July 2009

Dear Friends:

Some of the strangest things climb out of hatched chicken eggs.

I hope this letter finds you in perfect health! Have you grown webbed feet yet? Our dogs look as if they may be growing gills, and their feet do look like evolution is thinking about how to help survive in water. Ted has new plans for Jim. He wants him to build an ark. I told Ted there was not much sense in that, since all of our dogs and cats have been neutered and spayed. Maybe the chicken eggs would qualify, though. One never knows what pops out of them!

Lots of news at the Shelter, and part of it rather sad: Ted and Rebecca took Boomer to the eye specialist for a check-up. There is no hope for Boomer' vision. He has cataracts, which would be no big deal, but the retinas are also detached. Dr. Bachrach explained that in humans that could be fixed because normally they will go to the doctor when they lose their sight. But with Boomer time has long passed to repair the retinas, and now the optical nerves  in  both of his eyes have died. Dr. Bachrach did say Boomer seemed to be a very happy dog, and all of our volunteers agree that he gets around well, as long as there are no new obstacles in his way. Then he does bump into things. Poor Boomer, we had such high hopes for him! A big THANK YOU to Dr. Bachrach from Massachusetts, who did the examination for free!

Two new dogs found their way to the Shelter: “Leroy” a very big and powerful black Lab, and “Mushu” a Shar Pai. Or  “Mooshoo”? I don’t know how to spell his name, I am not much into TV or cartoons.

Leroy’s story is a sad one: For the first couple of years of his life he was confined to a crate, with a blanket covering the crate to keep him from barking. Then the people took him to a shelter. Someone adopted him, but didn’t want to keep him either. They gave him to a friend. The friend had him for four months, and then brought him to us because the husband was going to shoot him! Leroy is a very gentle sweet dog. When we let him out of his run, he takes off and really runs the ground for about twenty minutes. After that, when his energy is spent, he will follow the volunteers around, giving them lots of licks and kisses. He is totally house broke. He will hold everything until let out in the morning. He comes right to us when we call his name. The only downside to Leroy is that he needs a strong person, and most likely some schooling. He is around three years old.

CAT REPORT – July 2009

The night I finished the June report, with the description of cats watching animals (real or imaginary) in the dooryard at night that I couldn’t see, I was sitting on the porch about midnight when a deer walked from the back field up the driveway toward the road. The light from the kitchen behind me reached just far enough so I could see her strolling by.  The cats – Oswald on my lap and others around my feet -- were mildly interested, but not excited. I couldn’t decide whether they’d seen her before, or whether animals that are too big to eat don’t matter.

The other piece of news since last month is that Robin has been to the vet. He was acting as though his mouth was sore, and it was. He’s been on the antibiotic called clindamycin since his visit.  Now here’s the real news for any of you who’ve tried to give clindamycin liquid to a cat: Robin’s my third cat who will take it mixed into canned food! The stuff tastes absolutely foul, according to the vets, the techs and the cats, and in the past I’ve had cats choke on it when I stuffed droppers into their protesting mouths. (Heather, the vet, gave me a “How strange” look when I told her that, but our friend Cathy says her cats choke on it, too.). 

I think it was someone at Animal Hospital of Waterville who suggested trying it mixed in food (though I’d love to take credit for the idea). I was doubtful, but figured I had nothing to lose; and so far I’m three for three.  Of course, the second cat has been off the antibiotic for a month now and still demands his nightly dish of canned food, and I suppose Robin will too, but that’s a small price to pay for the ease of administering the medicine.

Many thanks to the people who sent lots of coupons this month, some via Gabriele and some directly to me: Suzanne Belisle, Jennie Bering, Emile Jorgenson, Doris Lary, Iris Martinello, Teresa Parent, Irma Simon, Judy Smith and John Walsh. They certainly help.  I was thinking the other day, it’s a good thing pet food prices haven’t gone up as much as human food prices, or we’d be in real trouble. I can remember when a six-ounce can of cat food was 20 cents, versus the current 45 to 50 cents for a 5.5 ounce can. But I can also remember when a jar of my favorite mayonnaise was 39 cents for 32 ounces, versus $3.29 or so for 30 ounces nowadays. Almost enough to drive me to eating cat food – but not quite!

And as always, let me add my thanks to Gabriele’s for all the other donations and gifts from our supporters. I hope you and your pets are having a good summer.

Alice Winston, Swampscott

Bonnie Buckmore, Waterville

Carole Parker, Stoughton

Christel Friedow, Plymouth

Cindy Houston, Woburn

Cristine Cardello, Melrose

Denise Lawrence, Reading

Donna Bering, Saugus

Doris Lary, Hartland

Dorothy D’Alessandro, Ossipee

Dorothy Eckstein, Medford

Dorothy Eckstein, Medford

Emile Jorgensen, East Boston

Florence Mason, Lexington

George Hinds, Cambridge

Iris Martinello, Tewksbury

Irma Simon, S .China

IJackie Lowney, New Bedford

James Lavita, Dennis

Jean Catignani, Conway

Jo Ford, Holden

Joan Ryan, New Bedford

John Walsh, Waterville

Jon & Barb Anderson, Augusta

Joseph D’Alessandro, Tuftonboro

Joseph Kogut, Upton

Josephine Smith, Woburn

Judy & Al Smith, Belmont

Kellee Lowney, New Bedford

Laureen Alden, Stoughton

Linda Merriam, Dresden

Lisa D’Alessandro, Raymond

Lorena & Harry Clark, Beverly

Lori Brodsky, Woolwich