By Cory McKeown with photos by Melanie Epping

Sabrina Would Love Some “Same-Old, Same-Old”

This cute dog with the wonderfully expressive Groucho Marx eyebrows is Sabrina, a 7 year old Aussie mix spayed female. She came to us from another shelter, and it is clear by looking in her sometimes-sad brown eyes that she is tired of the cards fate has dealt her- she is tired of eternally hoping that some loving person will take her home, and give her a more consistent life. A life where she will wake up each day to some sameness- the same house; the same family, the same loving environment.

Sabrina is an exceptionally well-behaved dog that is a favorite with our shelter staff. She is housetrained, healthy, quiet, and loves to go for walks. She would be an ideal companion for an older person who wants a dog to go for outings, or she would be a gentle “first dog” for a family with younger children. Sabrina is good with cats and other dogs.

If Sabrina sounds like the dog you have been waiting for, please take the time to come and meet her. You will enjoy her quiet attentiveness and loving ways. Please think about giving her a forever home.

Poor Sable is Facing her Year Anniversary

Sable is one of those quiet cats that are diamonds in the rough. She has been in our kitty room almost a year, and has continually been passed over by adopters who are drawn to the more outgoing cats- the “oh, pick me, pick me!” kitties people tend to fall for.

She patiently waits for someone to approach her and pet her, and when they do, her true sweet nature becomes apparent. She purrs, she rubs, and she coos with just a little attention.

This quiet young kitty with the black plush coat and the white star on her chest would love nothing more in this New Year than a home of her own.

Shelter Wish List

Our dogs are desperately in need of new collars! The ones we have are getting worn and thin, and some of the “hard pullers” can pull right out of them when they are being walked. We would greatly appreciate some new collars for larger dogs- we find the ones with the traditional buckle-type closures seem to be the most practical and reliable.

Also, this winter’s storms have caused our usual good holiday adoption rates to be less than in past years. We still have adorable kittens and loving adult cats looking for good homes, and we have a wonderful assortment of dogs right now. We are wishing for more adoptions in 2008- please come and visit these great pets- a new addition to the home would be a fantastic way to start the New Year!!!

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By Cory McKeown with photo by Melanie Epping

Commander Cody checking in for the holidays

Most of you should recognize me, even with these stupid reindeer antlers on my head – I am Commander Cody, beloved, but rotund, shelter cat. You may recall that the staff here has been knocking themselves out this past year, trying to get me to lose weight. But, I am here to tell you I am not going down without a fight!

They have almost literally starved me by putting down a little bowl filled with diet food for me two or three times a day. The fools – they see me eating that (I do it just to catch them off guard) and they think that is all I eat all day! Ha! Ha! Little do they know I have perfected scrounging for food to an art form. …

Anytime anyone new wanders into the kitchen, I am there in a flash (well, maybe not a flash – I waddle a bit but am truly quite speedy when it comes to food) and often I can make them feel sorry enough for me to feed me some tasty tidbits. I also have my “side-winder scooping” mechanism that works very well – 1 just wait until they leave the shelter and then I lie on my side by the cages where one of the dumber ones has left the food bowl close to the front of the kitty cages – then it is a piece of cake for me to ease my paw through and scoop out anything I want. They keep falling for this over and over …

One thing that does have me worried, though, is when they gleefully announce that I have “lost an ounce!” Just what the heck does this mean, and why are they so happy? When my ounces are lost, just where do they go? Do the “diet divas” lock them up somewhere so that I can’t ever find them? Is this beyond even my side-winding abilities?

Next time you come to the shelter; look me up and say “Hi!” Of course, I wouldn’t be disappointed if you brought along a tidbit for me. Or, if you have a little extra time, you could help me look for my lost ounces!

Thank you to the Chinook Observer for publishing our Pet Report weekly!

That outdoor dogs confined to runs or trapped at the end of chains will be brought inside to be a part of the family;

That families will focus on treating their pets humanely and with the love and respect they deserve for the loyalty and companionship they provide;

That we have a lot of good adoptions of dogs and cats to loving homes in 2008!

The Long of it

Karen Chapin has been volunteering for our Shelter the longest. She was born in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, went to a junior college in Virginia, and married a soldier and lived in Ansbach, Germany, for a year and a half. After several more moves, she found herself in the Northwest because the heat was so bad in California. She has two children and five grandchildren back East.

She was working as a health care provider when Pat Hammond got her involved during the planning and fundraising for the building of the Shelter. She was there when it opened in May of 1998 (without any animals, by the way; Tessie, the first adoptee, arrived a week or two later).

Since its beginning, Karen has been responsible for the laundry, which is a monumental job: washing, drying, folding, and keeping dog beds, towels, blankets, etc., in good repair. She is at the Shelter at least six days a week, and the laundry room is the cleanest and most organized place on the planet.

She is, of course, an animal lover, and has two dogs and four cats, one of whom is Domino, a former Shelter cat who just turned nine years old. He has the equivalent of feline cerebral palsy, and needs daily medication. He also needs a safe environment, one that will accommodate his unsteady gait. He is now nine years old, and is surely one of the most miraculous and affectionate cats ever. He loves to purr and snuggle, and has no idea that his behavior is unusual.

Karen’s contribution to the smooth running of the Shelter is huge, and we are so grateful for everything she does.

The Short of it

Camille Tyler has been a Shelter volunteer for the shortest amount of time; she joined us in October of last year.

Camille was born in Santa Monica, California, and grew up in West Los Angeles. She is legally blind; her Stargardt’s disease started when she was seven years old. This disease causes a genetic degeneration of the retina.

Before she came to the Northwest, she was a singer and guitar player, as well as a scenic designer, and has been involved, for a number of years, in the fiber arts, such as spinning, knitting, and tapestry; weaving is her specialty. She moved to the Northwest five months ago looking for a cooler, less crowded area. As a bonus, her eyes are less bothered by a relatively smaller quantity of sunshine.

It is helpful, of course, to be an animal lover if one wants to work at the Shelter, and Camille is no exception. She likes reptiles, birds, dogs, and cats best. When I asked her, “What pets do you have now ”, she replied, “A spider outside my window.” As soon as she finds her permanent home, she will once again be able to have pets. Her boyfriend, David, is a computer expert serving the Peninsula.

Camille provides a vital service to our kitty population: TLC. Whenever she is at the Shelter, she spends time with all the felines in the playroom, as well as the ones in cages all over the Shelter; it is no fun for a cat to be enclosed in a cage day after day, so Camille’s interaction with them, which includes brushing them, makes them feel a bit more cared for, and goes a long way towards socializing them. She also works with our canine friends.

We are so grateful to have Camille’s helpfulness and kitty care at the Shelter.

Santa,

I like other cats just fine but I’m shy with people. The people who hang out at this place all seem to like me a lot but I’m still kind of shy of people (and cameras!). Maybe it’s ’cause I’m barely grown. This is all so new to me.

Do you know the cat food guy they named me after? Does he need a pal at his forever home?

Love,

Morris

http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=9636864

Dear Santa,

I barely remember last Christmas. I was just a 6-month old youngster then and my brain couldn’t really settle enough to take it all in. Now that I’m a big teen of a lab of 18 months or so, I’m VERY much ready to have a forever home. I’d really like to live with a person or family who needs a good exercise program. I am a great motivator! I’m full of energy and my playful spirit will encourage my new mom or dad to take me for long walks and <oooh!> runs on the beach!

Love,

Booker
http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=9678245

By Cory McKeown with photos by Melanie Epping

“Dear Santa,”

Lucky
Santa, I know it won’t do me any good to wish that I had four legs like other dogs. But, I have been a good dog and try very hard, and I can play and take walks really well on the three legs I do have. What I do hope for is a home of my very own, where someone will love me for my spirit and gentle nature. Please, Santa, find me a place of my own.

Puppies, Puppies!

Santa, here we are at the shelter for Christmas, hoping to find our first and forever loving homes. As promised, we are “10’s” on the cuteness scale, and are Aussie/Lab mixes. Adopters can have their choice of plush black or brown merle pups, both boys and girls. Come in and visit us today- we promise to steal your heart!!!

Luigi

Visitors to the shelter know me very well, because I am the senior shelter cat. Santa, I really don’t need to ask for anything for myself, because I am very happy here at the shelter, and I finally have the staff trained to feed me what I want no less that ten times daily…. I would, though, like to ask you to help my kitty friends here find good homes (I don’t have any use for dogs, so they are on their own). There are still lots of cute kittens and nice adult cats just waiting to find places in loving hearts and homes. If you can’t adopt a pet, please remember the Humane Society in your holiday and end-of-year giving. Monetary donations are always very much appreciated, and will be put to good use caring for the needy shelter pets- Ok, ok, even the dogs…..

These boys and girls are about 8 -9 weeks old and beautiful. Their mama had them under a nice lady’s porch so she brought them in and cared for and raised them and now they are all ready for new homes. Could these beauties be what you’re looking for?

We’ve also got orange, chocolate and grey tabbies, calico, torti and black kittens, as well as cats in most every color and breed imaginable. Will you help Santa find them forever homes this holiday season?

http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=9886006

and

http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=9747480

and

http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=9637062 

Dear Santa,

I think this will be my third Christmas. Honestly, it’s not something I think about much; I’d rather dream of my future home and the person I can give my devotion.

They say I’ve got a figure envied by movie stars. Is that because I’m tall and thin? Or because one of my parents was a Shepherd like Rin-Tin-Tin? Or because the other looked like Lassie? Hard to say…

I’m a GREAT listener. I pay attention really well and they tell me I’m brighter than the average dog. Sometimes, one of the humans who work here lets me follow her around while cleaning the shelter after hours (when it’s quiet). I like to give her gentle little dog kisses on the hand while she works.

I like kids just fine but see myself more with a single person that I could really devote myself to nurturing. Can you help me out?

Love,

Julie
http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=9579216

Dear Santa,

I like living at the beach. Some days, they say the water is the same color as my eyes. The truth is, I’d love living most anywhere. I’m an easy-going feline. I get along great with other cats and am a wonderfully affectionate lap kitty.

May I have a forever home for Christmas, Santa?

Love,

Vanessa
http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=9579440

Dear Santa,

I had a forever family once and we took good care of one another. Then something happened and we got separated. I wandered around until these nice shelter people found me and started taking care of me. They’re really very nice here but I need a special person or family who understands me and will let me take care of them.

The people who take care of me here say I’m quite the talker. A guy as intelligent as myself has a lot to say! I keep telling them I’m ready to go to my forever home but I guess they can’t help it if they aren’t bright enough to understand. I’ve started trying to communicate in different ways, but so far, no luck. When anyone comes to my cage, I get up right away and try to convince them to open my door and give me a rub. I just know one of these visitors will love me if they get to know me.

Santa, I need a new loving home. Will you help me?

Love,

Toby

http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=9886065

By Cory McKeown with photo by Melanie Epping

Little Jasmine: Happy endings really are possible with your help!

When we received this poor little Jack Russell terrier from another shelter, we were moved to tears. She was destined to be euthanized at the other facility because of her poor physical condition. “Jazzy,” as we came to fondly call her, was emaciated, had chewed large patches of fur from her coat because of an untreated skin condition and looked exhausted.

Without ever having been told her story, we knew by experience what she had probably been enduring in the past seven years of her life. Neglected and poorly fed, she had undoubtedly been used as a “puppy-mill” – bringing litter after litter of puppies into the world only to make someone a profit.

Amy writes:

“I have lots of good news. We got her blood work back and the vet said her (kidney function) levels are great! I am really starting to see her personality. She is so cute. She has really taken to being pampered and she deserves it. She lies next to me on the couch every night and waits for her nightly head and belly rub. P.S.: She loves the sweaters that you sent with her. She wears one every time that she goes outside to keep her nice and warm.”

Jasmine’s life story started out badly, but with the support of our members and donors, the dream of a better life for this endearing little dog became a reality.

South Pacific County Humane Society
P.O. Box 101, 330 2nd Street NE
Long Beach, WA 98631 642-1180
Hours: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tues.-Sat.
Web site: www.beachpets.com
The SPCHS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit Shelter, and is 100 percent supported and funded by the community.

What a good time!!

Click for photos, thanks to volunteer
Linda Baehr