Animal Corner - Wood County Humane Society
Transcription
Animal Corner - Wood County Humane Society
Wood County Humane Society Animal Corner INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Shelter News February 2015 CATS: OUR NUMBER ONE CHALLENGE 2-15, 19 Adoption Updates 16-18 Annual Meeting 20-21 Annual Report 22-28 In Other News 31-34 The WCHS Minnibelle Conley Shelter 801 Van Camp Road Bowling Green, OH 43402 (419) 352-7339 HOURS: Monday & Tuesday: Closed Wednesday: 12 to 7 p.m. Thursday: 12 to 7 p.m. Friday: 12 to 4 p.m. Saturday: 12 to 4 p.m. Sunday: 12 to 4 p.m. Shelter Manager Erin McKibben Humane Agent By DEB JOHNSON VP of Shelter Operations, WCHS many believe will change in the next few years. Ask anyone who works in an animal shelter in the US what his/ her number one challenge is, and you will likely get the same answer: CATS! Each year, an estimated 3.4 million cats enter shelters nationwide with only about 37% of them being adopted into new homes. That’s a staggering statistic, but one that The Million Cat Challenge is an initiative created by the UC-Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Pro- gram and Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida with the goal of saving one million more cats in shelters over the next five years. These groups will provide educational resources for shelters to accomplish this goal by implementing any or all of five key initiatives: 1.) Provide ALTERNATIVES TO INTAKE into the shelter, keeping Continued on page 6 WCHS AWARDED GRANTS Read more about the Dogly Do Good Grant on pages 4 and 5 Debra Loprete Assistant Manager Megan Baker Event Planner Tara Moore Outreach Coordinator Megann Smith Dog Trainer Scott Beard Animal Care Staff Scott Beard, Olga Clay, Jessica Comp ton, Emily Watts, Cassie Williams In December, we were notified by The Petfinder Foundation that we had been selected as Dogly’s top rescue organization for the week. Later that same month, we learned that WCHS had been selected by the Petfinder Foundation for one of its Orvis Operational grants. In recognition of this honor, we received a Dogly Do Good grant of $1,000. Check out Dogly and share some “loves” with us by clicking the link below: The Petfinder Foundation is a nonprofit charity whose mission is to ensure that no pet is euthanized for lack of a home. Founded in 2003, the foundation helps homeless pets by saving lives through adoptions, helping shelters prepare for and recover from disaster, and working to make shelters across the country more sustainable. Check us out online at: www.woodcountyhumanesociety.org P age 2 F e br ua r y 2 0 1 5 Tail Wags Very Special “Thank you”s to: *Duane King for continual washer and dryer maintenance and support *The McCurdy Family for keeping our bird feeders full and picking up our cardboard litter boxes *All of our amazing vets and their staff— including, Animal Hospital at Westridge, Jones Veterinary Hospital, Midway Animal Hospital, Owens Ark Veterinary Clinic, Perrysburg Animal Care, South Suburban Animal Hospital, Town and Country Animal Health Care—for caring for our animals (both in shelter and after adoption) *The Wood County Dog Shelter *Dawn Urie and Hannah Rickles for bathing our dogs monthly FROM THE PRESIDENT: LOOKING BACK, LOOKING FORWARD Happy New Year! One hundred eleven years ago, the Wood County Humane Society was founded. I've been reflecting on the significance of that repeated number, “1.” One is a number of wholeness, of unity, and of strength. The WCHS is definitely a team that works "as one." We may have diverse tasks within and diverse contributions to the organization, but we all have a single intention. Each year, our amazing volunteers, board, and 6190 Levis Commons Blvd. (419) 931-8400 Website Facebook community members come together as one, in an effort to make Wood County a safe, responsible, and caring place for animals. As President for the past four years, I've had a birds-eye view of the WCHS. I've observed our strengths, triumphs, and areas for growth. It is my pleasure to reach out to you now, at the beginning of this year, sharing information about how you can both give and receive. If you are reading this letter, it is likely that you are, as I am, a passionate animal lover and advocate. This year, I Micah is shy at first, but becomes quite a cuddle buddy with some patience. She also loves toys and will pounce at the slightest jingle. Micah’s adoption fee is sponsored by Nagoya. Join the WCHS or Re-New Your Membership Today *Rob Ryan for donating labor for all of our repairs around the shelter *Meijer for donating $200 for adoption/ animal care supplies Life Membership ($1,500 and above) Animal Angel ($500—$1,499) Pet Patron ($250—$499) Pet Pal ($100—$249) Pet Sponsor ($45—$99) Friend ($30—$44) Kids Club ($1—$29) Name ___________________________________________ Address _________________________________________ Continued on page 19 City _____________________ State ______ Zip ________ E-mail Address ____________________________________ ask that you consider the satisfaction you would receive by donating your time. There is simply no substitute for helping hands! Our organization is currently in need of volunteers, especially those willing to serve on a committee, such as: administration, operations, fundraising, or community outreach. Of course, we also need simple tasks accomplished, such as cleaning out cages and dog walking. Continued on page 19 If you are looking for an exercise buddy to go on a long walk or run, then Joseph is your guy! Joseph also has a talent of jumping really high! Joseph’s adoption fee is sponsored by Nagoya. I am giving this membership to the person/family named below: Memorial to: ________________________________ In honor of: _________________________________ Other: _____________________________________ Amount enclosed: ____________________________ Send your tax-deductible donation to: Wood County Humane Society 801 Van Camp Road Bowling Green, OH 43402 Join Online NOW A ni m a l C o r n e r P age 3 ANIMAL SPOTLIGHTS 2015 Board of Directors Officers President ALLISON is a gorgeous tortie (i.e., tortoiseshell) who deserves a family to call her own. With her unique coloring and sweet disposition, Allison just begs to be picked up and loved. While she does not mind all the attention, she does enjoy her solitude from time to time. As long you're willing to respect her space and let her hide occasionally, Allison would love to call your house home. Allison is about 1 ½ years old. Check out Allison’s complete profile on Petfinder. Lori Young VP of Administration Kathy Dean VP of Shelter Operations Deb Johnson Co-Secretaries Sue Frost Heath A. Diehl Treasurer Lisa Kern Committee Chairs Budget & Finance RUTH has such a sweet temperament and is very eager to please. She also is a quick study and already knows how to sit, shake, drop it, and stay. She loves to play with toys—especially tennis balls. Ruth came to us under rather unfortunate circumstances with her eight puppies, all of whom have since been adopted. Ruth is now ready to find her forever home (preferably one with no other animals or animal visitors). Ruth is approximately 2 years old and is a Shar Pei mix. Check out Ruth’s complete profile on Petfinder. Lisa Kern Building and Grounds Connie Black-Postl Fundraising Emily Keegan Membership/Contributions Sue Frost Outreach/Education Pending Public Relations Heath A. Diehl SNIP Wherever HADLEY is, she is sure to find a good hiding spot. She is pretty adept at keeping to herself, but she also doesn’t mind receiving affection from time to time. She does enjoy her friends and her hidey holes at the WCHS, but she can’t wait to have a home of her own with calm cuddles and patient people. Hadley is about 2 ½ years old. Check out Hadley’s complete profile on Petfinder. Leyna Jennings Volunteer Pending Members Lynn Corrigan Deb Higgins Eric Myers Want to help our animals but can’t adopt? View all of our adoptable animals at We are usually in need of the following items: liquid bleach, hot dogs, hard cat food, sandwich bags, sponges or scrubbies to wash dishes, blood lanets (to test our diabetic cats’ glucose), antibiotic ointment, A&D ointment, and catnip. P age 4 F e br ua r y 2 0 1 5 FROM THE SHELTER: HOW OUR DOGLY DO GOOD GRANT HELPED DOGS IN NEED We were so grateful to receive the Dogly Do Good grant. This grant helped us "Do Good" for our animals, and the families that adopted them. As our readers know, we rely quite heavily on public donations, so we are always looking for ways to help us care for our animals. This grant helped us provide necessary care to ready our animals for THANK YOU, their forever homes (spaying/neutering, microchips, vaccinations, heartworm tests and prevention), and transformed two unkempt little dogs into beauties. ly needed it. We actually received the grant before this dog came in, so this grant was also a HUGE blessing for him. (See Israel’s story below.) Specifically, the money from the Dogly Do Good Grant allowed us to provide immediate heartworm treatment for a dog that desperate- The Dogly Do Good grant money also helped us spay five dogs, as well as provide dental care for one dog, grooming for two dogs, , FOR vaccinations, microchips, heartworm tests, and heartworm prevention for six dogs. And we thought long term for this grant, using part of the funds to purchase a tablet that will allow our Outreach Coordinator and staff/volunteers to complete adoptions at adoption events, on site! HELPING WCHS DO GOOD ABOVE: Israel was a heartworm positive dog whose treatment was made partially possible thanks to the Dogly grant. An American Bulldog mix, Israel was transferred from a high kill facility, and they were unaware he had heartworms. Despite receiving treatment, Israel began to deteriorate and he passed away on MLK Day. He was a sweet boy. Thank you, Dogly, for helping us give Israel love in his final hours and for the opportunity to give other dogs like him a chance at a better tomorrow! RIGHT: WCHS Outreach Coordinator, Megann Smith, shows off the new tablet purchased with funds from the Dogly Do Good grant. Smith will use the tablet to more efficiently complete adoptions of our animals at adoption events. A ni m a l C o r n e r P age 5 DOGLY DO GOOD (CONT.) TIM AND NICKEE: (Not Pictured) I do want to be completely honest and tell you by Friday I was really worried and READY to take her (Precious) back the minute you opened. She would NOT warm up to my husband. She would chase him and go after his feet and nip at him. She growled like she wanted to rip his head off! If he got up out of his chair, she would go nuts. He would leave and come home, same thing! The only time she was ok with him being around is when I wasn't. Well after a few more days she is now jumping up into his lap, letting him pick her up, etc. If I'm sitting, she's almost always in my lap. If I'm cooking or doing things around the house she's usually following me around! She is doing great going potty outside and she LOVES to hang with my son. We work with her leash training every day and she is a work in progress. But I am confident she will catch on quickly! She really just needed a chance and I am sooo glad I didn't make that split second decision to return her!!! ABOVE: Two small dogs, Gracie (white and black), and Pearl (black), came to us in extreme need of grooming! They were both matted, overgrown, and oily. We were able to get these dogs groomed, and their transformation, not only in their looks, but their personalities was amazing: they really came out of their shells! Pearl also received dental care because of the extreme tartar build up on all of her teeth and she feels even better now! NATE AND STEPHANIE: (left) THE TESNOWS: (above) Maia , formerly Jenna, enjoying her first holiday with her pug sister, Moo. We are so thankful to have her with our family. We love her a ridiculous amount. Happy holidays! We have been lucky enough to have Dorothy/Leela in our home for almost three months, and she has been the love of our lives since the day we brought her home. She loves cuddling anywhere around the house and loves meeting new people. She knows how to sit, shake hands, and high five. She is such an angel and we are so happy that we have her! She is so loving and anybody that spends time with her can't help but love her back. She's a part of our family. F e br ua r y 2 0 1 5 P age 6 Cats Continued from page 1 cats in the home or community when admission to a shelter is not the best choice adoption fees while still maintaining the same adoption process to ensure good homes for our animals. Our organization has committed to 2.) Implement a MANAGED ADMISSION system, scheduling intake appointments for cats to match the shelter’s ability to assure humane care and an appropriate outcome for every cat We are seeking grant money to purchase medical equipment that would help us provide more efficient and cost-effective care for our animals. We will be brainstorming with staff ways that we can improve or streamline our adoption process. 3.) Balance the number of cats being cared for in the shelter at any one time with the shelter’s CAPACITY FOR CARE in order to assure the Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare are being met for each cat One of our primary goals for 2015 is to renovate our cat rooms to provide an even more comfortable environment for them than we do currently. Anyone who knows a cat knows they can be finicky creatures, which can make life in even the best shelter a highly stressful experience for them. Stress can have a very direct and significant effect on a cat’s health and behavior, often leading to an increase in the length of time spent in the shelter while treating costly illnesses. Measures as simple as providing windows, hiding spots, high perches, and multiple feeding stations can greatly decrease the stress a cat experiences during his/her stay. Keeping our cats happy and healthy will not only save money by avoiding illness, but also it will enable us to adopt them out more quickly and thereby help even more cats in need. 4.) Expand the pool of adopters by REMOVING BARRIERS TO ADOPTION such as cost, process, and availability of cats 5.) Implement programs to sterilize, vaccinate, and RETURN TO FIELD any healthy, un-owned cats as a humane alternative to euthanasia The staff at WCHS has been hard at work in many of these areas long before the Million Cat Challenge was announced; however, cat overpopulation continues to be our biggest struggle. We have secured grant funding both currently and in the past to cover the medical costs of spaying and neutering both owned and stray cats through our partners at Humane Ohio. We have long operated under a scheduled intake system; however, the limitation of this system is that it often results in long waiting times to surrender during peak months. During the last year we have frequently offered cats at discounted our community. We are proud of the care and services we have always provided to the homeless animals of Wood County, but are determined to re-examine everything we do in order to accomplish even more. How can you help ? being a part of the Million Cat Challenge, and we hope to increase our cat adoptions significantly over the coming years to meet the needs of ADOPT your next pet from a shelter and encourage your friends Continued on next page A ni m a l C o r n e r Cats Continued from previous page and family to do the same. According to a 2012 survey, only 26% of the estimated 85 million owned cats in the US were adopted from shelters, with 32% coming from acquaintances and 35% being found as strays. Our cats are friendly and healthy and ready to find their forever home. And even without discounting the adoption fee, they’re a real bargain! VOLUNTEER your time. Whether it’s walking dogs, playing with cats, taking photos of our animals, fostering puppies or kittens, or serving on a Board committee, everyone has skills he/she can contribute. Volunteering as a family can be a great experience for families that don’t have pets of their own, and teaches kids valuable life lessons. DONATE: whether you donate money, products, or your time, every little bit helps. Necessary medical equipment and shelter renovations require resources we don’t currently have. If you have a little extra this month, then please consider making a monetary donation. If you or P age 7 someone you know has construction skills, then consider donating your time. Ask your employer if they will match funds through NWOhio Community Shares, or similar programs. The WCHS exists solely through donations from caring individuals and earned revenue. We do not receive funding from national humane groups, The United Way, or taxes. SPREAD THE WORD! This one doesn’t cost a thing and can still make all the difference in the world for a homeless animal. Like us on Facebook and share pictures of adoptable animals. Subscribe to our electronic newsletter and share it with family and friends. Check out our website for events and invite your friends to attend with you. WCHS is gearing up to meet the many challenges that working in animal welfare brings, and we hope you will join us in helping even more of the homeless animals in our community find lifelong homes. Stop in soon! We are completely overwhelmed by the generosity of Jean Miller. She donated $5,000 to our Spay It Forward campaign! We are accepting donations during the first phase of our spay/neuter grant to help us fund other zip codes during the time between grant periods. Thank you so much, Jean! Your gift will help so many kitties! Want to subscribe to Animal Corner? Send a message to our Board Secretaries, with your e-mail address! Look for the next issue on the first Monday of April. LEFT: On Thursday, December 18, 2014, a luncheon was held at the shelter to thank staff and volunteers for their hard work and dedication throughout the past year. The luncheon was organized by Board member Sue Frost. Pictured (left to right) are Scott Beard, Dog Trainer, Jessica Compton, staff member, Hannah Salmon, volunteer, and Megan Baker, Assistant Shelter Manager. F e br ua r y 2 0 1 5 P age 8 O U R FIV R O O M I S B U R S T I N G A T T H E S E A M S We currently are taking steps to educate northwest Ohio communities about feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) in order to find homes for some of our longest residents, many of whom has tested positive for the virus. Currently, we have space to house only about five adult-sized FIV cats at any given time, and, according to Shelter Manager Erin McKibben, that space is always occupied to full capacity. Erin notes that FIV cats typically are the longest residents at the shelter and generally generate little interest from potential adopters. She says that part of the problem is that the public often knows very little about FIV. Erin hopes that by drawing attention to the virus through media coverage and the work of a newly hired Education/ Outreach Coordinator, we can more quickly place our FIV residents into loving forever homes. According to the Fitzhugh B. Crews FIV Cat Sanctuary, FIV is an incurable virus that can cause the immune system of infected cats to be compromised. Testing positive for FIV does not necessarily mean that the cat has FIV, only that he/she has been exposed to the virus. In some ways, FIV is comparable to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in humans and it is often confused with feline leukemia virus (FeLV). While FIV is included in the same retrovirus family as FeLV, and the two ret- roviruses cause many similar secondary conditions, they are not synonymous medical conditions. FIV can be tolerated well by cats and, in fact, an FIV-infected cat may not show any symptoms for years. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), once symptoms do develop, the cat’s health my continue to decline or the cat may show signs of sickness interspersed with health for years. The organization points out that FIV cats who receive supportive medical care and are kept in a stress-free, indoor environment can live relatively comfortable lives for months to years before the disease reaches its chronic stages. Some common symptoms associated with FIV infection include: weight loss, poor appetite, disheveled coat, abnormal appearance or inflammation of the eye, sneezing, wounds that do not heal, and behavioral changes. Although FIV cannot be transmitted from cat to human, it can be transmitted between cats. According to the ASPCA, FIV is mainly passed from cat to cat through deep bite wounds, the kind that usually occur outdoors during aggressive fights and territorial disputes. Another, less common mode of transmission is from an FIV-infected mother cat to her kitten. FIV does not seem to be commonly spread through sharing food bowls and litter boxes, social grooming, sneezing and other casual modes of contact. Given the high probability of transmitting the virus between cats, the WCHS recommends that FIV cats be the only cats in a home or go to homes with other FIV cats. FIV cats currently residing at the WCHS are free with an approved application. They have been spayed or neutered, been vaccinated appropriate to their age, received an initial deworming and flea prevention, and have a free physical examination to local participating veterinary offices. All of the animals at the WCHS also are microchipped prior to adoption. Learn more about FIV by visiting: A ni m a l C o r n e r P age 9 M E E T O U R FIV R E S I D E N T S FIDELITY HERMIONE HETTY *Female *approx. 3 years old *shorthair and tiger mix *Female *approx. 5 1/2 years old *shorthair and tortie mix *Female *approx. 6 years old *domestic long hair Fidelity is a bit more reserved than her bunkmates, but she can be quite the cuddlebug if given the chance. Hermione likes the limelight and is very friendly and affectionate when visitors come a-callin’ to the FIV room. Hetty is shy and spends a lot of her time hanging out in her cat condo. She would do best in a quiet home without other animals. Check out her Petfinder profile. Check out her Petfinder profile. Check out her Petfinder profile. Board Members Needed We currently are seeking applications to our Board of Directors. The WCHS Board is a voluntary working Board, comprised of between 11 and 15 members, of local leaders dedicated to providing direction and guidance to the organization. Board members are elected annually for a term of two years. PENNYWISE Sho *Male *approx. 5 years old *tuxedo and tabby mix *Male *approx. 15 weeks old *shorthair and tabby mix Pennywise is shy at first, and would do best in a quiet home. But he is very affectionate once he warms up to people. In most ways, Sho is your typical kitten—playful, curious, and with a devil-may-care attitude. Check out his Petfinder profile. Check out his Petfinder profile. The WCHS Board of Directors meets once monthly for two hours. Individual Board members also are expected to serve as Chair or Co-Chair one of the Board’s nine permanent committees. Time commitments vary depending on the time of year, the specific committees in which a Board member is involved, and the make-up of the Board at any given time. However, volunteers typically devote between 8 and 16 hours per month to Board-related activities. Those interested should contact Sue Frost and Heath A. Diehl, Board Co-Secretaries. P age 1 0 F e br ua r y 2 0 1 5 Happy Ho-ho-holidays: Pet Photos With Santa A ni m a l C o r n e r Pet Photos With Santa (cont.) P age 1 1 F e br ua r y 2 0 1 5 P age 1 2 Pet Photos With Santa (cont.) And Congratulations to Smokey, the winner of our Photos with Santa photo contest! A special “Thank You” to everyone who came out to support our Pet Photos with Santa event this year. You helped us surpass our goal for this event!!! We especially want to thank the Woodland Mall for graciously allowing us to use its atrium. Thank you also to our tireless volunteers who provided the decorations, the labor, and the dedication to make this event happen. And, of course, thank you to Jolly Old Saint Nicholas. We hope your holidays were merry and bright and we look forward to seeing you and your pets next year! —Emily Keegan, Fundraising Chair, and Tara Moore, Event Planner Tell Us What You Think MONTHLY READER POLL: February is National Responsible Pet Owner month and we want to know what tips you have for other readers for being a responsible pet owner. E-mail us by 27 March 2015 to have your tips included in the April 2015 issue of Animal Corner. READER SUGGESTIONS: Have suggestions for articles or columns that you’d like to see in upcoming issues of Animal Corner? E-mail us! We’d love to hear from you. CORRECTIONS: Notice something incorrect in this issue of Animal Corner? Please e-mail us to let us know so that we can run a correction/retraction in our next issue. Photograph taken from Adam Rifkin A ni m a l C o r n e r Q&A P age 1 3 WI T H DOG TRAINER SCOTT BEARD ANIMAL CORNER: What is your history with WCHS? How long have you been with the organization and in what capacities? SCOTT BEARD: I initially came into the shelter in October of 2013 to volunteer and I spoke to Erin about my dog experience. She asked me if I would like to interview for a job and I accepted. I started out like everyone else with cleaning, animal care and adoptions. I expressed interest in Dog Training but at the time, the shelter had a trainer on hand. I even do light maintenance when needed around the shelter. I was made full-time Dog Trainer a few months back when the other trainer resigned. I am currently doing regular shelter duties in the mornings and dog training in the afternoons. I've been working with adopters who adopt dogs that have behavioral issues by either having them bring the dog back to the shelter or I make home visits. I prefer home visits because it gives me the chance to see how the dog is behaving in their home environment. These visits help keep the dog in the home rather than having it returned to the shelter. AC: What first interested you about the job of dog trainer at WCHS? SB: I love working with dogs in any capacity and it is so rewarding watching a dog learn and grow from an undisciplined canine to a well behaved, socialized animal. And they are always excited to see you. Just brightens my day. And since most of the dogs are either surrendered or strays from other shelters, they need the most love, attention and work. It's not their fault that they are here and it provides great satisfaction when they find their forever homes. Having my background in dog training and seeing how the majority of dogs coming into the shelter have no training it only makes sense that a well mannered dog would be adopted quicker than one that wasn't. AC: What is your background in dog training and how does that experience help you in your work? SB: My training began back in 2004 with my mentor(s) Diane Laratta who owned Hollowell Academy of Dog Training in Lima, OH, and Dorthy Minor who owned her own obedience school in Palo Alto, CA, before coming to Lima. These two women have years and years of knowledge regarding training, behaviorism and assessment of dogs. All the dogs I've trained have come from shelters so that has given me the ability and understanding of why the dog(s) are acting the way they do and what I can do to change that behavior. AC: What does a dog trainer do? SB: As a trainer I help the staff give an assessment to each dog that comes in to what their temperament towards people, cats and other dogs may be. whether they have fear issues, resource guarding (food, toys, personal space), whether or not they've had any kind of interaction with other dogs, how well they play together, energy level. And I pass this on to potential adopters so they know what they are getting when they adopt a particular dog. Most of the dogs come in knowing only a few if any commands. I begin by first working with them by being able to walk on a leash. No one wants a dog that pulls them everywhere. I follow that up with SIT, DOWN, STAY, COME, WAIT, OFF, LEAVE IT, etc. Most of the dogs don't get to learn all of these as their stay in the shelter is brief. It can take up to several months of training to get a dog to learn all of those commands. So I do my best with the time I have to work with them. I also work with all the volunteers that want to walk dogs. It's not as simple as just putting them on a leash and taking them out. We don't want them to pull or jump on the person walking them, so there is some training that goes along with dog walking. AC: Do you have any pets? SB: I do not currently have any animals of my own, due to how busy I am. It wouldn't be fair to leave an animal at home for hours on end. I consider all of the animals at the shelter my babies. F e br ua r y 2 0 1 5 P age 1 4 From the Humane Agent: Protect Your Pets During the Winter Weather By DEBRA LOPRETE Humane Agent, WCHS Here in Ohio, winter can be a be a combination of bitter cold, snow, and freezing wetness. I have complied some tips to help keep your pets safe and warm: hours, then please contact me again. Want to learn more about keeping your pets safe during the winter weather? Then, visit these websites for additional tips and suggestions: Keep pets indoors and warm. The best solution is taking your dogs outside for frequent walks and exercise and then bringing them inside. During walks, short-haired dogs may be more comfortable wearing a sweater. Windchill can threaten a pet's life; exposed skin on noses, ears, and paw pads can quickly freeze and may cause permanent damage. If your dog is outdoors most of the time, then it should have a shelter that is dry and draft-free. The doorway should be covered with some How to Make type of plastic, burlap, etc. Line the floor of the shelter with cedar shavings or straw. Unfrozen water must be provided at all times if the dog is left outside. Use plastic bowls for food and water, as your dog's tongue could stick to metal ones. Help neighborhood outdoor cats in your area by leaving out food and water. Providing an outdoor shelter can protect them from the elements. Give your horses shelter and warmth. Be sure your horses have access to a three-sided run-in so they have a place to avoid the wind and snow. Most importantly, report any animals you may see being left outside in bitter cold. If possible, document with pictures, date, time, exact location and type of animal, then please call the WCHS at 419-352-7339, report the incident on our Facebook page, and/or through email. If I have not responded within 24 a Shelter for Outdoor Cats Page 15 A ni m a l C o r n e r From the Outreach Coordinator: Decoding The “Secret Language” of Cats By MEGANN SMITH Outreach Coordinator, WCHS January 22nd is National Answer Your Cat’s Questions Day. What an idea! Wouldn’t it be nice if we could sit down and have a heart to heart with our feline friends? We could explain to them that 3am is not the best time to pounce and play. We could even ask why they won’t eat that one flavor of canned food. Honestly, owning a On a Related Note Did you like what our Outreach Coordinator shared with you in this issue? Do you want to read other, similar articles? Check out this reading list we put together just for you: Reader’s Digest: “13+ Things You Didn’t Know About Cats” National Geographic: “What Do Cats Think About Us? You May Be Surprised” Petfinder: “Cat Talk: A Guide to Cat Body Language” New York Times: “What Your Cat Is Thinking” Real Simple: “Understanding Your Cat’s Behavior” The Washington Post: “Dogs we understand; cats are mysterious, even though they are the most popular pet” cat would be a lot simpler if these conversations could be had. Unfortunately that is not an option. When you adopt or rescue an animal you have to learn how they communicate. Since your feline is not going to magically speak up on January 22nd, here are some common concerns among cat owners and ways to better yourself as a cat parent. How do I introduce a new cat to my home? Anyone coming into a new situation feels the same rush of emotions and this is no different for cats. When you introduce a cat to your home, it’s important that they feel safe. The easiest way to do this is by introducing the home slowly. Start by keeping them in one room. This will likely become their room or safe space. Give them space to explore, yet don’t overwhelm them with too many new experiences. Slowly integrate them into the rest of the house with special treats or toys. If you have other cats in the house, it’s best to introduce them slowly as well. Start by giving each cat their own space. This includes food, water bowls, and litter boxes. This gives the cats independence and confidence. Encourage friendly play among the two, and remember to be patient. Why has my cat stopped using the litter box? A benefit of having a cat over a dog is that as an owner you don’t have to make numerous trips outside for bathroom breaks. When the cat stops using the litter box, anger and frustration are the first emotions felt by the owner. If your cat has been urinating or defecating outside the litter box, don’t get upset. There are many resolvable reasons as to why he or she may be doing this. Medical. If a cat has a UTI or other medical condition that is causing pain or discomfort, he will avoid the area that reminds him of such discomfort. Be sure to consult your vet, if your cat persistently refuses to use the box. Situational. A cat is a fickle creature. They may not like the type of litter you are using. The box could be too small. If you have multiple cats, they may want their own box or another cat had frightened them at one point when they were in the box. When your cat stops using the litter box, take a minute to investigate and the answer may be easier than following the cat around with a sponge and carpet cleaner. Why does my cat seem to be wide awake at 2 in the morning? There is no clear answer for this. Cats are nocturnal creatures, so when you adopt a cat you are agreeing to take on their schedule. Cats are unique pets. They each come in with their own personality and demands. Although there are general guidelines to follow when a problem arises, it may not be the solution for your cat. Remember to take the time to work with your cat to find the solution that works best for them! For more information on how to benefit your feline friend, visit our website and check out some of our literature! P age 1 6 F e br ua r y 2 0 1 5 WHERE ARE THEY NOW?: ADOPTION UPDATES We loved Chloe for a wonderful (almost) 12 years before she passed to her rest from a year-long battle with cancer. We adopted her three weeks before we got married in 1999. She was our baby, and Dr. Dave was magic with her. Just wanted to let you know that Maia, formerly Jenna, is doing great. We love having her and I hope she loves having us. We adopted Kit (left), Ani (middle), and Licorice (right) from WCHS in 2008. This picture was taken shortly after our kids came home and it is the only picture that we were ever able to get of all three of them together. Ani died this past summer right before the six-year anniversary of her adoption. (The picture to the right is one of the last we took of her.) Licorice took her death pretty hard, but he and Kit are becoming better buddies as a result. A ni m a l C o r n e r P age 1 7 This a cat we adopted from WCHS in 2003. Oh, and Truman (our son). Bunny (not the name she came with) is about 12 years old. When the weather is warmer, she spends most of her time on the screen porch chattering at birds and squirrels. Julie Cat Aka Grumpy cat is doing fabulous. She's the purrfect addition to our little family. Anyone who meets her comments on how she follows me around and is head over heels in love with me. Even the vet has made the comment. This little kitty had so much love to give and has blossomed into an absolute love bug once she was in a home again. Although Miss Julie was 10 when I adopted her, she is just as wonderful as a young cat. I would like to encourage anyone to give a senior pet the chance to live out a wonderful rest of their life and they will show you so much love. Alphabet (nickname Beta) we adopted from WCHS 2.5 years ago. She is doing well and as you can tell, loves being under the Christmas tree! Happy Holidays and thanks to all the volunteers and workers at the shelter who work diligently to help find homes for our furry friends! Graphic taken from City of Ponca City, OK website Want to see your furbaby/furbabies featured in Animal Corner’s “Where Are They Now”? If you have adopted from the WCHS, then we would love to know how your adopted animals are doing. Send (to Heath A. Diehl) a photograph of your furbaby (or furbabies) along with a brief note about where he/she is now and how he/she is doing and we’ll feature him/her in our next newsletter. Deadline for the April issue of Animal Corner is 27 March 2015 by noon. P age 1 8 F e br ua r y 2 0 1 5 Our family had two rescues from the shelter, Honey, a blue-tick coonhound and Leah, a whippet mix; both have been family members for 12 years. We lost our sweet Leah this past summer and it was evident that Honey missed her sister and best friend. Just before Thanksgiving day we adopted Lowell, an 11-year-old lab shepherd mix. He is the sweetest guy and he and Honey are becoming good friends. Lowell was a little shy at first, but it tugs the heart strings when we walk in and his tail is wagging and he even hops! He knows he is home and our family is so grateful he has chosen us! Mae is adjusting well and has become part of the family! Mae loves to play with her catnip mice with the kids. She's discovered the train tunnel in my husband's model train layout and loves to sleep there. Even our 12 year old dog Sidney is warming up to her. Mae has made herself right at home. Thank you for helping us find our kitty! I'm one of those people who never thought they would adopt a cat... And then I got a job at the WCHS. Here's Alvis (right, now Louie) with his buddy Wyatt. He is doing great and living it up as the big man of the house just like he was at the humane society. Hope to see all of you soon. We adopted Hazel (Olympe) in October. She became a part of the family instantly! Here she is at Pet Smart getting her family Christmas photo. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of the amazing staff at the Wood County Humane Society! A ni m a l C o r n e r FROM THE P age 1 9 PRESIDENT Continued from page 2 Becoming a volunteer is easy. It need not be a huge time commitment: you schedule your own hours, and we only ask for 5 hours a month. Such a simple opening of your big heart will make a big impact for animals that need help in Wood County. The animals benefit greatly from the relationship WCHS and the community can have together, and from each outpouring of compassion and support. When you give of yourself, you receive as much as you give. Can you help us? I want to recognize all the help that has already come. Congratulations to our volunteers who have won awards and thank you to WCHS volunteers who gave over 100 hours of service last year. (For a complete list of award winners and volunteers who logged 100+ hours of service for 2014, see page 20 of this issue.) Thank you to all our members for their generous financial contributions in 2014. Every dollar has helped. We used your donations efficiently and frugally. Much has been accomplished, as you will read about in this issue of Animal Corner. This past year, we made renovations at the shelter to make it more efficient. We installed new doors and windows to help reduce the strain on our old furnace and decrease utility expenses. In addition, we paved the parking lot to offset the annual costs for patching the holes and fixing surface erosion problems. This current year, as we invest in the necessary updates to our facilities, the Building and Grounds Committee has informed the Board that the shelter furnace will need to be replaced in the near future. This will be a large financial undertaking. We need your help. I am kindly asking you to consider offering just five or ten dollars extra to your membership dues, so we may meet this and other financial challenges and goals for 2015. As hundreds of animals come and go through our doors, we need the funds to be able to continue offering our services. Thank you for considering. Tail Wags Continued from page 2 *The Hollywood Casino, for donating straw for us to help outdoor animals this winter *The Healing Barn for caring for our horses *Nagoya Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi for once again having a pet food drive on Christmas Eve to benefit us and other local shelters. Because of them and other generous donors we are able to help people in need in Wood County feed their animals if they've fallen on hard times. *Rick Pierce for being an amazing Santa Claus for our Pet Photos with Santa event Correction In the November 2014 issue of Animal Corner, we correctly reported that Mark Elliott served as a judge for the 2014 Mutt Strut Beauty PAWgeant, but we neglected to mention our other judge for the event: Lissa Guyton of 13 ABC. We apologize, Lissa! And thank you for your support of WCHS! I hope you enjoy reading this issue. We are so excited about the revamping of Animal Corner as a completely electronic publication. Thank you for your support! This transition will save us thousands of dollars annually, and you can be sure that we will direct those crucial funds to the continued care of our animals. I wish you joy and abundance in 2015! Sincerely, Lori Young, WCHS President Did you see one of our dogs featured on Buzzfeed? Thank you to volunteer Kristen Grom for excellent photography and social media skills! Check out the original article by following this link. F e br ua r y 2 0 1 5 P age 2 0 WCHS C ONVENES A NNUAL M EETING bers and businesses were recognized for their special contributions to the organization over the past calendar year (see below). Also recognized were volunteers who logged over 100 hours of service to our organization over the past year (see below). The Wood County Humane Society (WCHS) convened its annual meeting on January 19, 2015, at 6 p.m. The meeting was held in the Simpson Garden Park meeting room and was open to the public. WCHS Board President, Lori Young, convened the meeting by WCHS President Lori Young chats with keynote presenting a brief “year in respeaker John Dinon following his presentation. view” report for 2014. New members voted onto the Board included: Lynn Corrigan; Deb Higgins; Leyna Jennings; Deb Johnson; and Eric Myers. Current Board members reelected to their seats included: Connie Black-Postl and Lisa Kern. Special Recognition to Our Top The high point of the program was a keynote address delivered by John Dinon, Ohio Director of Outreach and Engagement for the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). Dogs Minnibelle Conley Community Recognition Award Jan Harr Dinon’s keynote presentation included a brief overview of HSUS and its programs, with emphasis on the farm animal programs. The main topic was management of community cats. Special Friend to Animals Nagoya Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Joe Schroeder Stephanie Squire Ringler Ellen Fuller Volunteer of the Year Barbara Arnold Wanda Loomis Humanitarians of the Year Erik J. Thompson Kyle Silvers During the program of events, a number of community mem- Special Achievement Award for Outstanding Service Kathy Dean T HANK Y OU TO OUR VOLUNTEERS WHO LOGGED OVER Barbara Arnold, Megan Baker, Scott Beard, Marissa Bijarro, Connie Black-Postl, Phyllis Chaney, Jessica Compton, the Cufr family, Kathy Dean, Tracy DeRan, Heath Diehl, Sue Frost, Kristen Grom, Jan Harr, Lynn Helm, Sarah Hemingway, Leyna Jennings, Emily Keegan, Lisa Kern, Lori Keller, Kathy Ledford, Sandy Lepper, Christina Link, Debra Lo- 100 HOURS IN 2014 prete, April McCurdy, Tom and Donna McCurdy, Mary Morgan, Tina Robinette, the Rose family, Glenda Schwartz, Kyle Silvers, Matt Skivers, Maria Smithers, Chuck and Christy Spontelli, Geoff Stevenson, Liesel Traister, and Cassie Williams A ni m a l C o r n e r A NNUAL M EETING P age 2 1 (CONT.) (TOP LEFT): WCHS President Lori Young (left) presents a Special Friend to Animals Award to Stephanie Squire Ringler (right). (TOP RIGHT—LEFT TO RIGHT): Jessica Compton, Cassie Williams, April McCurdy, and Chelsie Guck (MIDDLE LEFT): Board Members Leyna Jennings (left) and Connie Black-Postl (right) and Barb Squire (middle) (MIDDLE RIGHT): Rossford Police Officer Erik Thompson is presented with the Wanda Loomis Humanitarian of the Year Award by Humane Agent Debra Loprete for going above and beyond to save an animal that could not save itself in July 2014. (BOTTOM): WCHS Assistant Shelter Manager Megan Baker poses with a special visitor to the Annual Meeting: Leela (Dorothy). F e br ua r y 2 0 1 5 P age 2 2 FROM THE VP OF SHELTER OPERATIONS: THE YEAR IN REVIEW By KATHY DEAN VP of Shelter Operations (Outgoing), WCHS VP of Administration (Current), WCHS 1. This past year our shelter staff have done a good job caring for and managing the animals at our shelter and in foster. Our volunteers have supported us with their time, hard work, and dedication. 2. We have accomplished building improvements such as new windows and doors installed, added new outside covers on kennels, a gate was installed to offer additional space for bonding outside with animals and prospective adopters. The parking lot was resurfaced and we began painting inside of the shelter. For the free roaming cat room, we have purchased a cat wheel, which is similar to a hamster wheel and allows more enrichment for the cats. Many old file cabinets have been removed from our bonding room to allow more space for potential adopters to have room to interact with animals. Other areas in the shelter have been reorganized to better utilize the limited space, such as the laundry and storage rooms. 3. The adoption/foster database has been improved for better tracking and report creation. The archive paper files are being loaded into the database. 4. The Humane Agent database has been implemented and the archive records are being loaded into the new database. This will allow for ease in report creation and tracking trends, etc. 5. The membership/contributions database has been revised for easier access to create reports and labels. Ongoing improvements are being made. And we have started using an electronic notebook for tracking our medical records for the animals. 6. A part-time Outreach Coordinator has been hired to assist with adoptions and educational presentations. We want to strengthen our educational efforts in the county, bringing more awareness and more adoptions. 7. The In-Take area of the shelter has been remodeled. A local Boy Scout troop worked on this project for several weeks. We can now bring in more animals and we have a movable table in the center of the room. 8. Staff have taken animals several times to a Saturday morning TV program to promote our shelter. 9. A new committee has been created to work on the stray cat problem in our county. The committee is chaired by Kay Chapman. We have attended several town councils to talk with them about the community cat populations in their area. We have gotten a grant to help pay for neutering the cats. We are helping people in our communities that are caring for stray cats by getting them resources to manage these cats. We will be working on more grants this year and continue our work. Volunteers Needed We currently need shelter cleaners and office helpers. Cleaners typically volunteer in the morning prior to the shelter opening and their responsibilities include: feeding, interacting with, and cleaning up after the animals; doing laundry; sweeping and mopping the shelter; performing organizational tasks; doing dishes; and cleaning cages, shelves, and walls. Office helpers typically work during regular hours of shelter operation. Office help volunteers should be outgoing people who are comfortable answering telephones, working on computers, greeting the public, and showing them around the shelter. Office helpers may also be involved in some aspects of animal care. Volunteers must be 16 years of age or older, or accompanied by a parent/ guardian. Volunteers typically commit to at least 5 hours per month for a minimum of 3 months. For more information about these and other volunteering opportunities, contact our Volunteer Coordinator. Thank you for your support! A ni m a l C o r n e r P age 2 3 Wood County Humane Society 2014 Annual Report 2014 SNIP Report Spring is known as “kitten season” because warmer weather means more strays roaming freely and more cats in heat. Those two factors combined lead to a dramatic increase in the number of kittens born during the spring and summer months; many of these kittens are not wanted and end up homeless or euthanized. We at the WCHS are trying to help remedy some of the challenges presented by “kitten season” by partnering with Humane Ohio, a non-profit clinic in Toledo, to offer low-cost spay/neuter prices to Wood County residents. We will provide the transportation to/from Humane Ohio. Please help reduce the pet population by making use of this low-cost service. Call the shelter today to schedule an appointment. Number of Cats Spayed/Neutered Public Cats Shelter Cats 214 155 Cats fixed through grant 86 2014 Cruelty Report Debra Loprete, Humane Agent 2014 Shelter Report Erin McKibben, Shelter Manager INCOMING ANIMALS OUTGOING ANIMALS Strays (Cats Only): Sick/Injured Healthy Kitten w/mother Kitten w/o mother BG City Stray Surrender Cruelty Case Abandonment From WC Dog Shelter Born at Shelter Transfers Returns Total Incoming Adoption: Shelter WC Dog Shelter Transfer Claim Euthanasia Death Total Outgoing 428 9 7 17 24 31 516 Animals at Shelter Animals Off-Site Total Population 92 40 132 41 63 22 65 58 112 36 30 8 0 46 44 525 Closed Cases Categories: Education: 64 Unfounded: 68 Owner Surrender: 5 Other Agency Referral: 24 Unable to Locate: 16 Reason for Concern: 230 Abandonment: 2 Pending Investigation: 21 Jan.: 27 closed cases; 44 re-checks Feb.: 17 closed cases; 34 re-checks March: 12 closed cases; 23 re-checks April: 23 closed cases; 41 re-checks May: 23 closed cases; 33 re-checks June: 34 closed cases; 31 re-checks July: 15 closed cases; 36 re-checks Aug.: 27 closed cases; 27 re-checks Investigation Partnerships: Sept.: 16 closed cases; 28 re-checks Rossford Police Dept. Oct.: 14 closed cases; 37 re-checks Perrysburg Animal Control Nov.: 10 closed cases; 27 re-checks Bowling Green Animal Control Dec.: 12 closed cases; 33 re-checks North Baltimore Police Dept. Lakewood Twp Police Dept. Total: 230 closed cases; 394 reWood County Sheriff’s Office checks Risingsun Police Dept. In total, we partnered with 6 different agencies over the 2014 calendar year. Northwood Police Dept. Training Opportunities *Field Interviewing Techniques Seminar (Capital Area Humane Society) *Animal Cruelty and Fighting Investigations (The Humane Society of the U.S.) *The Wood County Sheriff’s Office Citizen’s Police Academy #17 *Basic Police Investigative Photography (Capital Area Humane Society) *Basic Humane Agent Training (24 hours) (Ohio Peace Officers Training Association) F e br ua r y 2 0 1 5 P age 2 4 Wood County Humane Society 2014 Annual Report 2014 Financial Report EXPENSES Shelter Building and Grounds Membership Public Relations Community Education Volunteer Capital Expenses SNIP Fundraising Total Expenses $269,822.86 $56,990.26 $7,057.04 $7,624.45 $393.62 $1,440.57 $6,844.38 $12,317.14 $15,360.86 $377,851.13 INCOME Fundraising Membership Shelter Income Spay/Neuter Memorials External Fundraising Grants, Bequests, Other Total Income $67,566.92 $72,545.38 $69,460.24 $16,452.61 $17,547.50 $32,439.83 $53,054.34 $329,066.32 Wanted: Volunteer Coordinator We are seeking community members who are interested in chairing the Volunteer Committee. Specific responsibilities would entail monitoring the online volunteer database, helping with volunteer orientation and volunteer assignments, and communicating with Shelter Manager and members of the Board of Directors. If you are interested in the position, then please e -mail Kathy Dean. 2014 Foster Individuals & Families Megan Baker Brent Bloomfield April, Tom and Donna McCurdy Jessica McClure Scott Beard Leyna Jennings Tracy Deran Christy Spontelli Marissa Bijarro Carrie Cufr Fred and Shelly Rose Kathy Ledford Luc Gibb Phyllis Chaney Tina Robinette Cassie Williams Jessica Compton Jessica Tolliver Jamie Wlosowicz Interested in fostering in 2015? Check out our website for more information. Food Assistance at WCHS We all love our pets and know what type of support they can offer us, especially when life gets difficult. That is why the WCHS is pleased to offer pet food and cat litter assistance to Wood County residents and their pets in need. Our food and cat litter bank is large enough to help a few families each week, but unfortunately not large enough to help the same homes on an ongoing basis. We will do what we can to help you and your companions as you recover from the challenges you encounter. We also offer food assistance for caretakers of freeroaming cat colonies to encourage spaying and neutering, and continued care of these felines. If you need help with an owned pet, then please fill out the Pet Food Assistance Application. If you need help feeding a free-roaming cat or colony, then please fill out the Free-Roaming Cat Food Assistance Application. Food assistance is only offered during adoption hours. If you are new to the program, then please print and fill out an application and bring your driver’s license to the shelter during adoption hours so that a staff member can review your application. Food assistance is by donation. We typically ask for at least $1. A ni m a l C o r n e r P age 2 5 2014 C OMMITTE E R E P ORT S Building & Grounds Connie Black-Postl, Chair Interested in joining the Building & Grounds Committee and helping shape its agenda for 2015? Contact Committee Chair Connie BlackPostl for more information. Fundraising Emily Keegan, Chair In 2014, the Fundraising Committee welcomed several new passionate and hard-working members. Together we had a fun and busy year planning our annual events, strategizing new ones and embracing new partnerships with local businesses. We also added Tara Moore to the team as our Event Planner. A BGSU grad with a love of animals, Tara brings great enthusiasm to our committee. Welcome, Tara! The annual Wine and Dine event was held in May in the Grand Ballroom on the campus of BGSU. The event was truly lovely with tapasthemed grazing stations from BGSU catering, beautiful flowers donated by Glendale Flowers, and the addition of a photobooth from Swatch Studio. Jerry Anderson graciously served again as auctioneer. The event could not have been possible without the generous support of our long time event sponsors: Dr. Pat McCutchen-Vernier and Rick Vernier, Lamar, WBGUTV, Paw and Remember, Welch Publishing, and Heidelberg Distributing. Our silent auction tables were stocked with amazing donations from contributors all over the county and the state. It was an exceptional year for the Garage Sale in May. Stephanie Squire Ringler and Joe Schroeder worked tirelessly with their amazing team of volunteers to raise over $14,000! They far exceeded their goal, and the shelter was able to purchase a cat wheel to enrich the lives of our feline residents. Thank you Stephanie and Joe! Mutt Strut in September had great weather! Two- and four-legged walkers enjoyed the trail at WW Knight Preserve in Perrysburg, picked up great giveaways from our sponsors, and watched the Weiner Dog Nationals races. The Pawgeant, emceed by Lissa Guyton of 13ABC and Mark Elliott 93.5 WRQN, was a great success. Thank you so much for joining us in 2014. The committee is already hard at work planning for 2015, and we think you are going to love these beloved events, and the new ones we have in the works. Interested in joining the Fundraising Committee and helping shape its agenda for 2015? Contact Committee Chair Emily Keegan for more information. Membership/ Contributions Sue Frost, Chair The membership/contributions committee exists to plan and imple- ment mailings to solicit new donors, including individuals and corporations; to encourage past donors to continue giving; to promote estate planning; to maintain all membership and donor records; and to acknowledge all monetary and inkind donations. In 2014, the membership committee engaged in the following activities: *Sent out 325 letters for renewals *Sent out 12,000+ letters for donations *Sent out 48 letters to Lifetime Members introducing them to the Guardian Angel Program *Sent out 356 letters for renewals *Sent out 2200 letters for the holidays The membership committee also coordinated a number of initiatives. We started the Guardian Angel Program requesting funding help from our Lifetime members to purchase new stainless steel cat cages. We created new postcards with Staff members’ pictures on it. We coordinated a tree dedication for Sandy Lepper who generously donates her time to the Shelter. We sent out 1580 thank you letters to those who sent donations to the Shelter for membership and public relations. We sent out 156 e-mail letters to those who sent donations to the Shelter for membership and public relations. We helped coordinate the purchase of two vehicles for the Shelter. We coordinated some of the volunteer and painting of the Shelter, we coordinated the windows and doors installations, and we coordinated the blacktop resurfac- F e br ua r y 2 0 1 5 P age 2 6 2014 C OM M ITTE E R E P ORT S ing at the Shelter. For 2015, we have several goals for our committee. First, we want to add one additional fundraising way to get new memberships to the WCHS. Second, we plan to continue seeking funds for stainless steel cat cages. Third, we intend to seek businesses for funds for the high cost needs at the shelter. Interested in joining the Membership/Contributions Committee and helping shape its agenda for 2015? Contact Committee Chair Sue Frost for more information. Outreach/Education Megann Smith, Outreach Coordinator Outreach was very active in 2014. Adoption events were held at: Tractor Supply Company (x2); Pet Smart (x3); Anderson’s (x5); Stroh Center Home and Garden Show; Canine Care Fair; and the annual Pet Pho- tos with Santa event. Various adoptions were completed as the direct result of these and other adoption events. This includes the animals at the event as well as animals in the shelter due to a traffic increase from visitors at the event. Educational events included: Girl Scout Troop tour; private tour; WBGU Radio spots; Penta presentation; Wood County Kids Health and Safety Fair; WBGU Kids Extravaganza; Earth Camp; A Humane Halloween; and MetroBarks. Summer education programs were created by Olivia Hegedus along with new tools for future educational programs. Penta’s healthy exploratory lab teacher wants to have a presentation every semester for her classes. Libraries and county schools were reached out to with the offer of providing presentations in any desired topic. Libraries are responding for summer 2015 presentations. We also had a presence at several (CONT.) community and fundraising events, including: Bowling Green Holiday Parade; Perrysburg Holiday Parade; and Pets in Poverty; OSU/Michigan Challenge; Potters for Pets; People Who Care Craft Fair (x2); and BGSU office party. Over a hundred dollars of donations were collected from donation jars and boxes posted at various events. This does not include the numerous cans of pet food and toys and various items that also were collected. New donation boxes were also placed at Barry’s Bagels and Fat Jacks in Perrysburg, both of which have totaled over $50.00 within the short few weeks they have been there. The organization People Who Care is under investigation and until further notice we will discontinue our relationship with them. Future projects are being worked on including the May Open House and Spring Poster Contest for grade school children. General goals for the upcoming year are to create a set A ni m a l C o r n e r P age 2 7 2014 C OMM ITTE E R E P ORT S schedule with Pet Smart stores and other local pet stores for adoption events. By late spring/early summer, I hope to begin having cats reside at Pet Smart locations for onsite adoptions. As I gain momentum in this role the educational events and adoptions will increase as well as the Wood County Humane Society’s media presence. Finally, by holding routine events and regular programing, we hope to recruit more volunteers. Already, we have a troop of Girl Scouts that is volunteering its time at the WCHS and working on its Bronze Awards. been met with lots of enthusiasm, support, and excellent coverage for our events and other happenings. We established a Tumblr archive for our media coverage so that our staff, our Board of Directors, our members, and other interested parties can remain current on all of the exciting projects that are happening at the shelter and within our organization. (If you are not yet following our Tumblr blog, then why not start today?!?) Perhaps the biggest development for the Public Relations Committee is the migration of our newsletter, Ani- (CONT.) mal Corner, from print to electronic format. Winter 2014 marked the publication of our final print newsletter and February 2015 ushers in the first electronic issue of our newsletter. This new format will not only save our organization thousands of dollars each year, but it will also allow us to bring you more news about our activities much faster. In fact, we’re moving from a quarterly to a bi-monthly publication schedule, so look for new issues of Animal Corner in your e-mail inbox on the first Monday of February, April, June, August, October, and December of this year! Interested in joining the Outreach/ Education Committee and helping shape its agenda for 2015? Contact Outreach Coordinator Megann Smith for more information. Public Relations Heath A. Diehl, Chair Over the past calendar year, the Public Relations Committee has worked hard to strengthen the presence of our organization in the community in many ways. We have secured regular features of our adoptable animals in The Perrysburg Messenger Journal, in The Rossford Record Journal, and on the WTOL website thanks to generous and supportive community partners like Deb Buker, Editor, Welch Publications, and Nick Bade, Digital Executive Producer, WTOL 11 and Fox Toledo. We have included more local media outlets in the distribution of our press releases and have Coming May 15, 2015, to a Venue Near You! Check out our exclusive WCHS merchandise at F e br ua r y 2 0 1 5 P age 2 8 2014 C OM M ITTE E R E P ORT S Interested in joining the Public Relations Committee and helping shape its agenda for 2015? Contact Committee Chair Heath Diehl for more information. SNIP Leyna Jennings, Chair For the annual SNIP report, see page 23. Interested in joining the SNIP Committee and helping shape its agenda for 2015? Contact Committee Chair Leyna Jennings for more information. Volunteer Jan Harr, Chair The volunteer committee added many volunteers to the Volgistics database during 2014. Approximately 98 new volunteer orientations were given during the year, and many of those attending signed up in our Volgistics online database and became dedicated volunteers in or out of the shelter. The volunteer orientation protocol was standardized to help anyone who is giving a tour to a new volunteer. Barb, one of our committee members, began giving additional detailed instructional orientations to anyone who was interested in working in our free roaming cat room. (CONT.) At this time we have 366 active volunteers registered in Volgistics, and they have logged 3,100 hours during 2014. The committee helped to recruit volunteers for Wine and Dine, Black Swamp Pisanello’s booth, Mutt Strutt, McDonald’s Night fundraiser, Pet Photos with Santa and various Outreach activities. Interested in joining the Volunteer Committee and helping shape its agenda for 2015? Contact Committee Chair Jan Harr for more information. A ni m a l C o r n e r Page 29 HONORS THANK AND MEMORIALS YOU FOR YOUR In Memory of... “Al” Rehklau from Don & Terri Grimm Arleen Hoag from BGSU College of Business Administration Bailey from Steve Cernkovich Barbara Benedict from John Hoag BGSU College of Business Administration Economics Department, BGSU Barney from Larry & Sue Graffice Benson, Cooper, Ellie, & Wilbur from Ann F. McVey Bogie from Darla Koepke Briana Schutze from Mike & Laurel McHugh Laurie & Brent Baker Bryan Bird Colleen Conway Cooney & John G. Cooney Anne Mancine Reyna Caris Phil Walton John Shutze Barbara A. Powell Bob & Kathy McNutt Brian & Miae Kalita Marlys J. Reetz Arlie Matera Bridgie from Hannah Rickels Bruce Baylor from San Juan Music Group CH Hartline’s Rumor Has It from Joy E. Kantner Charity Bejarano’s father from Deb orah L. Helmbold & Ron Bolander Daisy White from David Goldsmith Darlene Tucker from Tammy & Phil Sheldrick Dax from Marlys J. Reetz Dude, Sam, Linus, & Buck from Gretchen A. Sommerfeld & Dennis Przysiecki Elaine F. Kaczmarek from Anthony Kaczmarek Ellen Hepler from Turning Point KINDNESS Church Ellie from Daniel T. & Deborah Sczesny Gracie from Deborah M. Yenrick Guinness & Harp from Sue Hoffman Gus from Pat & Ed Hawley H. Barnett Jones, Jr., from Leslie A. Hojnacki Harold & June Crouse from Linda Welch Havoc (cat friend lost in a fire) from Robert A. Everhart Jake & Jed from Anita C. Good Jane M. Roth from Richard Roth Janice Milliron from Randy & Peggy Koch Jean Gasper & Erma Ebersole from Thomas M. DeThomas Jerry & Dottie from Nada Sue Knauss Jerry Liss from Betty & Chuck Gallagher Jerry Melchior from Holly M. Steward & Terry Matthews Jerry & Genevieve (“Jean”) Melchi or from Laurie Melchior Huskisson Karl J. Brushaber, Jr., from Paul Thayer, Thayer Ford-Nissan Kyle Jania from Pat Kania Leona Ault from Paul & Mary Schlatter Juli & John Kolbeck & Family Alice Davis Mr. & Mrs. Carlton Dippman M. Pooter, Jr., & Patty from Leslie A. Hojnacki Maggie from Doris Nigh Maggie from Pamela Lafferty Mammy from Rhonda & Leslie Bockbrader Dr. Margorie Conrad from Christine Hathaway Mike & Kay Miesle Mohammad Sidiq Meenie Kinkhousen from Karen A. Wolf, Krytter Sytter Pet Sitting Miss Minnie, BJ, Blackie, Lady, & Sam from Bob & Ginger Sergent Mittens & Missie from Eloise Schober Molly from Ruth A. Ruckman Monda Tewanger from Deborah L. Helmbold & Ron Bolander Mugsy & Fred from Suzette M. Pelton Murphy (in Woodville) from James A. Elkington Nancy Vermilya from Rodna Bordner Nero from Dorothy L. Hjortsberg Nick Smith, Sr., from Maeola Smith Pat Hamad from St. Mark’s Luther an Church Remy, Meredith, Gus, Justin, Iris, & Reese from Patricia Fugee Richard “Dick” Plumb from Ethan & Joanna Remley Robert McClelland from Caprice E. Cheney Rocky from Kent & Mary Johnson Ronald Saffle from Saundra Young Sheba & Ling-Ling (Siamese cats) from Benjamin A. Davis Smoky from D. Michael Schmitz Snicker & Daphne from Roger & Karen Foley Sydney Phibbs from Garth D. Phibbs Thomasina Wolcott (pet cat who died in ’14 at age 19) from Vernon and Nancy B. Wolcott Three previous kittens given up from Evelyn House Tiffany & Felix Plikerd from Annette Plikerd VanLou Apple from Deborah L. Helmbold & Ron Bolander Virginia Deweese from Caprice E. Cheney Walter Wilbarger from daughter Elizabeth J. Wilbarger Wickett & Mr. Bean from Kathy Sanka F e br ua r y 2 0 1 5 P age 3 0 HONORS THANK AND MEMORIALS YOU FOR YOUR In Honor Of… Abby from Doug Rojewski Barb, Dale, & Jack Arnold from Sheba Haner Brandy from Dave Cunningham Charlotte from Ellen M. Mens Cooper, Benson, Ellie, & Wilbur from Ann F. McVey Cooper, Tug, Annie, & Jasmine from Tom & Kathy Wojciechowski Diva from Garth D. Phibbs Ebony from Georgie R. Bauer Erin McKibben Moore from Terry & Kathy McKibben Ethan B. Remley, on his 80th birthday, from William David E. Rae & Richard Matacia Ethan & Joanna Remley Deanna Sifuentes Doug & Karen Yoshino Steven Rueter Durrell & Mary Burden Mr. & Mrs. Norman Kudlinski Gabby from Mr. & Mrs. Peter R. Strobl Greg (dad) from A. Feiertag H. Barnett Jones, Jr., from Leslie A. Hojnacki Heath Diehl & Gary Thurman from Heather Mosqueda Jim Litwin’s dogs, Sadie, McGriff, & Jesse, from Mr. & Mrs. Tom Klein Jojo Lough from Tara L. Francis Kaleb Haubert’s birthday Kenya, pet, from Ina M. Terry Kitty (pet) from Sue Greiner The LaFond Family from Mr. & Mrs. David Hollinger Leo (adopted WCHS dog) from William & Mary Best Luc from John & Sally Briggs Lucy & Edith Sheppard (grandchildren) from Ellen M. Mens Luke from Debra A. Uhde Max, WCHS alumnus, from Marjorie English Miss Jazzy Girl & Castle of Beckett from Joy E. Kantner KINDNESS Mogley from Ted J. Garzony M. Pooter, Jr., & Patty from Leslie A. Hojnacki Nick Smith, Jr., from Maeola Smith Noah’s 12th birthday from Mark & Shannon Canterbury Noah from Cindy Petryszyn Olivia Thomas’ 13th birthday from Brad Thomas Phoebe (aka Beauty) from Susie Alexander Renate Graubart from Gale & Tom Bishop Robbie, Emma, & Elmer Schlegel (grand children) from Ellen M. Mens Sampson (WCHS rescue pet) Sarah Janowiecki Tom & Sharona Muir from Maureen Hicks Terence Muir Toni Artz from Christina M. Artz WCHS Staff from Greg & Val Dienstberger Honors and Memorials from November 1, 2014, through January 28, 2015 Petsmart Findlay Adoption Days 2330 Tiffin Ave. Saturday, February 14 1—4 P.M. Sunday, February 15 12—3 P.M. Friday, February 27 5—7 P.M. Sunday, March 15 12—3 P.M. Friday, March 20 5—7 P.M. Saturday, March 28 1—4 P.M. Friday, February 27Saturday, February 28 WCHS Community Days @ BG ElderBeerman Sunday May 3, 2015 WCHS Open House 801 Van Camp Road Bowling Green Friday, May 15 Annual Wine & Dine Time and Venue TBD Keep checking our website for updates A ni m a l C o r n e r P age 3 1 AROUND THE COUNTRY/AROUND THE WORLD: FIRST DOMESTIC ABUSE SHELTER TO ALLOW CATS By TAMAR ARSLANIAN Originally published on CatChannel.com; Reproduced with permission Earlier this year, I was fortunate enough to attend the second annual Purina "Better With Pets” Summit. The summit is an opportunity to celebrate and better understand the human-pet connection, and acknowledge those already putting their learning to use for the greater good. One keynote speaker was Rita Garza, SVP Marketing and Communications at Urban Resources Institute in New York City. Her organization has come to understand the importance of pets in our lives – especially for battered woman and children – and has adapted and created new programs taking the human-pet connection into consideration. By doing so, they are saving human lives. One of the first slides Garza flashed on the screen was a statistic I found quite shocking. According to a study conducted at Utah State University, 48% of women stay in an abusive relation out of fear for their pet’s safety. As Garza said, "No one should have to make that decision.” I felt pride at the depth of compassion these women display. Despite their circumstances, they continue to show strong degree of commitment to and love for their pets when their wellbeing – and often that of their children – is at risk. Founded in 1980, URI began as a women’s shelter and began adding other services such as medical and legal counsel as the years went on. We’ve come a long way. In 2013, with the help of Purina, they launched the URIPALS — People and Animals Living Safely — pilot program, New York City’s first and only initiative that allows domestic violence survivors to enter shelter with their pets. This "co-sheltering” model helps survivors of domestic violence by caring for them as well as their pets. Not only are pets "silent victims” in domestic abuse situations but abusers use them to inflict psychological torture on their victims in order to keep them (and their children) from leaving. More than 70% of petowning women who enter shelters report their batterer threatened, injured or killed their pet. According to Garza, we’re talking about batterers who put the family cat in the microwave with their finger on the power button, or duct tape them and point a gun to their head. Truly horrific and unthinkable acts. There have been no complaints from neighbors about the URIPALs housing program residents or pets, and children ofdomestic violence who have lost everything and find themselves in a shelter are helped when reunited with a loved pet. Just this year, Purina helped build a dog run near the housing units so families with dogs could also partake in this amazing program. Garza took the opportunity to bring her own puppies to show them why she hasn’t been at home as much lately. URI’s PALS program is the only program of its kind in New York City. According to their website, "Currently, URI is housing eight dogs and five cats, and has welcomed 22 cats, 13 dogs and three turtles since the URIPALS program began.” We can only hope other groups within the state and nationwide learn from the progressive thinking URI has demonstrated. Tamar Arslanian is the author of the I Have Cat blog. In partnership with the Cocoon shelter, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to providing safety, healing, and justice for battered women and their children, our shelter offers a SAFE Pet haven for Wood County families in transition due to domestic violence. All cases are completely confidential and quality care of the pet(s) is assured. If you are a victim of domestic violence, and have a pet(s) that you need help sheltering until you are able to make arrangements for them to be back in your life, then please contact the Cocoon Shelter at 419-352-1545 or 1-800-472-9411. You can also find out more information about the Cocoon Shelter by visiting their website. P age 3 2 F e br ua r y 2 0 1 5 The WCHS Wants YOU 115 Clay Street Bowling Green, OH (419) 352-5417 to ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS Visit their website for more information Here! For information on advertising in Animal Corner, please contact Public Relations Committee Chair Heath A. Diehl. 215 N. Main Street Bowling Green, OH (419) 352-5104 117 E. 2nd St. Perrysburg, OH 43551 108 N. Main Street Walbridge, OH (419) 666-9900 Visit their website We’re your library Bowling Green * Walbridge * Bookmobile Follow WCHS on: 6190 Levis Commons Blvd. (419) 931-8400 Website Facebook Wood County Dog Shelter 1912 E. Gypsy Lane Rd., Bowling Green (419) 354-9242 1-866-860-4140, ext. 9242 Emergency: (419) 353-9802 Check out the adoptable dogs currently available at the Wood County Dog Shelter on their Petfinder! E-mail Website Facebook Shelter Hours Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday 8:30—4:30 8:30—4:30 8:30—4:30 8:00—12, 3:30—4:30 8:30—4:30 9:00—12:00 Closed A ni m a l C o r n e r P age 3 3 HELP ABRA FIND HER FOREVER HOME Special needs cats often are overlooked by adopters when they visit animal shelters in search of a new family member. Yet these are the animals that most need the extra special TLC that they only can receive in their forever homes. since January of 2014 and we are appealing to you, our members, to help us find Abra her forever home. playful. She enjoys playing with people’s hair once she gets to know them well enough to be in their personal space. As you can see from her glamour shot below, Abra Abra would make a great cuddle buddy and lap cat! She loves to be petted and will let you scratch her ears for hours on end. Abra also is quite the talker and has no qualms letting you know when she thinks it is dinner time. Most shelters are overcrowded and their overworked staff members can not always provide special needs animals all of the extra time and care that they require. And some special needs animals require a financial commitment that can, over time, significantly strain a shelter’s already tight budget. Abra requires a very special home and very special humans who can not only keep up with the cost of her medical care, but also provide the extra TLC that her medical condition demands. Her adoption fee is waived with an approved application. Abra is one of the special needs cats who currently resides at the WCHS. A diabetic, Abra needs a prescription food along with twice daily insulin injections in order to remain in good health. Abra has been with us is a gorgeous black cat. About seven years of age, Abra has a personality that is as lovely as her appearance. Despite all of the poking and prodding that she has to endure on a daily basis, she is extremely loving and very CALLING GRANT WRITERS!!! ALL We currently are looking for community volunteers with interest and experience in grant writing. Persons interested in this opportunity would be expected to research potential grant projects and identify relevant ones that would assist us in raising funds to support the treat- ment and quality of life for the animals of Wood County. Grant-writing volunteers might spearhead a capital campaign as well as seek out grants to fund animal care or education/outreach positions, in addition to other projects. These volunteers would be expected to work closely with the Learn more about feline diabetes by visiting: Shelter Manager and other relevant persons in the writing of grants. Interested parties should contact Kathy Dean, VP of Administration for more information. Giving Made Easy The next time you're buying a book by your favorite author, or downloading music by your favorite band, check out our wish list and donate something to the animals as well. To do so, visit www.amazon.com and, from the main menu in the upperleft-hand corner, left click on “Full Store Directory.” Scroll to the middle section of the store directory and, under “Gifts & Lists,” left click on “Wish List.” In the search bar on the next page, type in “Wood County Humane Society” and you’ll be taken to our wish list. Did you know that Amazon.com will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the charitable organization of your choice? All you need to do is visit https:// smile.amazon.com/, log in, and then designate the WCHS as your charitable organization of choice. Have you enrolled in the Kroger Community Rewards® program? Did you know that Kroger Community Rewards® has contributed thousands of dollars to the animals at the WCHS? The program was designed to make fundraising easy for everyone involved—and it couldn't be simpler to enroll and participate. Just visit the Kroger Community Rewards® webpage and follow a few simple steps. Then, every time you shop at Kroger, just swipe your card and a percentage of your total bill will be Continued on page 34 F e br ua r y 2 0 1 5 P age 3 4 Giving Made Easy Continued from page 33 donated to WCHS! What if WCHS earned a donation every time you searched the internet? Or how about if a percentage of every purchase you made online went to support our cause? Well, now it can! The GoodSearch toolbar is free to download and allows you to raise money for WCHS virtually every time you search and shop online! Each time you shop at more than 1,400 stores, a percentage of your purchase will automatically be donated to WCHS—at no cost to you! The toolbar also has a search box and each time you search the internet, about a penny is donated to our cause. It adds up—already over $635! Just go to GoodSearch, choose WCHS as your cause, and then search as usual. Did you know that you can support the care of homeless animals simply by walking your dog, or just yourself? When you use the WoofTrax app during your walk or run, your logged miles will turn into a donation to benefit the pets in our care. Simply install the free Android or iPhone app, select the Wood County Humane Society as your chosen shelter, and go! You can select the organization you are walking for in the setup tab of the app for iPhone users, or in the settings menu for Android users. Thank you for your support! IN THE LIBRARY... By MARY BOONE Public Relations Coordinator, Wood Co. District Public Library Whether you’re looking for a nonfiction book to help welcome a new animal family member or a fiction book with an animal playing a central role in the story, Wood County District Public Library (WCDPL) has many books for you to peruse about all creatures, great and small.* In this first article for Animal Corner, I’d like to suggest a few books and where you’ll (usually!) find them on the library’s bookshelves. erally taken of the author’s last name. On the other hand, fiction at the library is generally shelved by the author’s last name. For instance, if you want to follow the adventures of Bunnicula, James Howes’ book about a mysterious rabbit, look in the Children’s Place fiction collection under “Howe.” Looking for Richard Adams’ beloved novel, Watership Down (also with rabbits, but of a sort other than Bunnicula)? Look in the adult fiction collection under Adams. To help your family and your new animal companion adapt to one another, try one of these books from the library’s nonfiction collections: Sometimes there will be exceptions to these “rules” regarding how a book is shelved. If you’re not finding a book where you expect it to be shelved, ask a librarian to help you. We’re eager to help find books you’ll love and love sharing. The Adopted Dog Bible by Kim Saun- See you at the library! ders (636.7 S). Found in the Adult Nonfiction collection at the library, Saunders’ book addresses issues of choosing, training, and caring for a shelter or rescue dog. The Itty Bitty Kitty Committee by Laurie *PS Want to read James Herriot’s wonderful All Creatures Great and Small about a young vet’s experiences in Yorkshire during the 1930s? It’s at 636.089 H, in the Adult Nonfiction collection. Cinotto (636.8 Cin). Written for juvenile readers, the publisher describes this book as “a fun guide to all things kitten.” The Complete Care of Baby Animals: Expert Advice on Raising Orphaned, Adopted, or Newly Bought Kittens, Puppies, Foals, Lambs, Chicks, and More by C.E. Spaulding and Jackie Clay (636.089 Spa). This book is also located in the Adult Nonfiction collection. There are many, many more animal related nonfiction books at the library. Regardless of whether you’re browsing the adult or children’s nonficiton areas of the library, generally you’ll want to look amongst the shelves labeled with the Dewey decimal number starting “636.” You may have noticed in the books above a single letter or series of letters in the Dewey decimal number. Those letters are gen- On Thursday, October 30, 2014, we hosted A Humane Halloween: Howl at the Humane Society. This family-friendly, Halloween-themed event featured food, fun activities, and animals. This event coincided with the annual trick-or-treat hosted by downtown Bowling Green businesses.