July 2008

Dear Friends:

Once again I wonder if I am sleepwalking or what – it seems like only two days ago that I was sitting here on this computer trying to put another newsletter together, but looking at the calendar is proof that it really has been a month. My parents always told me that the older one gets, the faster time goes by. How true: It actually makes my toenails curl thinking about it. At least we have an average lifespan of about 70 years, and not like these poor animals who live 14 years, if they are lucky, and have to spend most of them at a shelter. Our two Husky mixes, in the above picture, are coming around nicely; considering how very scared they were of anything remotely human. At least they don’t seem to mind living at Charley’s Strays. Hopefully in another year or so they have lost all of their fear, and will be ready for adoption!

King, the German Shepherd, who was adopted last month is having some issues; the whole family loves him, but he seems to be a one-person type of dog and has adopted the man of the family as “his”, and wants to protect him; meaning if a stranger gets to close to his person, he will try to bite.

Hopefully he will get over this. Of course this is very upsetting, especially since the family has a business and has to deal with people. We are all keeping our fingers crossed. His adoptive family is making every effort to help him; and are not really willing to return King to us. That’s a good thing; we have had many cases were someone adopted a dog, only to bring him back a day later. I always wonder why they bother at all. They would be much better of with a stuffed animal.

That reminds me: We drive quite often over to Canada (the Canadian border is only a mile away from Limestone).  Right after the border sits a mobile home, with a porch in front. There is always a black and white dog sitting on this porch, one time close to the entrance, the next time further back, looking one or the other direction, but never moves. It’s a fairly large dog, so you really can’t miss seeing him. Well, I talked about him to our friends who live fairly close to that mobile home. Karl, our friend, laughed, and said: “This dog is not real!” I could not believe it, but every time after that when we drove by, I looked very close, and it’s true. I have no idea if this was their pet at one time and after he died they took him to a Taxidermists; or if it’s a stuffed toy. Really weird!

CAT REPORT  –  July 2008

Can’t tell you a whole lot about our cats this month, because I took a vacation! The first time I’ve been away from home overnight for pleasure since the summer of 1979, when friends and I canoed the Allagash National Waterway here in Maine.  This time I went on a 10-day tour in Iceland. Had a marvelous time, and I highly recommend Iceland to anyone looking for an interesting place to travel, whether you want luxury hotels, museums and art galleries and fancy food or campsites, hiking trails and cold showers.

Teresa, her son Brian and her husband Tom were my cat-sitters. I knew they’d do a good job.  In fact, my two worries about coming home were first, that the cats would be so pampered they wouldn’t welcome me, and second, that Teresa and family would be so exhausted they’d never speak to me again. However, neither came true; I still have my friends, and the cats seem content to have me back.  The happiest were my Jenny and our Purina/Meg, who sleep with me. Jenny purred and rubbed and butted for a good 10 minutes when I went to bed. Meg waited until Jenny simmered down, then stretched herself across the top of my pillow, gave a great contented sigh, and as far as I know didn’t move until morning.

Teresa took Meg to the vet while I was gone – either her fur was falling out, or she was pulling it out. She got a small dose of steroid that seems to have solved the problem, at least for now. 

While examining her, Heather found that her teeth need attention. So, assuming no unexpected complications, Meg’s scheduled for a dental – having her teeth thoroughly cleaned and any bad ones pulled -- early in August. 

I was pleased to get a lot of useful coupons this month – thanks for all the clipping and mailing to Suzanne Belisle, Roberta Chaves, Christel Friedow (who also sent another cute cat toy), Irma Simon, Judy Smith and John Walsh. Karen bought the cats some canned food, and I’m sure Olivia Charles has some saved for them, now that I’m home to pick it up. And my debt to Teresa and family is greater than I can ever repay.

My thanks, too, as always, to all of you who support Charley’s Strays. On the radio today, our governor was talking about the coming cold winter with very expensive heating oil. He said Mainers will have to hunker down and take care of their neighbors as they always do when the going gets tough – yeah, but try explaining that to the dogs!

A special note for Maine residents who get this newsletter: I hope by now you’ve heard that a group has organized to persuade the legislature to create a new specialty license plate for animal rescue. If the plate is approved, proceeds will be split between the state’s animal welfare program and Help Fix ME, both of which are seriously underfunded for the demands on them. Help Fix Me has never had enough money to help anywhere near all the qualified applicants; and it seems like almost every week I read another newspaper story about animal welfare people rescuing dogs, cats, horses and other animals from an unspeakably bad situation. 

To show legislators that there’s support, 2,000 people need to pre-order this vanity plate by Sept. 1.  The principal contact is Planet Dog (www.planetdog.com/plate).  According to the web site, plates are available at three places in Portland, the Planet Dog Company Store, Happy Tails and the Animal Refuge League, and at the Animal Welfare Society in Kennebunk. Those of you farther north should be able to get more information from your local humane societies and rescue groups.

Alice Winston, Swampscott

Barbara Thompson, Lawrence

Betsy Anderson, Framingham

Carole Parker, Stoughton

Christel Friedow, Plymouth

Cindy Houston, Woburn

Cristine Cardello, Melrose

Dale Critchley, S. Weymouth

Don Hill, Palmyra

Donna Bering, Lynn

Doris Lary, Hartland

Dorothy D’Alessandro, Ossipee

Dorothy Eckstein, Medford

Dorothy Watkins, Amesbury

Enid Hayes, Halifax

Fran Munday, Isanti

George Hinds, Cambridge

Gigi Welch, Stonington

Inge Maiellano, Marblehead

Iris Martinello, Tewksbury

Irma Simon, S. China

James Lavita, Dennis

Jean Catignani, Conway

Jean Tillson, Franklin

Joan Ryan, New Bedford

Joe D’Alessandro, Tuftonboro

John Caswell, Newport

Jon & Barb Anderson Augusta

Joseph Blake, New Bedford

Josephine Ford, Holden

Josephine Smith, Woburn

Judy & Al Smith, Belmont

Judy Rohweder, Northport

Kim Doherty, Woburn

Linda Merriam, Dresden

Lisa D’Alessandro, Raymond

Thank you!

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