October 2009

Dear Friends,

I hope you didn’t run across dogs dressed up like the ones above, even though these pictures gave me a good chuckle, I do think it’s taking the fun to some odd levels. The dogs don’t seem to be getting much fun out of it, judging by their bedraggled expression.

We already have had a good taste of what’s in store for us: Another cold loooong winter. The heaters have been running at the Shelter- with 20 degrees and an ice-cold wind there is no choice in that matter. Many of our dogs are old, several have very short fur, and so we try to keep them as comfortable as possible. Rebecca helps us a lot by fighting the high heating cost by closing the small dog-doors at night and part of the day. It is a fairly large building, and cools down fast when the doors are open. One of our dogs, Ellie, a yellow lab, has never learned to go outside to do her business. She can roam the premises for an hour, goes back inside and stands on top of her bed, peeing on the blanket. So in order to keep the kennel smelling nice, we constantly have to clean her pen and open the doors. Boomer, the blind dog, is not much better, but at least it’s not his fault. He is housebroken and does his business in the outside run. But, not being able to see, he walks through the mess and of course carries it all in on his huge paws. But at least he is a lover, and not unpleasant like Ellie. Am I partial to some dogs? Yes I am, sorry. They are all nice, but some are just that little bit nicer than the others.

King, our German shepherd, was adopted, and all seems to be well. Of course we could not leave the pen empty with so many animals out there being thrown away. So we took in another one, and it was love on first sight for me with him. Max Brown; so named because we already have a Max - and he is brown in color -duh- weighs about 35-40 pounds, is only two years old and will be a perfect dog for someone. He is housebroken, and loves all people. His story: He was found wandering in the middle of I-95 a year ago. A couple picked him up and took him home. They already had two dogs, and one of them was an Alpha and would not accept the newcomer. They kept the dogs separated for a year, but that was just too much to do all the time. So they asked us if we would take him.  They left in tears. We could tell that this was not a “want to get rid of” case. Max Brown has been neutered, and is up to date with his shots - something totally new for us, contrary to the big Saint Bernard we just took in. His people had called, telling us he had his shots (we found out that all he did have was puppy-shots when he was a couple of months old, no boosters and he is not neutered. He has a skin condition and to top it off; he has hookworms and roundworms. The people forgot to tell us all of that before they came to drop him off. He was also so skinny that we could count every bone in his body. So at least with Max Brown we don’t have another huge vet bill to pay for. He looks healthy and he is an adorable little guy.

CAT REPORT OCTOBER 2009

So this month I have more news than there’s room for, most of it good!

First, Laurie and Dave Mountain made their goal and bought the building that they’ve rented for two and a half years. Their thrift shop is on the ground floor, and the basement houses the cats who have overflowed from their house. Besides running the thrift shop, they deal daily with unwanted cats (and occasionally dogs), arranging for low-cost spaying or neutering and other medical care, finding homes for the placeable ones and keeping the ones who are too ill or too wild for anyone else to want. In Laurie’s final report to her supporters, she said they signed the papers Wednesday, October 21, and here’s how they celebrated: “. . . we spent all day Thursday revamping the cats' areas to give them lots of new places to explore, climb, hide, and play.” 

October 21 was also the day Dr. Macmillan made the fall house call. All the Charley’s Strays cats she saw seemed fine, except she commented that Christopher is thin. Actually, he’s climbing back from being really thin a couple months ago - same thing he pulled the summer before, lost a lot of weight for no reason that any of the vets’ tests could find and then gained most of it back, also for no obvious reason. Since none of the tests and treatments made a difference before, this time I let him do his own thing, and it seems to have worked just as well.

Even Kennebec, our little guy who panicked and had a heart attack when I tried to treat his ears years ago and has been handled with extreme care ever since, got attention this time. He and Woodstock are living together in the kitchen, after another rearrangement, and somebody brought them fleas. Dr. M. was able to put flea-killing stuff on the back of Kenn’s neck while I held and petted him. 

Kenn’s been very sick, completely off his food, and I didn’t dare try to bring him to the vet for fear he’d have another heart attack. Dr. Chiasson gave me an over-the-phone tentative diagnosis (pancreatitis, which fits the symptoms very well) and suggestions for non-upsetting in-home treatment, and Kenn is recovering, though not quite back to normal.  He and Woodstock get along beautifully, often sleeping curled together or one on top of the other.

I wrote in September that I thought a friend was going to contribute to the cost of the house call: He gave us enough to pay the entire bill plus the previous balance and leave us with a small credit!

Part of the previous balance was because Alison went to the vet. I’d just changed the litter boxes in her room one day, and she hopped in and did a little tiny puddle. Well, of course I thought urinary tract infection; so I started shoving clavamox down her and made her an appointment for a couple days later. She acted absolutely fine until the appointment (except when I medicated her - she didn’t appreciate that one bit), and Dr. Chiasson didn’t find anything wrong. He suggested she just wanted to be the first cat to use the clean box! However, the trip wasn’t a total waste, because she needed her nails trimmed (two were beginning to grow into her pads), and she wouldn’t have cooperated if I’d tried to do them at home.

I picked up the gifts from the fundraiser at the kennel, but I’ve not yet had time to unpack them (except I pulled out a can of Fancy Feast for Kennebec and Woodstock, who enjoyed it). I saw a slew of coupons, a variety of food, some bedding - I’ll sort things and thank everyone properly in the next newsletter, but meanwhile, thank you all very much for thinking of our cats. I’ve also had coupons from Teresa and her sister, and her son donated money he made collecting returnable cans and bottles. Karen and the Charles’ cat sent cat food, and Karen and another friend, Irma, gave me bedding. As Laurie wrote in a different email, it’s heartening to know how many other people care about the animals that some people don’t want (or, these days, can’t afford).

Carole Parker, Stoughton

Christ Episcopal Church, Somerv.

Cindy Houston, Woburn

Cristine Cardello, Melrose

Donald Hill, Palmyra

Dorothy D’Alessandro, Ossipee

Dorothy Eckstein, Medford

Iris Martinello, Tewksbury

Irma Simon, S. China

James Laviata, Dennis

Jean Catignani, Conway

Jo Ford, Holden

Joe Blake, New Bedford

Jon & Barb Anderson, Augusta

Joseph Kogut, Upton

Josephine Smith, Woburn

Judith Santos, N. Reading

Judy & Al Smith, Belmont

Laureen Alden, Stoughton

Linda Merriam, Dresden

Lisa D’Alessandro, Raymond

Marcia Smith, Bucksport

Marian Delarue, Woburn

Marlene Kaplan, Melrose

Mary Klayda, Winchester

Mildred Walker, P. I.

Nancy Capone, Wakefield

Naomi Teixeira, Jay

R.D. Bournival, Nashua

Robert Hull, Lawrence

Rust Pappathanasi, Swampscott

Sandra Nicholson, Beverly

Susan Borsic, Woburn

Viola MacDonald, Woburn

Whitney Tibolt, Boston

Thank you!

One of our supporters of many years, Doris Lary, died. She had requested to have donations mailed to Charley’s in lieu of flowers. Her children made sure that this happened. Doris will be much missed by people and animals alike. One of her daughters sent me a beautiful letter in honor and memory of her mom. Here is an excerpt of what she had to say about Doris:

. . . I think part of her good life came from helping others, especially animals. My mom fed any who came to her door. Abandoned cats and there were a lot of them, also birds and the crows who would sit in a tree across the road and make noise until she brought out what ever was left, usually bread or cereal. Then there were also a lot of well-fed raccoons and skunks. One of the skunks she could almost hand feed; she was never sprayed by a skunk. Even though the raccoon would raid her hummingbird feeders at night she still kept them full for all to enjoy. There were a lot of lucky dogs to have lived with us as we grew up, most were hounds and her last dog she had was a stray that was just dropped off. He had a good life with mom and lived for many years . . .

James Lavita and Doug Robertson mailed us a donation in memory of Kitty Kat, beloved pet of the Budness’.  To all of the above people a HUGE  THANK YOU!

Until next month, stay happy and healthy, and say a prayer please for Doug who is very ill.

Gabriele, Mary, Karen, Ted and Jim