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August, 2011
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WeSNIP NEWS
Ski to Sea Parade
~and~
Our May Visit to Kendall
Read Chris’ wonderful description of hers and the Spay Station’s first participation in the parade:
“It actually was a rather wonderfully-magic little moment to turn the corner off of Alabama onto Cornwall Street and see the hordes of "Hamsters" lined up on both sides. And from the moment the crowd spotted the dogs, the shout we would hear constantly along the route began: "THERE'S A GREEN DOG!!!!" And then the brilliantly-colored spay station would fill the crowd's attention and people would start clapping. I hadn't anticipated this and it was just wonderful how much people seemed to support the spay station and the FREE AND LOW COST change we are bringing to the community. The pace never stopped from that moment on and there were just so many people everywhere -- if yesterday was not a day to bring people out I don't know what is -- clapping and shouting about THE GREEN DOG! And clapping for the Spay Station! You could just feel the support this community has for what we are doing. I wish everyone who is helping with this could have come because it was just so fabulous and energizing! And you all deserve to share in this relationship we are creating with our community. I have to say that even today, I am just about in tears about the whole thing. I will never view parades quite the same again. One woman yelled out at the very end of the route "I JUST GOT MY CAT SPAYED ON THE SPAY STATION!" which was a wonderful way to enter the de-staging area.
Parade participants - Zara and Xavier's handsome spaniel, Rico, with aluminum foil collar; Karen's 14 year-old dog, Sonja, with Kool-Aid pink feet; and our "secret weapon" Maisy, whose owner Sandra from Chris’ dentist's office had hair-spray-painted her an other-worldly shade of lime green. In addition, Maisy sported a vividly-purple cape, silver tinsel garland anklet bracelets on all 4 feet , painted toenails and wonderfully-bobbling fuzzy alien antennae. The sparkling-clean spay station with Zara and Patricia (who couldn't resist the allure and the energy of the parade scene after all) brought up the rear.
Patricia and Chrystal arrived early at the Starvin’ Sam’s in Kendall – just off the Mt. Baker Hwy near Maple Falls. Maria and Chrystal discuss the neighborhood kitties Maria and her neighbors rounded up and took to the Spay Station. Nine neighborhood kitties had surgery over the 3 days in Kendall. Kat and WeSNIP’s favorite dog, Bessie, brought the station from the Texaco station nearby where it was parked overnight. It was a social gathering as well as Spay Station registration as families waited for loading time. Bay, the 1 year-old Pitbull, was rescued from a situation where she was not being taken care of. Her family saw the Spay Station and then looked on the webpage for details and the schedule.
Stella, the “Golden English” Mastiff, waited in line and then was evaluated by Kat, as her Mom and Patricia looked on. Stella is from Vancouver, WA and her Mom saw a flyer in the Post Office. The decision was made to take her onboard and see how she handled boarding the Station. She was cool, calm, and collected. She has been a companion to her Mom as her Mom recovered from surgery. Stella eyed the scales after weighing in at 123 lbs – the biggest dog for the Spay Station! Kat prepared her for surgery. Karen, Kat, and Jen discussed preparations for Stella’s surgery. Afterward, Kat guided her to the front of the Station to recover while Jen kept a careful eye on her. At the end of the day, Stella was alert and walked down the stairs. Gary’s Dad helped load her in the back of her car, and she got comfortable for her ride home.
Molly, the 15 month-old Chihuahua/Rat Terrier mix, and Kitty Cat, the 8 month-old kitty waited with their Dad. Her family bought Molly, while Kitty Cat was a gift. They saw information about the Station in the Echo. Rosie, the 2 month-old tabby waited in her carrier. She appeared in her family’s backyard and made herself right  at home. Her family saw the Spay Station information on the website. Gary, the 10 month-old kitty is named after Sponge Bob Square Pant’s friend, the slug named Gary.
TNT, "Treasure in Trash", stayed the night in a volunteer’s bathroom and was brought to the Spay Station for her  surgery. Chrystal, volunteer extraordinaire, weighed her while Jen worked on the computer. TNT’s Dad found her rummaging through rotten garbage in a trash bin and rescued her.
Gage and Georgia waited in line with their family. They decided not to do Gage’s surgery without further laboratory evaluation because of his age. Georgia had her surgery. She already had 3 litters of puppies. Their family had another dog, Dillon, neutered on the Spay Station in Ferndale. Molly and Kitty Cat got ready to board. Kat demonstrated her special touch with dogs as they get ready to board. She puts them and their families at ease. Some put the breaks on and others climb into her arms willingly. Sunny won over everybody with his sweet puppy ways – he gave Karen a kiss and was in mid-kiss with Kat when he got his shot in the rump. Kat handed Molly over to her Mom at the end of the day and explained her medications. Then, Kat handed Georgia over to her mom. Jen and Karen watched the dismissal. There were 54 surgeries performed in the 3 days, with 39 cats spayed/neutered!!! The Spay Station will definitely be back to Kendall. Special thanks go to Chrystal for her wonderful help at morning registration and medical check ups. Also, thanks to Molly, our barista at Mountain Man Espresso and Deli in Maple Falls. She filled our extensive and varied orders always with a smile.
Thanks also to Starvin’ Sam’s for hosting the Spay Station and the Texaco/Subway business nearby where the Spay Station was housed at night. It makes it so much easier when the staff doesn’t have to drive the Station from Ferndale each day.
 
In Memoriam
 Phil was a stray kitty who wondered into his Mom’s backyard and simply wouldn’t leave. She said that her other kitties welcomed him. He was tested on the Spay Station for FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus). Unfortunately the test results showed that he was positive and he had to be euthanized.
Phil’s situation highlights the need for kitties to receive regular medical care and to be spayed and neutered to halt the transmission of diseases, including FIV.
Statistics show, "Male cats are at least twice as likely to become infected with FIV as female cats. Free-roaming cats are also more likely to be infected since they too are more susceptible to bite wounds." More information about the disease can be found at the following website:
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+1316&aid=213
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