Furry Friday: one more week to the Walk
Story: It's just one more week to the Walk, our annual fundraiser. This edition will feature my plea for donations (link down at bottom), since I'll probably be too scatterbrained next Friday to make a post. Here in Minnesota, there are a LOT of different charitable organizations collecting money right now (for causes like AIDS, breast cancer, multiple sclerosis, and a variety of other worthy needs). All of them deserve your attention during these tough economic times. To encourage donations to my favored group, I'll explain a few things that we do besides the obvious housing and feeding of animals.
We have made our "Double The Love" program a year-round event because it was so successful in increasing the placement of older cats into new homes. I've written in previous editions of Furry Friday about some tidbits I gleaned at the Wildlife Rehabilitator conference, where volunteers meet to learn more about how to restore wildlife to health and release them back into nature. We also assist research at the University of Minnesota by providing nasal swabs from sick dogs so they can find better ways of healing kennel cough.
In the next issue, I hope to show off pictures that I take from our Walk event. There are many thousands of adopted animals in attendance, and twice as many humans show up too. :)
Animals: I found three more lovable oafs. First up is Delfonze, a neutered male domestic shorthair. Zhey is still young, just 1 year old, and very affectionate. Not much interested in being stroked along the spine, zhey was persistent (for a whole 20 minute session together) in wanting to be scratched along the cheeks and forehead. I would lay my arm down on the tall perch platform, and Delfonze would scoot along and press hard with zheir head up against my hand for ever more petting. Plain alley cat appearance hides a strong affectionate disposition. Delfonze would make a good cat for a person of any age.
Also very friendly (and much more enthusiastic about being pet along the back) is Hershey. A nice chocolate brown color with soft fur, this 6-year-old female labrador retriever would make a great companion for someone wanting an affectionate dog. Hershey has adored petting along zheir face, shoulders, and back every time that I've visited. Someone wrote a note that Hershey already knows a few voice commands but still needs training on a leash. Pleasantly quiet around other calm dogs, I did hear zheir barking excitedly when another dog was being led past kennel doors. I think Hershey would also be a good companion for a person of any age, very young or very old.
Lars is amusing in a different way than Delfonze and Hershey. At first curious and brave, zhey will come up right away to investigate my approaching hand. After the first sniff or touch, Lars immediately runs away to the back of the cage. Wait just 20 seconds, however, and overwhelming curiosity again drives zhem up to check out my waiting hand again. I've tried a few times on different days, and the results are always the same: a funny combination of curious and nervous (but never aggressive). This 1-year-old male rabbit is very soft and pleasant to pet, but it's still too terrifying an experience for Lars to accept the attention with calm dignity. I believe that curiosity is always a good sign, though. With just a little patience, I think Lars could easily grow accustomed to a human and be a very nice pet for a quiet person of any age.
As of this writing, Delfonze, Hershey, and Lars are all available for visitation and adoption at our Golden Valley facility.
How You Can Help: We're just 1 week away from our major fundraiser. If you'd like to help, you may do so here:
http://events.animalhumanesociety.org/goto/MellowTigger
If you're joining us on Walk day, be sure to read the literature and choose one of the parking lots elsewhere so you can ride the shuttle buses to the Golden Valley location. Each lot will have its own dedicated buses, so hopefully the wait will be very short.
We have made our "Double The Love" program a year-round event because it was so successful in increasing the placement of older cats into new homes. I've written in previous editions of Furry Friday about some tidbits I gleaned at the Wildlife Rehabilitator conference, where volunteers meet to learn more about how to restore wildlife to health and release them back into nature. We also assist research at the University of Minnesota by providing nasal swabs from sick dogs so they can find better ways of healing kennel cough.
In the next issue, I hope to show off pictures that I take from our Walk event. There are many thousands of adopted animals in attendance, and twice as many humans show up too. :)
Animals: I found three more lovable oafs. First up is Delfonze, a neutered male domestic shorthair. Zhey is still young, just 1 year old, and very affectionate. Not much interested in being stroked along the spine, zhey was persistent (for a whole 20 minute session together) in wanting to be scratched along the cheeks and forehead. I would lay my arm down on the tall perch platform, and Delfonze would scoot along and press hard with zheir head up against my hand for ever more petting. Plain alley cat appearance hides a strong affectionate disposition. Delfonze would make a good cat for a person of any age.
Also very friendly (and much more enthusiastic about being pet along the back) is Hershey. A nice chocolate brown color with soft fur, this 6-year-old female labrador retriever would make a great companion for someone wanting an affectionate dog. Hershey has adored petting along zheir face, shoulders, and back every time that I've visited. Someone wrote a note that Hershey already knows a few voice commands but still needs training on a leash. Pleasantly quiet around other calm dogs, I did hear zheir barking excitedly when another dog was being led past kennel doors. I think Hershey would also be a good companion for a person of any age, very young or very old.
Lars is amusing in a different way than Delfonze and Hershey. At first curious and brave, zhey will come up right away to investigate my approaching hand. After the first sniff or touch, Lars immediately runs away to the back of the cage. Wait just 20 seconds, however, and overwhelming curiosity again drives zhem up to check out my waiting hand again. I've tried a few times on different days, and the results are always the same: a funny combination of curious and nervous (but never aggressive). This 1-year-old male rabbit is very soft and pleasant to pet, but it's still too terrifying an experience for Lars to accept the attention with calm dignity. I believe that curiosity is always a good sign, though. With just a little patience, I think Lars could easily grow accustomed to a human and be a very nice pet for a quiet person of any age.
As of this writing, Delfonze, Hershey, and Lars are all available for visitation and adoption at our Golden Valley facility.
How You Can Help: We're just 1 week away from our major fundraiser. If you'd like to help, you may do so here:
http://events.animalhumanesociety.org/goto/MellowTigger
If you're joining us on Walk day, be sure to read the literature and choose one of the parking lots elsewhere so you can ride the shuttle buses to the Golden Valley location. Each lot will have its own dedicated buses, so hopefully the wait will be very short.