Week of 4/24/11 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

Power lunch prep - Sherry and Jim

A breath of fresh air at Desert Haven Animal Refuge. Spring is in the air, and with it, the companion animal sanctuary is enjoying fresh leadership and new volunteers coming on board. Sherry Scott is settling down into her new position as DHAR Animal Care Coordinator while also taking on the leadership of the volunteer and work camping crew at the sanctuary. Sherry is hard working, professional and also loyal, which make for a positive blend of qualities that can sometime be hard to find in this day and age. New members have recently joined our ranks with fresh and positive ideas. We are indeed looking forward to a very productive year.

At this time, we wish to show our sincere appreciation to the dedicated crew of volunteers at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe and Desert Haven volunteers, as they continue to loyally serve our organization and the cause of animals down on their luck: ACC Sherry Scott, Pat Madden, Jane Jerrick, Diane Lombardy, Glen Parks, Velda Preston, Estella Groff, Jackie Fletcher, also Diana Rivera, Jack Gillem, Bootz Farrester and Eliana Aubin. Freddie Loveless is slowly recovering from many weeks of illness that have kept her from being involved with our animal welfare organization.

We are thankful for local businesses, professional and private entities that help out when most needed. Recently, local contractor Jack Hogue resurfaced the walls of the Feline Dorm with new, water resistant and easy-to-clean paneling – all of it pro-bono. Apple Tree Educational Center “rocks” for donating the proceeds from Chris Runyon record sculpture that was sold at their Art Show. John and Shirley Childers of Williamsburg, we appreciate your recent donation of items for Dog Town. Desert Haven can always use dog houses, dog beds, kitty condos and play furniture. T or C Middle School teacher Rhonda Spence and her students are starting a Humane Group. Desert Haven is looking forward to a visit by Rhonda and her students at some time in the near future.

Bootz Farrester’s son of Oregon lapsed in a diabetic coma a couple of weeks ago. He is now back home and recuperating slowly. We send our good wishes to him and his family and hope that he will be able to return to his normal life as soon as possible. Work camper Jim Seery has now left DHAR, after a stay of several months at the sanctuary. He is now on his way to attend his daughter’s college graduation in Michigan. Jim plans to spend the winter at Quartzite next year, and he already mentioned stopping at Desert Haven on his way to his destination. Jim will always be welcome at DHAR.

Interested in connecting with us or learning more about us? Call us at 575-894-2639. Visit us at www.DeserthavenAnimalRefuge.com and www.Facebook.com/deserthaven.

Week of 4/17/11 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

Jack, on a break from installing new and improved wall inside the Feline Dorm

Local contractor Jack Hogue donated his professional skills and precious time this past Tuesday to revamp the Feline Dorm inside the Cool Cat Neighborhood at Desert Haven Animal Refuge, the Sierra County Humane Society owned and operated no-kill domestic animal sanctuary. Once the task is completed, the walls will be covered with brand new paneling that will make the entire Feline Dorm much easier to clean. Thank you, Jack, for your generosity and for a truly fantastic job. The DHAR crew is in the process of painting the individual Kitty Condos that are part of the Feline Dorm. When the paint job is completed, the Feline dorm will look, once again, bright, cheery and inviting.

Jim Seery at work

James Seery, a work camper from New York State, has resided at DHAR for several months now: Thanks to much dedication and hard work on his part, many bushes and young trees planted over the past several years survived an unusually dry and cold winter. Jim’s efforts paid off as some of them are already budding. Every year, Desert Haven has been the grateful recipient of native and semi-native plants generously donated by the Sierra County Soil and Water Conservation District. This past Tuesday, the sanctuary once again benefited from the SWCD generosity. Jim took on the task of planting as many of them as possible as soon as he could. Late spring and early summer at Desert Haven are usually the most colorful seasons of the year when Desert Willows, Rosemary bushes, Birds of Paradise, Desert Brooms and Texas Sages, lovingly planted by nature loving folks over the years, are all in full bloom.

We remind our animal loving friends who donate items to our cause through Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe adjacent to Family Dollar in TorC, to please wait until P&C is open for business before dropping off their donations. Unsavory individuals are making a habit of taking what is not theirs and our thrift shop is no exception. The Police are aware of the situation and we have been advised to let everyone who witnesses any suspicious activity outside of business hours, to please immediately contact the TCPD at 894-7111. TCPD Chief Gallagher has assured our organization that any call regarding theft or possible theft at P&C, including shoplifting, will be taken seriously and followed through. Providing the vehicle license number or description of the vehicle involved is also recommended.

Do you have a good used computer or laptop you would like to donate to our 501-c-3 non-profit organization? If so, please let us know at 575-894-2778. Visit us at www.DeserthavenAnimalRefuge.com and www.Facebook.com/deserthaven.

Week of 4/10/11 Humane Happenings

Sherry Scott, Animal Care/Work Camper Coordinator

by Eliana Aubin



Desert Haven is a non-profit domestic animal sanctuary owned and operated by the Sierra County Humane Society. Sherry Scott, Desert Haven Animal Care Coordinator, also handles the work camper program at the sanctuary. Sherry handles inquiries from individuals and couples, locally and from all over the US, who show interest in committing for several months at a time to exchange a number of hours every week for an RV site and other amenities at the DHAR campground. Together with staff members and local volunteers, work campers handle the daily care of the sanctuary residents, together with helping maintain the property in a good state of repairs. They also help build and upgrade as needed. Some of the duties may include helping out at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe, the major fund raising activity for the animal welfare organization. If interested in learning more about the DHAR work camper program, contact Sherry at 575-740-9412, or visit our web site at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com where you will find our work camper application.

Desert Haven always welcomes the help of local individuals who wish to be involved with our worthwhile cause. We need extra help with animal care in the morning or late afternoon. We can use an extra volunteer or two with adoptions from the sanctuary and local home visits for the purpose of placing the right animal in just the right home. Our dog and cat residents always welcome the extra attention. If you enjoy the company of companion animals without the responsibility of ownership, Desert Haven is the right place for you. Can you help in the office on Tuesdays? If so, plan to stay for our pot luck lunch and mingle with the DHAR volunteer team.

This week, the SCHS and DHAR volunteers are sending their thoughts and prayers to Ellen Farrester. Ellen, also known as “Bootz” has been volunteering at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe for several years now and she is very much liked by everyone who knows her. Her son, who lives in Oregon with his family, fell into a coma earlier this week and Bootz is spending time with him. We will miss her at the shop until her return.

Do you have a good used computer or laptop you would like to donate to our 501-c-3 non-profit organization? If so, please let us know at 575-894-2778. Interested in connecting with our animal welfare organization? Visit our Facebook Page at www.Facebook.com/deserthaven.

Week of 4/3/11 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

Daisy Mae and Stephen Wagner

Desert Haven Animal Refuge, the domestic animal sanctuary owned and operated by the Sierra County Humane Society, is seeing a few changes lately. Freddie Loveless, DHAR Operation Coordinator and the Society’s Bookkeeper, has been ill and confined to her home for over six weeks now. She was even in the local hospital for a few days. It will take her a little while longer to fully recuperate. Several nice people have pitched in during her absence and their help has been invaluable. Glen Parks and Jim Seery are sharing her duties at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe in T or C. Reba Wagner is picking up at Bullocks Grocery Store the fresh produce and fruits reserved for the residents of Birdland & Animal House at the sanctuary.

Katherine

 Eliana Aubin and Katherine Trinity are adding, to their own responsibilities, the more crucial paperwork Freddie usually handles when the sanctuary is open for visitors on Tuesdays. With already not enough helpers in the office on Tuesdays as a rule, anyone not on her/his post on that day is even harder to replace.

Reba Wagner, husband Gene and son Stephen are moving out of Desert Haven in a few days. For over two years now, DHAR Animal Care Coordinator Reba and her family were actively involved to help keep the sanctuary residents safe and happy. As work camper coordinator, Reba was instrumental in attracting animal loving folks from all over the US. Reba, Gene and Stephen will be missed. We wish them luck on their new venture which is taking them only a few miles away at this time. Sherry Scott, who currently work camps at DHAR, is taking over Reba’s duties. We welcome her in her new capacity and support her fully as she works together with Reba to insure a smooth transition.

This week, we especially thank the person who, every spring, donates for sale at P& C Thrift Shoppe many potted Aloe Vera plants, home grown specifically for our animal welfare cause. Aloe Vera plants are in high demand at P&C, along with radios, CD and DVD players and also furniture.

Summer is on its way and vacation time will take away for many weeks several of our key helpers at the shop and DHAR. We need extra help at the shop during business hours from Wed through Saturday and at Desert Haven on Tuesday. For more information, contact us at 894-2639. We can be reached at POB 638 Williamsburg, NM 87942. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com and www.Facebook/com/deserthaven.