February, 2007

Dear friends,

After a way too short vacation in the Sunshine State, Florida, Jim and I are ready to tackle life in the cold, once again, I think. We enjoyed our stay with our daughter, who moved from Germany to Florida last summer. Then we moved on to our favorite spot, Sanibel Island. We made several new friends, and so did our dogs, Nikki and Luke. They had a blast with the daily 5 o’clock dog party outside the cabin where we stayed. At times there was a gang of seven dogs. All got along well with each other, just like their human friends! Of course, Jim and I “advertised” our Shelter too, but we were still shocked when one lady, who came every evening with her two Golden Retrievers, handed us a big check for Charley’s Strays, and another couple, our next-door neighbors who were “dog-less” did the same! So, many, many thanks to Jane Reader Weaver and her dogs Goldie and Biscuit, and to Harry and Andrea Greene whom we hope to see again as our neighbors in 2008! We met some very lucky dogs down there, who had nothing better to do than ride around on their people’s golf carts part of the day, visit the local small grocers to get hot dogs, and sunbathe the rest of the day. No comparison to the five unlucky ones which found their way to our Shelter in January. Or should I say “the lucky ones” because at least now they have some sort of a home?

The doggie-news: The picture above shows Casper, a beautiful Husky. Casper was not wanted at his home any longer, because he would not take the beatings from his owner anymore and bit him. He is a very gentle dog, and even though he now has a “record”, we believe that he will make someone a beautiful pet. Then we had a call from a friend, who had visited a kill-shelter in Maine. She asked if we had space for two more dogs, which would lose their lives if they stayed any longer. So we took these two black Lab-mixes. Since space was getting less and less at the Shelter, they both had to go into one run, where they could drive each other and everyone else crazy. Their names were Amos and Andy, after Jim told me that this was a TV series in the 50s, I kind of figured the two dogs had come from the same household. The shelter where they came from does not keep records: "What for, they are going to get killed anyway;" That’s the quote from the person in charge.

When asked a couple of years ago why the dogs in her care were so skinny and acted like they were starving. She said, why bother; to feed them, they are going to be killed anyway. Andy now has hit the jackpot: a couple who had lost their dog to cancer fell in love with Andy. He has the same eyes as the one they lost, and Andy now enjoys life in a great environment with great people. We hate to separate siblings, but we have learned over time that two dogs are almost impossible to place together. This way they both have a chance of adoption.

Last year Mary Jane Gorton, a long time supporter of Charley’s Strays, brought us three dogs from Florida to be placed. She does dog rescue herself, and the southern states are bursting at their seams with dogs and cats due to the ignorance of people about spaying and neutering. A couple of weeks ago we had to have the yearly furnace cleaning job done at the Shelter building ($160.00 up the chimney), and one of Mary’s dogs was watching the gentleman who was doing the service very close. Gigi is normally an energetic dog, but was nice and quiet, and just kept watching him. So he went home and told his wife that he found a new companion, a little dog by the name of Gigi. Needless to say, when the couple came to take a closer look, Gigi again behaved so well that she got to go home with this couple. Another happy ending for a previously abandoned dog.
 
The other old boys and girls are slowing down and mellowing out. Chances of adoption for them are very slim, but I believe they are okay with living at the Shelter. They all know each other, and I am sure they talk to each other across the runs and hallway, and it beats hanging on a chain way out back at some so-called dog lovers yard all day anytime. And hopefully there are only a couple of winter months left where they have to spend most of their time inside. As soon as temperatures are above freezing, they get to go out into their summer residences again, complete with doghouse, roof over part of the large runs, and several of the real lucky dogs even have their own little wading-pools

Cat Report February 2007

Our cats had a very nice Christmas season – my, that seems a long time ago! I hope I can remember everyone to thank.
  
Barb and Jon Anderson sent a WalMart gift certificate that Gabi asked me to use for something special for the cats, so I found a cloth cube that I thought they’d like. Karen also bought them one; so I have one upstairs on the bed beside the tunnel Lisa likes to hide in, and another downstairs in the FIV+ room for Mr. Tom and Buddy and their friends. Both are occupied most of the time. Karen also sent a super-soft flat bed that’s popular. Cathy O’Connor brought catnip toys and Turbo Scratchers, the circular toys with a ball rolling around the edge and a scratch pad in the middle. Teresa made another batch of catnip-stuffed knitted toys, and since there weren’t enough to go around she’s brought more since. Karen, the Parent family, the Charles and their cat, Robert and Norma from Fairfield, and my neighbor Kathy (who managed to gift-wrap a 16-pound bag of dry food) all sent various kinds of food and treats.
  
Then for Valentine’s day Jane, Karen’s Alaskan friend who adopted Lottie, sent Alaskan catnip, both loose and in toys. That, too, has been much enjoyed. Purina/Meg (Charley named her Purina, the woman who adopted and returned her named her Meg, I use both) and Agnes love to roll in the loose stuff, giving me a couple of fuzzy-coated gray-green cats. 
  
The only bad news is that Brook died just before Christmas. The tumor on her hind foot got so bad that she couldn’t walk comfortably, and when her appetite started failing the vet and I agreed it was time. She was well into her teens, maybe 19 depending on which of the varied records she came with was accurate, and a very sweet cat who never gave me or the other cats any trouble. Kennebec and my Otis still share the kitchen; but Otis, too, has a tumor, on his hip, so I don’t know how much longer I’ll have him. Kenn’s disposition improves all the time. He habitually purrs when I pick him up now, and bites me only when I keep him out of Otis’s food, which he’s sure is better than his food, even when he’s watched me fill both dishes from the same can.

 Purina/Meg went to the vet again with a sore mouth. Because it’s happened before, Nicole checked her over thoroughly and ran several tests, but there seems to be no underlying problem. Purina wasn’t particularly hard to medicate, though Nicole prescribed the worst-tasting antibiotic in the arsenal. It worked immediately and Purina’s been fine ever since. She and Evita and Tippy clean up their two meals of canned food so enthusiastically that I’ve started putting out three small bowls of dry food at bedtime: they’re consistently empty by morning.
  
BabyJay and all but one of her kittens have homes (and that’s two-week-old information, so the last kitten may be placed by now), but I can’t take the credit. You already knew that Rachel, now Molly, is happy in Augusta, and George was doing fine in Yarmouth when I inquired in January. After Johnny, Phineas and Simeon were neutered, I transferred them and BabyJay to another shelter in southern Maine, where there was a waiting list for yellow kittens. I heard early in February that BabyJay, Simeon and Phineas have permanent homes; Johnny was in foster-care with two or three applications pending. Johnny’s the most ordinary-looking but also the friendliest of the three kittens who were left, so whoever takes him will have a winner.
  
Thanks not only to the cats’ Santa Clauses, but also to all of you who support Charley’s Strays; we couldn’t care for these animals without you. And for those of you who pay income taxes in Maine, another reminder: please check the box on your 2006 tax form to donate to the Companion Animal Sterilization Fund. The program keeps running out of money, showing how many people would spay or neuter their pets if they could afford to.
 

When I was in New Orleans, after Hurricane Katrina devastated the area, I met a young lady who groomed some of the rescued animals. I had not heard from her except once by email, and to my big surprise I received a check from her, which was given to her by her boyfriend’s mom as a Christmas gift. Thank you, Renee! Dorothy Watkins and Viola McDonald also sent us their Christmas gifts from friends and relatives in the form of money, thank you very much! Judy Rohweder mailed us a donation in memory of Hamlet, and Prudy Dame did the same in memory of Kay Stewart. Maureen Dowd, the lady who brought the two labs from the other Shelter, also gave us a nice donation. Many of our supporters sent us a little extra for Christmas, and all of you made it possible to give our dogs and cats a warm cozy “sort-of” home. Though I can’t thank every one individually, please be assured that Charley's Strays appreciates everything you are doing for our animals.

Jackie Lowney, New Bedford
Inge Maiellano, Marblehead
Jane Reader Weaver, Sanibel
Janice Solimine, Lynnfield
Jean Catignani, Conway
Jo Ford, Holden
Joann De Napoli, Winchester
John Caswell, Newport
Jon & Barb Anderson, Augusta
Joseph Blake, New Bedford
Joseph Kogut, Upton

This is about all the news I can think of the moment. I am also including a link below about how you can help us, or some other charitable organization, by donating your old car.

Thanks again for helping Charley’s Strays!

Keep warm,

Gabriele, Karen, Mary, Mike, Ted and Jim

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