Week of 7/9/11 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

David and Frank resurfacing the playyards

Desert Haven Animal Refuge was a busy place the past couple of days. A determined crew of volunteers gathered soon after sun-up on Monday morning to resurface with crusher fine three of the six play yards in Dog Town. The crusher fine had recently generously been donated by Bar-2 Sand and Gravel. A sincere thank-you goes to Jared Bartoo. Don & Jackie Fletcher of EB and Bootz & Jack Gillem loaned their heavy duty wheelbarrows. The crew consisted of Jackie, DHAR work campers Bill Mc Lain and Frank Welch, together with Frank’s friend, David, who was visiting him from Albuquerque for a couple of days. There was also Janice Lamb of Elephant Butte and Eliana Aubin, the organization’s president. The work was very physical and the heat and intense humidity did not help, but in the end, it was all worth it. The rocky ground has been resurfaced with a layer of crusher fine. Thank you everyone, for a job well done!

Eliana Aubin and Jo Brewer

 Tuesday morning, Desert Haven received the wonderful surprise visit of Jo Brewer of Connecticut. Jo is well known and well loved at Desert Haven. We have known her since the winter of 2002, when she work camped at the sanctuary for the first time. Still under construction at the time, Desert Haven had just opened its doors to a few white doves, several guinea pigs and a mother cat with her tiny kittens. Jo returned to DHAR the following Winter and made many more friends along the way. Before she left in the Spring, she had become a member of the organization and she has continued her support ever since. What a real pleasure it was to see Jo once again at Desert Haven, even only for a very short while!

Desert Haven is open for visitors every Tuesday. Join us at one PM for our Pot Luck Power Lunch and meet our down-to-earth animal loving crew. If you are thinking of adding a fur-kid to your family, check out our list of adoptable dogs and cats on the DHAR Petfinder page or call us at 575-894-1694 for more information. Visit our web site at: www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. , our blog at http://DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com and www.Facebook.com/deserthaven.

Week of 7/3/11 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

David spreading crusher fine

The Sierra County Humane Society is currently recruiting a crew of able bodied volunteers to gather at Desert Haven in the early morning of Monday July 11 – we are planning a 7AM start. Our goal is to spread crusher fine to resurface several play yards in Dog Town, which should take a couple of hours or less. We thank each and everyone who has already committed to be there early that morning, including one lady who plans to insure that hot coffee and cold beverages will be available for all the volunteers. Breakfast burritos, perhaps sweet rolls would be a welcome end to the morning’s work project. If you wish to contribute in that way, please let us know. Do you have a heavy duty wheelbarrow or garden cart to lend us for that morning? Can you give a hand in any way you feel appropriate? Contact us at 894-2639.

Bullocks receipts continue to be collected for the Sierra County Humane Society. Our collection boxes are located at several local businesses including the T or C Public Library, Williamsburg Post Office, and Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe in T or C. Please do not cut the bottom of the receipts you save for our organization. If you do, we have to discard them. Josephine Varnum is to be commended for her on-going work in tallying them year-after-year-after-year. Thanks to everyone who saves their Bullocks receipts and the nice folks who also collect them for us from neighbors and friends, our animal welfare society and Desert Haven continue to be the number one recipient of Bullocks receipts. With the funds we receive from the tallied receipts, our organization continues to be able to offer rebates of $30 and $40 to help Sierra County residents who need a little extra help with sterilizing their male or female dog or cat, respectively. Applications for the SCHS Spay-Neuter forms can be picked-up at the TC Police Station, Hot Springs Animal Clinic and also at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe in TorC.

Desert Haven is open for visitors every Tuesday or by appointment. Call 575-894-1694 for more information. Check-out our web site at: www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. , our blog at http://DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com and www.Facebook.com/deserthaven.

Week of 6/25/11 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

Jack Hogue with a gentle caress for the kitty "supervisor"

The past few days, we have been welcoming several new volunteers at Desert Haven and Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe: local residents Monica Dudbudinger, Diana Bellhouse, also Bill Mc Lain of Florida who recently settled at the sanctuary, followed by Leonard & Karen Chambers of Sioux Falls SD. Already, the new work campers are settling down at the sanctuary and visiting the neighboring communities. RV’ers from all over who commit to help out for a while at DHAR not only give much precious time to help the cause of animals in Sierra County, but they also contribute to the local economy in the same way that tourists do.

Local businesses and private residents continue to support our efforts in many ways. Among other contributions to Desert Haven from local businesses, St Cloud Mining regularly donates kitty litter for the sanctuary’s “Cool Cat Neighborhood”. The residents of Birdland & Animal House eat fresh veggies and fruits every morning, thanks to the generosity of Bullocks Grocery Store. We regularly pick-up damaged and open bags of pet food and other needed items from Walmart, free of charge to us. Bar-2 Sand and Gravel came through for us again this year, with a substantial contribution of crusher fine that will soon be used to resurface several play yards in Dog Town. The on-going generosity of private residents, both local and from out-of-the-area, continues to warm our hearts. Together with generous anonymous donors, Don &Barbara Heller of Elephant Butte, Mrs Robert Wagner, Susan Newman of Animas Creek Nursery, Claire Dishman, Donna Duncan and her family, Carl Bonner and his folks in memory of their beloved family dog duke, also Mary Roden who makes a point to help insure that there is always enough canned cat food for all the residents of the Cool Cat Neighborhood to enjoy at breakfast time every morning. Large or small, each donation is crucial to the success of the sanctuary and the well-being of its residents. Thank-you everyone.

Early Monday morning July 11, a crew of several able-bodied volunteers will gather at Desert Haven to resurface several play yards in Dog Town with crusher fine. The project is expected to take less than a couple of hours and be completed long before the end of the morning. The more help we have, the quicker we will get the job done. Can you give a hand? Do you have a heavy duty wheelbarrow or a sturdy hand cart you can lend us for that morning? Contact us at 894-2639.

Desert Haven is open for visitors every Tuesday or by appointment. Call 575-894-1694 for more information. Check-out our web site at: www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. , our blog at http://DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com and www.Facebook.com/deserthaven.

Week of 6/20/11 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

It’s been hot at Desert Haven Animal Refuge and every effort is being made to keep our residents as comfortable as possible through what is known here in the Southwest as the hottest month of the year: the month of June.

Janice Lamb, who with her husband David, recently moved to Elephant Butte to be closer to family, has been a welcome addition to the Desert Haven office staff for some weeks now. Janice comes from the corporate world and brings with her many talents and professional skills that are put to good use at the sanctuary. Janice also loves animals and makes a point to routinely get involved with the care of the non-human residents. It’s great to have you on board, Janice! And what award-winning smile and friendly personality you have!

An Albuquerque resident who was camping at Elephant Butte Lake with several friends this week-end introduced them to Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe last Friday. As they were finishing their shopping spree, they made several complimentary comments about our shop. “Not too organized but organized enough” one of them commented.” She added: ”Everywhere I turn, there is a nice surprise. I hate stores that are so organized that I know what’s around the corner”. Our hard working P&C volunteers appreciate all the compliments they receive.

Recently, Jackie and Don Fletcher installed a large set of shelving at P&C. It is now being used to display the pairs of jeans that are known to be some of our shop’s best bargains. We still have several boxes of jeans waiting to be sorted by size and displayed on the shelves. Interested anyone?

During the summer, the morning hours in the Desert Southwest are some of the most comfortable times to enjoy the Great Outdoors. Why not mix your routine walk or other daily exercise with taking a Desert Haven dog for a walk? Perhaps you prefer to groom a few kitties who love the special attention, or you may enjoy caring for a few other small creatures lucky enough to have been rescued at some time or another and who call the sanctuary “home”.

The Book Nook at P&C Thrift Shoppe needs a book lover to take charge of revamping it. Jackie, who sorts the donations in the P&C yard on Wednesday and Thursday, can also use help. Interested? Call us at 894-2639 or talk to us at P&C thrift Shoppe.

Desert Haven is open for visitors every Tuesday or by appointment. Call 575-894-1694 for more information. Check-out our web site at: www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. , our blog at http://DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com and www.Facebook.com/deserthaven.