Valley Animal Voice Winter 2014 Newsletter of the Valley Animal Center Volume 13, Issue 3 Kitty Christmas & Merry Mutts Holiday Open House December 5th, 2014 4pm-8pm
Grendel Maxi Meet Our Adorable Adoptables! Age: 2 years Sex: Female Breed: Domestic Medium Hair About me: I was abandoned by my original owner in a birdcage, but it won t bring me down. Though I have been through a lot, I am a friendly girl with a lot of personality. I also love taking long naps in Room 12. I will probably do best in a single-cat home. Age: 1.5 years Sex: Male Breed: Manx About me: I m a pretty unique boy! I was born without a tail, which makes me pretty special to visitors. I am quite shy, but I do warm up when visitors bring me toys and treats! Please visit me. We just might be the perfect match, and I m on November s Back in Black special! Velvet Age: 6 months Sex: Female Breed: Domestic Short Hair About me: I am a teenager who loves when people pet the top of my head. I will also purr in your lap. I am still very young, but I have been at the shelter for several months. I m on special until the end of November! Dog Adoption Center (559) 233-8717 Dog and puppy adoption fee: $175 Includes spay or neuter, DA2PPV, Bordatella and rabies vaccinations, de-worming, flea treatment and microchip I.D. Open 7 days a week 10am-4:30pm. Age: 6 years Sex: Male Breed: Long-Hair Chihuahua About me: I was originally adopted in 2009 but was recently returned to the shelter because my owners had to move. I am a very happy dog who loves to go for walks. I get along well with other animals, and I am a great lap-warmer! Age: 5 years Age: 1 year Sex: Male Sex: Female Breed: Shar-Pei Mixes About us: We came to VAC in August of this year. We have been bonded for a long time, and would love to find a forever home where we can be together! Shar-peis can be very particular, so we d like a home with previous shar-pei experience! Page 3 Lillie George and Age: 1.5 years Sex: Female Breed: Lab/Bull Terrier Mix About me: I am a smart girl who knows all my basic training already. I love to play with toys and water in the dog park! I would be a great running partner in my new family and would enjoy a snuggle at the end of the day. Am I the girl for you? Grace Shadow Cat Adoption Center (559) 233-8554 Cat and kitten adoption fee: $85 Includes spay or neuter, FIV and FeLV testing, FVRCP, rabies and leukemia vaccinations, de-worming, flea treatment and microchip I.D. Open 7 days a week 10am-4:30pm.
Happy Tales Adoption Stories: Abu A woman named Cindy fell in love with four-month-old black kitten Abu, but he unfortunately had a bit of a cold at the time. Cindy and her family waited patiently for their future kitty to get better. It took over two weeks for him to recover. During this time, Cindy s family prepared for the arrival of Abu by purchasing all the cat essentials for their new little boy. After receiving the call that Abu was finally ready to go home, Cindy came to the shelter within an hour to adopt him. Our staff was delighted to see a family so dedicated to their new adopted cat! Abu has been in his new home for about a month, and Cindy says he is loving life with his new family! Happy Tales: Taya a.k.a. Justice Taya, a beautiful twoyear-old shepherd mix, was surrendered to the Valley Animal Center in May of this year by a good Samaritan because she was abandoned by her original owner. She started off very scared and skinny, but with the help of our Dog Training and Enrichment Volunteers and staff, she gradually came out of her shell. In July of this year, she found her forever home, and her name was changed from Taya to Justice Ann Liberty Balderama-Huerta. Here s what her new family had to say about her: Page 4 Here s what her new family had to say about her: Justice went from being an extremely timid, bonethin dog to displaying a personality that is full of life. She is still scared from her past, but not anything like when we first met her at the shelter. Justice is extremely loyal to her mama. Justice loves to play fetch, play with her cousins (7 other family dogs), go camping, and chase after the flashlight. We would like to thank Justice s family for sharing her adoption story and for taking her into their home! Congratulations, Justice!
Finding a forever home There is a lot to consider when adding a new pet to your family. Remember these four "L's"! ife Span evel of Care and Energy L Adding a pet to your family is a big responsibility. By taking a pet into your home, you are agreeing to take care of that animal for its natural life-span, hence the term, forever home. Many people do not realize that adopting a puppy is at least a 15 year commitment, and adopting a kitten is at least a 20 year commitment. For some pets, such as tortoises or parrots, that life span could be 60 years or more! L iving Situation Are you allowed to have pets in your home or apartment? If you are not allowed to have pets, it is not a good idea to add a pet to your home. You never know when a landlord will find out about your pet or a neighbor will complain. Depending on your situation, you may be forced to choose between losing your home or re-homing your pets. If you are able to have pets where you live, make sure that your pets are up-to-date on their vaccines, licensed in the city or county in which you reside, and that you pay any pet deposits to avoid issues later on. Also, be aware that some places that do allow pets have restrictions based on size or breed. Know what is allowed and what is not before you obtain a pet. Page 5 L Different pets require different levels of care. An energetic dog breed, such as an Australian Shepherd, Siberian Husky, or Jack Russell Terrier will need to have plenty of exercise and stimulation throughout the day, including play-time and walks. They will probably also need more training. Does your lifestyle, job, etc. allow you to spend that kind of time with your pet? If not, you might want to consider a different type of pet so that their energy needs is not an issue that may cause you to give up your pet in the future. L ooking to the Future While now may be a wonderful time for you to add a pet to your family, always remember to plan for the future. If your family has to move to another home, can you take your pets? If something happens to you, is there someone who will care for them if you are unable to? If your pets fall ill or become injured, are you able to pay for any potential veterinary care? If you get a new job, become unemployed, have a baby, or alter your lifestyle, can you still provide care to your pets and spend time with them? If you are ready to add a pet to your family, remember to adopt, spay, and neuter. The staff at the Valley Animal Center is ready to assist you! We also offer perpetual care for pets that are left to us in the wills and estate plans of their owners. Call (559) 233-8690 for more information.
Hey, Kids! Thanksgiving & Winter Break Camps at Valley Animal Center! After the success of our first-ever Children s Summer Day Camp this summer, we are excited to announce our Thanksgiving Camp and Winter Break Camp for kids! THANKSGIVING CAMP Service Animal Day November 25, 2014 This camp will feature exciting guest demonstrators with their dogs! Our special guests will include the Fresno Police Department K-9 Unit, Pets For Vets, Therapy Dogs International, and more! Future Veterinarian Day November 24, 2014 Join Valley Animal Center for a fun look at animal health care! Campers will be able to shadow our veterinary staff in our Spay and Neuter clinic and see first-hand what goes into keeping pets healthy, even helping administer vaccinations! Animal Lover s Day November 26, 2014 Campers will learn about being responsible pet owners, and will get to participate in some fun activities, such as making pet treats, decorating dog bandanas, and going behind the scenes in our Adoption Centers and Dog Park! Thanksgiving Camp Regular Pricing Winter Break Camp Regular Pricing: $45 per day or $100 for all three days $70 per camp VAC Volunteer Pricing: VAC Volunteer Pricing: $40 per day or $90 for all three days $60 per camp Camp hours for all camps is from 9am-4pm daily, Extended care available from 7:30am-5:30pm for $15 extra per day. For more information, call (559) 233-8690. Register online at valleyanimal.org/camp Page 6 WINTER BREAK CAMP Art with Animals December 22-23, 2014 Paint Paw-Casso pictures with our shelter animals, assist with pet photography, and do much more in this fun, art-oriented camp! Training & Enrichment December 29-30, 2014 Did you know pets can get bored, too? Learn about all the ways we make the shelter animals stay here more enjoyable! Help out by training our shelter dogs basic commands and by making enrichment supplies for our pets! Animal Activists January 5-6, 2015 Campers this week will learn about the issues facing animals in the Central Valley and will get to design their own campaign to help animals!
Give and Receive Adoption Promotion Give a gift to our animals and receive a gift of an adoption fee! Donate 20 items off our list for a Dog Adoption or 10 items + $100 for a Puppy Adoption (adoption fees normally $175) Donations must be as described below: December 1st - 31st Donate 10 items off our list for a Cat Adoption or 10 items + $50 for a Kitten Adoption (adoption fees normally $85) Order your 2015 Pet Calendar today! Thank you to everyone who participated in voting and entering pets in our 2015 Pet Calendar Contest on Facebook and our sponsors from Cedar Veterinary Hospital! We are pleased that the calendars are ready for purchase! You can buy yours at the shelter or online at www.valleyanimal.org/calendar Calendars are $15 each and proceeds go to the adoptable pets in our care! Page 7
Gifts of Love Exciting news for 2015! The Valley Animal Center is very pleased to announce a grant from PetSmart Charities. This award will take us through our 2015 fiscal year and enable us to do sterilization procedures at an even lower rate than our already low-cost prices! In Memory of Person: Mary Nelson from Rose Fisher Jerry Chappell from Linda Chappell Rodney Spikes from Joan Bachant Sharon Weiner from Mario and Karen Macias Shirley Ceppaglia from John and Irene Leach Kathy Sue Adams from Spencer and Treva Cronk Kathy Robinson from Robert Robinson, Sr. Larry Beschel from Pamela VanHoutan In Honor of Person: Britt Thompson from Regina Jones and Janice Gejian Angie Taylor and Mark Peaslee from Johnathan Marks - Marks Realty Group In Memory of Pet: Gracie from Janet Bancroft Precious from Marsha Miguel Tansy from Rachel Goldeen Jesse from Luis Garza Casey from Sherri Dodd Riddle from Sherri Dodd The promotional months will be for January, February, April, and August. The breakdown of each promotion is listed below. Please call our low-cost spay, neuter and vaccination clinic today for more information and to make your appointment! Jane McManus from Sarah Thrasher - FSUD SLP Sunshine Club Janet Mooshagian from Gary Mooshagian and Family Richard Harris from Diana Nordstrom Betty Bertao from Virginia Bachant In Honor of Pet: Pom Pom from Sherry Corbin Rory from Anne Lukes Greta and Winston from Maya Hattangady Lucy, Lil Johnny, Wee-cat, and Baby from Andrew Smith Gifts of Love are donations made to the Valley Animal Center in memory or in honor of a person or pet. If you would like to make a gift in honor of someone important to you, please contact the Administrative Office at (559) 233-8690 or email info@valleyanimal.org. The above donations were made from 9/20/2014 to 11/3/14. If we inadvertently failed to acknowledge your donation, please conatact us. January 1st 31st Happy Neuter Year This promotion will alter 325 male cats and dogs. February 1st-28th Beat the Heat This promotion will alter 250 female cats. April 1st-30th Community Cats This promotion will alter 250 female cats. August 1st-31st Cherish Your Chihuahua This promotion will alter 300 male or female Chihuahua and Chihuahua mix breeds. Page 8
Canine Community Room Makeover We are very excited to announce that our Canine Community Room recently got a face-lift! We had some dedicated volunteers from United Way s Day of Caring event, Fresno State, Fresno City College, and vocational volunteers who painted our room with donated paint from Sherwin Williams. Our Dog Training and Enrichment Committee s recent fundraisers have been a great success, enabling us to purchase a treadmill for training active dogs, which is also now located in the Canine Community Room, as well as our pet photo studio for taking pictures of our adoptable pets for PetFinder, our website, and social media, donated by the Shelter Art Foundation! We hope to soon get a couch for the room, as well as canine television programming, to further enrich our dog s lives during their stay here at the shelter. The room will be a preview of a home environment where dogs can relax and play with our shelter volunteers and potential adopters! As our new paintings state, Forever Homes Found Here! Support our 2014 Annual Holiday Fund Drive Today! When you give to the Valley Animal Center, you help ensure that helpless dogs and cats in the Central Valley are fed, sheltered, receive lifesaving vaccinations and most importantly have a chance at finding a forever home. To continue our work we need the support of our community. We are a non-profit organization that does not receive local, state or other government funding. Valley Animal Center is one of the few local shelters that ensures all dogs and cats have the chance in finding a forever home, no matter if it takes weeks, months, or years. With the number of animals walking through our doors increasing by the day, we need your ongoing support. Please send in your gift today and change the lives of hundreds of dogs and cats in the Central Valley. Page 9 Your holiday gift of: $40 can feed 8 dogs or cats for a week $50 provides lifesaving vaccines for 5 shelter animals $100 saves a dog or cat from an animal control shelter $125 provides medications for 10 sick animals and washes 30 loads of shelter animal bedding. Thank you for supporting the Valley Animal Center as we work to protect our loveable, furry friends in the Central Valley. We look forward to continuing our lifechanging work in 2015.
Valley Animal Center P.O. Box 706 Fresno, CA 93712 Non-Profit U.S. Postage PAID Fresno, CA Permit #1475 Administration Office 559.233.8690 www.valleyanimal.org info@valleyanimal.org Cat Adoption Center 559.233.8554 Dog Adoption Center 559.233.8717 Dr. James W. Thornton Dog Park 559.233.8708 Spay, Neuter, & Vaccine Clinic 559.233.8706 Valley Animal Voice Winter 2014 Don t Miss These Upcoming Events! Valley Animal Center Thanksgiving Camp Monday, November 24-Wednesday, November 26, 2014 9am-4pm at Valley Animal Center Kitty Christmas & Merry Mutts Holiday Open House Friday, December 5, 2014 4pm-8pm at Valley Animal Center Volunteer Orientation Tuesday, December 9, 2014 5:30pm-7pm at Valley Animal Center Foster Orientation (R.S.V.P. required, must attend volunteer orientation first) Tuesday, December 16, 2014 5:30pm-6:30pm at Valley Animal Center Valley Animal Center Winter Break Camp Monday, December 22-Tuesday, December 23, 2014 Monday, December 29-Tuesday, December 30, 2014 Monday, January 5th-Tuesday, January 6th, 2015 9am-4pm at Valley Animal Center