Teen Tracks Newsletter Fall 2012 - Arizona Animal Welfare League

Fall 2012
Inside this issue:
My Teen Track Experience
2
Stellar Service
3
Pick of the Litter
Artist’s Corner
3
4-6
Ask a Curator
7
For Your Consideration
8-9
Things to Remember
10
Dog’s Best Friend
Dogs are faithful companions to
humans; they are loyal, obedient
and completely devoted to their
owners. They are constantly seeking their owner’s approval, so
when people abuse and neglect
these faithful companions the animals is left confused and without
hope. Dogs are more than just
pets, they are the one thing in this
world that can inspire and transform anyone. They are very social
and loving; no matter what a dog
Alexis Hatton; oil on canvas
appears to be on the outside,
whether that is aggressive or submissive, underneath that exterior is a being who is
looking for someone to love them. Dogs show more love and affection then most animals and when they are that wholeheartedly devoted to someone, all they want in
return is your love.
www.aawl.org/ED
Abused, neglected and injured dogs are left to fight for their lives every day; they are
constantly in need of the support of others. Six to eight million dogs and cats are
Education Department
euthanized each year, but a drastic number of these lives could be saved if people re30 North 40th Place
Phoenix, AZ 85034
alized how valuable these companions are. My painting not only symbolizes one type
of animal abuse, but it also holds the abusers responsible for their cruelty. To stand by
Phone: 602-273-6852 x122
and watch a dog wither away is severe torture that no one should have to suffer
Fax: 602-275-3610
through. Animals deserve a lifetime of happiness and adoration; without them we
Email: education@aawl.org
would be without our ticket to sheer joy and complete devotion. So do you plan to sit
on the sidelines and watch or will you be Man’s Best Friend?
- Alexis Hatton
Page 2
Volume 5, Issue 2
My Teen Track Experience
Teen Tracks is a once in a lifetime experience. There is more to the program than just trainings and
keeper care. I spend most of my 2012 summer helping out at Arizona Animal Welfare League’s
summer camps! It was an amazing experience I worked with a wide variety of kid ages 6-14. Not
only did I receive more experience handling the education animals but I also developed better people and leadership skills. I have also received many hours of community service from summer
camps, which will help me when applying for scholarships and jobs. Teen Tracks has opened a
number of doors for me now and in my future. Working AAWL’s summer camps has helped me in
numerous ways and I look forward to working again this summer.
- Kendra Wardon
I decided to join Teen Tracks my eighth grade year and it’s probably been one my best decisions. I’m now a sophomore and in my 4th semester at Teen Tracks. I wanted to get involved in teen tracks originally because, of course, I
love animals; I thought it would be a great way to get hands-on experience with animals of all kinds. It has far exceeded my expectations; I’ve gotten to handle and bond with so many different types of animals, from rabbits and ferrets to Madagascar hissing cockroaches. Every Saturday I know that I’ll be doing something fun with animals; we’ve
done so many great things it’s hard to name all of them. Some of my personal favorite activities are learning new animal handling skills, taking the dogs on walks, and planning and teaching Kid’s Club. My all time favorite would have to
be cleaning the mammal room, which may not seem like it would be my favorite, but after you’re done cleaning you
get to hold the mammal of whatever cage you cleaned for a while. I absolutely love holding the ferrets. Another thing
that I’ve loved about Teen Tracks is the advisors. Just like at school, how you feel about the class your taking depends
a lot on the teacher you have; Teen Tracks is the same way and I wouldn’t want any other teachers. Rachel, Shannon,
and Adam are three of the best; they all have unique and kind personalities that put everyone at ease and help everyone learn better. More than just working with animals, Teen Tracks has given me other
skills and strengths. One of the things I really appreciated them teaching me was public
speaking, which almost everyone struggles with at some level. We give animal presentations in front of groups and it really has increased my confidence. Another great thing
about Teen Tracks is that no one is judged there for any reason. Being in high school, people tend to get judged quite a bit, but it’s nice to have a place to go to every week and not
have to worry about any of that. Teen Tracks has been incredibly rewarding for me and I
look forward to working with the animals at future semesters at the Arizona Animal Welfare League.
- Maria Dooling
My family and I first heard about AAWL from some friends. We checked it out one day and found that
it was really cool. The cats and dogs were adorable and we got to learn a little bit about the shelter. A
few years later I did a summer program with my friend and we loved it. We got to learn about exotic
animals, play with the cats and dogs, and other fun things. That summer we were informed about a
program that they do called Teen Tracks. They told us it was for kids ages 13 through 17 which
teaches how to handle animals, train and exercise them, how to tell what an animal is feeling, and
signs of stress. You learn how to present animals, and just how to give presentations in general. You
also get to help out around the shelter. Now that I am 13, I was selected to do the program and it is
really fun. It is only my first semester at Teen Tracks and I do not have a lot of experience, but I have learned a ton
about dogs and cats, exotic pets such as ferrets, guinea pigs, mice, and reptiles. Even though the program is only on
Saturdays, every time I go I can expect to have an awesome time. I have made new friends, built confidence, learned a
lot about animals, and have gained experience working with them. Teen Tracks is an amazing program that is fun for
everyone and I can say for myself that it’s a blast.
- Harrison Rooney
Page 3
Volume 5, Issue 2
Stellar Service
The Teen Trackers Visit Wild at Heart
On November 17, 2012 AAWL’s Teen Track program took the long drive to Wild at Heart Bird of Prey Rescue in North
Scottsdale for a service day. Teens (and a parent too!) started right away clearing desert brush around the property,
disposing cut branches, digging holes, planting and painting. They worked diligently through the morning hours and
helped the organization a great deal. Bob, CEO of the facility, wanted to personally thank each and every teen and let
them know what a big difference they truly made. Thank you for your wonderful service and we can’t wait to go back
again in the future!
Pick of the Litter
You Gotta Love Ollie
Ollie is an energetic, loving 2 year old shepherd mix who has been at the shelter
since early May 2012. I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Ollie by participating in AAWL’s “Champion” program. I am Ollie’s champion which means I take him
for outings like for a hike or to the coffee shop and put him up on social media to
get him extra exposure. Ollie absolutely loves people and could spend hours playing tug of war, going for walks/hikes and getting belly rubs. Over 7 months is far
too long for any dog to spend in a shelter and it is important for Ollie to find his forever home as soon as possible. He is
dog social and very trainable—in fact, he is currently enrolled in AAWL’s Headstart program where volunteers and
staff teach basic obedience and good behavior to some of our long-timers. Share Ollie’s profile on Facebook and
Twitter and let friends and family know what a wonderful family pet he is!
- Rachael Gardner
Breed: German Shepherd Mix
Her Royal Highness
Adoption Price: $50.00
Gender: Male
Her Royal Highness, Queenie is looking for Queenie has been at AAWL’s Adoption
her furr-ever home. As soon as you see this cutie you will fall in love with
Center since February of 2011! Consider
her instantly! She loves chin and ear scratches and will let you know
when she’s done. Queenie is a low-maintenance cat who keeps to herself adopting this sweet, spunky lady!
but enjoys being in the same room as her humans. She has no history of
living with dogs so please introduce her slowly if you own a dog. As she is
is not good with other cats, she is recommended for adults only. Queenie
has been at AAWL for a year and was taken in to the shelter on her third
birthday and is not declawed. She needs a good
Breed: Domestic Shorthair
loving home where she will fit in nicely and will
Adoption Price: $50.00
be happy, which I’m sure she will be if you take
Gender: Female
her home!
- Keri Hill
Page 4
Volume 5, Issue 2
Artist’s Corner
"I hope to make people realize how totally helpless animals are, how dependent on us, trusting as a child must that
we will be kind and take care of their
needs. They are an obligation put on us,
a responsibility we have no right to neglect, nor violate by cruelty"
- James Herriot
Nicole with her pup, Casey
Nicole Judge
Upon opening my antique dog encyclopedia recently purchased from a second hand bookstore I found a touching
passage about man’s best friend on the inside cover. The passage was a quote from Senator George Graham Vest,
as a closing argument, for a trial for the killing of a hunting dog by sheep farmers in Missouri in 1869. The passage
reminded me of the companionship a dog can offer and how valuable a pet can be.
- Rachel Godlewski
Eulogy on the Dog “Gentlemen of the jury: The best friend a man has in this world may turn against him and become his enemy. His son or daughter that he has reared with loving care may prove ungrateful. Those who are
nearest and dearest to us, those whom we trust with our happiness and our good name, may become traitors to
their faith. The money that a man has, he may lose. It flies away from him, perhaps when he needs it the most. A
man's reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action. The people who are prone to fall on their
knees to do us honor when success is with us may be the first to throw the stone of malice when failure settles its
cloud upon our heads. The one absolutely unselfish friend that a man can have in this selfish world, the one that
never deserts him and the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous is his dog.
Gentlemen of the jury: A man's dog stands by him in prosperity and in poverty, in health and in sickness. He will
sleep on the cold ground, where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he may be near his
master's side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer, he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounters with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When
all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wings and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his
love as the sun in its journey through the heavens.
If fortune drives the master forth an outcast in the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher
privilege than that of accompanying him to guard against danger, to fight against his enemies, and when the last
scene of all comes, and death takes the master in its embrace and his body is laid away in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there by his graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his
paws, his eyes sad but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true even to death.”
- Senator George Graham Vine
Page 5
Volume 5, Issue 2
Artist’s Corner
There is no way to justify a dogfight; it
is simply the action of a sadistic human with nothing to offer to society
besides their ineptitude and ruthlessness. Trained from birth, these
“fighting dogs” are instructed to attack
everything and anything. They are
stripped of their dignity and their livelihoods for the exclusive enjoyment of
a sick and twisted human. These dogs
are subjected to physical alterations,
such as having their teeth sharpened,
cutting off their ears and docking their
tails. All of these things are exceedingly painful for the dogs to endure
and no dog should be forced to experience such barbaric tortures as these. People have to become the voice of these fighting dogs, for they have none.
People have to fight for these dogs so they don’t have to fight.
This painting symbolizes the way dogs should be treated versus what is happening right under our noses. Dogs
happiness should be a top priority; people don’t enter their children in brutal fights, so what makes it ok to enter
a dog into one? Dogs don’t get a say about who raises them, but people can help to reduce animals’ likelihood of
ending up in such morbid conditions by simply standing up against those who seek to destroy our companion’s
lives. I paint for the sole purpose of ending animal cruelty and injustice, but my works are no match for the shear
magnitude of animal cruelty that takes place everyday and the only way to bring an end to it is to find strength in
numbers and to have enough courage to change their fates.
- Alexis Hatton
A limerick for Brego “everybody stay in a group” Nalley
Brego, who wanted you to follow the rules
He knew what to do and suffered no fools
He would give you a kiss
If something seemed amiss
And was a good dog, worth more than gold or jewels
-Thierra Nalley
(Shannon Nalley’s sister)
Brego & Shannon (Brego passed11/24/2012)
Page 6
Volume 5, Issue 2
Artist’s Corner
Phoebe Sidman
Page 7
Volume 5, Issue 2
Ask a Curator
Q: How long have you been in Teen Tracks?
Phoebe Sidman: I started in the fall semester of 2011.
Kendra Wardon: A year and a half (3 semesters)
Phoebe
Jonathan Rooney: 4 years. Well, 7 semesters, I believe. So actually 3 and a half
years.
Kendra
Jonathan
Q: Why did you decide to be a Teen Tracker?
Kendra Wardon: I remember when I won a week at camp in the summer of 2007 from Bear Essentials News. I
thought it was so cool that the teens got to interact with the animals and I knew from that point that when I was
old enough I wanted to join. I had actually been volunteering with a family friend who was an AAWL volunteer at
the time. Meaning that I was actually involved in volunteering before I started Teen Tracks. That is why I joined
Teen Tracks.
Q: What is your favorite part of Teen Tracks?
Phoebe Sidman: Umm…there are so many tings that I love about Teen Tracks. From learning about exotic animals and how to handle them, to learning about what really makes a shelter work and also cleaning and helping
out in the actual shelter. And, of course, being with dogs, cats, and exotics. But probably one of my favorite things
is just being with people that have passion as I do. Just being with people that really want to be at the shelter,
want to work with animals, and want to make a difference not only in an animal’s life but also they want to make a
difference in the community’s life.
Q: What’s the craziest experience you had at Teen Tracks?
Jonathan Rooney: Believe it or not, we actually used to have some 20th-century technology at the shelter for
cleaning (i.e., not a broom and a dust pan). If you look deep in the bowling alley, you may find, among the parchment scrolls and leftovers from the last ice age, the defeated remnants of an old Shop Vac. Well, this Shop Vac and
I have a rather long history. When I first arrived in the program, you see, it was already on its last legs. But I am
not the most work-oriented person; when cleaning the rabbit enclosures, as I was apt to do, I frequently resorted
to it to clean to poop off the floor.
Now, if your archeological team has successfully unearthed the remains of which I speak, you’ll find a kink in the
hose. If you know a thing or two about rabbits, you know that they produce copious quantities of poop. If you
have ever used a vacuum, you know that stuff gets sucked up via the hose. And if you know a thing or two about
Murphy, you know that the copious quantities of rabbit poof travelling through the hose rapidly became stuck in
that kink. Now, here’s where Shop Vacs are cool: they have an output as well as an input, so that they can, in theory, serve as foul-smelling blowers when necessary. And I, being the inexperienced 14-year-old I was, removed
the hose and stuck it on the output to clear the jam. Needless to say, this was not the brilliant idea that my 14-year
-old self thought it was. When I inevitably became impatient after several seconds of pointing the hose into the
trash can, I made a mistake that even Elmer Fudd has learned not to make: I looked down the hose.
This was not a good idea.
The shower of rabbit poop that hit me in the face was not the high point of my day, to say the least. In fact, it was
probably the low point of my week. But it was awfully great entertainment, to say the least. I’m not sure that I
have ever quite lived that down. Ask Shannon. She’ll tell you.
Page 8
Volume 5, Issue 2
For Your Consideration
Which Dog is the Smartest of Them All?
An experiment done by Rhiannon Watkins
Coming from a pet owner’s point of view, I know that
many of us often wonder exactly how much smarts our
furry friends have? It is a topic that I hear come up often
in conversations about pets. I always hear about dogs
that sound like four-legged Einsteins and then there are
the ones that are just better at looking pretty. Yet the
real question is, who does have the smartest dog? Is my
dog really as smart as I think he is? Which dog is the
smartest of them all?
The data I collected through performing the tests on each of four
dogs is as follows, starting with
my own dog:
Rhiannon Watkins owns a sevenyear-old male dog named Dakota. Dakota is a Brittney Spaniel
mix, whose breed ranks #19 on
the Dog Intelligence List. He
refused to perform the paw
Rhiannon with Dakota
preference test and would not
sit still during the Social Learning test so his results on
For my school science experiment, I decided to focus on Interpreting Gestures may be a little off. However, Dakota completed the tests with the following scores: 1
dog intelligence. My dog has proven to be very intelliout of 5 in Interpreting Gestures, 5 out of 5 in Language
gent in the time I have owned him. He memorizes cerComprehension, 7 out of 10 in Problem Solving, 4 out of
tain times specific to routine and even acknowledges
my emotions. Not to mention, he has found a way to get 5 in Short Term Memory, and 2 out of 3 in Spatial Perout of every cage and crate that we have put him in, in- ception. Dakota’s overall score was a 19/Medium.
cluding those of the professional doggy day care! Therefore, I decided to compare my dog’s intelligence to that Michael Naughton owns a two-year-old female dog
named Katie. Katie is a mix between a Border Collie
of the dogs that my friends own.
(rank #1) and a Bernese Mountain Dog (rank #22). The
Before starting the experiment, I made a prediction and results may not be completely accurate because Katie
created my hypothesis: If I test the intelligence of my dog was shy of strangers and because of her fear, was hesitant and stubborn when completing the tests. Conseand others, then my dog will have the highest score. I
quently, she refused to perform the paw preference test
completed some preliminary research to put together
and the others required some encouragement. Katie
what tests I would use to test each dog’s intelligence.
completed the tests with the following scores: 1 out of 5
in Interpreting Gestures, 1 out of 5 in Language ComI came up with a total of seven tests to put the dogs
through that could test not only their IQ, but certain as- prehension, 4 out of 10 in Problem Solving, 5 out of 5 in
pects of it. These aspects included problem solving, in- Short Term Memory, and 2 out of 3 in Spatial Perception. Katie’s overall score was a 13/Medium. http://
terpreting gestures, spatial perception, short term
petrix.com/dogint/intelligence.html
memory, and language comprehension. I even tested
paw preference, which can hint towards a dog’s personality. The tests the dogs were put through were as follows: Is the Treat Still There? (Problem Solving), Drop
the Treat (Spatial Perception), Hide and Seek (Short
Term Memory), Social Learning (Interpreting Gestures),
Name Calling (Language Comprehension), Towel Teaser
Test (Problem Solving), Paw Preference Test
(Personality). Points were assigned according to each
dog’s results and the scoring was as follows: 4-12 =
Low, 13-21 = Medium, 22-28 = High.
Jamie Kazal owns two female Doberman Pinschers, the
first being a 7-month-old puppy called Piper. The Doberman Pinscher ranks #5 on the Dog Intelligence List.
Piper was an extremely energetic dog who was very
treat motivated and wasn’t fully trained. She was the
perfect pupil, doing every test as long as she got a treat
out of it. Upon completing the Paw Preference Test it
was proved that Piper has a left paw preference, which
could hint towards a creative mind. Piper completed the
Page 9
Volume 5, Issue 2
For Your Consideration
tests with the following scores: 5 out of 5 in Interpreting Gestures, 3 out of 5 in Language Comprehension, 10
out of 10 in Problem Solving, 4 out of 5 in Short Term
Memory, and 3 out of 3 in Spatial Perception. Piper’s
overall score was a 25/High.
haps may lead to new experiments in the future. Looking at the wide difference in scores of Jamie Kazal’s two
Doberman Pinschers, I wonder if age has anything to do
with dog intelligence. If another experiment were to be
done, I would suggest that results are recorded from
larger group of dogs and averaged by breed or age.
Jamie Kazal’s other dog is also a female Doberman Pinscher, an 11-year-old dog named Mackay. Mackay was
not very treat motivated at all, and required a lot of encouragement to perform the tests. The Paw Preference
Test showed that Mackay seemed to be ambidextrous.
Mackay completed the tests with the following scores: 1
out of 5 in Interpreting Gestures, 3 out of 5 in Language
Comprehension, 4 out of 10 in Problem Solving, 4 out of
5 in Short Term Memory, and 2 out of 3 in Spatial Perception. Mackay’s overall score was a 14/Medium.
Are you interested in testing your own pet’s intelligence? Please feel free to visit my sources and complete
your own experiment! The second link even includes
intelligence tests for other pets like birds and cats! All
my research came from the following websites:
http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/
project_ideas/MamBio_p012.shtml?
from=Home#summary
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/pets/testyourp
et/flat_alternative.shtml
After completing my experiment, I found that my dog
was in fact not the most intelligent out of those I tested.
http://www.abc.net.au/animals/dog_test/default.htm
Dakota scored a 19, compared to Piper’s high score of
25. While my dog may be quite the escape artist, he is
http://www.dogtraining.com/training/?cat=99
not the most intelligent dog among those of my circle of
friends. My study has led to further questions that per-
Cats and Witchcraft: Origins of the Halloween Kitty
The Black Cat and The Black Death: The slaughter of millions of cats during Halloween time
can be contributed to the belief that they were evil and would bring bad luck. Christians believed that witches could change their form, and that cats were their reincarnations. Women
who happened to keep them as pets for companionship were executed on suspicion of witchcraft.
Ironically, the mass murder of these felines caused a rapid increase in the rat population, thus allowing the Black
Plague to spread rapidly through Europe. Rats were excellent carriers of the infectious fleas that harbored the illness, and many people died.
Those who had kept cats in their home had a greater chance of not concocting the plague, which caused people to
fear these so-called witches even more.
Origins of Halloween: Halloween began as an ancient Celtic festival that marked the “death” of summer, and the
transition into autumn. The Celtic Druids believed that spirits were free to roam the Earth because the veil between living and dead was at it thinnest on this night. When Christianity conquered the pagans, the ritual of Samhain (Celtic Halloween) was abolished and instead the Christians participated in All Hallow’s Eve. Convinced that
souls in purgatory were released during this time, Christians would go door to door and pray for the lost souls
and keep Satan away. The Celtics soon were viewed as witches, celebrating the arrival of the devil, and thousands
of innocent people were killed in what is known today as the Salem Witch Trials.
Present Day: During Halloween, and generally the month of October, black cats are very rarely mutilated. Just in
case, many owners of black cats will keep their precious feline friends indoors during the festivities.
-Sarah Ritter
Page 10
Volume 5, Issue 2
HANDS-ON VETERINARY CAREER EXPLORATION PROGRAM
Introducing: Jr. Vet Experience
We are proud to offer a brand new series
for students in 9th-12th grade. This Veterinary career exploration program is a
hands-on, fun, and interactive experience.
This series is designed to offer your future
vet a real life look in to the world of veterinary medicine.
January 19, 2013 (1:303:30pm) $40
class dates
February 9, 2013
(1:30-3:30pm) $40
February 23, 2013
(1:30-3:30pm) $45
Attend all five monthly courses in the
series and receive a certificate of completion (looks great on college applications).
March 9, 2013
(1:30-3:30pm) $40
March 11, 12, 18, 19, 2013
VISIT WWW.AAWL.ORG FOR MORE INFORMATION
(10am-12pm) $40
To register call 602-273-6852 x.122 or 121
Online: aawl.org
Things to Remember
Upcoming Dates:
New Teen Application Deadline: January 5, 2013
First Day and Orientation for New Teens: January 19, 2013
Spring Break Jr. Camp Counselor positions open: March 11-15, 2013
See you in the spring!
Have a good idea for the newsletter?
Do you have a brilliant idea for future Teen Track Times or want to get more involved in creating
art, success stories or other interesting pieces? E-mail all submissions to Rachael Gardner at
rgardner@aawl.org or call 602-273-6852 ext. 122 if you have questions.