|
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7
|
This month, there is an obvious spotlight on the many fundraising events our Partners stage to keep the money flowing. Being an animal advocate is not cheap, and resources are always needed so that both domestic and wild animals around us can flourish. ACAC & AC is a county facility, but it benefits every day from the generosity of its volunteers and A-PAL. All our partners need funds from you, the people of Amador County, to continue the many programs that benefit our community. Your extraordinary generosity makes these programs go. It may seem as though our hands are always out--and so they are--but don't get tired. Heave a sigh if you must, and dig into those pockets.The events are great fun, and it's a great feeling.
|
|
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
ADOPT 'THE ONE'
MARCH
SPAY and NEUTER AWARENESS
TCWC WILDLIFE WORKSHOP
Friday the 24th
at the Feed Barn
APRIL
TRAP/NEUTER/RELEASE
BIRD REHABILITATION
Saturday the 1st
at the Paws Center
BIRD REHABILITATION
Saturday the 8th
at the Paws Center
MAY
Find your MISSING PET
WHISKERS & WINE
Friday the 19th at
Jackson Rancheria
JUNE
FELINE FRENZY
CORKS for CRITTERS
Thursday the 22nd at Volcano Union Pub
JULY
ADOPT a SENIOR PET
AUGUST
$9 for 9 LIVES for 9 DAYS
SEPTEMBER
ADOPT your MVP
PAWS & CLAWS (TCWC)
at American Legion Hall
BARK
in the PARK
Saturday the 30th at Detert Park, Jackson
OCTOBER
ORANGE & BLACK
All Treats, no Tricks
NOVEMBER
GIVING THANKS
Animals and their people
DECEMBER
Bring JOY to your WORLD
SANTA PAWS
Saturday the 2nd
at the Feed Barn
|
|
MYTHS ABOUT SHELTER PETS:
ONE GREEN PLANET
|
|
|
|
A-PAL knocks itself out each year to bring you a fun day with
dogs.
Register for "Strut Your Mutt" and show up with your canines bared or in costume.
A pleasant way to bid "so long" to a long, hot summer.
|
 |
|
TRENDING: A great new way to find forever homes for cats in need. Originally started in Taiwan in 1998, the cat café was a place for people to pet cats and drink tea, but the cats there were not available for adoption. Still, the idea became especially popular with Japanese tourists because so many apartments in Japan forbid pet ownership. The first Japanese cat café opened in Osaka in 2004. At last, cat-loving residents of Japan could interact with cats, helping to relieve their stressful urban lives. Currently, there are at least 39 successful cat cafés in Tokyo alone, and 150+ in the country.
The first of its kind in the USA,
Cat Town
, opened its doors in downtown Oakland in October, 2014. Primarily a coffee bar, for a small fee you can enter the "Cat Zone" and play with the cats. If you meet that special feline who tugs at your heart and has to come home with you, he or she is available for adoption. Cat Town's goal is to give "every cat a chance to find a loving home". They have done just that for 1,700 cats so far, and have reduced the euthanasia of cats at the Oakland shelter from 42% to an astounding 14%.
A little closer to home there is Catfe, the Sacramento County (Bradshaw) Animal Shelter's facility, where free coffee and tea are served. You can sip your preferred beverage while interacting with adoptable cats. Since shelter kittens are often the first to find homes, Catfe features only adult cats, who generally require less attention and maintenance than kittens. Prospective owners get a much better idea of a cat's temperament, size, coat length, etc. when they adopt an adult.
Catfe has been a great success so far.
There are now cat cafes all over the world (from the UK to Russia, New Zealand to Mexico). Click
here
for a list of the 71 active cat cafes in the US. Do you like Pittsburgh pusses? Texas tabbies? Missouri mousers? Nashville cats? Why not take a vacation and visit them all?
|
|
|
ANOTHER Fundraiser? CORKS for CRITTERS
|
|
On June 22, 2017, the staff, volunteers and community supporters of Amador County Animal Control and Adoption Center gathered at the Volcano Union Pub for the first annual Corks for Critters--a fun-filled evening aimed at raising money for the Rusty Fund. The Rusty Fund is a private account founded and managed by volunteers at the shelter which maintains readily available cash when the strained annual budgets of the shelter and A-PAL fall short.
The Pub donated its $10 corkage fee for every bottle of wine we brought. In addition to that, there was a creative display of raffle items. The total take for the evening was $830.
If you missed the event, try and join us next time. You'll get to drink your favorite wine and enjoy the great food and convivial atmosphere of the Volcano Union Pub, all with other people who love and support animals.
|
|
RASCAL and RILEY: A cautionary tale
|
It's almost time for Bark in the Park (see poster, above), one of A-PAL Humane Society's principal fundraising events of the year. Bark in the Park puts the focus on dogs, but APAL uses its resources equitably for both dogs and cats. A-PAL recently intervened on behalf of a couple of senior cats, Rascal and Riley, who had been the constant companions of a Vietnam veteran for many years. When he died, the caring staff at Hospice of Amador & Calaveras called A-PAL.
Rascal and Riley were so frightened by their sudden, unfamiliar circumstances that they had to be trapped onsite. When initially brought in to A-PAL's care, they refused to eat or interact with people. The gastronomical paths to their hearts were soon uncovered, however, by way of some tasty wet food. Likewise, their fear of strangers was dissolved through good old-fashioned back scratches that soon expanded to voluntary feline requests for lap time. Both cats were sent for wellness checks in preparation for re-homing.
Sadly, the wellness check revealed that Riley had advanced stage cancer. He continued to decline and the difficult decision was made to end his suffering. Rascal, on the other hand, has found a fabulous new home (see Rascal, above).
Re-homing a pet whose owner has passed away without a plan is not new to A-PAL, but it is problematic. Pet owners: include your four legged family members in your estate planning. Pets settle in much better when they have a designated place to go. Ask a friend or family member if they are willing to accept your pet, then spell out your wishes in a will and trust. For more information on this important process, call A-PAL Humane Society, 209-223-0410 or visit
www.pawspartners
. A-PAL is a non-profit organization with the goal of ensuring humane treatment of animals in the communities it serves.
|
IF YOU HAVE A GREAT ADOPTION STORY FROM OUR SHELTER,
we'd love to hear from you. Send your story, with photos if you have them, to Lisa Peterson.
|
RED ALERT! Thinking of becoming a VOLUNTEER?
|
The need for volunteers
at Amador County Animal Control & Adoption Center has reached a critical level. I
f you think you'd like to join our ranks, please, drop by to the shelter at 12340 Airport Road in Martell and request a volunteer application. We desperately need dog walkers, but anything you are able to do will help immensely. You can review
the
APPLICATION for VOLUNTEER WORKER
here, but you will need to fill out an original pink copy, available from the shelter.
|
PHASE 2 of the original building plan for ACAC & AC's new facility called for a barn. That project has stayed on the shelf since the shelter was completed (in 2005), until a recent endowment from the estate of a local and generous animal benefactor got things moving again. Look for an article
in an upcoming Newsletter
on the past, present, and future of this project, plus details on how you can help get our barn built.
|
UPDATE for September:
Hooray! The plans have been finalized and construction is scheduled to begin in 2018. Soon, our large animals will have a safe, modern and comfortable shelter while they are in our care..
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
