S AVE A P ET The shelter that never

S AVE -A-P ET The shelter that never rests! Thank You, Gracias, Merci, Danke Schon . . . to: ✦ Shear Paradise Pet Salon & Spa, Tres Bone Dog Bakery & Boutique and K-9 Playtime for their “For Paws Sake” pet food and sup ply donation drive to help support local ani mal shelters, incl. Save-A-Pet ✦ Chalet Nursery & Garden Shops in Wilmette for the proceeds of their October 28th Howl-O-Ween Pet Parade and their numerous donations of goods throughout the year ✦ RT Photography for donating part of the proceeds from her photoshoot ✦ PetsMart in Deerpark and its employees for allowing us to keep some of our cats waiting for new homes ✦ The Brownie Troop 340 from Gurnee brought in two cartfuls of donations from our wish list. They also handmade cat and dog toys. The girls names are: Abby, Brook, Faith, Grace, Madelynn, Caitlyn, Kylie, Becky, and Taylor ✦ Dr. Kim Ogden for donating all the proceeds of her pet consultations during our Holiday Open House Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage Spring 2007 Volume 35, No. 1 hat were you doing Christmas Eve? This sweet little dog was wandering around the highway not certain how she got there or where she would go next. Thanks to a good Samaritan who was driving by and also happens to be a Save-A-Pet volunteer, she was rescued and brought to Save-A-Pet. Our kennel staff jumped into action and gave her an extreme makeover! Evee (named for the night she was found) laid there patiently as dual razors got rid of the filthy fur (including mold!) which was tightly matted and pulling at her skin. After a bath and some loving, this beautiful girl was full of smiles! W PAID Permit #195 Libertyville, IL Save-A-Pet The Splitt family was so thrilled with the adoption of their new puppy Louie, formely known as Mozart, they brought in a thank you cake for the Save-A-Pet staff! The cake said “Happy Landing to Louie...Thank you Save-A-Pet!” It also included a #1 candle because they said he is the number 1 dog! No-Kill Adoption Center 31664 North Fairfield Rd. Grayslake, IL 60030 C H A N G E S E R V I C E R E Q U E S T E D The Exclusive Quarterly Newsletter for Save-A-Pet Members and Friends Paws on the Path Pet-Athlon A round of appaws to our dedicated participants, including all furry ones! Oliver We also appreciate the participation of the following supporters: ✦ Carolyn Bjur, Animal Communicator ✦ Linda Epstein, Reiki Master ✦ Charles Rapin, DJ ✦ Jan Luciano for people’s back massages ✦ Bruce Bregenzer of Animal Touch Therapies ✦ Barrington Barkery & Pawtique for donating Valerie dog cookies ✦ Lake Forest College Circle K ✦ Panera Bread ✦ Arleen Kramer, Agility Instructor, for lending us her agility equipment ✦ Costco, Lake Zurich Special thanks to our t-shirt sponsors ✦ Great American Tire & Auto Center, Stuart Lindenhurst, 847-265-9830 ✦ Cache Promotions, 847-354-2371, pccp@comcast.net HAPPY LANDING I wanted a small dog - I got a Rottweiler mix I wanted a female - his name is Bodee I wanted an old dog - He’s about only 3 I wanted a healthy dog - he had heartworm, hook & whip, 2 buckshots in his hip, his feet look like God put them on backwards and sometimes he limps. PLEASE REMEMBER: If, for any reason, you must give up an animal adopted from Save-A-Pet (no matter how long ago or from which facility), we ALWAYS want the animal returned to us. The Face of No-Kill by Karen Rappaport, President, Save-A-Pet Board of Directors ften something at stops Overy core of whyhappensandSave-A-Pet that case you cold in your tracks brings you back to the we are here. This was the one Saturday afternoon as I was at the front desk greeting people and helping them through the adoption process. Amidst the chaos of animals and people walking all around me, I looked up, froze, and said, “IS THAT BOBBY?” The woman holding this little poodle confirmed that it was, in fact, Bobby....one of our tiniest, toughest “customers” in all my 12 years at this organization. When he originally came to the shelter as a scruffy, angry stray from the streets of Chicago, very few people could touch him and no one would EVER dream of picking him up. Now here he was, perfectly groomed (“Oh yes, he goes to the groomer” his mom told me..It was hard to hide the shocked look on my face.) and she was hugging him tightly and kissing him. Other people were petting him so I went to pet him and perhaps I had a flashback, but I didn’t let my hand actually make contact. Bobby just looked at me and I’m pretty sure he rolled his eyes in disgust. Looking at him in his mom’s arms, it was clear they were meant to be together. She was the first person he met in his entire life he trusted and with who he could be truly happy. Now he is a changed little man and has learned the world is not a scary place. You could see a different look in his eyes; one of contentment. This is why we stay strong in our no-kill mission. There is some person, some family and some environment out there that will be a perfect match and will bring out the best in every cat and dog we save, regardless of their background or special needs. Yes, many of our animals come and go quickly because they are “easy to place” animals. But these more difficult ones; the ones who wouldn’t “make the cut” hardly anywhere else, would be deemed unadoptable, and would never have a chance at life...Well, they are the most rewarding ones to me. As she left, Bobby’s mom bought a few toys for him and even though they only added up to a few dollars, she left a fifty dollar bill on the counter and with tears in her eyes said, “Here, this if for you, for Save-A-Pet. Thank you so much for my Bobby.” Out of all the things I asked for and didn’t get, I need to tell you what I did get for the benefit of all the animals there. MARK YOUR CALENDARS Visit us at: www.save-a-pet-il.org Animal Massage Workshop Tuesday, March 20, 7p.m.-10p.m. Come learn some of the basics of animal massage. Your friendly furry companion is welcome to attend too! The fee is $50, with proceeds donated to Save-A-Pet. This class is limited to eight participants, so register early. Pre-payment required upon registration. For additional information, please visit www.companionanimaltouchandtherapies.com or to register, contact Bruce Bregenzer at 847-782-1963 (Animal Touch & Therapies). Interested in having a special day for Save-A-Pet where a portion of the day’s proceeds would benefit our residents? Please let us know so we can provide you with brochures and information. If the event is open to the general public, we will also post it on our Web site. 7th Annual Kitten Shower Saturday, April 7 12 noon-2:00p.m. Games, refreshments, fun! Attendance is free. However, you may want to help us prepare for their arrival by bringing a shower gift. Especially needed are KMR kitten powder formula, kitchen digital scales to weigh kittens, snuggle safes, and nursing bottles for kittens. More items can be found at our web site: www.save-a-pet-il.org/wishlist.asp Bobby visiting Save-A-Pet with mom Anna f only most of us had the resilience and forgiveness of animals....just like little Wicca, not even a year old. She was brought in to a local emergency clinic with a broken leg that was apparently left unattended for a couple weeks with the request that she be euthanized. The vet quickly took “ownership” of this little girl, examined her and unfortunately they had to amputate her leg. Make no mistake, she is doing super-well and all of our Animal Health staff has completely fallen in love with this little girl! Life and love always prevail! I When the Liggett family heard our dogs were in need of new beds to keep them comfortable, they wanted to help. In an extremely generous gesture, they funded top of the line Kuranda dog beds for over 80 of our dog residents! Cathy, Jim and their son Jimmy came to the shelter to see how much the dogs are enjoying their gifts! Get Ready for Save-A-Pet’s Auction... “Tuxedos for Tails” May 5 S ave-A-Pet’s largest fundraiser each year is the annual auction. We want to make Celebration of Life Photo Contest Enter your adopted Save-A-Pet cat or dog (one entry per adopted pet) with either a single picture or a collage/montage of up to four pictures based on one of these two themes: “Finally Home” or “Family Fun”. Please provide your name, address, phone, email, the name of your pet(s), year of adoption, and title for your entry. All entries will be displayed at our annual reunion weekend. Many prizes will be awarded, including publication of them on our website and/or newsletter. Shelter Director Kaylie Carroll with Lucky Wicca Save-A-Pet reserves the right to use pictures for publication. For a submission form, please download it from our website or request one at 847740-7788, vm. 146. ✦ Affordable K-9 Poop Patrol, 847-414-8543, www.k-9pooppatrol.com ✦ Koenig Strey & GMAC, 847-975-1582 & 847-557-1610 ✦ The O’Leary Companies, Builder, www.theolearycompanies.com ✦ Antioch Pizza Shop, 847-395-6777 ✦ American Eagles Gymnastics, Round Lake Beach, 847-201-1567 ✦ Petal Peddlers, Vernon Hills, 847-680-1340 ✦ First American Bank, Clay Hack, Mortgage Consultant, 847-815-6522 ✦ Motif European & American Accents For The Home, Libertyville, 847-549-6898 A few t-shirts are still available: $25 (includes tax and shipping). Donate Today! ✦ To spay a cat or a dog and help reduce over– population ✦ To provide our residents with basic medical care (shots, deworming, spay/neuter surgery, microchipping, FIV/Feluk test, heartworm test, flea/tick prevention) ✦ To fund a cat’s or a dog’s lifesaving surgery or medical treatment ✦ To ensure that devoted and compassionate staff is there every single day of the year to feed, clean, care for and nurse our residents back to health International Day of The Dog Sunday, April 29 Check out website for upcoming details. I got a loyal dog. He is watchful, careful and respectful. He was trained sometime in his life before us and has done incredibly well with his new commands. He is quiet and grateful every day. Bo gets along great with his beagle brother and leaves all other dogs alone. He is so friendly and kind he spends a lot of time at work with me being loved and loving everyone that comes in. I couldn’t have ordered a better dog and obviously I tried, but somehow this great guy came into our lives, both of us unsure of what we would get but so very happy that we got each other. Thanks for saving his life and trusting his life to us. With gratitude, Curt & John Miller More Happy Landings continued... this year’s event more successful and the event that everyone wants to attend! To do this, we need your help getting donations (from yourself, friends, family, colleagues, businesses that you patronize, etc.) for both the live and silent auctions. Any of the following are always well sought after: sports items, restaurant gift certificates, celebrity memorabilia, electronic items, hotel packages, airline tickets, event tickets, artwork, antiques, jewelry, gift certificates, pet items (of course!), power tools, outdoor/garden items, etc. continued on page 2 Donate today....Because they can’t wait! NO-K S AVE -A-P C ET A ILL DOPTION ENTER Woof You Be My Valentine? Ringo Ruff Life on a chain, all day, all night...is not life, just a very slow death of everything that makes the soul of a dog beautiful. That was my past life but thanks to a Save-A-Pet humane investigator, I have a safe future. Just between you and me, I have to tell you that I wasn’t really sure at first of all this attention, it just seemed too good to be true. Life is so different, my horizon is no longer limited by the length of a chain. A home with a fenced-in yard would be great or maybe we could go jogging or hiking as I have plenty of happy energy. Save-A-Pet is pleased to report that we have eight licensed humane investigators. So if you suspect cruelty, dare to speak up and give us a call at 847-740-7788, voice mail 157. Arcadia Another victim of no ID! How embarrassing being picked up that way, uncombed, looking a little bit raggedy and with a cold. All this combined with the fact that they considered me a senior lady didn’t make me the top candidate for adoption after the regular hold period. But boy was I lucky since Save-A-Pet works with this rural shelter and takes some of their dogs before anything bad can happen to them. A round of antibiotics, a couple of shots (the ones with needles), some TLC in a foster home with cats, and I’m ready to go again. I don’t consider myself old and always trot gingerly during my walks. I’m overall a pretty laid-back and at times peppy lady, just the perfect balance to enjoy life together. Popcorn Look closely into my face and you will see the eyes of an old soul. My short life has had to endure the physical pain and emotional trauma few thankfully can ever imagine. Were it not for two caring teen-agers that brought me here, I would have died from abuse all alone at the edge of a forest preserve. Putting me back together meant the loss of one eye; putting my heart together again was easy as I have forgiven people. So, why did they name me Popcorn? Because I popped back and decided to give life another try! I’m joyful and love to roughhouse with other dogs but above all, I just want to be loved. Be My Cat-lentine Marcia What would you do if you got “evicted” without notice when your family moves? I had lived my whole life (since I was eight weeks old,) in the same home and in perfect harmony with both cats and dogs. I keep on wondering if I did something wrong. Why would they just give me up without bothering to ask how I would feel. I’m not adjusting to my new living situation, even somewhat letting myself go and not grooming myself like I should. I’m a four-paw declawed lady with some Maine Coon heritage. Webster How many hours in a day, how many days in a week? How long until I get to find a new family? I am just so sad...When they boxed me up and left me behind with a note, they apparently didn’t have much to say but that I was a good housecat and had never been outside - nothing else. Why, why, why? I just feel so lost, just one of the many faces in a sea of over 150 cats. Will someone notice me and love me again? I’m just happiest when I’m in someone’s arms, being loved. I’m a front-paw declaw guy that has lost his appetite for life. Domino Do you have the food channel? Do you like to snack throughout the day? Is food smelling or foodstuff one of your hobbies? I love to eat: your food, my food, anybody’s food - someone said I was a big girl, to this I just reply I’m big-boned and believe it or not but it takes work to keep up this physique. Some weeks I’m rather independent while others I get totally obsessed with loving you - can I lean on you? Can I lick you? Please, please, please! I live in an office but don’t count on me on doing any work - the most I can do is sleep on top of your monitor, just hanging over. If one person gets up and starts jumping around, I will have just a little spurt of energy to play “attack the ankles” but after that, I always need a long nap. Let’s meet over treats and don’t forget to ask about me by name. Signed: Affectionately nicknamed the “Slug”. PS: I also get along with cats and well-behaved dogs. 35 Years of Unconditional TIME TO UPGRADE Life and Love... HAPPY LANDING The “Love Bunch” Reunited ! We are happy to announce that on August 26, 2006 Oliver and Harley were officially adopted and reunited with their brother Stuart and sister Valerie. All four kittens were diagnosed with a neurological disease called Cerebellar Hypoplasia upon their arrival to Save-A-Pet and soon thereafter became known as The Love Bunch. 31664 North Fairfield Rd. Grayslake, IL 60030 PH: (847) 740-7788 FX: (847) 740-7796 Shelter Hours: MONDAY & TUESDAY . . . . . WEDNESDAY & FRIDAY . . . THURSDAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . SATURDAY . . . . . . . . . . . . SUNDAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1:00–5:00pm 1:00–5:00pm 1:00–8: 00pm 11:00–6:00pm 11:00–6:00pm H ave you ever tried to move an extralarge dog crate out of a room? What ...is what Save-A-Pet is celebrating this year! It takes more than food and water to save lives for 35 years...it took the vision of our founder, Gertrude Maxwell, and of course the dedication of many people: financial supporters like you, dedicated and compassionate staff and committed volunteers! Thank you! Together we can make this year a new milestone. Every minute, seven pets get killed in this country, simply because there are not enough homes. It has to stop! The animals need you more than ever! You can make a difference, because each life saved is a testimony to the miracle of the power of love. ✦ Take action and get together with friends, family and colleagues to hold an event to benefit our residents ✦ Take action and agree to skip your special coffee, lunch or dinner for a week and donate that money to help our residents ✦ Take action and get your kids and your kids’ groups (brownie troops, cub scouts, sport teams...) involved in a project that shows their compassion for their fellow creatures (collection of aluminum cans, gently used blankets, holding a lemonade stand...) ✦ Take action and get someone you know to spay/neuter their pet and help spread that message ✦ Take action and adopt a cat or dog (if you can’t adopt or add to your family, maybe you’ll consider to be a guardian angel for one of our current residents) Donations are much needed so we can continue our very unique mission. Each resident is safe with us, regardless of age, medical or behavioral needs. They will stay with us, regardless of how long that is. To accomplish great things, we must dream as well as act. Anatole France (1844 - 1924) about if you had to move several of them, scraping your knuckles going through the doorway only to have the bottom bump into your legs? Our staff has no choice as this is needed in order to be able to powerwash and thoroughly disinfect them. Needless to say, many of our crates in our small dog/puppy rooms have seen better days and it is time to replace them. After carefully looking into different options allowing for versatility and ease of use (adjusting size based on dogs, being able to roll them out, tough enough to withstand cleaning/disinfecting and dogs), we have found cages on rolls for $8,000 that would offer the most bang for our buck. Interested in helping purchasing them, then please contact our Executive Director, Vestee Jackson, at 847-740-7788, ext. 102 or our Animal Health Manager at 847740-7788, ext. 106. In 11 years at our current facility, amazing things have happened to thousands and thousands of animals who came through our doors. But our doors, and some other parts of the building are now in need of repair and updating! Our kennel heating and cooling system work very hard, fighting against a high ceiling, a large space and doggy doors opening and closing all the time. We are in need of new, larger units to keep our animals at their utmost comfort level. This will be an expense of approximately $15,000. Please contact Vestee Jackson, our Executive Director, at 847-740-7788 x102 if you can help fund this important project. SAVE-A-PET THRIFT & GIFT SHOP 4446 W. Oakton • Skokie, IL 60076 PH: (847) 677-8805 Hours: TUESDAY–SATURDAY 10:00–4:45pm Oliver Harley PAW S AV E S -A-P T E T F O R H O U G H T FOUNDER AND CHAIRPERSON Gertrude Maxwell BENEFACTOR Hannah Goldman BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Vice President Secretary Directors-At-Large Executive Director Karen Rappaport Jacky Townsend Greg Alloian Mary Hironimus, Susan Lucas, Tracee Nurczyk Vestee Jackson Auction...”Tuxedos for Tails” Please call 847-740-7788, ext. 146, or email information@save-a-pet-il.org if you would like to donate items for the auction. All contributions and donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. Please always check with your tax accountant or advisor for full details. If you would like to honor or remember a special person or pet, catalog animal sponsorships are available. Rates are $50 for 1/4 page, $85 for 1/2 page and $170 for a full page. This is a wonderful way to participate in the auction and show what it’s all about: the Save-A-Pet animals! If you or your company would like to become a sponsor for the event, there are great opportunities for promotion and exposure! Advertising rates are $80 for 1/4 page, $140 for 1/2 page and $260 for a full page. It’s a great way for your business to show that you care. This year’s auction will once again be held at the Stonegate in Hoffman Estates on May 5. Tickets are $100 and tables are assigned on a first paid basis. We would also like to invite as many new people to this year’s auction as possible. If you would like an invitation sent to you, please call 847-740-7788, ext. 146, or email information@save-a-pet-il.org and provide your name and address. True to Save-A-Pet’s mission, life is what awaits all animals, whose journey brings them to Save-A-Pet. There is no better way to celebrate this statement than by helping us make this year’s auction another success for our residents! Looking For a Last Name ...or a permament foster home Domino Dog The spark of life was gone...I had no hope and just felt immensely lonely among the barking here - although I really can’t hear them. I had no human friends, no family, just nobody. I was often just listless, laying in my outside kennel and was not seeking attention like all the other dogs. Fast forward to today - am I glad that a couple of dog walkers took special interest in me and didn’t take my aloofness seriously. As soon as they show up now, my tail starts wagging and never stops the whole time we are out. I love my walks, sniffing and smelling the grass and especially just feeling loved. I am great with other dogs and could probably also live with cats. I was found as a stray with a collapsed/paralyzed trachea. A vet examined me and feels that at this point, I’m not a candidate for surgery. So I’m on mild medication and am doing very well. Donna Maria I was drowning in a sea of despair...How could I feel any differently when I just got dropped off as a bag of garbage? How could I have hope when there are so many other cats with perfect resumes looking for homes here? Will someone even still want me and love me now that I’m an older gal with medical problems? My former home never got me regular medical check-ups, no wonder I wasn’t doing well. Luckily, I quickly moved to a temporary foster home, where under all the TLC I am doing better every day. My foster mom reports that I’m quite a playful cat, always ready for some action. Above all though, I love to be in someone’s arms, just snuggling as close as possible. I get along great with other cats. I know that this home is only temporary. I can’t wait to feel I belong somewhere again. Save-A-Pet In the News Special Dreams Thanks to the media, the adorable faces of our animals travel way past our shelter walls. We have been featured all over the news including: The Daily Herald Pioneer Press Chicago Tribune News Sun Chicago Sun-Times 1023.xlc WBBM radio WLS radio NBC Channel 5 News ABC Channel 7 News CBS Channel 2 News WGN Channel 9 News CLTV Keep a lookout because you never know where our cats and dogs will pop up next! Save-A-Pet is a not-for-profit, no-kill shelter dedicated to finding loving, quality homes for each cat and dog in its care. Our shelter strives to create an environment, which enhances both awareness and support for the humane treatment of animals. VALUE STATEMENTS • We value the right to life for all creatures. • Since Gertrude Maxwell’s inception of Save-A-Pet in 1972, each animal is treated with compassion, dignity and love, whatever their needs may be. • We want to teach the community the benefits of adoption or rescuing homeless animals and accepting them unconditionally as a cherished family member. • We staff, volunteers and other animal welfare organizations are collaborating to save more animals. • We recognize and appreciate the generosity of our supporters who help us fulfill our mission. The Save-A-Pet NEWSLETTER is an official publication of SaveA-Pet Inc., a Chartered Non-Profit Organization, located at 31664 North Fairfield Road, Grayslake, IL 60030. The NEWSLETTER is published 4 times per year for the membership and friends of the organization. All submissions to PAWS FOR THOUGHT will be considered and may be used in their entirety or as excerpts as space permits. Address editorial correspondence and circulation inquiries to: Save-A-Pet Road 31664 North Fairfield Grayslake, IL 60030 Our circulation to members and friends exceeds 25,000. On the road again could be the nickname for our van, from almost daily trips to several vets and weekly pick-ups of food and other supplies, our van hardly ever gets a rest, putting on close to 15,000 miles every year. As a result, we need a new van. The van is a cargo van (i.e. nothing in the back as our residents all travel in crates). No fancy features such as radio, just heat and A/C. If you are interested in helping out or working out a deal (perfect way to promote your business on the roads of Lake County for many years), please call our Executive Director at 847-7407788, ext. 102. Due to their special needs, Valerie and Stuart came to my home as permanent fosters in May 2006. It didn’t take long before I fell totally in love with these two wonderful babies and they were soon officially adopted into our family one month later. Their brothers Oliver and Harley remained at Save-A-Pet and I would visit them whenever I was there. I hoped everyday that someone would show Valerie some interest and they would get adopted and find good homes but that day never came (I guess because of their disability). My family and I then made the decision to bring the two brothers, who were still at Save-APet, home with us as Stuart permanent fosters since we were already accustomed to the special care these boys would need. Once again we fell totally in love and therefore made the decision to officially adopt. These guys are just the greatest cats anyone could ever have. There are days when they need help eating or using the cat pan or maybe a daily bath but it is all worth it. I feel extremely lucky to have them as part of my life. Thank you to everyone at Save-A-Pet who took the time to feed, bathe, and socialize with these wonderful kittens ! Diana and Jamie Higdon