Kittens Kittens Kittens - Mississauga Humane Society

Kittens Kittens Kittens
Can you provide a foster home please?
MHS has been in operation for ,
MISSISSAUGA HUMANE SOCIETY
MISSION
To rescue as many
homeless
companion animals
as possible & find
them forever homes.
IN THIS EDITION
www.mississaugahumanesociety.com
905-271-0883
HARLEY, MAX & many more are waiting for a FOREVER HOME
…
Board of Directors
2 President’s Message/Rescue Story
3 Whom have you helped to
Save/Rescue & Adoption Statistics
James Kent, President
4 KITTEN SEASON – through the eyes
of an animal intake field volunteer
Janis Greenwood, Secretary
5 HomeSweetHome
6 New & Events/Cat Rooms
Lily Chan
7 Amazing Animals
Betty Karafilis
8 Humour Time/THANK YOU
Susan Worsley
EDITOR: LILY CHAN
Harley
Max
Page 2
President’s Message
Mississauga Humane Society has been in operation since 1999 for 12 years saving
thousands of animal lives. The past few months have been a difficult period for us. We
have been busy with re-organization and dividing duties between several valued
volunteers.
Despite the challenges we face, we persist and do our best.
A new board has now been formed (see list of Board of Directors on cover). As the new
President, I can promise you that the new Board will be stronger than ever and we will
continue our rescue mission with our whole heart and soul.
Adopt a Cat
Foster a dog/cat
Adopt a Do
I look forward to your continuedasupport which is very important to our animal rescue
work. You can be assured that MHS is and will always be a genuine rescue group
showing integrity and dedication to helping homeless companion animals.
I am pleased to report that in addition to the Cat Adoption Room at Global Pet Foods,
1170 Burnhamthorpe Rd, starting June 16, 2011, another Cat Adoption Room has been
set up. It is located at Dundas East Animal hospital. We would also like to thank Pet
Valu at 6085 Creditview Rd for letting us set up a cage for kitten adoptions.
However, cat spaces are never enough. It’s that time of the year, the KITTEN SEASON!
We are being flooded with daily calls on stray cats and kittens. We NEED MANY CAT
FOSTER/ADOPTIVE HOMES! I encourage you to open your heart and home to a
homeless
cat
or
cats.
The
reward
for
saving
lives
is
priceless.
Our fund raising event of the year, the 6th annual WALK-A-THON will be held on
Saturday, Sept 17, 2011. Please set this date aside in your diary and I look forward to
seeing every one of you at the WALK! It will be full of fun! Please see Page 6 for details.
We will also be holding an on-line PET PHOTO CONTEST to raise funds. Details of the
contest will be published on our website soon. Get your camera ready!
James Kent
President
Click here to see
DOGS for ADOPTION
MHS is a registered
charity run 100% by
volunteers. It receives no
support from the city or
the SPCA. It does not
have a shelter, business
venue or paid staff.
MHS was established
In 1999. Over the last 12
years more than 4000
homeless animals have
been rescued.
Without a shelter MHS
depends on the kindness of
foster parents who open
their heart and home to
animals in need. By fostering
a pet you literally help
save a life.
MHS is NOT the "animal
shelter". That is a
completely unrelated
group - Mississauga
Animal Services, which is
run by the city.
c
c
RESCUE
Rescue STORY
story
By Lily Chan
BY Lily Chan
Jasmine
Harley
Boston
Many times when we help an animal, we are also helping out a despondent human.
It was a sunny afternoon, after visiting the Cat Room; I was ready to go home for another afternoon of emails and phone
calls. Then the cell phone rang and it was from Tracy, our lovely foster parent and volunteer. Half an hour later, my van
had 4 more passengers - one dog and 3 cats.
Harley is a 7 year old Terrier wearing a “Harley Davidson” collar with a squeaky pumpkin toy in his mouth. The 3 cats were his
roommates. They were all from the same home. Due to financial hardship, their owner had to move to a place where pets were
not allowed. She surrendered all her pets to the local shelter, only to find out later that they were scheduled to be killed. Her
desperation and hopelessness could only be imagined. She called us for help. Thanks to Tracy, after some arrangements with
the shelter we were able to rescue Harley, Jasmine, Boston and Fester. Several hours later, a foster home was found for
Harley. The 3 cats stayed boarding/vetting in a vet clinic for a few days and went to our adoption room/a foster home afterwards.
That was more than a month ago. I am happy to report that Jasmine and Boston have both been adopted.
Harley and
Fester have settled well in their foster homes. These four precious souls have a new lease on life! While their former
owner’s own future is unknown, she will find comfort knowing that her beloved pets have a second chance.
Page 3
WHOM have YOU Helped to SAVE?
.
Here are just a few of them…
Kayla
A Labrador
with behaviour
issues that
ended up in a
pound
Hidalgo, Hermes,
Hailey,Harold &
Henry
A litter of kittens
scavenging for
food in a backyard
A young
Beagle X in a
high kill
pound whose
“time was
up”.
Carson
Penny
An Australian
Cattle Dog who
had been in a
pound for too long
A 5 yr old Calico
given up by her
owner due to
behaviour issues
Skipper
Zoe
An older Jack
Russell in a pound
that nobody was
interested in
A 4 yr cat whose
owner had to
give her up due
to allergy issues
Meow
Gracie
A homeless cat
found wandering
in someone’s
backyard
A young Collie X
whose chance of
adoption is
minimal in a rural
pound
Tigger
A friendly stray
found in a car
parking lot in a
plaza.
RESCUE & ADOPTION STATISTICS
WISH LIST
Jan – June 2011
Money
No. of dogs rescued:
No. of dogs adopted:
54
31
No. of cats rescued;
No. of cats adopted:
198
68
TOTAL RESCUED:
TOTAL ADOPTED:
252
99
Foster Homes
Adoptive Homes
Canned food for
dogs and cats
Cat Litter
Page 4
KITTEN SEASON -
through the eyes of an
Animal Intake Field Volunteer
By Susan Worsley
How do we know when it is kitten season? We know this when MHS receives multiple phone calls per day regarding stray
mother cats with kittens. For the most part, the caller is reporting that they have seen a litter of kittens running around in
their backyard which seem to have come from nowhere. However, the calls that come earlier in the season are ones where
they have stumbled across a litter that is not yet mobile, usually in a detached garage, shed, or decking while cleaning. This is
something to keep in mind whenever moving clutter around in an outdoor enclosure or space where any animal has access.
Since mid May, when our kitten season
began, MHS has taken in over 90 kittens!
To this number we can add the moms that came in with their kittens to get a sense of how busy MHS are right now.
As an Animal Intake Field Volunteer (a ‘Trapper’) I become involved when contacted by the volunteer who answers MHS’s main
phone line. I then contact the individual who placed the call. From there I get pertinent details such as how healthy they look
and how tame they seem to be. As there are multiple calls per day and I have a full time career, I have to then budget my time
and coordinate the cases based on somewhat of a triage method. Any litters with existing or looming harm are attended to first.
In almost all of the cases a humane trap is required to enable me to get the kittens and their mom from their outside
environment to veterinarian care. Although people initially react with uneasiness at the mention of a trap, when the proper trap
is used and in the correct manner it is a very safe and humane tool that, in the majority of the cases, can make the difference
between providing medical attention and the opportunity of a new life or no assistance at all. It may help to offer a brief
description of the traps that are used to capture cats (with a smaller size for kittens).
They are essentially a metal cage with a door that can be propped open. The mechanism that keeps the door open is attached
to a ‘pressure plate’ towards the back of the cage. This plate is angled upwards when the door is propped open. Once this
plate is stepped on, the mechanism holding the door open will then release, closing the door behind them.
Because the mom is most likely to be caught first, I have to take this into consideration when determining what the best time is
for me to intervene with the feline family. For example, if the kittens are not mobile but I know their exact location, I can capture
the mom at any time and then easily scoop up the kittens. Conversely, if the mom is noticeably nursing yet I do not know the
exact location of the kittens, I would have to ensure that the mom is not interfered with and well fed.
Although it is reasonable to deduce that once kittens are mobile and seen by humans that they are also at the age when they
can eat on their own and survive without nursing from their mom, I would not assume that a kitten is ready to be weaned until I
actually see the kitten eating myself. It is partly for this reason that I begin feeding schedules. I start regularly feeding the family
early in the morning before work and in the evening once it starts cooling down and getting quiet. I then have the pleasure of
observing the family enjoying eating and cleaning and even having play time. Once I am sure that the kittens have a safe place
to stay and know where the food is and when it comes, I can then start to consider setting up a trap.
There are many things to consider when setting up a trap. For example, if a trap is left unattended, it should never be left
uncovered. If an animal enters the cage and then the door closes behind it, It will want to bolt and will not see that there are
bars that will prevent this. Therefore a blanket or towel covering all sides of the cage will give the animal the depth perception
that they need to know that they shouldn’t run. Another thing that I consider when setting up an unattended trap, is that it should
not be set up during the heat of the day. I would have to say that no time frame is acceptable in my opinion. It is for this reason
that I only trap in the early or late hours of the day and prefer to constantly observe them. This can make for some really long
days during kitten season for a trapper with a full time job!
Getting these families from their outdoor environment to an indoor one is just one step in the process of finding them forever
homes. We need the help of caring and compassionate individuals to open their hearts and their homes in order to provide the
socialization required to get them ready for adoption. Please consider becoming involved in this worthwhile
experience and volunteer as a Foster Parent.
Roxy
Sandy
Harley
Babygirl
Some of our adopted pets in
Taro (Mr Charlie)
their FOREVER HOMES
Baboo (Jack)
Sargeant
Kobi
Pepsi
Cream & Chase
Tobi
Magic
Page 6
UPCOMING EVENTS
ANNUAL WALK-A-THON
It’s time to put on your walking shoes, gather your friends and
family – human and canine alike – and join Mississauga Humane
Society for our 6th Annual Walk-A-Thon on
Saturday September 17th
11 AM to 3PM
Port Credit Memorial Park
All funds raised from this, our biggest fundraising event of the
year will be used toward the care of our rescued animals.
This event promises to be bigger and better than previous years
and we hope you all can join us. The event is great for the whole
family as there will be games, entertainment, a silent auction and
food! You don’t need to have a canine to join the fun. Last
year we had Team Tigerlily (a MHS adopted cat) who created
team t-shirts and wore them to proudly represent the cat
population – they were a great hit!
The pledge program is still in place where you can collect pledges
and raise some much needed funds for our furry friends. We also
encourage participants to create a fundraising page on-line as it is
an easy way to raise f und. Further details on our signature event
on our website, www.mississaugahumanesociety.com
.
“Please take us HOME”
CAT ADOPTION
ROOM
Dundas East
Animal Hospital
966 Dundas St E
Mississauga
905-803-8400
1
PET VALU
Kittens for
ADOPTION
6085 Creditview
Rd (Britannia)
Mississauga
905-821-4290
CAT ADOPTION
ROOM
Global
Pet Foods
1170 Burnhamthorpe
Rd, E, Mississauga
905-501-0411
Page 7
AMAZING ANIMALS
One pound deer
This tiny deer was delivered by Caesarean section at a Wildlife hospital after a car killed his mother.
Little Rupert, who is so small he can fit in an adult's hand, was born after vets failed in their battle to save
his mother. At just 6" tall and weighing just over a pound, he was now in an incubator in the intensive
care unit at Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital in Buckinghamshire. He has only recently opened his eyes.
Les Stocker, founder of Tiggywinkles, said, "Rupert's mother had very severe injuries. We brought him out
and got him breathing, and then he went into an incubator on oxygen. He is now being fed by a tube."
Rupert pulls a striking pose for the camera. Staff members are optimistic that Rupert, now 5 days old,
will make a full recovery. "Deer are very, very tricky, but this one has spirit. He's an extremely feisty,
Little guy and quite pushy, “Mr. Stocker said.
TOP 10 REASONS YOU SHOULD
FOSTER A PET for MHS
You can help save a life.
You have the companionship of a pet.
You need not spend money buying pet food.
Ernesto
You need not worry about vet expenses.
You can show off your fostered pet to your friends.
You can set a role model amongst your friends as a
compassionate human.
You are never late for work as you are forced to
wake up early to feed or walk the pet.
You have more topics to talk about in your social
circles.
You make more friends (with other pet owners).
You become a more caring & responsible person.
Mo Mo
Page 8
HUMOUR TIME
An out of towner accidentally drives his car into a deep ditch on
the side of a country road.
Did you know?
Luckily a farmer happened by with his big old horse named Benny.
The man asked for help. The farmer said Benny could pull his car
out. So he backed Benny up and hitched Benny to the man's car
bumper.
Then he yelled, “Pull, Nellie, pull” Benny did not move. Then he
yelled rally loud. “Now pull, Fred, pull hard.”
Benny just
stood.
Then the farmer nonchalantly said;
pulled the car out of the ditch.
“Okay, Benny, pull.” Benny
The man was very appreciative but curious. He asked the farmer why
he called his horse by the wrong name three times.
The farmer said, "Oh, Benny is blind, and if he thought he was the
only one pulling he wouldn't even try."
DID YOU KNOW??
The heaviest domestic cat on record is 21.297 kilograms (46 lb 15.2 oz).
All Dalmatians are born white. Their spots develop within the first few weeks of life.
Dolphins communicate with each other by clicking, whistling and other sounds.
A male giraffe can weigh as much as a pickup truck! That’s about 1400 kilograms!
THANK YOU
To all of those who contributed articles to this issue. A big
vote of thanks to all of our volunteers,
foster parents & donors.