The pet chat! - Mississauga Humane Society

April 2011
21st Edition
pet chat!
z
The
Mississauga Humane Society Newsletter
PO B ox 15 2 , 33 53 Cr ed it W ood lan ds , Mis s iss au ga , ON L5C 2K1
Vis it: w w w .mis s issa ug ah uman es oc iet y. c o m
Ema il : info @miss iss au gah u ma ne soc iety.c o m
There I sat, lonely and afraid.
Lily came right to my aid.
You loved me, helped me to mend.
You healed me and became my first friend.
You took me to my new home, forever to stay.
At first I thought you had just sent me away.
But you gave me a chance for my life to go on.
You gave me a family, a home with a lawn.
I'll never forget you saved my life that day.
And you never really gave your RESCUES away.
All these years thank you for your time
I may not be yours Lily,
but you'll always be mine.
Love Always - Dolce xoxo-2011
Dolce, 15 - Rescued in 1999
12 years later
Home with Mommy (Suzy) in 2011
T e l: 9 05 - 271- 08 83
Nala
Sallie
Chica
O’Ryan
Speedy
President’s Message
I’m saying Goodbye…But not really!
I’m writing this message to tell everyone I have just resigned as President of Mississauga Humane Society (MHS) after
holding the position for 8 years since 2003.
I started volunteering with MHS in April 1999 when the Society was first established. For the last 12 years, as numerous
volunteers have come and gone, I have remained a part of MHS. In the first year of our operation, we were only able to
rescue some 50 dogs. In 2003 I started the Cat Foster/Adoption Program. Seven years later, in 2010, the number of
homeless dogs and cats we rescued totalled 651. Still today we operate without a business venue, a shelter or a paid staff.
Leading a 100% volunteer-run group is not an easy job. Throughout all these years, there were numerous challenges that I
had to overcome. I did not give up; these challenges only made me stronger. There have been times of frustration,
disappointment, helplessness, sadness and anger, but there have also been times of joy and celebration - every time a pet
was rescued from death row, or one of our rescued pets found an adoptive home, it made it all the more meaningful.
Seeing our rescued pets living in loving forever homes is the best reward for my voluntary work. Just yesterday I met
Dolce, the first dog I ever rescued back in 1999, and her mom. Dolce, now 15, was doing just fine and still thriving in her
old age. It is Dolce and all the other MHS animals that have made my many years of hard work worthwhile and fulfilling.
Now it’s time for a break. But just a break, as I will still remain on the Board as a Director of MHS. I will also continue to
be in charge of the Dog Rescue Program. With some spare time on my hands, I may also organize small fundraising
events/projects. Though I have resigned as President of MHS, I am not really leaving MHS, which is a part of my life!
I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to all our foster parents, volunteers, adopters, donors and sponsors for your
contribution and support. It’s YOU that have made MHS what it is today. I look forward to your continued support in the
future. I also want to thank our veterinarians who provided excellent services all these years. I would also like to thank
the foster parents who wrote the beautiful and touching tributes for me (Pages 3 & 4). They brought tears to my eyes!
I especially want to thank Alison O’Sullivan (adopter) for nominating me for CANADA’S CHAMPIONS OF CHANGE on
CBC, 2010, as well as Erma Odach (foster parent) for nominating me for MISSISSAUGA CITIZEN OF THE YEAR, 2010. Just
the nominations themselves are an honorary reward for me. Thank you, Alison and Erma, for your appreciation.
Carla Costa is my successor and the new President. Please give her the same support you have always given me.
Lily Chan
These are some
of my memorable
rescued pets
Tanya
Samm
y&
Tink
MISSION
To rescue as many
homeless
companion animals
as possible, and
find them
FOREVER HOMES.
Saving lives
since 1999!
Inside this Edition
2
Dr FURRIES
3
5
Tributes to Lily
WHOM have you
helped to rescue
6 Lucky Dog
7 HomeSweetHome
9
News & Events/
Humour Time
10 Steps of
Compassion
Editor: Lily Chan
Page
Page 22
ASK Dr. Furries
Dr. Furries is a “NOPEL” prize-winner in Pet Behaviour. While nobody has ever
admitted to actually seeing Dr. Furries, rumour has it that the good doctor is a hairy, four
legged being with multiple canine and feline personalities - and maybe even a few far
stranger ones than anyone suspects. Although Dr. Furries’ background is shrouded in
mystery, we do know that when it comes to solving "Pet Problems", the doctor always
seems to have the right answer. If you have any pet questions, you are welcome to email
them to Dr. Furries at [email protected].
Question: My cat dashes out every time the door is open. Any good suggestions?
Answer
Rather than greeting your cat right at the front door when you get home, have a special 'greeting area' at least 10 feet away from
the door. Ignore your cat until you get to that spot. Your cat will soon start waiting for you at that spot rather than at the door.
Encourage your cat to meet you at the greeting spot instead of at the door by consistently feeding your
cat or giving out treats at the greeting spot right when you come home. That way, your cat has a good
reason to stay in the house. Do the same thing when you are leaving the house. Say goodbye at the
same spot. Feed your cat, give out some treats, or roll a toy across the floor to distract your cat while
you walk out the door.
If your cat still tries bolting, there are a few ways you can do this.
o Open the door just a tiny bit (not enough for your cat to get out.)
o Go in the other room or across the room so you aren't right next to the door.
o When your cat goes up to the door, give a quick spray of water with the squirt bottle.
Ensure your cat doesn't see you do this. Your cat associates the punishment with going near the door.
Instead of the water bottle method, you can try this: Get an empty aluminum can, fill it ¼ of the way with small rocks and put tape
over the opening. When your cat approaches the door, shake the can loudly or throw it into the room to make a loud noise.
QUESTION:
My cats scratches and has ruined my new leather couch and the carpet. How can I stop this behaviour?
If the above does not work, you'll need to set up a commercial deterrent like Ssscat that works all day long– even when you're not
around. The Ssscat has an electric sensor that detects motion when your cat passes by. As soon as the motion is detected, a loud
alarm will sound and a quick spray of harmless compressed air shoots in the cat's direction to scare him off. (You can also turn off
the gas so it just makes the alarming sound.
Ref: www.thecatconnection.com
Question: My dog freaks out when he goes in the car. Is it possible to improve this behaviour?
Answer
Many dogs have behavior problems related to the car. Usually it is car sickness because they have a fear of riding in the car. They
associate car rides with something unpleasant or with previously being carsick.
Reintroduce the car to the dog again slowly and in a non-stressful way.
Start out by just sitting in the car with the dog. Don't go anywhere; don't even start the motor. Just
sit there and read a book or listen to the radio. Soon the dog will realize that nothing terrible has
happened and that it did not get sick. Keep doing this until the dog is obviously relaxed and not
fearful. If the dog does get sick, then you've stayed too long and should begin again but for shorter
periods. When you see that your dog is comfortable with this activity, progress a little further by
starting the engine, but still do not going anywhere. When the dog is relaxed with the motor
running, then begin taking very short trips.
As your dog gets more and more comfortable, go for longer rides. Drive to places where the dog has fun. Take a short ride up the
block to the dog's favorite walking area or to the park. Let the dog associate car rides with fun /rewarding experiences.
Some dogs associate the car with good times to the point of becoming overly excited. In this case, begin taking the dog for short
rides that do not end up at the park or beach, but back home again. Teach your dog some obedience commands like down/stay.
Sit in the car with your dog and practice there. Start out on a quiet street. Obviously do this with the car parked. Once the dog has
mastered the down/stay, then begin practicing in more distracting places.
Alternatively, you can teach your dog to be calm in the car by restricting his movement via a crate or safety harness.
Page 3
TRIBUTE TO LILY CHAN, our PRESIDENT
by Erma Odach
(My family and I started fostering for Lily in 2006. Over the years, and after many animals came and went, we had become good friends. When I heard
Lily was resigning as President of MHS, I was deeply saddened. To me MHS and Lily have always been synonymous. I approached Lily and told her
I'd be honoured if she would let me write a tribute to her.)
"The purity of a person's heart can be quickly measured by how they regard animals."
There is not a saying out there to better describe one woman: Lily Chan. Because of her great
compassion for animals and incredible integrity, as Vice President/President of Mississauga
Humane Society (MHS) for the past 12 years, Lily has helped thousands of neglected,
unwanted and abused animals regain their dignity and learn love: she has given them all a
second chance. She has worked tirelessly, selflessly, and with dedication to ensure as many
homeless animals, no matter how old or young, are saved. Her strong leadership and kindness
was a guarantee that every possible step was taken to find the animals loving and caring
forever homes. We are sad to hear Lily is resigning. Lily was not so much a president of MHS
as she was a guardian angel.
Lily & her dogs JJ, Gwei Gwei,
Happy and Baby (left to right)
In 1998 Lily volunteered as a dog walker for Mississauga Animal Services. There she met Edie Dissener, one of the four MHS
founders, and joined soon after, where she held the position of VP until 2003. In 2003, with the resignation of the then president, Lily
took over and has been in charge till today. As MHS never had a business venue, a shelter, or paid staff, right from the beginning,
Lily met the challenges of her job with commitment and resolve. By building up the DOG FOSTER and CAT FOSTER programs, she
opened the door to more and more animals in need. In 2003 when she started the Cat program, only 50 cats were rescued, today
that number has soared to over 500. In Oct 2004 Lily set up the Cat Adoption Room at Petcetera, and when the store went bankrupt
in June 2009, she suddenly had to find placements for 25 cats - and she had only two days to do it! She has since set up another
adoption room at Global Pets and Foods on Burnhamthorpe/Creditview. In the last few years, an average of over 600 dogs and cats
were rescued each year. This is an amazing achievement, considering the Society is run via a network of volunteers/foster parents.
Setting up the FOSTER CARE program involved a lot of work: Lily had to establish a protocol for the taking in of homeless pets; she
had to okay credentials for foster homes; she had to organize screening and adoption procedures for pets; she had to set adoption
fees etc. She spent many hours finding foster homes for dogs and cats. Even after a foster home had been found, the job did not end
there – there were home visits to make, supply of food and accessories, vet appointments and neuter/spay surgeries to arrange,
postings of the pets for adoption to list, follow-ups with adopters to make, mailing of packages to adopters… For the dog program,
she would arrange dog training sessions if needed, and if dogs were being boarded due to lack of foster homes, Lily would go and
walk them herself. The list goes on.
Lily was always there for the foster parents: If any of us should need a bag of dog or cat food, Lily
was there; if there were no donations for litter, Lily would buy it herself; if we needed to take an
animal to the vet, Lily was there; if we just needed to talk, Lily was there. Did I mention Lily is also
a foster parent herself? Right now she’s fostering Kayla, an 11 yr old Akita & Peter, a shadow cat.
Lily’s first cat Kilty
Design was also on Lily’s list of duties! The MHS pamphlet was Lily`s first design job. Since 2005 Lily has compiled PET CHET, the
MHS quarterly newsletter, keeping more than 1,000 foster parents, adopters and donors updated on MHS affairs. Over the years
Lily went on to create a variety of forms: application forms for fostering, adoption forms, surrender of pet forms, pledge forms…. The
posters she designed, appealing for foster homes and donations, and for the Walk-a-thon, she, along with volunteers, posted around
town. If that wasn't enough, Lily monitored the MHS website and edited pet postings to ensure it was appealing to the public.
Lily was also a fundraiser and a money saver! She prepared donation appeal mail-outs three times a year and raised a lot of funds.
She also organised MHS’s largest fundraising event, the Walk-a-thon, as well as other smaller events. To add to this, she also
secured great discounts from several veterinarians in the city, saving a lot in vet fees. Every time she wrote a cheque, she had to
ensure there were enough funds in the bank account!
The workload on Lily's calendar has been formidable. Her home was like a second MHS hotline. Calls come in at all hours from
foster parents, adopters, volunteers (potential or current ones), shelters, vets, owners giving up pets. It’s the same for emails, if not
busier. Her garage is like a warehouse packed with cat and dog food donations, with foster parents arriving at all hours of the day to
pick up food; sometimes Lily delivers it in her van if foster parents don't have a car. People have even come to her door to drop off
pets, thinking her home was the MHS shelter! Sometimes her phone even rings in the middle of the night. Allow me to put in a word
here: one early morning (3 a.m. to be exact!) my elderly and much beloved foster dog, Penny, suffered a heart attack and died. I was
very upset, and rather than waking up my husband, whom I should have done, without even thinking, I called Lily. She told me not to
worry about the late hour and that she was very sorry and understood. First thing in the morning she called the vet and made
arrangements for Penny. Her patience and emotional support made it all somehow bearable.
There is no page long enough to list Lily's accomplishments and contributions to MHS. And with every hurdle thrown her way, she
dealt with head-on and to the best of her ability. She didn't get paid and put in a lot of her own time, sometimes even at the expense
of her family. She dedicated 12 years to saving, enriching and nurturing numerous homeless animals. And it is through these precious
souls that we see the legacy that Lily left – one of love and respect. The success of MHS today is due to Lily and the many
volunteers she has inspired. We will miss you as President. Thank you for all you have done for MHS. Your shoes will be hard to fill.
Page 4
TRIBUTES to Lily Chan, our President
Hello Lily, I heard that you are retiring from Presidency. We would like to thank you for all of the work you have done for MHS. You have shown
great leadership, compassion, and understanding. Since we started fostering cats for you in 2005, you were always there when we needed help,
countless times. Thank you for staying wise, kind, and forgiving through it all. I hope that the next president will be able to live up to your example,
as in animal rescue, we are few and far between. Greg Ikonnikov & Family (& Cracker, Clarence, Kate, Rihanna, Dudley, & Sammy the cats!)
Dear Lily, we would like to extend our sincere gratitude for all the help and continued support you have given us. When you first brought Dolce to
us in 2000, she was aggressive with other animals. We were excited to foster Dolce for a few months, but fell in love with her immediately and
adopted her afterwards. Lily, you are a guardian angel of the animals. I have been blessed with knowing you for the past 11 years and witnessing
your generosity and kindness. You are not just a rescuer, but my friend. You have thoughtful personal traits; you drove me for the cancer treatment
when I needed it. With your many excellent qualities; you will be a lifelong friend that I would like to share memories with. We wish to thank you for
all the time and effort you have put in to help the animals of the Society. You deserve to be acknowledged. Susan, Kyle and Dolce xoxo
My husband and I came to Canada in May 2010 as a refugee claimant, that might reflect on us badly. We are very passionate about animals.
We applied for volunteer positions at different shelters but did not even get an acknowledgement reply. We felt discriminated. We were contacted
only by MHS and a wonderful person - Lily Chan. She accepted us as foster parents. Since then we were in contact with her constantly, day and
night. She has done a fantastic and exceptional job and with her selfless help and support, many lives were saved. She supported me emotionally
when we had to put to sleep one of our fostered cats, Gerda. We wish her lots of luck and happiness. Monika Rahna & Bela
Lily is an amazing person who has built an incredible network of dedicated volunteers who save the lives of dogs and cats. She has done this in
one of Canada's largest cities without the bureaucracy that comes with most animal saving non-profits. I know personally that her quick thinking
plan to provide medical care and laser treatments for the arthritic back legs of Krystal, the beautiful older dog I was lucky enough to foster, gave her
a new resurgence in her final year instead of in pain. People like Lily are one in a million and she deserves much recognition for the wonderful work
she has done for the Mississauga Humane Society. Karen McCall
Wow Lily 12 years!!! That is amazing! There must literally be thousands of cats and dogs that owe their lives to you
and the amazing organization that you have helped shape! How wonderful. Although we know you have already done
more to make this world a better place than most people ever will, selfishly we are happy to hear that you will still do
the dog program as we couldn’t imagine a more compassionate human being for the job. Thanks for all your hard work;
it is much much more appreciated than you will ever know. Lindsay and Jim
Lily’s cats
Bow Bow & Cheetah
I am deeply saddened to hear that Lily is resigning her leadership role, although glad that she will stay on to help the
dogs. Lily has given her heart & soul to MHS. She is well-known & respected by members of other rescues, as well
by our own volunteers. Inspired by Lily's dedication, I've been a loving foster Mom, dog picker-upper, whatever was
needed, for MHS for over 6 years. She has been a truly caring, supportive person throughout. Hers will be a very hard
act to follow!! Mom Sue
My husband and I have fostered dogs for MHS since 2004. For the last 7 years we had the opportunity to help and enjoy the company of 7
wonderful dogs until they found their forever homes. During this time, Lily and MHS have always guided us and supported us. Lily had kept in
mind the best interest for the dogs, at all times. We have been so blessed to be part of this activity. We wish Lily the best. Maria Kisiel
I am at a loss for words when I heard that Lily is stepping down. She has made MHS what it is today. I came to know Lily and MHS a few years
ago and have been amazed with how far the organization reaches out to take in and foster cats and dogs regardless of breed, age, issues and
location. For an organization run solely on donations, volunteers, heart and soul, I am in awe with the on-going health, well-being and
direction these animals receive while in foster care. The ambition and dedication Lily puts in day after day, year after year is truly remarkable. Her
loyalty to MHS as President has been outstanding!
Lily, you have been a God send to the animals. Katie Biffis
After fostering for Lily for so many years, I was very sad to hear that she is resigning. I will miss her terribly. If the countless thousands of four
legged creatures for whom Lily has worked so hard over the years, who are all now happy and healthy in forever homes could speak about her,
I'm sure they would thank her for her dedication, generosity and devotion to their cause. Given that they can't, I can only say, on behalf of all the
two-legged ones who have worked with and for her, that we have been touched by her caring, kindness and compassion. Thank you, Lily. You
are an admirable woman, a true HERO. You have made a remarkable contribution to so many lives, it is spoken from my heart. Alicia Arcand
I'm sad that Lily is resigning. I have known her for many years; Lily is an inspiration to me and I have so much deep respect and gratitude to her. I
don't know how many dogs I've called Lily to ask for help - dogs that have come to the end of their road, who are stuck in an animal control facility
and are sitting on death row. Lily is there for these dogs: the old ones that people have thrown away, the sick ones that people can't be bothered
with and the younger ones that have no manners. Lily works tirelessly to make a difference for each and everyone; she inspires me to keep going
and never give up hope. Thank you Lily for always being there - you are my HERO. Love, Deanna, Animal Angel Rescue Foundation
Lily, thank you for your 12 years of dedication as President. You rescued animals, not caring if they were old or young, healthy or sick; you never
discriminated. You are an angel from Heaven. Booboo, who has feline Aids, is doing great! You will be sorely missed. Jackie Mychaluk & Brute.
Lily worked tirelessly for the welfare of our animals. Lily was always available to answer my questions on my fostered cats, whether it was to take
them to the vet or her own advice on what to do. She also encouraged us to volunteer for MHS fund raising events, so important for charitable
organizations.
When you are running the show, you can't just "lock up and go home for the weekend"! Lily was there for all! Shelagh Saunders
Love
Deanna
Since 2005 I have fostered more than 8 cats with feline aids. During this time Lily and I have become friends. I am very thankful Lily tried her best
to find these aids cats a long term foster home instead of putting them down. Every time a cat needs medical treatment Lily was always there for
us. Lily is not only caring about animals but also humans. I was recently sick and bed ridden for a while, Lily visited me a couple of times and
brought me groceries. MHS was lucky to have a compassionate leader who devotes so much time on helping the stray cats. Sabrina Tam
I am sorry to hear that Lily has decided to resign as President. I have adopted cats from MHS and it is run firstly with the interests of the animals at
heart. Lily Chan has been an unpaid President of the Mississauga Humane Society for 12 years where she has been a dedicated, hard worker
committed to animal rescue, first and foremost. Her work included organizing, recruiting, motivating, coaching and directing efforts dedicated to
saving the lives of homeless animals and overcoming many obstacles. Working with animal rescue is a thankless and emotional task. Under Lily
MHS has become a reputable group. I wish Lily and the MHS team continued success and for Lily more time for herself. Alison O’Sullivan
Whenever Lily receives an e-mail from my shelter asking for help, she is on it! She works her hardest until she finds that foster home. Lily has the
biggest heart for our senior dogs and our dogs with medical issues. She still has YET to say no to me. Even if she currently doesn't have room
she will say “maybe in a week or two.....”.it is never a "No"! Lily I am truly blessed to have had all these years of working with her to help
numerous animals to be spared from the death row. From the bottom of my heart Lily, THANK YOU!
Kim Jesty, Hamilton Animal Control
The short time I had been in contact with Lily I find her very caring and dedicated. I sure hope that MHS can find someone that is so dedicated and
have the same passion for the abandoned animals, as they sure need someone to look after them. You will be greatly missed. Diane Nunnaro
I would like to take this time to recognize and thank Lily for all her support with my furry little findings. She always supported and approved my cat
rescues and to date we have been quite successful in finding them awesome homes. Well done Lily Thank you. Sonya Leduc
Page 45
Page
WHOM have YOU helped to SAVE?
Here are just a few of them…..
.
NINAMack,
&
Hollie,
&
MITZI
Two young
l siblings with
health issues
picked up on
the street
ANNA & JET
MOJO
Became
homeless when
their senior
owner was
hospitalised
One of the many
stray cats
found on
the street
SAM
Given up by
owner due to
behaviour
issues
DANDY
Found in a
hoarder`s
home with
many other
cats
MHS was established
in 1999.
Over the last 12
years, more than
4,000 homeless
companion animals
have been rescued.
MHS is NOT a city
"animal shelter".
That is a completely
unrelated group Mississauga Animal
Services is run by
the city - MHS is a
volunteer charity.
RASCAL &
SAMANTHA
Senior owner
had to go to a
nursing home
An older dog
found
wandering on
the street
Given up by
owner due to
allergy
Found
wandering in
peoples’
backyard
colony
Owner no
longer had time
for him
LACEY
MIMI
FRANKIE
ROCKY
MAXIMUS
A young dog
given up by
owner due to
health issues
WISH LIST
Foster Homes
Canned Dog Food
Cat Food
Cat Litter
BAILY &
RILEY
Owner had
terminal
cancer
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 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.
Page 6
Puppy LOVE Story - LUCKY DOG!
by Roger Matz
"Lucky dog": these are the two words that I inevitably hear when people learn the life story of my dog,
Locksley. Formerly known as 'Batman', Locksley was one of the 14 dogs rescued by Lily Chan and the MHS in
January 2007. He had spent 6 years in the Quebec shelter before MHS rescued him. I adopted him at 9 years
of age in March of 2007 after the loss of my dear and aged 'Gloster'. Locksley was rescued on the exact day,
January 27, 2007, that Gloster passed away at 16 years of age! And so our connection began!
Locksley has now been with me for 4 years. He knows me as well as I know him. I quickly became his
confidence-giver and support system. He was and remains a timid dog......he made no sound for 1 year after
coming to his new residence, but has since become an excellent watchdog with a very big voice! He travels
everywhere in the back seat of my car and is a confident fellow in that space, doing his own 'analysis' of
each of my passengers, and using that big bark to show any disapproval.....momentary, of course, tail
wagging simultaneously with the barking!
We have attended every MHS September Walkathon since
his adoption, and on two occasions he has reunited with
dogs from the Quebec shelter. I was watching for any signs
of recognition of his former kennel mates, but observed
none. Maybe their cages were at opposite ends of the
building. We will never know.
Lily, Roger & Locksley at
the 2008 Walkathon
Roger, Locksley, Lily & Champ,
another Quebec rescued dog, at the
2009 Walkathon
His health has been excellent and the results of the annual wellness test continue to amaze his vet. After
all, a 13-year-old dog usually shows some signs of decline, but his organ and other vital functions are
perfect.....another reason to consider him a lucky dog! Hopefully he has many years left. When he was
adopted I pledged $1per day to the MHS in appreciation for their efforts in bringing us together, and
maybe he can go on to.....100 years? Unlikely, but hopefully many more!
He is a trusting and affectionate dog, whose insecurity
can often prevent him from displaying his affection,
but when relaxed and in a non-stressful environment
he can be a very sweet fellow. He has a particularly
‘eloquent and articulate’ tail. From fully tucked under
his belly in a fear response to a sweeping wag, he says
it all with that long tail.
Now you know the fortunate outcome for one of the
Quebec rescued dogs. Yes, Locksley is a lucky dog.
But that's only his side of the story, and now there is
my side to tell. I will use the words of James Herriot,
who, as he observed one of his dogs, wrote: "Lucky
dog, I often thought. But lucky, lucky me."
Page 7
Dude
Rose
Billy
Max (left) & Lost
Crystal
Cookie
Daisy (right)
Rex (Tugger)
Milo (Casper)
Keiko
Sargeant
Dodger (right)
Max
Hoooper aka Murphy (middle)
(middle
Rosie
Cassi
Annie
Stanley
Zoey
Hannah
Lucy (left)
Page 8
Mao Mee (left)
Kota
Lucky
Muffin
Tyrone & Lacey
Sammy (right)
Cagney & Lacey (Fly & Babe)
Chewy (Yuki)
Lily
Tigerlily
Beauty & Miles
Pixie
Dreamer
(Ms.Cali Perkins)
Case (Clyde)
Flora
Luke
Sampson
Toby Taco Bell
Simba & Zazu
Page 9
NEWS & EVENTS
WE HAVE WONDERFUL ADOPTERS
Shane Nicholson is a passionate supporter of MHS. He
adopted 4 cats from us over the last 2 years, organized a
fundraising event
“FURNAL EQUINOX 2011”
in March 2011,
and raised $4,000 for our animals.
Shane commented: “I was inspired by the dedication of Lily
in her mission of saving homeless pets. MHS is a
deserving organisation for us to support. They have no
shelter or paid staff and almost all funds raised go to the
vet care of the animals.”
Shane presenting a cheque to Lily
“I can't wait to raise more funds for MHS next year, and
hopefully some day we will have a more profound effect in
helping the dogs and cats.”
THANK YOU Shane!
SHANE’S CATS
Shelby and Shadow were adopted in
August 2009, and
Pudge and Chewie
(JP & Paul) in July 2010.
They have taken over Shane’s bed and
now Shane is sleeping on the floor
every night!
HUMOUR TIME
I THINK I’M A CHICKEN!
Psychiatrist: What's your problem?
Patient: I think I'm a chicken.
Psychiatrist: How long has this been going on?
Patient: Ever since I was an egg!
NOT WHILE I’M EATING!
Two roaches were munching on garbage in an alley when one
engaged a discussion about a new restaurant.
Courtesy of David Branson
www.cartoon-cat.net
"I was in that new restaurant across the street," said one. "It's so
clean! The kitchen is spotless, and the floors are gleaming white.
There is no dirt anywhere--it's so sanitary the whole place shines."
"Please," said the other roach frowning. "Not while I'm eating!"
Page10
STEPS OF COMPASSION
Don’t Squish the Spider (or any insects)!
by Lily Chan
“Compassion and happiness are not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength.” ~Dalai Lama
LIVE & LET LIVE
When I was small, like most kids, if I saw a bug or an insect at home, or on the street, I would step on it, smack it or squish it When
I was small, like most kids, if I saw a bug or an insect at home or on the street, I would step on it, smack it, or squish it without
thinking. Years later, when I had my first dog, Baby, I began to realise animals had feelings like we did – they felt hunger, heat
& cold, fear, happiness, sadness, loneliness... If dogs had feelings like we did, then surely so did cats, cows, pigs, chickens,
ducks… It’s for this reason that I became a vegetarian. This compassion gradually extended to the world of insects. When I
saw a trail of ants on the street, a fly on the window, or a wasp on my hand, I began to think: How would I feel if a giant
foot/newspaper/swatter/etc. came crashing down on me!?
CATCH & RELEASE
For many years now I have been practicing Catch and Release insects. Insects are amazing creatures that play just as an
important role in our ecosystem as every other animal in this world. They too have feelings. They want to live as we do. No
matter how scary they look, the truth is that if we do not hurt them, they will not hurt us. The worst thing a wasp can do is sting us,
so just because a wasp stings, does that mean it has to pay with its life?
Here’s something to think about: How much compassion do we have for something that has nothing to offer us? Do we really
have to kill insects just because they appear to be a nuisance? If this is the case, then we are no different than a bully in school.
If you are not going to eat insects, why don’t you just set them free? The ant’s children may be waiting for their mama to come
home with some bread crumbs. It would be sad if mama never came home! Compassion starts with baby steps!
Start today
How to do it:
How to do
Bug-buster
This battery-powered bug vacuum
it:scoops up bugs for safe removal to the
outside.
spiders
bees, wasps and
other stinging insects safely, at arm's
length. www.ahimsastore.com
Human bug catcher
Complete with a plastic sliding door
and housing to safely contain the
insect, the bug catcher makes the
transport from your home to outdoors
simple.
www.PETA.com
How about ANTS?
Pour a line of cream of tartar, red chilli powder, paprika, or dried peppermint in the places where ants enter the house – they
won’t cross it! You can also try washing countertops, cabinets and the floor with equal parts of vinegar and water, and then
putting a little paprika along the edges.
Thank You
to all of the people who contributed articles for this edition.
A big vote of thanks to all of our dedicated foster parents, volunteers,
adopters, donors and sponsors.