Help choose this year`s American iDog!

Please renew your
membership TODAY
We need your continued
support to help homeless
pets in Vernon County.
See page 3 for membership
details.
Shelter Wish List
Lockers
Van to transport animals
Bleach
Bathroom mirror
Clip boards
File cabinet
Cleaning supplies
Paper towels
Toilet paper
Dog and cat toys
Dog and cat treats
Dog travel crates
Gas cards
Hair dryer for grooming
TV/DVD Player
Help choose this year's American iDog!
VCHS is in the middle of its first Annual Dog
Show, and we need your help. This is how it works.
At our Dog Days of Summer Celebration in June,
dogs and their owners came and entered the Show.
There were various categories, like Cutest, Ugliest,
Owner/Dog Look Alike, etc. With the owner’s $5
entrant fee they received 6 ballots. They became
entrants and judges at the same time. We sold
ballots to others in the crowd for $1 each or 6 for $5. The Dog Show was a lot of fun,
but it didn't end there. Photos were taken of the entrants, and put on display in the
Lobby of the Shelter. Ballots again are offered to anyone wanting to vote for their
favorites. Late entrants also came in and were added to the display. The final
opportunity for you to get involved will be at our booth at the Vernon County Fair.
Here’s how you can help.
• Come and visit us at the Shelter and at our Fair Booth
• Buy some Ballots, look at the Photos on display, and Vote
• Encourage your families, friends, and neighbors to do the same
We have kittens!
_____________________________
VCHS Tails
Published by the Vernon County
Humane Society, Inc.
Send suggestions, submissions
and questions to:
Editor
VCHS Tails
Vernon County Humane Society
1150 Nelson Parkway
Viroqua, WI 54665
Call us: (608) 637-6955
Fax us: (608) 637-6775
Email us: vchs@vchumane.org
www.vchumane.org
© 2006, Vernon County
Humane Society, Inc.
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Help us choose this year’s American iDog!
Vernon County Humane Society
1150 Nelson Parkway
Viroqua, WI 54665
INSIDE:
La Farge . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Vol. of the Month . . . . . .1
Puppies . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Online Store . . . . . . . . .2
Volunteer . . . . . . . . . . .2
Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
American iDog . . . . . . .4
“Until one has loved an animal, a
part of one’s soul remains
unawakened.”
~ Anatole France
Listen to Critter Chatter
on 102.3 WVRQ-FM
for news and information
about dogs, cats, and other
companion animals. The
show also discusses VCHS
related topics and is hosted by Anne Zastrow, our
new Executive Director.
Listen every Friday at
12:35 p.m.
Board meetings are
open to the public
Please consider attending
our monthly board of
directors meetings to
learn more about shelter
operations and plans for
the future. Everyone is
welcome. Meetings are the
third Monday of each
month at WWTC in downtown Viroqua.
If you find a stray...
Remember, when you find
a stray dog or cat, call the
Vernon County Sheriff’s
Department (or your local
law enforcement) FIRST.
While VCHS receives
many strays from throughout the county, the Animal
Control Officer works for
and is directed by the
Sheriff’s Department.
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VERNON
COUNTY
HUMANE
SOCIETY
Tails
AUTUMN 2006
Dedicated to the welfare and protection of all companion and domestic animals by promoting
programs that benefit the health, safety and well-being of all residents of Vernon County.
La Farge Children
Make Blankets for
Shelter Pets
As a summer Library
project, children gathered
from the LaFarge area to
make blankets for the shelter
animals. It was heartwarming to see that they
took time out of their busy
summer plans to give to the animals. Many blankets had names attached to them for
specific pets that they had either seen at the shelter or on www.Petfinder.com. It is
truly wonderful to see such acts of selflessness and generosity for the homeless
animals of Vernon County. Thank you so much!!!
Thank You to New Volunteers of the Month
APRIL ~ STACEY NYE
MAY ~ KELSEY BRITTON
JUNE ~ DOREEN BRUEGGEMAN
JULY ~ LON WHITTAKER
Volunteers receive a Gift Card from Culvers Restaurant. Stop by the shelter and
pick up your card! We appreciate your efforts!
Stork Report: 9 Puppies
The Vernon County Humane Society announces the arrival of a
new litter of puppies. Nine bouncy, healthy puppies were born to
Nyssa, an American Pit Bull Terrier/Vizla mix on July 14, 2006. There
are 4 boys and 5 girls. Three are black, 3 chocolate, and 3 yellow. It
looks like the father of the pups may be a Labrador Retriever.
Nyssa is a Greek name so all of the puppies have Greek names
too: Nikkos, Tyrone, Callista, Phila, Arista, Dimitri, Daria, Olympia, and
Triton. Read about Nyssa and the puppies on our web page at www.vchumane.org
under available pets. Stop by the shelter during open hours to play with the puppies
and pick out your favorite to take home. They will be ready to go to their new homes
on or around September 9. Our sweet Nyssa needs a very special fur-ever home too!
PET POISON WARNING:
Products Sweetened
with Xylitol Can Be
Toxic To Dogs
The ASPCA Animal Poison Control
Center (APCC) has issued a warning to pet owners that xylitol, a
sweetener found in many sugarfree products, can cause serious
problems for companion canines.
“Last year, we managed more than
170 cases involving xylitol,” says
the APCC’s Dana Farbman, CVT.
“This is a significant increase from
2004, when we managed about
70.” And in the first half of 2006,
toxicologists have already handled 114 cases.“It’s difficult to say
why there's such an increase,"
says Farbman.“Xylitol products
are relatively new to the United
States marketplace, so one possibility may be an increase in availability."
Dogs ingesting significant
amounts of items sweetened with
xylitol could develop a fairly sudden drop in blood sugar, resulting
in depression, loss of coordination
and seizures. Signs can develop
quite rapidly, sometimes less than
half an hour after ingestion.
It was previously thought that only
large concentrations of xylitol
resulted in problems—but new
data is beginning to disprove this.
“We seem to be learning new
information with each case we
manage,” says APCC veterinary
toxicologist Dr. Eric Dunayer.“We
also have begun to see problems
developing from ingestions of
products with lesser amounts of
this sweetener.”
Reprinted from www.aspca.org
VCHS Collects
PRINTER CARTRIDGES
and CELL PHONES
to raise money
Take a recycling box to work,
and return it to VCHS when
full of used cell phones and
printer cartridges. Collect
from work, family, friends!
VCHS will earn $4 to $12 for
each item. Help us raise money
for homeless pets, and help
save the environment too!!!
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Mug, $13.99
Raglan Tee, $19.99
Tshirt, $16.99
Capsleeve Tee,
$17.99
Order VCHS Logo Gear at the New Online Store
The Vernon County Humane Society has a new Online Store on the Cafepress web
site. To visit the store, go to the VCHS home page, www.vchumane.org, and click on the
“Online Store” link in the left column of navigation.You will be transported to a new
page on CafePress that features garments, bags, and other logo merchandise. Each
order is made to your specifications and shipped out within 2 days. A wide range of sizes
and colors is available.With each order placed, a small sum is donated to the Humane
Society.
Cafepress has a 100% no-questions-asked guarantee and online payments with
credit cards are secured with the newest technologies. Millions of users praise Cafepress
for their service and professionalism. Go ahead and give it a try!
Please Volunteer at the Shelter
VCHS has a wonderful volunteer group
comprised of caring, thoughtful individuals. They
selflessly donate their time to comfort, groom,
and care for the numerous animals who come to
the shelter.
VOLUNTEER NEEDS:
There are various volunteer opportunities;
Foster Coordinator
from walking dogs (Puppy Peddlers), to helping
Dog Walkers
Cat
Cuddlers
visitors choose which animal they would like to
Shelter Office Helpers
make a part of their family (House Hunters).
Mowing Grass/Landscaping
These are just a few of the fun and enjoyable
Download our
volunteer opportunities available!
Volunteer Information Form at
Volunteering is a wonderful way to spend
www.vchumane.org/volunteer.shtml
some quality family time together. Children are
encouraged to volunteer at any age. Those who
are under the age of 13 must be accompanied by
a parent, 13+ can volunteer without a parent with a signed consent form.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please contact the shelter at
(608)-637-6955, leave a message, and the volunteer coordinator will contact you.
Volunteer forms are also available on the shelter's web site www.vchumane.org and
Do good & feel the love.
can be e-mailed to vchs@vchumane.org.
There are many tasks involved in finding these animals a "fur-ever" home and we
appreciate any and all help you are willing to donate! Without volunteers, and their
gifts of time and help, we could not meet or accomplish the goal of placing these
animals in a healthy and safe environment!
“Black Dogs Rule!” Adoptathon on
Sat., Sept. 16 at the Fair
VCHS will be having
their annual fundraising
event on February 24,
2007. Stay tuned for
exciting details.
MASON, SEBASTIAN, DUNCAN, EMMY, KENAI, CYRESS,
MORT, VELVET, EMERSON, DUDLEY, and ASH are looking for
“fur-ever” homes. What do they all have in common? Black
labs and mixes! Black labs are the most popular or numerous
dog in America, according to some sources. With glossy
black fur, black dogs LOOK like good watch dogs, even if they
are just “teddy bears.” Plus, they don’t show much dirt!
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Vernon County Fair, you can
adopt a new black-furred cuddle-bug and get a free doggie
gift bag and a $25 adoption discount. Look for the big white canopy midway
Fairgrounds Road, on the north side of the road.
“We give dogs time we can spare,
space we can spare, and love we
can spare. And in return, dogs
give us their all. It’s the best deal
man has ever made.”
~M. Acklam
Halloween Dance on Fri., Oct. 27,
at Main Street Station
The Vernon County Humane Society
will be having a SPOOKTACULAR
fundraising event for the whole family on
Fi., Oct. 27, at Main Street Station located at
215 S. Main Street in Viroqua. Spooks and
spectors will start to gather at 6:00 p.m. for
music, karaoke, games, food, and a costume
contest at 8:00 p.m. Come have a haunting
good time and help us raise money for the
homeless animals of Vernon County.
Adopt Me
“Always be kind, for everyone is
fighting a hard battle.”
~Plato
It’s time to think ahead to your support plans in the coming year. Please support VCHS in
2007! We need you!!! Help us continue our important work to relieve suffering for
homeless pets in your neck of the county.
VCHS 2007 Membership Pledge Card
Donor Name(s): ________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print the name as it should be on the gift acknowledgement.)
Address: ________________________________________________________________________________________
Adopted!
Please mail this 2007
Membership Pledge Card and
your payment to:
Vernon County Humane
Society, Inc.
1150 Nelson Parkway
Viroqua, WI 54665
City: ____________________________________________________________________________________________
State: ____________________________________________________________
Zip: ____________________
Choose Your Level of Membership
Individual: $20
Business: $100
Youth: $10
Family: $30
Senior Citizen: $15
Lifetime: $250
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