Dogs and cats don’t know their ZIP codes

When we have room in our shelter, we try to reach out to other shelters that are overcrowded and facing the very sad realization that some of their dogs and cats will have to be put down. This year, we have been able to take numerous dogs from several rescue groups that are working with California shelters that have high euthanasia rates.
And, we have been very pleased to take in kitties from both surrounding shelters and rescue organizations.
What enables us to pursue our mission of saving lives is the wonderful support we get from our members and the community. We are blessed with hard-working volunteers, and supporters who are willing to step up to the plate with supplies and monetary donations.
We are also grateful to the people in the community who care enough to spay and neuter their pets. Over the years we have been very fortunate to be able to offer low cost spay and neuter programs for pets of lower income folks, and many people have taken advantage of these programs. The end result is that the number of unwanted pets in South Pacific County, while still significant, has decreased considerably.
This decrease in our local unwanted pet population and the wonderful support we have received has allowed us to help animals in need from other areas- dogs and cats facing an end to their lives.

Right now, we have a great selection of dogs and cats needing loving homes. There are gorgeous adult cats and cuddly kittens of all colors and descriptions- all available at reduced adoption rates.
Dogs and cats don’t know their ZIP codes, and aren’t aware that they might be considered “outsiders”. All they know is that they want good homes and someone to love them.
Thank you for helping us save lives.

It’s the year of the orange kitten!

Every year at kitten season time, we think we see a trend in the color or coat patterns of the kittens we get in to the shelter. Last year was the year of the tiger; the previous season was the “white year”- you get the picture.
This year, we have decided it is definitely the year of the orange kitten, which delights us. Those of us who have had the pleasure of having orange kitty companions agree that their traits go beyond color, as they are very often extremely friendly and attentive felines- almost dog-like if you will.
My own love of orange kitties started with my Dad’s cat “Redrick”. He was my father’s constant and devoted companion, and was always there to “help” Dad work in his garage or in the garden. Nothing aloof about Redrick- he openly adored Dad, and Dad thought his orange boy was a gift from heaven. My own orange boy, “Murphy”, has been keeping me in wonderful company for over 15 years now.
We have some great orange fellows in right now, and true to form, they are very loving and people-oriented. I say fellows, because the majority of orange kitties are males, but we also have a few of the more unusual female “orangesicles” in.
The orange color in cats can be beautifully variable, from the dark orange ones called “red” to the very light ones labeled “cream”. We have a wonderful selection of orange kittens both bold in color and gorgeously subdued in tone. They are all ready and anxious to find their own loving new homes. Come in and see these little beauties and see why we think orange kittens are great!

Trinket would love to be your “work in progress”

This pretty young lab mix girl is one of those dogs we say “doesn’t show well in a cage” because of her exuberant behavior. She loves people so much and gets so excited when she sees someone approaching, that she not only wiggles herself almost inside out she froths  at the mouth! Talk about excited!
But, like most of the dogs that get overly excited in their cages, Trinket becomes a different dog altogether when she is taken out of her cage and gets some “one on one” attention she so craves. She will sit on request, gives doggie kisses, and lays her head in your lap with her eyes closed- a dog briefly  in heaven.
Trinket came to us from another shelter- given up by her owners who didn’t have enough time for her. She loves to play with toys, is delighted with anything that contains water (she plays in her water bucket daily to amuse herself), and would thrive in  an active home where she would be taken for walks- or even better to a lake or the beach!
She needs the right person to come along and be willing to work with her to reach her full potential. The right person who can look past her behavior in her cage and give her the love and companionship she so desperately wants. That person will be rewarded with a fine and loyal companion with just a little effort and understanding.
If you feel you are the right person to give Trinket a chance, please come down and meet her. We will take her out of her cage for you to a quiet place to “meet and greet” where you will see and appreciate  the “real” Trinket.

We have new kids on the block!

This past week, we got in some nice new dogs- all sizes and all descriptions. They range in size from poodles  to lab size and are  various mixes, including hounds, terriers, and Aussies. Most are young; several under a year of age, and all people-friendly and anxious to find new loving homes

Shelter wish list

We have had some very good kitten adoptions (thanks to everyone who came to our Kitten Chaos shower and adopted little furry companions) but still have a very nice selection of darling, playful kittens.
These little guys seem to thrive on Purina Kitten Chow, and we are running quite low on our supply. We would be very grateful to receive donations of Kitten Chow, and appreciate your loyal support of our no-kill shelter. Thank you!

Tessie wonders: “Is there truly someone for me?”

This pretty young cattle dog/shepherd mix girl has been with us since the first of May, so she has the unfortunate distinction of being our longest time dog resident.
Tessie came to our shelter from Eastern Oregon when she was surrendered by her owner who loved her very much but realized she couldn’t give her the time and attention she deserved. She loves people and enjoys playing ball and will sit, shake hands (or paws, as the case may be!) and lie down on request.
The ideal home for Tessie would be one where she would be the only dog and could get a lot of attention from her people. The “only dog” criterion isn’t written in stone, however. Tessie has been seen here to be very friendly with some of the other canine residents- as is true with most dogs, tolerance and friendliness is often promoted just by the successful  exchange of a  “doggie calling card” sniffing episode.
Tessie is trying hard to remain upbeat as she stays here day after day and watches other dogs go to loving homes. She is quieter and more attentive in her cage than a lot of the other dogs, and watches visitors intently to see if maybe, just maybe, someone is going to approach and pet her.
She thinks that a after all, if that someone would take the time to pet her, they just might see what a nice dog she is and give her a new chance at life- a life filled with love and no cage.

On July 2nd, United Pet Group, Cincinnati, Ohio voluntarily expanded its recent recall of its Pro-Pet Adult Daily Vitamin Supplement tablets for Dogs to include additional pet nutritional supplement products for dogs and cats due to possible Salmonella contamination. The list of recalled products is provided below. The Food and Drug Administration is aware of this recall.

The recalled products are sold nationally at various retailers. The products include various United Pet Group Pro-Pet and Excel branded products for dogs and cats, and certain other private label brands of the same products. All of the affected products are in tablet and powdered form. These products are being removed from retail stores and consumers should immediately stop feeding these supplements to their pets. The affected products are those with expiration dates that include and are between “01/2013″ and “06/2013.” Products with expiration dates earlier than 01/2013 or later than 06/2013 are not included in this recall. The expiration date can be found imprinted vertically on the right side of the product label.

Laboratory testing has revealed that some lots of some of these products may be contaminated with Salmonella. The company is recalling the additional products out of an abundance of caution.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

People who handle these products can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with them or any surfaces exposed to these products. Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with the product should contact their healthcare providers.

Consumers who have purchased the affected products are urged to contact United Pet Group or the place of purchase for further direction. Consumers may contact United Pet Group at 1-877-399-5226, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm EST.

TABLE OF RECALLED PRODUCTS

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FDA Press Release

RSS Feed for FDA Recalls Information

After a fairly quiet spring, kitten season has hit with a bang, and we have now over 30 kittens that need homes. We have little guys of every description: tigers; orange sherbets; black beauties; white with pretty patches, and some with shorter than normal tails.
What matters even more than what the kittens look like, is their sweet personalities and their longing for human companionship and for homes of their own. We try hard to make the shelter a good place for them as they bide their time, with scratching posts, condos and toys, but let’s face it, a cage is a cage…
Summer is a great time to adopt a kitten (or even better, two kittens!!!). When the kids are out of school and the family has more spare time, it can be time well spent to bring home a new furry companion and get them oriented to their new lives. Also, it is a wonderful opportunity to introduce the kids to the satisfaction and sense of responsibility that caring for a pet can bring.
While we have very reasonable prices for cats and kittens, we know that adoption fees are important to the stability of the shelter. But we also know how vital it is that our critters don’t linger in our no kill shelter, and soon have loving people to hold them and make their lives complete. Please come in and see our kittens and give them a chance.

Shelter Wish List

After you have read about our many kittens, it probably will come as no surprise that our wish list is also about kittens and what they need. We would be very grateful to receive donations of Purina Kitten Chow, and canned cat food. The kittens seem to do well on the kitten chow, and the canned food is a wonderful treat for these little guys while they are in cages, or are under the weather and have less than normal appetites.
Also, we want to remind low-income South Pacific County residents that we still have “Fix Your Cat Free” vouchers available to get their cats altered and help prevent even more kittens- kittens that might be unwanted and as a result, are destined to live short, hard lives. Come in and get a voucher today- free is a very good price and can help save lives!!!

Playful Gena is on “spin cycle”

This pretty 3-year old lab mix gets so excited when she thinks someone is going to pay attention to her that she literally turns herself in circles with exuberance. Around and around she goes, and if the person nearing her kennel stops and takes the time to greet her, she quickly goes into “sit mode”, staring at the person with her soft brown eyes and hoping, just maybe, it is her time to get petted and taken for a walk!
Gena came to us from a neighboring shelter in hopes of finding her forever home and her new best friend. She truly adores the company of people, and should make a very good family dog, as is typical of labs. She is housetrained and knows some basic manners.
Until her special someone comes for her, Gena will just have to keep turning in her circles and hoping for the attention and loving home she so craves.
Naselle folks: RU missing 3 beagles?

Several weeks ago, a kind woman brought us three beagles she had found “in the middle of nowhere” outside of Naselle. The dogs, 2 unaltered males and a female, had apparently been chasing porcupines and lost that game…
The lady was nice enough to take them to the vets, her expense, to get the quills removed from the hounds before bringing them to us for safekeeping.
So far, we have had no calls or inquiries about them, but we can tell by their good overall condition that they had been cared for by someone before their misadventure in the woods. If you are missing these guys or know of someone who might be looking for their lost dogs, please call the shelter during normal business hours.
Soon, the dogs will be altered and put up for adoption if the owner doesn’t claim them.

Marley says: “if you enjoyed my movie, you will love me in person”!

Obviously, this handsome golden retriever mix isn’t the real Marley of movie fame- he just looks a lot like him, and has the same fun-loving exuberance of youth the beloved movie character had as he romped through life.
This Marley was rescued from a hoarding situation in Eastern Oregon. We know his mom is a golden retriever, but have no definite information on daddy- we just have to assume he was a traveling sales dog…
Like the movie character, Marley has lots of energy, and still needs to learn more doggie manners. But he has a very sweet disposition, and is very bright and eager to please.
He gets so thrilled and excited when he sees people that we know he would make a great family dog.  Marley just needs to meet the right person to help him channel his energy towards learning. If you think you might be just that person. Come meet Marley today- he gives great “doggie kisses”!

Don’t forget to “Fix Your Cat for Free”
We want to remind low-income residents of South Pacific County that we still have vouchers available to spay or neuter their cats- absolutely free!
The Society budgets annually for this program, and it is a great opportunity for low-income folks in our community to help prevent unwanted litters of kittens. Just stop by the shelter during business hours and pick up a voucher.
Cats breed mainly in the spring through he early fall months, so the time is right to “Fix Your Cat for Free”.

Shelter Wish List

We are running very low on dried food for both the dogs and the kitties, and would be very grateful to receive donations of these items. We have found that Kirkland/Pedigree/Purina brands seem to agree the most with the canine and feline residents of the shelter.
Thanks for your help and support of our homeless critters!

Monte would even trade his favorite tennis ball for a loving home

This young dog is the kind we affectionately call a “goof ball”. These sweet dogs are usually lab mixes and have an easy-going approach to life. They adore the company of people big and small, and love to play- most often with tennis balls, which are paws-down one of their favorite things in life.

“Monte” is a poster boy for goof ball dogs. We received this young blond lab mix from a California shelter that had a high euthanasia rate. His days were numbered at that shelter, and we were very happy to be able to give him another chance. And he was very happy to be at our shelter, where he not only has a tennis ball, but volunteers take him for walks and play with him.

And play he does… Monte gets so excited when there is a playful person willing to throw his beloved ball; pet him, and tell him what a great guy he is. When he is done playing, Monte goes into his affection mode. He will sit quietly when visitors approach his run, and give gentle, soft kisses when anyone reaches through to pet him.

Monte has a very even, happy temperament and should make a very good family dog but is not good with cats and needs to go to a “feline free” home. He has spent enough of his young life behind bars, and is more than ready to find his own loving home. Hopefully a home with someone who has tennis balls and also loves to play…

It’s time to get smitten with kittens!

Kitten season is finally coming around the corner, and we have some darling kittens for adoption. As the summer wears on, we will get more kittens (we know that more owners are now spaying their cats, but unfortunately, there are still mom cats out there having babies) but we already have some real beauties.

“Tommy’s” little family was born under the house belonging to one of our volunteers. The volunteer had been feeding Mama Tommy as a stray for several months, and she decided under his house was the best place to have her kittens. He eventually got the family out and safe, and brought the beautiful kittens to the shelter. They are very healthy and sturdy, and have great patterns and markings. Mama will be spayed, and will soon have a real home with the caring volunteer.

Melanie, also one of our volunteers, has a beautiful family of kittens and a gorgeous calico mama she rescued from Eastern Oregon. The poor mama had litter after litter of kittens, even though she is barely out of kitten hood herself.

All the kittens are girls, and several are lovely bright calico like their mama. There is even a beautiful fluffy orange girl- quite unusual, as the vast majority of orange cats are males.

This family is still at Melanie’s house, and will soon be ready for adoption. If you are interested in one of these little beauties, give Mel a call at 642-2114.

By Cory McKeown

Little “broken leg” Bradley is left behind

We had a wonderful adoption response to the “magnificent mutts” we received two weeks ago from an over- crowded, high-kill rate California shelter. Big and small, these rescued dogs finally found the homes they so deserved. All but Bradley…
This sweet little Chihuahua mix is just as affectionate, cute, and eager to please as the other Chihuahua mixes we received. The only difference is that sometime in this poor young dog’s life, his front leg was broken and never fixed.
Eventually, the fracture healed, but without the benefit of veterinary care, it fused crookedly. One can only imagine how painful this process was. Now, his leg is crooked, but he seems to be making do quite well, and walking on all four limbs.
As his stay at our shelter went on, it was sad to hear people stop by his kennel to say “hi” to him only to hear them say things like “the poor thing has a crooked leg” and walk on by. Leaving him to look forlornly at them, and wonder just what was so wrong that they were no longer interested in him.
Bradley will never be a “jogging partner” dog, but gets along just fine for short walks and to get around to live his life. His leg might be crooked thanks to the neglect of a previous owner, but he holds no grudges. He just wants someone to step up and be willing to love him-crooked leg and all…

Exotic Scottish fold kittens

In 1961, a farmer in Scotland noticed that a white kitten born to one of his barn cars had an unusual fold in the middle of her ears, causing the ears to fold forward and giving the kitten a pixie-like appearance.
Over time, from this kitten named “Susie”, the farmer bred more of these kittens with the ear folds, and the Scottish fold breed was born.
Recently, we received a charming calico Scottish fold mix mama and her litter of kittens; some with folded ears and some with upright ears, as is common in a fold litter.
Several of the unique kittens have already found homes, but mama and two of her kittens are still available for adoption.
Scottish folds are said to be typically good-natured, and adjust well to other pets in the household. They are very affectionate by nature, and delight their owners with their playfulness and sweet personalities.
True to the breed, Mama Hailey and her kittens seem very calm and outgoing- perfect choice for the person wanting an affectionate, laid-back kitty companion.

Charming young “Cracker”- wirehaired pointing griffon mix, or…?

When we received this young dog last week as a transfer from an overcrowded California shelter where a lot of dogs are often apparently on the “short list” we saw that he was an extremely friendly and playful guy. But what we weren’t sure of, as often happens with the mixed breed dogs we get, just what mix he was…
Obviously, the staff at the other shelter also appreciated his good nature, as one of the staffers wrote on his paperwork:  “This dog is a crack-up”. So, this helped us name him”Cracker”. The other shelter didn’t venture to guess his heritage, so we were driven to look in our dog breed ID book to try to figure him out.
As close as we can tell, young Cracker is quite possibly a wirehaired pointing griffon mix. The griffon was developed in the Netherlands as a hardy hunting dog, and worked with their owners in marshy, low-lying terrain, hunting birds.
While the griffons apparently make good hunting dogs, what interested us more is the fact that they are also known to be extremely people oriented, with an ease of trainability and high degree of cooperation.
In other words, they can also make very good and loving pets, and are gentle with children. They are also known to have a lot of vitality and endurance, and can make great agility dogs.
Cracker has been in a cage for quite a while, given his time at the other shelter, and has energy built up from confinement and boredom. When folks stop by his kennel to say “hi” it is obvious he loves people, as he dances so with excitement he seems to almost turn himself inside out with his wiggling and prancing.
Come by and meet this charming mutt- he would love to bring his brand of youthfulness and loyal affection into your heart and home!

New “magnificent mutts” arriving soon!

The past few weeks, we have been working with an Oregon pet rescue organization called OFSA (Oregon Friends of Shelter Animals) to save some very adoptable dogs from a shelter in California that has, quite frankly, a deplorable euthanasia record.
These dogs have been wonderful mutts of all sizes and descriptions- Chihuahua mixes, terrier mixes, and larger breeds like labs and spaniels. The dogs were transported to our shelter and other shelters by a group of caring volunteers.
When our rescued dogs arrived at our shelter, they were evaluated for any needed veterinary care and spayed or neutered. When they were good to go, “go” they did- it didn’t take long for adopters to fall in love with these charming mutts and give them good homes.
This week, we are getting another group of these rescue dogs, and they should be available for adoption by Thursday, according to our Manager Diana Galbreath. So, if you are interested in helping to rescue a sweet mutt and in having a new best friend for your household, come to the shelter this week and take a look!

Are you missing “the odd couple”?

More than a week ago, we received a pair of stray dogs that had been brought to the local vet’s office. They are very bonded to each other, and more than likely came from the same home. Both are males- one appears to be a French bulldog, and the blond one is a very nice terrier mix.
We are still hoping their owner will find out that they are at the shelter and come for them.  But, if time continues to pass and no one steps up to claim them, they will be placed for adoption.

Shelter Wish List

We are running low on some much-needed supplies and would be very grateful to receive: dog kibble (Pedigree or Kirkland’s seems to agree the most with our pooches), traditional clay cat litter, like Johnny or Tidy Cat, and kitten chow. Kitten season is just around the corner- in fact, we have already had our first kitten family at the shelter. We have found that Purina Kitten Chow, the kind in the yellow bag, seems to make the tiny felines thrive.
We are very appreciative of the generosity of our loyal supporters who faithfully bring donations to help make the lives of the shelter animals so much better. Thank you!

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…