Gunnison Valley Animal Welfare League Summer 2008
Bond n. A Force That Unites Human—Animal
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Animal—Animal
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You Think YOU Had a Rough Winter
The Life of Riley
Guests had not been gone very long from Alicia and Dallas Blaney’s apartment when they returned, holding a cat. It was one of Gunnison’s 40-below nights last winter, and they had spotted the cat under a car; they knew that domesticated animals cannot withstand such extreme conditions. The Blaneys took the cat and gave it water and food.
When Jeff Boril’s beloved dog Samantha passed on, the bond between them changed, although it will never break. The change was deeply felt by Jeff’s other dog, a weimaraner, who also had bonded with Samantha. A couple of years previously, the weimaraner had been rescued from a neglectful owner, but, sensing that he had found the best of guardians in Jeff, immediately bonded with him. Within seconds of their introduction, the weimaraner ran into Jeff’s house, jumped into Jeff’s favorite recliner chair, and curled up. Jeff named him Eddie. After several weeks of other people raving about how special Eddie is, Jeff began calling him Special Ed. A few months after Samantha’s passing, Jeff met Riley through GVAWL and decided to adopt her. Riley, a hound mix, was sweet and friendly but untrained and very energetic. Very, very energetic. A good foster home readied her for adoption, just as Jeff felt that the time was right for him and Special Ed to let another canine companion into their hearts.
By morning, it was obvious that the cat was suffering from starvation, dehydration, and severe frostbite, so Alicia and Dallas took him to Town and Country Animal Hospital, where Dr. Liz Gordon assured them that she could make the cat comfortable while he was being treated. The Blaneys decided to give him a chance. They named him Beck Weathers, after a mountain-climber of the same name who lost his nose to frostbite — because this cat’s nose had fallen off. His ears were gone, too. Dr. Gordon had to amputate all his back toes and some front ones. With most of his treatment complete, still on some pain medication, Beck Weathers went to stay with the Blaneys, who cared for him until he was well enough to be adopted. He now lives with Melinda and Chad Zummach and their two kids, and gets around as well as any “normal” cat would, even though he whistles a bit when he breathes. He is intelligent, affectionate, and meows when he wants a drink of water from the faucet. The Zummachs are giving him the care, attention, and love he deserves.
Again, Special Ed immediately bonded with the “other” dog, this time to the point that Jeff jokes — sort of — that Special Ed is his dog and Riley is Special Ed’s dog. Case in point: this past winter when the snow pack allowed many a dog to sail over backyard fences, Special Ed and Riley went on an expedition. Jeff was working at his restaurant, The Palisades, when a friend called to say that he’d found the two dogs in the City Market parking lot. He had only some phone cable with which to tie the escapees together by their collars and secure them to a pole. The dogs broke away from the pole and ran into the market, where Jeff found them — still tied together by their collars.
Human—Human 970.641.1173
Human—Human
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Beck Weathers’ story was published in the Gunnison Country Times. Many people were touched by the way he faced his horrifying plight with such courage and unflagging affection. Donations toward his care came from Gunnison and from far outside it. Each person who heard about or took part in this cat’s story was affected not only by Beck Weathers, but by all the other people who participated in rescuing and healing him. A bond was formed, a force that unites — unites each person with others, with all living beings, and with one particular cat. Through this bond, everyone was uplifted, fulfilling the highest calling of being a human: humane-ness. Here’s to you, Beck Weathers the Cat.
Animal—Animal
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P.O. Box 1834 Gunnison, Colorado 81230
Human—Animal www.gvawl.org
SHELTER HEAD-START Jack and Marilyn MacAllister have always loved animals, but because of a busy life and multiple region-to-region moves, they hadn’t had a pet for awhile. In the 1970s they had built a home in Crested Butte, and spent a great deal of family time there with their three children — Steve, Jim, and Sue. In the 1980s and into the 1990s, Jack served as CEO of US West, and when he retired in 1990 in the Denver area, the MacAllisters began spending more and more time here.
Jack and Marilyn
Jack and Marilyn’s thoughts had not yet turned to looking for a pet to adopt when by chance they came across a bluetick coonhound mix at the Denver Dumb Friends League Buddy Center. Their deep bond with “Pepper” soon awakened an interest in helping other pets find similar bonds with other human guardians. However, they were very surprised, as many people are, when they discovered that there is no animal shelter in Gunnison County.
In February 2008, The MacAllister Family Foundation contributed a $100,000 challenge grant to the GVAWL shelter-building fund. Shown here is Jack MacAllister presenting the check to Karen Shondeck, GVAWL Treasurer.
Pepper
GVAWL is profoundly grateful to the MacAllister Family Foundation. You may help us match this generous contribution by sending your donation to GVAWL Shelter Fund, PO Box 1834, or by donating on our web site, gvawl.org. courtesy of Gunnison Country Times
Along with building a shelter, GVAWL continues to operate its other programs • rescue/foster/adoption • feral-colony management (trap-neuter-vaccinate-return) • spay/neuter financial assistance • community outreach To fund this work, GVAWL has received several grants, and has applied for others. Also, we host or participate in many fund-raising events in the course of a year. Raising money via these events is a lot of work, but is also very satisfying because they provide contact with compassionate people, both residents and visitors. Two recent events: “The Fur Ball” and “Fine Animals, Fine Art.”
Fur Ball
The Hairballs, with In 2008, GVAWL’s biggest Shelter Fundraiser, the annual Fur Ball, infused a large and welcome Emcee Phil Virden photo by Jan Badgley measure of light and warmth into a January night. The theme of “Doggie Disco” was carried by the decor (team led by Celeste Helminski and Enid Holden) and by a performance of the lip-synch group, The Hairballs. The preliminary shelter design was unveiled, and a “shelter cake” was cut, courtesy of Guilty Pleasures Bakery. With Clint Nichols and Maddie Tuminaro (right), chefs extraordinaire, and our many volunteers, this year’s sponsors, including the underwriting sponsor — Interiors with Ooh’s and Ah’s — are to be thanked for making this event a tremendous success.
Fine Animals, Fine Art Working with the Gunnison Arts Center, Nicki Walters (left) and her husband Mark Anderson, owners of Threshold Creations, conceived and carried out this fundraiser to benefit the Arts Center and GVAWL. The end product was an outstanding exhibit of blackand-white photographs of companion-animals, some with their human companions. Nicki created all publicity and scheduled the sittings. She photographed the animals and created portraits — Fine Art, indeed — which then hung in the Arts Center. A reception was held at GAC on March 7. GVAWL greatly appreciates this effort on our behalf.
Elwood — Portrait by Nicki Walters
Thanks to GVAWL We Found Loving Homes
PROFILES IN FURRAGE
Anne Michel and Sunny The owner of Gunnison Gallery and an artist herself, Anne sponsors an annual Cat Art Show and Contest. All proceeds benefit GVAWL, and Anne pays for and does all the work — advertising, collecting entry fees, organizing the balloting, supplying and awarding the prizes, and hosting a reception at the Gallery.
We mark the passing of Frances Kelley, a gentle woman and a friend to animals.
GVAWL gives Anne an “A-Cat-Emy Award” for best performance in promoting love of and humane treatment of animals, and for garnering much-needed funds for GVAWL’s care of all our Valley’s homeless pets.
Especial Thank You’s to:
In memory of Alex, for Mike and Debra Callihan, by Anonymous Donor.
Mario’s Ristorante – for donating use of plates, utensils, and other equipment for use at events, and for never failing to sponsor or donate The GunniSack – for its “Have a Heart” benefit The “W” Café – for its “Create A Heart” benefit Bob Moffat of Bobcat Signs – for years of donating services to make signs and banners
Notes GVAWL is now a Station for R.S.V.P. - Retired and Senior Volunteer Program. If you are 55+ and would like to volunteer for one of many worthwhile area non-profits, call Joyce at 209.4305 Which health charities do not fund animal experiments, and which still do? For their Guide to Cruelty-Free Giving, go to the web site of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, www.HumaneSeal.org This space is dedicated to honoring or memorializing a person or a companion animal. If you would like to make such a contribution to GVAWL, please call Lora at 641.6069
Presort Std. US Postage PAID Gunnison, CO Permit #154
Gunnison Valley Animal Welfare League P.O. Box 1834 Gunnison, Colorado 81230
UPCOMING EVENTS
Our mission is to promote the welfare of animals by
JUNE 14
• caring for homeless animals and placing them in permanent homes
CritterFest - Flea Market, Adopt-a-Thon, and CSU Li’l Animal Expo
WEEK OF CATTLEMEN’S Pooches for Pink Parade
JULY 26 Dog Party at Jorgensen Park
AUGUST 23 Gunnison Car Club 21st Annual Car Show
• building and operating a Valley-wide animal shelter • assisting the community with spay/neuter costs • preventing neglect of and cruelty to animals by educating the public about their humane treatment, and by promoting humane behavior.
SPAY/NEUTER = PROVEN WIN/WIN Your animal-companion is happier and healthier. • Your pet doesn’t roam, or get into scrapes that can result in painful injuries • Your pet is better protected against certain illnesses, including cancer • Your pet’s personality is not changed, and in fact is enhanced • Your pet will not gain weight (unless you overfeed it) • Your pet does not have human attitudes about mating and reproduction — he or she will never miss either
You are happier. • Your animal-companion is happier and healthier (see above) • Your children can witness the miracle of birth via a video — most of the time, our pets prefer to give birth in relative privacy — and your kids will know that their experience did not come at the cost of pets’ suffering • Death will not be the fate of dozens of loving, healthy animals — because you will be part of the solution to the problem of pet overpopulation