THE PET PRESS
SUMMER 2021
Meet MILEY & BUBBA PAGE 3
A Quarterly Magazine for Rescue Animal Lovers | Compliments of SafeHaven Humane Society
Executive Director Focus Dear Friends, It can happen to anyone with a pet. Circumstances change and you are suddenly faced with a terrible choice. Do you deny the animal you love medical care, or do you have to say goodbye and take him or her to a shelter, just because you cannot afford resources or services the pet needs? Nobody should ever have to feel this way. SafeHaven believes strongly that PETS ARE FAMILY and developed a program aimed at supporting this belief. With the financial help of the Petco Foundation in the form of a $10,000 grant, we are proud to announce our Pets Are Family Fund. This fund is near and dear to my heart for many reasons like the story below: One night, Sue called the intake line at SafeHaven after hours. I just happened to be staying late that night, so I took the call. Immediately, I knew something was wrong. Sue was crying. She was trying to tell me between sobs that she needed to surrender her dog, Eddy, and needed an appointment. My first thought was, "She loves this dog", so I asked her their story. Eddy was her best friend. Eddy had been with Sue for 8 years. He was there to comfort her when her husband passed away unexpectedly, he was there to remind her to keep going when she became unable to work, and he was there to keep her company when no one else was. Eddy was her family. Eddy had recently been to his veterinarian for his yearly check up, something she did faithfully whether she could afford the appointment or not, but his visit revealed that now Eddy needed daily medication and prescription food to help maintain his kidney function. Sue just did not have any extra money each month for the special food. She could cover the daily medication, but not the prescription food, and she was not going to let her best friend suffer due to her lack of financial resources so that is why she made the call to SafeHaven to surrender Eddy. But I knew in my heart, they belonged together. If this past year has taught us anything, it has taught us how animals make our lives better! It is estimated that each year, over 500,000 pet guardians in the U.S. face a harrowing moment: A realization that the potentially life saving treatment or resource that their pet needs is beyond their financial reach. SafeHaven’s PETS ARE FAMILY program is designed to help
prevent homelessness by providing pet owners the resources that will improve their pet’s overall health and wellness or quality of life, such as our Pet Food Pantry and Wellness Clinics. It will also be available to help individuals who lack the financial resources to have their pets spayed or neutered and, finally, it will help provide a small grant to owners who cannot afford needed medical treatment for their pet to improve its quality of life. I am so proud of SafeHaven for seeing a need in our community and doing our best to help meet that need. For me, the Pets Are Family program exemplifies what the Petco Foundation and SafeHaven know to be true regarding pet ownership: The ability to keep pets and people together should transcend socio-economic barriers and pets are vital member of our communities and families. Your support allows us to continue programs just like these. For the Animals,
Chris Storm Executive Director PS: To complete the story, I was able to keep Sue and Eddy together by helping provide the special food each month until Sue found a way to afford it in her monthly budget. We wish Sue & Eddy many more years by each other's side.
Table of Contents Executive Director Focus.................. 1 Cover Story............................................. 3 Happy Tails............................................ 4 Events...................................................... 5 Heart Melting Stories..................... . ...6 Development ................................... ... 7 All About Scooter........... ....................9
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Join us over on Facebook for a new raffle every month! On the last Friday of each month, there will be a new package to be raffled off. To be entered, just make a donation on the Facebook post of at least $5.00. Check out April's raffle item, Backyard Bliss, which raised $1,085! Each raffle lasts through the weekend and we will announce the winner on the following Tuesday.
Training Resources...........................10
Featured Adoption MILEY & BUBBA Kelly Robbins, owner of Spirit Espresso in Albany and SafeHaven Board Member, is a devoted supporter of all things SafeHaven. Her pets, Miley and Bubba, are our cover models. Here is what Kelly had to say about her sweet companions: "Our sweet girl Miley (12), a chocolate lab, came into our lives as a tiny little puppy; the best dog we could ever ask for. She loves walks, playing with her soccer ball, dunking her face in her water bowl and, her favorite thing in the world, being wherever her people are!! This amazing pup has been the perfect addition to our family! My mom rescued Bubba (11½), a Dachshund/ Terrier mix, from SafeHaven in October 2009 but he came to live with us in 2013 after she was
diagnosed with dementia and could no longer care for him. Bubba loves walks, running off when nobody is watching and hanging out with his family. As sweet as he is most of the time, there’s a reason he was nicknamed Rowdy. In spite of that, he’s very loved and a perfect fit! My husband and I believe in the mission of SafeHaven and are very proud to support them! Our coffee shop, Spirit Espresso, holds a fundraiser every April with a percentage of sales and all cash donations going back to SafeHaven. I’m also a committee member for the Rescue Roundup Auction, Fixer Upper Auction and I’ve served on the board for the past 2½ years."
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Happy Tails A DREAM TEAM Get ready to melt if you keep reading! We recently heard a happy tail about Peaches N Cream, a kitten newly adopted from SafeHaven. Here is what her new mom had to say: "I went to the shelter because I saw her on the website, but when I got there she was already on hold by another family. I was very upset because I wanted to meet her first and see if we bonded before putting a hold on her. Adopting an animal is serious business, so I didn’t want to make any rash decisions without even meeting her. I met her and we bonded immediately and I was so sad when I left. I placed a hold on her so I was second in place. The worker there even told me not to get my hopes up because most of the time kittens who have a hold will be picked up. I manifested that I would get her and the very next day, I waited for the shelter’s phone call saying that Peaches N Cream got adopted. I waited but no call came. So at 4 PM, I drove over to the shelter and asked about the kitten. She said that the family dropped the hold and got another kitten and that I came right on time! To the family that decided to get another kitten instead of Peaches N Cream, thank you so much. I am beyond happy that I was able to adopt this kitten. She bonded immediately with my dog on the very first day. I was preparing them to get used to one another, but she walked right out and rubbed her head against my dog’s head. I am beyond amazed and happy at how she is with my dog; he loves her so much, as well!" -Phoi Chang
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Events ALL FIXED UP & READY TO GO! To all of our wonderful sponsors, donors, and bidders (and to those of you who were all three), THANK YOU! Fixer Upper, A Virtual Auction for Kittens & Puppers was a HUGE success and raised a grand total of $43,842 for the animals at SafeHaven and to those who will be able to enter our doors in the future. In the most trying times, you have truly come to our rescue! Without being able to host as many smaller community fundraisers throughout the year, this wonderful auction helped in more ways than you know. The staff and animals at SafeHaven are feeling an overwhelming feeling of gratitude and can't say Thank You enough!
REBECCA SWANSON
Julie Hubert, President
present
AN ONLINE AUCTION TO SAVE HOMELESS PETS Mark Your Calendars! Chutes open October 13th at 12pm and close October 16th at 8pm
Gather ‘round at www.safehavenh umane.org/event /virtual-roundu p SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE! Interested in being a part of SafeHaven’s largest fundraiser of the year? 541-928-2789 | steph@safehavenhumane.com 5
Heart Melting Stories A MOTHER'S DAY MIRACLE It's never too late to celebrate moms! On Mother's Day this year, we received a one day old kitten as a stray with no mom or siblings. We knew his chance of survival without a mom would be quite low, so we called one our foster parents who had a newly nursing mom, Chelsea. Chelsea had a litter of 6 kittens on May 5th, so they were only a few days older than our little bottle baby. Foster parent brought Chelsea and her kittens in to see if she would accept this little guy as her own. After a few minutes, she let him crawl right up to her and nurse. Moms are simply incredible! Our little stray is now being cared for by Chelsea and her wonderful foster parents.
SAVING BRAND NEW LIVES On Monday, April 12th, after one live birth and hours of off and on labor and complications with one of our shelter dogs, SafeHaven's Lead Veterinarian, Dr. Corriher performed our first on-site emergency c-section. She and her team were able to safely bring three more puppies into this world. Here are the first two puppies born by c-section being kept warm with the help of SafeHaven Veterinary Asistant, Morgan Hoffman. All of the puppies and mom luckily found a loving foster home right away and have been doing wonderfully!
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Development TRANSFORMATION OF THE YEAR Meet Porkchop, now Hammy, who has shown true strength and shown us all what it means to perservere. Hammy came to SafeHaven as an owner surrender case at the end of March 2021 severely underweight and emaciated. He had been vomiting and losing weight for months. He was also dehydrated. The medical team immediately started him on IV fluids and anti-nausea medication and started feeding him small amounts of a bland diet frequently. They took x-rays and also found some small stones in his stomach. Needless to say, Hammy needed our help. Of course, we were happy to bring him into our care.
Hammy stayed at SafeHaven for several weeks and, ultimately, was taken home to be fostered by none other than our Foster Care Coordinator, Scarlett. Luckily, we all still got to see Hammy as Scarlett began bringing him into the office on the days she was working. He was an office dog deep down, after all.
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By the end of April, his health had improved so much and he was doing so well that we were able to neuter him and prepare him for adoption. But he wasn't headed to the adoption floor anytime soon. Scarlett had fallen for Hammy, and Hammy for Scarlett. She officially became a 'foster failure' and adopted Hammy on April 28th. Here is what his new mom had to say when we asked for an update:
"He loves the sunshine and is always ready to take a walk. He is bouncy, and funny, and loves to play tug-of-war with toys. He is getting lots of great human and animal socialization and will sleep anywhere you put a blanket or jacket! He rides in the car so calmly. He has young puppy energy first thing in the morning, but takes himself to bed around 9pm just like his new brother."
Development Because of your support in making our Medical Center a reality, we did not hesitate to bring Hammy into SafeHaven as we had confidence that our team would be able to give him the care he needed. We're so thankful he was brought to us and that he is truly thriving! Congratulations to Hammy and Scarlett, and their family. And Thank You for supporting the lifesaving work that brings a smile to our face!
HAMMY & MOM, SCARLETT
HELPING ANIMALS RETURN HOME
HAMMY & BROTHER, OPIE
FIDO
In April, in honor of National Pet ID Week, we gave away FREE ID tags to pet parents who stopped by the shelter on April 22nd. Having updated and legible information on an animal's ID tag is one of the easiest ways we can ensure a pet will make it back home to their family if they ever escape. We're happy to report that 48 animals in our community got a free ID tag! One of our favorite stories from that day is of Greg and his family, who came in to get a tag for their dog, Star. Greg looked at our adoptable dogs while he was here and fell in love with Jack. They adopted Jack that day and, of course, got him a tag with all of their information!
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Scootin' To A Forever Home Little Mr. Scooter was born in foster care on December 13, 2020. When he was just a few days old, his foster parents noticed him not using his back legs as much as his siblings, but we couldn’t tell if anything was wrong as he was so young. They brought him in for a few appointments with SafeHaven's veterinarian, Dr. Candie, where at about 4 weeks old, they determined that he had some paralysis of the back legs. Scooter's current (and incredibly devoted) foster mom, Darcie Vanderyacht, says it best: "I would like to tell you about a precious and sweet little soul named Scooter. I came into SafeHaven and saw a pen in the common area with a tiny little puppy playing with his bed. I asked about him, only to find out he was born with his hind quarters not working as they should for a normal puppy. I asked if he needed a foster mommy and to my delight, he did. Scooter is the happiest little man, loves to talk to you, and is delighted and happy to see anyone who would love to give him their attention. He loves playing out in the yard, and loves playing with my other fur babies (dogs and cats). X-rays were taken of Scooter, which didn’t show
anything wrong with his bones. A veterinary surgeon concluded that he appears to have a lesion on his spine which is common in Doxies. Unfortunately, there is no cure, but he will be able to lead a perfectly normal life with the help of his forever family.
Scooter doesn’t know he isn’t like a normal puppy. But truly what is normal?
We all have challenges. Yes, he has a disability which requires extra care, but he is determined to be just like any other puppy. I keep an eye on him and make sure he is on the right ground surfaces. He is a perfect candidate for a wheel cart when he is full grown. He is always moving his legs, he even tries to get them underneath him and gets a few steps in before he can’t support his weight. Scooter also does his very best to let you know when he needs to go potty. Unfortunately, his control is limited, requiring a quick response and patience once he’s outside knowing accidents happen. He gets around great and loves playing in my large yard. There is nothing slow about him. He knows his name, comes when he is called. His bright little spirit makes you smile and laugh bringing pure joy to your heart! Scooter is one of many great examples to prove what SafeHaven is all about, “the animals”. Scooter is the perfect example of his love for life no matter what his challenges are. We could all learn from the love of life that Scooter has and the love he continually gives! I am proud to be a foster mom for SafeHaven and to be part of such a wonderful organization who truly cares about the animals! Darcie plans on keeping Scooter with her until he finds the perfect forever home. If you are interested in learning more and meeting Scooter, please email our Foster Care Coordinator at fostercare@safehavenhumane.com.
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Behavior & Training YOUR ONLINE GUIDE We know getting started on training your animal can seem like a daunting task, which is why we have worked to compile an online resource center for you. Check out our new Behavior & Training Resource Guide on the SafeHaven website to find local trainers, helpful articles, and tips on how to use positive reinforcement training techniques. With warmer weather and longer days ahead of us, most of us are getting outside more with our canine friends. To help prepare you for the adventures to come, we've made sure to include resources including topics like Pulling on Leash, Dog to Dog Introductions, Leash Reactivity and more! Check out the link below to get started.
VIRTUAL TRAINING Wait… What? Did you say FREE dog training? We’ve also partnered with GoodPup! Anyone who adopts from us will receive 1 FREE week of dog training, plus 20% off for life on future trainings, plus GoodPup will donate $50 to SafeHaven for every paying client. » » » »
SCAN THIS QR CODE OR VISIT THE LINK BELOW TO GET STARTED
Work 1-on-1 with a Top Trainer Their Trainers are Certified, Vetted, and Reviewed Flexible Scheduling. Train over video chat at home. Chat With Your Trainer Whenever You Need Help.
Questions come up – their team is always there to help!
www.shelter.goodpup.com/SafeHaven 10
Youth Giving Back A BIRTHDAY TO REMEMBER Compassion truly knows no age. Meet Maelee Bronson, a sweet 4 year old who has been dedicating her birthday to a cause for two years now. For her 3rd birthday last year, she dedicated her efforts to all things Australia Zoo. During the Australia brush fires, she was determined to help the animals. Her plan was to go there and put bandaids on them, but since that wasn’t possible, she and her mom, Kylee Bronson brainstormed to find a way to help. She even hand painted magnets to give in exchange for a donation to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors. For her 3rd birthday, she was able to raise $215 to send Down Under. For Maelee's 4th birthday, she chose a new cause and you guessed it, she chose to help SafeHaven! We asked Kylee how she came across the idea and her mom told us, "She wanted to help animals in a shelter near by so I Googled a few and she independently chose SafeHaven." Maelee's goals for her 4th birthday were not small. She wanted to raise at least
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$108 to donate, have a donation drive, and also help find an animal at the shelter a new home. And, did she not only reach her goals, she accomplished even more! On May 10th, Maelee delivered her donation of $156, a box full of supplies for the animals, and she even spread awareness to help find a home for one of the shelter dogs, Phyllis. Kylee told us that they visited and fell in love with Phyllis but could not bring her home due to her need to be an only pet. But they told friends and family about her and used social media to spread the word and, thanks to their help, Phyllis found a perfect forever home! But Maelee's journey didn't end there. A few weeks prior, Kylee let us know they were looking to add a furry family member to their family. When they saw Peter Panic on Facebook, they reached out and adopted him on the same day they came in to donate! Peter Panic, pictured below and now named Cooper, is Maelee's new best friend and is having a blast in his new home with the Bronsons. Kylee updated us and said "Life with Peter Panic, now Cooper, has been nothing short of exciting. Every day is a new adventure with this boy. He has become daddy’s favorite child and my daughter Maelee’s favorite sibling! Cooper absolutely loves our baby as well...but Tucker isn’t too sure about him yet (they are about 1 week apart in age). Our other animals (all older) are still adjusting to the puppy energy, so they don’t play with him often but Cooper goes on a LOT of play dates to make up for it. He is doing fantastic with his training and is SO incredibly smart! Although, he is also very clumsy so he keeps us giggling all day long. His next new adventure starts today when we head down to Petco for his first nail trim and teeth brushing. He doesn’t know it yet, but he will also get to pick out a new toy after as well!"
MORE Happy Tails A REUNION TO CELEBRATE This Happy Tail all started when Melinda phoned us to see if we had kittens available for adoption. We let her know that we did not have kittens in at that time, but to keep an eye out on our website. About an hour or so later, we received a call from her again. She identified Mr. Muffin Man (a stray that recently arrived) as looking exactly like the cat that her family lost about 3 months ago and had given up hope of ever finding! After hearing her description of her lost cat, it sounded consistent with what we knew about Mr. MM. Our front office staff requested that Melinda send over photos of her lost kitty so we could match them to Mr. MM and save her the time and energy/emotions if it didn’t seem like the right cat. The staff member working on our cat floor said that once she looked at the photos they had sent in, she knew right away that it was their cat. No question. Later, Melinda and her two children came to SafeHaven. When they got to the cat room, they saw him in the center of the kennels interacting with the staff as they were doing chores. They instantly knew that he was their kitty and all three started crying. They told us that they had lost all hope of ever getting him back again, believing that another family had him or he had been killed. When they called us that morning, they were finally feeling ready to move on and find another kitty to call their own. They were thrilled beyond belief at the coincidence of finding him here and are feeling so thankful!
A HAPPY ENDING FOR EDELYN Remember Edelyn? Her story and time with SafeHaven has surely been one for the books! Edelyn originally came to us on a Fetch Fido A Flight Transport back in December 2019, sadly escaped her loving foster home, was ultimately caught and returned to SafeHaven, and then fostered by a SafeHaven employee, Alexandria Groenig. We're happy to announce that Alexandria officially was added to our happy list of foster failures and adopted sweet Edelyn, now Edie, in April! She recently sent us this update: "Edie (Edelyn) has been an official part of the family for a little over a month now and is really coming out of her shell. When we first brought her home to foster back in November, she would tip toe around the house and run to hide anytime something new would happen. From being terrified of car rides, walking through doorways, running from the tv, and not eating until everyone was asleep, she’s grown a lot. Now she gets excited when she sees her leash, loves rolling in the grass, and gets the zoomies daily. We did a DNA test on her last month to see what she is a mix of. Turns out she’s about a quarter Staffordshire Terrier and a quarter Pyrenees and a handful of other things, and 100% lovable. She’s come so far these past six months and we can’t wait to see her continue to grow!"
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Community NORTH ALBANY IGA Shout out to North Albany IGA Supermarket for making SafeHaven the recipient of their Round-Up program for March. Shoppers were able to 'round up' over $3,000 for the animals! Thank you North Albany IGA team for supporting us in saving lives!
SPIRIT ESPRESSO We want to send a HUGE Thank You to Spirit Espresso for hosting a fundraiser on April 2nd that brought $1,032 to the animals at SafeHaven! And Thank You to all of YOU who came and supported both Spirit Espresso and the animals. This is the 5th year in a row that Kelly Robbins, Spirit Espresso owner and SafeHaven Board Member, has hosted this fundraiser!
FILL THE VAN WITH CANS THANK YOU to everyone who showed up to donate cans and bottles at our Fill the Van with Cans event in Lebanon on March 27th. We thought the SafeHaven van was big enough...but you filled it and then some! We hope to host more Fill the Van with Cans in the future and appreciate everyone supporting this program. In case you missed it, you can still drop off blue bags to the shelter or either Gift & Thrift store and we also have blue bags for you to take home! 13
Gift & Thrift SAVING ANIMALS & THE PLANET Clothing and other textiles remain the number one seller at both SafeHaven Gift & Thrift stores. And while that one category brings in thousands of dollars each year to help rescue homeless pets, we're proud to also be assisting in recycling gently used items and sustaining the earth. In honor of Earth Day that was celebrated on April 22nd, we want to remind you of yet another reason to shop at the Gift & Thrift stores. Your support is making a powerful impact in more ways than one. Did you know? It’s estimated that textiles make up 5% of all landfill space in the United States. That means the average American throws away more than 80 pounds of clothing every year!
Why Sustainable Fashion Matters Fashion waste comes from a variety of issues, but one of the biggest culprits is the movement toward “fast fashion.” These clothes are typically so poorly made that you’ll toss them out right along with the trend. This leads to long-lasting environmental issues. When we focus on sustainable fashion, we’ll see benefits across the world. FASHION WASTE AND SUSTAINABILITY FACTS
» A 2016 McKinsey report revealed that three-fifths of all clothing items will end up in an incinerator or landfill within a year after being produced.
» We don’t really wear our clothes. Worldwide, clothing utilization (how often we put something on) has decreased by 36 percent compared to 15 years ago.
» But consumer attitudes for ethical fashion are increasingly favorable. Sixty percent of millennials say they want to shop more “sustainably.”
What Can We Do? Luckily, there is still much to be done to help! Shopping second hand FIRST when you need clothing or other items is the best way to reduce waste. All of the items at the SafeHaven Gift & Thrift stores are inspected and looked over for any damage and everything that makes it to the shopping floor is in great condition! Donating your unwanted items to thrift stores is also a great way to be kind to the earth. Plus, donating and shopping at SafeHaven Gift & Thrift saves lives. Thank you for your continued support!
SafeHaven Humane Society P.O. Box 2018 Albany, OR 97321 Return Service Requested
Albany: (541) 924-5616 321 1st Ave E, Suite 3C Corvallis: (541) 757-1781 455 NW Tyler Ave
NonProfit Org. U.S. Postage Paid Albany, OR Permit No. 13
