BARK Community Newsletter for August 2016
Transcription
BARK Community Newsletter for August 2016
Community Newsletter August 2016 ! Mark Your Calendars: BARK-toberfest! Adoption Special: Reduced Fees for Seniors or Oldies but Goldies Helping the Community: Adoption News Adoption Spotlight: Calamity Jane Thank Yous Volunteer Corner: We Need You! In Memory of Norma Notes from the Farm Happy Tails...Waggin’ Good News! Ways to Donate to BARK Mark Your Calendars ! Sunday, October 16th - We can’t wait until the next great event with Strangeway’s Brewing - BARK-toberfest. Join us from 10:30 am to 6:30 pm for great food, local craft beer, and dog-centric vendors and all to benefit the BARK dogs! Share with family and friends - well-behaved dogs are welcome and encouraged to attend! (Return to Top) Adoption Special: Reduced Adoption Fees for Seniors or Oldie but Goldies ! Seniors have a special place in the heart of many of our volunteers. We just received news that one incredible volunteer is sponsoring reduced adoption fees until September 30. For many families, a senior dog or two is a wonderful addition. Older dogs are typically calmer, many are house broken, and they usually understand basic commands. Dogs 10 years +: adoption fee = $75 Dogs 8-9 years: adoption fee = $100 This amazing offer is also extended to any dog on the Oldies but Goldies list - dogs that have been with BARK for over a year (check with your adoption coordinator to see if your dog qualifies for the special offer). All Oldies but Goldies Adoption fee = $75 (Return to Top) Helping the Community: Adoption News ! Most BARK dogs are rescued from local public shelters. These shelters are open admission facilities, meaning that they are required by law to accept all unwanted dogs, such as those picked up as strays or surrendered by owners. When public shelters run out of room to house the dogs, they sometimes euthanize as a means of population control. BARK and other rescue groups offer lifesaving alternatives by transferring at risk dogs to their facilities, where they are housed until adoptive homes are found. In addition to finding forever homes, BARK vaccinates, spays/neuters each dog and provides appropriate veterinary care. We are proud to report that 30 dogs found loving homes in July including Larry, George, Ranger, Stella, Blue Wood, and Boday from our Oldies but Goodies program! If you’d like to keep up with the dogs adopted each week, please become a fan of BARK on Facebook at www.facebook.com/barkva. (Return to Top) Adoption Spotlight: Calamity Jane ! Dogs featured in the Adoption Spotlight were selected as personal favorites by BARK volunteers. We hope you enjoy reading their comments about these wonderful dogs. If you want to know more about a dog, click here for Petfinder bios. If you are interested in meeting a dog featured in the adoption spotlight, please submit an application online at www.barkva.org, send an email to adopt@barkva.org, or call 804-449-2274 (BARK). Calamity Jane “I love Calamity Jane,” says her volunteer friend. “I think she gets overlooked because she is a Pit. Yes, she is really sturdy and strong and sometimes plays a bit rough, but she is just so happy to be playing and getting one-on-one attention that she gets excited. But I calm her down by sitting down in her kennel and making her sit beside me or on my lap. (She doesn’t take much coaxing to get there!) Once she realizes I am there to pet her and give her love, she immediately calms down. I rub her belly, kiss her face and talk to her and she always gives me sloppy kisses! If I had room for another dog, she would already be mine. She’s really a sweet loving dog who just dreams of a forever home and family of her own.” This friendly, smiling girl is just waiting for the perfect home - can you help grant her wish? Calamity Jane is a beautiful girl! She is young and medium sized at around 46 pounds. She is very affectionate and always has a smile to put the sunshine in every day. She likes to sit next to you when she relaxes and absolutely loves to cuddle. She loves to go on walks, does well on leash, and has a wonderful outgoing personality! She is looking for a person or family to share many years of companionship and she would love an active family that can involve her in all kinds of new adventures! She is very smart, attentive, already housebroken, and clearly misses being in a home (no kitties please). View Calamity Jane’s classified ad here! (Return to Top) Thank You ! Thank you to Hope and Will Holler who held a food drive for BARK, collecting 160 pounds of food and 60 pounds of treats and toys. Thanks also to Best Bully Sticks who donated about $500 worth of treats to their drive! (Return to Top) Volunteer Corner ! Volunteer Wish List This month we especially need: • Donations of bottled water for the volunteers at the kennels! • Donations of canned dog food and Vienna sausages! We are in really short supply! • Nylabones, Kuranda beds, and Kong toys! • Evening feeders at the Ashland farm and volunteers for cleaning kennels (email Peggy Fore at coordinator@barkva.org). Special Projects Who would like to get some exercise on the farm and help spruce things up at the same time? We have a few projects planned and money budgeted - now all we need is some volunteer labor on the weekends to knock them out. How about coming out to help rebuild a couple outside pens and make them tall and escape proof? They are in rough shape and now is the time to get it done! We are hoping to rebuild one each month from now until the end of the year. Most work will be done on Saturdays from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. To get your name on the list for this and other farm projects, please contact Bob Adams at robertcadams@verizon.net. Doggie Stories We need your DOGGIE story too! Since BARK has so many dogs, it is difficult for volunteers to get to know each of them in the limited time they share at the farm or at an adoption stand. In an effort to better showcase some of the wonderful dogs currently awaiting their forever homes, we are asking volunteers to share their stories of working with spending time with the BARK dogs. Please “vote” for your favorite dog and explain what makes “your” dog deserving of his or her very own forever home. Does he walk well on a leash? Does he know how to sit or shake? Does he love the water? How does he act with volunteers and other dogs? Can she fetch? Is he a good kisser? The “winning” dogs, along with the volunteer descriptions, will be featured in the adoption spotlight portion of upcoming BARK newsletters. These stories will help readers get to know the dogs and hopefully generate adoption interest. Plus, they’re a lot of fun to read! Remember, your personal experiences could make a difference in the life of a very deserving BARK dog. Submit your “votes” to robin@barkva.org. BARK Dogs Need More Caretakers and Friends! If giving back to the community or making a difference in the life of another is one of your new year’s resolutions, consider volunteering at BARK. Volunteering is a great way to make a difference in the lives of some very deserving dogs, while giving back to the community, and feeling great at the end of the day. Sadly, there are always dogs in need and government shelters that are full. The more volunteers we have, the more dogs we can help rescue. It’s a very rewarding experience, but it certainly takes a lot of work and we can always use more help. Come alone, bring a friend, or make it a family endeavor. You will have fun, learn about caring for and working with dogs, and simply enjoy their wonderful personalities in a pretty, farm-like setting. There are a variety of ways that you can get involved including cleaning, walking, feeding, helping with medicines, grooming, and even laundry! We are also always in need of donations, fosters, and forever families. The BARK volunteers appreciate all the help we can get and so do the dogs! If you’re interested in volunteering (or fostering/adopting), please fill out an application at www.barkva.org. You can also email Peggy Fore at coordinator@barkva.org with questions about volunteering, to arrange for a group of volunteers, or to set up a time to drop off donations. Volunteer Groups We always appreciate groups of volunteers, but do request that the groups be scheduled in advance. We do our best to satisfy every request, but have to limit the number of volunteers on any given day to ensure the safety of the volunteers and dogs. If you’d like to schedule a date for your volunteer group, please email Peggy Fore at coordinator@barkva.org. Current Schedule for Kennel and Dog Care Our flexible work schedule has proven a success by allowing volunteers, once they are trained, to clean any time during the day they chose to help. Every new volunteer will receive via email (and be expected to read) introductory materials that detail our processes and volunteer guidelines and every volunteer must have an orientation and provide a completed BARK application/waiver to a crew lead at the kennels (not only online). Orientations are scheduled on a one by one basis. We do not allow children under the age of 12; children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. For volunteer questions or to schedule an orientation contact Peggy Fore at coordinator@barkva.org. • Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays: Volunteers are at the kennels at various times between 8:00 am and 7:30 pm. (Fridays from 10:30 am to 3:00 pm). We have morning, late afternoon, and evening crews on these days. Please note that we do not have volunteers onsite throughout the day. • Tuesdays and Thursdays: A couple of volunteers start around noon; the remainder come after work (5:00 pm and later). • Saturdays and Sundays: Volunteers typically arrive between 10:30 am and 11:00 am. Orientations are always held on Saturdays and Sundays at 11:00 am. Remember, the dogs depend on us. Even just an hour a week can make a huge difference in the life of a deserving dog! Kennel Guidelines For safety reasons, please adhere to the following guidelines: • No one under the age of 12 may volunteer at the farm/shelter or adoption stands. • Volunteers under 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times (including when walking on the trails, getting dogs in/out of kennels, etc.). Exceptions are at the discretion of the crew lead. • Groups of young volunteers must have enough adults to supervise the youths at all times. The adult supervisors should stay with them and help them get the dogs in and out of kennels, leash them properly, follow the walking precautions/ rules and stay safe – dog and child. • Please clean up after yourself. If you groom a dog, please sweep up any hair and return the tools to the proper location. In general, always try to leave the kennels cleaner than they were when you arrived. We are all volunteers and must help one another. Kennel Volunteer Programs Thanks to a core of volunteers, we are constantly improving the Quality of Life for our dogs. Here are our volunteer needs: • Walking and Exercising Program • Kennel/Shelter Care and Maintenance • Volunteer Follow Up • Special Projects/Facilities • Feeding • Transport • Groups and Community Service • Medical Care • Intake If interested, please complete a volunteer inquiry form on our website: www.barkva.org. Please note that the majority of our volunteers work full-time jobs in addition to the time they dedicate to BARK. Please allow up to 2 weeks to receive a response to a volunteer application submitted online. Welcome to newcomers: Olivia Albergo, Heather Cumby, Cherie, Buddy & Isabelle Davis, Taylor Drucker, Christine Dunn, Tammy Freeman, Taylor Green, Janessa Hill, Cheryl & Jacob Johnson, Ally Laudon, Jennie Le, Alshamir Lindsey, Elischama Loiseau, Aliyah Lustine, Elena Marentes, Jason Merrick, Jackson Mitchell, Bernadette Murphy, Shannon Parker, Jodi Perkins, Sydney Pulliam, Diana Rex, Vivian & Yvonne Sanchez, Ed & Betty Schwab, Rick Shannon, Gail Torres, Iiona Waggoner, Ronald & Linda Wheeler, and Jake Yingling. (Return to Top) Notes from the Farm ! Hi there! As you all know, my best pal Larry (the former BARK spokesdog) got adopted and is currently living the good life with his new forever family. Before he left, he asked me to take over - you know, since we’ve been besties for years now and I could sure use some luck finding my very own family - so here we go! In addition to Larry’s big news, we got to see the big kennel renovations this past month and boy, are they awesome! While we can’t show pictures or talk about the details quite yet, make sure you tune in on Saturday, September 17th for the show on Animal Planet (exact time TBD so keep an eye out). Trust me, it’s something you want to see! We are also very excited to announce the next big event with our pals over at Strangeways Brewing. BARK-toberfest will be held on Sunday, October 16th. This all day event is a huge fundraiser for BARK and just an overall great time - tons of dogs, great food, dog-centric vendors, live music, tasty local craft beer, and of course, adoptable BARK dogs. So mark your calendars and come out and join us! Until next time… Brooke (Return to Top) In loving memory of Norma – Our First Poster Dog ! Norma was another BARK dog dearly loved by everyone who met her. Her big brown eyes melted your heart. She came to BARK approximately around Oct. of 2005 and stayed until March of 2009. She was adopted by the Kong family. She was born around 2002 according to the paper work from the Kong’s vet. They had her for about 5 years and returned her to BARK because Mr. Kong was sent to Japan for his last tour in the military. They were hoping for San Diego instead. They decided that the many months of quarantine and multiple sets of shots required to take her to Japan would not be good given her advanced age. It was heartbreaking for them and here is an excerpt from the letter they wrote and handed Laura Callahan when they turned Norma over to Laura’s care: “Overall Norma is a wonderful dog that has made our family always feel safe and loved. We will miss her a lot and are sad to leave her behind. She loves her treats and FYI My husband gives her a medium rare t bone steak once a month! We love that she is so easy and requires little maintenance. She does still snore when she sleeps.” You can see that she was definitely well loved and cared for by her adopters!” Since Laura Callahan and her family had looked after Norma while the Kongs were on vacations, the turn over of guardianship was fairly comfortable for Norma. She was with the Callahans for just under two years and couldn’t have found a better home. Norma did go into “protective mode” as Gemma called it, barking when visitors came or a loud truck went by but she got along with every human she met. She got along with their dogs but did enjoy her “alone time” and would take herself upstairs to one of our bedrooms for some solitude and a nice long nap on a comfy bed. (I think she was used to being the only dog at the Kongs). She was always well behaved, affectionate, and….opinionated! She will be missed but remembered by all who knew her. She was 13-14 when she passed. She was the poster child for a poster we printed and posted everywhere to help recruit volunteers. She was a great girl. Norma (Return to Top) Happy Tails – Waggin’ Good News ! Duke’s new name is Nico. He has bonded with his new family which includes a Husky, Keira. He has become one of the family and everyone loves him dearly. He is gaining weight, has been to the vet and is very healthy. Nico Brandy is doing exceptionally well in her new home and is very loved by her new Mom & Dad (Mark & Darlene) they regularly keep me updated on how wonderful she is. They are so very happy they decided to bring her into their family and can’t imagine not having her. She gets along great with their cat and all of the neighbor dogs. After a week and a half she became much more engaged and less afraid they were going to leave her. She sticks very close to Darlene. They are working with a professional trainer in hopes of training her to go into nursing homes and memory care facilities to comfort patients. They wanted me to extend a big thank you to all of you who made it possible for Brandy to come into their life, they say they could not have picked a better dog and that she is indeed a fine girl like the song goes. Brandy Miley is doing absolutely wonderful in her new home with her new mom Mindy. She gets along great with her brother Grayson, an American Bulldog and the cats. Miley’s mom takes in baby kittens who need to be bottle fed and Miley loves them too! She has been nothing but super well behaved and sweet ever since Mindy brought her home and Mindy loves her very much. Miley is so very good with Mindy’s grandson too and is kind and polite to everyone who enters the house. Mindy says she is the perfect dog and is so happy to have her. Mindy is a friend of mine so I have visited Miley on several occasions and will continue to do so. Miley Everything is going well since Larry joined our family. He loves going for walks on the leash and is being trained with going for walks in our neighborhood each evening. He also loves bacon treats, the couch in my husband's "man cave", and his alligator toy. We joke that Larry is our daughter's guard dog...as you can see in the picture, he is on watch duty while she sleeps in her crib! Thanks for checking in! Larry Delilah, now Daisy, is doing great. She is such a big spoiled baby! She has enjoyed going on runs almost daily...this girl has endless energy. She also likes visiting my parents to run around the yard and play with my parents Wheaten Terrier and Golden Retriever. Even though she is crate trained, she has done wonderfully hanging out outside of the crate when we are not at home. She also made herself right at home in our bed the first night. She is just so funny when we get back from being out... She has that typical boxer wiggle and makes these crazy Chewbacca noises at us. She has loved trips to the pet store to pick out treats and toys and loves all of the attention she gets from the employees there. Daisy has really been such a great addition to our little family and we are so thankful to BARK for helping us find her and give her a forever home. Daisy I just wanted to email folks and let them know how wonderful Noah is doing. He turned a corner in the last few weeks and today we tried him at Home Depot for meeting and greeting people. I am going to be off work this coming Thursday and Friday, and the following Monday and Tuesday. I didn't know if any of the guys that had worked closely with Noah/Dyson would want to see him. He loves car rides and would enjoy a visit. Just a thought. Let me know! Thanks and take care, Kelly (no photo included) Doing great. Thanks for checking. We went to class Friday night so we are working on some commands. Vet said in perfect health. Went to river for weekend and he loved swimming in river. Am thinking of volunteering at BARK. May see you soon. Judi (no photo included) Life is very interesting with Gizmo...he is learning to sit, lay down and stay. Though he learns quickly he is very stubborn when getting him to repeat what he has learned. He loves to try to chase cars and the cats. Mickey aka Bob the cat is doing great with us and our other cats. He loves to spend time sitting and staring out the windows. He loves to play with the stuff mice and drags toys throughout the house. Sue Gizmo and Mickey Here's a picture of Cali with our oldest son. I'll try to get another picture to send. She's very sweet & made herself at home right away. She is doing great! Thanks. DeVelin family Cali Sabrina seems to fit right in. Won over everyone already but my one son who is at the beach with friends. Not eating too much but I imagine that is normal. Had a couple of issues with other dogs but hopefully she will settle down and we can work that out. She is adorable and loves attention. Thanks again. Sue Sabrina Charlie is doing great. He seems happy and has gotten used to all the members in the household. He is well behaved and is keeping us happy. We love him. Jason Charlie Brentley is overall a great dog and a good fit for my two dogs, Kelev (Doberman) and Duke (Lab Mix): he's been interacting well with both my boys and a few other dogs that come by the house, and he's been experiencing a few new things like different foods and treats and also the occasional bunny in the yard. Bret (no photos included) Just wanted to give you a update on my son Rocco. We are so grateful for BARK. Here are photos of Rocco sleeping on his pillow in his bed, his car rides and just being Rocco. He loves sleeping in his bed. We take him to my son football practices. He is being trained and listen to direction very well. He is our gentle giant. Thank you so much. Please show everyone at the farm Rocco's success. We are sending you a few of our friends who wants dogs. We don't think they will get the best dog because we have the best dog in the world. We will send you guys holiday photos and photos during football season of Rocco in his Cowboys attire! Thank you so much, The Braxtons Rocco I wanted to update you on Henry. We now call him Maddie his full name being Henri Madison. He has settled in excellently. There's no negative behavior except the silly barking and my husband. We are doing some behavior modifications. When my husband comes out of the bathroom, he gives him a treat as he comes out so he begins to know that it's a good thing when he comes out the door. He does great with the grandchildren. There's no guardian of his toys, no guarding of his food, no guarding of anything! He's had no accidents inside the house. He doesn't get in the trash! There are just so many positives I can't even begin to list them all. He sits. His learning to shake. We're working on stay, especially when the door is open. He's very obedient. We'll be fine!!! He's quickly stealing our hearts. Just wanted you to know. We're very happy with him!! Blessings, Rachel (no photos included) I think we are making some progress. She is a great dog and I love her, hopefully she will relax and open up more. Hard to get pics of her, when she is outside she is in constant motion. She LOVES squirrels, she will remember the trees that had squirrels in them from previous walks and then re-check them on every walk. Thanks, Michaeline Gemma We really like Delfina. We changed her name to Onna she's now a good house dog but has separation anxiety can't leave her alone for right now she's put on weight and looks good. Here are some pics of her. Larry Onna Thank you so very much for checking in on us. We are having so much fun with Lucy and Harley and are enjoying watching their personalities unfold as they get more and more comfortable with us and with each other. They were checked out by our vet on June 23 and had great check ups. Their worms tests even came out clear so that was a relief, and they are both putting on a little (healthy) weight. Harley is still full of energy and always ready to play. She is also very generous with her hugs and kisses. We will see with a little more time if she needs more formal training or if most of her biting/chewing/jumping antics are just part of the puppy stage. :) Lucy still continues to be the sweetest, gentlest dog ever. She is wonderful with everyone she meets. Thank you again. I appreciate your help! Shelley (no photos included) Cooper - née, Alister - is doing well. Whatever his history was has had a profound impact on him and his anxiety is considerable. The fear that he has of strangers - particularly men - has proved to be challenging for him. For the first month or so, he couldn't be alone in a room with me, and I couldn't touch him. He has slowly started the process of coming around and feel like he's doing well in his progress. It's required a concerted effort of a number of people we know - professionals and trainers - who have all helped in the development of an environment that allows Cooper to gain some sense of comfort and safety. My wife in particular had a challenging go of it since she has become responsible for him due to the fact that she is the only one he would come near. They've developed a nice bond, but it hasn't been easy for her to be available to him at all times. With other animals he's perfectly happy. He and I are at the point where he is comfortable walking with me, being alone in a room with me, and will come over to say hello with running away when I get up. So he's progressing and we're all pleased with his presence in our family. Joshua Cooper Lincoln is doing very well! We are working through some separation anxiety issues and are transitioning him to be a 'stay at home dog' but he is the sweetest boy ever and I cannot imagine my life without him. My husband and I are so happy that we found him. Lincoln discovered the ocean this past week, and he's not quite sure that he likes it, but he'll tolerate it for us. He also has a new best Labrador friend and they could wrestle for hours. I think he's happy here! Brittney Lincoln Nixie seems to be very happy with us. She follows me around and wants endless petting. Nixie is NOT a watch dog! She doesn't bark at the door bell and when strangers come in, she wants to get out of the utility room to meet them and be petted. She fades about 9:30 pm and wants to go to bed; sleeps in her crate until the next morning withput a sound. Her appetite has improved and she seems to be happier eating if I'm in the room with her. We've had a few accidents but I'm getting better at reading her signals. We have a get-acquainted visit with our vet on Monday. Overall, we are very happy with the new addition to our family. The only problem is keeping her out of John's way when he's walking (using a cane or walker because he has very poor balance) but we expected this might be an issue with any dog. Nixie will move when I tell her to, but half the time she goes closer to him for cuddling. Robin Nixie Just wanted to send you some pics of Bo (Boday)! I can't believe it's been a whole month since we've added Bo to our family. He's getting along really well and I couldn't of asked for a better dog. Thanks again. Har Bo If you have adopted a dog from BARK and have a Happy Tail or other contribution for the monthly newsletter, please forward it to robin@barkva.org. (Return to Top) Donate to BARK ! Bandit’s Adoption and Rescue of K-9s is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and all donations are tax-deductable. BARK is operated entirely by volunteers, so 100% of your donation will go to the dogs. Your donation will help fund spay/neuter operations, medical treatments, and daily care and feeding costs for the dogs at the Ashland farm and in BARK foster homes. You can mail your donation directly to the address below or make a secure donation online at www.barkva.org. Remember, every penny makes a difference in the life of a BARK dog! Please accept my donation in the amount of: $25 $100 $50 $125 $75 Other _________ Gift given in honor of _____________________________________________ Gift given in memory of ___________________________________________ Name __________________________________________________________ Address ________________________________________________________ 12300 Farrington Rd. Ashland, VA 23005 info@barkva.org 804-449-BARK (2275) Other Ways to Support BARK ! In addition to direct donations, there are numerous options that allow you to help support BARK and its mission. You can donate needed pet care items, purchase BARK merchandise or use a search engine that donates to BARK. Using these websites is super easy and a portion of your purchase will go directly to BARK. • In addition to monetary donations, is always in need of various pet care and administrative items. To view a complete inventory of “wish list” items, please visit http://www.barkva.org/donate-to-bark/. • BARK merchandise, such as apparel for you and your pet, housewares, and bumper stickers are now available online at www.cafepress.com. Check it out! • How can you make searching and shopping for that perfect gift even more perfect? Use iGive, where with ever transaction a portion goes to benefit BARK. Raise a penny (or more) per search and generate donations from any of the 730+ stores listed with iGive, ranging up to 26%. Also, check out the new searchable coupons and deals, where you will find all available, up to the minute offers and specials. Just visit www.igive.com. • If you shop online using Amazon, you can also raise money for BARK, simply by shopping! Use Amazon Smile (smile.amazon.com), simply select “Bandit's Adoption and Rescue of K-9s” as your charity of choice, and shop away! • GoodSearch.com is a new Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half its advertising revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. Use it just as you would any search engine, get quality search results from Yahoo, and watch the donations add up! You can even set GoodSearch as your default search engine. • GoodShop.com is a new online shopping mall which donates up to 37 percent of each purchase to your favorite cause! Hundreds of great stores including Amazon, Target, Gap, Best Buy, eBay, Macy's and Barnes & Noble have teamed up with GoodShop and every time you place an order, you’ll be supporting your favorite cause. So, by making your regular purchases through this site, you’re helping take care of the dogs while they’re waiting for their forever home! Just go to www.goodsearch.com and be sure to enter BARK as the charity you want to support. And, be sure to spread the word! It’s a super easy way to help support the organization. (Return to Top)