WAGGING TALES UPCOMING EVENTS Thur, Aug 4th: 4p - 8p Yappy Hour James Island County Park By: Heather Thomas News, Events & Happy Stories for Staff & Volunteers of Charleston Animal Society LOOKING FOR LOVE Sat, Aug 6th: 2p - 8p Triangle Char and Bar Kayla Cup 9800 Dorchester Rd, Summerville Mon, Aug 8th: 7p - 9p Dog Day Monday Charleston Riverdogs Stadium Sat, Aug 13th: 8a - 12p Steps to a Healthier Community Family Fun Walk & Health Fair 155 Jackson St, Charleston Sat, Aug 13th Pride Parade and Festival Downtown Charleston Mon, Aug 22nd: 7p - 9p Dog Day Monday Charleston Riverdogs Stadium I spent some time getting to know a very sweet 2 year old Staffordshire mix named Kasey. He s full of personality. Here are some fun facts I learned about him in our interview. What are some of your favorite activities? Kasey: Definitely going outside exploring parks, trails, and I love to play with squeaky toys. I have a lot of energy but that means I ll rest good when it s time for bed. What kind of family matches your lifestyle? Kasey: I am looking for a family who enjoys being active. I d love to have my own play area or back yard. But I also enjoy giving kisses and being held. Wed, Aug 24th: 4p - 8p Ghost Monkey Brewery "Beers & Paws" Social & Chili Team Sign-Up Mt. Pleasant Thur, Aug 25th HSUS Disaster Training Public Works and CAS Training Room Sat, Sept 3rd: 7:30p Pups on the Pitch MUSC Health Stadium, Daniel Island Sat, Sept 11th: 12p - 5p Dog Day Afternoon Wannamaker County Park ~~~~~~~~ Issue 16 07.25.2016 Page 1 of 8
Would you rather wear a harness or a collar? Kasey: A harness is way more comfortable for me. Do you enjoy the company of other dogs? Kasey: I am a social dog. I enjoy meeting and greeting humans and other dogs. Kasey was a pleasure to meet. Stop by Charleston Animal Society and talk to him yourself if you are looking for a new best friend. LOOKING FOR LOVE Pepe Le Pew is also looking for love. He had a busy schedule and we couldn t set up an interview but here s a little information about him. He was brought in by animal control at the end of May. He came into the shelter almost bald and diagnosed with a severe skin disease. Of course, with the help of the knowledgeable staff at the Charleston Animal Society, he is recovering quite well. His treatments have shown improvement and he is ready to find his forever family. Issue 16 07.25.2016 Page 2 of 8
A few more pics of Pepe s before and during treatment progression WHO S WHO? By: Winkie Welborn JENNIFER WINCHESTER This month we re meeting Jennifer Winchester, Director of Philanthropy. She just celebrated her 1- year anniversary with the organization at the end of June. Prior to joining Charleston Animal Society, Jennifer worked at the Medical University of South Carolina. We are lucky to have her on our team helping to raise much needed funds in support of our work. After all, without the help of our amazing supporters, Charleston Animal Society wouldn t be able to save so many lives. Philanthropy encompasses the generous donations of much needed funding to worthy, charitable causes. In Jennifer s role, she focuses heavily on major gifts and planned giving, among other fundraising activities. Issue 16 07.25.2016 Page 3 of 8
She has specifically developed the Founders Program to acknowledge gifts and pledges at the $25,000 level (donors are able to spread out the giving over 5 years, if desired). Jennifer also established the organization s Giving Societies, which are donations based on levels of giving from $1,000 and up, and include various forms of recognition. Jennifer works strictly through personal contact to develop meaningful relationships between those who feel an intrinsic connection with what we do. Whether via phone, email, meetings, or cards, she estimates that she contacts at least 10 new people a week, in addition to keeping in regular contact with existing investors. She is considering parties at Board Member s homes where potential donors can learn about Charleston Animal Society and all of the various programs we sponsor. In hopes, that they too will become major donors themselves. Jennifer and her beau, Josh, share their home with 4 pets: a 15-year old Boston Terrier Winston, a 4-year old cockapoo Sully, a 13-year old Siamese mix Brodie, and a 5-year old tabby cat Cooper. By: Lisa Kindsvater PETIQUETTE Charleston Animal Society s Behavior Team, which includes lead Donya Satriale and team members John Martin, Erin MacGovern, and Jessie Sanders, plays an important role in successful adoptions on many levels. First, all dogs over the age of six months are evaluated using a seven item checklist developed by the ASPCA. Most assessments take place around day three after arrival in the shelter, says Sanders. This gives the dogs time to adjust and settle down before they are assessed. The reason evaluations are so important is because the SAFER assessments can pick up on behaviors that may need modification before dogs are placed on the adoption floor. The team looks for things such as excessive energy, inappropriate play, and the most common which are fearful or reactive tendencies. The staff then spends time with these dogs using various behavior modification techniques. Often behavior staff has high value food treats making good behavior very tasty and rewarding for the dogs. Sanders says the team usually works with around three to ten dogs at any given time. In addition to the Behavior Team, Charleston Animal Society also utilizes Issue 16 07.25.2016 Page 4 of 8
some canine residents as helper dogs in making assessments of fellow dogs. One famous resident is Gumby, who now lives full time at the shelter. By taking note of his reactions, the Behavior Team can make additional interpretations of other dogs behaviors. Sanders also notes that most assessments of food guarding, which is on the ASPCA behavior checklist, have recently been stopped. After participating in a pilot program, the Behavior Team determined that food guarding behavior is often something that is seen in the shelter environment, but not in a real-life home situation where the dog is not stressed. Along with behavior assessments, Sanders emphasizes that enrichment is a main focus for the Behavior Team. She says that daily interactions enrich the lives of dogs during their stay at the shelter. It is essential to keep the dogs active and engaged during the time they are living in a kennel environment. Charleston Animal Society uses an enrichment program developed by Aimee Sadler called Dogs Playing for Life, which utilizes dog socialization in a play group setting, similar to what you d see at a dog daycare. It is very important to keep the dogs minds working, says Sanders. And thirty minutes in a dog play group is comparable to a two-hour walk. There are different levels of intensity for the play groups, she explains. Some dogs are very rowdy and others are more passive. It does not take the Behavior Team long to figure out which groups fit individual dogs. These groups range in size from 10 to 25 dogs rotating in and out of the play groups. And, some dogs really do best just going on solo walks, she adds. The goal is, all dogs out two times, every day. All this dog walking and dog playing calls for a lot of supervision. That is where dog savvy, confident volunteers are essential. The behavior team looks for people who can manage either time outside working with a play group or outside walking and/or showing off dogs. In the summer months, it is especially difficult to find enough volunteers, she adds. <If you re interested, please check out our website to sign up to volunteer at www.charlestonanimalsociety.org/volunteer/ or email Steve O Brien at sobrien@charlestonanimalsociety.org> Issue 16 07.25.2016 Page 5 of 8
To further facilitate successful adoptions, the Behavior Team also offers adoption counseling. Often, a member of the team will do follow up calls with families to make sure things are a great fit and that all questions are answered. From arrival at the shelter to going home after adoption, Charleston Animal Society s Behavior Team keeps the focus on happy dogs. By: Morgan Edens We may be having a bit of a dry spell here in Charleston weather-wise, but Charleston Animal Society experienced a flood of a different kind this past June, a flood of kittens and cats! As posted on the Society s social media accounts, a total of 51 kitties were dropped off at the shelter from a single hoarding situation alone. The animals had all lived in an apartment together and most were in need of medical attention. To make those numbers even more staggering, a total of 47 cats and kittens were brought in from animal control and the community that very same day. With a total of 98 new mouths to feed, staff and volunteers at the shelter were scrambling to find space and food for their new guests. The staff s break room and bathroom was made into makeshift kitty quarters. The S.O.S. was sent out to Charleston s animal loving community to ask for food donations. The clinic s veterinary staff had their hands full tending to all the new medical needs the felines brought with them and even some surrounding vets welcomed a few cats into their treatment facilities to lend a hand. Many of the kitties have already found their new homes and the adoption team is doing a great job to make sure the rest soon follow! Issue 16 07.25.2016 Page 6 of 8
By: Heather Thomas SNAPSHOTS Are ready for a cuteness overload? Here are some snapshots of the cats and kittens waiting for adoption in the shelter! First we have Naomi, a beautiful all white cat. She was found living at a ball field on Johns Island with 13 other cats and kittens. The crew members that brought the cats in had to convince the group of kitties to come with them by offering a variety of treats! The next snapshots include a few of the cats and kittens rescued in the hoarding case in West Ashley. Issue 16 07.25.2016 Page 7 of 8
DOG TRAINING CLASSES Upcoming dog training classes available through Charleston Animal Society s Canine College can be found below. For more info or to sign up, visit www.charlestonanimalsociety.org/dog-training/ August 10 th Puppy Kindergarten August 10 th Dog Obedience 101 August 15 th Pet Therapy Prep Class August 21 st AKC Puppy STAR August 21 st Puppy Pre-School Every Second Saturday Puppy Club By Appointment In-Home Private Dog Training If you re interested in contributing to the Wagging Tales Newsletter, please contact Jamie Healy at JHealy@CharlestonAnimalSociety.org We d love to have you on our amazing volunteer team! Issue 16 07.25.2016 Page 8 of 8