Friday, January 11, 2013

Week of 1/7/13 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

Our Christmas party 
 This week, the Sierra County Humane Society volunteer staff wishes to gratefully acknowledge all the thoughtful folks who, during the Christmas Holidays, remembered with their generous contributions the furry and feathered residents of Desert Haven Animal Refuge. The no-kill sanctuary is owned and operated by the 501-C-3 non-profit animal welfare organization.

A special thank you goes to the anonymous individuals who, around Christmas Day, dropped-off at the gated entrance several large boxes of pet food, treats and brand new pet toys and accessories. Soon after, Lois and CW Wrede of Elephant Butte drove up with a car full of dog and cat treats, also carpets, towels and other items on behalf of the Roadrunners Women’s Golf Association. That same day, Mary Roden and Sel Bethel delivered to the Cool Cat Neighborhood a car trunk full of much needed canned cat food and treats. We could not do what we do to help local animals in need year ‘round without all of supporters from all over!

The local Humane Society volunteer staff continues to work hard to raise money for the cause. We collect Aluminum cans. We also collect Bullocks receipts that SCHS member Josephine tallies and redeems for our organization. Bullocks Grocery Store donates to our non-profit 501-C-3 organization $2 per thousand dollars that we collect.
Window at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe


Comments recently made by our TorC mayor are worth sharing with our readers. At the close of a meeting with a SCHS representative, his comments echoes what many local Paws&Claws shoppers are saying:”The volunteers at P&C Thrift Shoppe are very customer service oriented. No matter what day I shop there, a volunteer says “Hi” with a smile and offers to help me find what I want. I always feel welcome in your store.”

Our team of volunteers very much appreciates all the positive comments that we hear about Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe, including the strong customer service that we make a point to provide. Contact us at weR4pets@gmail.com or 575-894-1694. Visit our web site at http://www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com and www.Facebook.com/deserthaven.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Week of 1/1/13 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

Tina and furry friends
 The year 2012 has been a very interesting year for the Sierra County Humane Society and Desert Haven Animal Refuge, the no-kill domestic animal sanctuary owned and operated by the 501-C-3 non-profit organization.

Welcome back to Desert Haven, Jim and Sparky! Jim is a work camper and his home base is Michigan. This is the third winter in a row that Jim helps out at DHAR and it’s great to know that he decided to return this year. Aside from being versatile, both at DHAR and Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe, Jim is also an aficionado of the local hot springs and he enjoys TorC cuisine offered by our local restaurants. His fur-kid Sparky is a former sanctuary resident adopted before Jim moved on last spring. Jim is rejoining us at a time when we have one of the best quality teams DHAR has ever had.

Tina is from Oregon. She is DHAR Animal Care & Adoptions Coordinator. She also handles the organization’s Adopt-a-Pet Referral program. Her management skills and leadership abilities benefit greatly the daily operation of the sanctuary.

Sharon, together with her canine family, came last summer all the way from Maine, to fill the DHAR Caretaker’s position. As part of her many responsibilities, she oversees our beautiful Rainbow Bridge Pet Cemetery. Charlie & Elaine arrived late summer. Both are military retirees. This energetic and very pleasant couple brings to DHAR exceptionally strong work ethics and a genuine desire to make a difference. Mike & Laura read about Desert Haven on Facebook. Both bring with them many sought-after hands-on skills and the willingness to share them for the good of the cause. They are a perfect fit for the quality of the team members we already have at the sanctuary. With Lurvie & Eileen who recently arrived from Illinois, our DHAR team is complete.

Thanks to the quality of people which we always hope for but don’t always find, DHAR and the animal welfare organization that it represents are stronger than ever before, and 2013 can only be even more focused on helping Sierra County companion animals down-on-their-luck.

Contact us at weR4pets@gmail.com or 575-894-1694. Visit our web site at http://www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com and www.Facebook.com/deserthaven.

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Week of 12/16/12 Humane Happenings

 by Eliana Aubin

Vickie and Rosie getting extra attention from Tina and Eliana
Several weeks ago, the Sierra County Humane Society made a list of items that are routinely very much needed at Desert Haven, such as but not limited to large bottles of Clorox bleach, OdorBan, dishwashing liquid and hand sanitizer, also cement floor brushes and squeegees, water buckets and mops and, as importantly, sturdy pooper scoopers. Small area rugs, bed pillows, also carpet remnants and sturdy utility knives to cut them into smaller sizes are always on our list of priority items during the winter months. With store-bought heavy duty plastic doggie-door flaps out of our budget range, our resourceful volunteers use specific types of material such as used rubber mats or mud-flaps, old rubber-backed rugs, well-worn thermo-insulating door curtains, heavy-duty plastic sheets to make easy-to use and easy-on-our budget doggie-door flaps for the indoor-outdoor kennels and dog houses in Dogtown.

Our animal loving friends from all over responded quickly. The past couple of weeks especially, we have received boxes and bags of needed cleaning supply from as far away as California and Florida. People from Ruidoso, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Silver City, also folks from Arizona, Texas, Colorado, Wyoming and Utah, have helped fill our sanctuary’s wish list this Christmas.

Our local friends became actively involved as well. This past Tuesday, members of the Roadrunner Golf Association dropped-off at the sanctuary several bags of much needed bird seeds and various types of items and also bedding material. It was a good feeling for the sanctuary volunteers to see firsthand how our local community continues to help the cause of companion animals in one way or another.

A warm thank you goes to Desert Haven’s special guardian angels from Texas. This wonderful couple not only remembered our little rescues at this time of the year, but also the good-hearted volunteers who care for them every day. Last Tuesday, our team opened up a huge box of delicious home-baked goodies to share during our morning break and again all through the day. The kindness and generosity of so many people from all over reminds all of us here at Desert Haven that, when Darkness and Chaos sometimes seems to prevail in our world, there always seem to shine a few special stars who rekindle our Faith in Humanity.

Contact us at weR4pets@gmail.com or 575-894-1694. Visit our web site at http://www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge, and www.Facebook.com/deserthaven.