Week of 5/10/09 Humane Happenings

Butch hauling brush

by Eliana Aubin

Lee and Susan Newman of Animas Creek Nursery deserve the sincere appreciation from all animal loving folks who are also interested in the on-goings at Desert Haven Animal Refuge, Sierra County’s no-kill domestic animal sanctuary - owned and operated by The Sierra County Humane Society, Inc.

Lee and Susan’s recent generosity, both monetary and in-kind, is very heartwarming to everyone currently volunteering at DHAR. Thanks to this kind-hearted couple, Desert Haven is now the lucky recipient of several gorgeous rose bushes and a number of potted plants and young trees. As an added bonus, many bags of potting soil was added to the contribution that Animas Creek Nursery Foreman Mike Slater very graciously helped load into the flat bed of DHAR caretaker Gene Wagner, who had visited the nursery with his wife Reba and son Stephen.

Reba, DHAR Animal Care Coordinator, informed the group attending the Tuesday meeting at DHAR that two mature shade trees will also be donated by the management of the Animal Creek Nursery as soon as arrangements are being made to have them delivered and planted.

As Susan was walking around the nursery with Gene, Reba and Stephen while selecting the plants and trees to be donated to DHAR, she told them: “We read the Humane Happenings every week and we appreciate the work that is being done at Desert Haven. We feel that it is a very good cause, so we want to do something to help”. Your kindness and generosity are very appreciated, Lee and Susan!

We certainly hope that the DHAR volunteer crew will soon have the opportunity to share a Tuesday lunch with them, walk around the property and show them first-hand what their contribution is doing to enhance the grounds of the animal sanctuary. Thanks to them and folks like them, and to a dedicated group of volunteers from all over, Desert Haven has become the “ Haven of Compassion in the Heart of Desert Country” that its founder envisioned in May 1999, when the then-undeveloped property was being purchased.

This week’s wish list: good used chest freezer for Dogtown - working refrigerator for Birdland, to store fresh produce regularly donated by Bullocks grocery. Dog and cat treats – no rawhide please. Summer vacations, unforeseen situations and emergencies have now left a smaller than usual crew at Paws & Claws thrift shop and also at DHAR, to care for its non-human residents. Consequently, we hope that local folks will consider donating time as Dog walkers, kitty cuddlers, office helpers at DHAR, or become volunteers at Paws&Claws thrift shop until Summer is over and our long-term crew comes back.

Interested in learning more about our organization? Wanting to check-out our list of dogs and cats for adoption? Contact us at 575-894-2778, e-mail us at eliana4pets@gmail. com, visit us on Tuesdays, or check us out at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com.