Fall/Winter 2015 Animal Tales Until every pet is wanted your gift is needed Never too old for love It s always sad when an animal s owner passes away and the animal is left on its own. That s what happened to Ruckus. This sweet senior dog came to us in May as a stray, but we later found out that his owner had died, leaving Ruckus by himself. Ruckus was a gentle soul who loved attention. He quickly became the front office mascot and liked to greet people when they came into the shelter. Although about 10 years old, his gray muzzle was the only thing that gave a hint of his age. He loved to play and cuddle. Sadly, though, his age worked against him, as many people are not looking to adopt an older animal. Senior animals are often overlooked at shelters, as adopters are looking for playful kittens or puppies, but adult animals bring with them many advantages that their younger counterparts don t. Mature animals tend to be calmer and less destructive, and with them, what you see is what you get. There are no surprises with regard to eventual size, temperament or manners. As well as being a senior, Ruckus had one more thing working against him. He was a legal (restricted but not prohibited) pit bull, and, because of Bill 132, there were special considerations that his new adopters would have to take into account. With this in mind, we knew that we would have to be particularly selective in finding a new forever home for him. On July 5 th, we said goodbye to Ruckus as he went home with his new family. They had heard about him in Mississauga and, once they d been approved as adopters, they came to Kingston to meet our boy. It was love at first sight! Since his adoption, Ruckus s new family has been sending us regular updates and lots of pictures of him enjoying the good life. Through your gift to the KHS, you become a partner in the successful outcome of stories like this one, giving senior animals in need, like Ruckus, the chance to live out their golden years in peace and comfort.
Our Mission Message from the Executive Director Every gift helps an animal in need This edition of the newsletter highlights the wide variety of work we do and the community support needed for the Connie Ball with shelter kitty Reed animals who come into our care. Penny and Ruckus came to us in very different situations and with very different challenges. Penny, a young kitten, required immediate veterinary care and a leg amputation to survive. She relied on KHS foster care volunteers for her physical and, later, social development so she could be adopted. Ruckus, a geriatric dog, had to adjust to the shelter environment and needed a new family who would understand his special needs under Ontario s breed-specific legislation. Regardless of an animal s age or health, we always do the best we can, making complex decisions each step of the way. Those decisions are based on many factors: our limited resources, the number of animals currently in our care that need to be fed and readied for adoption, those animals with health problems, and those with behavioural issues that require staff and volunteer support. This year, we saw an increase in animals with compromised health, and greater resources than usual were required to provide good care. Trained staff, medicine, veterinary care, animal housing and shelter maintenance and repairs represent ongoing financial demands. We know that it might seem as if we never stop asking for money, but every day there is another sick, neglected or abused animal who needs our help Table of Contents Never too old for love... 1 Message from the Executive Director... 2 Thanks, Big Paws volunteers!... 3 Walking the road to recovery with your support... 4 Special holiday happenings... 5 Wish list for the shelter... 6 Big Paws 2015: Thanks to the community... 7 KHS events at a glance... 8 Shelter hours and holiday hours... 8 and whose care strains our budget further. We hold many fundraising events through the year, but your donations are greatly appreciated at any time. There are many ways to help us care for the animals in need in our community: volunteering, sponsoring or taking part in our fundraisers or organizing your own event, educating the community about animal welfare, and, of course, making a donation. To those of you who supported our 17 th Annual Big Paws event, or any of the other KHS events throughout the year, we say thank you! The support of the individuals and groups who organized fundraising events on behalf of KHS is also greatly appreciated. And to anyone who would like to support the animals who come through our doors, we ask that you give when you can you will make a difference in an animal s life. Connie Ball Executive Director, Kingston Humane Society Contact us Kingston Humane Society 1 Binnington Court, Kingston ON K7M 8M9 Phone: 613-546-1291 E-mail: board@kingstonhumanesociety.ca Website: kingstonhumanesociety.ca your gift is needed Fall/Winter 2015 2
Thanks, Big Paws volunteers! Thanks to everyone who helped with this year s edition of our biggest annual fundraiser, Big Paws 2015! The event was a great success, and we couldn t have pulled it off without the help of you, our amazing volunteers. As the new Volunteer Coordinator, I was excited to take part in this event for the first time. To see staff, volunteers and the community come together to help raise funds for homeless, injured, neglected and abused animals was a wonderful, extremely heartwarming experience. This event has many volunteer roles: the planning and organizing team; poster distributors; the registration crew; volunteers looking after the auction area, kids zone, doggie zone, volunteer rest station and first aid station; the auctioneer; vendor assistants; bakers and sellers of delicious treats; raffle & 50/50 ticket sellers; parking attendants; set-up crew and clean-up crew, and I ve probably missed some! Overall, we had about 50 volunteers. It takes hard work and dedication to fundraise for non-profit organizations, and we couldn t do it without our volunteers. So to our wonderful volunteers who give so much of their time and commitment to help make Big Paws a success each year, thank you so much! Tanya Wilson KHS Volunteer Coordinator KHS mission To care for injured, abused and homeless animals To return or find homes for the animals To promote and organize spay and neuter programs To undertake cruelty investigations To provide emergency rescues To provide humane education To assist with the education of veterinary technology students Tracy John Creative Marketing Communications reach the world tracyjohncreative.com Internet access at the speed you need engage. inform. persuade. inspire 613.540.2125 Get an Instant Connection with Internet over Cable At a Price that Suits You For More Information Call 613.549.8667 3 Fall/Winter 2015 your gift is needed
Walking the road to recovery with your support Penny was brought to the shelter as a four-week old kitten with a severe leg injury requiring immediate veterinary attention. The person who brought her in reported that she had been found in a wood pile, caught between logs, with her leg bleeding heavily. The veterinarian s decision was that her leg could not be saved and, although Penny was very young, the only option was amputation. Amputations are not common for very young kittens, and there was no certainty that Penny could handle such invasive surgery. We were hopeful that she would beat the odds. Thankfully, Penny made it through the surgery, so the next step was to place her with a volunteer in our foster care program. The volunteer would need the training, experience and time to monitor Penny closely and support her as her wound healed and she attempted her first steps on her three remaining legs. Penny soon learned to run and play, and so the animal care team thought it would be best to move her to a new foster family, where she could socialize with other cats and kittens while her care continued. Penny loved her new surroundings and playmates, becoming a normal, albeit three-legged, kitten. Today, Penny is very agile on three legs, able to climb stairs, couches, scratching posts and beds in her own fashion. She has been adopted, and her new family adores her. Without your donations, this life-saving surgery for Penny would not have been possible. Donors and supporters like you are vital for us to be able to provide the care and support that so many homeless and injured animals need. Without an open shelter a shelter that accepts all animals regardless of their health, condition, temperament or prognosis like the Kingston Humane Society, there would have been no place for Penny to go for care. On behalf of Penny, we say Thank you! to our supporters for your ongoing commitment to the KHS, which makes a second chance possible for animals like Penny. your gift is needed Fall/Winter 2015 4
Special holiday happenings Homes for the Holidays feline adoption event Join us Saturday, December 5 th from 10 AM to 2 PM for tours of the shelter, hot cider, microchip clinic (see back page) and the kick-off of our special Homes for the Holidays cat adoption event. From December 5 to January 3, special adoption rates for spayed/neutered kittens ($135) and cats ($95). Regular adoption rates for unaltered cats, but adopters receive a voucher for $100 towards spaying and $50 towards neutering. Call the shelter or see our website for details. Fresh Christmas trees for sale at the shelter in December Fragrant, hand-sheared Nova Scotia balsam fir, ranging from 6 to 8½. All trees are $40, with $10 from each tree sold going toward supporting the animals at the Kingston Humane Society. Drop in to the shelter during business hours to choose your tree, while supplies last. KHS Our Best Friends 2016 calendar share the love! A KHS tradition that animal lovers on your gift list will be hoping for! Filled with beautiful photos of beloved pets in our community. Available for only $10 at the shelter and most local pet supply stores and vet clinics. 2015 calendar cover shown. Crafters creations Drop in at the shelter to see the Crafters for Critters gift shop, where beautiful and useful items for people and for pets, handmade by a group of creative volunteers, are sold to raise funds for the KHS animals. Love Food? NEW! Exclusive Coupons, Buy 12 Get 1 Free * Seniors Day Discounts and more! Sign up today! www.petvalu.com/rewards Frequent Feeder Program *Participating brands at time of printing are Performatrin and Performatrin Ultra. **These are franchised locations operated by 772633 Ontario Inc. are trademarks of Pet Valu Canada Inc. and used with permission. Gardiners Town Centre ** (613) 389-7500 Kingston Centre ** (613) 547-6855 Your Pet. Your Store. Your Rewards. 5 Fall/Winter 2015 your gift is needed
The Kingston Humane Society participates in the Royal Canin Elite Shelter Program. When you register at adoption or purchase Royal Canin food from the shelter, we receive rewards points that offset the cost of food for the animals in our care. 613-329-0121 Shannon Pester Backyard Waste Cleanup Spring and Summer Packages Available www.petparadeplus.com facebook.com/petparadeplus Wish list for the shelter Gift cards Gift cards for grocery stores, large retail stores, pet supply stores, gas stations, hardware stores; also Canadian Tire money, AIR MILES Dogs All kinds of canned dog and puppy food (regular and prescription), Thunder Shirts for anxious dogs (all sizes), Pill Pockets, Easy Walk harnesses, poop bags, puppy pee pads Cats All kinds of canned cat and kitten food (regular and prescription), cat litter (preferably not clumping, but we will accept all kinds), food dispensing toys, cat toys of all kinds, cat treats, Royal Canin baby cat food (dry or canned), Kitten Milk Replacer (KMR) powder Dogs and cats Stainless steel dishes of all sizes (we will also accept plastic), grooming tools (clippers, clipper blades, scissors) Birds and small animals Bird seed, spray millet for birds; shavings, timothy hay for small animals Miscellaneous Receiving blankets. disposable latex gloves (all sizes), household rubber gloves, towels of all sizes, washcloths, sponges, bandage material (Vetrap, Kling), batteries (all sizes), USB sticks (used to transport large x-ray files between clinics), 3 x 3 gauze, sterile (unopened) syringes (any size) and sterile (unopened) needles (22G x 1, 25G x 5/8, 20G x 1 ) We cannot accept: Electric blankets or heating pads, garden furniture, wooden crates or carriers, cloth carriers, human clothing, used brushes/combs or toothbrushes, hanging file folders, binders, rugs or carpeting More details are available on our website. Please call us if you have any questions. Thank you for your support! your gift is needed Fall/Winter 2015 6
Thanks to the community for your support of Big Paws! The animals at the shelter send out a huge, tail-wagging thank-you to everyone in the community who helped make the 17 th Annual Big Paws fundraising walk and canine fun day, on Saturday, September 26 th at Lake Ontario Park, a great success! The day included the pledge walk, a vendor marketplace, auctions, food, music, pet photos and games for our four-legged friends. To the walkers who collected pledges, pledgers, event sponsors, vendors, an army of volunteers, donors of auction items and businesses who donated services: thank you for making the day, and the work that the funds raised will allow us to do, possible. Media sponsors: Platinum sponsors: Gold sponsors: Silver sponsors: Baldwin Audio-Visual Rentals Kingston Community Credit Union Lamontagne Geophysics Ltd. Bronze sponsors: Tony Deodato and Sons Limited McCoy Bus Service & Tours Barriefield Animal Hospital Starbucks Coffee Company Culligan Water Donations of canned pet food will be gratefully accepted. 7 Fall/Winter 2015 your gift is needed
Please visit us at kingstonhumanesociety.ca Shelter hours Monday through Friday 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM Saturday and Sunday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM Holiday hours: Thurs, Dec 24: Open 10 AM 3 PM Fri, Dec 25: Closed Sat, Dec 26: Closed Thurs, Dec 31: Open 10 AM 3 PM Fri, Jan 1: Closed KHS events at a glance Homes for the Holidays Cat Adoption Event Kick-off Saturday, December 5 from 10 AM to 2 PM at the shelter. Homes for the Holidays adoption rates run until January 3. See details on p. 5. Microchip clinics at the shelter Saturday, December 5 (10 AM 12 PM); Tuesday, January 5 (5 7 PM); Saturday, February 13 (10 AM 12 PM); Tuesday, March 1 (5 7 PM); Saturday, April 2 (10 AM 12 PM). Call KHS to book your pet s appointment. Best Friends 2016 Calendar $10, available at the end of November, at vet clinics, some pet supply stores and the shelter. Christmas trees available for purchase at the shelter in December, while supplies last. National Cupcake Day February 2016, date TBA. Bowl for the Animals Sunday, April 17, 2016 at Cloverleaf Lanes. 1 Binnington Court Kingston ON K7M 8M9 P: 613-546-1291 F: 613-546-3398