Petsburgh Press - Holiday 2012

Vol. 27 no. 5 Holiday 2012

Our Mission Sixty-nine years ago, at the height of World War II, a small group of Pittsburgh citizens came together to find homes

The Most Wonderful

Time of the Year

for the pets left behind by soldiers serving in the war. After the war, still faced with the need for ongoing compassionate control of the pet overpopulation problem,

By Jolene Miklas, Director of Communications

the group opened a shelter and incorporated. They took a

There’ll be much mistletoe-ing And hearts will be glowing When loved ones are near It’s the most wonderful time of the year…

name that clearly articulated their mission: to serve as friends to unwanted animals.

Over time, Animal Friends evolved to meet an increased demand for our services. By 2001, we set out to change the way an animal shelter could serve our community.

On March 18, 2006, we opened the doors to the Caryl Gates Gluck Resource Center at Animal Friends, a 30,000-square-foot companion animal resource center complete with creative kenneling for homeless pets, a veterinary clinic, classroom, pet therapy suite, resource library, walking trails, dog parks and more.

Today, Animal Friends is uniquely prepared to serve as a leader in compassionate, pet-focused programming. But, we know there is still much work to be done, and Animal Friends is proud to lead the way.

We know that shelter and adoption programs, while important, are reactive solutions and will never solve the overpopulation crisis. That’s why Animal Friends has developed a comprehensive, community-wide spay/neuter initiative. By providing low- or no-cost spay/neuter surgeries to low-income pet owners, feral cat colony caretakers, Pit Bull owners, and shelters without spay/neuter programs, Animal Friends spayed and neutered more than 24,000 pets in less than three years! We’ve now set out to alter 30,000 more pets before the end of 2015! Through these efforts, our goal is not just to relieve pet overpopulation and unnecessary euthanasia in southwestern Pennsylvania—but to end it.

To learn more about Animal Friends or to make a

donation

to

support

our

mission,

www.ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org.

The Petsburgh Press is printed on recycled paper!

visit

At Animal Friends, we’d certainly like it to be the most wonderful time of the year! After all, we have so much to celebrate as we look towards 2013.

But despite our best efforts, the sad fact is that our kennels will be full of pets who didn’t find homes for the holidays. Worse even, our Admissions department will still be inundated with applications from pet owners who are desperate to find safe shelter for the pets they can’t care for.

To ensure the well being of companion animals, while ending overpopulation, abuse and unwarranted euthanasia.

Our Vision Animal Friends, a premier companion animal resource center, is committed to nurturing and promoting the animal-human bond and creating a community where our relationship with companion animals is guided by compassion.

It is our vision to:

• Reduce the number of unwanted animals through aggressive spay/neuter programs;

• Provide for the well-being of companion animals in need, while adhering to our no-kill tradition,

and find each a lifelong, loving home;

• Promote the animal-human bond education and outreach programs;

through

And, while we’re on pace to meet many of our program goals—including 10,000 spay and neuter surgeries this year!

(We’re so proud!)—we didn’t meet our fundraising goals for this very expensive, yet vital and lifesaving program.

• And, act as an advocate on behalf of animals in

crisis and as an enforcer of their rights and protection.

So, at the end of this full and exciting year, we turn to you— our region’s most compassionate pet lovers. Will you help Animal Friends when we need you the most? Please consider…

We are deeply committed to these goals while ensuring the financial security and stability of the organization for future generations.

Adopting. Shelter adoption is truly priceless! Through December 31, we’re waiving our $75 donation request when you adopt a pet age 2 or older. Of course, all adoption applications are thoroughly screened to ensure loving, lifelong homes. If you’ve ever considered adoption, now is the time to offer a lifeline to a pet in need.

Inside: Wherefore Art Thou, Juliet?

Pg. 2

Donating. Please consider a gift to Animal Friends at this critical time. While most people agree that our rescue, shelter, spay/neuter and outreach programs are important, these activities simply can not sustain themselves without financial support from people like you. We need your help, so we can truly be in the business of saving lives.

Sponsor a Spay

Pg. 3

We know we have a lot of work to do, both for the animals in our care and the pets in our region. But with your generous support, this truly can be the most wonderful time of the year for pets in need.

To donate or view adoptable pets now, log on to www.

ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org. And happy new year to you, your families and your pets!

We’re getting ready for our annual New Years Eve Rescue on December 31! Follow along behind-the-scenes via www. facebook.com/AnimalFriends.

Feline Purr-sonals

Pgs. 4-5

Homeless Hoppers, ReTAIL Therapy

Pg. 6

Animal Friends University Catalog

Pgs. 7-10

Calendar of Events, Donor Spotlight

Pg. 11 Pgs. 12-13

Soul Mutts Kids’ Corner

Pg. 14

Wellness Corner

Pg. 15

In Loving Memory

Pg. 16

562 Camp Horne Road Pittsburgh, PA 15237 Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Pittsburgh, PA Permit No. 602

Wherefor Art Thou, Juliet?

Several volunteers had witnessed the affections between Romeo and Juliet and knew that their bond was not a passing fancy.

Juliet was confused but steadfast as she sat on the hill above the trap, watching us take her boyfriend to safety at Animal Friends. She limped away, down the ravine with a look that could only be described as lovelorn.

By Holly Gumbeski

Weeks passed and the cameras kept track of the dogs, cats, raccoons and foxes that visited the trap. Juliet checked it regularly too and could be seen poking her head farther and farther inside, until finally we saw her going all the way in, turning around and coming right back out without setting off the trap! How was this possible?

A Community Rallies for a Dog’s Rescue This is a story of young maiden named Juliet, who was banished to roam a cemetery high above the South Side Slopes. This strikingly beautiful black and white Husky was named Juliet not by a loving owner, but by a group of tireless volunteers who committed months to the safe capture of this damsel in distress.

We at Animal Friends first heard of Juliet when her photo was posted on a Facebook page dedicated to finding local lost dogs. The post was desperate: “Two stray dogs have been living in a cemetery for weeks. One has been shot in the leg.

Animal Control has not been able to catch them.

Please help.”

Quickly, volunteers hit the scene. They were all very experienced with trapping and saving lost dogs. But, no one knew that the story of Juliet, the dog with the gunshot wound, and Romeo, her loyal Pit Bull companion, would be filled with as many twists and turns like the original starcrossed lovers.

So it began with a mountain lionsized humane trap and motioncapture cameras fixed in several positions. The trap was set in a quiet corner of the cemetery in hopes that it would only be a matter of days before Juliet would surrender to the smelly allure of rotisserie chicken.

But, alas, our Shakespearean twists had only begun! We trapped our first cemetery dog, but it was not Juliet, it was her boyfriend, Romeo.

Published Bimonthly

c/o Animal Friends 562 Camp Horne Road Pittsburgh, PA 15237 412.847.7000

Editor-in-Chief: Jolene Miklas Managing Editor: Kim Krisciunas Writers: Ann Cadman, Joseph Folino Gallo, Jeff Geissler,

Holly Gumbeski, Pat Hargest, Kathy Hecker, Kristina Hout, Kim Krisciunas, Katie Kurylo, Dana Schultz and Katie Tontala

Photography: Jeff Geissler, Carol Radz, Linda Mitzel, Harry Giglio, Natalie Larocco, Jolene Miklas and Angie Pulice Animal Handlers: Debbie Battistone, Julie Bauer, Sue Berneberg, Charlotte Cramer, Jenny Fuga and Animal Friends’ Animal Caregivers

Design: Kay Kozuch at Direct Axis Comic Strip: Wayne Honath Animal Friends President: David Swisher Petsburgh Press Founder: Christina O’Donnell

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We trapped another cemetery dog named Ollie, who was reunited with his owner during those anxious weeks, but Juliet would poke around inside and never set off the trip plate. We guessed that her abnormal gait from her injury was interfering with the tripping action. We altered the trap’s floor and installed mirrors in the back, hoping she would think it was a pass through.

Juliet was sly and would have none of it.

Juliet was still not putting any weight on her wounded front leg. We knew it was only a matter of time before infection would set in.

So, we reached out to neighbors to develop an alternative plan. After some investigating, we learned how she had been shot by her owner and left out on her own for more than a year.

But, this elusive dog would only approach people to accept a few tossed pieces of food, then dart away. After she was shot, she kept to a tighter territory and never went far.

Some neighbors even knew of a den that Juliet had fashioned behind one of the houses.

Our best chance of capturing Juliet came from another

Facebook connection. We learned that she stopped at specific houses along her daily routine. One of her favorite stops was a farmhouse-style house owned by a woman named Irene who offered her chipped ham/peanut butter balls. Juliet she would come close to the cellar door to nab a few before running back up the hills to the cemetery.

We began to focus our efforts at this house.

Juliet had almost stepped through the basement door several times before, so with the help of her daughter, Irene rigged a pulley cable from the door to the back of the basement and set out food as a lure, with the hope of slamming the door once Juliet got past the threshold.

We got the call one early Saturday morning.

Irene’s basement pulley had worked! Juliet was trapped inside a small bathroom—with Irene, who was still holding tightly to the cable! Irene started making calls on her cell phone, which fortunately, she had placed in her housecoat pocket. Volunteers and the dog warden arrived and calmed Juliet enough to securely get her into a truck.

After six long weeks, Juliet of the Cemetery was captured and headed to safety at Animal Friends.

The humane trap never did work. Instead, the promise of leftover Easter ham and gravy, the familiarity of an old farmhouse and the persistence of one concerned neighbor closed this chapter in our maiden’s tale.

Romeo has since been adopted into a loving family and Juliet has been receiving lots of TLC and medical care at Animal Friends. Through weeks of expert vet care and rehabilitation, she can now put full weight on her leg and is running and romping with new canine friends. We only hope that our sly survivor’s next chapter will include the comfort of a lifelong home and loving family!

Juliet is now looking for an exceptionally patient, loving and dog-savvy adopter. If you think you can help Juliet, please call 412.847.7002!

Animal Friends Directory Here is a directory of Animal Friends’ most frequently requested numbers. Should you not find the department or program you need listed below, please call our main number and a receptionist will assist you. Receptionists are on duty during public hours of operation.

Center main number: 412.847.7000 Center main fax: 412.847.7001 Public hours of operation: M-F: 11 am – 7 pm S&S: 10 am – 5 pm Department

Number

E-mail

Adoption Advertising & Event Sponsorships Admissions Behavior Classes & Helpline Community Programs & Classes Cruelty Investigations Donations Humane Education Lost & Found Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Program Mailing List Changes/Additions Pet-Assisted Therapy & Wellness Petsburgh Press Editorial Reading With Rover Retail Shop Special Events Volunteering

412.847.7002 412.847.7054 412.847.7078 412.847.7070 412.847.7035 412.847.7066 412.847.7051 412.847.7033 412.847.7077 412.847.7004 412.847.7051 412.847.7031 412.847.7043 412.847.7033 412.847.7022 412.847.7055 412.847.7040

adoption@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org jdivito@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org admissions@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org behavior@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org dklingelhofer@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org vpolka@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org kstachelek@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org education@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org lostandfound@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org spayneuter@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org kstachelek@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org acadman@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org jmiklas@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org education@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org retail@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org specialevents@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org areiser@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org

Animal Friends is just 10 minutes from downtown Pittsburgh! Take I-279 N to Exit 8 at Camp Horne Road and turn left at the light. Drive through two more lights to find us on your left.

412.847.7000

It is Animal Friends’ donors who empower us to offer quality, low-cost spay/neuter surgeries. Make a difference. Use the form on the right to sponsor a spay today.

“Spay” the Date: February 26, 2013!

By Kristina Hout, Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Program Assistant Every year, Animal Friends provides an integral service to Pittsburgh and surrounding communities by admitting and adopting more than 2,400 unwanted animals.

Without Animal Friends, these animals would face an uncertain future in an overburdened shelter.

A substantial portion of our animal admissions hit in the spring and summer months, during a time known in the animal welfare community as “Kitten Season.”

Shelters and the community find themselves overwhelmed by kitten births at this time of year, as cats as young as six months old produce litter after unwanted litter. During this time, Animal Friends works to admit over 400 kittens. Sadly, many kittens end up at shelters where they aren’t lucky enough to find homes.

There is a solution, however: dedicated, affordable spay and neuter programs like ours at Animal Friends! In fact, there is even a holiday to celebrate the importance of spaying and neutering: World Spay Day! Championed by the Humane Society of the United States, the next World Spay Day takes place on February 26, 2013 and works to raise awareness of pet overpopulation, its devastating consequences and lifesaving methods to combat it.

However, one day of the year is not enough for the Low-Cost Spay/ Neuter program at Animal Friends! Offering affordable surgeries is a daily occurrence here, so we’re celebrating World Spay Day throughout the entire month of February with educational events and promotional prices. And the timing couldn’t be more appropriate. By reaching out to pet owners in need of low-cost services, World Spay Month—as it’s practiced here at Animal Friends—works to decrease the burden of kitten season on Animal Friends’ staff, the public and the surrounding shelters.

Together, Animal Friends staff, donors and the community can make February 2013 the most successful World Spay Month ever! Help us now by using the attached form to sponsor a spay today! Our goal is to have 250 spay surgeries underwritten for World Spay Month!

Learn more about our World Spay Month activities at www.

ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org!

Yes, I want to help you reach your goal of 250 surgeries! I will sponsor a spay!

Enclosed is my sponsorship of ❏ $50 to underwrite one spay or neuter surgery

❏ $ ___________Other Please make checks payable to Animal Friends, Inc. Name: _____________________________________________ Address: _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________

Send this form with your donation to Animal Friends, Sponsor-a-Spay Program , 562 Camp Horne Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15237. All donations are tax-deductible.

If you’ve already altered your pet, spay it forward! Please sponsor a surgery for another pet, like these donors did:

Sherry Bradford, Shelley Caldwell, Patricia Calta, Michele Carville, Bethany Cassidy, Arlene Culotta, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel S. Fedeanis, Fonda Hollenbaugh, Wayne and Kim Honath, Philip Lindner, Amiena Mahsoob, Janet Marasco, Simona Pautler, Robert and Christine Radcliffe, Debra and Daniel Schaeffer, Sharon and Gary Schultz, Dr. Eric Snyder and Mrs. Kathleen Snyder, Catherine Stache, Craig Thomson, Elaine Tokoshand Walter and Janet Willis

Animal Friends presents

Happy NEUTER Year!

Cat Wellness Special $25

includes • Cat spay or neuter surgery • Rabies vaccination • Distemper vaccination • Frontline flea application • Nail trim

Limited spots available beginning January 3, 2013 (First come, first served!)

Call 1.800.SPAY.PGH today to reserve your appointment.

Made possible through the generosity of the ASPCA.

Research shows that a single spay surgery can save 55 unwanted animals from being born. Those are 55 animals who won’t wait in shelters...or worse. Use the form above to sponsor a spay today!

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MINDY  As adorable as Mindy is today, she came to us cloaked in very visible signs of neglect. Some TLC and a proper diet revived her, and now there’s a light in her eyes and a spring in her step! Never shy about asking for attention, Mindy considers catnip, treats and playtime as some of her favorite things. But a loving forever home is at the very top of Mindy’s wish list.

We

 RYAN

a-purr-ciate Paula Schaukowitch’s sponsorship in honor of Leonid.

 PEARL

Ryan is a good-looking silver Tabby with sterling cat credentials! His affectionate nature makes him a perfect cuddle buddy, since he enjoys some quiet time while being petted and brushed. But he’s also a fun-loving guy who will have rollicking good times pouncing on a laser dot or wrestling with a catnip toy! Ryan just wants to be loved and hopes he becomes a priceless member of a family.

TETRIS 

Tetris was rescued from an animal hoarder, whose neglect cost Tetris an eye. But this beautiful girl is very forgiving and only looks forward, to a new life and a loving home.

Tetris is understandably shy, yet she craves cuddles in a warm lap and wiggles with happiness at the touch of a gentle hand! Tetris has simple dreams: to be safe, to be loved, to find someone who cares.

Tetris is grateful to Carole and Eugene Ginchereau for their sponsorship in memory of Floydie, Carole, and Gene Ginchereau.

Pearl found herself in a jam when she wound up homeless, so she’s happy to wait for her forever home here at Animal Friends. Sweet, sensitive Pearl is a precious jewel of a tabby, friendly and eager for attention. She loves being petted gently and cuddled in a lap. She can be shy, so she would thrive in a quiet home. Adopt Pearl, and you can call her “daughter!”

Pearl thanks Norman and Aileen Birch for their sponsorship in memory of Brian and Jan Toomey.

YOGA  Namaste. Yoga, a handsome boy with an agile mind, loves to be with people.

Keeping you company while you watch television or read a book poses no challenge to Yoga. He’s happy to keep your lap warm while you do anything! And this cool cat does a perfect Downward Facing Dog. Yoga is a very friendly and playful guy whose mantra is, “There’s no place like Om!”

 FIRECRACKER Firecracker, a sweet and curious kitty with a sparkling personality, came to Animal Friends when her elderly person moved to a nursing home. This dazzling kitty is pretty quiet and calm, but that gleam in her eyes means she’s ready to play in a flash! A catnip toy or a wiggly string will go over with a bang! Nothing would be more dynamite to Firecracker than a loving forever home.

Don’t Forget About Our Satellite Adoption Location!

Meet some of Animal Friends’ adoptable cats at

59 Fort Couch Road, Bethel Park, PA 15241

412.835.6008 Monday – Saturday: 9 am – 9 pm Sunday: 10 am – 7 pm

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Meet an adoptable pet every Friday!

Subscribe to the Furry Friday email list by visiting www.ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org.

412.847.7000

GYPSIE  Gypsie is a captivating calico longing for a forever home. Here at the shelter, she sometimes seems sad and timid. But when she has one-on-one time with staff and volunteers, she’s warm, friendly, playful and attentive. Her true affectionate nature will flourish when she feels the security and love a home and family provide. You don’t need a crystal ball to see that Gypsie will make a wonderful friend!

 WOOFER Before finding a safe haven at Animal Friends, Cecil lived a rough-and-tumble life as a homeless cat on the streets of Pittsburgh, every day a fight for survival. He’s FIV positive after his time as a stray, but he will live a happy and healthy life with the proper care.

Cecil is an affectionate boy who adores attention. A loving home will make Cecil’s lonely past a distant memory.

PATRICK  Patrick seems dignified and handsome, with soft gray fur and shamrock-green eyes. You’d never guess he’s the class clown of the FIV free-roam room!

He loves to climb the cat tree, impressing everyone with his acrobatic antics.

Patrick often gets overlooked because he has FIV, but he can live a full, happy life. Talk to an Adoption Counselor to learn more about Patrick and FIV.

SIREN  If life seems a little drab, there’s no cause for alarm.

Siren will be happy to save the day! This irresistible calico has a lovingly lyrical quality that makes her very easy to get along with. She may entice you to play a fun game with her, but she’s just as content to hang out and relax.

Adopt Siren and she’ll fill your home with enchantment for a song!

 LADY

MEOW MIX

Lady Meow Mix is a remarkably smart cat and a true survivor. Blind, homeless and sick, she carried her four newborn kittens and placed them in an open carrier on the porch of one of our staff members.

Her kittens have all found homes, and this lovely, brave girl is now the picture of health! She’s very warmhearted and has perfect household manners. Lady Meow Mix would happily embrace a safe, loving home.

PANTHER KAY  Panther Kay is a pretty and petite Tabby with a delightful disposition! Once she breaks the ice with you, Panther will engage you in a meowy fascinating conversation. She loves to play with her favorite toys, and her curious nature makes her an intrepid explorer of her surroundings. When you see the glimmer in Panther Kay’s gorgeous green eyes, you’ll be eager to make her a part of your family.

Thank you to Melanie DeBoer for her sponsorship with love to her rescued cats Arran and Max Magnus.

 MARMALADE Voulez-vous meow avec moi, ce soir? Our sweet lady Marmalade is a wonderful orange lap cat looking for a new home. She sadly came to Animal Friends when her person passed away, and she had a rough adjustment to shelter life. With some special pampering from volunteers, Marmalade overcame her fear and unhappiness and her charming personality emerged. Given a second chance, Marmalade will turn your humdrum days into toast!

Our cats appreciate the generosity of sponsors Albert and Laurel Murphy.

Resounding meows to sponsor Charlotte Cosharek!

 FERDINAND What’s black and white and funny all over?

Ferdinand, the prankster of Animal Friends!

Our Humane Officers found Ferdinand injured and abandoned. Once he was nursed back to health, they made him their mascot! Opinionated and playful, Ferdinand has a big, bold personality.

He loves attention, and he’ll be quick to tell you when he’s had enough. With Ferdinand in your family, life will be an adventure!

We’re grateful to Kathy O’Laughlin for her sponsorship in loving memory of Kelly and Jon.

We believe that keeping two cats is Twice as Nice!

We’ll waive our second donation request when you adopt a pair of cats!

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We .org @ThinkingOutsideTheCage re rca ste fo ail em se ea Pl important program. to learn more about this

 GREENWALD Greenwald is so sweet we were shocked to find that he was abandoned in the woods. The kind soul that rescued him said he loves munching on parsley and lettuce and is a social rabbit.

Even after all he’s been through, Greenwald is still a very trusting rabbit. He doesn’t mind being held and likes to sit on laps for some love.

BENTLEY  JETHRO 

Looking for adventure? Bentley is a fun-loving rabbit who likes to toss his toys and play. He even likes to go for walks while wearing a harness! His favorite foods are lettuce, celery and carrots. He’s not a fan of being picked up but likes when you are hang out on the floor with him.

Jethro is tired of wandering lonely. He loves to be petted, is friendly with other rabbits and is content to much on his favorite hay. This social bunny would rather spend time with people than contemplate his broken luck. He hopes to find a home before the end of December’s foggy freeze.

 PRESTO

 DINAH

Presto is a little larger than other bunnies, but don’t hold that against her! This Flemish Giant is a sweet girl who loves to stretch her legs and roam around. She loves snacking on treats and will gladly sit quietly while you pet her. Careful though! She might nibble your shoes if you’re not paying enough attention to her!

Dinah is a very sweet bunny with lots of love to give. She is curious and likes to explore her surroundings. She also loves to toss her toys around! Dinah has lived with dogs before and thought they were just fine, so an inter-species household is not out of the question for her!

L A I e T R - p y r : a e h T

Crackle Heads

Holiday Shopping Edition!

By Katie Kurylo, Communications Assistant

The holiday shopping season is in full swing and Animal Friends’ on-site Retail Shop is fully stocked and ready to help you find the perfect gift for everyone on your list!

Looking for something unique for that animal lover on your list? Our Holiday Gift Bags are a great value and offer a little bit of everything for the pet lover in your life. Included are an Animal Friends’ event t-shirt, a durable stainless steel water bottle and assorted dog or cat toys and treats. You’ll get $50 of merchandise for only $15 dollars—that’s a deal that’s impossible to beat!

Santa came to Animal Friends a little early this year and has given us a real treat—the high-quality Haqihana harness and leash set, which is made in Italy and recommended by world-renowned dog trainer Turid Rugaas. The nine-foot leash and the harness are made of high-quality spun-dyed nylon, and to ensure your dog’s Haqihana safety and comfort, the buckles and snaps Harness are made of rounded plastic with no sharp Plush and Leash edges. Also included is “What Do I Do When Bunnies My Dog Pulls,” an instructional DVD by Turid Rugaas that shows you how to handle the most common challenge dog owners face – the walk. Bring Turid and Haqihana home to your home today!

Has your pooch been a good doggie this year? Make sure there’s something special in his stocking and pick up the Mega OddBall by Tuffy ($23.99). This super-durable and super-fun toy has seven rows of stitching and is comprised of multiple layers of luggage grade materials. It’s completely washable and has stood up to the roughest and toughest of players.

Mega OddBall

If your dog would enjoy something a little less tough, you might want to try Crackle Heads ($8.99). These great toys come with a crunchy bottle head and a squeaky tail to provide hours of engaging playtime for your pup. There are many different styles, from Skippy the Squirrel to Leo the Lion and more!

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Looking for something cool for your kitty instead?

We’ve got plenty of jingle balls to deck your cat’s halls, but the one toy that has taken the shelter by storm is the Da Bird ($10.99). It might look like a simple feather toy, but once you take it out of the bag and snap it together, your cat will “fly” around the room, trying to snag a brightly decorated feather toy. Da Bird also comes with feather tip refills—if your kitty gets bored with the green one, try yellow or blue feathers instead!

Holiday Gift Bags

Looking for a fuzzy companion to keep on your desk or a shelf? Adorable plush bunnies made by Jessica Bailey come in all shapes and sizes, just like real bunnies, and their weighted bottoms will keep your papers in line and will surely make you smile as you work!

Finally, we have beautiful, hand-painted glassware for every budget, starting at just $5! These one-of-a-kind glasses will be sure to please any beverage connoisseur!

So no matter who you’re shopping for, Animal Friends’ on-site Retail Shop is sure to have a gift that fits the bill. In addition to getting great gifts for your family member or friend, every purchase you make is also a gift to the homeless cats, dogs and rabbits that call Animal Friends home. Start off the season right at Animal Friends!

If you haven’t shopped at Animal Friends yet, come visit us today! We offer a full selection of all-natural foods, treats, toys, training tools, oneof-a-kind items and even Animal Friends’ clothing! Call 412.847.7022 for more information about any of these products.

Curious about rabbit adoption? Visit a Bun Run! Watch our shelter rabbits play and talk to our rabbit experts.

Dates and times are listed on www.ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org.