Sure-to-be-fun “St. Pat’s Lucky Cats” party coming up!

In honor of St. Paddy’s day and to promote kitty adoptions at the shelter, we are hosting a party event this Saturday, March 13, from 11am to 3pm.
This will be a fun event for the whole family, and will feature refreshments, prizes, and great adoption incentives for adopters to bring home a new furry addition to the homestead. Wear a “bit o’ the green” and come celebrate with us.

Some new, cute, and just plain “interesting” dogs have arrived at the shelter

This past week, we have received some great new dogs for adoption- and quite a variety, indeed! Large dogs, small dogs, brown dogs, spotted dogs, and a hound dog, named, of course, Elvis…
With s several of the pooches we are just not quite sure of their heritage, including a larger than normal pug (?) mix, and others that are sweet but definitely in the “F.L.D.” (“Funny looking dog”) category.
“Banjo” is a nice young Border collie mix pup that is about 6 months old, a little shy, very smart, very affectionate, and has a great potential to be a wonderful companion dog. “Diego” is a high-octane Akita mix (?) pup that also is showing us that he can be a very good boy with just a little attention and direction.
Spring is just around the corner, and it is a great time to bring home a new walking and beach-time companion. With the wide selection of dogs we have right now, there truly is probably a dog to please just about everyone!

By Cory McKeown

Sweet Elton would love to sing a duet with you

Those of us whose lives are blessed with the companionship of dogs already know how much joy they bring us and how little they ask in return. They love us when we feel unlovable, and look at us adoringly even when we are having an “extreme bad hair day”.
This young lab mix, Elton, has to have one of the sweetest dog faces around. He has soft, golden-brown eyes, and will look very intently at visitors who stop to visit him.  One does not have to be able to speak “dog” to know exactly what he is saying- he is saying he is lonely and that he dreads the thought of spending more time without someone to love.
Elton is a great mid-sized lab mix boy, with a short, easy-care coat. He adores toys and attention, and would much rather play and have the companionship of people than anything else in the world. He is gentle, knows basic commands, and is very anxious to please. If you would give him a place in your heart and home, he wouldn’t even care if you can carry a tune- a duet with you would be music to his ears!

Little Mama Suzie’s story is sadly all too familiar …

We see the scenario every kitten season, year after year. Wonderful mama cats come in, accompanied by their little families. Hopefully, we have enough foster homes available for them to stay in a home setting while they raise their kittens, and those of us who help foster the moms never cease to be amazed just how truly dedicated and loving they are.
The time always comes, though, when the kittens are old enough to adopt, and the moms and babies come to the shelter. Invariably, the kittens find homes fairly fast, but the poor moms can linger for weeks, waiting for their chances at a new life.
This is exactly Suzie’s story, in a nutshell. This pretty tuxedo girl was a wonderful mama to her five kittens, but now that they are gone, she lingers in the kitty room, waiting week after week for her special person to come. She has been waiting since October as the other cats have found homes. We are hoping a kind person will step forward and give this little mama the love she deserves. She won’t ever have kittens again, but she still has so much love to give…

Desperate situation: Chinook cats need barn homes or face euthanasia

For several years now, we have been helping an older man in Chinook feed a colony of outside cats. We had them all spayed and neutered, and provided necessary food. And the kitties provided expert rodent control for the neighborhood in exchange for room and board.
Now, unfortunately, the man has decided he no longer wants to feed the cats, and wants them all relocated to barn/farm homes by mid-March or he will have them euthanized.
Of course, we truly hate the thought of euthanizing healthy cats whose only crime is being raised outdoors. We are hoping the kind people of our community will step up and help us find these kitties barn/shop/farm homes where they can live out the rest of their lives.
We will assist with trapping and relocating cats to their new homes. For more information and to help these innocent cats, please call Melanie at 642-2114. Their time is running out…

Big Red is aptly named!

This young, exuberant dog is truly larger than life. “Big Red” probably weighs 90 pounds or more, and he is all big heart and handsome muscle. We think he might be a mastiff/ Great Dane mix, but his gene pool is certainly open to interpretation.
He has a very happy, people-loving disposition, and needs a kind dog-experienced owner to help him learn his manners- what we call “fine-tuning”. He is very anxious to please, and with just a little investment of someone’s time and love, will make a very good and loyal companion.
Come and see “Big Red” today- he is hard to miss!!!

It bears repeating, so bear with us;  these ‘people foods’ are DANGEROUS, even deadly, for pets:

• Alcoholic beverages
• Avocado (why)
• Chocolate (all forms) (chocolate toxicity)
• Coffee (all forms)
• Caffeine (tea, coffee, pills, drinks, candies)
• Macadamia nuts (why)
• Raw Anadramous Fish (fish that swim upstream to breed, such as salmon) more inf0 and even more info
• Onions & Garlic (all forms) (onion/garlic toxicity)
• Raisins and grapes (click for sad stories)
• Pear pips, the kernels of plums, peaches and apricots, apple core pips  (why)
• Potato peelings and green looking potatoes
• Rhubarb leaves
• Salt
• Yeast dough
• Cigarettes and other nicotine products
• Products sweetened with xylitol (such as chewing gum, breath mints, and even some “sugar free” baked goods)
• High fat foods (turkey or chicken skin, steak fat, butter, cream, etc.)
• Cooked Poultry or Pork Bones
• Moldy or spoiled foods

If you suspect that your dog may have ingested one of these foods or another harmful substance, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center National Hotline: 888-426-4435.

Please also read:

• Animal Poison Center
• Top 10 Animal Poisons of 2009

This week, we got in a darling litter of puppies with a very interesting “gene pool.” These guys are chow/beagle mixes – not a combo seen every day, but really cute – with little “blocky” chow-like heads and reddish brown trim bodies.

OK, you just need to come and see them for yourself. … They are about eight weeks old, have had their first shots, and there are both boys and girls available.

Sometimes Mother Nature does indeed fool us – but often, it turns out to be a delightful surprise. In this case, it’s darling cinnamon-colored, people-pleasing puppies just ready to start their new lives in loving homes.

Soon it will be time to “Fix Your Cat Free”

Again this year, we are pleased to be able to sponsor our annual spay and neuter program to help local low income folks get their cats altered – absolutely free!

We will have the wonderful assistance of the staff of Oceanside Animal Clinic in Seaview, who will provide the spaying and neutering services.

Vouchers for the program will soon be available at the Humane Society shelter, located at 330 2nd St. NE in Long Beach. Call the shelter at 642-1180 for more information.

We truly want folks to take advantage of this program, but we stress that it is available only for low-income, local residents. Funding for the program comes from the Pacific County Humane Society budget, and is limited.

Oh, sweet Jenny- where is your person to love you?

This pretty calico girl has the unfortunate distinction of being our “longest time kitty resident” at the shelter. She was on the “short list” at another overcrowded shelter, so we took her in at the end of May, never dreaming this young, easy-going and affectionate girl would linger through the fall and into winter.
Jenny loves people, and eagerly goes up to visitors in the playroom, hoping for attention. She gets along well with the other cats, and has good litter box manners. She has a short, glossy, easy-care coat, and enjoys playing and sitting on laps.
If you have room in your heart for a nice kitty that has lingered with us far too long, please come and meet Jenny. She would love to have a place in your heart.

News flash: this handsome Manx boy adores dogs!!!

Quite often, people come into the shelter, looking for a kitty to adopt that is good with dogs, or at least tolerates dogs… Unless we have a good history on the cats up for adoption, we usually don’t know how the kitties would be with dogs.
Well, Inky Spot is one feline exception to the rule. He belonged to an older lady in the community who became disabled and could no longer care for him. Inky was raised with the dogs in her home, and it must have been a good situation, because he LOVES dogs! Big dogs, little dogs, medium dogs- to Inky, they are wonderful creatures, indeed.
Inky is a typical Manx- he is very curious, a little mischievous, and very attentive and affectionate. He was declawed by his previous owner, so will need to be an indoor kitty.
He is being cared for in a foster home, but the resident kitties in the home are not thrilled to be sharing with him- but the resident dogs think he is great. Inky would thrive in a home filled with loving humans, and of course a dog. Or even better, two dogs!
If you would like to meet this charming Manx, please call Melanie at 360-642-2114. And, bring your cat-friendly dog…

We think someone may have told Romeo and Sketch they are really Dobermans…

It is unusual for us to have small dogs at the shelter that go unadopted for any length of time. But, such is the case with “Romeo” and “Sketch”, a pair of Manchester terrier mixes that has been here since early November.
So, why have they lingered, one might ask? Because, sometimes when people approach their cages, they go into “guard dog mode” and start barking and jumping. Behavior, perhaps more appropriate for a pair of Dobermans trained to guard rather than two small “lap type” dogs known as a breed for their good manners, warm hearts, and loyalty to their masters.
Outside of their cages, they even seem to be chagrined themselves at their silly “cage guarding” behavior and settle down to be the nice dogs they truly are.
These lonely little guys lost their home when their elderly owner had to go into a nursing home. So they landed in our shelter, upset and bewildered, looking for someone to look past their “make believe” guard dog routine and see them for what they really are: two tiny terriers looking for nice laps and someone to love them again. Small dogs with big hearts…

Shelter Wish List

We want to thank everyone for the wonderful contributions and donations over the holidays. It is so great to have such loyal support! Best wishes for the New Year to you and yours from all of us. Please take time in 2010 to visit the shelter, and, of course, we hope that you might add a new furry member to your family for the New Year.

The passing of our beloved shelter cat, Luigi.

This week, we lost our much-loved shelter cat Luigi to kidney failure. He has gradually lost ground the past few months, but still had the will to go out in the wetlands and bring us back “presents”- usually live mice or shrews.

More than a decade ago, when the shelter was being built, we noticed a bold white and black young cat with a charming moustache hanging around. He loved all the activity and the people, and “helped” all the workers and volunteers with their lunches.

By the time the shelter was opened for business, the cat was still hanging around, and we figured he was determined to be a part of our shelter family. We named him “Luigi” to fit his moustache, and when we took him down to have him neutered, we figured he might get insulted and leave.

But, he wasn’t so upset that he was willing to give up his new home, and all the shelter people who had grown to love him.

Through the years, he has been a wonderful companion for the shelter staff, and our frequent visitors even got to know him and ask about him if they visited and he was off hunting and not at his official “greeter” post on the front counter.

Luigi was always there to help us with the laundry; help us with the cleaning, or help us eat our lunches. Or to help us through the sad times that sometimes strike a shelter, with his friendly and comical ways. Good night, sweet prince. We loved you and we will miss you.

Forest says: “I was your loyal companion for years. Are you looking for me?”

A local game warden found this older dog in the woods and brought him to us. It was very bitterly cold in the forest, and the ranger saw no one around. He felt the dog was lost, so he brought the old guy to us for safekeeping.
We had no idea what his name was, so we named him “Forest”, fed him well, and gave him a warm bed. The old guy settled down, grateful for the food and warmth, but it is easy to tell that he is very bewildered and wondering where his people are.
We really don’t want to think that someone just “dumped” this sweet dog in the woods because they no longer wanted him. We are very much hoping that he ended up alone and cold by some unfortunate turn of events, and that his people cherish him and want him back.
Please- if you are missing your old companion, come and get him- he wants nothing more than to be back in your home and heart.

Sweet Tupperware Mama and her kittens

No doubt, whoever brought this pretty mama kitty and her cute kittens to the shelter thought they were doing the right thing. They didn’t want them or just couldn’t keep them, and rather than just dump them anywhere, they did the more responsible thing and brought them to the Humane Society.
Unfortunately, they brought them to the shelter on a Monday when we are closed. Sealed inside a large plastic storage box, with no air holes… By the time one of our volunteers found them on the front porch, the sun had been beating on the box too long, and the kitties had almost run out of air. Sadly, they were all suffering from the heat, and one of the kittens had already suffocated…
The volunteer called our Manager Diana, and she rushed to the shelter on her day off to save Mama and her remaining kittens. Luckily, with some good old TLC, the remaining kittens and their tuxedo mama pulled through.
They are now safe and healthy- very cute and affectionate, and with endless energy for play. Obviously there is a lesson from this story: it was good that whomever brought us these kittens didn’t just discard them, but it was very bad (and sad for the kitten that died) that they didn’t use more common sense and make sure the kitties were safe before they left them.
Life was perilous for a time for this little feline family, but now they are ready to be adopted into loving homes. They are just some of the wonderful young adult cats and kittens we have available to bring joy and fun into their new homes!

Shelter Wish List

Our community-supported and funded no-kill shelter relies on fundraising and donations from loyal supporters to keep the doors open to help the homeless animals. We literally could not do it without you.

We know the economy is tough right now, but we are hoping that our supporters will be able to dig a little deeper in their pockets, and make cash donations to the humane society this holiday season.

The South Pacific County Humane Society is largely volunteer-driven. We have very few paid employees, and count on our wonderful volunteers to help provide the care the pets need. We also are very adept at good old-fashioned “penny pinching,” so you can be assured that a very large percentage of your donations goes directly for the care of the animals.

Words cannot truly express how grateful we are for your donations and kind support. Because of your kindness, we are able to not only meet the basic needs of the animals while they are housed at the shelter, but to sometimes get a few extras, like soft beds and toys, that can make life so much better. Thank you from all our hearts and happy holidays to you and yours.

Now it’s time for the homeless pets to be thankful- please come to “Yappy Hour”
What a winter it has been already- extreme weather to the fullest! And, in this time of power outages and a struggling economy, at the shelter we find ourselves trying to support and care for an unusually large population of kittens and cats- all needing good homes.
While we feel sorry for these kitties that sit in cages and shelter rooms day after day waiting for someone to come and take them home, we know that the shelter is a safe and warm place, and we do what we can to make it as homey and comfortable as possible.
We know, though, that feeling sorry for the cats and kittens doesn’t  help them find happy  new lives, so this Saturday, November 28, we are having “Yappy Hour” from 11am-3pm to feature all the cute felines, and offer them for adoption to good homes at greatly reduced rates. And to have some fun!
There will be refreshments like you’ve never seen before, including drinks one could only find at an animal shelter; Doggie Daiquiris! Muttly Martinis! Sour Pusses! Cocktail wieners and more! And of course, dogs and cats looking for their special people.
Please come and help us celebrate the holidays- and even more importantly, help a worthy pet start a new life. Open your hearts and homes to a new dog or kitty. Save the tigers!

Little Solo and Mia aren’t singing…

These little guys have had a “double whammy” of bad luck in their lives. Several years ago, a kind lady rescued them after they were neglected and abandoned by their previous owner. They thrived in her care, and for several years, life was good.
Then, sadly, the lady developed cancer, and could no longer care for her beloved dogs. It broke her heart, but she had to give them up.
Now, they are at our shelter, bewildered and a little frightened by the turn of events. Solo, the smaller cinnamon colored boy, is about 8 years old. He is quite outgoing, and loves attention and will sit up for “cookies”. His friend Mia, the girl, is a Doxie/terrier mix, and is about 6 years old. She is a little more shy and reserved than Solo, but comes out of her shell and thrives with quiet, gentle attention.
Their owner wrote a note saying how much the two are bonded together, and how they love to go for walks, and to cuddle with their people. Now they are pretty much biding their time, looking hopefully at the people who stop by their cage to say hello. Hoping they will get lucky a second time and find someone to love and care for them.
Of course, we are hoping they can go to a home together, but this isn’t absolutely necessary. We just want them to be loved- they have had enough hard luck already to last a lifetime.

Huckleberry Hound is becoming heartbroken

This young Treeing Walker Coonhound has the dubious distinction of having been at our shelter longer than any other dog. He has watched for weeks as the other dogs have found good homes, and one can sense that he is becoming more lonely and frustrated as time passes.

These coonhounds are known for their gentle, good nature, and Huckleberry is no exception. Hounds are bred to run in packs, and it is natural for them to be very energetic and downright “bouncy” when they are with their peers. But Huck, once he is taken away from the “pack’ and given one-on-one time with people, calms down and becomes the loving and eager to please guy he truly is.

He would love a home with an active family, and would probably very much enjoy the company of children. Hounds will tend to be high strung without enough mental and physical exercise, and need daily activity- he would probably be a great companion for another athletic and playful dog.

Surely, there is a hound-lover out there who is willing to come forward and give Huckleberry a chance to be a loyal and loving companion- he is too nice a dog to waste his life looking, day after day,  through the bars of his cage.

We are hoping to see you at the shelter open house

Just a reminder that the shelter will be open special hours this Sunday, November 15, from Noon to 3pm for a get-together to thank our many volunteers and loyal supporters. Come and enjoy refreshments and allow us thank you for all your help and for the wonderful donations. It will also be a great opportunity to meet with other fellow pet-lovers, and to tell everyone just exactly why your “Fido “or “Fluffy “is the best critter that ever  graced a home.

Congratulations to the winners of our great raffle!!!

We held the drawing for our raffle on Saturday, and what a great turn-out we had for the event! Royce Murray and his sister Avery were the “ticket pickers” for the event, and did a wonderful job. In the past, our shelter cat “Commander Cody” helped with the drawing, but on Saturday she was napping and couldn’t be bothered, so these cute kids stepped up to help.

By Cory McKeown

Langley is languishing…

When we got Langley from another shelter, we hoped he would soon find a home, for he had been at the other shelter too long. But, unfortunately, this young dog seems to be biding his time at our shelter, too.
Langley is a handsome, slimly built Labrador mix, about a year and a half old. He is youthfully active, but with focus. We have noticed that when he is amongst the other dogs, and they are jumping and barking for attention, he is following suit. But, take him away from the “pack”, and he settles right down.
One on one, Langley is very attentive and eager to please. He would dearly love to belong to someone who is active, and would give him the quality exercise he craves. But, exercise is not the only thing Langley craves. He also hopes that soon his special person will come in, meet him, see what a great dog he is, and take him into their heart. He just needs a chance.

Please join us for our open house

On Sunday, the 15th of November the shelter will be open special hours in order for us to thank some special people- our members and the wonderful people who support our efforts to care for homeless pets.
Please stop by from noon to 3pm, and enjoy snacks and refreshments, and let us express how grateful we are for the countless hours of volunteer help we receive, and the wonderful donations.

Shelter Wish List

This year, kitten season seems to be going on and on, and we are running very low on Purina Kitten Chow- the kind in the yellow bag. Our little guys seem to thrive on the kitten formula, and we think it gives them a healthier start to life.
We would also be very grateful to receive donations of canned cat food- this is a wonderful treat for the kitties, and helps to tempt the appetites of some of the cats that feel under the weather and are not eating enough.
Thank you for your loyal generosity!

Doggone if isn’t almost Halloween so have fun, eat candy and pet
a dog of your choosing
Happy Halloween!

It’s sad but true- sweet young Dora has spent 10 months in a shelter

Unbelievably, this pretty lab/flat coat retriever girl had been  in a shelter in Southern Oregon since the first of the year by the time she was rescued by a “foster mom” who saw what a nice dog she was and contacted us, hoping we would take her.
Of course, we did agree to take her- it was just too sad to know that Dora had already spent almost half her life in a cage. So, what is wrong with a dog that lingers so long in a shelter? Frankly, none of us can figure it out. The more we get to know her, the more she is becoming a staff favorite.
She is very pretty, affectionate, and seems to love everything and everybody. She adores being  with people, and is happiest in the role of   loyal companion. Good in the house; good in the car; a nice energy level for someone who likes the outdoors and wants to “go and do”.
It is hard to imagine how many times Dora has gotten her hopes up when someone stops by her cage, only to walk away. Days and days, weeks and weeks, months and months of disappointment and heartbreak for this young dog. Please come and meet Dora, and when you do, think about how long she has been without a home. She is ready to be first in someone’s heart…

Missing your kitty? Please check with us!!!

A  kitty we are calling “Black Lake Kitty”. He jumped in a little boy’s lap when the family was visiting the Black Lake area of Ilwaco, and the family brought him to us as a stray.
But, as is true with so many of the “stray” cats we get in, this handsome Maine Coon guy just has to be someone’s pet. He is well fed, clean, neutered, and oh, so friendly.
Sadly, a lot of people who have lost a kitty don’t check in with us to see if he or she has been brought to the shelter. They just assume that the kitty is the victim of traffic or a predator, and think they will never return home.
This means that we have to try to find a home for a cat that already has a good home, if only the owner would check with us. So, if you have lost a kitty (or any pet, for that matter) please call us- it could be a very happy reunion!

Kitty care tip

Do you use scoopable litter in your kitty boxes and become frustrated when the litter sticks to the pan in a cement-like blob? Try spraying your boxes after they have been scrubbed  clean with Pam (or any brand of plain  vegetable oil spray), and use a paper towel to distribute the oil evenly on the bottom and sides of the pan. You will be pleased to find  that the litter scoops out clean as a whistle! The natural vegetable oil is harmless to the cat, and makes litter scooping and box cleaning much easier for us owners
Those of us who feel that we are slaves to our pets need all the breaks we can get!