Week of 1/15/12 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

This week, the members and supporters of the Sierra County Humane Society wish to thank Bullocks Grocery Store in TorC for its Cash-for-Clubs program. When you shop at Bullocks and if you wish to help us help companion animals, please save ALL your receipts and ask your friends to do the same – Then drop them all in our SCHS Bullocks Receipts containers at the T or C Public Library on Third Street, or at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe, located across the alley from Family Dollar in TorC. Yes, your Bullocks receipts are worth $$$ to our organization! A word from Josephine who picks them up and tallies them:” Please do not roll-up your receipts. They are much harder to read and tally that way. Please do not cut-out any portion of any receipt or it will become worthless”. Our organization receives 1 dollar for each 1,000 dollars tallied. All the funds earned in this way go towards the Society’s Spay-Neuter programs.

During the winter months especially, our animal care volunteer team provides the residents of Dogtown with a mixture of both canned and dry food every morning. The winter is not over yet, but sadly, our winter storage of canned dog food is already completely depleted. If you wish to help us replenish it, please drop-off your contribution of canned dog food at P&C Thrift Shoppe from Wed to Sat between 11AM and 4 PM, when the store is open for business. You can also bring your donated canned dog food directly to Desert Haven on Tuesday when the sanctuary is open to visitors. We thank you in advance for your generosity.

The Sierra County Humane Society will hold its Annual Membership Meeting on the second Monday in February. Elections for empty or expiring directorships are held at that meeting. Any SCHS member interested in being nominated for a Board position or who would like to nominate another member is requested to send a letter of intent to the SCHS at POB 638, Williamsburg, NM, 87942. Contact us at 575-894-2639 or e-mail us at weR4pets@gmail.com for more information.

Volunteer opportunities are always available at Desert Haven and P&C Thrift Shoppe. Do you enjoy exercising by walking a few dogs of your choice? Do you prefer the company of cats? Perhaps you enjoy working on a project, either by yourself or with a crew. Can you research and write a grant or two for us? Contact us at 575-894-1694 or visit DHAR some Tuesday, meet our team, look around and find out where you can make a difference and how you can get involved. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com , www.Facebook.com/deserthaven. and www.Facebook.com/pawsnclawsthriftshoppe.

Week of 1/8/12 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

This week, the Sierra County Humane Society wishes to acknowledge a very special couple, Carl and Linda Schmidt. Carl and Linda are currently work camping at Desert Haven Animal Refuge. This retired but still very active RV’ing couple settled at the sanctuary this past fall and has been a very definite asset ever since, both at the sanctuary and at its major fundraiser, Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe in TorC.

Carl & Linda are out-of-the-ordinary RV’ers. As they experience this beautiful country of ours from their home-on-wheels, they take time to stop here and there along the road, so they can help out in many special ways. As part of their service oriented attitude and when the opportunity arises, they both volunteer for Habitat for Humanity. This fall, Desert Haven was fortunate enough to be Carl and Linda’s special volunteer project. And what a difference they have made while there!

Carl & Linda’s commitment to DHAR is almost completed and they are getting ready for their next RV’ing adventure. Our team of volunteers both at DHAR and P&C Thrift Shoppe wishes them the very best. They will be fondly remembered and sorely missed. Should they decide to return to Desert Haven at some time in the future, we want them to know that they will be welcomed back with open arms.

The Sierra County Humane Society continues to receive request from folks who no longer want their dogs or cats and are asking that Desert Haven possibly takes them in. Desert Haven’s size and resources are limited and we are able to rescue another dog or cat only when one of our residents moves on to his forever home. Until then, we can help in another effective way! Provide us with at least one photo and some information about the animal you wish to give up and we will post it all, free of charge to you, on the Desert Haven Petfinder page. Please contact us at 813-716-2033, to receive more information about our Adopt-a-Pet Referral program.

Interested in adopting a cat or kitten? At this time and for a little while longer, a generous couple who supports our efforts is covering half of the adoption fee for any feline adopted from our sanctuary. Contact us at 575-894-1694 or visit Desert Haven on Tuesday from 9AM to 4PM. We always need Dog Walkers at Desert Haven and helpers at Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe? Let us know if you would like to get involved. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, www.Facebook.com/deserthaven. and www.Facebook.com/pawsnclawsthriftshoppe. Our mailing address is POB 638, Williamsburg, NM 87942.

Week of 1/1/12 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

Bob, one of our many generous donors

Already 2012! The Sierra County Humane Society and Desert Haven have a lot to be thankful for as the year 2011 has closed its last chapter and 2012 is already here.

The poor economy has created some hardships along the way. Private contributions to our non-profit organization and the no-kill domestic animal sanctuary that it operates have greatly diminished. We appealed for help to several local organizations and businesses. They heard our appeals and they immediately responded. Moose Lodge 2050, American Legion Post 44, White Sands Credit union, Bullocks Grocery Store, Wal Mart, St Cloud Mining, and all of you not mentioned here, we have counted on you more than ever in 2011, and you all came through. We are grateful.

Local and out-of-state supporters warmed our hearts throughout the year, with their contributions of cash and also toys, catnip, bedding and accessories for the little ones in our care. Susan Newman of Animal Creek Nursery continues to be one of our strongest local supporters. This business lady is wonderful and we can count on her generosity every month. Jeanette Galliard of Albuquerque drives several times a year to personally deliver a pick-up truck load of straw and alfalfa for the residents of Birdland & Animal House. We just can’t thank her enough for the commitment that she made to us several years ago ”I will continue to bring bales of alfalfa and straw as long as I can”. Lately, Jeanette has sent $$$ to our Desert Haven account at Horsin’ Around Feed & Tack at POB 922 in TorC, to help us get a few extra bales of alfalfa locally as needed. God Bless you, Jeanette. Several supporters from out-of-state have contributed to our cause by sending a check directly to the Feed Store to be deposited into our DHAR account.

It’s been a huge relief lately, to pick-up food bags and a bale or two of hay, courtesy of a few generous supporters from all over.

We do what we do because we love companion animals and they need help in this area. We know we make a difference, small as it may seem at times. Through our Spay-Neuter and Spay-a-Stray programs, our organization spends literally thousands of dollars to help sterilize Sierra County dogs and cats. Through Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe, we offer the community recycled items at bargain prices.

We are a small, but strong and very active volunteer organization dedicated to the betterment of our community. Interested in becoming part of our team in some way? Contact us at 575-894-1694.

Check us out at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com . Chat with us at www.Facebook.com/deserthaven. Our mailing address is POB 638, Williamsburg, NM 87942.