May - Humane Society of Schuyler County

May 2012
Be Kind! Not Cruel!
April and May are home to many animal related observances:
Prevention of Animal Cruelty Month
April (entire month)
Animal Cruelty/Human Violence Awareness Week
April 17th — April 23rd
National Be Kind to Animal Week
May 2nd — May 8th
National Pet Week
May 6 — May 12
Regardless of the name, these observances all focus on taking responsibility for the animals in our care.
We shouldn’t need ‘Prevent Animal Cruelty Month’ to remind us to not be cruel to our animals, but maybe
we do need it to remind us that it is also our responsibility to challenge it when we see it—even braver to
report it to law enforcement. Since there is often a strong link between animal abuse and abuse to family
members, this becomes even more important. We may not only be protecting the animal but also the hidden
human victim in the home.
Most individuals aren’t ‘cruel’ in the sense that we intentionally abuse an animal, but there are probably
times when we have all been guilty of ‘neglect’. Life and work commitments can get overwhelming and in
the process, we may take our family, human and animal friends for granted. Those few minutes of work time
gained by skipping a meal with your family, not walking your dog or not giving some lap time to your cat are
probably a poor trade when it comes to your well being as an individual. Work is important, but we can’t
forget the benefits that family and pets add to our existence, making us better able to cope with work and life
challenges.
We need to be observant about how we can make small differences in the life of the animals and people
around us—maybe just big enough to take away that little guilt—’neglect’. It is always amazing when an
animal comes to the shelter that has been obviously abused, how quickly they rebound with just a little love
and attention. Some come in like Trooper—nothing but skin and bones, full of sores and left to die. Others
like Ben are surrendered because the owner recognizes that they can no longer
care for him and want him to have a better home. Others may come in from
hoarding situations where a person’s initial intentions may have been good, but
the situation quickly becomes
overwhelming because of
financial and care needs for too
many animals. Other hoarding
or abuse situations can be manifestations of a mental health
illness.
And what about 10 year old, three legged Bella—coming in
with three other dogs and thought to be abandoned. She
must have been loved once—what changed her
situation. She looks great after just a little care!
And Bobee??—were the owners just so oblivious that
they didn’t notice the dog’s collar was becoming
embedded in the neck, or did
they just not care!
We need to learn lessons from
the shelter dogs and the animal companions in our life. They don’t bear grudges,
they are accepting of kindness and love, but most of all they are quick to return that
same kindness and love. Too bad we need National days of “…….” to remind us
of what they already know. Too bad we are handicapped by being human.
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How Is Animal Abuse Related to Domestic Violence?
A study from 11 U.S. cities revealed that a history of pet abuse is one of the four most significant indicators of who is
at greatest risk of becoming a domestic batterer.
A Texas study found that batterers who also abuse pets are more dangerous and use more violent and controlling
behaviors than those who do not harm animals.
Twelve separate studies have reported that between 18 and 48 percent of battered women, and their children, delay
leaving abusive situations in fear for what might happen to their animals.
Women who do seek safety at shelters are nearly 11 times more likely to report that their partner has hurt or killed
their animals than women who have not experienced domestic abuse.
In Wisconsin, 68 percent of battered women revealed that abusive partners had also been violent toward pets or
livestock; more than three-quarters of these cases occurred in the presence of the women and/or children to intimidate
and control them.
Children who are exposed to domestic violence were three times more likely to be cruel to animals.
The Chicago Police Department found that approximately 30 percent of individuals arrested for dog fighting and
animal abuse had domestic violence charges on their records.
(Statistics Reprinted from the ASPCA)
How Can I Celebrate Be Kind to Animals Week and National Pet Week?
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Give your own pets the ‘once over’—- make sure they are current with vaccinations, flea meds, worming and the
like. Do their nails need clipping? Do they need a good brushing? Are there any suspected health problems that
need the attentions of a veterinarian?
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Try to find some time for an extra walk with your dog, a game of Frisbee, a new Kong toy or a nap. Not only will
your dog appreciate it, so will your blood pressure. Pets calm us down.
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Schedule some lap and pet time for the cat, play with the laser light or feather toys, then take that nap.
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If your dog is kenneled or staked, make sure it had adequate water, food and shelter. It also needs quality time with
you and time to exercise outside the kennel. Think what you would feel like chained or jailed.
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Give your cat a play stand or bed with a window view. Maybe put up a bird feeder for entertainment.
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Share with others——-We probably all know the elderly neighbor that can barely afford to feed themselves that
also tries to feed any of the neighborhood stray cats in the area. Instead of complaining, offer to help get them
spayed and neutered. It will prevent unwanted litters and means less fights and marking and will eventually
stabilize the population in the neighborhood. The Humane Society often has spay/neuter assistance money and
traps that can help someone willing to do trap/neuter/release in a neighborhood.
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Share pet food and litter with Schuyler County residents in need. Since acquiring Kurtz’s on Marina Drive, we
have had a monthly food pantry for income eligible residents of our county. We never have enough. The next time
you are buying food for your own pet, think about buying some extra to pass on to a county resident in need.
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Donate old towels and closely woven used blankets as bedding to use at the county dog shelter and for spay/neuter
clinic days.
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Donate nylabones, Kong toys, peanut butter, dog biscuits, wet food, paper towels and bleach to the dog shelter.
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Donate cat toys, litter, canned food, cat treats, cat beds, paper towels, bleach, paper plates, meat baby food and
KMR to the Kitty Kaboose.
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Donate time to help care for and/or man adoption hours for cats at the Kitty Kaboose. Walk dogs or man adoption
hours at the county shelter. Volunteer at Pet Smart adoption days or at spay/neuter clinics.
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Care about animals every day!
Would you like to get notifications of upcoming events by email?
Would you prefer to get this newsletter in an email?
If so send a message to [email protected].
Easy Abused to Easy the Ambassador of the Dog Park
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Subject: Merry Christmas....
Don’t worry, we don’t usually dress him up, but his expression is so “notChristmas” as to be hysterical.
New behaviors… Easy is much more confident in his tenure with our
“pack”. He patrols the yard confidently and has short attacks of “the rips”
where he runs several times around the house. All couches are in play for
napping and he will lie with his head on my wife’s lap in the evening. He
now barks in the car if he believes we are going to the dog park or to one of
the “hunting venues.” He thinks he is the mayor at the dog park, greeting
each new dog with a bawling session and intervening in all rough play. He
is absolutely fearless without being aggressive. He won’t take crap from
ANY other dog, “slapping” them with his huge head and shouting them into submission. Snappy dogs are bawled to the
ground. He runs endlessly, periodically stopping when the wind shifts and comes from the woods. When he is exhausted, but not before, he will come to us to take him home. He will also bawl at my wife when it is supper time. Park hunting sessions are the best. Easy barks until he is hoarse and stands on the trees to jump and bark. Other dogs walk tolerantly with their “masters”. Easy and I charge about in an endless, joyous quest for game. We have FUN; they exercise.
Then we nap.
He is now on thyroid medicine and, as a result, is much shinier. We are also hoping it will help with weight control.
We love this dog and thank you all for taking care of him until he could come live with us.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you, your families and your lucky, lucky pets.
Subject: Easy's new behaviors
Easy has a rather tight bond with me… to say the least. He tucks me in at
night and greets me at the door. He will also rub me with his head to make
sure I have the right smell. As the saying goes, I wish I were ½ the person
he thinks I am… At any rate, the other night he pulled this out of his hat.
Usually he sleeps on my wife’s side of the bed on a comfy dog bed he has
there. The other night he decided that wasn’t good enough and he needed
to be closer to me. I had taken the throw pillows off the bed (something
women put on the bed) and thrown them (they are throw pillows, right) on
the floor. Easy came over, rearranged them and got his big self curled up to
(not quite) fit. He has tried it again, but has discovered that he prefers one
of the sofas or one of his two beds. Did I mention he is pretty spoiled?
He has lost most of the extra weight that we put on him through diet and
thyroid pills. He continues to change and was actually playing with a toy.
It was a seat belt pad that we got him. It sat here for two months, untouched. Then, he decided it was something he could carry about for 30
seconds at a time. Two weeks ago, he decided it was his and ripped all the
fleece from it over a period of several days. He will also eat the periodic
catnip mouse. Although he ignored the retriever rolls I got for him when
he came to us, last week he decided he liked them. He will also “play”
with me, assuming the play posture and running around the house/yard.
We think all of this new stuff has to do with him finally figuring out that
this is a permanent gig and he doesn’t have to act like company any more.
His leg is still bandaged and my house looks like a field hospital with all
the supplies! When I change his bandage, we also brush his teeth and (once
a week) clean his ears. He puts up with it all. I had a local lady make him a
“gaiter” from ballistic nylon to protect his leg when we are engaged in
“enrichment activities” (I just learned that term while watching the
Westminster Dog Show). He gets more loving every day (he has a lot to
catch up on) and remains a great friend.
Easy, along with 4 other
dogs was seized in a
cruelty case at the end of
2010 where they were
horribly neglected. The last
of the 5 finally found their
forever home this past
February 2012.
Adventures of Princess Leia and Yoda—Letter to Mommy
Page 4
Dear new Mom:
This is our story and we're sticking to it. Once upon a starry night in late August, 2011 three kittens were found by a
stranger. The stranger thought we were abandoned but our furry mom was just out at McMice's grabbing a quick bite to
eat. It was Leia who made a sound when Mom told her not to even move a whisker. She's still the loudest. Anyway, the
stranger picked the three of us up from our warm bed and brought us to a strange place. Although she tried her best, we
knew we were in trouble. She wasn't a kitty mom and so we were hungry a lot. First, our brother started feeling yucky,
then Leia and then me. We had sniffles, sneezes and hot all over. We were frightened and huddled together for warmth.
Our little brother became sicker and one day the stranger took him from our bed. He was very cold. We could hear the
stranger talking to someone and mewing because she was sad and scared.
The kind stranger put us in a big box that moved. Leia and I were scared but too sick to cry for furry mom. After a few
minutes or maybe hours, we were in a place that helps furry creatures. Some humans were holding us, putting funny
things on our hearts and ears and looking at our eyes. It was terrible. Leia was mewing loudly. I wanted to but I had to be
brave for Leia. Back into the box that moved for a loooong time. More moving around and finally the box stopped. We
were at a new place we could tell because we could hear kitten sounds; kitten smells and we knew there were other fur
babies here too. This new kind stranger placed us in a warm box with soft blankets. Leia finally stopped mewing. After
a little bit, we were given some warm KMR (kitten milk replacement). It reminded us of our furry mom. We could only
drink half an ounce at a time with an eyedropper; then we had our backs rubbed or patted until a bubble came out whatever that was. Then came the really mean nasty part about having our bottoms rubbed with a washcloth until we did potty. That washcloth was scratchier than furry mom's tongue. I have to admit I screeched louder than Leia. We had to take
some pink bubble gum medicine so we would feel better. Yuck, yuck and yuck to that stuff. The next day we met another kind lady who we spent the day with and returned to the other kind lady at night. Leia and I were getting a little dizzy
thinking we were seeing twins. Much later we learned they were sisters. Momma J did days while Momma G took a cat
nap and Momma G did the nights since we had to be fed every two hours.
We came to the sisters at 3.4 ounces. We fit in the palm of your hand. We didn't know it then but the sisters were really
worried that we were going to become cold like our brother did. After a week, we gained two whole ounces. The sniffles,
sneezes and being cold began to go away with the yucky pink stuff. I don't like pink at all. At three weeks old, we were
like weebles and woobles—a little unsteady
on our short legs but up and going full speed.
I loved chasing Leia around on the blanket on
the floor and when I was tired I just dropped
where I was and took a kitten nap. At five
weeks we were eating wet food mixed with
that yummy KMR. It helps Leia sleep better
and I force myself to have some too but if
Leia gets too much of it I push her out of the
way with my paw. As we grew older, Momma J introduced us to crunchies. We love our
crunchies.
Once we hit eight weeks of age we had our
very own house (tent). We could run in it,
chase each other and eat our crunchies. Sometimes we would crawl up the tent from the inside and that Leia would some
how make the tent collapse on us. It was ok cause Momma G would rescue us. We began sneaking out into the room
where the other kittens were. Wow, there were six other playmates to chase and catch. We were the littlest kittens so
Momma G only let us play with the older kittens when she was there to protect us. Leia might be small, but she's mighty.
She took on Pumpkin, the orange tabby twice her size, who wanted to play rough with us. Leia went after him with hissing, growling sounds, and nails extended. She meant business. Punkin Doodles backed off. Now we're in the kitchen full
time running across the room up the kitty tower, back down and around the floor. The kitty tower is pretty tall but I love
it because we can look out the window at this tall square object filled with something that these feathery creatures like to
go to. I think Leia would like to get to those creatures because she chatters at them.
Well, new Mom that's our beginning. We're ready to start a new adventure with you now that we've found our forever
home.
Love, Yoda and Princess Leia
Adventures of Princess Leia and Yoda—Letter to Fur Babies
Page 5
Dear Yoda and Princess Leia:
As is the responsibility of all moms, there comes a time where we must embarrass our fur babies by reporting on their
growing up into teenage years. Our first night went fine. You were very quiet and did a lot of sleeping…there were four
sleeping areas to choose from in your new suite! A cozy thickly padded box, which had your old blankie in it; a hut with
3 doors and roof where we could not only play, but rest (and hide) after playing, your travel case (which Yoda preferred),
and a nice basket on the table under the window….with step ladder access. And toys everywhere
The next morning while I ate breakfast I let you explore the kitchen, dining and living rooms. Leia was so brave – she
explored everything, including the fireplace. But Yoda found it just too scary…I don’t know why! He had to climb up
under and into the footstool of the corner recliner and Cry! Cry! Cry! till I came to rescue him. Leia let me know you was
in distress. I gave you lots of pets and hugs and reassurance while Leia kept watch, but as soon as I walked away, you
headed right back up under the chair
I am so glad you loved the playroom—-lots of toys, two kitty beds, big windows, a TV. (which is occasionally interesting
– there were birds and big cats on it one time!), and as you said——‘this weird other room where we can see other
kitties playing that look a lot like us. We occasionally hump our backs, fluff our tails, and dance sideways to scare
those other kitties away. Mom laughs and keeps telling us it’s a mirror and those kitties are really us– but we know
better and when we figure out how to get to those other kitties, she’ll be surprised.’
You grew up so fast. Leia discovered that if she head-butts my face she gets more pets. Yoda found that just jumping
into my lap takes less effort and gets just as much attention! Leia is also a bit of an escape artist – and can usually slip out
the suite door and scamper across the hall to the playroom before I can catch her. Yoda is more cautious of course –
needing to hang back in order to be ready to rescue Leia if something goes amiss. Now of course, you own the house as
all good kitties should. I love how you meet me at the door when I call out ‘Fur Babies’ (That is one of those
embarrassing mommy things we like to tell about our teenagers).
Right now “we” are going through either spring fever or teenage energy.
There’s a lot of racing through the house and wrestling. Sometimes at 4 a.m.
and on my bed! But you are understanding of the word “no” and usually that
settles things for just long enough for me to fall back to sleep. For a few
minutes anyway. Once my clock radio comes on – all bets are off. Both of you
jump on the bed – either side of me, and demand lots of petting and attention.
Their favorite place is napping on my lap. Next favorite place is on the enclosed front porch – when I open that door they bolt to it from wherever they
are. Once in there – they settle next to a window or on a chair in the sun to
watch the ‘tweeters” at the bird feeder. Lately there’s a chipmunk too which seems to be far more exciting than the
birds…both Yoda and Leia go into their hunting crouch when the “Alvin” appears.
Yoda is bigger than Leia, and he eats like a teenage boy. I weighed them about 3 weeks ago – he was 9.5 lbs. and she was
6 lbs. She’s dainty and may stay smaller. Yoda eats anything she leaves and more. I think he’s going through another
growth spurt..
Leia is still the more curious and brave of the two. She was first to venture into the
basement (which is huge) and has no problem spending time in the back room in the
dark (where the mice live) by herself. Yoda still isn’t too comfortable in the basement
and won’t stay down there if I’m not
with him. Even though he doesn’t act
like he is brave, I know he is because he
proved he is my ‘watch’ cat. I recently
went to bed late—-after 1:00 A.M., so
was very tired. Yoda kept bouncing on
my feet and wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an
answer. I woke up to flashing police
lights by my yard and what looked like a skulking figure creeping around
my house and down the street. I am so proud of my Yoda. I am so happy
that both of you came into my lives.
Love, Mom
Page 6
The Community Pitches In—‘Be Kind to Animals’
Needs to be an Every Day Affair
Trumansburg Science Classes taught by Ms.
Kreutzer once again donated canned goods, toys,
towels, leashes, cleaning supplies and dog and cat
treats to the Humane Society. They have been making
this gift every winter for several years and we are truly
appreciative.
Included in this years donation was a contribution of
$100 from girl scout troop 40185 presented by Jessica
Proctor as a representative from her girl scout troop—money collected by Jessica, Kelly and Cassie Proctor,
Melody Keifer and Corri VanDerzee.
Home made dog biscuits
and cat food .. Made by
volunteers Heather O'Grady and
6 year old Madi who found a
great recipe on the internet,
made all the cookies and then
packaged and labeled them for
each of the shelter dogs for the
holidays.
What a lovely thoughtful gift !
Watkins Glen Art students present
Susan Herbert of the HSSC a check for $290 from the
glass ornaments they made and sold to benefit the
shelter. The ornaments graced a tree at the Wags to
Riches store for a brief time, but they were so lovely,
they sold quickly, even faster than the year before.
Thank you for making this gift to the HSSC.
(Pictured: P. Watsen, R. Gardner, S. Gardner and C Weeden)
The Odessa Montour Jr. Honor Society
Watkins Glen
Elementary School
fourth graders showed
their holiday spirit by bringing
in donations of food, treats and
toys for dogs and cats in need.
Great job kids and thank you
so much! Your generosity will
bring holiday joy to many in
also deserve a big round of thanks for the April 6th
morning they spent doing yard work and cleaning up
the garden at the spay/neuter clinic building that we
are readying for sale once the new shelter is up and
running. After a morning of hard work, the kids took
a tour of the new place in Montour Falls. What a
great bunch of hard working students!
BC Cate students invited shelter associates
Lana Cook and Melissa Clark, along with shelter star
Princess to visit their classroom. Princess loved the
kids as they did her. She happily went back to the
shelter telling about all the goodies the kids collected.
Shelter Alum Buddy
(now Cedar ) at the
dog park!
What a happy guy!!!!
His new mom Heather
hosted a mini bake sale
amongst coworkers at the
Cornell Vet school to raise
$88 for the shelter. She
says he has become
MUCH more brave and
now walks up to people to
greet
them when out walking.
‘He's so well behaved that
he's one of the few dogs
with an open invitation to
visit my friends' houses
with me, and he's the only
beagle allowed to live in
my apartment complex
because he's so quiet!’
Pig Tail Alley antiques
raised money for us by
selling handmade fabric pig
ornaments for the cause.
Beautifully crafted from
gorgeous fabrics, they were
a wonderful gesture to raise
money on our behalf.
The Community Foundation of Elmira Corning and the Fingerlakes
Glenora Winery pasta night on
March 8th brought out 51 Humane
Society supporters for dinner served
up by Chef Orlando of Veraison’s
restaurant, assisted by Humane
Society guest Chefs Mark and Carl.
Folks really enjoyed the food and the
lovely evening. We appreciate Glenora’s generosity in helping local
charity organizations
has awarded a $1000 grant to The Humane Society of Schuyler County. As part
of a year-long celebration, the Community Foundation launched a campaign
called, 40 Grants in 40 Weeks. The campaign runs from January 2012 through
October 2012 culminating in a gala event at the end of October. 40 Grants in 40
Weeks runs for forty weeks with the foundation awarding a surprise “grant of
the week” to a not-for-profit organization serving the citizens of Chemung,
Schuyler, Steuben or Yates counties. Forty organizations, nominated by a mix
of foundation board members, staff, high school students, local youth centers
and the general community will each receive a $1,000 grant check.
The Community Foundation of Elmira Corning and the Finger Lakes, Inc. connects diverse donors with unmet community needs. Contributions to the organization’s varied funds may be made to Community Foundation, 307B East Water
Street, Elmira, NY 14901.
The Zonta Club of
Watkins Glen
featured fashions from Wags to
Riches and raised $200 for the
Humane Society. Thank you!
The Humane Society of Schuyler County Receives ASPCA Spay/Neuter Grant
The Humane Society of Schuyler County (HSSC) has been awarded a grant of $6,125 from the ASPCA® (The
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) to help fund sterilization services for pets of income eligible county residents. “Population control has long been a cornerstone of the work of the organization,” states Georgie Taylor, President. “We have provided low-cost spay/neuter services for the pets of eligible residents of our community, for populations of feral cats and for shelter dogs since 2000.” Since that time
the organization has sterilized over 8,000 animals, through a combination of a partnership with Shelter
Outreach Services, a not-for-profit mobile spay/neuter service based in Ithaca, NY, and through spay/neuter
certificate subsidies for eligible residents who have a relationship with area veterinarians.
“This generous grant will enable us to help a larger number of animals by providing financial assistance to a
greater number of individuals seeking services through our clinics,” says Taylor. “Sterilization not only reduces overpopulation but also helps to reduce certain cancers that can develop in un-neutered canines and felines. We strive to make this service as affordable for as many in our community as possible with a staff of
volunteers who provide the administrative and in-clinic support, collaboration with Shelter Outreach Services
and from grants such as this from the ASPCA ®. With seven dogs or cats born for each person born in the US,
we need to do as much as we can and as fast as we can to keep the numbers in check.”
For more information about the spay/neuter program, to determine program eligibility or for additional information about the organization, please visit www.schuylerhumane.org or contact HSSC at 594-2255. Dedicated to advancing animal welfare since 1957, The Humane Society of Schuyler County’s mission is to reduce
animal overpopulation, provide humane care and housing for companion animals and to prevent animal
cruelty through education and action. For more information about the ASPCA visit www.aspca.org .
The HSSC
participated in the 46th Cornell University
College of Veterinary Medicine open house on April 14th.
The event showcases the college and allows other animal
related groups to attend. This is a huge event at Cornell,
last year drawing over 7000 people, especially children that
can participate in all sorts of interactive and educational
displays. Volunteer Susan Herbert and shelter associates
Lana Cook and Melissa Clark brought shelter dog Buddy.
As you can see, he stole the show.
PRESORTED
STANDARD NON PROFIT
HUMANE SOCIETY OF
SCHUYLER COUNTY
US POSTAGE PAID
PO Box 427
MONTOUR FALLS, NY
Montour Falls NY 14865
PERMIT NO 427
Phone: 607-594-2255
VISIT
OUR
W EBSITE AND ON
F ACEBOOK
www.schuylerhumane.org
Visit us often for news and
upcoming events
Calendar of Events——Volunteers Needed!
May 19th
CANS FOR CATS AND CANINES
9am – 12:00 pm
Wrights Beverage Watkins Glen
June 2nd
FIRST ANNUAL - HIKE FOR HOUNDS
Sponsored by Glen Animal Hospital to benefit the HSSC Capital Campaign
(Hike from trailhead at Frog Hollow Marina to the new home of the HSSC—details to be announced)
June 2nd
MONTOUR FALLS FIREMAN’S PARADE
June 16th
WATKINS GLEN CARDBOARD BOAT REGATTA
July 26th, 27th and 28th
HECTOR FIREMAN’S FAIR
(If you would be willing to volunteer, please call 594-2255 or email [email protected].)
____________________________________________________________________________________
COUNTY SPONSORED RABIES CLINICS
June 12 at the Town or Orange Highway barn in Monterey 6 pm to 8 pm
July 19 at the Town of Hector Highway barn in Reynoldsville 6 pm to 8 pm