Summer 2015 - Volunteers of the Burbank Animal Shelter

CITY Paws
SUMMER 2015 | VOLUME 10 | ISSUE 2
THE VOICE OF BURBANK’S ANIMALS
Introduction by Tiffany Brain
You’d think this actress, model, and Gamebreaker TV host would want everything with a designer name, but Kat Andrusco stopped by the Burbank Animal
Shelter to promote adoptions over what she calls “designer” animals. Kat says,
“It makes me so sad to think that people are more interested in designer animals
as some sort of status symbol, as opposed to finding a friend and new family
member that is just waiting to be found at the shelter.” We couldn’t agree with
Kat more! Kat has wonderful role models in her parents, sister, and brother-inlaw who have a combined total of 7 rescue cats in their respective households.
LOVE. PROTECT. ADOPT.
UPCOMING EVENTS
KITTEN ADOPTION FAIRS
Burbank Animal Shelter
1st & 3rd Saturdays of Every Month
Times Vary
Visit thevbas.org/events for details
HAPPY TAILS HIKES
Stough Canyon Nature Center
1st & 3rd Sundays of Every Month
8:30am
Email Erik at [email protected] for details
SEPTEMBER 26, 2015
VBAS New Volunteer Orientation
Burbank Animal Shelter
9:00am
To sign up, visit thevbas.org/volunteer
OCTOBER 10, 2015
Strut Your Mutt
Join or support our team at
support.bestfriends.org/goto/vbas
OCTOBER 16, 2015
National Feral Cat Day
NOVEMBER 21, 2015
VBAS New Volunteer Orientation
Burbank Animal Shelter
9:00am
To sign up, visit thevbas.org/volunteer
By Kat Andrusco
The ASPCA estimates that 2.7 million adoptable cats and dogs are euthanized
every year in the United States. So many of these animals could have been
saved if only people were more concerned with finding a true furry life companion than having what I’ve heard referred to
as “designer pets.” Designer pets are animals
that are purchased with the intent to impress
other people or act as a status symbol; generally, these animals are purchased from breeders
or puppy/kitten mills. Why do mills continue
to breed animals when there are dozens, including some purebreds, waiting to find their
forever homes? When adopting a pet into our
families, we need to take the time to look in the
shelters. We will have no trouble there finding
an adorable furry friend who needs us.
One of my cats, Wasabi, is a rescued Siamese
cat who could have been considered a designer
pet, but she is hilariously and adorably crosseyed. Maybe she was abandoned because of her “defect,” but for us it only gives
her more of a personality that fits our family. It doesn’t matter what breed of cat
or dog is “trendy,” only that your new friend is just as excited to see you as you
are to see him or her when you get home. Adopting animals should be a mutually
beneficial occurrence; you should need them just as much as they need you. Our
rescues rescued us just as much as we rescued them.
Don’t buy animals based on what is “trendy,” because your new pet is a family
member, not a designer bag. Adopt, don’t buy.
To stay updated with the Love. Protect. Adopt. Campaign, please visit:
thevbas.org/love-protect-adopt
To support the LPA campaign, please find fundraiser merchandising at:
cafepress.com/thevbas
VOLUNTEERS
TOUR FOR LIFE
By Megan Craig
Fifteen years after
its inception, the
North Shore
Animal League
America’s Tour For
Life is the world’s
largest mobile pet
adoption crusade.
It has saved the
lives of more than
15,000 animals
along the way!
Photos by Amy Reynolds
Every year the Fenton Avenue Charter School Mutt-i-Grees program raises funds for the Burbank Animal
Shelter. Names (from left): Kennel Attendant Marissa O’Brien, Maliyah, Martha May (teacher), Sonia, Stacy
Carroll Hutter (Director of Fenton Avenue Charter School), Shannon Coulter (teacher) and Captain Ron
Caruso (Burbank Police Department).
“I like the opportunity to get our dogs in the community and allow people to meet them in a more natural
environment. It allows their personalities to show in a way they might not at the shelter,” said volunteer Amy
Reynolds of the April 18th Tour for Life event. Volunteers were out in full force and in partnership with the North
Shore Animal League, which provided the mobile adoption unit for the event.
The Burbank Animal Shelter staff and the VBAS were able to bring over 20 animals to meet the public at the
Saturday Farmer’s Market. The North Shore Animal League traverses the United States every spring, providing
mobile adoption units for use at local shelters in an effort to provide the public with a different way to adopt a
shelter animal.
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE VERDUGOS
By Megan Craig
Photo by Justine Medina
Volunteers of the Burbank Animal Shelter with Community Foundation of the Verdugos, Vice Mayor
Jess Talamantes and Captain Ron Caruso, Burbank Police Department, with a Certificate of Recognition from the Burbank Mayor.
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Mary P. Brown, a hospital secretary and animal
lover, left approximately $75,000 to the VBAS
this year in an Endowment fund managed by
the Community Foundation of the Verdugos. On
April 12th, the CFV and the VBAS came together
for a kick-off event to celebrate this generous
donation. Volunteer Debbie Peterson gave shelter tours to members of CFV as well as Burbank
Vice Mayor Talamantes and Captain Ron Caruso
of the Burbank Police Department. Ms. Brown’s
endowment will help the VBAS continue its work
for years to come.
in the COMMUNITY
HOOF
AND WOOF
WALK
By Megan Craig
Photos by Lance Oller
Supporting the Burbank Mounted Police and K-9 Units, Volunteers of the VBAS set up a booth at the Hoof
and Woof event on April 18th. Community members, shelters, and rescue organizations showed up at the
Los Angeles Equestrian Center to support the cause with a walk followed by a schedule of activities grand
marshaled by Linda Blair. Our volunteers Eleanor O’Brien, Arika Bishop, and Peggy Palaticz spread the
word about the great work we do supporting the Burbank Animal Shelter to the public at the event. “It’s
my favorite event,” said Arika Bishop, “I like working with the other organizations. You meet nice people
and it’s not often you get to work with the German Shepherd Rescue or the Grey Hounds Rescue. And it’s
always a nice day!”
DONOR SPOTLIGHT
By Cecelia Martinez
Keeping kittens warm is just one of many duties that comes with being a VBAS Kitten Foster Program volunteer. Thanks to the Disney
Blanketeers, a program that donates handmade fleece blankets to the
VBAS, our kitten foster volunteers will have no trouble keeping their
tiny charges cozy.
The Disney Blanketeers is a worldwide program celebrating its 16th
anniversary this year. The Blanketeers program is comprised of hundreds of Walt Disney Company volunteers who donate handmade
blankets, wraps, baby booties, scarves and caps to a variety of causes.
These include veteran support organizations, cancer centers, hospice
centers, neonatal care centers, homeless shelters and animal shelters.
Photo by Cecelia Martinez
Disney Blanketeer Sonja Farris said, “I contacted the VBAS because
I’ve adopted 3 cats from the Burbank Shelter, including one from the Kitten Foster Program in 2007. I wanted to provide the
Burbank shelter cats and fosters with something snuggly to help them on their journey to their forever home.”
The Blanketeers hope to donate 500 blankets to rescues and shelters this year. “The animal blanket program has been a great
way to connect with people in rescues or shelter volunteer programs to learn more about their life-saving work and tireless effort
to find forever homes for our furry friends. The best part about being a Blanketeer is working alongside the other team members
to create something for someone in need. It’s a great program, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it!” says Farris.
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Happy Adoption Story
By Jessica Kusher
The adoption that trumped all adoptions at the Burbank Animal Shelter this year so far is quite a story.
Ranger, a sweet but high energy two-year-old Labrador
Retriever/Pitbull mix, spent eight long months at the
shelter, patiently and eventually very impatiently waiting for his forever home.
Surrendered in October 2014 by owners whose landlord
said they couldn’t keep him, Ranger quickly became a
shelter favorite. Incredibly smart, Ranger picked up on
basic training and tricks quickly. Volunteers spent extensive time exercising and training him. As time wore
on, Ranger became anxious to leave the shelter and
became harder and harder to handle.
Ranger was finally adopted in February 2015, but unfortunately, was returned less than 24 hours later.
Since he was such a beautiful and charismatic dog in
the kennel, Ranger continued being shown to potential
adopters every day, but most thought he would be too
much for them. We were all worried about finding the
right match, and he was noticeably melancholy after
being returned.
That is where his story takes an amazing turn. In June
Raul and his girlfriend, Rhonda came into the shelter
and took an instant liking to Ranger. After a meeting
in the play yard, they were sure they wanted to adopt
but were encouraged by the kennel staff to sleep on it
for a few days.
Raul and Rhonda came back on June 6th and proceeded
with the adoption. During the follow-up call three weeks
Ranger and his new family are all smiles.
later, when asked how Ranger was doing, Rhonda replied, “Amazing. We are totally in love.” A crate was
purchased for Ranger but only used the very first day
they took him home. His new parents had to leave for a
few hours on the second day and left him loose. Amazingly he didn’t chew up anything or misbehave at all!
Ranger has already gone on his first camping trip, been
out on a boat, and gone swimming. He’s accompanied
his parents out to dinner at a local restaurant that is
dog-friendly. Sometimes he gets to go to work with
Raul and enjoys daily runs or walks. Raul and Rhonda
couldn’t be happier, and we here at the shelter couldn’t
be any happier for the three of them.
So far, you have helped us raise
$6,400 towards our goal!
To learn more about donating, visit
thevbas.org
CORRECTION: In our last issue, we reported 12 cats in the Cat Socialization Program found forever homes.
In addition, the Cat Socialization program also placed 29 cats into yard or barn homes. In total, 41 cats were re-homed
by the Cat Socialization Program in 2014.
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VBAS at DreamWorks
By Cecelia Martinez and Ann Adrianse
Animated animals would be perfectly at home on the
DreamWorks Animation campus, but this June, for the
8th year in a row, the VBAS brought the real deal. Tiny
furry kittens, friendly dogs, and sweet bunnies took
center stage, charming DreamWorks Animation employees, posing for sketches, and spreading the word about
the VBAS and the Burbank Animal Shelter. Thirty-two
VBAS volunteers and several Burbank Animal Shelter staff
members were on hand to help make this event a success.
Photo by Chris de Zorzi
Generous DWA employees contributed more than $700 in cash dona-
tions, as well as many items from our wish lists. This Meet-and-Greet
continues to be a highly popular outing for volunteers and as you
can see from the letter below, the event left a lasting impression on
employees too:
I just wanted to tell you how impressed I was with the recent Burbank
Shelter Volunteers event here at DreamWorks. I spent my lunches each
day watching the interaction of the volunteers with both the animals
and the employees of DreamWorks. I was very moved by the sincere
love the volunteers have for the animals; the patience and gentleness
they show to each little soul is very amazing. Just as special was how
they answered endless repetitive questions from all the people that
would stop by to see the cats, dogs and rabbits. They were beyond polite and I was really impressed with the knowledge each and every one
Photo by Lynne Hartwell
of them had about the situations and information for each individual
animal. It gave me great comfort to know that there are these devoted
men and women going and caring for the animals at the shelter. I
know that all those babies waiting for a home are not lonely, sad or
neglected. They are loved, walked, petted, talked to and held close. I
saw it in person and I just wanted to tell you how wonderful that week
was. I hope this event continues every year. God bless.
- Ann Henson
Amazon has created a program called AmazonSmile. When
you sign up and designate the VBAS as your target charity,
0.5% of each purchase is donated by Amazon to the VBAS.
It’s easy and costs you nothing.
To sign up, go to:
smile.amazon.com/ch/95-4469452
This is the direct link and it will state at the top of your page:
Supporting The Volunteers of the Burbank Animal Shelter.
Bookmark the smile.amazon.com page and use the
bookmark every time you shop on Amazon. Rilo the dog,
Oliver the cat and all of their furry friends will be smiling, too!
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Program Spotlight
General information
KITTEN FOSTER PROGRAM
BURBANK ANIMAL SHELTER
If you’ve ever wondered if one person can
truly make a world of difference, the answer
is a resounding yes.
ADDRESS:
1150 N. Victory Place
Burbank, CA 91502
818.238.3340
HOURS:
Monday - Saturday: 10:00am to 5:00pm
Sunday: 11:00am to 3:00pm
Adoption & Registration Rates
ADOPTION FEES:
• Dogs - $104 • Cats - $78
• Bunnies - $30
(Prices include spay or neuter, vaccinations
and micro chip)
You must be 18 or over to adopt a pet.
LICENSE FEES FOR BURBANK RESIDENTS:
• Unaltered Dogs: $100
• Altered Dogs: $20
A rabies certificate required for all dogs.
• Cats (Unaltered & Altered): $5
• Horses: $15
• Wild Animal Permit: $15
PLEASE NOTE: Licenses are required
for all animals and must be renewed
annually. There is a 100% penalty for
late renewal.
VBAs board MEMBERS
Alexis Cole
Board Chair
Chris de Zorzi
Board Member, Finance Chair
Sharon Wang
Board Member, Technology Chair
Jill Gardner
Board Member, Secretary
Amy Reynolds
Volunteer Representative to the Board
Molly Stretten
Board Member, Development Chair
Cecelia Martinez
Board Member
VBAs MANAGEMENT TEAM
Eleanor O’Brien
Volunteer Services Director
Tiffany Brain
Volunteer Training Director
Amy Chen
Publications Director
Matt Hensen
Offsite Adoption Services Director
Tiffany Victor
Medical Liaison
Jennifer Heeber
Kitten Foster Program Director
Megan Craig
Development Liaison
Thom Wickes
Onsite Adoption Services Director
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By Ayra Laciste Quinn
Fabiola Garcia, who has been working with
the Kitten Foster Program for about five
years, began volunteering as a foster parent
when her then nine-year-old daughter asked
if they could help the kittens together. She
says, “Since then, we have fostered about
30 kittens, and have loved them all.”
Photos by Fabiola Garcia
Fostering kittens is not without its challenges, and Fabiola admits that the kittens sometimes have medical conditions that are “challenging and messy.” The kittens may be
orphaned or may be so young as to require constant care. Last year, Fabiola took home
a day-old litter of kittens. However, there are also peaceful times. Fabiola is currently fostering a mother, Maya, and her kittens—Mufasa, Lila, and Nala—due to space constraints
at the shelter, and because Maya takes charge of her kittens, Fabiola takes charge of
Maya. She checks on them often to ensure that Maya and her kittens are both fed and
thriving. She says that fostering both a mother and her litter is actually very easy, and this
group of kitties is no exception! According to Fabiola, Maya “purrs up a storm” before even
being pet and because she is young, she also likes to
play alongside her kittens. Mufasa enjoys being held in
Fabiola’s hand “belly up” and is the perfect lap kitty,
while Lila is more cautious (but playful), and Nala is the
clear hunter and athlete.
As Fabiola makes clear, people interested in becoming
foster parents should not be deterred from the inevitable separation once the kittens are old enough to be
adopted: “The most common reason I hear why people
don’t want to foster is that they will get too attached, and it will be too hard to say goodbye. It is hard to say good-bye, but when you know you have found the right family for your
kitten, you know you’ve done good. Plus, as fosters we get to perpetually enjoy the incredibly fun and wonderful kitten stage.”
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by Sharon Wang
I love this place! Every day I get to play
with my brothers and sisters. This week, we went
outside and played with the green thing called grass. I really
enjoy lying on it, sleeping on it, and rolling around in it. It
tastes good, too! I love playtime.
Recently, we have stopped drinking milk and started eating solid food. It smells amazing! We are also drinking a
clear liquid. We’ve heard the humans call this water. My
brothers spilled the water all over the floor last week and we
all started licking it off the floor. So much fun!
Photo
by De
b
bie Pe
terson
We take three or four naps when the sun is out and two or three more naps when the sun is
gone. When we sleep, my brothers and sisters snuggle up with me on a fluffy pillow. Sometimes
we fall asleep on that green stuff called grass, but when we wake up, we are on the fluffy pillow.
We are pretty sure the humans are responsible for this. They are always looking out for us.
I hope we get to play and nap and see our humans every day forever!
TheScratching Post
Our Newsletter
SPoNSORS
by Cecelia Martinez
Each spring hundreds of kittens
arrive at the Burbank Animal
Shelter, many needing special
care. Too young to survive without around-the-clock care, and
sometimes ill, injured or traumatized, these kittens are placed into
the VBAS Kitten Foster Program.
Photo by Cecelia Martinez Volunteers bottle-feed newborns,
attend to essential needs, monitor health concerns, socialize kittens
and participate in interviewing potential adopters.
Previous experience is not necessary to join the team. New volunteers
attend an in-depth orientation with a member of the team before receiving
their first kitten and are given a training manual designed to guide newcomers through the fostering experience.
Prior to the start of kitten season, the VBAS Kitten Foster Management Team
holds a training seminar for returning and new foster volunteers. This year’s
topics included: bottle-feeding 101, how to recognize gastrointestinal problems in kittens, emergency and safety protocols, the importance of keeping
kittens warm, how to bathe and de-flea kittens and how to choose the right
adopter.
For those unsure if they have the
skills to foster, the management
team also provides around-theclock support for foster parents.
“I feel that ongoing training is important for our volunteers. The responsibility of fostering a kitten is
huge, and there are so many questions that come up for a foster parPhoto by Cecelia Martinez
ent from proper kitten care to medical issues,” says Kitten Foster Program Director Jennifer Heeber. “I learn
so much from other foster parents every year. The continued education and
shared experience helps the program thrive and helps us as foster parents
to improve our skills. I enjoy all aspects of the program (fostering, teaching,
learning, etc.) because it allows me to help animals that would otherwise be
homeless and neglected without the shelter and the foster program.”
Established in 2001, the Kitten Foster Program is a lifesaving program—
with a 100% adoption rate—that continues to provide Burbank’s homeless
kittens with nurturing homes until adoption.
To learn more about becoming a kitten foster parent, visit
thevbas.org/kitten-foster-program.
To receive a copy of City Paws in the mail, please
send name and address to [email protected]
If you would like to place an ad in City Paws, please
send your request to [email protected]
Photo by Kelly Rodriguez
instagram.com/thevbas
/thevbas
www.thevbas.org
7
1150 N. Victory Place
Burbank, CA 91502
818.238.3344
Newsletter Manager
Cecelia Martinez
[email protected]
Newsletter Editor
Ayra Laciste Quinn
Publications Director/
Graphic Design
Amy Chen
[email protected]
Initial Newsletter Design
Rebekah Albrecht
[email protected]
our mission
mission
The VBAS provides protection, quality care, and love for animals in need, partnering with the community to promote animal
adoptions and providing a united voice to help end animal homelessness in Burbank and beyond through advocacy and education.
Our Volunteers are committed to educating the community about the benefits of pet adoption, spay/neuter and proper pet care.
In an effort to help provide the best possible care for all Burbank Animal Shelter residents, we have created and maintain
successful adoption and fundraising programs, including our Kitten Foster Program, Happy Tails and Medical Program. For more
information, or to learn about giving opportunites, please visit our website at www.thevbas.org.
BURBANK ANIMAL SHELTER INFORMATION
ADDRESS
1150 N. Victory Place, Burbank, CA 91502
PHONE
818.238.3340
WEBSITE
www.thevbas.org
HOURS
Monday – Saturday: 10am to 5pm / Sunday: 11am to 3pm
Closed on Major Holidays
NEWSLETTER CONTRIBUTORS
& EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS
Ann Adrianse
Rebekah Albrecht
Kat Andrusco
Tiffany Brain
Amy Chen
Megan Craig
Chris de Zorzi
Fabiola Garcia
Lynne Hartwell
Ann Henson
Jessica Kusher
Justine Medina
Cassidy Martini
Cecelia Martinez
Lance Oller
Debbie Peterson
Ayra Laciste Quinn
Kelly Rodriquez
Amy Reynolds
Sharon Wang