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WeSNIP NEWS
Wednesday, July 22,
2009
Summertime Fun:
We are in need of volunteers for a few events this summer. The spay station will be parked at the following pet events to give tours and hand out information. If you think you would like to be one of those smiling faces to assist us in telling passersby about WeSNIP we would love your help. An hour or two or the whole day is appreciated.
- Alternative Humane Society Paws and Claws Expo, Sunday August 2nd from 11-4, Blodel Donavan Park
- Dodson's Community Days, Sunday 8/16, (time to be announced), Nugent's Corner
- Dogs Days of Summer: Sunday September 6th from 1- 3, Lake Padden
Contact Angi if you are available to volunteer at any of the events. 733-7387 or info@tails-a-wagging.com
Flyer Sponsorship
Our flyers reach thousands and thousands of people every month. We are looking to cover some of the cost of those flyers by allowing a sponsorship of the 2000 printed flyers. Do you have a business that would like to sponsor the flyers?
Sponsorship includes, Business name and logo on the front of all 2000 flyers and our web site. Cost is $150.00 for one month of flyers.
Sponsorship can also be made in honor or memory of a beloved pet.
Contact Angi if you are interested in sponsorship 733-7387 or info@tails-a-wagging.com
Board Meetings
WeSNIP board of directors meets on the 4th Thursday of every month at 6:00pm. The public is welcome to attend. We meet at Tails-A-Wagging located at 3959 Hammer Drive, Bellingham.
How MANY?
To date the Spay Station has spayed or neutered 1937 animals.... (yes, you read that right) Lets all keep our paws crossed for 2009 surgeries in 2009!
Happy Birthday WeSNIP
You are invited to a celebration of WeSNIP'S first year in Whatcom and Skagit Counties.
Come Celebrate with us! A vegetarian, potluck party extravaganza! Joy Moore, our tireless volunteer, is hosting this event. Please contact her to R.S.V.P.
Saturday August 1st,
5:30pm
R.S.V.P.
Phone: 371-4320 (please leave a
message)
Email: joymoore@comcast.net
 Ferndale was officially incorporated on
March
19, 1907. It is so
called because of the ferns that once grew around the original
school house. Ferndale was originally called
Jam because
the town was located next to a log jam on the Nooksack
River. The original
schoolteacher decided it needed a more picturesque name. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferndale,_Washington
 It was family day with Chris’ mom and
Karen’s brother visiting the Spay Station. Check out Karen’s
brother’s gorgeous dogs near the end of this
newsletter.
 
Cindy arrived early to
begin registration with Chris. Patricia arrived and Bessie made her “good morning”
rounds.
 
Cindy, Kat, Jen, and
Patricia reviewed the schedule for the day. Wally, the 8 month-old
Chihuahua waited in the car with his Mom. His family has his
dog Mom and Dad – he is from a litter of 7. They heard about
the Spay Station from the family who had Libowsky, the Pit Bull,
neutered on the Spay Station.
 
Batgirl,
the 2 year-old tabby, waits her turn to board. Her Mom was
working at Walgreen’s the day before when Patricia started up a
conversation about the Spay Station. Patricia spreads the news
of the Spay Station wherever she goes!!!! Two of Zella’s
kitties also wait their turn. They belong to a homeless woman
who Zella is helping.
 
Percy,
the 10 month-old Toy Poodle, waited with his Mom. She saw a
flyer about the Spay Station here at the Farmer’s CO-OP. Ralph is a Chihuahua and
Dachshund mix – affectionately called a “Chiweenie”, or “Mexican
Hotdog.” http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/chiweenie.htm He is a 6 month-old rescue
from someone who didn’t want him. His family heard about the
Spay Station on Craig’s List.
 
Cindy visits with
Percy and Wally’s Moms just before dog
boarding time. Check out the wonderful write up of our Spay
Station on the Pasado Safe Haven website!!!! http://www.pasadosafehaven.org/articles/09.07.11/spaystation/spaystation.html
 
Soon it was time to check
in with Kat. She has a wonderful way to make the animals feel
welcome and safe (the families too).
 
Wally’s
Mom hands him to Kat. Percy is lifted to Jen at the
top of the stairs. She also has a gentle manner when getting
them settled in their cages.
 
Kat checks in a kitty,
while Alvin and
Mickie’s Mom waits
with a neighbor. Alvin and Mickie are 3 month-old
brothers. Their Mom gave Joy helpful information about
additional sites in the Blaine/Birch Bay area to put Spay Station
flyers. She saw a flyer at the new Food CO-OP off of
Cordata.
 
Tucker’s
Dad arrived just in time to make the list for surgery. Tucker, a very lively
Jack Russell Terrier, demonstrated his dancing skills before
boarding......
 
Next he made friends with
Kat and bounded up the stairs.
 
Bessie’s
grandma waited with her Dad and buddy, Spotty. Spotty was carried to the Spay
Station and then on board. He had never ridden in the truck
before and was very shy.
 
Patricia unloaded a feral
kitty from the backseat of a car. WeSNIP has purchased feral
cat traps and loans them to people looking to help get the feral cat
population under control. Lois Wade, from “Creature Comforts”
has given the staff tips on how to handle the ferals on board. See information about Lois and her wonderful work with feral cats at
the end of this newsletter.
 
At the end of the day,
Kat gave group instructions and Spotty was carried off the
Spay Station.
 
Jen carried Percy off the Spay Station and
handed him off to his waiting Mom.
 
Then it was Wally’s
turn.
 
Kat gave individual post
surgery instructions and Tucker posed, ready to go
home. He was his spunky self already.
 
Kat and Karen both ended
the day with a phone call and a smile.
 
Karen and her brother
introduced 2 of his gorgeous Russian
Wolfhounds.
  
Borzoi
(Russian
Wolfhound)
The
Borzoi was developed for speed and endurance in the harsh Russian
climate. The word ‘borzoi’ in Russian means swift. These Russian
Wolfhounds were owned by the aristocracy in pre-revolutionary Russia
and used for the popular sport and pageant of wolf hunting. The
Wolfhounds were brought to England as a gift for Queen Victoria in
1842 and were first exported to the U.S. in
l889.
http://www.dog-breed-facts.com/Breeds/borzoi.html
The Spay Station canine
mascots were again out in force – Bessie (the greeter), Oz (the watcher), Thoreau (the philosopher), and
Sunny (the goof
ball). They always bring a smile.
  
Many thanks to the staff
of the Ferndale Country Store for hosting the Spay Station and
passing out flyers.
Lois
Wade’s “Creatures Comfort”
Who We
Are
“Creatures Comfort” is a
rescue, rehab, and re-home facility for stray cats and
kittens; and a trap, neuter, and return facility for feral moms and
kittens.
What is
a Feral?
Technically, feral cats are born and raised
without human contact. Their instincts are highly developed for
survival, so they are extremely fearful of people. Some cats that
were previously owned revert to feral behavior, but may be
re-socialized with loving confinement. Such cats may meow at you if
they are hungry or frightened.
Feral cats breed frequently,
adding to an already overwhelming pet overpopulation problem.
Without intervention, their lives are filled with danger, disease,
hunger, fear, temperature extremes, and usually end in a slow,
painful death. Humane population control of feral cats is a crucial
step in preventing suffering and proliferation.
Where
do Feral Cats come from?
Many
people erroneously believe that cats can fend for themselves. Cat
owners often abandon their cats when they move or simply no longer
want the responsibility of pet ownership. Such cats survive only if
they find food, shelter, and avoid dangers such as injury from cars,
dogs, other cats, or abusive humans. They are rarely spayed or
neutered, and their offspring are raised without human contact.
Within a few years, one or two cats can produce a colony of twenty
or more.
The
Five Principles
- Intervention: It is our mission to intervene when
appropriate to remove cats from living the hard life of a wild
unloved animal.
- Rehabilitation: No cat chooses to be born to a
life of being unloved. Young kittens taken from the wild are often
easily rehabilitated and become trusting, loving, people friendly
pets. Cats that grow up in the wild may be a little more timid or
shy, but given the love of a new home and a family with patience,
adoptions are highly successful.
- Adoption: It is always our goal to find loving
adoptive homes for the cats in our care, even if it means
maintaining them as foster children until a loving home is found. No
matter how long that may take.
- Prevention: Spay/Neuter is not just necessary it
is critical in controlling unwanted cat population and to reduce
disease and senseless death.
- Education: Educating people is our unending
assignment. Helping people understand the plight of the feral cat
and how they can play an important role in working towards a time
when every cat has a safe home and loving family.
“Creatures Comfort” is supported through our
compassionate and caring volunteers. Most facilities are private
residences. We request you call for an approximate appointment.
Appointments can be made for our primary facility by calling Lois
(360)733-1648. Showings are Monday through Friday, and Sunday by
appointment throughout the day. The shelter is closed on Saturday.
Please feel free to contact us.
Volunteers keep us going. Please phone us if
you would like to volunteer. There are many ways to be of help, and
we would love to have you!
Creatures
Comfort
Bellingham, WA
PH. (360)
733-1648
Email: gnthekids@earthlink.net
Website: www.petfinder.org/shelters/WA240.html
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