A publication for the friends of the Rockingham-Harrisonburg SPCA.
Fall 2017
The Tattle Tails
Iris Has a Home For the Holidays!
Iris, a black and white pit bull mix, came to the shelter in March because of a very unfortunate situation. Something was noticably wrong with Iris as she was underweight and had pink skin. Staff noted she looked more like bubblegum. wwIris had a severe case of demodex mange that was causing the irritation and discomfort. Her medical sheet grew and grew during her stay as staff and our volunteer vets provided her the medical treatment and love she needed. wwAfter she made a highly noticable transformation she was able to start looking for her new home. Iris went on a dog transport this August to Mowhawk Hudson Humane Society where only a few days later she met her new family where she will now spend the holidays with her new brother! wwWithout people like you Iris’ story could have been a whole lot different. Thanks to people like you who donate their time, money, and talents Iris is now able to experience the holidays in a loving home where she is healthy. Donations helped pay for her special diet and the medications she received. As an orgnanization we rely on the community’s support to help so many animals just like Iris. Your generousity is what enables us to never turn away a pet because they are sick, unadoptable, or for lack of space. wwPlease make a year-end gift so more animals like Iris can go home for the holidays. With your continued support we can continue to care for the animals who were given up because of unforseen circumstances, for those that were found aimlessly wandering the streets not knowing when they would eat next, and for the animals who are just no longer wanted. A donation of $130 could cover the adoption fee for one animal that needs a family. On behalf of Iris and all the animals we serve sincerely thank you for helping!
HOME
for the HOLIDAYS
November 11-18
$25
adoption fee plus spay/neuter deposit
Fee includes: microchip, age appropriate vaccines, flea treatment, and deworming.
There is no place like home for the holidays. Give an animal a home this holiday season.
UPCOMING EVENTS
2016-17 Board of Directors Officers President Dr. Darnice Pettigrew Vice President Karen Mast Treasurer Brenda Long Secretary Justin Bridges Directors Brandon Howdyshell Anngela Gibson Dr. Nina K. Smith Staff Executive Director Anne Anderson Shelter Manager Maggie Rucker Adoption & Rescue Coordinator Jo Benjamin Humane Educator & Volunteer Coordinator Lauren Watson Development/Fundraising Manager Emily Eby Assistant Managers Candice Dodson, Heather Cook Kennedy, Amber Nesselrodt Receptionist Kim Sites Animal Care Technicians Sandra Castro, Connie Delamater, Emma Haag, Candra Hisey, Olivia Towe, Ashley Williams, Charlotte Wylie Hours of Operation: Incoming Animals & Adoptions Monday-Saturday 10:00 am–4:00 pm Wednesday evenings from 5:00 pm– 7:00 pm Location: 2170 Old Furnace Road Harrisonburg, VA 22802 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 413 Harrisonburg, Va. 22803 540-434-5270 info@rhspca.org www.rhspca.org
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For more information on events visit: www.facebook.com/rhspca/events November 11-18 Home for the Holidays Adoption Special; R-H SPCA; 2170 Old Furnace Road November 25 - December 9 Ten Thousand Villages Shopping Fundraiser; Ten Thousand Villages; 181 S. Main St During these two weeks, mention the Rockingham Harrisonburg SPCA at the checkout counter and 15% of your purchase will be donated to us. November 29 Volunteer Orientation (16+); 5:30 p.m. @ R-H SPCA
The Tattle Tails is published quarterly for supporters and friends of the RockinghamHarrisonburg SPCA. Email devdirector@ rhspca.org if you would like to receive The Tattle Tails electronically. Money saved will go directly to the care of animals!
Many thanks to
December 6 Foster Information Session; 6:00 p.m. @ R-H SPCA
December 29 Volunteer Orientation (16+); 3:00 p.m. @ R-H SPCA January 15 Monday Night Madness; 4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.@ Massanutten Resort; 1822 Resort Dr. McGaheysville Help support us by skiing or snowboarding at Massanutten Resort! There is a night session (4 p.m. - 9 p.m.) slope-use ticket for $20, equipment rental for $20 and a free beginner lesson at 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. Massanutten will donate $.50 for every slope-use ticket and $.50 for every rental sold that night. Visit https://www.massresort.com/play/ snow-sports/ for more information.
for keeping the grounds free from nasty bugs!
We greatly appreciate the support of The Fifer Family Foundation, A Donor Advised Fund of Renaissance that has provided much needed funds to care for the animals. A sincere thank you to the estate of Elaine Joecks for the contribution they made to helping us complete our mission.
Memorials
(from August 1, 2017 to October 23, 2017)
In Memory of Our Friends In Memory of Marlene Keyton Bradley Belmont Community Ruritan Club In Memory of Walter Carrier Mack and Towana Moore Robert LaRose and Family Denise Whitman Eileen Nelson Phil and Tina Updike Larry and Gayle Packett Milla Sue Wisecarver Peter and Tilton Weaver
Farmers and Merchants Bank - Timberville Carolyn Snow Chet, Doug, and Geraldine Click Charles Wilson Edwin and Doris Newland Ronna Lefebvre Patricia May William Loomis Laurence and Beverly Heine In Memory of Alice Hansberger Laura Saville Linda Gilmer Gladys, Phyllis, Gloria and Jackie Brown In Memory of Jamie Hedrick Betty Hedrick
In Memory of Evelyn Ruth Campbell Mary Long Earl and Gloria Shelton Kenneth Johnson and Barbara Stewart
In Memory of Juanita Hughes Amvets Post VA 7
In Memory of James Conrad Eddie Ney and Margee Greenfield-Ney
In Memory of Karenanne Illius Coworkers of her daughter Deanna McCarthy
In Memory of Kay Ringgold Dove Susan Schuckman
In Memory of Sandra Pharr Ray Schulte
In Memory of Mildred Dovel Carolyn Pandolfo
In Memory of Dorothy Muller Denny and Deborah Honecker
In Memory of Frances Frazier Ray Schulte
In Memory of Staci Shiflet Frances M. Kray D.D.S. Moyers Enterprises Inc. Susan Hammer David Curr
In Memory of Jane Ritchie Halterman Evelyn Alcock In Memory of Robert Halterman Barbara Smith and Joe Monette Alan and Judy Miller Julian and Joann Fisher Richard Lantz and Mary Garth
In Memory of Ruth Sitzer Jane Johnston In Memory of Bonnie Spitzer Margaret Adamson
You can honor or memorialize a special person or pet in your life by donating to the R-H SPCA, which helps us care for the orphaned and abandoned animals in our community. What better way is there to honor or memorialize a pet, a friend or a family member than by helping our animals in need? Email devdirector@rhspca. org or call 540-434-5270. Please include name and address of person you would like to notify about the donation.
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In Memory of Edith Swecker Beverly and Terry Eye Sissonville High School Class of 1988
Christmas Wish List
In Memory of Our Pets In Memory of “Alice” Sally Lance Tamar In Memory of faithful canine companion “Annie” Susan Palocsay In Memory of “Baby Buck” Alan and Shirley Gould In Memory of “Carlie” Amanda Dainis In Memory of “Gibbs” Lilly “Max” Lilly In Memory of “Lee” Maryanne and Bradley Akers In Memory of precious “Pootie” Douglas Harrison In Memory of “Smokey” Mary Keller In Memory of “Sox” Carol Yetzer
In Honor of Our Pets In Honor of “Alexis” Terry and Linda Looney
1.
Food Purina Dog Chow Purina Cat Chow
2. Toys & Treats
Interactive cat toy towers Kong or Nylabone toys
3. Adopt Me Gear “Adopt Me” leashes “Adopt Me” collars “Adopt Me” harnesses
4. Every animal to have a home.
Check out our Doing your holiday shopping Amazon wish list! online?? Shop Amazon Smile. It doesn’t cost you anything extra. Simply go to smile.amazon.com and pick Rockingham-Harrisonburg Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals as your charity of choice. Then, just shop like normal!
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21 Dogs Transported To Find New Homes
On August 31, 21 dogs were transported to the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society in New York to find their forever homes. We are very grateful for this partnership with the ASPCA and Mohawk Hudson Humane Society in order to give these animals another chance. In order to prepare for this transport, staff had to gather everyone’s medical records, perform tempermant tests, take pictures of the dogs, and more. On the day of the transport each dog had to be walked to use the bathroom, briefly health checked, and then loaded onto the van for the approximately seven hour drive. They all arrived safely and found new homes within a matter of a few short weeks.
Staff show their excitement for these beloved dogs after they were all loaded on the van. The staff enjoys nothing more than knowing these great pets will soon find a home!
Baby, a 10 year old golden retriever mix, had been at the shelter for 4 months.
Ashley, staff member, says goodbye to Chase. Chase had been at the shelter for 4 months and celebrated his first birthday with us.
Dixie, a four year beagle mix, is a petite lady who was just looking for the right fit.
Mugatu, a five year old bull dog mix, is a handsome gentle giant.
Lil Tommy poses for a photo with staff member, Emma. Lil Tommy came in very shy and scared but came out of his shell while he was here.
Firefly, a one year old hound, lab mix waits patiently to go on the van. She had been at the shelter for a month.
Thank you to Dr. Pettigrew and Dr. Leavenworth for making sure our animals are healthy and ready to go on the transport!
Full list of dogs transported: Mugatu Molly Maggie Chase Cheddar Firefly Baby Thurston Howl Iris Mary Anne Parmigiana
Lil Tommy Faith Olive Sephora Winnie Pooper Love Leela Mickey Arnold Dixie
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Storms Are a Harsh Reminder to Microchip Pets BY TRACI D. HOWERTON In the wake of two historic hurricanes, many animals were lost in the chaos and are now waiting in shelters to be reunited with their owners. If these animals have registered microchips, with current information on file, this process should go fairly quickly. Microchipping is so important as it greatly increases the chances of a reunion with a lost pet. wwAn estimated 10 million dogs and cats are lost every year, and one in three pets will become lost at some point during its life. Here are some tips for giving your pet the best chance of returning home if he gets lost. wwMake sure pets have on proper identification at all times. A secure, buckle collar with an ID tag that includes current contact information is highly recommended.
wwAlso, provide as many contact phone numbers as possible because most shelters only hold animals for five days before making them available for adoption. wwStatistics indicate that only about 22 percent of lost dogs that end up in shelters are reunited with their families. However, the return-to-owner rate for microchipped dogs is over 52 percent. Cats can also be microchipped. wwA common misunderstanding about microchips is that they are tracking devices. They are not. The location of an animal cannot be pinpointed from the microchip. If an animal is lost, someone must first find him and then bring him to a vet or shelter to be scanned. Only then, can the owner be contacted. wwWe never plan for our pets to become lost, but accidents and emergencies do happen, and when they do, knowing the chip information is up-to-date will help facilitate a happy reunion. If a pet does become lost, please alert the microchip company right away and confirm that all information is current. SOURCE: http://www.theadvocate.com/new_orleans/ news/communities/crescent_city/article_2663356697e1-11e7-b41c-5f3e6013c3c9.html
WHAT TO DO WHEN PET GOES MISSING IN ROCKINGHAM OR HARRISONBURG wwMicrochip. A vet can insert a little chip, the size of a grain of rice, under the animal’s skin, usually between the shoulder blades. The microchip has a unique number on it that can be read by a scanner. The procedure takes only seconds and offers secure, reliable, unique and permanent identification. Unlike a collar with tags, a pet’s microchip cannot fall off or be removed. wwRegister the microchip. Microchipping a pet is only the first step. The chip must be registered with the microchip company so that an owner’s contact information and a good description of the pet are available. 6
Alert us right away. Virginia stray hold is 5-10 business days. Leave a lost/ found report by calling 540-434-5270 or emailing info@rhspca.org. Provide a photo with lost report. Make flyers and post them around town. Post their photo on social media. Include any distinguishing marks. Provide something that smells familiar like bedding or a worn t-shirt. Check any hiding spots they could be in. Follow up. Visit animals in person and let us know if your pet has been found!
27 Cats Adopted During Purricane Season Normally every month the RockinghamHarrisonburg SPCA participates in a cat transport through the ASPCA and cats are taken to Second Chance Animal Shelter in Massachusetts. Through a joint decision the September transport was cancelled so that efforts of the ASPCA and Second Chance can be focused on the animals from Texas, Florida, and other areas effected by the historic hurricanes. We are very appreciative of their efforts to help these animals in other states. During the months of June, July, August, and September the R-H SPCA received a total of 707 cats. In order to help our feline friends in our care we had an adoption special called “Purricane Season.� The adoption fee was $15 during the special plus a spay/neuter deposit. The fee still included age appropriate vaccines, deworming, flea treatment, microchip, and a FELV/FIV/HW test. A total of 27 cats were adopted during the special that ran from September 7th through the 30th. Waffle and Mittens
Ginga Snap
Bonnie
Thank you for the generous support! Thank you to Emma who included the animals in her birthday celebration. The toys she received and picked out were adorable and the animals enjoyed playing with them!
This girl scout troop donated many bags of dog and cat food that were so beneficial to the animals here at the shelter. It is always great when community members donate food to the shelter so we can spend less money ordering food. Elizabeth chose to collect donations for the shelter pets in a wonderfully decorated box! We are so glad she shares our love for animals. We are so thankful for community support and we love receiving donations! Visit www.rhspca.org/ needed-items to see what items we currently need!
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Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Harrisonburg, VA Permit No. 9
2170 Old Furnace Road P.O. Box 413 Harrisonburg, VA 22803
Please join us in thanking our extraordinary Pet of the Week Sponsors!
Harrisonburg Towing & Storage 137 Towman Lane Harrisonburg, VA 22802 Heavy duty towing, recovery and heavy hauling