VOLUNTEER p werNEWS - Animal Rescue League Shelter

“VOLUNTEER
p wer
NEWS”
Monthly Newsletter, Number 7, 2014
“Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead
Volunteer Spotlight
Dotty Geyer
You may have seen her around, signature cat-eye glasses and a smile for everyone she sees. Dotty Geyer has
been working with cats for three and a half years, and dogs for one
year. She is retired, and began volunteering because helping animals, a passion of hers, seemed like a great way to spend her now
much more open days. Though hard to decide, her favorite part
about volunteering at the ARL is meeting new people and getting to
show the dogs and cats some muchneeded love. At home, she has one
cat, Butterscotch, who was once feral.
However, before Butterscotch, Dotty
always considered herself much more of a dog
person. Even given the challenges that she sometimes encounters, such as a dog escaping once,
she remarked "I have just learned so much here,
the enrichment is so impressive. I didn't realize
that shelters could be so great." Due to fantastic
volunteers like Dotty, the ARL will hopefully continue to inspire
Dotty, pictured here hand
such sentifeeding Astrid, is one of our
ments for many
many reliable volunteers!
years to come.
Scaredy Cat! Tips for Volunteering with
Fearful Animals
*Try to never pick up an animal suddenly.
It may bite or scratch out of surprise.
*A puppy who is hand shy will not simply
grow out of it as he or she ages. Socialization from as wide a variety of people as
possible is required to break this behav-
ior.
*Give your animals a treat or a toy--a distraction may be all they need.
*If you feel uncomfortable taking a cat or
dog out of its cage, never be embarrassed
to ask for help from your team lead, staff,
or another volunteer.
*do NOT continue approaching an animal
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who is displaying obvious signs of fear,
such as hackles raised and ears flattened
with cats, or a tail tucked between legs
and cowering close to the ground with
dogs.
*Signs of fear in bunnies may be tooth
grinding, squeaks, or lunging.
Upcoming Events
July
31 - Concert Series Streets of Cranberry
31 – St Bernadette Parish Festival – Monroeville – 5 -9pm
Need people to help at table and bring kitties
31 – PYP Social at ARL 6-8pm
August
8—Club Café event hosted by the Neid’s Hotel Band, The Hipsters and Laura B 7pm. Need attendees!
9 – Smooches for Pooches – Sephora – Shadyside
9 – Violet Rippy 5K walk/run for Pulmonary Fibrosis. Need people to run table and participate
16 – Event Training MPR 10am
16 – Free Fur All, 11am – 4pm
30 – Dog Days of Summer – Kimmie’s, Castle Shannon
22 – September 7 – Summer Sidewalk Sale, Galleria Mt. Lebanon
1 -2 - St Bernadette Parish Festival – Monroeville – 5 -9pm.
Need people to help at table and bring kitties
2 – Cecil Township parade 6pm – line up at end of Route 50
We can drive one of our vehicles in the parade
1-3—Friends of the Riverfront Triathlon at the North Shore
8/1 – 5-7pm 8/2 6am – noon 8/3 6am-10:30am
7 - Concert Series Streets of Cranberry
September
26 – 11am – 8pm
27 – 11am – 5pm
6 – Sewickley Harvest Festival
20 – Event Training MPR 10am
20 – Dog Days of Summer, Brentwood Fire Company Noon –
4pm
23- Carrick Cornfest Noon – 6 need table volunteers
26 – 27 – Great Race Expo DLLCC
27 - Allegheny Green & Innovation Festival, Hartwood Acres
Amphitheatre, 11am -4pm. Wildlife Only.
28 – Wedding Clickers Marriott Cranberry (Time TBA)
Need people to help at table and bring kitties
October
4 – Blessing and Celebration of Animals Bellefonte St Shadyside
11am -5pm. Need people to help at table and bring animals
4 – 2nd Annual Beard & Mustache Competition – Rivers Casino
4 – Dogtoberfest at the Waterfront with CARMAA Time TBD
5 —6.6 Run and Pet Walk Consol Energy Center 8am – 1pm
12- Event for ARL and Domestic Violence Awareness month,
more details to follow
November
Date TBA – Knock Out Cancer, Galleria Mt. Lebanon
14 – 16 – Pittsburgh Pet Expo – DLLCC
Hi guys. We really need help this weekend with events. A great chance to get
your fosters out there! Below is a list of
what is going on, please let me know if
you can help out at any of the events!
Thanks so much!
23 – Susan Castriota book/signing, Galleria Mt. Lebanon 2 4pm? (time may change)
volunteers to help at table


Mary

7/31 - Shady Side Sidewalk Sale - 3
7pm, need help with table and would
like foster kittens

7/31 - St. Bernadette Parish Festival Monroeville 5-9 pm, need table help
and people to bring kittens

12 - Susan G. Komen Paws for the Cure, Hartwood Acres 9 –
11:30am
10 – 19 – Fall Art Show, Galleria Mt. Lebanon (we select the
theme)
19 – Wedding Clickers Ramada Greensburg. Need people to help
at table and bring kitties
24 – November 2 – Fall Car Show, Galleria Mt. Lebanon – Displaying Subaru

8/1 - Liberty Mile, Liberty Avenue and 
Market Square 4-9:30pm, need 2
5pm, Need volunteers to help at table and to bring kittens
8/1 - Friends of the Riverfront Triathlon at the North Shore 5-7 pm, need
2 volunteers to help at table

8/1 - Shady Side Sidewalk Sale - 37pm, Need help at table and people
to bring kittens
8/3 - Friends of the Riverfront Triathlon North Shore 6-10:30am, Need 2
table volunteers

8/3 - Shady Side Sidewalk Sale 115pm, Help at table and kittens
8/1 - St. Bernadette Parish Festival
Monroeville 5-9pm, need help at table and kittens
8/2 - Friends of the Riverfront Triathlon North Shore 6am - noon, need 1
more volunteer to help at table
8/2 - Shady Side Sidewalk Sale - 11Page 2
I know that's a lot, and I'm totally overwhelmed! LOL, so if anyone can help out I
would really really appreciate any help!
Thanks so much guys!
Mary Kennedy Withrow
Community Outreach Coordinator
Photo Gallery
They say every person has a
twin...volunteer Mary Casanova
has a feline twin!
This amazingly happy ARL dog, Tati, found
her forever home recently with two of
our dog volunteers, Lisa and Sean!
Dog Jog, a program that has existed for
must be able to handle challenging
several years, seems to be seriously pick- dogs, fit them with specialized equiping up the pace! With close to twenty vol- ment, and be fairly serious about rununteers, this group gives dogs a chance to ning. Rain or shine, you can be sure to
get good workout, a welcome respite from see these dedicated volunteers tearing
those long hours in the cage. Christina
up the pavement with their furry comParis and Jenn Brown head up the team,
panions.
full of dedicated runners willing to
Dog Jog volunteer, Cassie Conti, and Goose
share their training time with a four- take a break for smooches!
legged friend. Interested volunteers
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Lily Nacht, one of our newest cat care volunteers, is
mastering the cat hold!
Volunteer Spotlight
Arlene Longstreth, Volunteer at Animal Rescue League’s Wildlife Center
Arlene Longstreth is what one may consider to be a “veteran volunteer.” She has been with the ARL Wildlife
Center (WLC) for over 12 years. At the ARL Wildlife Center,
Arlene is also a Team Lead. Team Leads serve as mentors
to younger and newer volunteers. They also serve as volunteer trainers. When she isn’t training at the WLC, she is
educating teachers and students alike as Arlene also assists
and conducts education and outreach events. She states, “I
love doing outreach events, it is fun to meet the public and
discuss the things we do at the Wildlife Center.” When asked her favorite animal to work with at the Wildlife Center, she says, “I can’t name a favorite! I
am enthralled with all the babies in the spring and summer, but I also enjoy
working with the Educational Ambassadors. I like snakes and turtles too!”
A true animal lover, Arlene lives with her mostly rescued animals: two dogs,
two doves, a Nanday Conure, a Princess of Wales Parakeet, and two Mustached Parakeets. She also fosters baby squirrels for the WLC when the need
arises. In her spare time, Arlene enjoys sewing, cross-stitching, crocheting, and
reading. Also, whether it is winter or summer, you can find Arlene in a pool!
She enjoys chatting online with fellow “bird people” as well. Arlene loves to
travel; she just visited Vietnam and Thailand last year!
However, the worldly Arlene has always had roots in Western Pennsylvania.
She attended undergraduate school at Carlow College and received her Master’s of Education from Pitt University. She was employed as an elementary educator for 33 years, 31 of which was in the public school system. She also volunteers part-time as a docent at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. It shouldn’t come to anyone as a surprise that her life experiences have made her
such a great asset to the WLC.
When asked what is her favorite part about volunteering at the WLC? She says, “I love the staff and the other volunteers, they’re
all hard workers and clearly care about wildlife.” The ARL WLC Staff loves her too! She is a huge benefit and talent at our rehabilitation center. One can easily go to her with any question regarding the vast array of occurrences at the WLC as well. After 12
years, she states, “I still learn something new every time I go in for a shift.”
Newsletters not Coffee
Eric Starbuck
Newsletters With
Distinction!
[email protected]
We have an abundance of sick
kitties at the shelter. We only
have a very limited amount of
cages for them. Please consider
fostering one for a couple of days
up to a couple of weeks. We
send you the medicine, administered just once a day. They are
still adoptable while in your
home. If you can help, please complete the foster application on our website.
Stop by during your volunteer shift and we will send one home with you!
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