READY, SET, GO!

I think we’re ready.  We’ve been doing this for 6 years so we should know what we’re doing, but I always get nervous anyway.  Did we remember to order Porta-Potties? Check. Are we all set for the petting zoo?  Check.  Is everything sparkling clean at the sanctuary?  Check and double-check!  I’m obsessing, of course, about our upcoming signature fundraiser, Paws For A Cause.  We’re on the final countdown now. The event is in 4 days and our event chair person, Pam Walker, is finalizing the last details.  Every volunteer will have a job to do when the gates open at noon this Saturday, November 5^th.  As the day approaches, we’re holding our collective breaths, crossing our fingers, and hoping that we are able to raise enough money to see us through another year at HSAPL.

We’re very proud of this event.  It has evolved over the years to encompass many of the things that we ,as an organization, feel are important.  For example, our love for all animals is evident in the entertainment we've chosen:  A petting zoo, a dog obedience demonstration, and a horse demonstration.  The local wildlife organization even brings an assortment of their rehabilitated birds for a sort of show-and-tell exhibit.  We also manage to sneak in some educational information about feline issues during our tours of the sanctuary.  And, naturally, we have volunteers on hand to help those who want to adopt a cat.

                         LIZ AND LORI MANNING THE ADOPTION BOOTH

One of my favorite exhibits is the Christmas tree.  The small tree is decorated with photos of all the cats that reside at our sanctuary.  Guests are invited to make a donation in honor of one of these cats.  In the past, I’ve watched children studying the tree with care, wanting to make sure they give their dollar in honor of just the right kitty.

Some of the events of the day are just plain fun.  Children work on arts and crafts or play in the bounce house.  Their parents peruse the silent auction which seems to get bigger and better every year.  And the live music provides an upbeat background to the day’s activities.  It seems that once people come, they’re hooked.  We see many of the same faces year after year.

                                            PETTING ZOO

This year we are especially in need of a successful event.  All non-profit organizations are finding that donations are down and HSAPL is feeling the pinch as well.  Our biggest support for the event usually comes through sponsorships.  We’ve been fortunate over the years to have a number of generous sponsors whose donations have helped cover operational costs throughout the year.  And every dollar given to the Christmas tree, every auction bid, each donation, no matter how small, helps cover the cost of things such as supplies, food, or the cost to spay or neuter a cat. 

Paws For A Cause gives us all the opportunity to share the joy that animals bring to us.  And, I suppose that I should stop obsessing and trust that everything will go smoothly.  It always does and our friends haven’t let us down yet.  I hope to see you there!

Charlee's Tale

“The more things change, the more they stay the same.”  We’ve all heard this old saying.    It seems to be especially true when it comes to HSAPL.  Every cat is unique and we often find ourselves challenged in finding a solution which best meets the special needs of some of the cats and kittens who come to us.  There is never a one-size-fits-all answer—the solutions change with the needs of each cat.  The one consistency in the ever-changing scenario is that someone in the organization always steps forward and offers a solution.

 Recently, that someone was one of our volunteers, Shareen.  And the kitten in need of special help was Charlee.  When Charlee first came to us, no one suspected that she would have any special needs at all.  Named after Charlie Chaplin because of her little black “moustache,” Charlee was inquisitive, playful, and beautiful.  Everyone felt sure she’d quickly find a permanent home.  Shareen offered to foster her and when Charlee was old enough, she was taken to Savannah Animal Hospital to be spayed.  And there an unexpected problem was discovered by Dr. Reis.

 Charlee had a hole in her heart. Unable to undergo the spay surgery, she was taken back to Shareen’s. The decision was made to wait a bit and allow the kitten to grow before any further action was taken.  Several days later, Charlee suffered an alarming episode in which she was unable to catch her breath.  She was rushed back to Savannah Animal Hospital where she was stabilized and kept for close observation.  It wasn’t long before the clinic staff fell in love with Charlee, and Elysia, one of the vet technicians, began calling every heart specialist she could find, asking for help.  Dr. Daubs stepped forward and offered to operate to repair the hole, free of charge.  An appointment was made and Charlee was prepared for surgery.  However, as Dr. Daubs began the procedure, he discovered that the hole was located between the chambers of the heart—a much more difficult surgery than a routine repair, and one which Dr. Daubs could not perform.  A subsequent eco-gram confirmed a diagnosis of VSD--Ventricular Septal Defect.  Although there are highly specialized surgeons who could perform this type of corrective surgery, the cost would be in the ballpark of $30,000.  For this reason it is not generally recommended.  Once again, Charlee was sent home.

 Now, the question arose, What should be done with dear Charlee?  Her lifespan is uncertain.  She could live three months, three years, or even longer.  But nobody knows.  She isn’t a candidate for HSAPL’s regular adoption program, yet she thrives in a home with people and other cats.  Anyone who cared for Charlee would have to be prepared to make sudden emergency trips to the vet and to face the very real possibility that Charlee might not be around to enjoy a normal lifespan.  Who would want to take in a cat with such an uncertain future?  Shareen and her husband, Tom, immediately volunteered.  Charlee could stay with them indefinitely.

To see Charlee now, you’d never suspect that she has any problems at all.  She’s fearless in her play with the other cats in the household, and quite demanding of lots of attention.  In fact, she lives every moment of every day to the fullest.  Shareen remains optimistic about Charlee’s future, while recognizing the challenges that lie ahead.

Happily, yet another cat has found a home that meets her special needs. And this level of commitment to the cats is something which never changes.

"I'm Ready For My Close-up..."

If you ask anyone involved with animal adoption, they will tell you:  It is harder to find homes for black animals than animals of other colors.  For some reason, potential adopters tend to look past the little black (or black and white) faces of hopeful candidates to cats or dogs of other colors.  In the cat world, this is especially puzzling since black cats are known for their outgoing and amusing personalities.  And, as you can see from the photos below, these cats are anything but homely.  In fact, when I sent out word that I was doing this blog, many of the photos that came back to me were photos of "foster failures"; that is, cats who starteded out as fosters, but won the hearts of their foster families and ended up being adopted by them.

The cats below offer a sampling of the cats that HSAPL has available for adoption.  I hope you'll look closely and that one of them will "speak" to you.  If that happens, please give us a call at 772-463-7386.  We'll make arrangements for you to meet this kitty and decide for yourself whether or not this beautiful feline should become a part of your family.

                                        FARLEY-- Just doing a little work on my triceps

                      TRIGGER--Look into my eyes--you are getting sleepy . . .You will adopt me

                                   EBONY--Yes, it's all natural, and I love to be brushed!

                                        BONNIE--dreaming of food, yummy, yummy food

KING GEORGE--Yes, I am royally handsome and elegant!  I'm feline leukemia positive, but not contagious to humans or dogs.  I just need a home that doesn't have cats.

And, here's our gallery of some of the beautiful cats that have found forever homes:

                       BOOTSIE--I'll just blend in with this tree and no one will know I'm here.

                                                          OLIVE--Aaaah, life is good!

                                                 HOOVER--Horn broken, listen for siren

                                             NELLIE--Whoa, Nellie, this bowl sure is big!

CLEO AND BABIES--Yipes, don't these kids ever get enough?!

DARBY--Please, sir, may I have some more?

                        PANDA--You think I'm gorgeous?  Thank you, but I already knew that.

And there you have it; our gallery of beautiful black and black and white cats.  Gorgeous, loving, and full of personality, these cats are all deserving of permanent homes.  Won't you think about adding one to your family?

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Dawn and Richard B., volunteers for HSAPL, were driving over the busy Roosevelt Bridge during rush-hour traffic. Suddenly, a small black object was hurled onto the bridge from the window of a vehicle two cars in front of them.  With horror, they realized that this object was a small, black kitten.  The car in front of them slammed on its brakes and the occupants, Catherine Russo and Shannon Glover, jumped from their car, as did Dawn and Richard.  Richard directed traffic around them, while Dawn and Catherine gently picked up the terrified kitten and wrapped him in a blanket.

 The kitten was immediately taken to Savanna Animal Hospital where it was determined to be in good shape, despite a couple of scrapes and bruises.  HSAPL alerted a local TV station and the story appeared on the news that evening.  The kitten, appropriately named Roosevelt, was quickly adopted by a loving family.

 Fortunately, this story ended happily.  However, instances of such cruelty to animals are all too common.  HSAPL has offered a $500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator of the Roosevelt Bridge incident, but the chances are slim that justice will prevail in this case.  Sadly, animal rights are not a priority for many of our lawmakers.

 You may well be asking, "What can be done to prevent animal abuse and neglect?"  Addressing these issues involves persistence and determination. HSAPL and many other rescue organizations are dedicated to protecting the interests of homeless and unwanted animals.  The quick thinking of Roosevelt’s rescuers last week saved the little kitten’s life.  And the follow-up by executive director, Pam Walker, brought media attention to the incident which served to raise public awareness about the problem of animal cruelty.  In addition, the volunteers for HSAPL are always on the look-out for opportunities to gently educate the people they meet.  Sometimes abuse and neglect are the result of ignorance rather than malicious intent.  But sweeping changes need to be made to the laws which currently give offenders little more than a fine and a slap on the wrist.  As voting citizens, we can speak up about our concerns and write our Congressmen, urging their support of tougher legislation to protect animals and punish offenders.  Financial support of rescue organizations is also important. With the struggling economy, HSAPL and others face more challenges than ever before in procuring funding to continue our work.   

The battle against animal cruelty is ongoing. Roosevelt’s happy ending is heartening and his story serves as a reminder that there are many kind people in the community who are helping us to “fight the good fight.”  However, not all stories end happily and each of us bears the burden of taking action to prevent future instances of animal abuse.

 For information on donating, adopting or volunteering with HSAPL, please call 772-463-7386.

Dixie-Boy's Tale

Just looking at Dixie Boy, you wouldn’t suspect that this little one-eyed gray tiger cat possesses a lion-sized share of courage and optimism. Born on a dusty lot next to U.S. Highway #1, Dixie Boy and several other cats formed a small family group that lived outdoors. As fate would have it, three different individuals noticed the cats and started feeding them. The three caretakers were unaware of one another until they bumped into each other one day and decided to coordinate their efforts to care for the cats.

One of their first priorities was getting the cats spayed and neutered so that the family of four didn’t turn into a family of twenty-five, fifty, or more. Jean D., one of the caretakers, knew about HSAPL and contacted volunteers Sande and Peggy. HSAPL sent out a volunteer to help capture the cats in humane traps, and, one by one, they were spayed and neutered.

As time went by, Dixie-Boy developed an eye problem and was taken to a local veterinarian. The vet determined that the eye needed to be removed. Not only was Dixie-Boy going to lose an eye, but during his medical examination a FeLv/FIV test revealed that he had tested positive for the virus. Cats with this diagnosis can lead healthy lives for many years, but due to fear of spreading the disease to other cats, they are frequently euthanized. Jean D. looked for another alternative. Again, she turned to HSAPL.

Dixie-Boy now makes his home in a comfortable area at HSAPL’s sanctuary in Palm City. He shares the large enclosure with other cats that have tested positive for the virus. The loss of an eye hasn’t slowed him down, and after a second surgery to correct an inverted eyelid on his remaining eye, he has adjusted well. His sunny nature has made him a favorite of the volunteers who feed and play with the cats daily. In fact, he’s earned the affectionate nickname of Jack (as in the playing card, a one-eyed Jack) by volunteer Gloria. One of Dixie-boy’s siblings, Pretty Girl, has joined him at the sanctuary, and Jean D. is working on capturing the third, and last, kitten from the lot to join the other two. The fourth cat from the lot has found a permanent home with a loving family.

Life for Dixie-Boy has taken a turn for the better, thanks to the efforts of HSAPL, Jean D., and the dedicated caretakers of the little feline family in the dusty lot. Although the sanctuary is at full capacity and cannot take in anymore cats, the organization welcomes inquiries regarding assistance in spaying or neutering cats. For more information about this program, please call 772-463-9207.

Movin' On up!

Although they don’t know it yet, the cats at Caring Fields are about to become residents of a very posh neighborhood!  Over the years the little houses that have been built on the open fields of the sanctuary have been a big hit.  The houses serve as feeding stations and also provide shelter for the cats who wander in and out at will.  In the interest of providing as many comfy retreats as possible, our intrepid sanctuary committee has come up with exciting plans for an entire village for the kitties!

After extensive research, brainstorming sessions, and hoofing it all over town, the committee recently unveiled plans for prefabricated cottages to provide the basis of the new village. These nifty cottages come in a variety of colors and sizes, they are delivered pre-wired for electricity, are hurricane resistant to winds of up to 125 mph, and they are amazingly simple to install!  Oh, and they are the cutest little houses you’ve ever seen. High ceilings with ceiling fans, airy windows, French doors, front porches, shutters, and window boxes will give the houses a charming old-world look.  Plans feature a horse-shoe shaped array of cottages, with solar lamps spaced between the buildings. Pathways with stepping stones donated by supporters will connect the buildings. The centerpiece of the village will be a gazebo with seating for visitors to spend time relaxing and visiting with the cats.

Much of the research and ground work has been accomplished thanks to an all-out effort by committee members Barbara Mueller and Andrea Strine.  The duo has made friends all over town as they have sought out discounted supplies, solicited donated building materials and purchased everything needed for the first two houses.

                             Andrea Strine, Pam Walker, and Barbara Mueller outside one of the cottages

Excitement ran high last week when these first two prototypes were delivered to Caring Fields.  Carol Smith sponsored a lovely blue cottage through her donation, and Jan Brush is the proud sponsor of an elegant steel grey one.  There is still work to be done on both houses, but the sanctuary committee anticipates a ribbon-cutting ceremony in a month or so.

In the meantime, the cats have given a definite “paws up” to the houses, staking their claim to various primo spots on the porches.  And, in true cat fashion, they have also left paw prints on all the windows as they have tried to peek in and check out their new digs. The cottages will remain closed until the floors and inner walls can be finished, despite the attempts of the cats to speed up the grand opening.

                                              Cira, peeking into one of the cottages.  "I want in!!!"

Hands Across the Nation

Don’t you love the idea of people metaphorically joining hands across the nation to help animals?  Through a recent experience I learned that this really does happen.  And I realized an encouraging truth:  The rescue efforts we make at HSAPL are, in fact, one small part of a larger movement that is going on around us; a movement in which individual organizations network to find options for homeless animals everywhere.  My education began on an ill-fated trip to Arkansas a few weeks ago….

The Arkansas adventure was a birthday celebration for my mother.  However, the trip did not go according to plan at all.  As a matter of fact, our timing couldn’t have been worse!  Tornadoes, hail storms and floods hit the Midwest shortly after we arrived.  We pulled up to our vacation cabin in the deep woods, just as the sky prepared to let loose with another round of rain and wind.  As I stepped from the car I was greeted by a friendly dog who trotted over to say hi.  The sweet boxer mix wagged his stumpy tail and offered his head to be petted.  At first I assumed he belonged to the cleaning woman who was preparing the cabin for our arrival.  However, upon closer examination I could see this dog was not well fed.  His ribs were clearly outlined and his fur seemed stretched too tightly over his hips.  The cleaning lady told me that the dog had been dumped the week before and had been surviving ever since on the crumbs provided by tourists staying in the cabin.  I did what anyone reading this post would have done:  I blinked back tears and determined to rescue this dog.

            Jasper with one of his new family members

And so began the effort to find a home for Jasper, as he came to be called.  My first plan was to take him to a local no-kill rescue organization and see if they could place him.  “Local” turned out to be two hours away at the Good Shepherd Humane Society in Eureka Springs.  This organization is the only humane animal organization which exists in that part of the state.  It not only takes in the usual number of abandoned animals, but due to its location in the heart of puppy mill country, it has been slammed by an inordinate number of dogs dumped by the puppy mills as a result of the recent economic downturn.

It isn’t surprising that Good Shepherd didn’t have room for Jasper.  What did surprise me was the enthusiastic helpfulness shown by Diane, a rescue coordinator who works with the shelter, and Marcie, one of the technicians there.  I had never met either of these women, but I felt a kinship right away.  Both of them got to work helping me figure out what could be done with Jasper.  Arrangements were made for Marcie to foster him until transportation could be set up for his onward journey to Florida.  Since the shelters in Arkansas were overloaded that seemed to be the best alternative.  Back in Florida, friends at HSAPL were already sending the word out that Jasper needed a home.

Within a few days a perfect home had been found for Jasper in Jensen Beach.  As plans progressed, complete strangers opened their hearts and their homes to aid in the process of getting Jasper out of Arkansas and down to his new family.  A week after I flew home, Jasper made the journey to Florida by car; driven by a young man who decided to combine a vacation with transporting a needy dog to a new home.  This was networking at its finest!

Jasper is now happily settled with his new family, adored by three doting boys and two doting parents.  The teamwork required in coordinating his journey was truly an example of people reaching “across the nation” to help an animal in need.  What a wonderful reminder that those of us involved in rescue work are part of a grand brotherhood dedicated to saving lives—feline, canine, and more.