Vote for us at www.theanimalrescuesite.com and we could win $25,000 to help pets in need.

The Animal Rescue Site is hosting a special challenge for eligible Petfinder.com member shelter and rescue groups. The grand prize is a $25,000 grant, and they will be awarding many other grants to rescue groups with the most votes — a total of $100,000 in grants for animal welfare organizations.

Think how many animals we could help for $25,000!

Help us win!

All you have to do is click to help rescued animals, and then vote in The Animal Rescue Site $100,000 Shelter⁺ Challenge. Both of these actions are absolutely free! You can vote once a day, every day, from September 29 through December 14, 2008. Every time you vote, or tell a friend to vote, you are making a huge difference for us.

Vote today!

[1]  Visit: www.theanimalrescuesite.com and click on this:

[2]  You’ll be taken to a thank you page.  Look for, and click on this:

[3]  You’ll be asked to search for our shelter.  Here’s how to fill out the form:

[4]  Once our shelter shows up (in the darker purple bar, above), be sure to click the VOTE button!!

Please, vote daily!

The Animal Rescue Site is a “Click to Give” website. You can click on a button to help fund food and care for animals. It’s free, and only takes a second of your time. Click every day!

Petfinder.com is an online, searchable database of animals that need homes, and a directory of almost 12,000 animal shelters and adoption organizations across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

Would you like to help us by putting this information on YOUR website?  Please, do!  Click here for more information.

Volunteers Rod Vetter and Mike Litawa headed up the charge to sell tickets and collect email addresses for SPCHS while manning the information booth at the Washington State International Kite Festival on Saturday.  Rod worked with his friend and neighbor, Ken Schmaltz, to build an awesome collection box for the email addresses and cash donations.  His wife, Verna, along with Mike’s son Trevor and volunteers Bonnie Teschner, Linda Yingling, Bobbie Huss and Jane & Roger Holeman, worked the project.  At the end of the day, they had sold 104 raffle tickets, gathered $150 in cash donations and collected 75 email addresses.

One volunteer told me, “Rod was the man on Saturday.  He not only worked to put the box together and coordinate that part of it, but he and his wife coordinated getting the puppies down [from the Shelter ] which was a huge hit with the crowd.  He also worked the entire day and closed it down.  Hats off to Rod for a job well done and well coordinated”.

Mike donated a getaway at the Breakers, to be won in a drawing of everyone who gave us their email address Saturday.  The prize was won by Blair Qunece.  Congratulations, Blair!

Meanwhile, more volunteers, headed up by Harriet Cavalli, were working a raffle ticket sales table at Jack’s Country Store. Betty Johnson, Arleen Rackham, and Pat Christie sold 97 tickets and added $20 cash to our cause!  Betty also did all the sensational pictures and captions of Luigi for his birthday party, and she also cleans at the Shelter.  Arleen Rackham is our Friday volunteer, and Pat Christie walks dogs for us.

Way to go, team!

Good morning, I have never laughed so hard at a kitten as yesterday.  Jennifer, my daughter could not handle leaving them in a carrier so she held them on the way home.  The little gray Manx boy would not look at her in the face.  I had to pull my car over and take these pictures.  Even when we got to Chehalis, she would pick him up and he would turn his head and not look at her.  He would look at me, tho.  Bella rode on Jennifer’s shoulder all the way home and snuggled up to her face.  They are just adorable cats.  Thank you so much for letting me have these babies.  Your facility is just incredible!  It is sooo clean without smelling like cleaners or animal litter boxes.  You do a great job.

hi!

A couple of new pics of “Zita” (the brown pitbull pup we adopted on July 4th).  I think we had her a week before we finally settled on a name! lol.  We are all doing really well with each other. I’m so glad I found her, thank you again!

kindly,
wendy

Dreams of Siamese, tigers and polka dots

This summer we have an unusual number of Siamese mix kittens that are as pretty as any one would see in a “designer” cat show. There are flame points, lynx points, lilac points and snowshoes- just about any coat color or pattern!

Also, we have two little families of very unusual white and black kittens. These kittens have very unique patterns- it looks as though an artist painted their coats. One even has five distinct large round “polka dots” marked on her sides- one has to smile just looking at her.

For the tabby lovers out there, we have a litter of beautifully marked little tigers- they are very outgoing and affectionate and will be wonderful feline companions.

Come to the shelter and you are sure to find a beautiful kitten (or even better, kittens) to brighten your life and provide hours of entertainment as they dash and play- much better than reruns on TV!

Hershey is more than ready for kisses!

Hershey is one of the older dogs that end up in shelters, through no fault of their own. He is such a nice, well behaved gentleman that we have to believe that whomever had to give him up did so under duress of some sort- moving or maybe a death in the family.

He is a shepherd/whatever mix, with a particularly sweet face- even though he has to be bewildered as to why he ended up homeless, he still smiles at the people who stop by at the shelter to say “hi”.

This big charmer is good with other dogs, kids and cats. He is very healthy, but does need to take an inexpensive thyroid pill twice a day. He has nice house manners, and would love to have his own someone to take him for walks and give him hugs. Oh, and let’s not forget kisses- he loves to get and receive kisses!

Join in the fun at our Sand Flea Pet Parade

At Sandsations this year, we are having our annual Sand Flea Pet Parade that promises to be fun for pets and owners alike. The event will be held this Saturday, July 26, 11:30 am at our Humane Society tent just off the Bolstad beach approach, and will feature a variety of pet contests and prizes. Bring your pooch and participate in the “pet/owner look-alike” or “best costume” and other fun events. This will also be the kick-off for our annual Raffle- an important fund-raiser for us. Hope to see you at this very enjoyable family event!!!  Here are some photos from last year: http://www.funbeach.com/slideshows.html

The summer of beautiful white kittens

Every year when kitten season rolls around, we notice a trend in the colors or patterns- one year, we had a tabby year, the next year, we had a majority of black kittens. This year, we have a larger than usual number of pretty white kittens. Rumor has it that there is a large and very busy stray all-white tom cat in the Ocean Park area…


The mamas of these white beauties have often been snow white themselves, and have blue eyes. Some of the kittens will remain all-white, but there is definitely an Oriental breed influence happening, as some of the kittens are starting to show lynx or flame point Siamese markings.


We are very much interested in catching and “tutoring” the white tom, so if he appears around your neighborhood, please give us a call. “Casper”- even though you make very pretty babies, enough is enough!!

Keda: this golden girl would light up your life!!

Keda is a very easy-going, well-mannered Belgian Shepherd Tervuren mix girl that now has the dubious distinction of being the dog that has resided at the shelter for the longest time. Not only can she not understand why she was given up by her previous owners, she can’t understand why no one is coming to give her a chance at a new life.


True to her breed, Keda would be a wonderful family dog. She loves children, would be very protective of her family and would be steadfastly loyal. Keda is very well-behaved in public with other dogs, but tends to become jealous if she finds herself in a home with another constant canine companion. She would be happiest not sharing her love and space with another dog, but would lavish attention on new owners. She has spent enough time at the shelter- if you have room in your heart and home for a wonderful dog, please come in and we will introduce you to Keda.

I have known for years that our South Pacific County Humane Society was 100% funded by our community, but it wasn’t until I got on the Board of Directors that I came to truly understand what that means.  There are so many unsung heroes of our Shelter.

• It costs about $10,000 per MONTH to keep our doors open.  That number simply takes my breath away every time I see it.  And yet, every single month, the bills get paid because of the generosity of our community.
• We have less than 2 full-time employees.  That’s one full-time and 4-6 folks who share the rest of 30-40 hours per week.  All the rest of the work is done by volunteers.  VOLUNTEERS!
• People walk in the front door every single day just to hand us $5 or $100 or $1,000.  Many of these are sacrificing their own creature comforts to help a furry friend they’ve never met.  Some are literally ‘doing without’ so that our animals can prosper.  I’m incredibly moved by their generosity.
• Businesses and individuals throw benefit fundraisers for us.  They plan, prepare, advertise, do all the work, and we find out about it when a check shows up with no strings attached.
• People put us in their wills and set up trusts.  These donations allow us to sock away a few pennies here and there so that someday our Shelter won’t have to operate hand to mouth.
• We get checks in the mail almost every day.  All those $5, $10, $25, $50 and $100 checks add up to keeping our doors open.  They buy spays, neuters, food, medicine and veterinary care.

I’m heading to “the other Long Beach” in the morning for a family reunion.  I really want to take a minute in this incredibly busy day to say THANK YOU to each and every one of you.  You have taken time out of your busy lives to make sure the work continues and my personal gratitude goes out to you.

Thank you!

Keleigh

Keleigh Schwartz
SPCHS President 2008-2010

The dog (and cat!) days of summer are only at the shelter

There is a “BC” cartoon circulating right now in which one character claims to have found the ultimate sun block. When the second character asks what it is, he is informed: “It is directions to Washington”. Yeah, no sultry dog days for us yet- we are having our typical often-dreary June weather.

Technically, summer doesn’t happen until next Sunday, but at the shelter, we are already having dog (and cat and kitten) days. Summer is a great time to bring a new pet into the family. With school over, soccer moms and baseball dads often have a little more free time, and the kids always want something to do.

With some extra time, the family can welcome a new pet into the home, and the kids can get more used to having additional responsibilities caring for a pet before school starts. We have some wonderful family dogs, large and small and in between, just waiting to share in the summer fun.

Also, we are getting in some darling kittens of all colors and descriptions. These little cuties are just two of our playful kittens. Bring the family in and see if we have your next best friend!

Photo op for people and their pets on Doggie Olympics Day

Have your photo taken with Fido or Fluffy by professional photographer Ed Streit. This is a fund raiser for the Humane Society, and Ed is donating his time and the $25 sitting fee goes directly to the shelter.

Photos will be put in a secure location online after the shoot, and 5×7 prints can be purchased for $2 each, including delivery.

Space is limited, so reservations are highly recommended. Call Rod or Verna at 642-4748 to reserve your spot. This is a wonderful opportunity for owners to get a professional quality picture of their beloved pets. Pictures will be taken this Saturday, June 21, from 1:00-4pm at the Long Beach Depot building (just North of Dennis Company).

Thanks, Ed!

For more information on the Doggie Olympics, visit: http://funbeach.com/events/doggieolympics/index.html

For more informaiton on Ed Streit Photography, visit: http://www.edstreit.smugmug.com/

By Cory McKeown

June is Adopt-a-Shelter Cat Month

And we are ready! We are finally getting kittens in, and have a cute selection. There are more feline families in foster care, and they will also be arriving at the shelter very soon. So, if you want to be “smitten with a kitten”, come on down!!

Even though much attention this time of year is focused on kittens, we want to remind everyone that we also have wonderful adult cats waiting for loving homes. Some of these adult kitties have been waiting too long for homes and just need to be given a chance. Ask our staff about our ‘adult cat special” and help a deserving kitty find a home.

June is also adopt Juno Month!!

Juno is hoping that some of the adopt a pet in June thinking will carry over to her and she will find a loving home. She is a year-old Chocolate Lab mix, and has a great potential to be a loving and loyal companion. Lab lovers know what wonderful pets they can make, but they also know that labs can be slow to grow up. Juno needs a patient and caring human friend to guide her as she becomes more mannerly and reaches her full potential. She definitely has the desire to be a very good dog- she just needs some love and attention and someone to show her the way.

In memory of a Greyhound

When Cody and Star were at the end of their Greyhound racing careers, they won the biggest race of their lives. For the first time, they were not seen as just money-makers born and bred to run, but through Greyhound rescue, were adopted into the comfortable home of a local couple, and finally knew what it meant to be loved.

At the shelter, we had the opportunity to know these gentle dogs when they were boarded with us from time to time when their owners traveled. When they first started staying with us, they were a little shy and frightened, but became more outgoing as they became more comfortable with us.

Star remained quieter and more subdued, but Cody quickly became a clown. He delighted in playing with his favorite shelter toy “Mr. Squeaky”, and loved it when we laughed at him, which we did often.

Sadly, last week Cody lost his battle with cancer and passed away. Rest in peace gentle boy. We will miss you.

By Cory McKeown with photos from the Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project

When dogs cry

I knew I was in deep emotional trouble when in just watching the previews of last Friday’s Oprah show featuring puppy mills I was reduced to sobbing. As someone very involved with humane issues, I knew I should watch the show to learn more about the deplorable lives these dogs in these “puppy factories” live. After all, they say knowledge is power, and Oprah is a very powerful public figure who exerts tremendous influence on American Society. And her shows are always well done and informative. So, even though I knew the program would be hard to take, I felt I needed to know as much about the subject as I could learn to be a more effective and caring animal advocate.
Well, the previews were heart-wrenching enough, but the whole program was the things nightmares are made of for those of us who care about animals. The dogs were shown in beyond-deplorable conditions. Some of them couldn’t walk on normal surfaces because they were only used to walking on wire…. Female dogs being bred every heat cycle, producing litter after litter of puppies and getting no attention from their owners other than the basics, such as food. The expose said that the adult breeding dogs are often shot to death by the owners when they can no longer produce puppies…

While we have no large-scale puppy mills in our community, we do have “back yard breeders”. These breeders might treat their dogs a little better than the ones shown in the puppy mills, but the bottom line is the same: the dogs are bred time after time all in the name of profit.

The very sad thing we do have all too often in our community is dogs living their lives on the end of chains. Sometimes they have shelter; sometimes they don’t. Because their chains are usually in a fixed spot, the areas around the dogs, their entire worlds in effect, become mucky, muddy pits. And they live in these pits year after year, with little, if any, contact from their owners other than to be fed.

And because dogs are such social creatures, being so isolated causes them to cry and sometimes bark endlessly. This behavior often either concerns or aggravates neighbors, depending on how they feel about the situation.

We want to do something about chained dogs and are starting a new program at the Humane Society called the “3-F’ program. What this stands for is “Fences for Fido”, and we are hoping for donations of sturdy welded wire fencing and posts, or cash donations to help us get dogs off chains and into a cleaner, fenced environment. Our members donate the labor, and we have already put up several new yards for some dogs that were living their lives on chains. A wonderful secondary effect of these yards is that the owners are often much more likely to interact with their dogs and provide them much- needed human contact when the dogs aren’t leaping at them from the ends of chains, and jumping all over them with muddy paws. Please contact the shelter if you would like to help with this program.

One thing the Oprah program stressed over and over is that public awareness and action can put puppy mills out of business. There are some wonderful dogs and puppies available for adoption in shelters, even some pure-bred dogs. Did you know that statistically, about 99% of the puppies available in pet shops come from puppy mills?

Animal lovers, it is time for us to turn our passion into action. As they say: “think globally and act locally”. If you see dogs in our community living neglected lives, or dogs that could benefit from a better environment, please call us. Those of us who care need to be there.