It s Not ALL About Wisconsin By Judy McCalla

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1 HPPR_February_2014_Newsletter.doc HPPR Newsletter, January 2015 Volume 3, Issue 1 It's Not ALL About Wisconsin...1 'Twas the Weeks Before Christmas..2 That Little Vixen...3 Another Pet Success Story!...4 Calendar of Events...5 Answer Your Cat s Questions...5 Stop the Presses!...6 Faux PAWS... 6 Find Us On Facebook... 6 Program Your Cell Phones!... 7 Yankee Candle Fundraiser... 8 Contact Us... 9 Our Wishlist... 9 Support Our Merchant Partners... 9 It s Not ALL About Wisconsin By Judy McCalla Whether you love technology or hate it, there is no getting around the fact that it has revolutionized the world of animal rescue. With the click of a mouse, people can now see and read about thousands of available pets from around the country, and while most people prefer to adopt from close to home, many are willing to go the extra mile (sometimes lots of them) to adopt that cute furry face that stole their hearts on-line. Helping PAWS cyber-presence includes an on-line newsletter, website, Adopt-a-Pet, Petfinder and Facebook, and with that kind of exposure, it is not surprising that many of our furry friends are finding homes beyond the Wisconsin borders. Most recently, some of our Christmas kittens have relocated to loving homes in Minnesota and Iowa, and our little Jack Russell Terrier will soon be making his way to North Carolina to a person who saw Santa s Little Helper on-line and knew he was the perfect dog for her. In the past, there have been other long distance adoptions including one of our cats that flew to Seattle and some of our kitties that were adopted by folks in Illinois and Texas. One adventurous little kitten actually rode to its new home in Tennessee with its new dad (a retired veterinarian) on a motorcycle! We don t really recommend taking your cat for motorcycle rides, but this was an exceptional situation and the kitten made it home safe, sound and happy. With all of the adorable pets looking for a family, it is usually easy to find the perfect one fairly near to where you live, and it is often easier on both the adopter and the pet, if the adoption doesn t involve too much travel. Sometimes, however, we make a connection with a more distant furry friend, and when that happens it is nice to know that long distance adoptions can usually be arranged. Thank you internet! 1

2 'Twas the Weeks Before Christmas... Helping PAWS Pet Rescue January 2015 Twas the weeks before Christmas, when all through the rescue The mice had been banished and were now seeking refuge. The kittens were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of forever homes danced in their heads. When out in the lobby there arose such a clatter, I raced through the door to see what was the matter. Adopters, adopters, adopters were here! Could it be that forever homes were quite near? "We want Yule, they cried! And it ll be Kringle, Frosty and Candy Cane for us, declared another. Santa needs his little Helper, claimed a third. I need an Egg Nog, shouted another person. And bring me a Figgy Pudding, cried a woman. We want Comet, clamored a couple. And we need Garland AND Noelle, said yet another. I m taking Jake and Harris, shouted a woman. And we want both Snowflake and Gabriel, stated another couple. We re here just Singin the Blues, screamed another pair. From the kitten room to the porch, to their Furever Homes they scampered. We re going home for Christmas! they loudly clamored. Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all! Each kitten and cat jumped in its respective sleigh, And to their new parents gave a purr and meow before riding away. The staff at Helping PAWS Pet Rescue cried out as they left, "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!" Tiny Tim cried as they left, God bless them everyone and rescuers everywhere! 2

3 That Little Vixen and the Many Facets of Her PAWsonality By Elizabeth Levi I m afraid I don t have kitten pictures for you because I m too busy playing and snuggling with Vixen to take pictures, also she doesn t sit still for very long. But here are pictures of my two other cats - Aramis & Bob who never saw a lap they didn t like so here they are cuddled on my lap as I read by the fire. I m thrilled to report that Vixen (not her real name) has recovered 99% from her upper respiratory illness. The green gobs of snots are gone, and only the very rare, lady-like sneeze is left. Attached in my vet s report of New Kitten Levi (her spy name). They did not know what the immune enhancing powder was all about but suggested I keep using it on her food until she s all clear and she actually seems to like it. They put her on a medication for sinusitis --- and will reexamine her --- when the 30 days is up on the ringworm culture. In the meanwhile, she is still being isolated from my other cats, big old Bob and Aramis. She s had another round of deworming and there has been no more diarrhea since that stinker she produced when I came to pick her up. She s an awesome eater and pooper and pee-er great at using the litter box except for the night I got her home and she dropped a big turd on the futon in the guest room (her current digs). That was the only time. Yes, Vixen is in kitty heaven. The futon is pushed up to the window so she can look out on the meadow behind my condo. The small bathroom in the guest room is HER bathroom the kitty litter box is in the shower. Sometimes I leave the sink faucet dripping as she LOVES to play with water. She definitely LOVES to look out the window. I put out bird feed and old bread crumbles to attract birds and squirrels for her to look at my other cats also find it very interesting viewing. She is SO energetic and loves to play with me and all my visitors -- who have flocked to see my incredibly pretty little kitty. She is also so cuddly and views me, I m pretty sure, as her new mom; she snuggles a lot with me licks me and likes to burrow her face in my hair and neck. I can tell she s super intelligent because of her advanced problem solving skills. For example, she is VERY curious (a sign of intelligence!) and wants out of the room to play with the other cats and explore (one possible name: The HMS Intrepid). She has realized that I am not letting this happen so now she stays away from me when I m leaving the room instead she hides behind a box or something waits until I get the door open AND my back is turned and THEN she races wildly for the opening. She s made it out a few times. Before I could wrangle her she greets Bob who is very curious about her and there is always a polite touching of noses. Aramis however runs in terror from the fleet-footed HMS Intrepid. The other night I took Mix Vix (her rapper name) into the bathroom with me just for a change of scenery --- and forgot to close the door to her room. I put her back in and only later realized that Bob had gone in to smell all the smells of New Kitten Levi who was DELIGHTED to have company for a change and immediately set about to engage big old Bob in a friendly wrestling match. Bob was very much alarmed and after a short, polite hiss, swatted at her.. once. Kitten Baby (her stripper name) was taken aback and didn t launch herself at him again (intelligent!!!) but did run around trying to get his attention I think she meant to give Bob a chance to come up with a game he wanted to play. Bob did allow her to come close and he was very interested but still a bit alarmed at her overly enthusiastic antics. He went and sat by the door to let me know that the meeting was over. Strangely enough once I let him out, he then sat by the door on the other side, as if regretting his decision to leave. I think Bob is intent on taking over as Kitten Baby s new mom, as long as her silly antics don t get out of hand. On the OTHER hand she has yet to interact much with Aramis who is only 3. Due to the quarantine of course, there isn t much contact and he isn t much interested but I suspect that he ll come around pretty quickly to having a fun little play buddy. Cont'd on Page 4 3

4 That Little Vixen and the Many Facets of Her PAWsonality (Cont'd from Page 3) I bless my lucky stars I took the gamble and drove up there to get Miss Veronica Mars (her detective name) because she is, I m pretty sure, the best cat I ve ever had. Oh sure I ll have to baby proof my entire place because her idea of a good time is getting into things and shredding them if at all possible (answer: lots of plastic tubs). Her personality is incredible and despite the various health issues she had a month ago --- she is very healthy now and such a little sweetheart. Sure she scratched and bit my grandbaby and made him cry but she didn t mean it it was just playful. My daughter forgave Mrs. Feisty instantly and tried to smuggle her out in her purse. My daughter s boyfriend even loves the kitten to bits --- after Mrs. The Rules Don t Apply to Me climbed up his back and then, perched on his shoulders began to lick and bite his bald head, paying special attention to his ears. My daughter sent me the picture she took of it and I replied, I like your boyfriend s hat. I ve been online and looking up traits of the Maine Coon and I think that she has MOST if not all of them: intelligence, the long coat, the gorgeous big green eyes, the long ear fur, the playfulness, the friendliness and her enjoyment of playing with water. At left is a portrait someone painted of a Maine Coon and it could be a portrait of Mrs. Fluffy Wildebeest (her New York Society name). While my two older boys are less likely to climb up to strange places I can see she is an explorer and I ll have to be sure to make high ledges accessible to her. It s going to be a wild and hairy ride with Ms Amelia (her aeronautic name) but a good one. I thought the vet s report card was interesting under 7. Heart they simply wrote purring. What? Does that mean they can t hear her heart because she s purring ALL the time? And I hope and pray that the slight mandibular lymph node enlargement was due to the sinusitis and is now normal. I know cats don t live forever but I m hoping Miss Quick Endeavor (her Wall Street name) will live to at least 20. Also my vet thinks she is more like 3 months old, going by her teeth, but then you re pretty sure that she was born in July. Not that it really matters of course. And what I read about Maine Coons, they take 3 years or so to reach maturity so that s a long kittenhood. Thanks again for letting me adopt her. She s the best!! Another Pet Success Story Sally (left) and Robbie (right) so happy together! Helping PAWS Pet Rescue, Inc. 939 W. Bayfield St. Washburn, WI ourhelpingpaws.com 4

5 Calendar of Events January 2015 National Train Your Dog Month Walk Your Pet Month (with Wooftrax! see Page 7 in this issue) January 2: National Pet Travel Safety Day January 22: National Answer Your Cat s Question Day January 24: Change A Pet s Life Day National Answer Your Cat's Question Day January 22 nd Q: Explain to me exactly WHY I cannot bite my sister? These teeth were made for biting! A: Hastings, remember you have been neutered, so you should be beyond that neck-biting phase. Do we need to have the Vet have another go at you to make sure it worked the first time? Q: Can we re-home Hastings NOW? Lily A: Lily, I know it is impossible to believe, but your Dad loves Hastings, and that might involve rehoming your Dad as well. Would you and your Mom like that? Q: The mouse isn t harming anything, so why do you expect me to catch him? I really have a live and let live sort of cattitude, so I think killing him would send the wrong message. A: It is in your Cat/Kitten contract, Article 3, Section 12, where it states, I shall keep my family s home free of mice, rats, and other assorted vermin. Per Nike, Just Do It. Q: Why did you bother to name me? You know that there is no freaking chance that I will ever respond when you call my name, so just sayin A: Consider it one of those stupid human foibles. We like to name our kids and pets. Silly us! Q: Why did you dress me in those stupid antlers? You didn t REALLY expect me to take that lying down, did you? A: Awww, and you look so cute too! Q: Hey, where did this dog come from? I vehemently oppose the presence of a dog in MY household, so why did you get him and when is he leaving? A: As some wise person once stated, in order to keep a true perspective of one s importance, everyone should have a dog that will worship him and a cat that will ignore him. You are doing YOUR job; now let the dog do his! Q: Whose idea was this embarrassing hair cut? I see an untimely death in their future! A: Don't you envisage yourself as a lion, King of the Jungle? Maybe I misunderstood what I thought you were trying to tell me... Helping PAWS Pet Rescue, Inc. 939 W. Bayfield St. Washburn, WI ourhelpingpaws.com 5

6 Stop the Presses!!! The Most Interesting Cat in the World Has Been Adopted! Remember Furnando Alvaro Lamas y de Santo fka Og, who dazzled the Cat World with his PAWsonality? To refresh your memory, here is his bio: Meet Furnando, so named because like his Dos Equis namesake, he is the most interesting of his species. They say he is so big, he looks down on Saint Bernards and Rottweilers. They say he is so smart, he once taught border collies how to herd sheep. They say he sings so beautifully that the birds come to him for lessons. These legends may or may not be true, but we do know that Furnando is a big (not fat) kitty with a dog-like personality and a melodious little chirping voice. He will do a variety of tricks if there is a treat involved. ( I don't always eat treats, but when I do, I prefer salmon. ) He likes everyone he meets: other cats, dogs, children and adults. He IS the most interesting cat in the world. Stay furry my friends. Helping PAWS Pet Rescue January 2015 Well, Furnando has landed a starring role as Shop Cat at Ashland Floral, where he romps with his co-star Odie, adopted from Helping PAWS two years ago. When this reporter met up with the Big Guy, he stated, at present I m just bunking with Odie to see how it goes. If we turn out to be a team that works well together, maybe it will become my Furever Home. That indeed happened, and after a brief trial period, the adoption was finalized! The most interesting cat in the world has vowed, together with his cohort, to keep the premises vermin free, entertain the customers, greet clients, sing for their supper, and snooze in their big chair. Here is Furnando, lolling around with Odie, ready for any and all action. Faux PAWS: socially awkward or tactless acts, especially those that violate accepted social pet norms, standard customs, or the rules of petiquette. Well, Santa's visit had an impact in that we had NO reported incidents of mischief and misbehavior during the month of December. Apparently the little schemers were too busy pretending to be good for the Big Guy's visit. Now that Santa won't return for another 12 months or so, the kittens, dogs, and cats will get back to business as usual, wreaking havoc. We await the reports of our readers. Please send all Faux PAWS with pictures to webmaster@ourhelpingpaws.com. Find Us on Facebook 6

7 Ladies and Gentlemen, Program Your Cell Phones! We Are Now Affiliated with Wooftrax! Go to to get the app. The Wooftrax app can be installed on both Android and iphone devices, and as long as your phone is on while you walk with it, it will track your mileage and support our rescue with periodic payments. Be sure to select Helping Paws Pet Rescue, Inc in Washburn, WI as your supported rescue. Since we are new to the Wooftrax group as of December 2014, we might not show up on the list of rescues until after their next check mailing date. See How does it work? below for more details. Some Wooftrax Frequently Asked Questions: What is it? Walk for a Dog is a smartphone application that supports your local animal organization every time you walk your pet. How does it work? After you download the app onto your smartphone, take the phone with you when you walk your pet(s) or simply when you go for a walk. Simply press the Start Walking for button and the app will keep track of your walk. When your walk is stopped it is credited to your selected shelter or rescue. The more people walking for that organization, the more we can donate, so please spread the word. How much and how often do we donate? Our donations to animal organizations are funded by sponsorship, advertising, and investors. We send donations to active shelters and rescues about twice per year. Please help us help your local animal organization by sharing the app with friends and family. Every walk counts, whether its a quick walk around the block or a leisurely three mile hike. The more people actively walking with the app the greater the benefit for your favorite rescue or shelter. How will I know when you donate to my shelter or rescue? We will send an and post on Facebook and Twitter. Be sure to like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter to stay current. What if I don t have a dog? Can I still use the app? Absolutely! You can walk for dogs at a shelter or rescue by choosing the Walk for Cassie option after enrolling in the app for the first time. Or, create your dream dog as a walking companion by going to the setup tab and adding a dog. What if I don t have an iphone or Android smartphone? While you can t use Walk for a Dog yourself, you can always walk with a friend who has the app to help support your favorite local shelter or rescue! Next time you upgrade your phone, consider getting a device that is compatible with the Walk for a Dog program. Like our Facebook page and join our mailing list and we will notify you when we support additional smartphone platforms. 7

8 Our Yankee Candle Fundraiser is About to Begin Beginning around January 20 th, we will begin online sales through Yankee Candle. The URL for this online store will be posted on our Facebook page ( and on our website ( when the store opens for business. Helping PAWS gets 40% of the profits from sales made through our special online store, so please patronize our shop. Beginning March 7, 2015, we will begin a 4-week Yankee Candle sales campaign in the Washburn, WI area. People who place orders with us will be able to pick up their purchases at Country Care Pet Hospital in time for Mothers Day. This "group order" will save you significantly on shipping charges. Orders will be collected through April 2, 2015, and sent to Yankee Candle for delivery to Country Care Pet Hospital in time for you to pick up your purchase for May 10. Watch for the posting of the Spring Catalog after our online sales begin later this month. Spring Catalog items not only include candles, but many decorative items, as well as flowers and seeds to plant. See a few of the items pictured below. If you miss this sale, we hope to have a similar sale during Brownstone Days in July. 8

9 Pet Updates, Newsletter Submissions, and Photos Welcome! Do you have a pet update, pet-related article you have written, or some other item of interest that should be included in a future Newsletter? (It does NOT have to be a pet adopted through Helping PAWS!) If so, please send your submissions to webmaster@ourhelpingpaws.com. Please note that we reserve the right to edit as needed. Pictures to accompany your submission are also very welcome. This is a chance for you and/or your pets to be "published"! We would be particularly interested in hearing from some of those Veterans out there who have taken advantage of our Free Cats for Vets program (which will be ending shortly until such time as our cat inventory increases). Are YOU On Our Mailing List Yet? Are YOU on our mailing list? If not, why not? To join our mailing list, please subscribe at We promise not to spam you, and you can unsubscribe at any time by following the unsubscribe link within any mailing list . Upcoming Events, Anyone? Do you know of an upcoming event that we should post? Please send it to webmaster@ourhelpingpaws.com for inclusion on the website and the next newsletter. Our Wishlist Please Support Our Merchant Partners When looking for that special Valentines Day, Easter, or Mothers Day gift, please consider purchasing from our Merchant Partners, the links to which can be found at Cremation urns and memorial jewelry can be purchased through us at Also, searching and shopping through Goodshop brings much-needed funds to our rescue, and merchants post their coupons on this site so that as you do good for the rescue, you are also saving yourself money with the available coupons. Be sure to denote Helping PAWS as your rescue of choice when you shop or when you search through Goodsearch. If you don't already have the Goodshop add-on installed on your computer, go to and download the Goodshop Browser Add-on. 9