September2013Newsletter - Oconee Regional Humane Society

OCONEE
REGIONAL
HUMANE
SOCIETY
Serving Greene & Putnam Counties
1020 PARK AVENUE
SUITE 101
GREENSBORO, GEORGIA 30642
(706) 454-1508
[email protected]
WWW.ORHSPETS.ORG
ORHS BOARD
Chairman
Debbie Spann
Vice Chair
Donna Eaton
Secretary
Ann Foster
Porge Casey
Stephanie Coleman
Dave Delich
Paula Kraus
Amy Manville
Joan Parker
Jerry Prescott
Kim Sims
Board Advisor
Jackie Stolarski
Cat Program Chair
Kari Wires
[email protected]
Dog Program Chair
Bonnie Stewart
[email protected]
Education Chair
Gloria Fasnacht
Fundraising Chair
Stephanie Coleman
Publicity Chair
Porge Casey
Spay/Neuter Program
Margie Wallace
[email protected]
Barbara Martin
[email protected]
Treasurer
JJ Casey
Volunteer Chair
Paula Kraus
PAW P RINT
September 2013
THE YEAR SO FAR…
A message from ORHS Chair, Debbie Spann
What a great year we have had! We have been in our new building for over
a year. The Center, as we call it, has brought so many new dimensions to
ORHS. Folks enjoy stopping by on a regular basis. Perhaps they want to play
with our terrific rescue cats or dogs. They may want to volunteer to work
our front office, answer phones and greet visitors. We have many volunteers
who enjoy helping us keep our building clean. Also, several folks donate
much needed supplies.
I think the one thing that is most gratifying is that we have done a good
number adoptions at our Center. We also go to Athens every Saturday with
our dogs. And we had adoptions at the Farmers Market and at Publix this
summer. Our numbers have been good but it seems there are always more
animals to save.
We have lots of needs but right now our biggest need is for foster homes
for puppies and adult dogs. We provide everything needed; crate, food,
medical. The foster home provides the love and training to the dogs. Bottom
line is, the more fosters we have, the more dogs we can save.
We welcome one and all to stop by and visit our Center (behind Bulldog
Supper Club and next to the carwash).
PLEASE HELP US SAVE MORE ANIMALS…. CONSIDER FOSTERING !!
WHAT’S COOKIN’
The ORHS Cookbook “Culinary Confessions of Rescue Pets” will be
available for pre-order beginning in early September with delivery in
late October. The cookbook, a labor of
love and thanks by two ORHS rescues, Fifi
and Fritz, features 250 recipes they have
collected from pet lovers from the lake
area and beyond. Look for recipes from
favorite chefs from Reynolds clubhouses,
Sweet Kneads, Smith’s Coastal Grill and
award winning recipes from the Pillsbury
Bake-off and Good Housekeeping. Also
included are several pages of menu ideas
for a boat ride, tennis with friends, holiday
parties and so on. Watch your emails,
our website and facebook for details on
how to order the cookbook! It will make a
great present for friends and family.
1
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT ― x2 …..WHAT A DIFFERENCE THEY HAVE MADE!
Have you ever met people who work quietly behind the
scene, you don’t really hear much from them but they do
an incredible job? We are very lucky to have two people
working with ORHS who do just that. Barbara Martin (left)
and Margie Wallace (right) run our low/no cost spay/neuter
program. Four years ago, Barbara joined ORHS to help take
some of the phone calls for our spay/neuter program. She
then ran the program on her own for a while until Margie
visited our volunteer fair one afternoon and offered to help
share the load. Now Barbara and Margie take hundreds
of calls each year from people in the community asking
for help to have their pets neutered. Then they work with our vets to schedule surgeries, approve
invoices and do follow-ups.
Margie believes so strongly in this cause that last year she found a way to set up a low cost Mobile
Spay/Neuter clinic with HEART from Atlanta so that we could reach even more people, and help
them to spay/neuter their pets. Then she met with the managers of the county animal controls to
see if we could use their locations for the events. Margie had things so organized and everything
ran so smoothly that ORHS holds the record for the most surgeries done in a single day! Last month
over a 2-day period Margie and Barbara were able to help get 52 cats and dogs neutered! This
was over and above the surgeries we arrange through our own program. Margie hopes to be
able to schedule the mobile clinics at least quarterly.
These two wonderful ladies are certainly animal lovers, but they are also truly generous people
with big hearts and a willingness to help others. Thanks for all you do!
Upcoming Events !!!
by Stephanie Coleman, ORHS Fundraising Chair
• The Barn Bash at Crooked Pines Barn - September 28th This fun, casual event will feature
entertainment by Lake Oconee Living’s Favorite Entertainer Tim Cadiere and the Washboard
Band. There will also be line-dancing lessons from Jacqui and Joe D’Alessandro and a grilled
dinner from GA Butts. Proceeds from this program will be used to sponsor the rescue,
rehabilitation and re-homing of cats and dogs in our care. Our goal is to raise at least $5,000
which will sponsor 50 animals. This event is sold out, but sponsorships are still available.
• Fall Festival and Open House - October 19th To be held at our Adoption Center, look for a
“Treasure Sale” of donated valuable items, an Open House, Pet Friendly Volvos from Charles
Middleton Accura/Volvo, a bake sale and more! This event is being held in conjunction with the
Pet Photos with Santa and vaccination clinic at Park Place Animal Hospital.
• On November 9th, Higdon House Inn and At Your Service Caterers will present our first annual
Fur Ball - ORHS’ first annual gala event is planned to be both fun and flashy, this Black Tie
Optional event will feature a buffet meal from At Your Service, and entertainment by a band
everyone loves – The Harmony Road Band. Our vision is for the annual gala to become a “See and
Be Seen” party among Lake area movers and shakers. Four levels of sponsorship are still available,
with Higdon House Inn and At Your Service leading off as presenting sponsors. “Book It” will
support our Spay/Neuter program with a goal of sterilizing 300 area cats and dogs at a cost of
$15,000.
2
ORHS HUMANE EDUCATION – WE ARE ON A ROLL !
by Gloria Fasnacht, Education Chair
In our last year’s fall newsletter we told you about our goal to broaden
ORHS humane education outreach. We are proud of what we have
achieved this year compared to last year. We reached five-fold the
number of children receiving our message on how to treat their pets
with kindness, respect, and how to provide the care that they need and
deserve.
The ORHS Humane Education Program started the year in March with a
presentation to the 1st grade class at Putnam County Primary School – all
242 children were present. We also presented our message to 22 second
graders at Putnam Primary, to a Girl Scout troop of 18, to 37 first graders at
Lake Oconee Academy, and also to 142 children from Putnam, Greene
and Union Point at the Lake Oconee Community Church summer camps.
Amy Manville-Lintz and Porge Casey were our presenters. They
engaged the crowd with “props” regarding basic pet care such
as food, fresh water, daily walks, play, vaccinations and proper
identification. They also fielded “priceless” questions from the
students.
We added safety to our message this year. Christine Tillman, the
Director of the Putnam County Animal Control, instructed the
children on how to safely approach a dog, how to respond when
approached by an unfamiliar one and how to properly interact
with the family dog. Safety instruction is important since the Animal Control Officers see an average
of 30 bites a year, mostly on children, their faces, and hands.
The children received, along with an informational tri-fold flyer
for the parents, a coloring book featuring the basic care of
pets and, a headband with dog or cat ears, and a frisbee, or
a water bottle with ORHS phone number. At the end of these
presentations, to their delight, they had the opportunity to
gently pet Skye, the puppy, and Paris, the kitten.
We at the ORHS Humane Education Program believe that with
the help of our community and especially of our volunteers
we can continue to educate our young about responsible pet
ownership in the hope of breaking the chain of abandonment and abuse and lessen the number
of homeless pets in our community.
PHOTOS….TALENT SHARED WITH ORHS
Photographs were donated to the Oconee Regional Humane Society
from the Amateur Photography Show and Contest sponsored by the
Eatonton Putnam Arts Foundation. Marsha Sichveland, left, presented
32 photographs to Debbie Spann, right. The photos were primarily of
animals but also included flowers, landscapes and portraits. Each year
the photographers have the option of donating their entries to the
Humane Society or the Eatonton Rehabilitation Center. Thank you to
all these talented photographers!
3
“PHOENIX” STEVENS PRESENTS A TEXTBOOK “BEFORE” AND “AFTER”
by Nancy and Bob Stevens, Adopters
"Phoenix" has arisen from the ashes!! Adopted in midJune of this year, he moved into our family like he was
born here. He is the best dog anyone could imagine. He is
responding to all of his training with gold stars. He is crate
trained, and loves to ‘load up’ to go shopping or travel.
He is calm with children and adults alike, never jumping
up or aggressively seeking attention.
"Before" – bare bones
"After" – happy at play
"Phoenix" loves to play
ball and hike, which he
does almost every day.
He has puppy energy, but keeps it under control most of
the time. He never begs for our meals, and treats our home
with ultimate respect. His one fault is that he is so social with
other dogs and cats that he is desperate to get to them
when he sees them out walking. This is the trait that we need
to correct. He will be entering a seven-week group training
class in September that should eliminate this situation. We
are overjoyed that Phoenix is now a FOREVER member of
our family.
“Thank you” to the following donors who most generously supported "Phoenix’s" rehabilitation:
Roger and Jill Schurig
Charles and Valerie Beard
Jere and Fred Brady
Christy and Robert Kimbrough
Kay and Rick Hanks
Tessa Hall
Sharon and Jerry Fly
Barbara and Randal Haglund
D and John Bartolomei
Nancy and R A Stevens
Cory Kimbrough
********************************************************************************************
FOR MEDICAL EXPENSES AND CARE
Over the past 12 months and with the generosity of so many donors, over $47,000 has been
spent for the health care of the ORHS dogs and cats. Listed below are the most recent
donors. On their behalf……ORHS thanks you!
Deloris and Grady Adams for Peaches
Mildred Webb for Peaches
Jeanette Turner for Peaches
Lois and Lewis Gossette for Rita
Lawrence and Susan Bongiovi for Rita
Asenath Moore for Rita
Linda and Louis Pack for Rita
Christine Ellison for Rita and others
Katherine and Richard Calhoun for Mason
Barbara Janzen for Poco
Dianne and Phil Boswell for Poco
Rachel Cohen for Freddie from Athens Animal Control
Vivian Hoach Smith for Sasha
Cornella and Lennart Nelson for Candy
4
MEMORIALS
Collette and Eric Anderson in memory of Princess, beloved dog of “Toni” and Ron Waeghe
Nell and Charles Pate in memory of “Prissy”
Pat and Brady Langford in memory of Mrs. Billie Margine Free
Jackie and Andy Stolarski in memory of “Flash”, beloved dog of Debbie Spann
Jackie and Andy Stolarksi in memory of “Maggie” & “Teddy”, beloved dogs of Ann and Alan Foster
Porge and JJ Casey in memory of “Flash”, beloved dog of Debbie Spann
Jeanette and Cosimo Carbone in memory of their son, Ronald
Kathy and Ed Hoard in loving memory of “Kali”, wonderful dog in the Brook Pointer Family
Valerie and John Ledyard in memory of Hoolie LeLong
Dianne and Phil Boswell in memory of Bailey Boswell
Connie and Woody Hanson in memory of Annette Gove Wright
Connie and Woody Hanson in memory of Evelyn Rossner
Judi and Glenn Collins in memory of Helen Roberts
Beverly and Larry Lackney in memory of “Neelix”, loving cat of Ms. Jane Seitz
Cissy and Joe Boyd in memory of “Tigger”, beloved cat of Jean and Bob Schoen
Linda and Roger Ervin in memory of Annn Foster’s beloved pets “Hunky”, “Maggie” and “Teddy”
Collette and Eric Anderson in memory of Peaches Turnipseed
Edgar and Patricia French in memory of “ Lacie”, beloved pet of John and Judy Miles
Barbara & William White in memory of Chestnut McGuigan, cat of Joan & Pete McGuigan
Bonnie Stewart in memory of “Noah”, beloved pet of Cindy and Joe Weiman
Pat and Dianne McNabb in memory of “Monet”, beloved pet of Jack and Debora Hempling
Connie and Woody Hanson in memory of Cathy Hopcraft
Jackie and Andy Stolarski in memory of Noah Weiman
Marjorie and Henry Wallace in memory of Nancy McBrearty
Bonnie Stewart in memory of Carolyn Reynolds Parker
Jackie and Andy Stolarski in memory of” Max”, beloved dog of Brian and Pam Quinn
Martha and Benjamin Lord in memory of Weenie
Christina Evans in memory of Carolyn Reynolds Parker
Frances and James Miller in memory of Harriet Hester
HONORARIUMS
Rebecca and John Smith in honor of Mona Villa
Kathy and Jamie Reynolds in honor of “Bruzer”, beloved pet of Chris and Glynn Kelleher and
“Lucy”, beloved pet of Bill, Douglas, Issac and Matthew Weeks
Dianne and Phil Boswell in honor of Jackie Stolaski
Phyllis and Fred Huebner in honor of Lola Tart
Maureen Horgan in honor of “Koko” and “Shep”, rescues from 10 and 11 year ago, loved today
Collette and Eric Anderson in honor of “Stella”, beloved dog of Mary and Glen Fifarek
Claire and Matthew Casey with appreciation and gratitude to Porge and JJ Casey for grand
parenting their puppy, “Stella”
Stephanie and Martin Colton in honor of Leigh Lofgren’s birthday
Nancy and R. A. Stevens in honor or Debbie Spann and Bonnie Stewart
Jackie and Andy Stolarksi in honor of Sandy Oristian
Jackie and Andy Stolarski in honor of Carolyn Taylor’s and Marilyn Turbeville’s birthdays
Collette and Eric Anderson in honor of “Patches”, beloved dog of Jim and Kristin Juster
Carpenter Carolyn and Harry Howell in honor of Dana McDougall
Judith and James Gibbs in honor of Dana’s birthday
ORHS is very grateful for the many donations made in memory of Ryan Alexander King, a
dedicated and committed animal lover and who is very much missed by family and friends.
Thank you to the following who honor Ryan with their donation:
Francine Ellerbee
Anne Prenni
Shelia Browning
Mark Rooker
Susan and Ronald Heddleson
Laura Schlicher and General
Mills West Chicago Plant
Cherylene and Bowling Miller
Ron, Mary, Justin and Jordan Hill
Allison and Gene Wright
Oconee County High School
Erin Mejias
Karen Clarke
Patricia Duggan
Angela Lynn Moon
Anonymous
Barbara Muratore
CJCI Network
Daronne Patterson
5
OUR KITTIES WANT YOU…FOR SPONSORSHIP!
by Kari Wires, ORHS Cat Director
If you can’t adopt a cat (whether because of allergies, your current living situation or other
in-home pets) or can’t adopt another cat (you love the kitties but your household numbers
have reached their max), why not become an ORHS Adoption Sponsor? Cats that are
sponsored have a greater chance of being adopted than those who are not. Our adult
kitties are currently looking for caring families and individuals to increase their chances of
finding forever homes and you can help make that happen!
What Is Adoption Sponsorship?
An ORHS Adoption Sponsor is a benefactor of a chosen
group of adult cats available for adoption. The objective
of sponsorship is to make the adoption of an adult cat
more attractive and feasible by absorbing the cost of
the adoption fee and, possibly, some of the expenses
of initial care.
How Does It Work?
B Select one of the groups of cats available for
sponsorship (such as The Bashful Bunch or The Chunky
Monkeys). You are only pledging to financially sponsor
one cat (the first cat adopted from that group…
whichever that may be. Contact us to learn the groups
currently available for sponsorship.
C Choose the level of support you wish to pledge from the 3 available levels. This means
the person or family adopting the cat will not have to pay the fees associated with adoption
and, possibly initial care, as those fees will have been covered by the Adoption Sponsor. The
available Sponsorship levels are:
PET PAL LEVEL Cost is $40 for sponsorship and covers the adoption fee.
TAIL WAGGER LEVEL Cost is $60 for sponsorship and covers the adoption fee and one 16 lb. bag of cat food.
BEST FRIEND LEVEL Cost is $90 for sponsorship and covers the adoption fee, the cost of one 16 lb. bag of food and a 3-month supply of Revolution (flea/heartworm prevention and dewormer).
D You are only pledging to provide the sponsorship fee for one cat. When the first cat in
the group is adopted you can renew your sponsorship of the same or a different group if you
choose to.
How Do I Do This?
Send the sponsorship fee for the chosen level, along with your basic contact information, to
ORHS at 1020 Park Avenue, Suite 101, Greensboro, GA 30642. Please be sure to mark on the
envelope that the contribution is being sent for Cat Adoption Sponsorship. We need your
name, address, phone number and email address. You will be contacted with the groups
of cats made available for sponsorship and will receive assistance in selecting the group
you wish to sponsor. You will then be contacted with updates on your sponsored group and
again when a cat from your group has been adopted.
Some of our kitties have been in our program for over 4 years…others with special needs are
looking at spending their lives waiting for their forever homes. Your sponsorship could make
the difference!!!
Do you have questions or want to discuss sponsorship further? Contact Kari Wires, Director,
Cat Program at (706) 454-1508. OUR KITTIES THANK YOU!
6
JOIN IN….
by Katherine Calhoun
Thanks to the beautiful, new “adoption center, so many more cats have a second chance
at life. The Oconee Regional Humane Society (ORHS) has many different aspects where
volunteers make so much possible. From office help, computer work, cleaning and feeding,
fund raising or adoption days, we can put your time to a worthwhile cause. It truly “takes a
village”.
Our spay-neuter program is a must. We take it very seriously. We wish more people would
realize that fixing their pets would eliminate most of the un-wanted births of these animals. Our
volunteers are relentless in seeing that as many as possible qualify for this service.
Our goal: that someday there will be no more animals that need rescuing because they are
in homes that want them and we would be out of business. The suffering and diseases would
stop with just a little help from the community.
Until then, please call 706-454-1508 to volunteer with either the dogs or the cats of ORHS.
Thank you!
TREASURE SALE
by Paula Kraus, ORHS Volunteer Coordinator
Pet lovers, the OCONEE REGIONAL HUMANE SOCIETY needs your help! On OCTOBER 19th, we
will celebrate our "One Year Anniversary", at current facility, with a fantastic TREASURE SALE
and PET ADOPTIONS. This will all take place at our location, 1020 Park Avenue (directly behind
Bulldog Supper Club) on Hwy. 44.
Year-to-date, your Humane Society has rescued over 200 dogs/puppies and over 73 cats/
kittens. We continue to make progress, but the number of neglected and abandoned pets in
Greene and Putnam Counties continues to grow. Since we are a "no kill" center, the animals
remain with us until they are adopted. Each rescued animal receives the following: treatment
for worms/fleas, vaccinations, they are spayed or neutered and they are micro-chipped. As
you can imagine, these procedures are necessary but very costly. We still have many cats and
dogs waiting for their forever homes.
HERE'S HOW YOU CAN HELP...... beginning in September, volunteers will be collecting items for
the Treasure Sale. Please take time to go through your home and garage for items that we
can use in our Treasure Sale (no clothing). Donation forms will be available for tax use.
Below are some of the items we would like to have for our sale.
This list is not all-inclusive so feel free to add to these categories:
YY
YY
YY
YY
YY
YY
Sports equipment (bikes, helmets, tennis & golf gear)
Artwork, frames, pottery and glass pieces
Bed linens, comforters, quilts, towel sets, kitchen items
Seasonal items (Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc)
Computer games, CDs, DVDs
Children's books, dolls, doll clothing, puzzles
Please mark your calendars for OCTOBER 19, 2013. Donation
drop off location, times and contact information will be posted
on our website and email blasts will follow. For additional
information you can contact: Paula Kraus at pkraus4034@aol.
com . Thanks for your support of this special community effort.
7
HAPPY TAILS
When we heard the family of two of our wonderful volunteers
was coming to Greensboro for a visit, we never thought they
would be leaving with a pair of our most delightful kittens!
Barbara Janzen and Christine Ellison, known to those of us at
ORHS as “The Sisters,” were having Barbara’s daughter and her
kids come for a visit from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Knowing
that their Mother and Aunt were Volunteers at the Shelter, the
travelers brought a cat carrier with them on their trip in hopes
of finding just the right new addition for their family while they
were here. Well, they chose two adorable little boys: Zac and
Mac, who were two of a litter of kittens found closed up in a
cardboard box one weekend in downtown, Greensboro. We
understand that The Boys are doing fabulously and actually enjoyed their 15 hour car ride to
Pittsburgh! They have even charmed the affections of Thurston, the 11-year old kitty previously
in the home. Congratulations to Zac and Mac! Way to go, boys!
We adopted Jake in the middle of June, and now he is almost 5 months
old. He is doing so well! He knows sit, down, heel, shake, stay, and
come. He's still super playful, but obedient too. He loves the woods,
camping, long naps, fetching, playing with other pups, bike rides, and
swimming. We are thinking he'll be quite the athlete when he gets
older. But until then, we are enjoying his happy-go-lucky personality.
The vet said that he is the definition of a healthy puppy. We are so
lucky we were able to adopt him from ORHS !
Thank You ! - Becky & Robby
Eddie and his brother, Louie, were two of
the most handsome orange tabbies you
have ever seen! The Brothers entered
the ORHS Cat Program as adults in 2008. They were adopted
shortly thereafter and enjoyed a happy family life together up
until early in 2012, when they were both returned due to illness
in their adoptive family. Louie was quickly re-adopted, but
Eddie remained at the Shelter until earlier this year when he was
adopted into a situation he never really became accustomed
to. After being returned once again into the care of ORHS,
Eddie very patiently waited his turn to find his final forever home.
About a month ago, a wonderful couple that had previously adopted an adult cat from
ORHS saw Eddie in the Oconee Breeze as the Pet of the Week. They instantly fell in love.
Thank goodness for these wonderful people who discovered how rewarding it can be to
adopt not one but two adult cats!!!!
One day back in February, I (Bonnie Stewart) visited the Putnam
County Animal Control. I saw a female beagle there and simply
could NOT get her out of my mind (and heart!). She was old and
probably would not win a beauty pageant (perhaps that's why I
identified with her!) so I decided to give her a chance. When I took
her to Park Place for evaluation, they decided that spay surgery
would be far too tough on her. She had a significant heart murmur
and pulmonary edema and the risks were much too great.
A woman called about her and said that she was lonesome for her
dog who had passed away 4-5 years ago. She had a difficult time
recovering from her loss and, when she met Grammy, in spite of her
health problems, she fell instantly in love.
8
MANY THANKS TO:
VOLVO OF ATHENS…..TO MAKE SPECIAL DONATIONS FOR 4th QUARTER OF 2013
Charles Middleton, President of Acura and Volvo of Athens, and local resident, has agreed
to sponsor a special program that will donate $50 for each dog/puppy adopted and $25 for
each cat/kitten adopted. This special donation to ORHS will run from Sept. 1 through Dec. 31,
2013. We cannot begin to express our thanks to Charles for his many contributions to ORHS
over the years. He and his wife, Kelley, also adopted their own dog, Chelsea, from ORHS in
2008!
The Silver Moon for designating ORHS as the non-profit of the month for April.
Putnam LifeSource Services and Bob Landau, Coordinator, for their generous donations to help
purchase dog and cat food for the monthly Putnam County food distribution. Each month,
ORHS distributes cat and dog food to over 200 folks to help provide proper food and nutrition
to their pets.
The Ryan Newman Foundation
ORHS has been awarded a $5,000 grant from the Ryan Newman Foundation to support our
no-cost spay/neuter program. This award will provide free sterilization procedures for close to
100 animals. in Greene and Putnam Counties. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Ryan Newman
and his wife, Krissie, established the Ryan Newman Foundation in January 2005 and is a part of
the NASCAR Foundation’s family of charities.
Georgia Department of Agriculture
ORHS was one of only 19 organizations in the State of Georgia to receive a “Dog and Cat
Sterilization Grant”. Presented by the Department of Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black,
this grant of $4,000 will help fund spay and neuter procedures for homeless animals rescued
by ORHS.
Cory Kimbrough – It is not every day that an 11 year old tells her Mom that she wants to use
her $100 birthday money to help animals that do not have a home or that are injured. On
April 24th, Cory Kimbrough walked into the OHRS Adoption Center with her Mom and said she
was there to use her money to help. After seeing pictures of Phoenix and hearing his story;
Cory decided that was how she wanted to spend her birthday money. She wants to help our
efforts to get Phoenix ready for a new life with a loving family. Thank you Cory, for being such
a wonderful example of what it takes to support ORHS services!
SPAY/NEUTER….A BIG PART OF THE ORHS MISSION
by Margie Wallace, Spay Neuter Program Coordinator
This year ORHS will host three low-cost spay/neuter clinics.
Atlanta Humane Society supplies the H.E.A.R.T. SUV or
surgical utility vehicle, provides the required surgery, a rabies
vaccination, and a microchip for $35 (or $40 with a three day
supply of pain medication). We have treated 50-60 dogs
and cats at each event. We are happy to announce that
next year, there will be one clinic each quarter, alternating
between Greene County and Putnam County. The next
clinic will be held November 20-21 at Putnam County
Animal Control.
ORHS also provides an ongoing low cost program to residents
of Greene and Putnam counties, who meet certain income
requirements. Through this program we have spayed or
neutered over 300 cats and dogs so far this year. Our goal
is to reduce the number of unwanted litters of kittens and
puppies born in our community.
9
FROM “FOSTER “ TO “FOREVER”
by Lori Brown, ORHS Foster and Volunteer
I love all animals, especially dogs! So, when my husband and I recently made Lake Oconee
our permanent home, I wanted to volunteer at our local humane society (Oconee Regional
Humane Society). My husband’s first response was “no good can come of this” with a laugh.
I grew up having “lots” of animals; horses, dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, gerbils and fish.
When I became a mother, I continued to have pets for my children (and me, of course) to
help raise, love, and to teach my children responsibility. Now that my children are grown and
have left the nest, we are down to just one big (100 lbs), sweet golden retriever, Steely.
After my first month of volunteering, I found such
a wonderful, warm, caring staff and volunteers.
They all work hard to find loving homes for dogs,
puppies, cats and kittens. Bonnie mentioned the
need for foster families and I thought I wouldn’t
be able to do that. I talked to my husband
about foster parenting and his response was
“no good can come of this” with a laugh. The
next day, while volunteering, Bonnie mentioned
fostering again and the next thing I know, I’m
driving home with a little Chihuahua mix named
“Finley”. I told myself I was safe fostering her
because I preferred big dogs and was not
particularly a Chihuahua fan… though I do think
they are adorable.
After four days of fostering and being entertained
by this cute 2-pound pup who loves our 100-pound dog, I received a call from Bonnie to tell
me she had an adopter for little “Finley”. Now, I failed to mention, my husband has had
Chihuahuas’, and loves them, so when I told him the news, he asked if I wanted to keep her,
I asked, do you? He said, “Only if you want to”. Time was ticking by and I had to bring Finley
over to Bonnie, so I quickly picked her up and told her to say goodbye to my husband and
golden. I could feel the tears starting to well in my eyes, and when she looked up at me with
her big brown eyes I began to cry the whole ride there. I continued to cry as I placed her
in Bonnie’s arms and cried the whole ride home. When I arrived home, my husband said, “I
can’t believe YOU gave away MY dog”. After a quick phone call to Bonnie asking if it was
too late to adopt her myself, and with a laugh, Bonnie’s response that I was now considered a
“foster mother failure”. We are now the happy owners of a Chihuahua mix puppy now known
as” Zoey”!
I truly hope this story does not deter any potential foster family from becoming foster parents.
ORHS has a need for good foster families and would love to see more volunteers to help in this
regard. It is a wonderful experience for the foster person and the dog.
I told my husband that I am still planning on fostering and he said, “no good can come of
this” with a laugh of course!
Needed Supplies at the Adoption Center
1020 Park Ave – directly behind the Bulldog Supper Club
Paper Towels
Dawn Dish Washing Liquid (Blue)
Liquid Laundry Detergent (High Energy – HE)
Lysol Cleaner
Clorox cleaner with bleach
10
10 Things Your Dog Would Tell You…
1. My life is likely to last 10 to 15 years. Any separation from you will be painful; remember
that before you get me.
2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.
3. Place your trust in me – it is crucial to my well-being.
4. Do not be angry with me with me for long, and do not lock me up as punishment.
5. You have your work, your entertainment, and your friends. I only have you.
6. Talk to me sometimes. Even if I don’t understand your words, I understand your voice
when it is speaking to me.
7. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget.
8. Remember before you hit me that I have teeth that could easily hurt you, but I choose
not to bite you because I love you.
9. Before you scold me for being uncooperative, obstinate or lazy, ask yourself if something
might be bothering me. Perhaps I might not be getting the right food, or I have been out
to long, or my heart is is getting too old and weak.
10. Take care of me when I get old; you too will grow old. Go with me on difficult journeys.
Never say: “I can not bear to watch” or Let it happen in my absence.” Everything is
easier for me if you are there even my death. Remember that I love you.
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10 Things You May Not Know About Cats…
1. Your cat's front paws have 5 toes and the back paws have 4
2. Your cat uses whiskers to gauge whether or not they can fit through an opening
3. Your cat cannot taste things that are sweet
4. Your cat’s ears can hear ultrasonic sounds
5. Your cat purrs at the same frequency as an idling diesel engine
6. President Lincoln kept four cats in the White House
7. Issac Newton invented the cat flap door
8. Your cat can run at 30 miles per hour
9. We shake hands – they bump noses
10. Your cat purrs continuously
11
OCONEE
REGIONAL
HUMANE
SOCIETY
1020 Park Avenue
Suite 101
Greensboro, Georgia 30642
Tel: (706) 454-1508
[email protected]
www.ORHSpets.org
501 C-3 Non Profit Organization
HERE’S MY TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION TO SUPPORT ORHS AND HELP MAKE MY COMMUNITY A BETTER PLACE FOR ANIMALS.
NAME: _________________________
WHAT YOUR DONATION CAN DO:
ADDRESS: _______________________
CITY: _________________________
STATE: _______________ ZIP CODE: _____
PHONE: ________________________
E-MAIL: ________________________
MY CONTRIBUTION: $___________________
$40 pays for vaccinations for a rescued animal
 $80 spays/neuters a pet for a low-income family
 $100 pays medical and adoption expenses to
find a loving home for a rescued dog or cat
 $300 provides emergency medical care for a pet
injured through cruelty or neglect
 $1000 “Life Saver” for a rescued dog or cat requiring
“greater than normal” medical procedure(s)
 $____Any amount helps our local animals and is appreciated!

I’M INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING FOR: (PLEASE CIRCLE)
Adoption Days
Fundraising/Special Events
Foster Home
Education Committee
Transportation
Administrative Volunteers
Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Your cancelled check is your receipt.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OCONEE
REGIONAL
HUMANE
SOCIETY
Return Service Requested
12
PRSRT NON-PROFIT
U.S. POSTAGE
1020 Park Avenue
Suite 101
Greensboro, Georgia 30642
PAID
GREENSBORO, GA
PERMIT NO. 34