PAWS Magazine, Summer 2016

Issue 93: Summer 2016

what’s inside: Hooked on Helping Animals

Nurturing Newborns Page 4

Help PAWS Win New Wheels

From the heart Dear Friends, There’s nothing quite like the heart of the summer season. It’s a time you can look forward to, when fun and rejuvenation are not hard to find.

Annette welcomes a young animal advocate and his family to PAWS. Ezequiel and his friend Khaiyah organized a supply drive to help the cats and dogs in our care. Turn to page 7 for the full story.

PAWS’ Mission PAWS is a champion for animals — rehabilitating injured and orphaned wildlife, sheltering and adopting homeless cats and dogs, and educating people to make a better world for animals and people.

Click for more!

In the natural world, it’s also a time when babies are not in short supply, and PAWS can receive dozens of them in a single day. I hope you’ll take a look at page 4 to read about what a typical summer day can look like here at PAWS. Without hundreds of dedicated volunteers—whose gentle hands can be found caring for animals in every corner of PAWS—we would not be able to help so many newborns. For puppies and kittens who are too young or too fragile, PAWS Foster Care Program volunteers provide an extra level of care in their homes. Last year, their efforts allowed us to save more than 2,000 lives, and so far this year, the program is on track to exceed that number. Turn to page 6 to follow the foster adventures of eight-year-old Australian Cattle Dog Betty.

youngsters also requires a plethora of supplies. This need was not lost on two young animal advocates, Ezequiel and Khaiyah, who recently organized a supply drive at their elementary school for the animals at PAWS. Your heart will glow when you read about their efforts, and see their sweet faces, on page 7.

Even when it seems like there is no end to the number of animals who need PAWS’ care, stories like this give us reason to be optimistic for the future. If you also want to help realize a brighter future for animals (and wouldn’t mind having a little more summer fun in the process) take a look at the back cover for information on PAWSwalk, our annual walk and festival at Marymoor Park on August 27. Whether you’re able to attend events like this, donate or volunteer, thank you for helping PAWS save lives!

Warmly,

Annette Laico

Wherever you see this symbol, go to paws.org/summer16 and enjoy additional online content, including videos, media coverage and more!

Of course, in addition to people power, caring for thousands of infants and

Chief Executive Officer

PAWS Magazine

Board of Directors

PAWS

Ann-Marie Archer, Jason Brotman, Christy Cheever, Damian King, Cassie Pemberton, Strom Peterson, Joanna Poleszczuk, Jaime Puracal, Cindy Spodek Dickey, Anmari Straub

Contact PAWS: 425.787.2500

Issue 93, Summer 2016 Editor in Chief: Katherine Spink Associate Editor: Rachel Bishop Graphic Designer: Edwina Cusolito Photographers: Merina Burda, Kara Gerhart, Jen Mannas, Katherine Spink, Jennie Warmouth Collaborators: Kara Gerhart, Jen Mannas, Emily Meredith, Melissa Moore, Rebecca Oertel

Leslie Chandler, President Leila Kirske, Vice President Dora Leung, Secretary Janet Straus, Treasurer

Chief Executive Officer Annette Laico

PAWS is a member magazine. Membership is available with a donation of $35 or more. For change of address notification, call 425.787.2500, x261.

PAWS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organizaion and relies on community support to carry out our work to help animals.

Printed on recycled paper using soy-based inks.

PAWS, PAWS Cat City, PAWSwalk, and Bark in the Park are service marks owned by the Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). © 2016 Progressive Animal Welfare Society.

Privacy Policy: PAWS respects our donors’ and friends’ confidentiality. Although on rare occasion we may send you materials from another organization, we never release our mailing list.

15305 44th Ave W PO Box 1037 Lynnwood, WA 98046 paws.org Adoption Information x435 Animal Cruelty x861 Donations x652 Foster Care Program x822 Hours and Address x410 Lost and Found Pets x565 Volunteer Information x230 Wildlife Center x817

PAWS Cat City: 206.782.1700 5200 Roosevelt Way NE, Suite B, Seattle, WA 98105

off the top New Early Childhood Program Inspires Compassion for All Animals In early June, our education team launched a new summer program for three to five year olds designed to inspire very young children to be compassionate people as they grow. Animal Adventurers is a series of classes

For Our Wild Patients, It’s All About Location, Location, Location For the thousands of wild animals rehabilitated by PAWS each year, their release moment is the final step in their journey with us—and location is key. Every one of the nearly 200 species of wildlife we care for has their own unique habitat requirements that must be met, and with the rapid pace of development in Western Washington, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find accessible, appropriate natural areas to use as release sites for our rehabilitated patients. Could your property help fulfill this need? You might be a great candidate for our Shared Spaces Program. Your kind generosity can help ensure that all of our patients will have the best possible chance for survival when they return to the wild. For more information about this program and to apply, visit paws.org/sharedspaces.

We’re thrilled that Campbell Nissan of Edmonds has included PAWS in their Big Vehicle Giveaway, an online competition where the nonprofit with the most votes wins a Nissan Passenger or Cargo van for two years at no cost!

Cast your vote before August 31 at paws.org/bigvehiclegiveaway.

SUMMER 2016

Everyone knows that cats rule the internet, right? Well now you can check in on our adoptable kitties and enjoy their adventures from afar with our live streaming Cat Cam. Launched during Adopt-A-Cat Month celebrations in June, the camera streams from one of our open colonies at PAWS Cat City during the hours we’re open to the public.

Bookmark paws.org/catcam for oodles of cute, laugh-out-loud moments, and a distraction that will be hard to resist.

Help PAWS Win New Wheels

PAWS Magazine

Cat Cam Shares the Adventures of Adoptable Cats

exploring different topics, helping children connect with animals in a positive way through movement, play and crafts. Participants have already enjoyed learning about our wild neighbors in Backyard Buddies, and how specialized feet help animals find food and make their homes in Claws and Paws. Hot Diggity Dogs (August 10) and Who’s Who at PAWS (August 23) are still to come.

Register today at paws.org/animaladventurers.

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Nurturing Newborns Bustling baby season brings an array of patients to our doors.

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magine this. It’s early morning, you’re working at the PAWS Wildlife Center admissions desk, and you receive the first new patients of the day. Two Great Blue Heron babies—one with a fractured bill, one with a fractured leg, both requiring surgery. A short time later, another arrival. This time it’s a juvenile Coyote suffering with an acute case of mange, rescued after roaming a neighborhood for a few weeks without any sign of mom.

Then another, a baby Big Brown Bat found in a flower pot on someone’s apartment balcony. She will require feeding by hand every two hours, using a mix of syringe-feeding and an eyeshadow sponge soaked with food for this fragile patient to slurp.

Before the day is done, you’ve also admitted a Harbor Seal pup brought in by wildlife officials after being handled by people who saw him alone on a beach and thought he needed help, a baby Barn Owl who fell from his nest and was found with a fractured wing, and a fledgling

American Robin with a leg laceration suffered at the paws of a neighborhood-roaming cat.

Every year, baby season (April through September) is when we see a sharp rise in the number of wild and companion animals brought to PAWS needing help. Growing up is hard to do, especially in the case of our wild neighbors who have so many natural and man-made challenges to overcome in those early days of learning to be alive.

Not only is it a busy season, it’s also an unpredictable one for our wildlife staff and volunteers, who never know quite what will arrive at their door on any given day! So far in

2016, 2,079 wild patients of 120 species have been brought in by members of the public or wildlife officials. From Barn Owls to Black Bears, Raccoons to River Otters, all species have different diets, feeding schedules, enrichment and housing needs—not to mention a range of veterinary checks and medical procedures during their rehabilitation.

The action isn’t just happening in our wildlife hospital. Over in Companion Animal Services, our cutest time of year is upon us— kitten season! So far this year our volunteer foster families have cared for 537 kittens, including Tango’s adorable brood. Found as a stray, Tango was brought to PAWS in early April—luckily, just in time. After a warm and cozy night in the safety of our shelter, staff checked on her in the morning to find she’d given birth to a litter of six beautiful kittens!

Thanks to our invaluable Foster Care Program, Tango was able to care for her new family in the calm comfort of a real home until they

were old enough to be spayed or neutered and matched with perfect forever families.

Whether it’s a wildlife veterinarian fitting a tiny shoe to a baby bird’s foot to fix a deformity, or a foster parent getting up every few hours through the night to bottle feed orphaned kittens, nurturing newborns is second nature to our family of staff and volunteers here at PAWS. After all, these babies will become the next generation of wildlife who help sustain our ecosystems, and the future fur companions who will inject fun, love and laughter into the homes of countless animal lovers. There is no question that we will give each and every one of them the best possible chance at a long, healthy and happy life. It’s just what we do, whatever it takes.

Visit paws.org/summer16 to watch some of this year’s wild patients returning to the wild.

Each year, “baby season” finds PAWS caring for a myriad of infants in need. Pictured clockwise from top left: Barn Owl baby recovering after suffering a fractured wing.

Fledgling American Robin’s leg wound is checked by our wildlife vet.

Young Coyote pup resting in his den while he recovers from mange.

Kittens being socialized in foster care until they’re ready to find new homes.

Baby Harbor Seal brought to PAWS after people were found handling him.

A Big Brown Bat baby is fed every two hours with a syringe and sponge.

Great Blue Heron has surgery to repair his fractured bill.

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Eight-year-old Betty gets a break from shelter life by spending the weekend with PAWS foster mom Kara and family.

Healing Helped by Home Comforts Dogs who need time to relax or recover blossom in foster care

PAWS Magazine

SUMMER 2016

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f you’ve ever been through surgery, you’ll know how good it feels when you return home from the hospital to a calmer, quieter space, where you can fully relax and recuperate. For companion animals at PAWS, everyday shelter life can make a restful recovery more challenging, especially for dogs who are recovering from surgery.

“It’s so much better for these patients to recover in a home than in the kennel environment,” says Foster Care Coordinator Rebecca Oertel. “Kennels can be stressful for dogs who are medically compromised. They keep them mentally stimulated rather than offering quiet time.”

Being in a home setting also helps keep infections at bay, and is vital for newborn puppies, who cannot be safely housed in a shelter because their young immune systems are too vulnerable. It also gives animals who are withdrawn or highly stressed time for their true personality to shine—which in turn enables our adoption staff to understand them better and find their perfect match. This is why a strong foster care program makes all the difference in PAWS’ ability to help more animals. Our network of foster moms and dads is invaluable to those animals who need a little extra TLC. Kara is one such foster mom, who spent the Fourth of July holiday weekend with eight-year-old Betty. “I miss having a dog in my life. With three

resident cats and full-time work, I can give space and attention to a foster now and again. Being able to give a dog a break for a few days can really help with their well-being and their search for a perfect new family.”

Transferred from a Texas shelter, Betty had been at PAWS for a while. She’d recently had a mass removed from her back, and we knew she’d benefit from time away from our shelter during the holiday celebrations. Kara said, “We explored the backyard, went on neighborhood walks… she even got to experience downtown Seattle. Everyone Betty met agreed she was a sweetheart.”

Sharing their adventures through photos posted to social media, Kara helped Betty turn a corner in her search for a forever family. After proving what a lovable lady she was, Betty was headed to her new home within a week of arriving back at PAWS! Last year, more than 2,000 dogs and cats were placed in foster care on the path to their happy endings. So when we say foster care saves lives, we really mean it. We’re looking for more people like Kara to join our foster network and support our recovering dogs, tiny puppies, and those whose personalities will blossom most outside of the shelter. If you have time and love to spare, start your fostering journey by contacting Rebecca at 425.787.2500 x822 or roertel@paws.org.

People Helping Animals

Hooked on Helping Animals Nine-year-old Ezequiel and his friend Khaiyah have poured their hearts and souls into helping animals at PAWS. Their compassion for the animals in our care began in second grade when they were tasked with a special project: writing profiles about our adoptable cats and dogs to help them find their forever homes. As each profile was written and each happy ending was made, Ezequiel and Khaiyah saw what a difference they could make and quickly became hooked on helping animals.

When Ezequiel learned that his teacher, Ms. Warmouth, had not yet organized a supply drive for the animals at PAWS this year, he masterminded a plan to put this right. After his formal proposal to the school principal was approved, he and several friends, including Khaiyah, stood up in front of the 540-strong school body. “Hello. My name is Ezequiel, and I have an idea that will change the world…” They asked fellow students to bring pet food, blankets and more to an Open House event. Ms. Warmouth said, “Ezequiel is an English

language learner and speaking in front of the school was a very significant moment for him. His little hands were trembling but he did a GREAT job!”

From making volunteer badges to commissioning other students to make posters, these two animal champions took charge of a supply drive that resulted in an entire carload of items heading to PAWS for the cats and dogs in our care. On the day their special delivery arrived, we were there to celebrate Ezequiel, Khaiyah and their families—and let some of our current adorable adoptables give their thanks too!

Home Sweet Home

Surrendered Sweetie Finds Security Again

Black Bears Return to the Mountains

Visit paws.org/summer16 to watch media coverage of our bear patients by KING 5, who joined us for one of the releases.

SUMMER 2016

On May 3 and 4, we said goodbye to the nine American Black Bear patients who were brought to PAWS last year and over-wintered with us until they were old enough and strong enough to return to the wild. With the help of bear biologists and the entire Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Karelian Bear Dog team—some of whom traveled from as far as Spokane to help—all nine bears were transported to release locations in the Cascades to begin their fresh new starts.

PAWS Magazine

Mittens arrived at PAWS in June, and was one of 222 cats who found their happy endings during Adopt-A-Cat Month. Surrendered because her guardian was moving away, this fluffy, lovable tuxedo girl seemed shy at first, but soon revealed her love of hanging over shoulders, flopping down for cuddles, and putting her “mittens” to work following her humans around. We knew it wouldn’t be long before she would find her happy ending. And sure enough, after a couple of weeks spent melting the hearts of volunteers and staff at PAWS Cat City, she was headed home with her new guardians.

Judging by this photo there’ll be no shortage of competition for cuddles in her future!

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Non-profit Org U.S. Postage Paid PAWS

15305 44th Ave W PO Box 1037 Lynnwood, WA 98046 paws.org

Please deliver to a friend of animals at this address.

Sat. Aug. 27

Fun for the whole family:

King County’s

• • • •

Marymoor Park Register at

.net

5k Walk Dog Agility Food Trucks Beer and Mimosa Garden!

2016

TOP DOG Kenai

Walk to Save Animals!

PAWSwalk benefits dogs, cats and als more than 200 species of wild anim S. PAW at d nee they care the find who

Thank you to our sponsors:

Official Radio Sponsor

The honor of TOP DOG is won at PAWS Wild Night, our annual fundraising gala.

A hiking fanatic who loves to run, Kenai will set the pace by leading off PAWSwalk 2016— hopefully we can keep up!