May 2012 Sanctuary News

On Monday March 26 we received a phone call about a dog named Shakira. The call came from a very concerned acquaintance of the owner. The caller was extremely upset and concerned about the welfare of the dog. I listened while the caller gave me the horrible details; Shakira was in a home where she was not being taken care of. She had a growth on her that had gotten so big it had ruptured and she was loosing quite a bit of blood. Shakira had been in this condition for months and the owner did not have the finances to take care of her, nor did she even care about Shakira's condition. That same day The Ark went to the home and the owner willingly surrendered Shakira to us, but not before she had told us that she had stuck pins in the growth to try and pop it; when that didn't work she told us that she was just waiting for Shakira to die. It was clear she had no feelings for the dog. Day after day, Shakira had laid there becoming more sick. The growth had gone from a small lump to the size of a baseball; it had become infected after being stuck with pins and finally it ruptured. The smell was indescribable and the discharge was just as bad. Pain was a constant part of Shakira's life. I guess you could say Shakira thought pain was a normal part of life. Her gums had turned white and she was becoming anemic from the blood loss. Thru all of this Shakira still wagged her tail. As soon as we took Shakira from the owner, she was taken immediately to the vet where the wound was properly cleaned and Shakira was started on antibiotics for the infection and scheduled for surgery that Friday. The growth was removed and sent away for biopsy; the results were not what we had hoped for. The growth was cancer and in the advanced stages. She was scheduled for a second surgery to go in and clear the margins; but when she went back for the second surgery, the cancer had spread so fast the surgery wasn't possible. Shakira was sent home us. At this current time Shakira is not in pain, she is acting like a normal healthy dog. Shakira will spend her final days in a loving home , where there will be nomore pins stuck in her, where her pain will not be ignored. She will be loved and properly taken care of. She will receive the proper medications to manage her condition and she will let us know when it is her time and we will be honored to help her with her final journey to the Rainbow Bridge, where she will never be mistreated or feel pain again. It took the courage of a third party to care enough about Shakira to make the necessary phone calls to get Shakira the help she needed. Thank you for caring enough to do that for Shakira. You made a difference and Shakira is forever grateful. Shakira's whole situation could have been avoided if the lump had been removed by a vet when it first appeared. A simple surgery that would cost maybe $200. Unfortunately Shakira was in a home where the owner could not financially afford this. If you take nothing else away from this story, please consider this: responsible pet ownership is so much more than simply providing food and shelter , it is providing the necessary vet care when your pet is ill or injured, it is neutering and/or spaying your pets and providing a safe, clean environment for them to thrive in. No dog should go thru what Shakira experienced. Stories like Shakira's will continue as long as people get animals that they can't afford to properly care for. Help us make a difference. If you know of an animal in need please contact the proper authorities for help. All it takes is one simple phone call. Be a part of the solution. For the month of April The Ark took in $2,209.05 in fundraising and donations. Our expenses for April were $ 2,029.89 In April we took in 5 dogs, adopted 2 dogs and currently have 6. We took in no cats, adopted 2 and one passed away; we currently have 54 cats. Please join us on May 12 and May 26 outside Hollywood Pet Salon for a Bake Sale. Thank you for your continued support and, as always, thank you for reading our column.

April 2012 Sanctuary News

Every day we receive for lack of a better word "junk mail”, we sift thru it and pull out the important things and throw the rest away. If you are like me anything animal related catches my eye and I read that first.

At the beginning of February, The Ark received a form letter that was mailed out from The Jackson County Humane society in Newport Arkansas asking for help. They had the capacity to house 20 dogs and they had 78. They had prided themselves in being a no-kill shelter for many years, but with the current situation they became very worried about what the future would hold for their dogs.

Once I read the letter I responded immediately. I really wasn't sure how we could help but I offered our assistance. The response came back, would we be able to take some dogs, my reply was absolutely but how would they get here.

We worked on the details of this project for well over a month. There was a dog transport company that would bring the dogs as far as Hudson, NH which is approximately 340 miles from Houlton. I asked the other board members if they would be willing to take on this journey; with smiles on their faces they said when do we leave?

The next thing was how many dogs would we be able to take? Good question; so I set to work finding foster homes. In the end it was determined we would take 10. Then the pictures were e-mailed asking us which ones we would take. We saw the pictures and read the stories and we wanted to take them all; it was very hard to stick to only 10 but we knew we couldn't handle more than that.

The volunteers at Jackson County set to work getting their required shots to travel from state to state and their health certificates to travel. Once all that was done, the dogs were booked on the transport to leave Arkansas on Thurs. March 22nd at 6 p.m. to arrive in Hudson NH on Saturday March 24th at 2:30 p.m.

On Saturday, Veronica Elwell, Krystal Daggett and I headed for Hudson at 6 am. We kept in contact with the transport to make sure everything was running on time. At a little after 2 pm the transport pulled into the parking lot and we waited anxiously for the dogs to come off. We were not really sure what to expect, then one-by-one 10 of the sweetest, most beautiful dogs came off the transport and were turned over to us. Some were very shy and timid while others came off wagging their tail and very happy to see us.

They all had one thing in common: the need to be loved and taken care of. We looked into their eyes and knew immediately we had done a good thing. We let them stretch their legs for a while and then loaded them in for the final length of their journey.

We arrived back in Houlton around 9 p.m. and all the dogs were delivered to their foster homes by 10 that night. It had been a long journey and everyone settled in for some much needed rest.

At the end of the journey look at what was accomplished: 10 dogs whose future was uncertain had traveled 1,762 miles their final destination Houlton, ME in hopes of finding the wonderful loving homes they so deserve.

We have received so much positive feedback and support and there has also been some criticism which we fully expected. The criticism doesn't really bother us, we had a chance to step up to the plate, do a good thing and make a difference in the lives of 10 dogs. How can that be wrong?

We made some mistakes throughout this whole process; we made the necessary corrections and kept on going. This has been a learning experience for all of us.

These dogs are all neutered/spayed, fully vaccinated, tested for Lyme disease, heartworm and ehrlichiosis. A pre-adopt must be filled out and there is an adoption fee. For more information please contact Lorraine at the Hollywood Pet Salon 532-7387.

Jackie, Terry, Ronnie and Brandy have already been adopted.

Please remember all of our animals are in foster care so if you would like to see a particular one please call 532-7387 to set up an appointment.

Thank you to Kate, Kim, Arden, Lynn and Veronica for fostering these wonderful dogs.

For the month of March the Ark took in $1929.66 in fundraising and donations. Our expenses were $1367.66.

We took in 13 dogs, adopted 6 and currently have 7 dogs.
We took in 5 cats and one cat had 6 babies, we adopted 4 cats and currently have 57 cats in need of new homes.

Please join us outside Hollywood Pet Salon on Saturday. April 7th and 28th for a Bake Sale.

We will be at The Horn of Plenty on Wed. April 18th for another Benefit Night.

Thank you for your continued support and as always thank you for reading our column.

BAKE SALE

March 2012 Sanctuary News

In the early morning hours of Sat. Feb. 4, 2012 a car pulls up to a very remote area near Town Line Rd. A car door opens and someone drops off 4 black kittens approximately 3 months old. They drive away leaving the kittens to fend for themselves in below zero weather.

Later that morning a gentleman goes out for his morning walk; he walks the same path everyday but today his walk is about to be cut short. He spots 4 black kittens in the distance just sitting there. As he gets closer 2 of the kittens move away but the other two remain still. He is about to discover why the two have not moved.

He picks he first one up and his heart sinks, the kitten has a broken back and has died, he discovers the second one can't move because her feet are frozen to the ground. He quickly sets to work freeing the little kitten from the frozen ground, he then scoops all of the kittens up and takes them back to his cabin to warm them up and feed them. On the way back to the cabin he notices the tire tracks in the snow and human footprints from the car to the spot where the kittens have been dropped.

The gentleman places a phone call to the Ark and we agree to take them. We anxiously await their arrival. At around 12 they arrive, three of the sweetest little black kittens you have ever seen. They are not timid at all they purr when we hold them and scratch them as if to say thank you. They are obviously used to the human touch and trust us unconditionally. We put them on heating pads and fill their little bellies and they snuggle in for some much needed rest, it has been a big day for them.

The little girl whose feet were frozen to the ground is doing well with no permanent injuries, her name is Sneakers. Her two brothers Hunter and Trapper are both doing wonderfully.

Unfortunately this whole ordeal cost one kitten his life. Rest in peace Stormy, though we were not able to save you, you are not forgotten. The least we can do is tell your story to the public and let them know that what happened to you is unacceptable. These sweet little kittens are tiny breathing souls, they feel pain, they feel hunger and they feel cold, they have no voice, we are their voice and it is up to each and every one of us to do the right thing. Pets are not disposable they are living creatures.

Thank you to the man and his wife for doing the right thing and saving Sneakers, Hunter and Trapper, they are forever grateful. Thank you for being a part of the solution.

Despite the owners’ best attempt to eliminate these kittens, they failed miserably; they only caused pain and suffering.

To put things in perspective if the mother cat had been spayed, the problem would have been solved. A simple spay costs approx. $100. The people had these kittens for about 3 months, if you take into consideration the cost of food and litter for that time, plus the money for the gas and the cost for their time to sneak out and drop the kittens off they were pretty close to the $100 mark. Instead 4 kittens were born that they didn't want, one of which died a slow cruel death. Make sense to you? These kittens trusted the person and probably actually loved that person and in return they were abandoned with little chance of survival.

Sneakers, Trapper and Hunter are looking for their furever homes, if anyone is interested in giving them a safe, warm permanent home please contact The Hollywood Pet Salon. They are remarkable little kitties!

For the month of Feb. The Ark took in $2,270.00 in donation and fundraisers.

Our expenses were $1,929.66.

We took in 7 cats; we adopted 6 cats and we currently have 50 cats.

We took in no dogs and adopted 1 dog; we currently have 1 dog.

Please join on Sat. March 10 and then again on Sat. March 24 for a BAKE SALE outside Hollywood Pet Salon from 11-3 we will be serving pulled pork, meatball subs, chili, baked beans, homemade soup and baked goods.

Thank you to Nancy and Bill for another wonderful evening at The Horn of Plenty.

And as always thank you for your continued support and thank you for reading our article.

March 10th BAKE SALE

Outside Hollywood Pet Salon, 70 Main St., Houlton 11-3pm regardless of weather!

Includes: Baked goods, pulled pork, meatball subs, chili, beans & soup.

All proceeds benefit the animals in our care.

Essential Pieces Tribute Dinner 2-18-12

On Saturday February 18, 2012, during the Essential Pieces benefit dinner, we honored two very special Friends of Ark's animals: Karen Stairs who materializes like an Angel from above when we need an animal rushed to the vet, among her other wholly unselfish deeds she does for us and the feral kitties of our community. And Chelsea Green, a remarkable, loving & compassionate young woman who is unselfish with her time & energy when it comes to helping animals. We're so very fortunate to have these Ladies as friends and co-volunteers, and the only ones that can possibly appreciate Chelsea & Karen more are the animals they help. Here's the presentation of Appreciation Award to Chelsea:

BAKE SALE February 4th

February 2012 Sanctuary News

The past 2 months have been very busy for us at the Ark. We have had so many rewarding experiences we thought we would share a few of them with you.

Last spring we had taken in an 8 year old Australian shepherd named Tasha. She was in deplorable condition when she arrived. She was missing most of her fur and she had a yeast infection, not to mention she was 8 and had not been spayed. Tasha went into foster care where she received the medical treatment she needed and deserved and was spayed. After 5 long months of hard work and medications she was ready for adoption, but there were drawbacks. She was 8 years old, very nervous and hated to ride in the car.

Finally after 8 months of waiting Tasha's dream finally came true. She was adopted just before Christmas to a very loving, kind, patient and gentle woman. Tasha now runs and plays in big open spaces; she now gets regular vet care and regular grooming. If her mom sits in the back seat with her, she will even take a very short car ride as long as mom holds her. Tasha acts like a puppy sometimes at 8 years young. Life just couldn't get any better.

Dutchess is a 13 year old arthritic cat that came to the Ark and we all had our doubts that someone would adopt her. The first few weeks she was miserable, she cried all the time. Her cries were heard by a very dear lady who offered her a home. Once Dutchess was in her new home, her new owner called to tell me she was fitting right in and she even held the phone up to Dutchess so I could hear her purring. For Dutchess and her new owner 13 is just a number, not a reason not to adopt.

Manny is a 7 year old Dachshund, his story broke my heart. He belonged to a small child who passed away and was surrendered to the Ark about a year ago. Manny had been adopted twice and returned both times thru no fault of his own. Manny is one of the sweetest, kindest dogs I have ever met. After being returned the second time, I promised Manny that he would never be adopted out be returned again, even if that meant keeping him myself.

Finally about 3 weeks ago the phone rang. Someone was interested in Manny! They came to visit with him and decided they wanted to give him a home. Manny has been in his new home for about 2 weeks now. He has been back for a visit and he is so happy. He gets to sleep in bed with his new mom and dad, but, more importantly, they have a grandson that has filled the void in Manny's heart, and in return Manny has filled the void in Hannah's heart . Hannah is another Dachshund the family owns. Hannah was grieving the loss of her canine playmate Cricket. Manny saw Hannah and went and curled up in the bed with her and took a nap. Hannah and Manny are now the best of friends.

Everyone at the Ark is touched by each and every animal that we take into our care. We love seeing our babies get a second chance at life. We simply make the connection; it is the wonderful caring people who open their hearts and their homes to these special animals and give them the lives they deserve. You are all Angels.

Every week we receive pictures and updates on the animals we have adopted. They always brighten our day and remind us of why we are here. Keep the pictures and updates coming, we love it!

For the month of Jan. the Ark took in $450.00 in donations and fundraising. Our expenses were $1392.32.

We took in 2 dogs and 1 cat.

We adopted out 8 cats and 3 dogs.

We currently have 49 cats and 2 dogs

Please join us on Sat Feb.4 outside Hollywood Pet Salon for a BAKE SALE. We will also be serving, soup, chili, baked beans and pulled pork. Our volunteers will be armed with hand and feet warmers and electric blankets.

Join us Wed, Feb. 8 at the Horn of Plenty for lunch and dinner; reservations are recommended.

We will also be having our annual Essential Pieces Tribute Dinner at the Elks Lodge on Feb. 18th. Details for all our fundraising benefit can be found on our website: www.ArkSanctuary.com.

Thank you for your continued support and thank you for reading our column.

January 2012 Sanctuary News

A few weeks ago The Ark took in seven puppies that came from a very bad environment.

This was not the first time we have taken animals from this place so we were prepared for what we were about to encounter or at least we thought we were.

The puppies arrived at around 5 p.m.; they were infested with fleas so we gave them pills to eliminate the fleas in a couple of hours. The puppies remained in crates until the fleas were gone. That evening we went to work; we took the puppies out of the crates and took pictures to document the condition they were in. The puppies were terrified and some were growling. The smell was so bad it made our eyes water. These tiny little creatures were covered in feces and urine from head to toe. They had so much flea dirt and dead fleas on them it was heartbreaking.

After three baths a piece, we still could not get the smell out; they were clean but they still smelled like the dirt floor cellar they had been living in. By this time the puppies had started warming up to us. We fed them some puppy food and they were clean and flea free. This definitely made them feel better. The next step was to treat them with revolution for ear mites.

The next day they all went to the vet to be weighed and treated for worms, as all of their systems were on overload with all of the worms; one more positive step in their lives.
That same day they were split between two different homes and taken into foster care. In the days to come they would learn to know what it was like to be a part of a safe, clean and loving family environment.

They all thrived in their new environments; they became typical puppies, barking, eating and playing hard and falling asleep in a pile.

The first two to be adopted were Chip and Dale; they were fortunate enough to find a home together. The next two, Missy and Chrissy, also went together; they now wear matching jackets and collars, they have a fenced in yard and a new mom and dad who love them very much.

Picasso was the next to leave; he went to an awesome home where his new big sister Kiwi will take good care of him.

Belle is waiting to go to her new home hopefully in a couple of weeks.

Dawson is the last one; he is a wonderful boy, very shy and not as trusting as the others. Dawson needs a home with no kids and at least one other socialized dog. His new owners will need to be patient, loving and confident.

The environment these puppies were born into was unfortunate, but they were the lucky ones; they were rescued. Think about the ones still there that keep re-producing. Some of the female dogs have had 2 or more litters a year. Having more than one litter a year for any dog poses some serious health issues. The puppies that were rescued were infested with fleas; can you imagine what the other ones look like? With fleas come tapeworms, all of these things if left untreated can cause serious health issues.

As near as we could estimate the puppies were 3 to 4 months old and judging from the feces and urine imbedded in their fur they had never been bathed, think about the condition of the older dogs that remain there. It is difficult to even think about.

There is a simple solution to this problem neuter and spay the remaining dogs. It is cheaper to neuter and spay than it is to feed 5 or 6 litters of puppies.

If you can't afford to neuter and spay there are programs out there to assist people. If you can't afford the medical treatment required for fleas and worms, surrender your animals to someone who can give them the lives that they deserve. Pets cost money. Yes they are cute and cuddly and great company but they deserve to be taken care of properly and that costs money.

So what happens to the remaining dogs left there? Their future is uncertain. The Ark will help get those remaining dogs neutered and spayed and cleaned up; all the people have to do is make one simple phone call.

For the month of December, the Ark took in $2,936.95 in fundraisers and donations our expenses were $1328.50.
We took in one cat and adopted 10, we currently have 57 cats.
We took in no dogs and adopted 6, we currently have 3 dogs.

Thank you for your continued support and thank you for reading our column.