Bringing Pets & People Together. Meds

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1 he Shel er ConneC ion INSIDE: Pay It Forward Bully Breed Brigade Sad Partings Mend-A-Paw Year recap Lives Saved in Brooklyn Happy Tails Dogs for Adoption Volunteer Corner Lend-A-Paw Thank You to our Supporters Bringing Pets & People Together TELL TAILS PAY IT FORWARD Meds Holiday 2011 Shelter PAY IT FORWARD Marianne Sikora Food What a great movie! Except for the ending of course which sent us all in search of a good therapist. The message however was inspirational. Each and every person, no matter how small, can change the world. It starts with one act of kindness and once you start paying it forward the results can be amazing. The volunteers with The Shelter Connection along with the staff at the shelter have decided we are blessed. Over the last ten plus years we have been amazed at the kindness and generosity of our supporters. Through your donations we have been able to achieve some amazing results. There has always been enough money in the Mend-a- Paw fund to fix all animals in need. Our shelter dogs want for nothing. They have a better quality food and each has a bed to call their own. continued on page 3 is the volunteer organization at the Town of North Hempstead Animal Shelter. Our Mission, in partnership with the Town, is to improve the quality of life for dogs at the shelter and increase the adoptions through training and socialization. A secondary mission is public education to shift the public perception about shelters and dispel the myth that shelter dogs are damaged goods. The shelter is located at 75 Marino Avenue, Port Washington, NY

2 Board of Directors Robert Slifkin, MD President Jeff Rosen Treasurer Marianne Sikora Secretary Newsletter Editor/Coordinator Rosanne Palumbo Director of Training Regina Lagrasta Volunteer Coordinator Denise Waters Special Events Coordinator Paula Kellner Education and Public Awareness Coordinator Advisory Board Sue Hassett Assistant Director, North Hempstead Animal Shelter BULLY Breed Brigade volunteers and shelter staff recently premiered a new program, The Progressive Pit. The goal is to work with the specific traits and characteristics of the Bully breeds to get them ready for adoption. Years of misinformation and falsehoods about these breeds have left them languishing in shelters everywhere. They happen to be one of the most people loving breeds with which I have ever had the pleasure to work. As luck would have it, Last Hope sponsored a Bully Breed Day at their shelter in Wantagh. Many of volunteers joined in this fun event. Pits of every size and shape abounded! Contrary to myth, no people were mauled, dogs mingled everywhere without incident. We even had the pleasure of seeing Tia Marie Torres of Animal Planet s Pit Bulls and Parolees TV show. She came to take 6 Pits that were rescued from a local home that was fighting dogs back to her sanctuary in CA. It is good to see the attitude slowly changing about this breed and the effort by many shelter and rescue groups to get these dogs into good loving homes. Brian Kilcommons Dog Trainer Erik Tallbe, CPA Special Thanks to: Castlerock Printing for their contribution towards printing newsletter Contributions to this issue: Bob Slifkin, Denise Waters, Sue Hassett, Marianne Sikora PO Box 226 Greenvale, NY tsc@theshelterconnection.com is an all volunteer nonprofit charitable organization. All contributions are spent on programs and services to improve the quality of life of dogs at the Town of North Hempstead Animal Shelter. All contributions are fully tax-deductible. This giant event attendee is a therapy dog & his kisses cover your head! Sad Partings... would like to send a hug out to our friends and family who have lost their furry family members in We all understand too well their incredible loss and hope soon the sadness is replaced with all the happy memories you shared with your pets. Zander - Bob and Meg Tex, Peanut - Sue and Louise Bella - Laura and Gary Rosie - The Kellner Family Mocha - John and Jenna Mona - All the shelter staff and volunteers at the shelter 2

3 Pay It Forward... continued from page 1 They have a nature trail so they can dig their toes into the earth and just be dogs on nice long walks. The have agility equipment to exercise their bodies and their minds. They have a fully equipped isolation room to care for those who are ill while keeping the other residents healthy. They have piped in music to calm their souls. They have a real life room where they can practice being good citizens to prepare for their new homes. They have more toys and treats than any dog on Santa s list. They are blessed. However, we realize not all organizations are as blessed as. We have a nice cushion of funds waiting in the wings to be used as needed, so as part of our GOT?? series this holiday season we want to PAY IT FORWARD. On the donation form there is a PAY IT FORWARD option. Check it off and these funds will be allocated to other organizations in need. Following is a list of organizations in need that we will share your donations with. We believe all organizations that care for animals in need are angels of sorts. Besides an incredible message PAY IT FORWARD let Jane Siberry provide us with one of the most moving songs of all times. Calling all angels, walk me through this world, don t leave me alone. I hope In the arms of these angels many animals will find some comfort and care. With your kind donations we would like to help these fellow angels as you have helped us over the years. Thank you for all your support over the years. Organizations for PAY IT FORWARD program Tell Tails Holiday 2011 Mixed Breeds in Need We are a small 501c3 organization working in conjunction with the Town of Oyster Bay, New York municipal shelter. We provide foster care when necessary but mostly try to promote the animals while they still have time in the shelter. We promote the improvements of the public shelter with volunteer services and community donations. We also actively raise funds through our community sponsored events and newsletters. Shepherd's Hope Rescue Shepherds' Hope Rescue was formed by two independent rescuers who forged an alliance to more effectively help our beloved breed. We are disturbed by the alarming increase of German Shepherd Dogs in the country's animal shelters and in neglectful situations. Shepherds' Hope is not a shelter; nor do we have our own facility. As volunteers, we house our rescue dogs either in our own homes, foster homes if available, or board them with dog sitters or kennels until placed with their new families. We make the commitment to each and every animal to resolve any health or behavioral issues prior to adoption, and all dogs are vaccinated, spayed/neutered and heartworm tested. Break the Chain Break the Chain is a program that assists owners and dogs in need. Each week we go directly into the community and discuss humane education, positive training techniques, assistance with spay and neuter, dog food, dog houses, flea treatments and preventing dogs from living their lives on a chain far away from human contact. Every dog deserves to know what it is like to run free, be treated with dignity and have the freedom to just be a dog. That is our goal, to improve the quality of life for dogs in need. We do not advocate for dogs to live outdoors or in doghouses, but we feel an obligation to provide shelter and as much comfort as we can for a dog. We work weekly with owners to teach them the skills to bring the dogs in the house and we provide positive motivational training advice, crates/bedding, bones etc. In our opinion motivation is just as important with an owner as it is with a dog. Another important part of our program is to prevent dogs from being turned into shelters as a result of something simple that we may be able help with. We are a group of volunteers who are proud to dedicate our lives to this cause. NYC Animal Care and Control. Animal Care & Control of New York City is the largest pet organization in the Northeast, with nearly 40,000 animals rescued each year. As a nonprofit organization since 1995, AC&C has been responsible for New York City s municipal shelter system; rescuing, caring for and finding loving homes for homeless and abandoned animals in New York City. AC&C facilities operate in all five boroughs to service all NYC communities. 3

4 Mend-A-Paw to the Rescue Dolly Pumpkin needed dentistry for severe dental disease, radiographs for diagnosis and removal of several mammary tumors, biopsy of tumors, spay and initial treatment for chronic skin disease. With medical bills totatling over $1200 she might not have made it in another shelter. Thanks to the Mend-A- Paw fund she is now living the wonderful life she was meant to have. Our Holiday Wish Happy Tails From Sammy's adopter: "A year ago our Chihuahua died and we wanted to adopt another rescue Chihuahua. We looked online and found Pogo (now Sammy). I was a bit hesitant because Sammy was so young but my husband, Jim, said that Sammy was "THE ONE". Since adoptions were 1st come, 1st served and Jim was determined to adopt Sammy he arrived at 2PM the day before Sammy's adoption day. Sammy is such a joy to our family- loveable, very mischievous and a great companion to our other dog Gizmo. It is not unusual for Sammy to bring one of his squeaky toys and drop it onto our face at 7AM as we are sleeping to play fetch. The best story was when we were babysitting our granddaughter and we were doing puzzles in the living room. Earlier I had made my husband a 6" hero sandwich which I had put onto the kitchen table. Jim then asked where his sandwich was. When I replied, the kitchen table, he informed me that the plate was empty. Then I remembered our 5&1/2 pound Chihuahua Sammy running by me with something in his mouth into his little hut. Needless to say, he stole the 6" hero, which is HALF his size, dragged it off the table, through the dining room and the living room, past me no less, as I was playing with my granddaughter! That's our Sammy. The picture is Sammy with Jim- as you can see, Sammy loves to snuggle. THANK YOU Town of North Hempstead Shelter for all the wonderful work that you do!! 4 It was the night before Christmas, and all through the place The dogs were all lined up with hope on their face Would this magical season make their dreams all come true? Would their forever family include one of you? Please make local shelters your very first stop These pups are all wishing folks adopt and don t shop For $29.50 you can find your best friend by adopting, not shopping you save a life in the end

5 Tell Tails Holiday 2011 Where do your hard earned dollars go? Mend-a-Paw Fund (Medical Treatment): $11,313 Mend-a-Paw Fund (Medical Treatment): $98,015 Dog Food Supplement and Treats $4,416 Additional Shelter Improvements: $12,773 Training Equipment: $2,450 Dog Food Supplement and Treats $30,584 Additional Shelter Improvements: $77,482 Training Equipment: $6,873 PAY IT FOWARD If you would like your holiday donation to go towards our PAY IT FORWARD program please check the box on the coupon below. Donations made to The Shelter Connection, Inc. are tax deductible. An acknowledgement letter will be mailed to the donor. Please be sure to include your full name and address. Please help us help the dogs at our local shelter Yes, I want to help improve the quality of life for the dogs at the Town of North Hempstead Animal Shelter. Enclosed is my gift to support : $100 $50 $25 $15 $10 Other $ PAY IT FORWARD (Check for PAY IT FORWARD donation) Please make checks payable to : and mail to: If you wish to be notified about events please send your address. Your donation is fully tax-deductible and will be acknowledged with a receipt. 100% of your donation will be applied directly to program services P.O.BOX 226 Greenvale, NY

6 All the faces on these two pages were rescued in the 11th hour from the New York City Brooklyn shelter and sponsored and funded by. We are happy to show you them in their new homes with the best smiles on their faces. KEEPER & BUDDY at home ZAYJACK at home These four cuties are waiting for Santa & for their chance at happiness! DASHER DELILAH SALSA 6 FLASH

7 Tell Tails Holiday 2011 CLOUD HOLLY TEDDY SPENCER SHORTSTOP 7

8 Teddy It had been 14 years that we were without a dog. Our two buddies had died and I was really hesitant to replace them. It had been very hard to lose them. Yet, for over 4 years, I read my daily s from petfinder.com to see pictures and descriptions of dogs that were available for adoption. We actually looked at one dog in January 2011 but he was too small- I was afraid that he would slip through the open staircase we have in the house. Then in March 2011, I was reading my s and saw a photo of a dog named Brady who was up for adoption at the Town of North Hempstead Animal Shelter. I showed his picture to my daughter and my husband and off I went to meet him. He had the look I was waiting for- shaggy and adorable. I met him and within a few minutes he was mine. The people at the animal shelter were wonderful and the whole process was great. He came home with a bed, a leash, collar, license and even a microchip. By the time he came home, after a 3-mile ride, we were bonded! Brady became Teddy, named after my daughter s first stuffed animal, Ted Ted, 21 years ago. And he really is a teddy bear. Teddy is a 2 ½ -3 year old schnoodle and is the joy of our lives. He is so loving, patient, well-mannered, playful, and just absolutely delicious! His repertoire of behavior is so cute- when we leave for work, in slow motion he falls to the floor and rolls over onto his back and lies limp so we can t pick him up. We call it the Teddy Flop. He sleeps in our bed, for the first few hours completely buried under the blankets and then he snuggles between us. We just bought a king-sized bed to accommodate the three of us! And he doesn t snore very loudly. Teddy fills up the house with tons of positive energy. Joy galore. Love abounds. Good mischief. Keeps us laughing. He even reduces the stress we have from our jobs as a superintendent of schools, a principal, and an insurance associate. Our holiday wish for everyone who reads this is that you consider rescuing a dog from an animal shelter. Your new buddy will be so lucky to be in a loving household and you will be even luckier to have a new best friend! Sincerely, Teddy s Family, Dee, Rick and Jake 8 Thank you for adopting Teddy and for giving him a chance at a wonderful life!

9 Volunteer Corner Denise Waters I ve been introducing basic training to, socializing and exercising, the dogs at North Hempstead Animal Shelter for 13 years. Many of the dogs are there simply because no owner ever took the time to introduce some basic training and establish house rules. Dogs love rules and routine. They like to know what is expected of them and what to expect from YOU! It is deeply satisfying to watch one of these untrained knuckleheads blossom into a wonderful companion once they understand a game plan. We use only reward based, positive training techniques and the dogs come to LOVE their training sessions! Not all sessions are treats and training for all dogs. Some dogs are so fearful or traumatized they are not yet open to training. One such dog that comes to mind is Oreo (see back page). Oreo s session with me was her climbing onto my lap, letting out a big sigh of relief and snuggling. Here was a dog that desperately needed a family to call her own. She didn t need treats or training she needed human companionship. Happy to report her dream came true! Other dogs are so fearful that a session consists of sitting quietly and non-confrontationally and letting the dog sniff and come to you at his/her own pace. It can take weeks to break through the barriers but it is what we do. We wait until they are ready. As you can see, each session is individually geared to the needs of the particular dog. Sometimes we can t break through does my heart break yes. Have I had deep satisfaction and happiness watching a dog get a good home much more than the sad times. This is probably the most satisfying (and nonpaying) career of my lifetime! The Shelter Dogs wanted to thank the following folks for helping make their lives just a bit better while they wait for their forever homes... To all the Merchants who have helped keep the funds coming for the animals at the Town of North Hempstead Animal Shelter. They re eating better, playing better and healing better thanks to the generosity of local businesses. Please help us by patronizing the following Pet friendly merchants. Merchants who helped with a special price for: Printing the newsletter CastleRock Printing & Graphics Please shop at and look for collection boxes at the following merchants: Bagel Boss, Port Washington Black Tie Wine & Spirits, Port Washington Bluetique, Port Washington Constantino s Deli, Bayside Diane s Place Hair Salon, Port Washington Foxy Dog, Port Washington Frank s Pizzeria, Port Washington Get Baked, Port Washington Grace Wine & Spirits, New York City Joanne s Gourmet Pizza, Roslyn Main Street Wine & Spirits, Port Washington Mazur s Marketplace, Little Neck North Shore Farms, Port Washington Petland Discounts, Port Washington Port Washington Animal Hospital, Port Washington Raindew Manhasset, Manhasset Shields Hardware, Port Washington Unleashed Pet Boutique & Spa, Port Washington Villa Milano, Manhasset Yogurt & Such, Greenvale Tell Tails Holiday

10 Rusty Rusty was one of the "Eight Lords & Ladies Leaping" puppies that were abandoned at the shelter in February, From his family to Sue & the great staff at the Town of North Hempstead Animal Shelter: "He is now a little over 8 years old but still acts like a puppy. We took him home on February when he was a 3 month old puppy. In our wildest dreams we never thought he would look like he does. A groomer told us he looked like a Pharoah Hound. Until then we thought he was Greyhound & Rhodesian Ridgeback. He is great with our two children who love him dearly. He is very protective of his family, but he doesn't care for the wildlife in our neighborhood. He is very intelligent. He loves to go for car rides and can run in our backyard for hours. He doesn't like water and barks at whoever is in the pool. We just want to thank you for the wonderful work you do. We are so glad Rusty picked us out that day we visited your shelter. He is the best dog ever! Warmest wishes." Levon From Katie's Family: We wanted to update you and brag about Katie's latest accomplishments. She was adopted in February of She was a typical year old black lab full of energy and smart as a whip. She stole our hearts. With lots of love, patience and training she earned her AKC Canine Good Citizen in April of For the past year we have been training to compete in Rally Obedience. This weekend was her first sanctioned APDT trial, and lo and behold she was amazing and qualified and earned her title of RL1 (Rally Level 1). Now on to bigger and better things, Rally Level 2. Thank you all so much for all you do for our abandoned dogs. To everyone reading this, adopted and rescued pets are the absolute best. From us: Katie's story clearly shatters the myth that all shelter dogs are "damaged goods". 10 From Levon's Family:"It was Christmas of I adopted a black Lab who was unsocialized prior to being surrendered to the shelter. He had spent his entire life outdoors, all seasons, no matter how bad the weather. He had never had a name or so much as a pat on the head by a human hand, kind or not. In the shelter he had to be carried from place to place as he would only walk on a dirt floor. In August this year I decided it was time for the staff at North Hempstead Animal Shelter and Shelter Connection volunteers (of which I am one) who loved and worked with him to see his new life. The picture tells the story!" Katie Happy Tails

11 Lends-A-Paw Tell Tails Holiday 2011 tries to attend as many events as possible to help educate the public about the wonderful dogs waiting for them at shelters. These are picture from just a few events we attended this year. Unleashed Boutique Pet Parade Newsday Flick and Treat BULLY BREED Brigade Paws for Parkinsons also attended: Blessing of the shelter dogs by the Lama Sid Jacobsen Dogfest Blessing of the animals at the United Methodist church Shields Hardware TJ day and we sponsored our first golf outing 11

12 Tell Tails Holiday 2011 P.O. BOX 226 Greenvale, NY Can t get enough shelter news?? Come visit our website & sign up for our e-updates If a fat man comes down that chimney I will faint FLASH waits patiently for Santa and for a home of his own! Oreo By Denise Waters The Oreo may be America's favorite cookie, but Oreo the (shelter) dog was my favorite sweet! I am a volunteer dog handler and a session with a dog usually includes introducing basic training, a play session and perhaps a walk. Not so with sweet Oreo. When she came to spend time with me, we sat on the floor together and she would climb in my lap, let out the biggest sigh, and curl up. She needed her own person...and sooner than later. Week after week we sat together,she was so stressed and losing weight.i was saddened and perplexed as to why she was still at the shelter. Could it be that she was a Pit Mix? With so much bad news and misinformation about Pits, I was afraid that this perfect dog was languishing because of breed prejudice. Oh happy day...at last my sweet treat of a dog was adopted. Her adoptive family has had nothing but good things to say about her and a picture is worth a thousand words.(see her Happy Tails story on our web site) I just want her adoptive family to know how grateful I am that they saw the treasure that is Oreo and took her home. Although I miss our time together, seeing the pictures of her with her family is what makes what we volunteers do all worthwhile.