanship, obedience and agility by Renae. Are you ready for this? Duke scored 192 out of 200 possible points in his obedience class. That was not just an amazing score! It was the highest score received – not just for the ICHS dogs but for ALL of the dogs. Just think of how awesome this achievement was considering that he was only worked with on Monday evenings for two months! He also had a blue and a red ribbon in agility. Now the good news is that Duke was adopted by a family with three children. Duke spent approximately ten days with his new family. Everything was going great, but then the bad news. The family had to return Duke to ICHS. This had absolutely nothing to do with Duke (just circumstances). The good news is that there is one terrific dog named Duke who is waiting for another chance for a home. Thanks so much to the family who could see the ‘good’ in Duke and attempted to give him a home. 
The other big ICHS/4-H story is Macy. As many of you know, Macy has the dubious honor of having been at ICHS longer than any other resident. Watching Macy and her handler, Winndie, at the practice sessions (both in and out of the ring) you would never have known that Macy has lived several years at the shelter. Macy’s story will be included in the next Pet of the Month segment (see ICHS website in October).
I am sure that many of you became aware of the “Operation Home Free†program which ICHS implemented in August. For whatever reason(s), adoptions have been way down this summer, but homeless animals keep coming through the ICHS doors. Despite the larger building that we now have, there were not enough personnel and resources to take care of so many animals. So for a period of a week and a half, people were able to adopt a cat or a dog with the adoption fee waived (applications had to be approved before the adoption became final). The goal was to find homes for 30 cats and 15 dogs. Goal met! Over 40 cats and 13 dogs were adopted (with a couple of applications still being processed). It was not too surprising that these animals found homes – our wonderful cats and dogs are just waiting for the right person to come along and take notice. But what about the longer term residents which have been at the shelter for some time and are still here waiting?
Not every dog can be Rin Tin Tin or Lassie! There are a select group of “special†dogs that have been with us for a while. Most of these dogs are the larger, ‘bully-type’ dogs. The hounds also tend to get over-looked (it was great to have three of them participating in the 4-H Project). This group of dogs all have things which make them a cut above the “normal†dog when someone comes looking for a new friend. Some don’t work and play well with other animals (do we all get along with everyone?). Some are big and boisterous and just need some training and structure. Some have been placed in past situations where the trust between them and humans has been damaged and they just need love and understanding to help them re-forge that link. These overlooked dogs need that someone special to come into their lives and provide the love, patience, time and training that will help them once again become a beloved family member. Whether you can offer a permanent home, a few hours of your time every week to work with them or provide the additional resources needed to help them, these dogs are special and they need a chance.
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:
Silent Auction “FUNâ€-Raiser – November 13
ICHS is sponsoring its 12 th annual “FUNâ€-Raising Benefit Auction on Sunday, November 13 th, from 1-3 pm at Dodger Bowl Lanes in Dodgeville. This event is one of our largest and most important fundraisers of the year. There will be 100+ baskets available the day of the event, but there will also be a selection of baskets available for online bidding only. The on-line bidding starts Oct. 14 th and ends Nov. 4 th. There will be raffle items as well as a 50/50 raffle. Once again a lunch will be provided by Weber Reality of Dodgeville with all proceeds going to ICHS. The lunch will be from 11 am to 1 pm. The Silent Auction baskets will be on display during this time so you can get a sneak preview of the variety of baskets. There will also be a bake sale which will be held all afternoon. If viewing the auction is not entertainment enough for you, Scott Stieber and friends will again be providing a wide variety of music throughout the event.
BBQ Fundraiser – September 17 th
At this time, this activity is considered a tentative event. Check the website and our Facebook page for further information as it becomes available.
Lands End Fall Farmers Market – September 28 th
Weather permitting, ICHS will have a booth at this event. This will be from 11 am to 3 pm in the Lands End parking lot.
Holiday Photos – October 15 th, 16 th and November 6 th
Patti Finley and Mom’s Got The Camera Again Photography will be at the shelter from 1-4 pm each of these days to offer family and pet holiday photos. Appointments are not necessary and Patti offers a variety of photo options. A portion of each sale goes to benefit ICHS.
Paws n Claws University – September 25 th and October 23 rd
The informative and entertaining series of seminars entitled Paws n Claws University will continue into the fall. On Sunday, September 25, the topic will be “Are You Ready? Disaster Preparedness 101â€. This is a topic that I tend not to give too much thought to however “things do happen†so I am looking forward to this seminar. The seminar on Sunday, October 23 rd, is “Health Topics for Cat Ownersâ€.
The first three seminars have been very worthwhile. I had mentioned in the July issue what an informative presentation Polly Dake had done regarding the bully breeds. In July, Pam Richardson spoke on small dogs and in August, Dr. Alan Holter addressed keeping our dogs healthy. I learned a lot in each of these sessions. I encourage you to attend these sessions. If you have any ideas for future sessions – either topics and/or presenters – contact Cheri at ICHS and share your ideas with her.
Other Events
There are some other fundraiser projects in the works. Please check Facebook and the website for further announcements.
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.
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 has since adopted 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, Sarah, Noreen, Duchess and Walter
These 5 kitties are special needs cats – they have been diagnosed with FIV. With so many cats available for adoption, it is understandable why FIV cats get overlooked. These five cats are normal and happy cats and deserve a chance to live in a home setting. One misconception of FIV cats is that these cats can’t live in the same house with non-FIV cats. But FIV is transmitted primarily through bite wounds and isn’t spread easily. As long as you introduce an FIV cat to your other cat(s) slowly and properly (just as you would with any new cat) there is little risk of infecting others. Obviously, adopting (or fostering) an FIV cat (or any animal) is something that needs to be thought about carefully. So do the homework. There’s lots of information on the Internet, talk to your veterinarian and/or the staff here at ICHS and just maybe you will be taking one or more of these kitties home with you. So…Dominic, Sarah, Noreen, Duchess and Walter need homes.
Holly
Holly is a black Beagle mix who came to the shelter in February (she was actually left in a kennel at the old shelter building and found by a snowplow driver). She is probably around ten years old. The gray coloring around her muzzle gives her age away because you would never guess that she is a senior by her antics. She loves her walks and to be honest, they are not walks. She doesn’t walk, she ‘prances’ and trots – she is so proud! And you don’t have to worry about keeping up with her because her little legs are really short and since she is a hound, she is always on the trail of something. So there isn’t such a thing as a ‘quick walk’ with Holly. Holly was one of the shelter dogs in the 4-H Dog Project. She was always eager to head over to the fairgrounds on Monday eves. I spent some time walking her around the fairgrounds when her 4-H handler wasn’t working with her. I am not sure who enjoyed the walks more – her or me! She found so many wonderful scents to track, and I really enjoyed watching her enjoy herself! When most people see Holly, the first thing they probably notice is a benign cyst which hangs from her chest. Although she has been examined by two different veterinarians, it was agreed that the cyst is not the problem. The concern is that Holly does have a cancerous tumor on her shoulder and there is little that can be done to treat it. Besides Holly’s tumor, there is one other issue. Some dogs she likes and other dogs – forget it! She doesn’t necessarily have to be an only dog, but she is probably the one who will make the decision as to who her dog friend(s) will be. At this time Holly is still energetic, doing well and enjoys life. It would be fantastic if she could find a special family to allow her to enjoy her last year(s) in a real home. So, Holly 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.
In Memory of LeRoy…
LeRoy came to the shelter about a year ago. He was a big, handsome dog whose “tough dog†disguise could be somewhat intimidating if he wasn’t acquainted with you – especially men. LeRoy didn’t give his friendship out freely. He had his ‘fan club’ but you had to earn the right to be a member. Once you were in, you were gold in his eyes. I enjoyed walking him and so did the staff and other volunteers. If you weren’t a member of the club, however, LeRoy could be a bit of a challenge. Being in a shelter environment is hard on a dog like this with the constantly changing faces of the public to deal with. Unfortunately, it became too much for LeRoy and after an incident involving a serious bite, the hard decision was made to euthanize him.
As hard as it is, we have to accept the fact that not all of the animals that come to ICHS will find homes. Even with all of the love and care that we can provide, sometimes we just cannot undo what the past has done to the animals who come to us for shelter and protection. This was the case for LeRoy. Run free, happy & sound of mind and body at the Rainbow Bridge, LeRoy!
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!
If you have any suggestions or ideas about the content of ICHS PAWPRINTS, please contact me, Terri Davis at roadhogbiker@gmail.com
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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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