Bide Awhile Animal Shelter News Fall 2014 Issue

Bide Awhile Animal Shelter News
Through the years, my volunteer work has
included attending events such as Bowling
for Critters, Grafton Street Dinner Theatre
and Golfing for Critters as a participant;
I have attended other events such as Christmas at the Forum, The Fall Ideal Home
Show, The Nova Scotia Designer Crafts
Council Christmas Craft Show and SemiAnnual Bake Sales as a shelter representative and booth volunteer.
President’s Message
Bide Awhile was founded 45 years ago
by a small group of concerned citizens –
volunteers in the community, aware of the
increasing numbers of lost and abandoned
animals at large in our neighbourhoods.
They made it their mission to help as many
of these animals as possible by providing
shelter and necessary medical attention
until they could be re-homed.
There have been many changes since those
early days in 1969 – most notably, we have
gone from sheltering a relatively small
number of cats and dogs in the back room of
a Spryfield Veterinary Clinic to housing about
110 at a time in a new purpose-built facility.
My own relationship as a Bide
Awhile volunteer began 15
years ago when I joined the
Calendar Committee.
There are many opportunities to volunteer throughout the year, throughout the
organization – and no job is unimportant.
Everyone can do one thing, something that
positively impacts the lives of our furry
companions – whether it is socializing
the animals one night a week, Bowling
for Critters one afternoon a year, meeting
monthly on a committeee, or as a Director,
Fall 2014 Issue
to oversee responsible and efficient use of
financial resources in achieving the mandate to save lost and abandoned animals.
I would strongly encourage any of our members, with some free time and an interest,
to contact Darrold Gould, Executive Director
or Collette Saunders, Volunteer Coordinator.
They will connect you with the right opportunity to make your heart sing.....er..purr.......
bark.
They say it takes a village to raise a child, I
propose it takes a community of committed,
passionate volunteers to run and sustain an
animal shelter for four and a half decades!
Nancy Mansfield,
President
Holiday Giving Ideas
• Give our Annual Calendar
• Purchase a tree or shrub in Trio’s Garden
• Make a donation on behalf of another
What remains the same is an unwavering
commitment to the mission defined by our
founders all those years ago and the fact
that volunteers remain the lifeblood of the
organization.
My own relationship as a Bide Awhile
volunteer began 15 years ago when I joined
the Calendar Committee – one of the top
annual fundraising projects for the shelter.
The committee promotes the pet photo
challenge, contracts corporate sponsors, and
coordinates the graphic design and sale of
the finished product through a series of
sales outlets.
67 Neptune Crescent, P.O. Box 50029, RPO Southdale, Dartmouth, NS B2Y 4S2
Tel: (902) 469-9578 | Fax (902) 463-6173 | Email: bideawhile@bideawhile.org
There are many factors to
consider before becoming a
multiple pet owner.
Executive Director’s Message
At Bide Awhile, hardly a week goes by that
someone doesn’t call us to take a cat or a
dog from them because the animal is not
getting along with the pet(s) already in the
home.
Sometimes people will tell me the only
reason they are thinking of getting an
additional pet is to keep their other pet
company when they are not there. If this is
the main reason for getting another pet you
may want to rethink your decision. I have
always felt the best reason to get another
pet is because YOU want it. If you have the
right motivations, you are far more likely to
take the time to work with your cats or dogs
so that everyone can live together in one
house happily.
I am a person who has always had more
than one pet in the house. There are many
factors to consider before becoming a multiple pet owner:
Instead of getting rid of the newest pet
because it is not working out, you can find
lots of information online on how to introduce a new cat or dog into your home. We
all know our own animals best, so you need
to pick the process that is going to work
best for you, your family and your pets.
• Do you have the extra time for another
pet?
• Can you afford the added costs if your
animals become sick? They can add up
quickly.
• Ask yourself what is the main reason you
are bringing another pet into the home?
Please remember shelters are full of unwanted animals because someone did not
take the time to think about whether they
were making the right decision. Because
we are often full with unwanted animals we
have to turn away many animals because
we do not have the space. Each one of us
2015 ANNUAL CALENDAR
Now available at Select Outlets
Two Chances to
Win $500 Cash
Our Annual Calendar for 2015 is now
available for sale at Bide Awhile and
several retail outlets and vet clinics in
greater Halifax.
Darrold R. Gould,
Executive Director
fundraising update
We’ve been busy the past few months; in
June, 49 golfers came out to Golfing for
Critters at Glen Arbour for our annual golfing
event which raised more than $4,000.
Did you see that big cat in the Halifax Natal
Day Parade? Our float won Most Original Entry.
Keep an eye out; our cat car may be prowling
through a parade in your area.
September kicked off our second Chase the
Ace event at Montes’ Bar in Waverley. The
Ace was drawn early in the first game this
summer and now the second Chase the Ace
is going strong. Here’s hoping that the Ace
of Spades proves to be more elusive this
time. Please join the game every Thursday
evening (6:00-8:00 p.m.) at Montes Showbar
Grill at 245 Waverley Road in Dartmouth.
October brought Bowling for Critters at
Bayers Road Bowlarama for a fun afternoon
of bowling and a silent auction, the entire
event raised almost $14,000!!
The 2015 Calendar is now available and it
looks fantastic. For only $10 you can give
someone a gift that gives all year long.
Our Fall Bake Sale was held at Halifax Shopping Centre on November 8th. The Spring
and Fall bake sales have raised more than
just bread; we’ve raised almost $3,500 as
well. Fantastic and delicious results.
Please watch our website and our Facebook page for upcoming events including
Grafton Street Dinner Theatre, the Bluenose
Marathon, the Spring Bake Sale, Golfing for
Critters and more.
The calendar has a new format this year
to make it easier for you to write down
appointments and notes. Each calendar
contains an entry form to win $500. Get
yours now!
Thank you to our sponsors: Camp BowWow,
Carnegy Animal Hospital, Kim Clarke (Realtor),
Full Circle Veterinary, Global Pet Foods, Lindsay
Construction, Metro Windows and Doors, RMP
Development Consulting, R&R Pools, the Last
Game Store, and Johnny Young (Investment
Advisor).
needs to do our part to make proper choices
so that space is freed up in the shelters to
help another animal in need.
The first $500 cash prize will
be drawn at our Annual Open
House - December 14. The
second cash draw will be in
early March, 2015.
Learn to listen to your dog. If your dog appears to be uncomfortable meeting another dog, animal or person, don’t insist that he
say hello. He’s telling you that he isn’t comfortable for a reason.
Thank you to all our volunteers who organize
the events, sell the calendars, bake the
goodies, walk the parades and support the
Shelter every step of the way, we can’t thank you
enough. Also thanks to all our supporters who buy
tickets, swing the clubs, throw the balls and buy
the treats.
Adoption Stories
A Perfect Match
I wanted to update you on Lucy’s final
destination here on the westcoast... Gabriola
Island! I think it’s pretty much dog heaven
for a Labrador.
A Part of the Team
Nessy was a cat that was up for adoption for
a long time at Bide Awhile, until early in the
year when she was adopted by the staff at
R & R Pools in Timberlea. At the shelter,
Nessy was little testy and temperamental,
mainly due to the fact that she didn’t like
being in the cat room with the others. She
was overlooked by many potential adopters.
As an office assistant at R&R Pools, an
important role, Nessy (now called Skimmer)
is much loved and she enjoys helping with
paperwork and hanging out with the staff.
She still has a few moods but she is 98%
happier being the sole cat.
After completing our cross-country road trip,
we stayed in Victoria with my sister’s family
for a month before I bought my place on
Gabriola Island. We’ve now been here for a
month and Lucy continues to meet people
and dogs all over the island as well as doing
long walks in the woods and, of course,
swimming every day in the ocean. I shared
her story on the Dogsafe website... people
were sure happy to hear about my new dog!
One of the Dogsafe graduates sent Lucy a
cute gift of dog biscuits in the form of a
“Welcome to the Westcoast” message.
It hasn’t been without adjustment but we’ve
worked hard on increasing her confidence
around people and dogs and I know what
she needs and we take it day by day. She is
blossoming!
We’ve now been here for a
month and Lucy continues to
meet people and dogs all over
the island.
She’s one happy dog and I’m one happy
human. Thank you again. I absolutely adore
her.
Michelle Sevigny
www.dogsafe.ca
Nessy/Skimmer is much loved
and she enjoys hanging out with
the staff.
This is from Mary Goodwin of R&R Pools
(Skimmer/Nessy’s supervisor):
“We thought we would send you a pic of how
she is doing at the shop. We have named her
Skimmer (after pool equipment). I believe
you called her Nessy. We love her at R&R
Pools. Thank you. She is very cuddly she
likes to lie on my paper work so I have to pay
attention to her. I will say she doesn’t like
to be moved sometimes. But I can tell her
moods now.”
We are so pleased she is doing well! We
knew she would make a great addition to
this company.
R&R Pools
awesome Fundraisers
Every year great people in the community
organize fundraisers for Bide Awhile. These
projects consitute a large portion of our
donations and we are very grateful. These
fundraisers can be held in the workplace,
the community or at home. One of our top
fundraisers is Sherry Beatty who collects
funds at her business every year for Bowling
for Critters. Children ask guests to bring
donations to their birthday parties, some
people get a team together for golf or the
If you have more than one cat, it’s important that you have
more than one litter box. The rule of thumb is one litter box
per cat plus one extra.
Bluenose marathon and others hold a bake
sale or sell our annual calendar for us. John
Panter played video games for 24 hours at
the Last Game Store to raise money for us!
Adam Perry from the Last Game Store with Darrold Gould
Pet Visitation Volunteers
Our Pet Visitation Program is very popluar
with the seniors we visit in several locations
around the Halifax area.
Spending time with the cats and watching
the kittens play has become part of the
routine that the residents now look forward
to the visits- so much that they now gather
and anxiously await our visits. Not only
do our visits provide a social event for the
residents and help eliminate the boredom,
petting the kittens can relieve stress and
lower heart rates. Our cats and volunteers
enjoy meeting the seniors too.
fundraiser is in need of immediate and
ongoing assistance. If you have three to four
hours per month to spare to help set up and
sell tickets on a Thursday evening, your help
would be appreciated.
Bide Awhile Volunteering
We are always looking for good people
to help with our projects and events.
Will one of your New Year’s resolutions be to
volunteer some time to a cause? Donating
your time, energy, and skills will reward you
with tremendous satisfaction and help the
animals at Bide Awhile!
Volunteering--choosing to give your time,
energy and skills to a cause that matters to
you—can offer many benefits: meeting new
people, learning new skills, improving your
interpersonal skills, or helping your community.
If you have three hours or more per month
that you can give, you can help the animals
at Bide Awhile. We have a number of tasks,
projects and events that could not happen
each year without the helping hands of our
team of volunteers. You may know about a
few, but some may surprise you:
•Volunteers who prefer to have direct
contact with the animals can assist with
socialization or dog walking. Or, they can
participate in our Pet Visitation program,
taking cats and kittens to seniors’ homes
for visits.
•Those who prefer working on events or
fundraisers can help in various ways.
Our two yearly bake sales require people
to call potential bakers from our list, do
baking and staff the event. Our Bowling
& Golfing events require organizers and
volunteers to put together teams, obtain
sponsorships and prizes, provide event
support as well as be avid bowlers/golfers!
If you have three hours or more per
month that you can give, you can
help the animals at Bide Awhile.
about what is involved in the production of
that calendar? It takes many hands:
• track and record entries
• contest judges
• layout, design and proofreading
• deliver calendars to sales points
• sell calendars at offices or
community groups
• volunteers for craft show tables
While we can still use help with this year’s
calendar promotion, we will be beginning
the process all over again early in the New
Year and would appreciate help with any of
the many different tasks involved.
Our newest fundraising effort, Chase the
Ace, takes place every Thursday at Montes
Showbar Grill at 245 Waverly Road. This
•Gardeners with a few hours to spare
in-season can help with the weeding and
care of Trio’s Memorial Garden.
Have you admired our Bide Awhile calendar
each year? Perhaps your pet appeared in
one or more years? Have you ever thought
www.bideawhile.org
If you are interested in volunteering with
the William and Corinne Hopgood Pet
Visitation Program please contact Stacey
at: staceyl@eastlink.ca
www.twitter.com/bideawhile
www.facebook.com/bideawhile
www.youtube.com/bideawhileanimalshelter
www.linkedin.ca/bideawhileanimalshelter
Thanks to our Sponsors
For more information on the current
volunteer opportunities, go to our web
page at: www.bideawhile.org/content/
how-volunteer
Collette Saunders,
Volunteer Coordinator