PJHS Newsletter

Newsletter Fall/Winter 2013

The

TAILWAGGER’S GAZETTE Letter From The Board of Directors We are excited to share with our community the progress that has been made here at the Humane Society of Port Jervis/Deerpark, Inc. within the last year.

In a matter of a year we have acquired a new Board of Directors, a new Manager and a relatively new staff. We also have a tireless group of volunteers that have continued to support our shelter and run our adoption events.

CONTENTS • Letter From

The Board of Directors • Loving Family Gives Special Needs Dog a 2nd Chance We held out hope that the right family would come along, and they did!

• A Home of His Own Dylan finds his forever home after a year stay at the humane society.

• Upcoming Events • Donation Needed & Forms Fill out one of these forms to make a donation or to donate in memory of a person or pet.

• Memorials • Pet Photos with Santa

IMPORTANT NUMBERS

Report Abuse: 845-856-3677 Lost/Found Pets: Port Jervis: 845-856-3667 Animal Control: Port Jervis: 845-856-5101 Deerpark: 845-321-7172 Greenville & Waywayanda: 845-742-3191 Mt. Hope/Otisville: 845-386-9442 Lumberland/Highland: 845-557-3305

HOURS OF OPERATION 202 Rt. 209 Port Jervis, NY 12771 Sun. 1-4pm Tues. - Sat. 10am-4:30pm Closed Mondays

Two new veterinarians have stepped in and have offered us a wealth of knowledge and guidance. Times change and so do shelters. They have breathed a breath of fresh air into a new way of sheltering. A quarantine room was established to isolate sick cats from the healthy cats. This gives us a central medicating spot and will help alleviate the spread of sickness through the entire shelter.

Our shelter is old, and not just the building itself, but we are continuing to update and bring the shelter current with the times. We have installed a new computer system that is able to record all the animals in the shelter, giving each of them their own case number. Each animal is entered into the system and a photo is taken and uploaded to their file. This allows us to document any changes and improvements in the animals that come in to the shelter, which is very helpful in abuse and cruelty cases. This system also has “Wish List” capabilities. If you were to come into the shelter looking for a particular breed of dog or cat, we can take down your information and as soon as an animal fitting those qualifications is entered into the system your name will come up. It stays in the computer indefinitely and allows us to find forever homes for the shelter animals a lot quicker!

We recently instilled a “Seniors for Seniors” program at the shelter which allows anyone over 62 years of age, with an approved application, to adopt a senior animal for free. We hate to see any animal stay in the shelter for long, but when an older animal comes in we hope that they find a home as soon as possible. We also have low cost adoptions available with ALL of our senior pets to anyone interested in taking on a senior pet. This year we have also established more community outreach programs and humane education classes. There was a “How To”, bottle feeding kitten class this spring. During kitten season we need educated citizens in the community to assist in caring for young and abandoned kittens we take in. This alleviates the burden placed on our shelter staff and gives us a chance to help more kittens at one time.

The shelter has also started and successfully completed, two sessions of the Canine Life and Social Skills Program (C.L.A.S.S) for our dogs within the shelter. This program, run by our own Dee Broton, teaches volunteers and staff members ways to gain desired behaviors from our shelter dogs with positive reinforcement. Other enrichment programs such as the “Click for Calm” have also been implemented. Behavior assessments are now being done on our dogs as they enter the adoption program. This allows us to better judge the temperaments and mannerisms of our dogs in order to place them into the best possible home.

The shelter has always had a low cost spay and neuter clinic, but we now have the opportunity to expand the volume of cats that are spayed and neutered at each clinic offered.

Continued on page 2

The Humane Society of Port Jervis & Deerpark

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Directors & Staff BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Lisa Eagan – President Joseph Duryea – Vice President Dee Broton – Treasurer Tara Mains – Secretary Keri Somerville Robert Murray Terri Devore-Howlett Lauren Santorella Jamie Oteri Ann Keller Bonny Lass Debbie Decker Kelly Staszewski

STAFF

Katrina Roloson – Shelter Director Vanessa Park – Office Manager Debbie O’Brien Elaina Decker Blacie Decker Ashley Wilkinson Nicole Browder Marisa Kabbash Crystal Reynolds Jeffrey Lewis

Like us on facebook facebook.com/pjhumanesociety

Loving Family Gives Special Needs Dog A 2nd Chance Pebbles was surrendered by her heartbroken owner due to his own health concerns and living situation back in February 2013. It didn’t take the staff long to realize something was “not right” with her health. She was soon diagnosed with diabetes and needed insulin twice daily.

Special needs animals are harder to find homes for. It’s a fact. But we held out hope that the right family would come along, and they did! At the end of September, a family came in that fell in love with her.

We adopted Pebbles a month ago now and we couldn't be happier. I fell in love with her as I was walking out of PJ Humane after looking at some other dogs. I knew when she put her nose to mine it was meant to be. The ladies then told me she had diabetes and I remember saying "I'd adopt you even though you have diabetes."

That night I went home & told my husband about her. We did some research together the next couple of weeks & called our vet to get as much information as we could.

With high hopes and good feelings, we

Letter From Board of Directors (continued from page 1) We are most excited for our Trap, Neuter and Return program in the City of Port Jervis that we have started with the help of our Port Jervis Animal Control Officer, Bob Murray. TNR allows us to trap feral cats in specific locations, fix and vaccinate them and return them to the area in which they were trapped. This program will help control the kitten population and help curb reproductive behaviors such as howling, spraying and wandering amongst adult cats. The program is still in its infancy stages but we have high hopes to continue to grow and expand our TNR and join up with other contracted municipalities in the future.

Our team at the shelter has been through some trials and tribulations over the past year. We truly believe that we are stronger than we ever have been. The Board has enlisted the help of the ASPCA and NYCON to help update and grow our shelter and get it to where it needs to be. It has been a long time coming and we finally believe we are on the right path for success.

We want to thank our community for their support and their generosity that they show us every day. Please visit us on our brand new website at www.pjhumane.org.

decided to adopt Pebbles. My husband Richard and I both have medical issues, I my heart, and my husband PKD. We figured Pebbles would fit right in with us.

So many people have helped us in getting healthier we wanted to give Pebbles a chance.

In three weeks Pebbles had made such great progress with her health. She had gained six pounds and her sugar levels went from 433 to 88. For the first week she could not go down the stairs so my husband had to carry her down them every morning. Eventually she got brave enough and now can do them without any issues. Since her levels have been under control she is acting like a dog again.

She loves playing with her stuffed animals, going for walks and car rides, and just running around after us outside.

My husband and I would like to tell everyone to please give any animal that is older or special needs a chance. You may never know how great they will turn out once you give them the care and love they need. Pebbles is 5 years old, diabetic and mostly blind but that does not stop her from having fun & giving us as much love back as we give her. She is as my husband puts it "the best dog we have ever known."

NEED FOREVER HOMES Love and caring is what these cuties need. Pets are a great way to bring home a friend.

Come see our population of candidates for your home.

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The Humane Society of Port Jervis & Deerpark

Upcoming Events Our Dog Walk has been moved to the SPRING of 2014!

More information to come soon.

Pet Photos with Santa from 10am-3pm at the Huguenot Fire Department on December 15, 2013.

Nina Fey’s Dance Performance to Benefit the Humane Society of Port Jervis/ Deerpark on Sunday December 8, 2013 at 3:00pm at the First Presbyterian Church, Port Jervis.

“Paw Jam” Dinner Dance February 15th at the Riverview in Matamoras.

There will be a Live Band and Raffles.

“Dylan” with his new family & Konnar (front right) posing for the camera before heading home.

Photo by Katrina Roloson

A Home of His Own

Donations The animal shelter is always in need of new supplies. Below is a list of what we’re most in need of. Any contributions are greatly appreciated. Check our facebook page for our updated list.

“Dylan”, a 5 year old male Pitbull, was brought to us in June of 2012 by one of our contracted Animal Control Officers.

He had been a resident of The Humane Society of Port Jervis/Deerpark for over a year, making him a staff and volunteer favorite. Why was he with us so long?

We just don’t know. He is a good natured, friendly dog, often seen at many of our events.

Cat Food Dog Food Blankets Cat Toys

Towels Paper Towels Dish Soap

Laundry Soap Brooms Mops Dog Toys

Bleach Sponges Dog Treats

New or Gently Used Leashes

New or Gently Used Collars

On October 24th, 2013 a family came in asking to see Dylan. They told us they had been watching his video and looking at pictures for a couple of weeks and had already fallen in love. They spent the better part of the afternoon with him, long enough to have an application approved. When they left, we knew it was fate. This family was meant for Dylan. There was an instant connection with the family, especially the children.

And so the phone calls began. We started rallying staff members and volunteers to come together to see Dylan off to his new home. Konnar and his mother, of Konnar’s Animal Kare had sponsored Dylan’s adoption fee also took the ride down to give their best!

Enough can’t be said about our volunteer Stephanie, who dedicated much of her time to working with Dylan and helping to find him a forever home.

It was a bittersweet moment; a lot of happy tears, a lot of hugs and a lot of pictures! Moments like this are more rewarding than words can ever describe.

(845) 856-3677 www.pjhumane.org

Memorial Donation Form If you would like to make a donation in memory of a pet or loved one, please fill out the following form and submit it with a check for the donation amount to the Humane Society Shelter at 202 Rt. 209, Port Jervis, N.Y. 12771.

Is this donation in memory of a person or pet?:

Person

Pet

Please provide their name: Family’s Address: State:

City: Zip:

Donor’s Name: Donor’s Address: State:

City: Zip:

Katrina.pjhumane@yahoo.com

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Memorials Pet Memorials

Friend & Family Memorials Robert Bogdanow Katie Decker Dan Bequetle Phil Felter Kyle Parrish Ed Dean Jr. Winnifred H. Clark Frank Barlow

Nancy Krupunich Marilyn Ridgeway Jack Dedrick Robert Boyles II Ryan Bubigkeit John “Bud” Sweeny Robert Hunt Dorothy Grathwohl

Meredith Hinkley Frank Stone Murray Greeberg Alfred E Kelly Sr. Edward Buzzelli Rick Spears

“Maggie” – Nancy & Bob Dunn “Maggie Mae” - The Arnold Family “Toonces” - Trish Lynch “Sabrina” – Peggy & Bernard Clune “Pokey” – Donna Vannatta “Jadie Girl” – The Hockenberry Family “Sammi” – Keri & Brett Somerville “Maddie” – Steve Kole “Lucy” – Joe & Sue Duyea “Louie” – The Olenick Family

& Mrs. Betty Lynch “Eddie” – The Loughron Family “Greenlee” – We are forever grateful,

Patricia Norrell

Custom Wooden Ornaments with FREE Engraving Courtesy of Creative Laser Engravings Milford, PA

Over 40 Breeds Available!

• Ornaments are $5.00 each • Shipping Available for $3.00 each Will be available for pick up at Pet Photos with Santa on December 15th. See Insert for Order Form.