February 2008

Dear Friends:

Where do I begin; maybe a quick update from Florida. As usual we enjoyed our stay very much. And as usual we brought our own two dogs along. That was the best decision we had ever made. You may remember that we had adopted a badly abused white shepherd in September out of Wisconsin. “Casper” was terrified of everybody, especially men, including Jim. So we were very pessimistic about taking him with us, knowing he would have to deal with lots of people. Well, Casper, who was taken for several walks every day along with our Nikki, felt pretty much at ease with every dog-owner who happened to come along with their own dog(s). Believe me, Sanibel Island is a dog’s paradise! I have never seen as many people anywhere walking their canines, which include locals and tourists alike.

Most of them also have cats, but I did not see to many of those on the leashes. Anyway, Casper did very well with all the dogs and their human companions. He still was very afraid of people who had no furry friends with them on their walks.

A bad thing did happen: Casper, who had a skin-transplant done on a very large area of his belly before we adopted him, developed a sore on the skin-craft. At the same time Nikki came down with a urinary tract infection, and we had to take both dogs to a local vet in Ft. Myers. The vet never laid hands on Nikki since I did bring a urine sample along for him to test, and he barely looked at Casper. He did not know anything about skin transplants and came up with the most ridiculous suggestions, like “the body is rejecting the skin” (after 8 months? I don’t think so) or “there maybe a piece of barbwire underneath his skin” (Casper had been caught in barbwire and left there for a week) sure, the doc who did the skin transplant wouldn’t have noticed that? Come on! Anyway, the vet put both Casper and Nikki on antibiotics and charged us $611! I was totally speechless; I think I was in shock. Now I know why there are so many homeless and abandoned animals in the southern part of the states; who can afford prices like that. After we came back home, I took Casper to my own vet the next day who said that there was no sense in the antibiotics, since the sore was not infected. What a waste of money!

Overall it was a great trip; I spent time with my daughter and son-in-law, a former colleague of mine from Germany came flying in for a 10-day visit. She also brought along a suitcase full!!!! of the most gorgeous hand knitted baby clothes, adult sweaters, and baby shoes –knitted by another German friend of mine, and marked for sale at our next fundraiser! I was also able to take home several donation-checks from other dog-people for our shelter.

So now we are back in the state of cold and freezing Maine. Rebecca, Ted, Mary and Karen did a beautiful job, as always, taking care of our dogs and cats.  New dogs found their way to the Shelter, but over the last several months eight dogs also found their way to a new loving homes. Right now we are waiting to see if Rex, a dog who has been with us for several years and who is very hyper and aggressive towards other dogs, will work out at his new home. It’s always a kind of a gamble – and all we can do is hope for the best. A local couple that had adopted two of our dogs several years ago faced foreclosure; they lost their house, have no job and their dogs ended up back with us. One of them was placed already, after having surgery for a lump, which thank God proved to be benign. Both dogs where due for their vaccination shots, along with most of the other new ones. So in the new year; bills, bills, and more bills.

Of course I don’t need to tell you about the heating oil; with weather down in the minus 30’s, you can all imagine the sums we had to pay out for that. The heating oil in the small building at the trailer house was so cold that it jelled- that has never happened before. After two visits from a heating/plumbing company they finally figured out that THAT was the cause of the heater malfunctioning. They charged us over $900 for that. It’s unbelievable how stupid these people are. Or is it that they figure if they change all the fuses, injection-jets and everything else first they make more money than if they go straight to the oil tank and check that first? 

The state inspection was due too; their complaint was that we had no back-up heating source if electricity fails. Now in the winter all the dogs are inside the building – not having to face ice, snow and storms like so many poor animals tied up to their houses. Since dogs also wear fur coats I really don’t think they would freeze to death in a well insulated kennel building. But the state seems to think so; and now we have to buy a large generator, which can be run with gas/or diesel as a backup to generate electricity. The problem is not only to come up with several thousand dollars for the generator, but how to hook it up into the lines. And even though Jim is quite a handyman, he doesn’t know everything. A company will do it for another several thousands of dollar. As you can see, there is never a minute of peace. Someone always gripes about something.

We have had to buy all of our dog and cat food for the past four months with the exception of some which was donated to us. The food sources have dried up completely, and we have checked with Petco, Walmart and everywhere else. Rebecca has gone to some local stores to ask for help; some said flat out no, a couple are thinking about it. The problem is driving 30 miles for one or two bags of food are hardly worth it. Thank GOD for you, our supporters, who where very generous these past few months: Terrice Haynes donated their older car to “Independent Charities of America” who mailed us the proceeds of $52.50 for that. Not much, but a lot when it comes to bags of food. Viola McDonald mailed her Christmas gifts in the form of checks to us What really made my day was a $20 donation from an eBay-friend of mine, Christel Friedow, who wrote: “My 15-year old daughter Michelle gave me $20 from her allowance after I told her about Charley’s Strays!” Christel and Michelle live in Michigan, so we are definitely going “international”. Our supporters where very generous these past months; which means a heck of a lot to me since everybody has to struggle right now with the cost of living going up, up, and up. 

CAT REPORT  –  February 2009

My goodness, it’s been so long since I’ve written one of these reports I’ve almost forgotten how to do it! Not that there’s a whole lot of news anyway – mostly our little cats have been well and happy. We’ve had some days already when the sun felt warm, with cats basking on windowsills and a few bold ones sitting on the porch for an hour or so. The snow pleases some of them, too; they sit and watch the flakes, and when small clumps fall softly off the roof they’re intrigued. The big clumps with icy bottoms that thud on the ground send them running.

 The only sad news is that Baby, a cat we placed years ago, died Feb. 6 at the age of 16. Those of you who knew Charley will remember Nancy, who was his right-hand woman during the last year or so he lived and our first resident caretaker after he died.  When Nancy finally moved on she left Baby and Zacoona in their familiar surroundings. Zacoona stayed with me until his second cancer proved fatal.  Baby was adopted by a couple a few towns away probably ten years ago.  I heard from them every now and then and knew that Baby was well cared for, even as she developed health problems, and they were considerate enough to let me know of her death.

When I wrote in November, Randall was heading for the vet to have his teeth cared for, and I’d just taken in two kittens I thought I could place. Both went well. The kittens have a home together, and their new “parents” sent me a Christmas card showing them sitting in greenery looking deceptively innocent. Randy’s feeling and eating well. 

If any of your vets tells you a cat or dog needs teeth cleaned and maybe some pulled, please go for it if you can. It doesn’t always work; in fact, I’m still sad when I remember the friends’ dog who died under anesthesia. But for Purina/Meg and our dog Davy, a dental worked wonders. Meg had hers in August and lost all but five teeth, and she’s been a new cat ever since – no more brown drool on her feet, eats dry food, lively and purry and happy. And Davy! – almost every Saturday Ted and I comment that he looks years younger and acts like a puppy again. Makes me wonder if it would work for me! 

The cats had a good Christmas, with food, beds, treats, playhouses and other gifts from many of their friends. I won’t even try to list names, because I know I’d not remember everyone, but the cats and I do appreciate you. One particularly thoughtful person sent a generous check with instructions to use it for whatever we needed, like dishes or litter boxes. For Valentine’s Day Jane, Karen’s Alaskan friend who adopted one of the funny-feet, sent a box of catnip that has been well received.

Whoops, almost out of room! Just space to remind anyone who files a Maine income tax form: please check that box to donate to the Help Fix Me spay/neuter fund, so I won’t get more kittens!

Alice Winston, Swampscott

Andrea Greene, Stonington

Archer Family, Canton

Arlene Hayes, Reading

Barb & Jon Anderson, Aug.

Barbara Askew, Quincy

Barbara Thompson, Lawrence

Bette Beebe, Talcottville

Betty Sawyer, Jonesport

Carole Parker, Stoughton

Cindy Houston, Woburn

Constance Clancy, Captiva

Cristine Cardello, Melrose

David Hingston, Chelmsford

Denise Lawrence, Reading

Donna Bering, Lynn

Doris Lary, Hartland

Dorothy D’Alessandro, Ossipee

Dorothy Eckstein, Medford

Dorothy Watkins, Amesbury

Dorothye Andrews, Conimicut

Dr. Alan Bachrach, Petersham

Emile Jorgensen, E. Boston

Enid Hayes, Halifax

Florence Mason, Lexington

George Hinds, Cambridge

Inge Maiellano, Marblehead

Iris Martinello, Tewksbury

Irma Simon, S. China

Jackie Lowney, New Bedford

Jean Catignani, Conway

Jeff Lieberman, Fairfield

Jennie Bering, Lynn

Jim Lavita, Palmetto

Joan Ryan, New Bedford

Joe D’Alessandro, Tuftonboro

Joseph Blake, New Bedford

Joseph Kogut, Upton

Josephine Ford, Holden

Josephine Smith, Woburn

Judith Rohweder, Northport

Judy & Al Smith, Belmont

L. Scotti, Beverly

Laureen Alden, Stoughton

Linda Merriam, Dresden

Lisa D’Alessandro, Raymond

Lorena & Harry Clark, Beverly

Manuel German, Reading

Marcia Smith, Bucksport

Marcus Nordberg, Topsham

Marian Delarue, Woburn

Marie O’Brien, Pawtucket

Marlene Kaplan, Melrose