SUFA Newsletter

Happy Tails WINTER 2009 • Volume I, Issue 3

Letter from the Board of Directors This year, we have much to be thankful for. In July we opened a new state-of-the-art facility. With the help of this great community, we have built a welcoming place to house our animals and now must continue to provide for all their needs while they await adoption by a loving family.

For our animals, the shelter is a safe refuge. It is a place where they will not suffer and where their medical

T h e o f f i c i a l N ew s l etter o f Sta n d U p F o r Ani m a l s

Schoonmakers’ benevolence generates happiness

S

tand Up For Animals and its Board of Trustees are extremely grateful for the

astounding generosity of James “Ding” and Patrice “Treecie” Schoonmaker, who contributed the funds necessary to purchase and install a generator at the new animal shelter and adoption center.

needs will be attended to with compassionate vet-

With the generator

erinary care. Our volunteers and professionals work

in place, the facility

tirelessly to establish a sense of well-being while helping

can now be an

animals transition into their forever homes with their

emergency shelter

newly adopted families.

for the pets of area

In order to care for those who are granted a second

residents who have

chance at life, SUFA needs to achieve sustainability. We

to evacuate their

must now focus on our true purpose: to promote the

homes during

health and welfare of lost or abandoned pets and to

natural disasters

educate and assist those who care for them.

such as hurricanes.

As the season of giving approaches we hope that you will think of our four-legged friends who depend on us for quality of life. Your support can help them find a loving home, not only for the holidays, but forever!

The SUFA Board of Trustees wishes you and yours a happy and safe holiday season.

SUFA Board President, Larry Hirsch, (center) with James “Ding” and Patrice “Treecie” Schoonmaker

During a tour of the shelter, which

includes a room the Schoonmakers are having named in memory of the six dogs they have owned between them, Ding asked what would happen if electricity to the facility went out. The tour guide for the Schoonmakers, Board President Larry Hirsch, said officials would attempt to rent a generator until a permanent one could be purchased.

Realizing a shelter without electricity would put the animals at risk and could not serve as an emergency facility, Ding and Treecie told Hirsch a donation for the generator would be made through the James M. Schoonmaker Foundation.

The Schoonmakers are full-time residents of Naples, Fla., where Patrice operates an interior design business, and they have a summer home in Watch Hill. James Continued on page 2

Continued from page 1

Lend a hand to Stand Up For Animals

retired after operating a private investment business for several years. An accomplished sailor, he was on the U.S. Olympic sailing team in 1952 and 1964, and he captured the Bacardi Cup seven times. He also volunteered to serve as vice president of the International Sailing Federation.

Commenting on the Schoonmakers’ decision to buy the generator, Howard Thorp, first vice president of the SUFA board, said: “It’s just mind blowing that there are people in the community who step forward to do things such as this.”

Peter Kaschuluk, chairman of SUFA’s Building Committee, said the generator is a self-contained, diesel-fueled unit powerful enough to give the entire shelter electricity.

“This will provide us the capability of weathering the storm,” he said. “The Schoonmakers are the type of people who made it possible for us to build this shelter with donated funds.

OSCAR ALERT Send us your email address, so we can notify you of missing animals in our community

I

“O

ne is not born into the world to do everything but to do something,” Henry David Thoreau, poet, writer and philosopher, stated about volunteering.

Helping Stand Up For Animals (SUFA) is something you might want to consider doing so the organization can continue to operate a state-of-the-art animal shelter, adoption center and regional outreach facility to promote the health and welfare of abandoned or lost pets and to educate and assist those who care for them.

“We couldn’t survive without volunteers,” said Larry Hirsch, president of SUFA’s Board of Trustees, explaining there are many opportunities for people who want to assist the group.

Volunteers can aid the town’s animal control officers with tasks such as walking the dogs at the shelter and the upkeep of the facility. The Board of Trustees, Hirsch said, needs people to help with one of its many committees that handle tasks such as public relations, planning and running events, applying for grants and formulating policies and procedures.

In addition, Hirsch said, volunteers, who are trained at the center, might want to eventually join the board and take an even more active role in SUFA.

n loving memory of

a beloved pet of Board Member Howard Thorp, we have started the “Oscar Alert.” Anytime a pet is missing, we will send out a blast email with a picture and description. Hundreds of people who care about animals will be empowered to look for a missing pet. Please send your email address to info@standupforanimals.org.

We will be promoting the “Oscar Alert” system to the community, encouraging people to email “Oscar@standupforanimals.org” when they learn of a missing pet. Together, we can help locate missing pets and return them to their homes.

Those interested in volunteering should call (401) 348-9595 or download an application online at www.standupforanimals.org. To access the application, click on the word “Support” in the blue bar near the top of the home page.

Completed applications must be mailed to Stand Up For Animals, P.O. Box 1706, Westerly, R.I., 02891.

Remember what the late Nelson Rockefeller, a politician, philanthropist and businessman, once said, “You can’t leave footprints in the sands of time while sitting down.”

To volunteer at the shelter contact them at 401-348-2558. To assist at the SUFA office, or to serve on a committee, please call 401-348-9595 or go online to www.standupforanimals.org.

Keep your pets safe during the holidays

T

he holiday season is an extremely busy time of year, presenting many time management and safety challenges for most of us. However, we can still take precautions to ensure our pets are not one of the thousands that are injured or become fatally ill during the holidays.

Here are some tips to assist you with keeping your pets safe during the holidays: •

Holiday treats, alcoholic beverages, rich food, fatty food scraps and bones can be harmful or toxic to pets. Maintain the regular diets of pets and tell visitors not to feed your pets.

•

Do not leave candles unattended. Pets can knock them over, causing serious burns, igniting a fire or spilling wax on carpets and furniture.

•

Hang and place decorations so pets cannot reach them and tear off pieces that could be ingested.

•

Do not give pets chocolate because it contains theobromine, which can be toxic to pets.

• Several Christmas plants are harmful to pets. All parts of ivy are moderate

to very toxic; holly is moderate to very toxic, especially the berries and

leaves; mistletoe is very toxic, especially the berries; traditional Christmas

greens have a low level of toxicity; and poinsettias are low in toxicity.

•

Tinsel is not toxic, but it should not be used in a home where pets reside because it can cause an intestinal obstruction or choking if swallowed.

•

Hang treasured ornaments with knotted fabric or yarn high on trees, which should be secured so animals, especially cats, cannot knock them over.

•

You might think it’s humorous but do not tie ribons around the neck of your pet.

The ribbon can tighten or become hooked on an object, choking the animal.

Reaching our next goal would be very “suite”

N

ow that an emergency generator (see related story) is installed at our shelter, the next goal is to equip and open the surgical suite at the facility. The suite will serve as a clinic for animals at the shelter so they can be neutered, spayed, administered shots and be treated for fleas and worms.

To operate the suite, SUFA needs equipment such as an operating table, operating lights and surgical instruments. At least one veterinarian is committed to providing services on a pro bono basis, and we hope others will come forward.

People thinking about making a contribution to SUFA should know there is a naming opportunity available for the suite. Besides monetary donations, SUFA will accept veterinary equipment that is in good condition.

The suite is vital because all shelter animals must be neutered before being adopted and because a component of SUFA’s mission is preventing the proliferation of abandoned animals. As stated many times in the past, our organization is in the business of facilitating the adoption of healthy animals, not euthanasia.

If you are interested in contributing in any way to make the surgical suite a reality, do not hesitate to call us at (401) 348-9595. Other options for reaching us include going to our Web site at www.standupforanimals.org and clicking on Contact; and sending correspondence to Stand Up For Animals, P.O. Box 1706, Westerly, R.I., 02891.

Board Members President Larry Hirsch

Treasurer Gail Quattromani

1st Vice President Howard Thorp

Secretary Peter Lewiss

2nd Vice President Debbi Bammer

Immediate Past President Lori Harrison

Trustees Alcino Almeida Pam Ezyk Diane Kinney Kristen Weber Betsy Dotolo

Carol Amedeo Betty-Jo Cugini Peter Kaschuluk Jill Kass Lina O’Leary

Non-Profit Org US Postage PAID providence, RI Permit # 1899

PO Box 1706 Westerly, Rhode Island 02891 401-348-9595 www.standupforanimals.org

Help SUFA achieve its goals

one brick at a time.

Open 7 Days a Week 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

As the season of giving approaches, we hope that you will think of our four-legged friends.

Grand Opening of New Animal Shelter August 1, 2009

Donated bricks make a great holiday gift!

• Help support the animal shelter on Larry Hirsch Lane.

• Honor a beloved pet, family member or someone special with a personalized brick.

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Account Number ___________________________________________________ Name ___________________________________ Exp. Date ________________ Signature __________________________________________________________

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Thank you for your support.

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All bricks will become permanent fixtures on the grounds of this great community’s animal shelter and adoption center.

o Check o Mastercard o VISA Please make checks payable to the SUFA Buy-A-Brick Campaign.

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o $250 will reserve one 6”-by-9” brick with up to three lines of lettering and a maximum of 20 characters per line.

Stand Up For Animals, PO Box 1706, Westerly, RI 02891 If paying by check, please include it with the form.

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o $150 will reserve one 4”-by-8” brick engraved with up to three lines of lettering and a maximum of 18 characters per line.

Please return this form to:

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All engravings are subject to the approval of SUFA. Text will be centered unless requested otherwise.

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Order Your Bricks Here

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• Create a permanent memory.

All bricks will become a permanent part of the grounds of the new animal shelter.

Stand Up For Animals has raised over $2 million for the shelter but more is needed to finish paying for construction costs and to cover operating expenses.

Stand Up For Animals is a nonprofit 501 (c) 3 organization.