Another Happy Homecoming

Cyrus -- WARL alum --tells Maggie that he is thrilled to be part of the family!

"He's so big," was a frequent comment heard when people looked in the den and saw Cyrus (formerly known as Thor and Big Foot).   Lucky for this big-hearted shepherd, there are people who are looking for BIG, goofy dogs.   Staff love getting updates from adoptees.  I was going to excerpt the report from Cyrus' new person, but could not decide which  paragraph or sentence to leave out.  It's all so good.  So here is nearly the entire text. 
Cyrus' doggie brother (Toby-"the boss"-pug) and sister (Maggie-"the playmate"-labradoodle)keep him very busy, his dad does a great job with his exercise, and our afternoon dog walking team wear him out (for awhile anyway). He spends his evenings stalking me around the house, licking the dishes in the dishwasher clean (gross) and carrying his stuffed moose who now (sadly) has one antler left.


 He enjoys a simmering energy with the cats who he would love to chase (unfairly of course-mom and dad say "no"), so he settles on glaring at them with a twinkle in his eyes every chance he gets. He enjoys invading the bathroom when it is occupied, stealing any shoe not put away in the closets (I love this because we all seem to be putting our shoes away more often now), learning to unscrew the top of a peanut butter jar (we still don't know how he did it), laying in the sun and dozing, sprawling on "his" couch, tucking his nose under his tail when he sleeps, and gently laying his nose against your knee in a really sweet "I'm here with you partner" kind of gesture.

He LOVES children and will try and make himself smaller and less threatening to every child he meets so they will come pet him. In fact, while hiking in a creek he rolled over for four small children to pet his belly and ended up putting his nose underwater and practically drowned as a result. He didn't seem to care though as the children now felt sorry for him and gave him even more attention (I think it was staged).  He apparently also enjoys coffee as he stole mine today and got completely amped on caffeine (note to self-no coffee for the dogs).


 He is an all around comical, soulful, playful, generous, spirited, gentle and kind family member that we will cherish and love (and laugh at-often).
Can't wait to hear more about the adventures of Cyrus, Maggie & Toby!

Name That Cat Toy

 Cat toys can be very expensive. BUT, cat toys are also easy to make. See Klaus playing with my yet to be named cat toy. All it is a pom pom and a bell covered in a scrap of material. I bunched the material together and tied it with a long piece of sewing ribbon. I tied a second bell onto the dangling piece of ribbon. AND, I curled an orange pipe cleaner and wrapped that into the ribbon. Presto -- a cat toy! The entire thing was made with craft supplies and scraps on hand. Maybe it cost $.20 in materials. That's it.   By the way, Klaus would like to play with this and other toys in a new home

Flying with Four-Footed Friends -- Forget It!

An article in the Washington Post's Sunday travel section profiled Pet Airways, an airline dedicated solely to the safe travel of animals.  But, the more newsworthy statistic printed, in my opinion,  was this -- "Since May 2005, the Department of Transportation has collected monthly data  from airlines on pet incidents.  Through August 2010, the total was 154 pets who died, 63 injured and 38 lost."  Animals traveling are stowed in their carriers in the cargo hold -- imagine traveling in a dark, loud cargo area, without anyone to oversee your trip.   That's what the founders of Pet Airways did, and then they created an airline that transports just animals -- two-footed passengers have to find their own means of transportation! 

Years ago, I flew with my cat, Sidney, from Tallahassee, Florida to Miami.  Sid was in a carrier tucked securely under my seat.    The man behind me sneezed the entire trip.   After a several hour delay, due to fog, Sidney and I, along with the sneezing passenger, arrived safely at our destination.  What if she had been cooped up in the cargo area for, not only the duration of the 90 minute trip, but the extra ground-hold as well?

Joe Yonan's article brought back memories of a very interesting trip, and made me realize how lucky my my animals have been -- none of them, after that flight with Sidney, have ever had to travel by air.     In fact, if it were up to Nigel ,he'd travel by car 24 hours a day.

Prescott Has a Computer, a Real Bed and His Very Own Person in His Forever Home!

It's always wonderful to get an update, especially when the update is from an office buddy. 
Things are going very well so far. Prescott is the star of the house. Everyone loves him and the feeling seems to be mutual. He likes his new toys and sleeping on my bed with me. He's actually cuddling with me right now. He also seems to have a strange fondness for my laptop. He likes to lick the base right beneath the keyboard. I think he will love living here and we will all love to have him here! I've also attached a few pictures that I've taken of him so far. Thanks so much giving me a chance to bond with this wonderful animal!



Maybe someone should call WAMU-88.5's Animal House and ask Dr. Gary why Prescott licks the computer.



Cool Book for Want To Be Veterinarians and Others Who Care About Animals

Did you know that a dog's normal heart rate is 80-120 beats per minute?  Does a cat's heart beat faster or slower?  What about a small bird's?   Those answers are in a wonderful resource, ER Vets -- Life in an Animal Emergency Room by Donna M. Jackson.  The book is filled with many critical-care cases coupled with graphic pictures, including one of a cat who had a piercing arrow in her abdomen.  The cats, dogs, birds, bunnies, SNAKES, and other animals were all treated at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Colorado State University.   You'll learn Emergency room codes like -- FB (foreign body -- something odd showing up on an x-ray like a needle, cell phone or rubber duck); BDLC (Big dog, little cat: a big dog attacked a little cat); and CHF (Congestive Heart Failure).  Wat do you think HBC stands for?  There's information on toxic treats -- many of us know that chocolate is bad for dogs and cats, but did you know that onions are harmful, too.  The book suggests items for an animal first aid kit, addresses the history of veterinary medicine, and offers resources for where to go for more information.   A school , classroom and personal library must have!

Tsu Tsu -- A Quiet Kitty Looking for Just the Right Forever Home

Prescott relocated to his forever home over the weekend.  I'm certain that he is busy organizing his five human roommates and making himself right at home -- googling and answering the phone.     My office is cat-less for the time being -- it gives Nigel a chance to come to work with me.  However, I did have a temporary border over the weekend.  Tsu Tsu spent some quality time chilling and enjoying her time as an only office cat.  However, I told her that I could not offer her an office placement at this time.  She needs to work her charms on visitors to the cat room.    She is one of those under-the-radar cats.  At first glance a visitor might just walk right by her condo, but spend some time with Tsu-Tsu and you will be charmed by this sweet, mellow beauty.

I'm incredibly busy today, so Prescott has volunteered to take all messages. He's a very resourceful cat and would make someone a wonderful companion!!! Prescott definitely prefers two-legged friends to four.

Prescott is Keeping Busy

Prescott is a very curious cat.  What he doesn't know he'll find out. He's on my desk right now rearranging my rubber band collection -- I think he may have done that all weekend, things looked a little out of place this morning.   

He's extremely bright too.   I just got the book, Why Do Cat Have Whiskers, and as soon as I put it down, Prescott delved  into it.   I think he's looking for an answer to the question, "Why haven't I been adopted?" 

Prescott the Personal Assistant

Have you ever thought what it would be like to have a personal assistant who could do your homework, answer emails or keep you company during the work day?  Well, Prescott has assumed that role in my office.  He's now in charge of screening calls, deleting spam and making sure that I stay on task.

Meet Prescott

Meet purring Prescott, my newest office pal.  He wasn't having such a good time in the cattery.  Too many top cats running around.  Prescott can get overwhelmed by playful kittens and persnickety adult cats.  So when adoptions staff said Prescott would thrive in a quieter space, my office was the logical spot.  And, does he ever thrive!  He's upside down next to the key pad right now.   It's hard for me to concentrate over the loud vibrating motor sound that is coming from Prescott's purr box.   He's happy to see me when I come in, but he's also happy to see anyone who comes in.  He doesn't play favorites -- Prescott is truly a people cat, what he needs now is his very own person.  

Welcome Home Charlie!

Ahhh, Finally a really comfy spot!



I suggest we share!



Charlie, the cat formally known as Bruno, has settled nicely into his new home.   It didn't take him long to decide that he would KEEP the people who adopted him.   He has graciously allowed one of his new people to photograph him in his new surroundings as a way of assuring us at the League, that after nearly nine months of living at the shelter, he has really and truly moved on and is HOME.  



Go ahead, take another picture!

Jubilee Adopted Too!

It was a great week at the League.  Little Jubilee, the kitten with the misshapen leg, was adopted.   She has never given a second thought to her leg -- she romps,climbs and jumps at full speed.  She loves to play AND she went home with another kitten.  I hope her forever home sends progress reports!

ADOPTED!!!

Bruno spent nine months in the cattery and just one week in my office. 
I came in this morning and the sign on my door announcing Bruno's residency said ADOPTED!  His new people are very lucky, they are now sharing their home with one super terrific cat.  Have a GREAT life Bruno buddy.

Bruno, My Office Buddy -- For Now

Shelters are great.  They house animals temporarily until  permanent homes can be found.   Cats tend to stay in shelters longer than dogs.  Even so, why no one has adopted Bruno is beyond me.   He is a big, handsome boy who believes that the human lap was created for his benefit.  Trouble is, Bruno has not had a consistent human lap in a long time.   He's been at the League for 9 months with no new home prospects in sight.  He was getting really tired of watching other cats and all of the cute, little kittens packing up and moving on, while he's been waiting patiently for his forever home since before the snow storms of 2010.   Last week he made an inner-shelter mover, to my office -- as a foster cat.   I discovered that he has a natural talent for typing. sgdfhgheu7604=kkh,,l -- See, Bruno just typed something in "cat".   If you read it closely, I think it says, Great cat, still seeking the right forever home.  Until great, forever  that home is located, Bruno is welcome to hang out here.   What do you think, Bruno?  xixioxokdjhewlld 11kjoeuirtyonjdf;a.

Back on the Bus!

 Yes, apparently, the dog days of summer are really coming to an end.   The AP Photo by J. Pat Carter shows a couple of happy passengers sitting nicely on the bus heading to Totally Dog Day Center in Miami.  It was just one of those pictures too cute to pass up.  I wonder what bus rules are in place -- No changing seats while the bus is moving, no howling and no paws out the window!?

Check Out the Dogs at the League Via PetFinders Videos

Click on the links to the right, beneath the Friendship challenge -- Watch Joy, Thor, Lilani and Sade!  Not only is it really, really important to  find wonderful homes for the animals who are at the League, but it is really, really important that we give the cats and dog great care while they are staying with us.  And, we do.   You can see some of the dogs enjoying their quality time with staff members.  And, not only do our animals get terrific care, but they, and our staff,  are getting into great shape.  Watch Ryan run with the dogs!

Bruce

Many times Max would prepare for bed, but before he could fluff his pillow or get completely tucked in, there was Bruce.  With one gigantic leap Bruce would claim the center of the bed.  Bruce insisted on a little extra room.  I'd laugh and say, "Thank you, Bruce, for picking us.    Then I'd say, "Max, thank Bruce for picking us."   And, Max would mock,  "Thank you Bruce for  picking us, can you give me little room, please?"    That was our routine.

Deciding Bruce could stay six years ago, when he moved in as a foster cat, was the easy part, knowing that we had to let him die peacefully was hard --  very hard.    His kidneys were deteriorating, he wasn't always eating,  his weight kept dropping, sometimes he just stared off  into space, AND he wasn't jumping  on Max's  bed.  

I will always be grateful that Bruce chose to live with me.  Bruce died Friday, August 20, 2010.  I love you Bruce. 

Bear Cub Battles Human Carelessness

Cathy Connolly's  Associated Press picture of a black bear cub with a plastic container stuck on his head reminds us that our actions can negatively impact others, including  wildlife.  The accompanying article read,  "The clear plastic container was removed from the 6-month-old cub's head after being stuck for at least 10 days. The cub poked its head into the jar when digging through trash in a neighborhood in central Florida. Biologists say the cub was days away from death because the jar made it impossible to eat or drink. The team had to tranquilize the mother bear and then grab the cub to remove the jar from the bear's head."  It's really amazing  that the cub survived. 

Jubilee Needs a Home!

Cute, huh?  Those eyes, that little black smudge on her head.  Jubilee is the kitten who spent the night at my house last month.  Never did I think that all these weeks later she'd still be waiting at the League for her forever home, but she is.  She's in a window with two friends.  In fact, she's had lots of friends while she's been waiting for someone to notice her and say that she's the one.   That just keeps happening to her window mates.  They get adopted and Jubilee keeps growing and living in the window.  Before long, she won't be a cute little kitten, she'll be a teenage cat and then full grown.  They grow up so quickly. 

Trouble is, Jubilee is not perfect.  You can kind of tell from the photo that her back right leg is not quite right.  I don't think Jubilee knows it though.  She runs, plays, jumps  and tackles her window mates nonstop.  She was born with a defective back leg.   It's been examined by veterinarians.  It's even been looked at by specialists, all say it's okay, just looks funny.  And, because Jubilee's leg looks funny, would-be adopters keep choosing her window  mates.  They want a perfect kitten.  I'm really surprised.  I thought someone by now would say, "that's her, I LOVE the kitten with the funny-looking leg!"  Jubilee's ideal home would be one with another cat, so she would have a buddy to romp with and race through the house at top speed and then climb to the back of the tallest chair and dive to the ground.

Doing the Right Thing

Our July 12th FREE pit bull spay/neuter day was such a success, with so many people showing up with their dogs, that we had to schedule several overflow appointments on July 30th.  People were happy to return.  "We believe in being responsible and that means getting our dog neutered," one guardian said as she waited with her big bruiser of a dog.  If only every dog and cat guardian would feel the same.  This is a particulary tough time of year for animal shelters -- puppies and kittens, litter after litter, all needing homes showing up daily.  AND, there are still lots and lots of wonderful, deserving discarded adult cats and dogs anxiously waiting for their opportunity to be placed in forever homes.  

I nominate the  caregivers who brought their pit bulls in for surgery on Friday as my heroes of the week.  Thanks for making sure that your dogs are NOT contributing to the overpopulation crisis.  AND, considering that pit bulls remain one of the most abused and most misunderstood breeds of dogs, those guardians get an extra gold star in my book.

Our next FREE pit bull spay/neuter day is Monday, AUGUST 9th --

• No appointment necessary
• No income or residence restrictions
• Plus FREE rabies, DHPP, and bordatella shots
• Drop off is between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m.  -- Spots often fill up by 8:15 a.m
• Pick-up between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.

Hanging Out with Nigel & Bruce

When Nigel first came to  live with me Bruce made it well known that he had little use for a dog.   However, cats, unlike elephants, must not have good memories because these days, Bruce can often be found parking himself close to Nigel.  Nigel, on the other hand, is not so sure of Bruce's intent.   Even with Bruce being somewhat debilitated by  his failing kidneys, Nigel is not quite at ease with Bruce near by.  Both guys hung out with me at the office the other day.  Bruce, because he needed to receive fluids in the hospital, Nigel because it was too hot, without power, to stay at home. 

The electricity  came back on yesterday.   Today, it's just me and Bruce at the League.  Bet Nigel is resting very comfortably at home.

Big Bruce and the Power Outage

The storm that ripped through the Washington, D.C. area left thousands without power including me.    Cats, including Bruce, like the heat --   he's not complaining.  In fact, he felt pretty good last night and chased the light beam from the flashlight as I walked from one room to the next.   Bruce's burst of energy was a bright spot in a storm that left us in total darkness.

The Story of Slinky, A Dog Who Would have Died.....

I absolutely have to share this story.   Slinky's rescue reminds me that there is evil in the world, but there is good, too.   Some of the pictures are hard to look at.   By the fourth update, Slinky's looking pretty good, and by the fifth, no one would probably guess what this guy went through.  Lucky for Slinky, Jesse was driving by where he was left to die.  

"... This is Slinky, we found him on the side of the road on Mothers Day. Being a Sunday, we had no one to call, so we drove him to the animal emergency here in Catonsville, and they said he was hungry and had worms, but that was it, he wasn't sick or anything.  So we've been fattening him up... slowly.  He's such a precious animal. He sits in our lap, and gives kisses."   From Jesse, Slinky's Hero.

A recent picture of Slinky, two months after his rescue!

FREE Spaying & Neutering for Pit Bulls Brings Caring, Responsible Guardians to the League

Robinson and his friend Cocoa

waited outside this morning for their clinic appointment at our monthly

FREE Pit Bull Spay Neuter Day

Our lobby was full this morning with dogs and their people.  Black and white dogs, gray and white dogs, brown dogs, brown and white dogs, big dogs, medium-sized dogs, and puppies, too.  The dogs had at least three things in common -- all had caring, responsible guardians, all were pit bulls or pit bull mixes, and all were about to be spayed or neutered at our monthly FREE Pit Bull Spay/Neuter surgery day.  Thanks folks for seeing to it that your canine friend is not contributing to the overpopulation problem.  There are way too many animals and not enough homes.  Area shelters already have many dogs, including lots of pit bulls, waiting for forever homes.  To see the dogs currently available at the League, check our our web site www.warl.org

Fred, The Dog Who Made Everyone Smile

Fred, a very beloved dog, passed away over the weekend.  Fred visited students in D.C. schools for more than ten years.  He loved children, particularly children with food in their hands.  Fred was known for eating just about anything.  He was also known for his uncanny ability to find food in places that are typically off limits to dogs -- like the refrigerator.  Children loved Fred's visits; they loved petting him and feeding him, and delighted in hearing stories about Fred's amazing food finds.

Fred was famous.  Last year he was featured not only in the book To The Rescue (see side bar) by Elise Lufkin and Diana Walker, but he's the dog on the cover of the book!   Fred's happy-go-lucky, pet-me, feed-me, easy-going disposition could even been seen in photographs. 


I, like many, many people -- young and not-so-young, in the Washington, D.C. area, and beyond, will miss Fred. 

Oil Still Spewing

The last time I wrote about the BP oil disaster was May 3rd -- still nothing good to report, the oil is still spewing.  Oil balls have been found as far as Florida.  No end is in sight.  The number of dead birds keeps increasing -- even worse, no telling how the birds, and other sea and marsh animals,  who have survived so far will fare.  It's painful to think about, let alone look at the pictures of oil covered pelicans, dead fish and scarred beaches.

British School of D.C. Students Raise Money and Buy Needed Clippers for the League

Students from the British School of D.C. didn't want to just help the animals, they wanted to purchase something very special and very much needed for the Washington Animal Rescue League.  It all started when the students heard League veterinarian, and mother of two British School of D.C. students, Dr. Rebecca Maddinson speak about the League's mission -- to rehab, rehabilitate, and rehome animals.  The School Council, comprised of children from each class, decided that the nearly $500 raised through an  an Easter Egg Hunt for the primary school children of the British School of Washington should go to purchase something useful for the shelter.   They agreed on three pairs of clippers -- useful, practical, and very much needed.  Earlier in the year, the Medical Center's clippers disappeared.   It's impossible to groom extremely matted dogs without the proper tools. 

The British School of D.C.'s Primary School Head Girl, Mina Turunc, & her counterpart, Head Boy Alejandro Di Napoli visited the League to present their very much appreciated gift to the medical center.

Don't Forget to Brush

I admit it.  I don't brush my cats or Nigel's teeth.  And, that's bad.  Dr. Rosen, the League's Medical Center Director, has shown me numerous times how simple it is to brush an animal's teeth.  Just pull  the gum away from the teeth, brush back and forth with yummy chicken flavored toothpaste and finish the job by giving your animal a treat!  Yes, a treat.  Dogs and cats should get a treat after brushing.  Imagine chowing down on a chocolate bar after brushing?  Maybe we would all brush more often.


Well, truth be told, even though I've been shown, and even though the steps sound fairly easy, I don't do it.  And, the result is not pretty.  Each and every one of my three cats end up getting their teeth cleaned at the animal hospital, which means that they have to be put under anesthesia in order to open wide.  Today, stinky breath Merl, not only had his teeth cleaned, but he had several pulled.  Ouch!  Regular brushing probably would have prevented the extractions -- sorry Merl.