The Pawsitive Press T he Vo lu n teer and Foster Newsle tte r for Gre enhill Hu mane Socie ty and 1 st Avenue She l te r Biggest Bark yet! Volume 2, Issue 6 June 2016 By Lauren Merge, Communications and Events Mgr After a couple weeks of solid sleep, Outreach is nearly recovered from Bark in the Park. This was a HUGE year for us definitely the biggest Bark yet! We had 1,182 registered participants (up from just 885 last year) join us with their dogs, plus many folks who just came down to see what we were about. We ve ABOVE, The runners are off! BELOW left, The winner of the costume contest! raised 98% of our $90,000 goal and are hoping to get a few more pledges in so we can meet it. Whether or not we do, it was a big deal for us that s a lot of money to provide care for the homeless pets at both Greenhill and First Avenue Shelter. Bark, Continued on Page 5 Inside this issue: Volunteer of the Month 2 Meet the Staff 2 Hot Weather Tips 3 Foster Focus 4 Foster of the Month 4 Happy Tails 6 Greenhill Humane Society 1st Avenue Shelter Volunteer / Foster Care Department Kristi Chizacky, Manager Phone: 541-689-1503 ext. 114 Volunteer@green-hill.org Amy Harris, Assist. Manager Phone: 541-844-1777 ext. 109 Amy.ha@green-hill.org Amelia Bezemer, Assistant Phone: 541-689-1503 ext. 116 Amelia.be@green-hill.org Lauren Eshom, Assistant Lauren.es@green-hill.org
Page 2 The Pawsitive Press Volunteer of the Month: Robyn Stuwe Puppies by Rachel W. Stefanie D. Meet Robyn S. - Greenhill s Volunteer of the Month for June 2016. Robyn has been consistently volunteering in the Small Animal Room at Greenhill for over a year now. Not only does she clean the small animal room in the mornings twice a week, but she also trains new volunteers who are interested in becoming small animal room assistants. Robyn said her favorite aspect of volunteering is definitely getting to hang out with the animals, but it s also really rewarding knowing that Robyn Stuwe I m helping give the animals a clean space while they re at Greenhill. I ve learned a lot about the care and health of small animals while volunteering at Greenhill. Robyn also enjoys traveling, hanging out with friends, reading and watching movies. Robyn moved to Eugene from the Bay Area in 2012 to pursue a degree at the University of Oregon. She plans on graduating this June. In December of 2015, Robyn adopted a dwarf rabbit from Greenhill s Small Animal Room. She said, His name is Sterling and he acts more like a cat than a bunny! Thank you, Robyn, for always being reliable, positive, so helpful and always willing to train new volunteers in the Small Animal Room. Your enthusiasm is contagious and your dedication is inspiring! Meet the Staff! Name: David Hillard What do you do? Animal Care Tech in the Cattery at Greenhill How long have you worked at Greenhill / 1st Avenue?: 3 weeks What s your favorite part of your job?: Client service. Especially answering questions, and putting people at ease when in crisis mode with their cat. A bit about your background.. I grew up in Alaska and I've been working with shelter cats since 2000- Mainly at the SF SPCA. Before that I worked with under socialized cats and kittens as a volunteer and helped get them adopted with a rescue group. What are your hobbies?: Building bicycles and computers. I'm trying to crack the code to the perfect vegan corn dog. Do you have any pets? Nope. I'll be taking applications when I'm settled here in Oregon. Until then I'll probably get back into fostering...ooh! kittens! New kittens! Lookie that kitten! What s your favorite book?: Books? Oh so many. You Can't Win by Jack Black, anything by Philip K Dick. the Fools Progress by Edward Abby and the Plague Dogs by Richard Adams made me cry. Movies can be great. What is something nobody knows about you?: I love dogs (shhhhh! Totally a secret!)...almost as much as cats.
Volume 2, Issue 6 Page 3 Hot Weather Tips Summer Pet Safety Tips Hello Pet Owners! Summertime is a time for frolicking and fun but it s also a time to take extra caution to make sure our pets are okay in the heat. With temperatures rising, we wanted to share some reminders and tips for caring for your friendly animals during the summer months. Please make sure to always have plenty of fresh water available for your animals. During hot weather, your animals may exhibit increased thirst/drinking. Close curtains to keep the sun out and cooler air in. When walking dogs, walk during the cooler hours in the early morning or late evenings. Remember sidewalks and pavement can become very hot and cause injury to paw pads. Test the pavement/ sidewalk with your hand to make sure it is not too hot before beginning your walk, and try to walk the dog on the grass, if possible. Jennifer M. If you do not have air conditioning, use fans to help circulate the air. In hot weather, do not bike or run with dogs. Cats can easily escape from open windows by pushing cracked windows open, squeezing through small openings or pushing out screens. If you have a window cracked open, you can place a rod or lock in the window frame, so the cat cannot push the window open further. Never leave an animal alone in a parked vehicle. Watch for signs of overheating and limit physical activity on particularly hot days. Symptoms of overheating include excessive panting or difficulty breathing, drooling, mild weakness, stupor, seizures, bloody diarrhea and vomiting. Maximize time in the shade when outdoors with dogs or puppies. Our pets rely on us to protect them and keep them comfortable and safe all year round! Remember, if you re hot, our pets are definitely hot. Phoebe by Claire S. The dogs at Greenhill need love, attention and care. We enjoy being able to give that to them and we get their love, attention and care in return! Maura & Diego, foster parents
Page 4 Nettie P. Scout by Christina and Tim B. Meet Mark B. - Greenhill s Foster of the Month for June 2016. Mark has been fostering since December 2015. Mark shared, I view fostering as a win for everyone concerned. First and foremost is the dog of course. He gets a break from living in a shelter and since I have a dog, both now have a companion species to communicate with. I get to hone my already considerable dog handling skills and help ensure that whatever problems the dog is presently having are eliminated by the time of his adoption. The shelter now has a free space available for another dog in need of The Pawsitive Press By Claire Sabitt and Brian Leeson Brian and I are animal people. When we first met, we swapped stories of working with animals in shelters, and quickly bonded over our desire to help animals in need. We often talked about our own pets, and wished we had the time to own pets ourselves. We first decided to foster about a year ago when we finally moved into a pet-friendly apartment. Although our apartment was amenable to furry creatures, we agreed that as students, neither of us had the time or the resources to own a pet ourselves. Shortly after we decided to foster for Greenhill, we took in two of the tiniest kittens I had ever met, and we instantly fell into a deep cat romance. There are dozens of reasons we love to foster. We love having fluffy cats to come home to, and it s very rewarding to know that we play a role in helping cats find their forever Foster of the Month: Mark Bell Mark B. help. I always enjoy people s reactions when they learn my foster is available for adoption because everyone comments on what a good boy he is, Mark said about his current foster dog, Rikku. One of Mark s most Foster Focus Why We Love to Foster unique and enjoyable foster experiences was: While out on a walk with my dogs, I ran into someone who knew of Rikku. He had thought of adopting him but felt he was too much energy and went with another smaller dog. So he was quite surprised when his 10 pound dog was playing with Rikku, the same dog he had once tried to adopt. We chatted for quite a while and he kept commenting on what a good dog Rikku seemed to be. I left with the impression he wished he had kept Rikku! Mark said, Fostering dogs has given me purpose. This will homes. Fostering can be stressful at times, like the time we lost a kitten for almost an hour because he had fallen asleep under a cabinet. We re always sad to see the cats go, no matter how adamantly we promise not to get too attached. We send dozens of pictures to friends when we get a new cat, and we love to see how different their personalities are. We ve had kittens and adult cats, as well as a mother and her kitten. Of course, the first animals we fostered were two five-week old kittens that instantly won our hearts, and since then we ve been hooked. Currently, we re fostering one of the most comical cats we ve had so far, whose personality is the complete opposite our last cat, who was a calm older lady. We re excited about fostering more cats and kittens in the future, and of course owning our own animals some day. sound egotistical I'm sure, but I'm certain that when my foster dogs are with me, they are the happiest they ever have been or may ever will be. They get close to 24-7 care where we are in constant proximity to each other. Getting the foster to feel a part of my family with fun, exercise and a consistent training regimen is very satisfying work. Mark moved here from Las Vegas about 6 months ago after curing himself of a myriad of health issues by cutting meat, dairy and oil from his diet. Walking dogs is infinitely better here. I am enjoying the great outdoor life here and learning about all the different flora and fauna.
Volume 2, Issue 6 Page 5 Bark in the Park 2016! Paw Print Personals! Speaking Out Fur the Animals, from Page 1 Cassie! Friendly and affectionate older lady seeks loving home for lap sitting, cuddle time and love! Come say HI at Greenhill! Tickles! Single, outgoing and gentle female looking for a lifetime of love and affection. Come visit me at Greenhill! We could not have done it without the 100+ volunteers who braved the rain and goose poop to make this event happen. Thank you so much to everyone who supported this monster of a day and made it the most amazing Bark in 23 years. You guys rock! 1st Avenue graduate Lorenzo walked last year as a shelter dog, and this year with his adopted hu-mom! -Lauren and the Outreach Team Arrow! Single, strong and independent male looking for his forever best friend. I love hiking, running and going for adventures! Come visit me at 1st Avenue!
Page 6 Upcoming Events & Classes: *Fundraising Event with 16 Tons June 12th *Dog Agility Training at GHS June 25th *Art in the Vineyard July 2-4th *Dog Days of Summer with the Emeralds at PK Park August 23rd The Pawsitive Press Happy Tails! Minka and I are doing so well. Minka has gained some weight and loves the combination of wet and dry food that I feed her. Its just she and I but we make a great combination. Minka thinks everything is a game and loves the laser point. She has great eye sight. I think its more pronounced as well because she cant hear. She loves to play and go outside. It worries me a little bit because she cant hear but I stay with her in the yard. She'll run in the bushes and try to play hide and seek. She always returns and is happy to be home and safe. Minka Happy Tails! Dazzle by Anne W. Our favorite aspect of volunteering is helping the animals, learning how to care for the small animals, learning how to socialize with the cats, working with the other volunteers, and learning new skills. The Bethel Students volunteers Sophie (was Muffle) I am happy to report that from the very first day in her new forever home, Sophie has been the perfect fit for our family. Clearly she had been loved and cared for earlier in her life - she is polite, waits patiently to be invited, understands boundaries, and loves to cuddle. Sophie's temperament and disposition match our family's relatively low-key, predictable routine. She is as happy to nap on the couch as she is to pile into the car for errands with her two Shih Tzu buddies, Rudy and Maisie. She likes short ventures to roam about our rural backyard, and discovered our small creek where she likes to catch a quick cool drink. She is unsure about the horses, and prefers to keep her distance. She finds the wild turkeys fascinating. Happy Tails! He is now named Max. Max has lots of energy and is very hyper. The 2 year old cat in the home is tolerant for awhile then goes outside or hides where the kitten can't find him. He may occasionally lie down by our 2 year old cat but he rarely lies there for more than 30 seconds. Max is curious about the mastiff puppy my son brings when he visits but they are not allowed to interact because the puppy weighs 50 pounds already. Adoption process was smooth and the woman who helped me said Max would want to play because he was a kitten.i would have adopted two kittens but only one was available. Max (was Kodos)