Week of 10/16/11 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

Sharon and Bill Stoffels

Sharon Stoffels of Albuquerque and her father Bill are very special people to everyone who resides at Desert Haven Animal Refuge, the no-kill domestic animal sanctuary in Sierra County. Sharon works at Sandia labs and Bill, retired for some years now, spends his leisure time between Albuquerque and Sierra County.

During the summer, the WI-FI inside the main building and the DHAR campground failed to perform as needed. The situation gave a lot of concern to all of us at Desert Haven, especially since having internet is crucial to our office work as well as to the work campers who come from all over the US sometimes for months at a time, to trade their time and energy for a FHU RV site. In one of our weekly Humane Happenings articles, our readers were informed of our difficulties and they were asked for assistance in correcting a very frustrating and costly situation.

Sharon and Bill Stoffels came to the rescue. It took both of them many hours during many week-ends to troubleshoot and make the necessary repairs and upgrades. Sharon’s brother-in-Law, through the company that employs him, generously donated over five hundred feet of RCA cable that Bill installed at the sanctuary. When the WI-FI situation was finally corrected, Desert Haven had also received from Sharon Stoffels and her father a couple of new antennas and router boxes, also a brand new hard drive and a printer for the existing office computer. This professional lady and her father are indeed very special to all the volunteers involved in some way with the Desert Haven operation.

This week, a special recognition is in order for Susan Newman, owner of Animas Creek Plant Nursery. Desert Haven received this past week two very large boxes of dog biscuits for the residents of Dog Town. They were sent by a nationally known mail order company and paid for by Susan. Those specific treats are great for our dogs morale and also for their teeth, and they are usually high on our priority wish list. Our DHAR dog treat supply always seem to be very low.

Interested in getting involved with individuals of kindred spirit in your local humane society and its no-kill domestic animal sanctuary? Desert Haven and Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe offer volunteer opportunities you may wish to investigate. We also have a newly-vacant position on the Board of Directors. Call us at 575-894-1694, 813-716-2033 or 894-2639 for more information. Desert Haven is open for visitors every Tuesday. Our Tuesday Pot Luck Power Lunch has been moved to 12 - Noon for the winter months and our visitors are always welcome to share it with us. Check out our web site at: www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. , our blog at http://DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com and our Facebook pages, www.Facebook.com/deserthaven and www.Facebook.com/Paws&ClawsThriftShoppe

Week of 10/10/11 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

  Gene Trelewicz has been a household name at Desert Haven Animal Refuge for many years now. A long time volunteer at the no-kill domestic animal sanctuary, Gene was known to help out whenever needed in order to keep the tools we used there in a good state or repair. Gene, a retired electrical engineer, was truly amazing in what he could do with his talents and his skills and Desert Haven gave him the opportunity to use them over and over again and in a very productive way.

Gene and Mary had moved to this area from New Jersey over 17 years ago. Along with their household goods, Gene also moved an entire workshop, including some heavy machinery that he set up inside his new home shop. Gene found great pleasure at repairing tools and building things. When he realized that Desert Haven could use his skills, he decided to come on board. Being involved at the small sanctuary was healthy and it was also gratifying for Gene. After Mary, his high-school sweetheart and wife of many years passed away in 1997, Gene stayed involved at the sanctuary. He also had good friends there, friends who cared about him.

Gene passed away earlier this year – not in his own home, the home he and Mary had built together some years ago, but in a new place in a new town – Houston Texas - far from his old friends, far from his home with his machine shop.

To honor a decent man who always made himself available to help his fellow man, either around his neighborhood or in the community, Desert Haven now has a large wooden plaque hung above the door of the Sanctuary’s workshop. On the plaque, one reads: “Gene Trelewicz Memorial workshop”. It is a loving tribute to a good man. Farewell, dear friend.

This winter, we are asking our animal loving friends to please remember that we need the help of Dog Walkers at the sanctuary, during Morning and also Evening Animal Care. Some dogs are walked on a leash around the Desert Haven perimeter. Others are walked to a fenced one-acre area where they can run and exercise off-leash for a while. Interesting in enjoying a walk with a dog or more? Call us at 575-894-1694 or visit Desert Haven on a Tuesday to meet everyone. We always need extra helpers at Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe. Interested? Call us at 575-894-2639 or visit P&C between 11 AM and 4 PM, from Wednesday through Saturday. Check out our web site at: www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. , our blog at http://DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com and our Facebook pages, www.Facebook.com/deserthaven and www.facebookcom/pages/Paws-Claws-Thrift-Shoppe/258790984151651

Week of 10/3/11 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

Volunteers folding newsletters

The Sierra County Humane Society recently sent its 2011 newsletter to members and supporters from all over and we are already receiving some positive feedback. If you love animals and want to help us make a better place for them in our area, renew your membership today. If you believe in our work of love for domestic animals, contribute to our cause today. You can send your donation, large or small, to the Sierra County Humane Society at POB 638, Williamsburg, NM, 87942

Our members contribute towards our on-going work to save unwanted and abused companion animals and give them a new chance at a normal life at Desert Haven Animal Refuge, Sierra County no-kill domestic animal sanctuary. Our members help curb dog and cat overpopulation in Sierra County through both SCHS Spay-Neuter and Spay-a-Stray programs. Our members help fund Humane Education through the Adopt-a-Classroom program that our organization offers every year to local participating elementary classrooms. Our members help us give a voice to neglected and abused defenseless animals.

Animal welfare organizations throughout the US work independently from each other and must raise their own funds in order to provide needed services in their area. Contrary to popular belief, local animal welfare groups receive no financial support from any other organizations, including the ASPCA and the Humane Society of the US. When you donate to any of those larger groups, please also donate to smaller ones as well, such as ours. Be generous with your contribution to the Sierra County Humane Society & Desert Haven. We need you, our members and supporters, to help us continue our work.

Volunteer opportunities are available at both Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe in TorC and at Desert Haven Animal Refuge. At the shop, we need help with sorting, tagging and displaying the donated clothing from Wednesday through Saturday between 11 AM to 4 PM, during business hours. Interested in helping us walk our Desert Haven resident dogs? Morning animal care starts at 8 AM every morning and lasts about two hours. Evening Animal Care starts at 5 PM at this time of the year and lasts for less than two hours. Call us at 575-894-1694 or 813-716-2033 for more information or visit us on Tuesday. To adopt a dog or a cat, call for an appointment or visit the sanctuary on a Tuesday, between 8:30AM and 4PM. Visit our web site at: www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. , our blog at http://DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com and our Facebook pages at www.facebook.com/deserthaven  and www.facebook.com/pages/Paws-Claws-Thrift-Shoppe/258790984151651

Week of 9/25/11 Part II Humane Happenings

Sally

Desert Haven rescued five dogs the past couple of weeks. Trina is a three years old Jack Russell whose elderly owner’s health is quickly deteriorating and she can no longer care for her. Fender and Lady are both young adult Cocker Spaniels. Their human companion’s new job requires him to travel extensively. Travis is a playful young terrier mix who loves the company of people and wants to please. 

Sally, born in January 2005, is a very loving and very smart Cattle Dog Blue Heeler mix relinquished by her human folks soon after they watched a pack of coyotes attempt to reach her as she was snoozing the afternoon away inside her own back yard way out in the country. Sally has received obedience training and would make a very faithful and truly enjoyable companion.

Foxy Girl

Foxie Girl is a one year old Boxer. She is a beautiful, fun loving dog who thrives on attention. She is currently sharing the Canine Cottage and its large exercise yard with her playmates Chowder and Vickie, both of them also available for adoption. Desert Haven is currently home to dogs and cats of all sizes and temperaments. All the Desert Haven dogs and cats available for adoption are sterilized and current on their shots. Anyone interested in adoption a dog or a cat is welcome to visit the no-kill sanctuary on a Tuesday, between 9 AM and 4 PM. Please call us at 575-894-1694 for more information.

This week’s wish list: Pieces of plywood & screws for some of our small construction projects. Bird & Sunflower seeds. Dog treats (no rawhide please). Canned cat food and Catnip for our small army of finicky felines. If any of our readers has left-over construction material, patio blocks, insulation, fencing material, we can use them at the sanctuary. Any donation dropped-off in front of Paws & Claws after business hours is very likely to disappear within the hour if no sooner. Undesirable individuals are quick at picking-up anything donated for our animal welfare organization and Desert Haven, whatever they can sell on their own for a profit.

Interested in becoming involved in The Sierra County Humane Society, Desert Haven Animal Sanctuary or Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe? Contact us at 575-894-1694. Visit our web site at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. Chat with us on both our Facebook pages at www.Facebook.com/deserthaven and http://www.facebook.com/pages/Paws-Claws-Thrift-Shoppe/258790984151651.