Waggin` Tales

Humane Society
for Inland Mendocino County
Humane Society for Inland Mendocino County
www.mendohumanesociety.com Issue 3 • Volume Spring 2013
9700 Uva Drive
Redwood Valley, CA 95470
Waggin’ Tales
OUR MISSION
Inside
Provide a safe haven for displaced
companion animals.
1
Board of Directors • Staff
Monthly Meeting
From the Office Manager
6th Annual Spaghetti Dinner
2
Volunteer Corner
4-H Valentines
3
Donations made in:
In Memory & Honor of People
In Memory & Honor of Pets
Dog Kennel Sponsors
Cat Condo Sponsors
Purrs & Tailwags
Angels for the Animals
Enhance the physical and mental
well-being of the animals in our care
while seeking suitable homes.
Actively assist in reducing pet
over-population through education
and spay/neuter programs.
Develop awareness and promote
responsible and humane treatment
of all animals.
Shelter Hours & Information
Wednesday thru Friday, 1 PM - 5 PM • Sat thru Sun, 11 AM - 3 PM
Closed Monday, Tuesday and Major Holidays.
9700 Uva Drive, Redwood Valley, CA 95470
Phone: (707) 485-0123 FAX: (707) 485-0351
Web: www.mendohumanesociety.com • Email: [email protected]
Visit us on Facebook
View our adoptable pets at www.petfinder.com
HSIMC Volunteer Programs
• Short-term Foster Program • Mobile Adoptions • Fund Raising
• Dog Walkers • Cat Cuddlers • Maintenance/Gardner
Our Wish List . . . Can You Help?
For the Animals: Good quality canned cat and dog food, large Natural
Balance rolls, Kongs, gentle leaders and Halties. Cash is always needed.
VOLUNTEERS to walk dogs and cuddle cats.
For the Shelter: Unscented liquid laundry detergent, unscented dryer sheets,
bleach, window cleaner, toilet paper, plastic garbage bags, stainless steel water
buckets, a ride on lawn mower. VOLUNTEERS to put all of these things to work.
For the Office: Standard white/color copy paper, laminating sheets,
HP 901 & 61 Ink Cartridges, 1st class postage stamps,
cash of any denomination, and white mailing labels.
And, of course, VOLUNTEERS.
Raffle Drawing,
Open House & BBQ
The annual Humane Society Raffle
Drawing and Open House will take
place at the shelter on July 21st.
The open house and barbeque
will begin at 1:30 PM. The raffle
drawing will take place at 3:00 PM.
Individuals need not be present to
win raffle prizes. We have a wonderful list of donated prizes again
this year from Disney Tickets to
an array of gift certificates, overnight accommodations at the coast;
patio furnishings; and much more.
Don’t miss the fun.
4
Shelter Information
Wish List • Upcoming Events
Board of Directors
Maggie Weaver, President
Ann Koch, Vice President
Lizette Robinson, Treasurer
Vickie Adams, Secretary
Leslie Dodds, Jan McAlister,
Mike Fesler, Carrel Bergstedt,
Stephanie Fesler, Carolina North,
Tara Hatton, Marie Myers,
Sharon Harshbarger
Staff
Dee Koishor, Office Manager
Kaley Robinson, Office Assistant
Adri Vega, Kennel Supervisor
Katy Beltrami, Cattery Attendant
Hiliary Ames,
Cattery and Kennel Attendant
Suzanne Reed, Shelter Assistant
Monthly Meeting
3rd Tuesday of each month
6 PM at the Shelter
Printed by Printing Plus
Mailed by Express-it
From the Office Manager Dee Koisher
I am constantly amazed by the outpouring of good will we here at the humane society receive from the greater inland Mendocino community. It just seems as though
every project we take on there are people willing to help. Just seeing the articles in
this issue of the newsletter proves my point.
We are so blessed to have such an active and involved board of directors. Every
member brings a strength to the organization from fund raising, to public outreach
and administrative expertise. My job is made much easier by their willingness to
be involved in this labor of love for the animals. It has been almost a year since
I joined this vibrant team of dedicated people, the time has flown by with many
highly successful events. Not to say there have not been days when we all wonder if
we really make a difference, but then the long term dog or cat finds a forever home
and YES it is worth it! Successful adoptions are what we are about, and when they
happen it really warms our hearts.
Again, we could not do this without all the wonderful people in this community
who give the animals their support. If you are a member thank you, if you are not
please join us as our members are truly the backbone of our organization.
The 6th Annual Spaghetti Dinner
Someone said it best after the April 27th dinner at Barra of Mendocino: “This isn’t
just a spaghetti dinner, it’s an event!” And, what an event it was. The weather could
not have been better, the outdoor and indoor seating was so comfortable, the Felt
Tips music on the patio was great, the ambience conducive to fun and good conversation and the food was exceptional. And, more than 500 people attended!
Chef D’Bill outdid himself with the meat sauce. Justin of Highway 101 Bar and
Grill produced an incredible vegetarian entrée. Mary Miller’s desert table was nothing less than outstanding. Many thanks are due the Forks Ranch Market for the
ground beef and some of the pork. The bulk of the pork was donated by Tim and
Larcye Wright and Jessie Tanning. The Kiwanis Club of Ukiah, the Ukiah Shamrock 4-H Club did the serving and cleaning up, and many others outdid themselves
in making “Pasta for Paws” an overwhelming success. Many thanks go out to our
sponsors Savings Bank of Mendocino County, Highway 101 Bar and Grill, and
Northern Aggregates. Special thanks go to Jim Mayfield and “Celebrity Sammy”,
Bicoastal Media Group, The Hometown Shopper and the merchants who advertized in “Pasta for Paws” flyer, all those great businesses and individuals who donated
goods for the dinner and items for the silent auction.
AND MOST OF ALL, we thank all of our loyal members and the animal lovers who attended the dinner, bid on silent auction items, and ultimately made the
event a huge success.
Purrs & Tailwags
(those listed have done any number of good things for the animals)
Adopt a Kennel or Condo
We continue to seek donors
who will sponsor a dog kennel
or a cat condo on an annual
basis. For $250 (dog) or $100
(cat) per year a professionally
designed sign naming the
sponsor or their business will
be placed on the kennel or
condo. These funds will be
used to keep up on repairs and
improvements. It is a great way
to advertise to the community
that you and your business
support your Humane Society.
RENEWING DOG KENNEL
SPONSORS: Two kennels by
Kitty McDill for Kitty Katz
Chicken Ranch; R Lazy M Tree
Farm; Golden Vineyards for
Connor and Ryan.
RENEWING CAT CONDO
SPONSORS: GoldenVineyards
for Kaili and Liya Golden.
NEW DOG KENNEL
SPONSORS: Joe and Rhonda
Hurlbut; Beatrice Scanlon;
the Bruce Ledford Family;
Coburn’s Construction & Cabinetry; Cheri Heffel.
NEW CAT KENNEL
SPONSORS: Raymond &
Shirley Saunders; Arne & Rita
Bielefeldt; Taylor Jain Page.
Many thanks to: Anne Bradshaw, Donna Walker, Jillian Vickers, Christine
Webb and five anonymous members of Macy’s staff who pledged donations
to the shelter in 2012; Saracina Vineyards; Chris Erkkila; Penny Seaman;
Lauren Green; Dr. Jacobs and Micah of Willits Animal Hospital; Terri
Krch; Amber Richmond; James Mitchell; Danielle Derby; Ronald Ziadeh;
Nancy Sato and Synthia Sato Mirov for their frequent donations; Raymond
and Shirley Saunders; Ester Pokriots for her monthly donations; Dorothy Yann;
Helen Hank; Peter Dal Poggetto for his monthly donations; Lynn Hoomalu;
Frank Broadhead and Stephanie Hoppe; Helga of Ron’s Old Beauty Shop;
Jillian Vickers; Karen Schrange; Ilene Weeks; Madlem Construction; Judi
Boyle; The Sherwood Valley Rancheria Charity Program for their donation;
Jim Foucault; Netha and Sparky Hill; D. & J. Lamprich; Linda Staples;
Mary Mitchell; Roxanne Bleier; all those who make donations to the animals
where they work through the United Way; The Nuez Family; all those who
donate recycling money they receive from Solid Waste of Willits; Linda
Abella for her frequent donations; Edward and Barbara J. Schweitzer; D.C.
Gomez; Fred & Joann Borges; Gary Silver; Mary Jane Sheppard; Sharon
E. Callahan; all who use their SHARES cards at Lucky or FoodMaxx, we
received more than $460 for the past quarter; Ronald and Diane of Rucker
Vineyards; Toy Gong; Virginia Stromen; Corrine Dauer; Patrick Crone;
Mary Gustafson; all the businesses and individuals who donated raffle prizes
and to all who purchase tickets.
Donations Made in Memory of People
Jacquline M. Newhall by Bob and Mercedes Warner; Michael Jon Woll
who was a good friend of the animals by Kathi and Mike Endris; Robin and
Richard Mummert; Abbie Ojanpera; Tony and Carolyn Brown; Charles
Boyer; Jim and Rhonda Looney; Terry McGillivray by Marie Fox and
George Ellison; Ukiah Construction; Richard and Alice Bonner; Betty
Davis; Bob Manogue by Tim and Julie Knutsen.
Donations Made in Honor of People
Nancy Ramsey by Sandy MacNab; Mr. Guzman’s Retirement by Deborah
and Frank Hunter; Julie & Tony Dauer by Corrine Dauer.
Donations Made in Memory of Pets
Corky by Melinda Shaw and Leslie Dodds; Jasper by Leslie Dodds; Katie
and Bud by Beatrice Scanlon.
Donations Made in Honor of Pets
For Pumpkin, by Ronald Ziadeh.
Angels for the Animals
Beatrice Scanlon; Heather Rose; Neil and Barbara Shooter; Hooten Broadcasting Company;
Melinda Shaw; Price Waterman; Paul and Linda Shimmin; Larry and Kathi Shipley; Theresa
Lackey; Helga Raab; Bi Coastal Media; Jim Mayfield and Celebrity Sammy; Crawford Signs;
Willits Online; Pacific Internet.
Sparky (aka James Bond) the Cat
Early in September a very attractive tabby cat was surrendered to the
shelter by a person who found him in Willits nearly starved and
dragging a short leash. His benefactor got him up to normal weight
and then surrendered him to HSIMC. He had already been neutered,
so he was brought up to date on his vaccinations, combo tested and
micro-chipped. Because he seemed a cat of mystery and many adventures he was named James Bond by shelter staff and put up for adoption. He soon was taken back up to Willits to be the featured cat at
Coast Hardware. The good people there have placed hundreds of cats
into loving homes over the past years. A member of the Coast staff
thought he looked like the cat that had been lost as a result of a bad car
accident west of Willits in August. His owner who had been badly
injured in the accident had posted flyers throughout Willits in hopes of finding him. The missing cat flyer was found
and a call made to who was hoped to be the owner of James Bond. How he had survived for weeks without getting
his leash tangled and avoiding Willits traffic is anyone’s guess. On September 17th Netha Hill drove from Grass Valley
and was re-united with her dear cat “Sparky”. No more James Bond, Sparky saw his carrier, jumped out of Nethas’
arms into the carrier looking for all the world as if he were saying “let’s go home Mom.” So home they went to Grass
Valley; Netha has kept us posted from time to time on how happy they both are and sent a picture of Sparky back in
his favorite tree In her most recent note Netha praised all involved in her being re-united with her pet. “If not for you
and many other friends, Sparky, aka James Bond, and I would not be together” she wrote.
The Pumpkin Report
Pumpkin, the little Yellow Lab cross mom dog who stole so many
hearts in her battle with heartworm and Lymes disease has now been
declared free of both. She was brought to the shelter by a kindly man
the day after Thanksgiving, ill and very pregnant. He had found her
lying beside the road in Redwood Valley and thought she had been
killed by a vehicle until she raised her head. Her puppies were delivered by C-section and there was a real fear that she would not survive
the procedure. Many people stepped up to help. The Ramos family
took her in and several others took on the 24/7 responsibility of raising the pups. There were many ups and downs in her treatment, but
this brave little dog continued to soldier through. Her puppies have
all long been adopted. Pumpkin is now permanent part of the Ramos
family. Many people rallied to her aid by making contributions for
her medical bills and keeping “good thoughts and prayers” going for
her. She will always have issues with her health, but she is now able
to enjoy life with her adopted family, Trudy Ramos her husband and
children all participated in her care. “This little dog really brought our
family even closer together” Trudy said. The word is that Pumpkin
has really become a daddys’ girl. The best news of all: SHE WILL
NEVER HAVE PUPPIES AGAIN!
The Kennel Restoration Project
Thanks to our kennel sponsors, and our determination to bank all of the
sponsorships, we are nearing completion of our dog kennel restoration
project. We were in fear that one strong wind gust from the wrong direction could flatten the wooden walls separating the dogs. Pooling the kennel
sponsorships allowed us to put them with matching funds donated by Paul
and Linda Shimmin for this major project. Larry from Mendo Mill, and
volunteer Dave Crawford, came up with the appropriate supplies for the
job. Builders Jeremy and Gregory, aided by a grand crew of volunteers, set
to work (when weather permitted), replacing all of the wood fencing and numerous posts in the kennels. New roofed
areas were added to provide shade in the summer and rain cover in the winter. Some detail work still needs to be
completed, but at least we no longer live in fear of a windstorm blowing our kennels across the county! Special thanks
go to volunteers Vic Weaver, Mac McAlister, Bill and Dee Koishor, Aaron Adams, Nancy Lawson, Connor and Ryan
Golden, Jon Alexander and Michael Keough. It was a labor of love for the animals that compelled these wonderful
volunteers to take on this project providing safer, sturdier and cleaner housing for our shelter dogs. It was fun to see
teenagers and grey beards working together with a common goal. As a finishing touch for the refurbished kennels,
Paul and Linda donated 20 new dog houses they purchased through Rainbow Ag Services.
Made in the Shade
Providing proper shade for the new dog kennels has been an issue since
they were constructed in 2009. The shade cloth used deteriorated quickly
and became ineffective and unsightly. Internet research led us to a company in Tennessee that carries a heavy knitted shade material much wider and
stronger than that which had been used. Fortunately funds from the highly
successful Pasta for Paws spaghetti dinner were available to purchase this
material and on a warm day in May a group of workers installed the new
shade covering, marveling as they did so how the temperature dropped in
each kennel as the new insulating covering went on. In the same operation
the misting system was also redone. Vic led a hard working crew made up of Mike and Stephanie, Amanda, Chloe,
Wyatt, Brenda and Jill. Again, our thanks to them all; and to all of our supporters who make it possible for us to continue to improve the lives of the animals while they are waiting for their forever homes.
Stop Bugging Us!
Kathy and Larry Shipley are pictured beside a lovely 12 ft. x 12 ft. screen
tent they recently donated to the shelter. It will provide a great place to sit
with a dog to rest after a dog walk free from annoying insects. It can also
be used as a puppy introduction room.
Cat Condo
Thanks to all who have sponsored condos for the cattery we have been able to
make several improvements. We were able to purchase a second “birthing condo”
for mom cats and to increase the amount of shelving in the existing condos
giving the cats more fun places to hang out and watch the birds. We have also
been able to put a fresh coat of paint on the cattery walls and ceiling. Thanks
to Chloe and her artistic abilities the cats now have ceiling clouds to watch.
More Fencing
Part of our perimeter security fencing was in bad shape. The call went out
again for about 300 heavy gauge t-posts to shore up the wire fence. Volunteers
Larry and Kathy Shipley came to the rescue with a donation to purchase the
posts. Soon after the posts were delivered many of the same volunteers showed
up on a chilly Sunday morning to drive the posts and clip the woven wire to
them. Again, Vic Weaver, Aaron Adams, Danny Campbell, Gabe Campbell,
Dave Hammond, Tina Weaver, Leslie and Ryan Smith, Ken Taglio and Dustin
Conk took part. When it was feared that small dogs could get through the
woven wire, Michael Keough attached poultry netting to the bottom section of
the fence to keep the little ones safe.
Mary and Robert Gustafson of
Ukiah organized the “Critter
Comfort Towel Drive” for shelter
animals last winter. Thanks to
Mary and Robert the cats and dogs
at HSIMC are still making good use
of all the donated towels.
Summer Fun at HSIMC
To thank our many loyal volunteer dog walkers and cat cuddlers, board
members Mike and Stephanie Fesler will be grilling up free hotdogs on the
first Sunday of every month from 12-2 PM throughout the summer and early
fall. These open house events have proved to be a lot of fun and a great way to
get involved with a dedicated group of animal lovers of all ages. We invite the
public to join us and find the many ways volunteering keeps the Humane
Society vibrant and growing.
Summer’s Coming On
A reminder that summer can present its own challenges to pets. Remember
they will probably drink more water in the hot weather, and that drinking water needs to be changed frequently to stay fresh. Uneaten food will spoil faster.
Shade is essential to all - animals get sunburned too. Fleas, ticks and foxtails
may be more prevalent. Vacations can break up routines; don’t forget to give
regular heartworm preventative or other medications that your pet may be on.
Most of all, remember that pets should NOT be left in parked cars. The sun
moves quickly and that shady spot you parked in may now be in the sun and
turn your vehicle into an oven.
Get Involved in the Fun
Every day that the shelter is open is considered an “Adoption Day”, but twice
a month we have begun a dedicated outreach program to find homes for more
dogs and cats. On the first Saturday of every month we are holding dog adoptions at Rainbow Ag in Ukiah. On the third Saturdays of the month there will
be mobile dog and cat/kitten adoptions at Pear Tree Center in front of Lucky’s.
We are always in need of helpers for these events to transport animals, help set
up or tear down, show animals and do outreach. Many of our dedicated volunteers participate in all of these events, but you don’t have to make such a big
commitment. Helping out once in a while will be greatly appreciated.
Captain a hearing impared Doberman
found his forever home early this spring after
six months in foster care. He is pictured
with his new people Rod and Jane Whitney
who have special communication skills.
They heard of his condition and drove up
from the Bay Area to meet and adopt him.
Volunteer Corner
Some Things Tear at Our Hearts
Meet Wayne: Wayne Menger fell in love with the Ukiah area and bought his home in 1998 with the intent on retiring. He was able to fulfill that dream three years go. Seeing what a great community this was he wanted to participate
and volunteer where he could. Wayne is an animal lover and during his life always had both dogs and cats around his
home. Currently, he has two cats, Fidget and Mama Cat who bring him much joy. Looking for some way to volunteer with the Humane Society he inquired if there was a way he could help by working from home. He currently is
doing HSIMC monthly membership mailings. He says that “if you are looking for some way to help HSIMC, but are
unable to commute or have little finances to help, just give them a call to see if there is some other way you can assist.
Help, even part time, is always needed, whether it is at the shelter itself or volunteering at one of the annual fund
raisers. Our furry friends need all the help they can get”. When Wayne is not volunteering for HSIMC, he is on the
board of Directors of the Ukiah Players Theatre and the Mendocino Community Health Clinic.
Late in May three Cocker Spaniels were surrendered to the shelter by an
individual who had rescued them from a “backyard breeder”. The animals were
in deplorable condition, with rotting teeth, badly infected ears, sores on their
bodies under matted fur, and in the case of one, an overgrown toenail growing
into one of his paw pads. Staff and volunteers spent most of the day doing what
they could for the trio, trimming their coats, cleaning their ears and giving them
soothing baths. On the advice of a veterinarian all three have been started on
antibiotics and ear medicine. All three will require extensive vet care before they
can be spayed or neutered and we are going to need a lot of help on this project
to get these three lovable dogs back to good health and ready for adoption into loving homes. We’ll keep you updated
on their progress in the Summer Newsletter . . . and, many thanks to all those who have stepped up to help.
Meet Dorene: Dorene Foley grew up with lots of pets in the family and continued enjoying them all through the
years while raising her own family. She eventually found herself living in an apartment building where she could not
have pets. She finally got Sundays off in 2002 and celebrated by walking dogs at the Humane Society. Noticing that
the dogs needed companionship and dog treats when the shelter is closed, she started coming in on Mondays. That
led to the realization that there were other things she could also help with like gardening, filling the bird feeders, feeding on Monday nights and doing the laundry. She says “I always felt I needed time outdoors and can’t imagine not
coming here and enjoying that time with the animals”.
Meet Chuck Dillard: “I grew up in the Bay Area and moved to the Laytonville-Branscomb area about 35 years ago.
After working at Harwood Products for 17 years, then as an EMT and ER Tech for Willits-Laytonville Fire and Ambulance for another 13 years, I am now semi-retired, working only two days a week at Long Valley Lumber. I spend
my other five days of the week catching up on my “honey-do” list, enjoying my dogs and grand kids and volunteering at the humane society. My wife, Melissa, and I are kept very busy with our two chocolate labs, a pit bull mix
and a jack Russell terrier, (or should I say “terror”). I started volunteering at the shelter more than 5 years ago, with
Corky being the first dog I worked with. Although I have worked with many dogs, Corky was such a joy to me; what
a character! He passed away this year and I, along with the staff and volunteers, love and miss him. He has inspired
me even more to do what I can to help find loving homes for all of the dogs and cats. I’m so impressed by the dedication of the staff and volunteers who work daily with all these animals to make their lives more comfortable and safe.
We can always use more volunteers, support and donations. So please, everyone out there, help out if you can, even
if just a few hours here and there; every little bit helps. And/or adopt one of the great pets at the shelter. Let’s all
pull together and find them their forever homes!” Chuck is at the shelter almost every Sunday and takes part in every
mobile adoption transporting dogs and equipment and promoting the animals and the animal shelter.
4-H Valentines
Members of the Shamrock 4-H Club in Ukiah not only signed up to
help the Humane Society by taking over busing tables at the annual
Spaghetti Dinner, prior to that they produced a great Valentines’
Day paper heart chain that they delivered to the shelter on February
12th . The chain graced the front of the office for several days. Our
thanks go to the club members for their good work at the dinner; for
making the chain and for hopefully forging a lasting commitment to
animal welfare. Kenzie and Kylie Kornegay are pictured holding the
chain.
Show You Care with One of the Many Ways to help
Being a member is the easiest way to show your support of the work done by the shelter.
Our Mission is to provide a safe haven for healthy, adoptable animals and enhance their well-being while
seeking suitable homes. We also provide spray/neuter education to develop awareness in the community
and promote responsible, humane treatment of all animals.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
HSIMC Membership Form
Date: _______________
Name: ________________________________________________
Address:_______________________________________________
City: ________________________ State: ______ Zip: _________
Phone: ______________________ Cell: ____________________
Type of membership (please circle one): New Member
Renewing Member
Membership Level (please circle one):
Senior/Student: $20/year Individual: $35/year
Family: $50/year Business: $75/year
I would like to receive notices and the newsletter by e-mail: YES ____ NO ____
Email: ____________________________________________
Other Ways to Help
General Donation (please specify amount): $ _______
Dog Kennel Sponsorship:; $250.00
(plaque to be placed on dog kennel)
Cat Condo Sponsorship: $100.00
(plaque to be placed on cat condo)
Honorarium (please specify amount): $ _______ In Honor of: ________________________________
Memorial ($50.00 minimum) (please specify amount):$ _______
(plaque to be displayed on memory wall)
In Memory of: ______________________________