Pet Tails. Grimm ID# Virginia Beach Animal Care & Adoption Center. Inside this issue:

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1 Pet Tails Grimm ID# Virginia Beach Animal Care & Adoption Center Grimm the cat was picked up by ACO Chris Pierce on an early, sunny, spring day in March 206. Grimm was a male neutered, gray & white, domestic short haired cat. ACO Pierce scanned the cat and discovered that he was luckily micro chipped. He attempted to contact the Microchip company but was unsuccessful in obtaining the owner s information. The owner s had placed a privacy hold on their personal info. He returned with the cat to the shelter in hopes that our Clerk staff would be able to further investigate the owners information through the Microchip company. ACO Pierce and Clerk Terry Graham were both involved in contacting the Microchip company and they in turn contacted the owners. The owners were contacted and advised that their cat, named Grimm, had been missing for over 5 years! It is unknown how Grimm made his way all the way from frigid Minneapolis, MN to sunny Virginia Beach, VA. We also don t know what type of stray cat lifestyle he had been living over these past several years. The owners were ecstatic to learn that their cat was found and in good shape. The owner made plans to drive from MN to VA to reclaim their cat. The owner s son volunteered to make the,062 mile trek to pick up Grimm. (He also, took advantage of the fact that it was spring break and he could catch some rays in sunny Virginia Beach!) When the son arrived, Grimm literally hugged him and put his paws around his neck. It was a heart -warming sight! The son and Grimm enjoyed a few days basking in the Virginia Beach sun before returning to MN. Just a side note: Grimm s story was so enlightening that it even made the local news on Channel 0/WAVY TV. Jessie Varner, local WAVY-TV 0 reporter did a brief article on Grimm as well. He has more than had his 5 years + 5 minutes of fame! Volume 26, Issue 26 May, 206 Inside this issue: Our Foster Story 2 Animal Spotlight 3 Some Animal Facts 3 Get to Know Your Breed 4 Meet the Staff 5 Meet the Officers 5 Meet the Volunteers 6 Facebook/Twitter 6 Shelter Statistics It s the Law... Volunteer Opportunities Miscellaneous 7 7

2 OUR FOSTER STORY by Amy Spika I walked into the vet suite of VBACAC to ask a question and I saw everyone looking at some really young kittens brought into the vet suite for care. There were three, two of whom who were wobbling, almost shaking. The vet told me they had a condition called CEREBELLAR HYPOPLASIA. This condition occurs when a cat who has fiv or distemper gets pregnant. The babies' CEREBELLUM may not mature properly which leave kittens with no coordination. It is sometimes accompanied by head tremors or shaking. There are three levels of this condition, mild, moderate and severe with the severe kittens sometimes not able to walk. One of our supervisors took these babies home and bottle fed them until they were old enough to be adopted. To were adopted fairly quickly. One was left and when I would step into the vet suite to ask a question or bring my current fosters in for their shots, I would see this last little CH kitty banging around in her cage and trying to get out for some love and attention. It seemed she had already won the hearts of the vet staff and some volunteers. It was heartbreaking seeing her bang around in that cage. I started to feel like I was supposed to take her, like she belonged in my home, so I took her into foster. I was a little nervous because I had never cared for a special needs kitten before. My kids instantly fell in love with Janet in spite of her disability. It was hard to see her banging around though. We did what we could and she was such a trooper. Nothing stopped her! She was so interested in the other foster kittens and wanted to play. She would run, well sort of. Her running was taking three steps and then falling to the side. She would constantly try, running into the walls and we would cringe; but she would get up and run some more! It was really cute watching them all together. My adult cats however were not trusting of her because of the way she moved and although all she wanted to do was play with them, they would run from her. This did not seem to bother her as she would just move along and try again the next time she saw one of them. Because I was falling for Janet, I had decided Janet was not going anywhere if I did not feel comfortable with any potential adopter and she would just stay right here with me in my family. As it turned out, I was contacted by a lady interested in Janet. She and her sister came over to meet Janet and I could tell she had already fallen in love. This lady was very familiar with the condition. She had another kitty with CH and several other cats of her own. I got such a warm feeling from these two ladies that secretly I hoped she would adopt Janet but I told her I wanted her to be completely ready emotionally for another CH kitty. I told her to take her time because I was not going to let Janet go to just anyone. If anything I was ready to keep her myself. After several weeks, I got the phone call with the confirmation she was going to the shelter to adopt Janet. I was thrilled! My daughter and I took Janet to her new home and it was so wonderful seeing this lady who was so in love with Janet and so ready to give Janet the time she needed to settle in which, as it turned out, was a very short time! Janet is in her forever home with a family who loves her unconditionally and will provide her with the love and care anyone would be so lucky to get! I have an open invitation to visit with Janet which I am thrilled about and have already taken her up on that offer. I plan to do so again in the near future. Fostering is an amazing thing I am so lucky to be able to do! I fall in love with each litter, each kitten and am thrilled to see them all get adopted and go to their forever homes.

3 Missy Pit Bull Terrier This 2 year old, 40 pound pocket pitty is quite shy and would do best in a home where there won't be loud surprises (no small children or other pets). She's a doll and very sweet when given the time to warm up with a patient person. She s housebroken and knows basic commands. Heidi DSH Tabby This little 4 year old gal is a goofball! Playful, super sweet and lots of fun. She loves kids and is completely housebroken with no litterbox issues whatsoever. This longhaired beauty is already spayed, so she could go home with you today! Marty Lab/Chow Mix Marty is a senior gentleman of about 8 years and weighs 60 pounds. He s got some old man issues, like missing hair and a bumpy head, but he s a sweet, mellow guy who takes treats gently, is house trained and good on a leash. He s good with other dogs and eager to please! This member of the weasel family is native to central North America. The prairie dog makes up about 90% of its diet. They are largely nocturnal and hunt at night. They live in prairie dog colonies and spend the vast portion of their time underground in burrows where they eat, sleep, and raise young. Once thought to be extinct, they are currently considered endangered due to very small and restricted populations. Page 3 Black swans are large water birds with mostly black plumage and red bills. They are found throughout Australia, and are more common in the south. They are almost exclusively vegetarians, feeding largely on aquatic and marshland plants. They are monogamous, mating for life, and both males and females share incubation duties and cygnet rearing. Featured on the flag of Western Australia, the black swan is both the state bird and state emblem. Pet Tails

4 Tonkinese Cat Originally produced by crossbreeding Siamese and Burmese cats. Their long, slender bodies are deceptively muscular and heavier than expected when picked up. They are highly social, loving and playful cats who are happier in pairs, as they don t like being left alone or ignored. They are very vocal, often talking in long sentences and yes, they expect a response. Best kept as an indoor-only cat. Their fur comes in many color/coat pattern variations that range from a high contrast between body and points to a low contrast (almost solid) coat. They have been known to engage in dog-like behaviors, such as playing fetch, and enjoy jumping to great heights. Bullmastiff The Bullmastiff is a large-size domestic dog, with a solid build and a short muzzle. Originally developed by 9thcentury gamekeepers to guard estates. These sensitive, natural guardians are strong and powerful and require consistent training and socialization. They bark much less than other breeds, however they will do so on alarm. Bullmastiffs enjoy working activities that include obedience, agility, tracking, and carting. They have a lifespan of about 7 to 8 years and are prone to some hereditary diseases such as hip and elbow dysplasia, lymphoma, arthritis, bloat, and progressive retinal atrophy. Page 4 Pet Tails

5 Meet the Staff Meet Terry Graham Clerk III Terry has been with Animal Control since 984. She began her employment as a Caretaker and moved to become an Animal Control Officer for the next 0 years. In 993, she made the decision to leave her job to be a stay at home mother to her three daughters ages, year, and a newborn. She came back in 2004 as a clerk and has been in this position for 8.5 years. She loves animals as you can see by her picture; she currently owns four dogs and six hermit crabs. What makes her happiest in her job is that she can connect with people through animals. It makes it easy for Terry to bond with a person when sharing the love of animals. She began this deep love for all God s creatures very early in life. As a child she spent the first 3 years of her life on a farm in a very remote area. There were no neighbors for her to interact with so she played with the dogs, cats, goats, chickens, and rabbits her family was raising on the farm. They became her best friends and through this interaction, she has learned life lessons that she shares with those coming into the Animal Care and Adoption Center. Her passion is obvious to all who come in contact with her whether surrendering a loved pet for reasons beyond their control or entering with great hope of finding their lost companion. Meet the Officers Meet Animal Control Officer I John Thompson Officer Thompson came to Animal Control with a wealth of canine experience. He has worked for Cobra Canine in Chesapeake which is a vendor to police departments, training and supplying dogs to departments around the world. He had the opportunity to work with Naval Special Warfare Multipurpose Canine Unit in San Diego and for Elite Canine Kennel in Kentucky. Both facilities he was the kennel manager. Officer Thompson originally started volunteering with VBACAC in 202. He has been working as an ACO for the last 9 months. One of his most memorable experiences was reuniting a dog that had been missing for weeks and thought to have been hit by a car. It was very rewarding when he was able to reunite the owners with their beloved and unharmed pet! Officer Thompson s photo was taken while giving a shelter dog some TLC during his volunteer time, this dog has been adopted from VBACAC and is doing well in his new home! Page 5 Pet Tails

6 the Volunteers Meet the Volunteer - Kristin Jackson Kristin Jackson I have been volunteering at Animal Control for just under 5 years now. I have been friends with Jean Deliz, the Volunteer Coordinator, for years and she told me how great it was volunteering here. I filled out an application shortly after that and have been fostering ever since. I have lived in Virginia Beach for many years. I met and married my husband here and we are raising our four children. Because my husband and I both had pets when we married our kids are being raised with animals of all ages. I enjoy fostering the very senior animals because they still have so much love to give. They want to be loved and pampered for their remaining retirement time. A lot of these animals have come to the shelter through no fault of their own but family circumstances. I find working with the shelter animals very rewarding and I find the staff and other volunteers friendly and nice to work with. I plan on volunteering for many more years. GIVE US A LIKE! Have you liked us on Facebook? Do you follow us on Twitter? One of the easiest ways for us to let potential adopters know about the many adoptable pets at the shelter is by using social media. We post information about adoptables and current events at the shelter. So join the 2050 people already liking us on Facebook and our 60 Twitter followers as we get the word out! Find us at on Twitter and join in the conversations, and while you re at it, invite your friends too. The more who know, the better the animals have at finding FURever homes! Volume 26, Issue 26 Page 6

7 Volunteer Opportunities: Volunteer Front Desk Greeter Newsletter Team Member Adoption Counselor PetSmart Cat Center Volunteer Foster Parent Animal Transporter Pet Portal (Petfinder) Call Center Volunteer Lost/Found Assistance Volunteer Small Animal Companionship Special Events Volunteer Vet Assistant Youth Mentor Adoption Follow-ups Do you love animals and want to give back to the community? We have the answer for you there are many ways that you can help, from walking dogs, cuddling cats or advertising pets that are up for adoption. We also are in need of foster homes to increase the amount of animals that we can serve. Listed below are volunteer opportunities Virginia Beach Animal Care & Adoption Center 34 S. Birdneck Road Virginia Beach, VA 2345 Phone: Fax: Cat Room Volunteer Dog Walker If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, contact Jean Deliz at policeanimalsheltervol@vbgov.com. She ll be looking forward to hearing from you. Shelter Statistics Dogs Impounded Mar Mar April April Dogs Reclaimed Dogs Adopted Dogs Transferred Cats Impounded Cats Reclaimed Thursday 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Cats Adopted Cats Transferred Other Companions Impounded Saturday and Sunday 0 a.m. to 3 p.m. Other Companions Reclaimed Other Companions Adopted Other Companions Transferred It s the Law.. Did you know no private residential dwelling and its surrounding grounds that serves as a foster home shall keep more than 50 companion animals on site at one time Hours of Operation: Monday, Wednesday, Friday a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday :00 a.m. to 3 p.m. (reclaims only) Do you have a suggestion? We d like to hear it. Please drop off suggestions in our suggestion box and we ll post the suggestion and the response in our newsletter.