File - Humane Society of Wilkes
Transcription
File - Humane Society of Wilkes
Humane Society Of Wilkes PawPrints 2011 Newsletter – July/August/September (3rd Quarter) In this issue: Groundbreaking at Hidden Oaks S.N.A.P. Committee Report Adoption/Foster Committee Report Annual Meeting Update Making Peace Between Cats and Dogs From the President: Our Mission at HSOW What does being a member of the Humane Society of Wilkes mean to you? We all have our own opinions and personal goals, but one thing that we all share is a love of animals, whether it be cats, dogs, or anything furry, winged, or even scaly. Our mission statement is pretty simple: “The Humane Society of Wilkes is an independent volunteer organization dedicated to promoting humane care and treatment for all animals.” How we define and accomplish this goal is up to us! What are we doing now? Here are just a few of our ongoing activities: Members of the HSOW… • Answer daily phone calls and provide assistance or information • Interact daily with the county animal shelter by taking pictures, posting on websites, and evaluating animals for foster care • Assist with animal rescues and provide foster care • Fund the distribution of the Kind News publication (provided to elementary school classes) • Run the annual Best Friends Calendar photo contest, then produce and sell the resulting calendar • Manage our successful low-cost Spay/Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP) What else could we do? While we have all helped individually with other issues, there may be more we could do as a group to find solutions to address such issues as the severe overpopulation of cats (tame as well as feral), or to provide assistance for the elderly/disabled to acquire and keep a pet for as long as possible. There are many ways to help, and we are constantly looking for new ways to think “outside the cage.” If there is an idea that you are passionate about, or a service you think we could offer, please let us know! Email: [email protected] or call 336.838.9588. As you see, we have been busy, and we thank you all for your continued support! Joanna Cates (Jo) P.S. Many thanks to Stacey Ruszczyk for producing and distributing our newsletter! Here is a view of the site of the groundbreaking, at the far end of the parking lot, facing the dog runs. The building will be used for meetings, adoptions fairs, and storage. Plans also include a bathroom for the facility. Groundbreaking News! We are happy to report that groundbreaking has begun! The HSOW has entered into a lease with the Town of Wilkesboro for the building site located at our Hidden Oaks Dog Park! This lease will be automatically renewed every 10 years at a cost of $1.00 per year. The Town of Wilkesboro has also agreed to provide water and sewer services at no charge. Both the Town of Wilkesboro and the County have waived all building and zoning fees. Future expenses for the HSOW will be the cost of insuring the building and contents, and electric usage. (continued on page 2 inside) www.humanesocietyofwilkes.org Groundbreaking (cont’d) Our building will be used for meetings, adoption fairs, and storage. The size is 24' x 52', which includes a 12' x 24' porch. Plans include providing a bathroom accessible from both the porch and the inside of the building. The Town has offered to maintain the bathroom for us, as it would be available to the public. (See diagram below.) The building will be located at the far end of the parking lot, with the porch facing the dog runs. The cost of the building, inside unfinished, will be $31,213.32. Donations of labor and/or materials of $11,000 have been offered, bringing the cost of the building itself down to $20,213.32. Additional costs for finishing the inside of the building and funding for the proposed landscaping plans bring the projected cost of this project to $40,000.00. (The final plans for landscaping and interior of building are contingent upon funds received.) We are hoping to raise enough money for this project without spending our existing funds! Fundraising ideas are being discussed and any suggestions are welcome! Plans will be posted on the bulletin board at the Hidden Oaks Dog Park once hard copies are available! If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us! Email: [email protected] N e w & R e n e w i n g M e m b e r s ( M a y 2 0 1 1 t h r o u g h Au g u s t 2 0 1 1 ) Gena Shumaker Moore Carol Vestal Tommy Gregory Yvonne T. Williams Kaye Hall James Ruszczyk Betsy Brey Lynn Durchman Arlene McGrane Family Kayren Hall Kim Hatfield Spencer Sharon Deem Reid B. Kellam Jean Kurth Ashlyn Linville Birgit P. Clager Louise Pennell Jane C. Rogers Kathy Sebastian Elizabeth M. Forester Benny & Marilyn Royal Savanna Holloway Lauren Johnson Marianne C. Bereza Mary Summerford Donna Peterson Colleen Ripley Jeffry Diaz Joeseph Tyler Prevette Arnold & Becky Lakey Richard & Dot Marlow Karen McElwee Darren Staley Jerry & Diane Swaim John & Ann Willardson Andrew, Tonya & Alex Larison Jacqueline Kocar Steve Jackson John & Rebecca Hubbard Andrew & Jennifer Wagoner Jack Johnson Patrick & Dona McGough Sherry H. Mabry Patricia Johnson Mary & Mack Lankford Kristian Thomas Vickie McInnis Mr. & Mrs. Julius C. Hubbard, Jr. Stan & Susan Dudek Mary & Bob Efird Krista Wells Heather, Jimmy, & Fallon Forester Donna McDowell Ann, V.O., Forest, Lillian, & Mimi Roberson A NOTE REGARDING MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS If you received this newsletter via US Mail and are a member of the Humane Society, your mailing label contains the date that your membership expires. Please check it against your records; we try to keep our records accurately, but mistakes do occur. If your date is incorrect, please contact Mitzi Combs at [email protected]. (Note that you receive a copy of PawPrints as an “honorary member” if you have made a donation within the last year.) If you are not currently a member and would like to join, we would welcome your membership! Dues are $15 per year for adults, $10 per year for students, or $30 for a family (unlimited number of family members). Membership forms can be obtained on our website (see top of this page), at the Wilkes County Public Library, and in the pet section at Wal-‐Mart. You can also contact Mitzi Combs at the email above, and she will get a form to you. You can reduce the impact on both our postage/printing costs and our environment by choosing to receive your HSOW PawPrints newsletters by email instead of US Mail. If you would like to receive an electronic version (PDF) of PawPrints, simply send an email to Stacey Ruszczyk at [email protected] to be added to the email list for newsletters only. www.humanesocietyofwilkes.petfinder.com Your Contributions to the Humane Society of Wilkes Private contributions enable the Humane Society to carry out our mission. Contributions may be made in honor or in memory of a person or a pet, and can be designated for a specific fund or project. Please send all contributions to: Humane Society of Wilkes P.O. Box 306 North Wilkesboro, NC 28659 The following contributions were received from April 28 through August 21, 2011. Thanks again to each of you: ADOPTION/FOSTER PROGRAM Jacqueline Kocar Cathy Wiles BUILDING FUND Jonathan Willardson KIND NEWS Steve Jackson Eddie & Beth Hoffman DOG PARK GENERAL CONTRIBUTIONS M.G. Randall Darren Betbeder Lynn Durchman Sharon Scott James Ruszczyk Kim Hatfield Spencer Glenda Goodman Richard Benton Savanna Holloway Lauren Johnson Jane Rogers Arnold & Rebecca Lakey Pam Clark Patricia Welborn Patrick & Dona McGough Dot & Richard Marlow Kristian Thomas Vickie McInnis Union United Methodist Church Heather, Jimmy, & Fallon Forester Kulynych Family Foundation, Inc. V.O., Ann, Forest, Lillian, & Mimi Roberson Noon Circle, N. Wilkesboro Presbyterian Church Mrs. Curtis Walker Janet Derick Tia Shew Dustin Holloway PHOTO CONTEST Roger & Janet Rhudy Lori Hamby Bledsoe Kathren Bowman Richard Benton TO SPAY/NEUTER FERAL CATS Phyllis Smith Jacqueline Kocar Thomas & Virginia Foxx Elizabeth Forester Kimberly Whitley IN MEMORY OF PEOPLE In Memory Of: Dr. Carol Rogers Reid Rachael Pilcher Beth Forester Clarence Elmore Donors Dorothy Beamon J. Richard & Dot Marlow Linda Rogers Smith/Robert P. Smith Frances & Earl Brewer Sammy, Sally, Teresa, Bubba, & DeeDee Craig Larry & Nancy Rogers Griffin Reid Suzette Sells Charles & Mary Coffey Suzie & Dale Karjala Jonathan Willardson Elizabeth Forester Rebecca Welborn IN HONOR OF PEOPLE In Honor Of: Ginny & Tom Moore Sandy Nichols (Rex) Carol Childers Donors Linda P. Tyler & Betty Ann Williams Paul & Celia Canter Eddie & Beth Hoffman IN MEMORY OF PETS In Memory Of: Duke Samantha Duke Bode Lucy Butterscotch Dinkie Donors Sharon Deem Jerry & Diane Swaim Mike & Robin Walker B. Frank & Bertha S. Bentley Mike & Robin Walker Elizabeth Forester Gail Hamby Our Spay/Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP) continues to register pets each Tuesday at the Wilkes County Public Library, from 6-7 pm. Here is Dan Hudson manning the station, showing off one of our registration forms. SNAP Report Our Spay/Neuter Assistance Program continues to register an average of 50 animals per month. In these hard economic times, this is probably a pretty good record, but we would like for even more residents to take advantage of this program! The Board of Directors is discussing ways to increase this number, and one way could be to budget monies to fund “Special Offers,” such as “A Nickel A Neuter” or “A Dollar A Spay” for a set period of time. Ideally, once these funds were expended, they would be replenished with donations to be able to do it again. Any other ideas about fundraising or promotion to help get the word out are welcome and encouraged. We are making a difference, but there is so much more to be done! www.humanesocietyofwilkes.org / www.humanesocietyofwilkes.petfinder.com Annual Meeting Update The General Membership Annual Meeting was held at th Hidden Oaks Dog Park on Saturday, June 11 . Temperatures ran very high that day, but attendees were able to remain relatively cool, thanks to tents provided courtesy of Steve Jackson and Becky and Arnold Lakey. Aside from food and fellowship enjoyed by both two-‐legged and four-‐legged friends of the HSOW, business conducted included a vote on the four Board nominations. Dr. Steve Jackson, Mary Parsons, Arlene McGrane, and Ed Parsons all accepted to serve 3-‐year terms. Reports were presented by the Adoption Committee, Finance Committee, and SNAP Program, with results included in this issue. Love at first website! Here is Jasper, on his way “home” after spending nearly three years in foster care! His new family saw his photo on our website and fell in love! Adoption/Foster Report Even though the hot and stormy weather sometimes forced us to reschedule an adoption fair, our committee and volunteers have experienced great success with our events this year. We've held fairs at locations as diverse as Wal-‐Mart, the Wilkesboro Open Air Market, Tractor Supply Company, and of course, the Hidden Oaks Dog Park. We’ll be at the Open Air Market most Friday nights through the season. Here are the adoption, foster, and rescue counts through the middle of August for 2011: Adopted: In Foster Care: To Rescue Organizations: Dogs 105 Dogs 39 Dogs 51 Cats 23 Cats 22 Cats 4 Potbellied Pig 1 Horse 1 The May Adoption Fair at Wal-‐Mart saw Frosty, Browny, Tiger, and Trio all find "furever" homes. And finally, beautiful calico cat Spidy was adopted after being in foster care for three years, ever since she was a kitten! The Memorial Day weekend event, also held at Wal-‐Mart, produced more results, and one of our foster dogs found a new loving family and home. Volunteers and foster parents who brought their pets put in extra time for the holiday weekend, and we all appreciate their efforts and their dedication. In early August, a special extended Adoption Fair was held at Tractor Supply Company, in conjunction with "Pet Appreciation Week," sponsored by TSC and Petfinder.com. As always, you can see all the foster pets available for adoption on our websites at either humanesocietyofwilkes.petfinder.com or humanesocietyofwilkes.org/animals.html Volunteers are always needed for setting up and breaking down, walking and brushing the dogs, and talking with the public. Everything goes so much more quickly and smoothly when there are extra hands to help, so if you are interested, please contact Mary Parsons, head of the Foster-‐Adoption Committee ([email protected]). The Foster-‐Adoption Committee regularly holds open meetings on the 3rd Monday of each month, usually held at Wilkes Christian Church (across from Wendy's on the Second Street Hill). All those interested in participating in either the foster program or adoption events are welcome to attend. Just contact Blair Hancock ([email protected]) or Mary Parsons for meeting information. The plans for construction of the building at the dog park and the landscaping were approved, with details also provided in this issue. Many thanks to Carol Childers for coordinating with Wilkes Community College and other local gardeners to create a simple landscaping plan that includes all native plants! HSOW BALANCE SHEET a/o 06/30/11 Cash & CDs Buffie Fund Lowe’s Stock Total Assets Total Liabilities Net Worth $46,244.25 $10,400.00 $107,272.00 $163,916.25 $0.00 $163,916.25 PROFIT & LOSS STATEMENT a/o 06/30/11 Income: Adoption Program Donations SNAP Program Fundraising Membership Dividends & Interest Kind News Sponsorship Dog Park Fund Total Income $15,427.43 $6,589.60 $10,774.00 $3,257.32 $1,580.00 $1,114.06 $1,225.00 $210.00 $40,177.41 Expenses: Adoption Program Spay/Neuter Vouchers SNAP Fundraising Administrative Dog Park Expense Total Expenses $19,303.82 $760.00 $13,077.00 $622.80 $1,852.10 $236.90 $35,852.62 Overall Total 2011 $4,324.79 www.humanesocietyofwilkes.org / www.humanesocietyofwilkes.petfinder.com The Peaceable Kingdom Do you want to adopt a dog or puppy, but have a household with kitties? You may be concerned about how to introduce Fido to the felines, but there are proven methods to make the relationship work. Many sources say that it’s easier to introduce a puppy, because a smaller animal may be less threatening to the cats, but puppies also have an awful lot of energy, and might be more of an annoyance than an older, more settled dog. So, there are trade-offs there. Consider the breed carefully, as some dogs naturally have a high “prey drive” (like terriers and sight hounds), and herding breeds might be prone to chase and nip at cats in an attempt to satisfy their natural herding instincts. Retrievers, or mutts whose natural tendencies are “diluted” by the presence of other genes, may be more gentle and accepting. However, the behavior of individual dogs may vary greatly from their breeding, so you can’t really generalize. The Humane Society of W ilkes now has its own presence on Facebook! Log in to your account and go to facebook.com/HSofW ilkes and click “Like” at the top of our profile page. Now you can get up to date announcements delivered right to your Facebook news feed, as well as post your own comments and feedback! Many thanks to Katie Parsons for creating and maintaining our Facebook page! The HSOW Board of Directors meets the second Monday of each month at the North Wilkesboro Presbyterian Church. All members of the Humane Society are welcome and encouraged to attend these monthly Board meetings. CURRENT OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS President – Joanna Cates Vice-President – Blair Hancock Secretary – Heather Forester/Kayren Hall Treasurer – Arlene McGrane Board Members – Steve Jackson, Carol Childers, Kim Spencer, Heather Forester, Ed Parsons, Mary Parsons, Mary Elmore 1-YEAR TERMS ENDING JUNE 2012 Kayren Hall Often, dogs adopted from shelters or foster/rescue groups will already have been tested for aggressive tendencies around other animals, so be sure to ask about it when you’re speaking to a volunteer about a particular dog. Before you bring your adopted dog home, be sure that you have a crate for confinement when supervision is not possible. This also allows your cat(s) to investigate the new family member without the threat of being chased. Without doubt, your cat(s) will hiss and otherwise make quite a fuss at first, but be patient, it just takes time to make the adjustment. Make sure your cats have access to a room that the dog cannot enter, and keep the litter boxes, cat food, and water bowl in an area that the dog can’t get to. Kitty will need an escape route and somewhere to feel safe. Supervise all interaction between the dog and the cat(s) until such time as you are confident that the dog will remain calm. Before long, you’ll find that “getting along like cats and dogs” is actually a good thing! Kim Spencer Heather Forester 2-YEAR TERMS ENDING JUNE 2013 Blair Hancock Joanna Cates Mary Elmore Carol Childers 3-YEAR TERMS ENDING JUNE 2014 Arlene McGrane Steve Jackson Mary Parsons Ed Parsons COMMITTEE CHAIRS Membership – Mitzi Combs Calendar – Carol Childers, with support from Dave Ritter Website – Blair Hancock Shelter – Donna Peterson SNAP – Joanna Cates Adoption/Foster – Mary Parsons Newsletter – Stacey Ruszczyk Nominating – Blair Hancock Collection Jars – Kim Spencer www.humanesocietyofwilkes.org / www.humanesocietyofwilkes.petfinder.com Sagebrush Fundraisers Continue For those that are new, we have a table and issue vouchers, from which Sagebrush donates 10% of the customer’s meal bill to the HSOW. We also offer information, including the current animals available for adoption, and sales items. Thank you to our wonderful volunteers since January, including Ann Willardson, Claudia Eller-Tobey, Alessandra Lozano, Melinda Crawford, Dan Hudson, Donna Peterson (Secret Pal covered shift), Blair Hancock, Jack Johnson, Sue Shaak, Kendall Forester, Margie Edgerton, Phyllis Smith, Bill & Zohare Boyd, Kelly & Nancy Stanley, Arlene McGrane, Randy Mays, Kim Whitley, and Mary Parsons (pictured at left). We have been fortunate to have an ongoing monthly fundraiser at Sagebrush for 3 years now! Above is Mary Parsons at the information table. This fundraiser brings in around $200 per month in voucher money, sales items, and donations! Table hours are 11am ‘til 10pm – once a month - and this is an easy way to help! If we get 11 volunteers, at 1 hour each, it would be VERY easy! No experience necessary - please consider coming for an hour, then eating! For more information, contact Joanna Cates ([email protected]). Humane Society of Wilkes P.O. Box 306 North Wilkesboro, NC 28659 (336) 838.9588 [Address Label Here] Newsletter design, production, printing costs, and distribution donated by HSOW member Stacey Ruszczyk