PAWPRINTS THE MOBILE SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS December 2005 Helping the four-legged victims of Hurricne Ktrin by Gret Shrp When Hurricne Ktrin stuck the Gulf Cost in lte August, homes were destroyed nd fmilies were displced. Mny cities long the Mississippi cost will tke yers to recover. Some never will. But mid ll the devsttion, members of the Mobile SPCA reched out to forgotten popultion ffected by the storm: the nimls, unble to help themselves, left homeless nd hungry by Hurricne Ktrin. "Without Lynn Chnce's ledership, mny nimls would remin lost nd hungry," sid Mobile SPCA president Jnine Woods. "Thnks to her inititive, we were ble to rescue, relocte nd find homes for these pets." The Mobile SPCA Wvelnd office. Not long fter the storm, Mobile SPCA Cruelty Investigtor Lynn Chnce nd her friend Lucy were enjoying lunch, nd ir conditioning, t locl Ruby Tuesdy's resturnt. As Chnce ws wering her Mobile SPCA shirt nd bdge, she ws pproched by Germn newspper correspondent, Friedemnn Diederichs, who hd just returned from Wvelnd, Miss. The reporter hd been in Wvelnd nd told the two women bout the horrible sitution there, including the fct tht he hd picked up few dogs nd brought them to sfety. "I told Lucy, 'I'm just going to hve to do something,'" Chnce explined. Thnkfully, Lucy ws ble to stnd in for Chnce t work so she could hed west nd tke cre of some business. The Mobile SPCA Tent City - complex of cges, crtes, trps nd tents set up immeditely fter the storm to help house some of the over 300 nimls the Mobile SPCA helped fter the storm. Mobile SPCA Overwhelmed By Contributions nd the Kindness of Friends nd Strngers by Peggy Tylor The Mobile SPCA ws overwhelmed with contributions from people nd orgniztions loclly nd cross the ntion who wnted to help the niml victims of Hurricne Ktrin. We used some of the supplies to set up our own Tent City shelter. Trucklods of supplies poured in to go out to help others in our region. Here re just few of the dontions we hve received: A generous monetry dontion from Jen nd Julien Mrx Jon Key, long with Gltin Steel Compny in Ghent, Kentucky, donted $3,000, 90 cges, 500 lbs. of food, 100 stinless steel dog & ct bowls, 100 trps & 13 cses of blech. They lso hired driver nd rented truck to get the supplies to us. Mrk Bombrdier with Options Plus in Fredieckton, Ohio donted over 30 outdoor kennels tht we hve set up in our Tent City. Robbie Roberts of R& L Crriers shipped those cges for free. The Ntionl Dog Dys Foundtion in New York nd its members hve sent endless supplies such s trps, fns, food bowls, kennels, pet food nd money. Nncy Ptterson nd the Connecticut Humne Society hve shipped over 10 tons of supplies including horse food, dog & ct food, leds nd hrnesses nd medicl supplies. Grrett nd Steph Willimson of Personl Edge Fitness set up dontion box t their business. Their friends nd clients donted tons of supplies nd over $3,000. continued on pge 3 Biloxi Mn Reunited with Ct t SPCA by Susn Thoms Aksh, bob-til 10 1/2 yer old clico ct ws recently reunited with her hppy owner, Mike Lehy, t the Mobile SPCA office following journey tht took her from Biloxi, to Httiesburg, nd finlly to Mobile. continued on pge 4 Top left: The Wvelnd Historic Mrker ws ll tht ws left stnding in Wvelnd, MS fter Ktrin struck. Above right: Our friend Judy English who rode out the storm in hotel ner the interstte. She ws on the second floor with her two dogs in chest deep wter. Above: The present Wvelnd Town Hll. In the spn of only few hours, Chnce hd pulled together smll group consisting of Crig Hrt, Jimmy Ford, Dvid Ecker, Susn Wood nd Jennifer Gomes. Armed with horse triler nd two other trucks with trilers, the smll rmy in SPCA continued on pge 2 Hrd Drive Another Victim If you hve not been receiving emils from us it s becuse Jnine s hrd drive ws nother Ktrin victim. We hve not forgotten you we just lost your emil ddress. Plese emil jnine@mobilespc.org to be dded bck to the list. Christms Prde Plese join us for the Christms Prde, December 17. We will be wlking our doptble dogs nd holding n doption immeditely fter the prde. Plese let us know if you cn come. Cll 633-3531 or emil jnine@mobilespc.org.
Crl Wood Tommy nd Jnie Wry our beloved Simone Don nd Bobbee Fryer In honor of Kthy Kymbl USA Rdiologic Sciences Clss of 2005 Jon Richrdson s beloved dog Ber Grce Dixon Thelm Courson Dn nd Crolyn Cook Dolores Jones s very specil kitty Fishy Krish Howell Roy Newell Pul nd Sndr Evns Fletcher Ldigohon Moses nd Jeffrey Pul Moses The Moses Foundtion Blir Wlton Mck, Dorsey Normn, Hrrison nd Nonie McInnis Ldy Beloved compnion nd friend of Jck nd Mrth McDonld Betsy nd Gen Hopson Chrles Brger Fther-in-lw of Anj Brger Murry nd Dinne Cpe Mri nd Mry Kte Colemn s Feline fmily member Bby C Bill nd Nor Grdner Reverend Frrell In celebrtion of their wedding nniversry To help the Ktrin pets Mrs. R. M. Frrell Mr. Ernest Hll The Cross Fmily nd All the Employees of Gulf Cost Truck & Equipment Co., Inc. Mr. Ernest Hll Nncy H. Seibt In Chris, Krris nd Tmris beloved dog Spencer Grce Dixon My der friend s dd Mr. Trpp Jnine Woods Jewell Poole A gret lover of nimls, especilly cts Reverend nd Mrs. Dennis L. Dy OUR MISSION Our mission is the prevention of cruelty to nd the relief of suffering of nimls. OUR POLICY In fulfilling this mission it is the policy of the Mobile SPCA to promote doption of shelter nd homeless nimls nd to end the deths of helthy nd tretble shelter nimls by 2015; to provide humne cre nd tretment for nimls entrusted to us; to investigte niml cruelty nd neglect; to spy or neuter ll nimls we offer for doption; to promote nd to id finncilly spy/neuter in the community; to id in rescuing nimls in emergency situtions; to ssist in specil finncil niml-relted hrdship cses; nd to offer eductionl progrms for children nd dults. Memorils Mr. nd Mrs. Alvin Ellis ct Miss Kitty Roger nd Jn Biley Mr. nd Mrs. George Lucs dog Nicki Mr. nd Mrs. Alvin Ellis Hppy Birthdy Silke Pltzer-Stroh Mrs. Joerg Kemnde Nncy Edwrds Mked Nichols Angel nd Lyne Brrett s Winnie Jhl Woods Dixie Kishbugh John nd Angel O Brien Becky nd Tripp Wllce s Derly loved, 17-yer-old ct Vlentine He ws gret friend nd loving compnion Mother nd Dddy (Ann nd Willim Tylor) My beutiful lb Btmn Joel Stllings Lily Woolford s beloved corgi Sllie And Tht Ct: Socks Ruth Rindsberg Recipes to Wg About Trets for Dogs, Cts & Birds Lulu My sdly missed little ct Ruth Rindsberg In loving memory of Victori Childs Fithful golden retriever Mcy Jennifer Brnes Nicole Surin In honor of the 60th birthdy of our friend Al Hrris Sugene nd John Lwler In honor of Mrgret Ann Dexter Who recently hd her 15th birthdy Mr. nd Mrs. Christopher Lee Donn Turner s dog Lucky Jnine Woods Stephnie Willimson s precious ct Jiminey Jne Jnine Woods Kip Green Dn nd Crolyn Cook Betty Vlco Shirley Olthe L. Kuhnert John nd Mrcy Mtherne s Beloved schnuzer Skeezix Animl Cre Center of Mobile Butch Beutiful golden retriever of John Nichols Animl Cre Center of Mobile Ktie Gret, friendly bird of T. J. nd Kenny Jones Animl Cre Center of Mobile Kt Wonderful ct of Robert Rsch Animl Cre Center of Mobile Stephnie nd Grrett Willimson s Jiminey Jne You will be missed Animl Cre Center of Mobile Mr. nd Mrs. Glen Riley s dog Rven Mrs. Mcleod Turner Mr. nd Mrs. Herb McKee s dog Dixie Dunvegn Mrs. Mcleod Turner A gret gift for dog-lovers, ct-lovers nd bird-lovers! This 40 pge book is full of gret recipes nd helpful niml cre tips nd it s $5.00! And we hve few dog bone shped cookie cutters to mke your gift complete. Cll 633-3531 tody or come by the Mobile SPCA office Tuesdy through Sturdy from 10 m to 3 pm. Our cookbook ws compiled by Mobile SPCA volunteers nd sisters, Kren Green nd Judy Hempsted. Most of the recipes were bked nd tested on their pets. Kren s dogs, Jke nd Cllie Green, were the two officil tste testers who truly enjoyed their work nd contribution to the book. All of the proceeds from this book will help fund the mny progrms nd projects of the Mobile SPCA. Thnk you for your support of this nd ll of our fund rising efforts. $5.00 All of the proceeds from this book will help fund the mny progrms nd projects of the Mobile SPCA. Gret Christms Gifts! If you would like to mke memoril or honorrium, plese send your gift in ny mount, long with who the gift is for, who to notify, nd ny specil wording to the Mobile SPCA. A letter will go out within week of our receipt of your request nd the memoril or honorrium will be published in the following newsletter. BEQUEST Plese remember the Mobile SPCA in your estte plnning. A bequest is lsting tribute to lifetime of love nd commitment to needy nimls. Mobile SPCA Memberships, Memorils or Honorriums If you would like to give gift tht relly mkes n impct on the nimls nd fellow niml lovers, give Mobile SPCA membership, memoril or honorrium. Memberships re just $15 for individuls nd $20 for fmilies. Or, mke dontion in ny mount for memoril or honorrium. We will send letter to the recipient letting them know of your kind gift. Plese hve your request in before December 17 nd brring ny postl dissters, we will notify them by December 25. Mobile SPCA Gift Certifictes Do you know someone who would give good home to one of our pets? Give gift certificte for the doption fee. For more informtion cll 633-3531.
continued from pge 1 shirts left t 7.m. on Sept. 8, heded for Wvelnd. They crried with them dog nd ct food, ct litter, crtes, leshes nd collrs. Just outside Wvelnd, they were stopped by rmed gurds to explin their mission. After pssing through the checkpoint, the group heded to meet Diederichs' contct, Judy English. As phone lines were down, there ws no wy to contct English. "The closer we got, the worse it got," sid Chnce of the surroundings. "It's like stnding in the middle of lndfill. Every once in while, you'll see something you know, like sink. It ll rn together." During the storm, English spent the night in second floor motel room, ner the interstte. In the worst prt of the flooding, she ws chest deep in wter, holding rottweiler nd Sheprd mix bove the flood. Chnce nd her group met up with English nd Brin Molline, ner the spot where Brin's home used to be. Brin now sleeps in L-z-boy recliner he found fter the storm. His home is blue trp. During Ktrin, he nd his pet Chihuhu floted out the second story window of his home. English ws living in U-Hul triler, ll she could find t the time, with two dogs, sweltering in the lte September het. When Chnce's crew met with English, the group split into two tems. Tht dy, they found seven dogs nd five cts. After leving dog nd ct food, the Mobile group heded home with the rescued nimls. "I don't know wht I'm going to do, but I've got to go bck," Chnce told her husbnd, Dennis. And she loded up on supplies nd heded bck to Wvelnd with Dennis. They rendezvoused with Brin t his loction on Colemn Avenue. All this time, Chnce ws hnding out her SPCA business crds, more thn 1,000 in ll, hoping to mke contcts with people who would bring her nimls. "I pulled out the crd with my left hnd nd shook with my right," she sid. Above: Lynn Chnce, left, nd Judy English t the HSUS compound in Gulfport. Below: Lynn s hotel room in Wvelnd. During the het of the dy, there ws little luck in finding pets, but young mn t Brin's knew where two Germn Sheprds were living in debris pile. With ll the street signs down, it ws necessry to go with someone fmilir with the re. "A child leds us in nd there re two big white Germn Sheprds, nd they re not friendly t ll," Chnce sid. "We got s close s we dred, nd tried to cox them out with trets." When tht didn't work, Chnce pulled out bowl of wter nd both dogs cme out nd Chnce nd her crew were ble to crte the dogs. The whole event took two hours. "Everywhere you went, people stopped me," Chnce sid. "I gve out dog food. Most wouldn't tke much. They didn't wnt others to do without. I told them to tke wht they needed for themselves nd their neighbors. These people were down for the count, nd didn't hve nything but spirit nd love for their neighbor." At one intersection, mn behind her begn blowing his horn when he sw the SPCA logo on the side of her truck. Three men got out nd one sked if she hd seen two white Germn Sheprds. "When I told him I hd rescued two, he went to his knees, screming," Chnce sid. "But I wnted him to mke sure they were his. Sure enough, it's his dogs." During Hurricne Ktrin, the mn, his 84-yer-old mother, nd the two dogs styed in house three blocks off the bech. Driven to the roof by rising floodwters, they clung there until the roof broke in hlf. After the storm, with his mother sfely in hospitl, the mn returned to find his dogs. When Chnce showed the mn where the two nimls were rescued, the loction ws only three blocks from where his home used to stnd. But wht the crew thought ws debris where the nimls took refuge ws ctully the roof of the mn's home. "The dogs were stying with wht ws left of his house," Chnce sid. "They styed with wht they knew." Homeless, the mn ws unble to tke his dogs nd ws concerned tht they would be put up for doption. Chnce brought the dogs bck to Mobile to be borded by the Mobile SPCA with locl vet until the mn ws redy to hve the dogs gin, promising him they would be returned. "Tht's ll he hs left in the world: his mom nd the two dogs," sid Chnce. More thn month fter the storm, in erly October, the mn ws reunited with his two furry friends, with TV cmers recording the reunion. "He ws just hystericl to get his dogs bck," explined Chnce. Chnce rescued one niml whose owner hs not been seen since the storm. The dog ws fostered in Mobile, then dopted by the foster fmily, with the understnding tht if the owner returns, the dog will go with the originl owner. On Sept. 12, Chnce returned to Wvelnd gin, this time with plns to spend the night. She Two Red Cross workers bringing Lynn dog in Wvelnd. They didn t hve lesh but they sngged the dog nd brought him to us! plnned to sty with English on cot in the U-Hul triler nd gin went loded with supplies. Menwhile, ll the business crds she hnded out were working. The Red Cross brought her rescued nimls, s did the Ntionl Gurd. Chnce reunited ct nd owner, providing them with crrier nd food. She ws lso ble to mtch Blue Heeler with its owner. The Humne Society requested tht ll res- The Mobile SPCA truck nd doption vn loding up nimls t the HSUS Httiesburg compound. These nimls were cred for by the Mobile SPCA nd Irby- Overton Vet Clinic until they could be reunited with their owners or found new homes. cued nimls to be brought to trige hospitl, not tken out of the re. "Everyone knew I ws stging on Colemn Avenue where the Myor's Office used to be," sid Chnce. She spent time helping nother mn look for his ct, nd when they turned up empty-hnded, he gve her $100 bill. "We pprecite everything you're trying to do for us," she recounted wht the mn sid. "I never found the mn's ct." Another feline ws luckier, though probbly didn't think so. One evening, when the ct crossed Chnce's cmpsite, she grbbed him up nd stuffed him in cge. "He ws gint blck ct nd he ws md," Chnce lughed. "He flung wter, food, nd litter until ll he hd in the crte ws mud." All the pets from this trip were tken to the trige hospitl in Wvelnd, in totl five cts nd four dogs. On Sept. 16, Chnce trveled to Httiesburg nd the Humne Society stging re there. With ll the dogs nd cts in residence, room ws running short. Chnce brought four dogs nd 17 cts to Mobile, where they were held for 30 dys. HSUS clled the Mobile SPCA bck. Animls were suffering from the intense het nd could the Society tke more? Chnce hit the rod gin, this time with the ir-conditioned Mobile SPCA doption vn. She mnged to fit 17 dogs nd 17 cts in the vn nd her truck.
Top nd bove: The Mobile SPCA truck nd doption vn unloding our second btch of nimls from the HSUS compound in Httiesburg. Menwhile, Chnce's business crds were putting her in contct with residents who were in shelters hundreds of miles wy. "I got phone cll from ldy with shelter in north Mississippi," Chnce sid. "Her husbnd ws continued from pge 1 Lehy decided to ride out Hurricne Ktrin in his Biloxi Bck By home with his eight cts. His house flooded, but ws spred mjor dmge. Following the storm he went to his mother s nerby home to mke repirs. When he returned to his own home, he found the doors open. He initilly fered the house hd been looted. On closer inspection he found tht Humne Society volunteers hd serched the house, thinking tht no one ws stying there, nd hd found one of the eight cts, Aksh. They hd left note explining tht the ct ws being tken to stging center for rescued pets in Httiesburg, Mississippi. Lehy is not sure why the volunteers only took Aksh, but he thinks tht the other seven cts probbly rn nd hid from the strngers, leving only Aksh out in full view. Lehy trveled to Httiesburg, hoping to retrieve his ct, only to find tht she hd lredy been relocted to Mobile. Aksh ws one of severl cts coming into the Mobile SPCA from the Mississippi re in the initil weeks fter the storm. On October 11th, fter lmost month of seprtion, Lehy rrived in Mobile to clim his ct, fter mking severl telephone clls nd describing her to volunteers. A unique blck spot on the side of Aksh s mouth helped him to identify her. Lehy ws plesed with the tretment Aksh hd received from the SPCA. She looks fntstic; I think she ctully gined some weight, he sid, s Aksh explored the SPCA office. He nd Aksh then left to return home to their seven housemtes. Ntionl Gurd nd in Wvelnd. She hd people in her shelter from Wvelnd nd they were concerned bout their pets." Lynn ws ble to reunite two pets with their owners. "Those dogs were some kind of gld to see those people nd those people were some kind of gld to see those dogs," she sid. Chnce returned gin in erly November with more supplies. Her friend Judy English is now living in triler with no het or wter, but is t lest provided some protection from the swrming mosquitoes. And chillier wether hs brought new problem: no winter clothes. Mobile SPCA volunteers sent clothing long with blnkets, dog nd ct food, nd crtes for ny nimls she found. "We've hd lots of food donted," sid Chnce. "I'm tking tht. People out of Cliforni donted two tents nd with their permission, one is going to Judy for her two dogs to keep the mosquitoes off. It's still devsttion down there." Mny nimls re still living in destroyed homes. Chnce hs left food for English nd her friends to feed them. "It's possible tht people re coming bck," Chnce sid. "But the chnce of finding the owners fter getting them in the system is slim." In totl, Chnce nd her crew rescued 77 of the 300+ Hurricne Ktrin nimls we hndled. Chnce ttributes her success to the sheer number of crds she hnded out, long with HSUS posting niml photos on its website. "Lynn's courge nd determintion in the fce of this devsttion ws remrkble," sid Woods. "She is true friend to the nimls. A Note From The President Your hertwrming generosity during the recent series of hurricnes hs enbled us to rescue nd cre for hundreds of pets who might otherwise hve been lost or perished. We continue to work diligently to reunite s mny of these pets s possible with their own fmilies nd find new homes for those who hve been displced. Becuse of the dmge to our fcility from the storm, our volunteers were operting without the benefit of power or computers in the dys following Ktrin. Although we tried very hrd to compile ccurte lists of contributors nd volunteers, it becme monumentl tsk becuse of the tremendous number of people offering help. If somehow we hve filed to personlly thnk or recognize nyone, plese understnd tht it is only becuse our record-keeping ws so limited t the time, nd the contributions were pouring in t n mzing rte. We re truly grteful to every single individul, fmily nd business who sent contributions nd offers of help. Thnk you to ll who hve donted to this worthy cuse. We re grteful to you for helping us help these niml victims of Ktrin. You re specil nd cring people nd we thnk ech nd every one of you. We could not hve done it without you nd we re very grteful for your support during the chos nd now, s the need is still there. Jnine Woods continued from pge 1 A monetry dontion from Petfinder.com The Portuguese Wterdog Society, through the Mobile By Kennel Club, hs shipped 800 lbs of supplies with everything from puppy pds to shmpoo to pet toys. Lend A. Pw, long with the Plmyr Animl Clinic, Colonil Prk Animl Clinic nd Silver Springs Animl Clinic of Plmyr, Pennsylvni sent $750. Gin Binkley of Nshville, Tennessee donted gots milk nd tents. Trci Schumcher Bujols of Scottsdle, Arizon spent week in Mobile fter the hurricne nd ws t the Mobile SPCA office every dy, volunteering her time, helping to do every job imginble in the immedite ftermth of the storm. Mike Jeffcot from Birminghm brought triler lod of pet food from Red By. He then spent week on site t the Mobile SPCA helping to get the shelter set-up, doing mnul lbor, nswering phones nd tking cre of the first Ktrin nimls tht rrived. We tried to get him to sty with us forever but his wife ws not fond of the ide. In the immedite ftermth of the storm, (mn nd wife- I don t know their nme) took dily trips to Wl-Mrt to pick up donted pet food nd deliver it to the Mobile SPCA. Semmes Middle School collected $388.00 from students t Dollr Dy for the Mobile SPCA. Nor Grdner bought over $300 worth of fns nd supplies for our tent city. Pinkies Puppies nd Kelly s Kitties were the first to rrive with over 2,000 pounds of food, medicl supplies, towels, crtes nd clening supplies Sfety Source donted 24 pirs of welding gloves nd disposble gloves to use when cpturing un-coopertive nimls Supplies rrived from Southern Style Feed, B & B Pet Stop nd Frmers Feed in Semmes. Ptsy McGirl nd Renee Plmer of Cmp Woof Dog Dycre & Bording in Dectur, GA send over 40,000 pounds of supplies Renee Hersy from Plm Springs, CA sent thousnds of pounds of supplies, food, tents nd medicl supplies On the locl level mny old nd new Mobile SPCA members donted their time to help tke cre of the nimls on site nd hve lso sent dontions of money nd supplies. Our volunteers took weekly trucklods of the donted supplies to Wvelnd, MS, Byou LBtre, Srlnd, Chicksw nd Jckson, Albm nd some of the other res hrdest hit in Mississippi. Vrious locl church groups cme by to pick up pet supplies on their wy to help people in res hrdest hit by the storm. We continue to distribute supplies to South Mobile County nd the Mississippi Gulf Cost. If you know of someone who still needs supplies, we hve plenty nd would be gld to help. Hve them cll the Mobile SPCA office t 633-3531. We re extremely grteful to everyone who helped, if we filed to mention you in person, plese forgive our oversite. Everydy we remember nother kind person who helped us out in those exhusting couple of months following the storm. CHECK US OUT AT
SPCA nd Volunteer Firefighter Tem Up to Help Animls by Susn Thoms Michel Duncn routinely wers mny hts mother of eight, cncer survivor, volunteer fire fighter, full-time witress nd prt-time br tender but since Ktrin she hs tken on yet nother role, tht of pet food distributor for needy fmilies in the south Mobile County re. During the ftermth of Hurricne Ktrin, the SPCA hs supplied the Fowl River nd Albm Port volunteer fire houses with donted dog nd ct food for households ffected by the storm. Michel helped with distribution first t the Albm Port fire sttion, then t Sint Philip Neri Church, nd now from triler in her own yrd off Lurendine Rod. Michel ws very pprecitive of the lrge supplies of pet food provided by the SPCA. People were s excited to get dog nd ct food s they were tooth pste nd toilet pper, she sid. Initilly storm victims were hesitnt to sk for food for their pets. I know lot of people would hve tken people food nd just shred it with their dogs before they would hve sked specificlly for dog food, she explined. But once they relized the pet food ws vilble, they requested it. We re poor but we re proud, Michel sid. Michel ws ctive in relief efforts fter the storm, often mnning the distribution center t Sint Philip. Despite hving cncer surgery four weeks prior to Ktrin, she helped unlod trucks of dog food nd other pet supplies brought in by the SPCA. An vid pet lover herself, Michel hs three dogs, Brittny spniel, spniel-rt terrier mix, nd long-hired, bob-tiled Chihuhu who wshed in following lst summer s Hurricne Dennis. Although the distribution center is now closed, Michel continues to look fter dogs nd cts in her neighborhood whose owners were ffected by the hurricne. Following the storm the re sw n increse in stry dogs which were pprently turned out to fend for themselves while their owners evcuted, she sid. Luckily the numbers of strys re decresing s the dogs re finding their wy bck home to their owners. Michel is grteful to the ssistnce provided by the Mobile SPCA, describing the dontions s fntstic nd much needed. No one relly thought bout getting pet food, she sid, before the Mobile SPCA rrived on the scene. Mddie s Pet Rescue Projects Pet Plooz! Ws Gret Success by Peggy Tylor Mddie s Pet Rescue Projects Pet Plooz! ws held on August 27th t the Greter Gulf Stte Firgrounds. This Super Adoption nd Pet Fir ws wonderful event for the whole fmily - especilly the four-legged members! There ws rel sense of celebrtion in the ir with people nd their pets of ll shpes nd sizes enjoying ll tht the pet fir hd to offer. There were dozens of vendors of pet supplies nd gifts, Mddie s Bke Sle, Domino s Pizz nd photos with Mddie. Pet microchipping nd dog nil clipping were lso vilble. Demonstrtions were held by severl locl dog triners. The Mobile SPCA long with the Friends of the Mobile Animl Shelter nd the Animl Rescue Foundtion hd huge selection of dogs nd cts vilble for doption - ll vet-checked with current shots, spyed or neutered nd microchipped - lrge percentge of which found new homes! Originlly scheduled in July, Pet Plooz! ws cncelled due to Hurricne Dennis. It ws rescheduled for August 27th which turned out to be 2 dys before Hurricne Ktrin hit! However, due to the efforts of n rmy of volunteers nd lrge turn-out of fmilies nd their pets this 1st Pet Plooz! ws gret success nd we nticipte tht this will be n nnul event. See lots more pictures on www.mddie-albm.org. Tippy Trvels from Mobile to Wisconsin to Reunite with Owner by Susn Thoms Tippy, Begle who becme seprted from her owner in the Tillmn s Corner Wl-Mrt prking lot shortly before Hurricne Ktrin hit the re, ws recently reunited with her fmily in Milwukee, Wisconsin. A combintion of luck, the kindness of strngers, nd the coopertion of two humne orgniztions on opposite sides of the country culminted in Tippy s successful rescue nd reloction. According to Stcy Juedes, Counseling Services Mnger t the Milwukee County Humne Society, mn volunteering t post-ktrin evcuee center operted by the Americn Red Cross sked the Humne Society for help in locting his dog. At the time the Milwukee County Humne Society ws ssisting the Red Cross in housing pets belonging to the evcuees. The mn explined tht he nd his wife were trveling from Florid to escpe Ktrin nd were forced to spend the night in their cr t the Tillmn s Corner Wl- Mrt immeditely prior to Ktrin mking lndfll. The couple tied Tippy s lesh to their cr s outside mirror, leving her to sleep next to the cr. The next morning Tippy nd her lesh were missing. Becuse of the rpidly pproching hurricne, Tippy s fmily hd to continue on without her, eventully rriving in Wisconsin where the owner s fmily lived. Wnting to help the distrught mn locte his dog, Stcy then contcted the Mobile SPCA. Volunteer Jn Biley took the informtion bout Tippy, noting tht the dog ws probbly drgging lesh when she becme lost. Her next step ws simple one: she serched the lost nd found section of the Mobile Register. Surprisingly, n item concerning dog found round the time of the storm, drgging lesh, cught her ttention. Jn contcted the womn plcing the d, Blli Avinger, nd found tht she hd rescued Tippy from the Wl-Mrt prking lot severl weeks erlier. Jn then gve Blli the number of Tippy s owner, nd soon preprtions were underwy for Tippy to mke the cross-country trip to Wisconsin. The Mobile SPCA mde rrngements for Tippy s helth clernce exm, required for her flight. Airline expenses were covered by the Milwukee County Humne Society. According to Stcy, the Milwukee group egerly wited Tippy s rrivl nd rrnged to hve the event covered by locl medi. In discussing Tippy s rescue, Stcy prised the efforts of Blli Avinger, with whom she hd tlked frequently over the phone while finlizing the dog s flight pln. Stcy sid tht Blli hd become quite ttched to the dog, nd hd sent her on her wy with new blnket becuse it gets cold up here! nd crd to the owner.
Mircle Kitties by Susn Thoms An eight yer-old ornge tbby, Nnner (short for Bnn Moon Pie), hs the distinction of being twice sved by the SPCA from perilous circumstnces. Born in dumpster during Mrdi Grs 1997, Nnner ws rescued by the Mobile SPCA nd plced for doption with locl couple, Bettie nd Gil Chmpion. A few yers lter Nnner moved to New Orlens with the Chmpion s Nnner ws reunited with Grndmom Bettie Chmpion t the Gonzlez stging re for dughter, Crolyn Croom. Nnner rescued nimls. ws soon joined by nother feline compnion, Kyl, long-hired tortoise kitten. Shortly before Hurricne Ktrin hit, Crolyn ws visiting her prents in Mobile nd hd left her cts under the cre of friend in New Orlens. The friends evcuted, but ssured Crolyn her cts would be sfe inside her house, where they hd been left plenty of food nd wter. Bettie, Gil, nd Crolyn were horrified s they wtched the televised ccounts of mss flooding in New Orlens. All we could think bout ws Crolyn s house in mid-city nd the trpped cts. We did not know if her neighborhood hd two feet or twenty feet of wter, Bettie sid. A few dys fter the hurricne hit, Bettie contcted the Louisin SPCA nd gve them permission to use whtever mens necessry to enter Crolyn s house nd rescue the cts. Two weeks pssed while the fmily nxiously wited. Mny ters were shed, Bettie sid. Finlly, on September 18th they received word tht on the previous dy SPCA volunteers hd reched Crolyn s house, but hd found note posted on the door indicting tht dy erlier the cts hd been rescued nd tken to the niml rescue stging re t Gonzles, Louisin. The following dy Bettie nd Gil left Mobile t 6:00.m. with cr lod of ct nd dog food to drive to Gonzles where thousnds of rescued dogs, cts nd other nimls were being housed t the Lmr Dixon Horse Aren. Words cnnot convey the despir I felt s we got out of the cr nd pproched the check-in, Bettie sid. Think bout the ror t footbll gme when your tem scores nd tht is the volume of the sound; only it is not people cheering but dogs brking. Bettie ws directed to Brn #5, which housed the cts in bout 100 or so stlls, with ech stll crowded with pproximtely 10-12 ct cges, stcked one on top of nother. Whenever possible, cges were mrked with the ddresses of where the rescued cts hd been found. Bettie reclls the serch: Stll fter stll until I ws t the end of the ct re nd so discourged! Crrying photogrph of Nnner nd ssisted by two volunteers, Bettie s serch ended t the lst stll where she found the ct. The volunteer who ws with me hd to red the pper on his cge I ws crying so hrd, she sid. The ddress confirmed tht the frightened ct ws indeed Nnner. After finding Nnner, Bettie begn her serch ll over gin to locte Kyl. Finding the long-hired torti proved more difficult; Bettie hd not seen her in over yer nd did not hve photogrph with her. Discourged nd depressed, Bettie ws bout to end the serch nd return to Mobile when volunteer pointed out smll, long-hired ct in corner cge. The ddress of the rescue loction ws prtilly covered nd Bettie hd filed to red it during her erlier serch. I hd just not recognized this sd kitty s our beutiful Kyl, Bettie explined. All the volunteers were s excited s I ws. I hd been serching up nd down for two hours nd hd met them ll. They felt s if my victory ws mking their hrd work worthwhile. Bettie nd Gil returned to Mobile nd hd the cts checked by their veterinrin tht fternoon. Nnner ws slightly dehydrted, but otherwise the cts were in good condition. They re remining with their grndprents until their New Orlens home becomes hbitble gin. SPAY/NEUTER ASSISTANCE The SPCA is redy nd willing to help low income owners spy or neuter their pets. If you need ssistnce or know of someone who does, cll the Mobile SPCA office for spy/neuter ppliction. We ll get bck to you right wy to mke rrngements to hve tht pet ltered before puppy nd kitten seson! Help us keep the number of unwnted pets euthnized t the locl shelters to minimum. Do your prt by hving your pet spyed or neutered. MEMBERSHIP: Angel - $100.00 Ptron - $75.00 Business - $50.00 Fmily - $20.00 Individul - $15.00 PLEASE: Send me informtion bout monthly giving Nme Address City Stte Zip Phone (Home) (Work) e-mil ddress Plese chrge my credit crd $ VISA Mstercrd Credit Crd Number Expirtion dte Signture The Mobile Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animls 620 Zeigler Circle West Mobile, Albm 36608 Mddie s Spy Neuter Project Get your pet spyed or neutered tody! Cts - $10 Dogs - $20 with Medicid Crd Cll 633-3531 for info. Membership...$ Contribution...$ Spy/Neuter...$ Animl Rescue...$ Memoril...$ TOTAL...$ Mobile SPCA 620 Zeigler Circle West Mobile, AL 36608 (251) 633-3531 emil: spc@mobilespc.org Non-Profit Orgniztion U. S. Postge PAID Mobile, AL Permit No. 1157 The Mobile SPCA is member of the Mddie s Pet Rescue Project in Mobile County. ADOPTION LOCATIONS CAT ADOPTIONS: PETSMART Pinebrook Shopping Center 3980 Airport Boulevrd Open 7 dys week 343-2920 B&B PET STOP 5035 Cottge Hill Rod Open 7 dys week 661-3474 MOBILE SPCA OFFICE 620 Zeigler Circle West Tuesdy-Sturdy - 10:00 m to 3:00 pm Plese cll 633-3531 to mke certin we hve cts vilble. DOG ADOPTIONS: PETSMART First nd third Sturdy of ech month depending on the number of dogs we hve. Plese cll 633-3531 for informtion.