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July,
2006 |
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Dear friends,
It’s hard to
believe, but here we are in the middle of the summer, and the days are getting
shorter already! I am positive it’s just been a couple of days ago that I
picked my brain for things to write about in last month’s letter, and here I
go again.
This
newsletter is dedicated to our “Wendy”, who was the second last “dog-link” to
Charley McCarthy, founder of Charley’s Strays. On July first, Wendy had
to be put to sleep, after spending her entire life of 14 years at our Shelter.
I remember seeing Wendy for the first time when Jim and I set eyes on the
place in 1993. Wendy was tied with a big heavy chain to a doghouse, which had
no floor, and was leaking through the roof. She was still very young, and so
lovable. But she hated other dogs, so even though I was always very partial to
Wendy, we could not take her. At least her life changed much for the better –
first Jim built her a nice warm insulated doghouse, and in the following
years, when we built the Kennel, she moved in there, and never had to wear a
chain again. And until two years ago she always had a companion with her,
Buddy, her dad. Buddy was not doing so good anymore in 2004, so he
spent his last two years of life with Jim and me up here, in a home of his
own. Wendy was still very active and too nasty towards other dogs, so she had
to stay at the Shelter. |
Her
life turned bad after having several small strokes the last couple of
months. Ted had to go through the hardship of having to take her to the
vet, who told us exactly what we had feared: “Put her down.” Well,
hopefully Wendy is in a much better place now, up to her old tricks,
harassing other dogs and being so very affectionate towards the humans.
Now the only original dog at the Shelter from Charley’s time is Ben. He
has been with us for 11 years, but thankfully has a companion. He and
Pharah, another long-time resident, are living quite content together in
their summer-run outside, warming the old bones whenever it’s not
raining “cats and dogs”. JJ
This
month we were lucky. No dogs other than a Jack Russell running around
loose in Canada on the Trans-Canadian Highway! Charley, our webmaster
and his wife Ruth found him, brought him to us, and after combined
effort with flyers and door-to-door asking we found his home. So he was
lucky – no “road kill,” and no additional dog to take care of in the
Shelter. The cats -- well, that’s a different story and Mary, will tell
you all about that.
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One of
our supporters, Joe Blake, sent me this newspaper clipping. Since Jim
and I have been feeding a black bear for the past seven years, and
people seem to think these lovable creatures are hellions, I thought
this newspaper article may change their mind
J
Thanks Joe! |
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Again, we have been feeding a black bear for the past seven years
with suet. He respects us and leaves if we get to close to him,
and we respect him and try not to bother him. And just to think
someone may shoot this gentle giant and use him for a rug which
will be moth-eaten in a few years anyway, really turns my stomach.
Anyway, so much for side-tracking to other animals.
It was a very sad month of July for several of our supporters. Jim
Lavita, who has been helping Charley’s Strays for many
years, had to deal with the passing of his sister, Anna O’Brien.
We are so sorry, Jim! Thank you to the “Breakfast Club”, who sent
us a donation in her memory. |
Elizabeth Fay –
long time supporter of our Shelter, also lost a dear companion,
Waldi, a tiny Dachshund, or “Dackel, as we call them in Germany. I
met Waldi many years ago and fell in love with him. So I can
imagine well what Liz had to deal with.
Enid Hayes mailed us a donation in memory of “Peaches”, companion
of Linda Ryan, and of toy poodle “Tonka”, sadly missed by Madelyn
Ward.
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CAT
REPORT – July 2006
I might have known I
shouldn’t talk about things being quiet, as I did in my last report.
Within a week, a man called to say a cat had been dumped near his
fiancée’s mother’s house, on a dead-end road that’s a favorite place for
abandoning animals. He’d already adopted four cats from there, and
feared a fifth one would stretch his landlady’s patience past the
breaking point, especially since he suspected she was pregnant (the cat,
not the landlady). So we took her, and sure enough, kittens are due any
day now.
The woman who’d fed her
for a week or so named her Baby, but since we’d had a Baby (the gal who
went to Windsor earlier this year) I call this one BabyJay, sort of
after the donor whose first name is Joe. She’s a very nice, gentle
girl, probably about two years old. She’s orange and white, which you
may know is unusual. My friend Maurine has a bunch of orange and white
females, but overall about 90 percent of the orange ones are males. I
read somewhere that it’s genetic. |
Except for this
addition, nothing much is new. The mid-July heat wave reached Maine, but
the cats mostly didn’t mind. Kennebec spent a couple mid-days hiding
under a chest swearing if anyone came near him, and went off his food a
bit – I’m not sure whether he was too warm or not feeling entirely well.
Early mornings and late evenings he seemed lively enough, and the last
few days he’s been back to normal at noon, too. The rest of the bunch
appear to be healthy, although you never know what germs are lurking in
their little bodies . . .
BabyJay is in my living
room in a super-size vari-kennel that Ted lent me a while ago. Karen is
helping buy kitten food for her and her future brood – those 3-ounce
cats of kitten food cost more than the 5.5-ounce cans of adult food! The
list of ingredients doesn’t mention gold, platinum, or even petroleum
products . . .
J
Other cat rescuers have been sharing surplus food, bedding and equipment
– we have quite a network here in central Maine.
Unfortunately all of us
have more cats than we can handle right now; in spite of the state’s
spay-neuter program, there was a way-too-big crop of kittens again this
spring. As always, I’m grateful to you out there reading this
newsletter, Teresa and her family, the Charles family and all the other
people who chip in. Every little bit helps.
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Needful things: Once again I am running very low on stamps. So if you
see some lying around in the kitchen drawer, please mail them to us, no
matter if they are 39 cent stamps or lesser ones, I will just buy the
difference.
Also –
last year someone, I forgot who, brought us waterproof mats. These mats
have absorbent cotton on one side and are probably used in
hospitals/nursing homes. I believe they are called “chucks”. They are
perfect to use for the cats, and if you have some, we sure would
appreciate them. Thanks. If you would like to start collecting items for
our fundraiser, here is what we need most: Laundry detergent, dishwashing
detergent, blankets, toys, treats and canned food. We also accept anything
nice which we can sell at the fundraiser, or use for prizes. |
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This is REX
who had been living for 6 months in a basement before he came to us.
He is a very sweet little guy, and is about five years old, and
looking for a nice home of his own. Please contact the Shelter for
more information.
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And
“not forgotten” were our Shelter Inhabitants by the following people: |
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Al &
Judy Smith, Belmont
Alice
Winston, Swampscott
Betsy
Anderson, Framingham
Carole
Parker, Stoughton
Cathy
O'Connor, Winslow
Charley Ames & Ruth McKinney, Grand Isle
Cindy
Houston, Woburn
Cloys
Feldman, Mobile
Cristine Cardello, Melrose
Donna
Bering, Lynn
Doris
Dango, Melbourne
Doris
Lary, Hartland
Dorothy Eckstein, Medford
Dorothy Watkins, Amesbury
Dorothye Andrews, Warwick
Dr.
Bachrach, Petersham
Elizabeth Fay, Northport |
Enid
Hayes, Halifax
Florence Mason, Lexington
Harriet Snyder, Brockton
Inge
Maiellano, Swampscott
Iris
Martinello, Tewksbury
Jean
Catignani, Conway
Jim
Lavita, York
Joan
Bono, Newton
Joan
Ryan, N. Bedford
Joe
Blake, New Bedford
Joe
D'Alessandro, Tuftonboro
John
Walsh, Waterville
Jon &
Barb Anderson, Augusta
Joseph
Arouca, Ormond Beach
Josephine Ford, Holden
Judy
Rohweder, Northport
Kathleen Hillman, Chelmsford
Laureen Alden, Stoughton |
Linda
Clish, Bangor
Linda
Merriam, Dresden
Lisa
Montmarquet, Raymond
Lorena
& Harry Clark, Beverly
Marcia
Smith, Bucksport
Marie
Delarue, Woburn
Mary
Klayda, Winchester
Mildred Walker, Presque Isle
Nancy
Capone, Wakefield
R. D. Bournival, Nashua
Robert Hull, Lawrence
Rose
Chioccola, Stoneham
Ruth
Willis, Braintree
Sandra
Nicholson, Beverly
Victor
Santos, N. Reading
Viola
McDonald, Woburn |
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Without
YOU there would be no sanctuary for these animals, and because of that
we |
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Thank You
Very Much! |
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That brings me to the
end of another newsletter. I hope you have a great summer, not too hot,
not too cool, just the way you like it.
JJJ |
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Take
care, |
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Gabriele, Mary, Karen,
Ruthann, Mike, Ted and Jim
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