Desert Haven Animal Refuge

Week of 1/15/12 Humane Happenings

2012-01-22T06:03:00.003-07:00

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

2012-01-22T05:34:00.002-07:00

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

2012-01-10T20:09:00.002-07:00

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.

Week of 12/25/11 Humane Happenings

2011-12-31T12:43:00.000-07:00

by Eliana Aubin

This is Christmas week 2011 - quite an interesting few days for the volunteers at Desert Haven Animal Refuge.

Freedom with Sherry, former DH animal care coordinator.

Freedom, the black lab rescued at the sanctuary from an abusive environment some months ago, has now moved to his forever home. Do you remember Jill Elisabeth and the You-Tube segment that she made about Desert Haven recently? Well, you can watch it either on You-Tube or on www.Facebook.com/deserthaven. During her several visits to the sanctuary last week, Jill interacted with all the DogTown residents and Freedom caught her attention. From then on, Freedom and Jill became best buddies and now, Freedom has his very special place in the sun. We are told that Jill’s bed is his favorite spot these days and that it is where he feels most secure. Thank you, Jill, for taking this fur-kid into your home and into your heart.

Riley the fluffy teenage kitty is moving to his forever home in Seattle Washington at the end of this month. His plane trip, courtesy of Carl and Linda who are currently work camping at the sanctuary, will land him on the lap of Linda’s sister who is waiting for him with anticipation. Hurray for Riley! And a big hug to Carl and Linda for their kindness!

Ric and Marj arrived at Desert Haven last month with the intention of work camping at the facility for several months. They received sad news a few days ago regarding the health of a close family member. The news prompted them to make the decision to leave the sanctuary almost immediately - months earlier than expected - and to move close to their family member in need of their support.

With Ric & Marj leaving the sanctuary immediately, the DHAR volunteer crew is now short two team members - a huge drawback for everyone there. If you enjoy the company of dogs or cats but adoption is not in your plans at this time, volunteering at the sanctuary for a couple of hours a week may be for you. If you believe in what we do for companion animals down-on-their-luck and you can give to a good cause a few hours of your time for a while, we can certainly use your help at Desert Haven. If your new year’s resolution includes getting more exercise to stay healthy, walking the dogs of Desert Haven one or more mornings a week may just be what you need. Interested in more information? Contact Janice at 575-894-1694 or 813-716-2033.

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

Week of 12/18/11 Humane Happenings

2011-12-23T19:46:00.002-07:00

by Eliana Aubin

This week, the volunteers and staff at Desert Haven Animal Refuge wish to thank Jill Elizabeth, a California native traveling throughout the US on a mission. Jill’s goal is to search out good deeds performed by ordinary people. She then shares her interesting and entertaining findings on You-Tube - “Videos to inspire and inform as together we build a new world of love, truth and freedom!”

Jill’s current residence is Truth or Consequences. This past week, she visited Desert Haven. As she interacted with all the little rescues, she interviewed the volunteers. Part one of two is already posted on You-Tube and also on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/deserthaven. Thank you, Jill, for bringing attention to the cause of all companion animals in need and for giving folks everywhere the opportunity to see what we do here at Desert Haven.

Jill and a young black Lab named Freedom connected in a special way during the several visits Jill made to the sanctuary this past week. The playful girl-dog is being adopted and will soon move to a home of her very own! What a great way for Freedom to end the year 2011!

We currently are receiving a larger than usual number of requests regarding abandoned or no longer wanted dogs and cats. Our sanctuary is small and can’t take them all. However, we can help in another way! E-mail us at weR4pets@gmail.com several photos, together with some information on the animal you wish to give up and we will post them – free of charge to you - on the Desert Haven Petfinder page. The Adopt-a-Pet Referral program is sponsored by the Sierra County Humane Society. Call Janice at 813-716-2033 for more information. Interested in adopting a cat or kitten? A generous couple who supports our efforts is currently covering half of the adoption fee for any feline adopted from our sanctuary. Interested? Contact us at 575-894-1694 or 813-716-2033. Desert Haven is open for visitors every Tuesday from 9AM to 4PM.

One of Paw&Claws dedicated volunteers is slowly recovering from a very recent vehicle accident. He will be out of commission for at least several more weeks. If interested in helping out at P&C during his recovery, please let us know. P&C Thrift Shoppe is open Wednesday through Saturday between 11 AM and 4PM.Would you like to become a member of our animal welfare organization or support us in some other way? Check us out at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com or call us at 575- 894-1694. Our mailing address is POB 638, Williamsburg, NM 87942.

Week of 12/11/11 Humane Happenings

2011-12-23T19:19:00.001-07:00

by Eliana Aubin

Bullocks receipts are an important source of revenues for the Sierra County Humane Society. We collect Bullocks receipts at Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe, the TorC Public Library, also at Celestial Creations in TorC. Josephine Varnum routinely tallies them for our animal welfare organization, as she has done for many years now. The funds generated by the receipts go towards the SCHS spay-neuter program. We also collect aluminum cans to help fund the program. Our Can-Corral is located next to Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe in TorC. Our volunteers work hard and deserve a pat
on the back. Our supporters from all over are very generous and they too deserve our gratitude.

At this time of the year and for while longer, folks who wish to adopt a cat or kitten from the sanctuary have the unique opportunity to pay only half of the adoption fee, thanks to an anonymous supporter who wants to give Desert Haven felines an extra chance to find a special forever home during the Christmas Holidays. Interested? Contact us at 894-1694 or visit the sanctuary when it is open to the public - every Tuesday, from 9AM to 4PM.

A sincere thank-you goes to the kind folks who last week brought to Desert Haven and Paws&Claws bags of used pillows and blankets, also small rugs to help keep the fur-kid residents warm during this extreme weather. Their outpour of generosity was truly heartwarming. Winter is not yet over, so please continue to donate whatever warm bedding you no longer need nor want. If you wish to help out in other ways, please donate canned dog food for the residents of Dogtown. When it is cold as it is right now, we feed them a mixture of canned and dry dog food and our supply of canned food has become very low.

Our organization has recently been inundated with calls from local people who want to give away an unwanted animal or two. The last few weeks especially, calls came from neighbors of people who moved away, passed away or went to the nursing home, leaving their pets behind. We want to help, but more often than not, we can"t. We do not have the room or the resources we would need to take in all these little ones at the sanctuary.

Our mailing address is Post Office Box 638, Williamsburg, NM 87942. Check us out at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, http://DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com, www.facebook.com/deserthaven and www.facebook.com/pawsnclawsthriftshoppe.

Week of 12/7/11 Humane Happenings

2011-12-09T18:50:00.001-07:00

by Eliana Aubin

Israel receiving donations at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe

This is the time of the year when we are asked to donate to this cause or that charity. The act of giving fills us with joy. And when the recipient responds with gratitude, we find satisfaction. Whether we donate to a local cause or a national charity this holiday season, we will experience the most joy and satisfaction when we know that our hard-earned money lands where it’s most needed and where it will do the most good.

With so many animal welfare organizations all over the US, competition for funds has become intense. We need to add to that the scam artists posing as charities,and we will understand how easily our contributions could fall into the wrong hands. So before we write our check, let’sdo our homework. We want to know how our money will be spent and if the organization is in good standing with the IRS. A good rule of thumb: at least 75% of our donation should go to the cause we want to help. That leaves 25% of each donated dollar earmarked for administrative costs, such as salaries and fundraising.

The Sierra County Humane Society has an even better long-term record. In 2010, our tax returns indicated that we spent only 4% in administrative costs, a far cry from many well-known animal welfare organizations that as a rule spend the majority of our donations on their extensive fundraising activities, not to mention ther high salaries of their managing staff.

When our donated dollars stay in Sierra County – known to be one of the 17 poorest counties in the entire US by the way– every dollar that we give for the worthwhile cause of our choice can be accounted for. By donating locally, we can follow, first hand, were our contribution goes and how it benefits the organization of our choice, simply because it’s right here in Sierra County.

The Sierra County Humane Society needs your generous help this holiday season. Desert Haven, Sierra County’s no-kill domestic animal sanctuary, needs your support. Your contribution to your local animal welfare organization is vital to the good work that we do to help companion animals down-on-their-luck. Please be generous this holiday season – help us help them. Every dollar counts and is accounted for.

Please send your contribution to SCHS & DHAR, Post Office Box 638, Williamsburg, NM 87942. You can also donate on line via PayPal (link is always available from the home page of our web site) or via Causes, which is also available on Facebook.

We also need warm bedding and used pillows for the little ones in our care. Dog treats are always needed and appreciated. We have already started heating the Inn at Dog Town at night - it's freezing right now, and there is another snow storm on the way, with expected temperatures of around zero. We are not used to these extremes and neither are our little rescues. This is the Desert Southwest after all. The costs of heating Dog Town is very high. We will soon have to find another - much more economical - way to heat the insulated building, in order to make it more in line with our budget. Any advice anyone? Until then, we are appealing for help in keeping all our little ones as comfortable as we possibly can during these unusually cold temperatures.

We also need volunteers at Desert Haven and Paws& Claws Thrift Shoppe. Contact us at 575-894-2639. Checkus out at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. , www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com, www. facebook.com/deserthaven and www.facebook.com/pawsnclawsthriftshoppe

Week of 11/27/11 Humane Happenings

2011-12-09T18:42:00.001-07:00

by Eliana Aubin

Marj, newest work camper at Desert Haven

This Christmas Season, The Sierra County Humane Society is asking local residents who own dogs and cats to insure that animals not fortunate enough to enjoy the comfort of their warm owners homes during the cold season be provided with especially warm bedding. It’s heartbreaking to see dogs chained in yards during all types of weather, with often no adequate shelter, if any at all. If you witness animal neglect, abuse or cruelty of any type, please immediately report it to Dispatch at 575-894-7111, whose job is to forward your information to the appropriate law enforcement authorities. Requesting a follow-up may help insure that action is taken and the animal protected or even removed from the situation. Companion animals are defenseless in the face of ignorance, stupidity, or cruelty and all of us who love animals are their voice.

At this time of the year and for the next few months, Desert Haven Animal Refuge is offering folks who wish to adopt a cat or kitten from the sanctuary the unique opportunity to pay only half of the adoption fee. This very thoughtful offer is being provided by an anonymous supporter of our sanctuary, who wants to give a Desert Haven feline an extra chance to spend the rest of his life in a loving home. Interested? Contact us at 894-1694.

Barbara and Don Heller regularly drop-off at the sanctuary a large bag of dog food and one of cat food. This past week, they also brought fresh catnip for our small army of felines. Your kindness is very much appreciated, Don and Barbara.

This winter, we especially need warm bedding of all types for our resident dogs and cats. Used bed pillows come in very handy. They are the perfect size to line each one of the more than 35 kitty condos in the Feline Dorm and other sleeping areas. They also fit very well inside our dog houses.

We need straw to help insulate the guinea pig and rabbit habitats, also the nesting boxes for the peacocks, doves, miniature hens and roosters. We need alfalfa, bird and sunflower seeds, also cracked corn to help feed the residents of Birdland. We need dog treats for our small dogs and very large bones for our largest canines. Desert Haven has an account at The Horsin’ Around Feed & Tack store in TorC. Folks interested in helping feed our residents are welcome to place their contribution into our Desert Haven Account.

For more information, call us at 575-894-1694 or 813-716-2033. Visit Desert Haven on Tuesday. Check us out at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. , http://DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com, www.facebook.com/deserthaven and www.facebook.com/pawsnclawsthriftshoppe

Week of 11/20/11 Humane Happenings

2011-12-09T18:34:00.001-07:00

by Eliana Aubin

Carl and Rick discuss the Tuesday project

Every year, Desert Haven Animal Refuge celebrates Thanksgiving on the Tuesday before the traditional Thanksgiving Day. This year again, the DHAR team of volunteers and work campers shared in providing for everyone a traditional Thanksgiving meal of turkey with all the trimmings, together with a congenial atmosphere.

We thank our animal loving friends who, this past week, dropped-off at P&C Thrift Shoppe bedding material to be distributed between the sanctuary resident dogs and cats. We also thank KCHS radio station for airing our appeal several times this past week- free of charge to our organization. With our current army of furry and feathered residents, our volunteers are always looking for bedding to keep everyone as warm as possible during the cold winter nights. We still need carpet remnants, small rugs, old blankets and flannel sheets, also old pillows which by the way fit perfectly well inside each feline individual condo. We collect them at P&C Thrift Shoppe, located across the alley from Family Dollar. Your donations should be brought inside P&C during business hours - from Wed through Sat every week, from 11 AM to 4 PM. This will keep them from disappearing in the hands of unsavory folks who make a habit of taking what is not theirs, wherever and whenever they see the opportunity.

The “Horsin’ Around Feed & Tack located on Broadway in TorC has an account opened for Desert Haven. It has been set up to help supporters of Sierra County’s No-Kill domestic animal sanctuary donate funds towards the costs of alfalfa, straw, bird seeds and cracked corn that we need to feed and keep warm the residents of Birdland & Animal House this winter. We also use straw to better insulate the large dog houses located inside the exercise yards in Dogtown. During the coldest winter nights, the dogs of Dogtown are moved inside the insulated Inn. The cats sleep inside the Feline Dorm. The cost of operating propane or electric heaters is almost prohibitive for our budget, so we are looking into alternatives to keep our fur-kids warm during the winter nights. Among our readers, perhaps there is someone who would help us with the information on how to purchase and install a wood burning stove.

Interested in helping us help unwanted domestic animals in some way? We need dog walkers at DHAR, especially during evening care which starts at 4 PM at this time of the year. We also need volunteers at P&C. Call us at 575-894-1694 or 813-716-2033 for more information. Check us out at: www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. ,http://DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com and chat with us at www.facebook.com/deserthaven and www.facebook.com/pawsnclawsthriftshoppe.

Week of 11/13/11 Humane Happenings

2011-12-09T17:17:00.001-07:00

by Eliana Aubin

Linda and Carl are work camping this winter at Desert Haven

A sincere “Thank-You” is in order to the staff at White Sands Credit Union for choosing the Sierra County Humane Society as this year’s recipient of their generosity. It was very heartwarming to realize that all the hard work of the volunteers who make things happen at the non-profit animal welfare organization was being acknowledged in this very generous way.

The end of the year 2011 is quickly approaching. What could be a better time to reflect on all the support shown by local businesses to our animal welfare organization? Year after year, St Cloud mining routinely donates cat litter for an average of forty DHAR resident cats and kittens. Three mornings a week, we pick-up fresh veggies and fruits at Bullocks for the residents of Birdland & Animal House. It’s fun to watch our guinea pigs and rabbits munch with obvious pleasure on their large chef salads every morning. Each one of them has a favorite fruit or veggie and immediately looks for it in the middle of everything else and then savors it with obvious delight. Whoever said that rabbits and guinea pigs don’t have personality should visit their habitat at Desert Haven, when their breakfast of fresh produce is in front of them! The Bullocks’ Cash-for- Clubs program also provides our organization with much needed revenues to cover some of the costs of our SCHS sterilization program.

This year again, our organization received a generous contribution from Moose Lodge 2050 and American Legion Post 44. Thanks to Jared at Bar-2 Sand & Gravel, Desert Haven also received two loads of crusher fine which we immediately used to resurface some of the exercise yards in Dog Town. Wal-Mart donates pet food and cat litter on a regular basis and occasionally other needed items. At the end of the Summer Season, Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe received several boxes of brand new clothes and other items from Burke’s Outlet in TorC.

Our local media deserves recognition for printing this Humane Happenings article every week. The on-going support of the local newspapers is absolutely crucial to our small organization. To all the business who supported us this year: we thank you.

The cold nights are already here and warm bedding of all types for the dogs and cats and also bales of straw for the habitants of Birdland & Animal House are this week’s highest priority. Interested in helping the cause of companion animals in some way? We need volunteers at P&C and dog walkers at DHAR. Call us at 575-894-1694 or 813-716-2033 for more information. Check us out at: www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. , http://DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com and chat with us at www.facebook.com/deserthaven and www.facebook.com/pawsnclawsthriftshoppe

Week of 11/1/11 Humane Happenings

2011-11-28T19:54:00.001-07:00

by Eliana Aubin

It was great to see Ginny Nylen at Desert Haven Animal Refuge recently. Ginny, a resident of Hawaii, is a wonderful friend of the No-Kill domestic animal sanctuary. Several years ago, while work camping at a local RV park, she visited the sanctuary for the first time and, realizing that she could be of some help in the office, she made a point to give us a hand every Tuesday. Ginny was in the area again the following year, and once again became an integral part of our DHAR office staff on Tuesdays. Ginny stays connected with our sanctuary and whenever she comes back to the community to visit her friends, she also visits Desert Haven and shares our Tuesday Power Lunch. This time, Ginny brought her friend Betty May, who lives in TorC.

We have a new item on our wish list this week: a heavy duty dolly. We need a strong dolly at the sanctuary to move heavy items and appliances from one location to another. We need one at P&C Thrift Shoppe too, when we receive donated furniture pieces and appliances. Doggie treats for our small dogs are also high on our list. When our supply of dog treats became dangerously low recently, Susan Newman of Animas Creek Nursery came to the rescue. Thanks to her generosity, our large dogs received two huge boxes of dog biscuits, just right for their size. We also have a small army of little dogs and they too would appreciate doggie biscuits especially made for the small breeds. Your donations can be dropped-off at P&C Thrift Shoppe from Wednesday through Saturday between 11 AM and 4 PM, when the shop is open for business. Please do not leave any donated items unattended in front of P&C Thrift Shoppe. There are a few unsavory local folks who make a habit of taking what is not theirs, and they will grab anything left unattended in front of P&C. If you wish, you can also bring your contributions of dog treats (cat treats and catnip too) to Desert Haven on Tuesdays between 9AM and 4PM . Plan on distributing some of them to the resident fur-kids and share their pleasure.

Interested in helping the cause of companion animals in some way? Call us at 575-894-1694 or 813-716-2033 for more information. Our Tuesday Power Lunches have been moved to Noon for the winter months and our visitors are always welcome to share them with us. Check us out at: www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, http://DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com and chat with us at www.facebook.com/deserthaven and www.facebook.com/pawsnclawsthriftshoppe

Week of 10/23/11 Humane Happenings

2011-11-28T19:23:00.001-07:00

by Eliana Aubin

Mary Roden delivering cat food for Desert Haven

Congratulations to Susan Newman for becoming The Sierra County Humane Society’s newest Life Member. Susan owns and operates Animal Creek Plant Nursery and she has been one of our organization strongest and most positive supporters. DiAnna and George Schnetzer of Texas have sent us many boxes of DVDs and CDs over the past few weeks. We sell them at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe in TorC and our customers appreciate browsing through our large collection of brand new and almost new DVDs and CDs. P&C is the major fundraiser for our organization and DiAnna and her husband have supported it in many ways over the year. DiAnna also makes all our labels and she sends them to us regularly all the way from her home in Texas. Mary Roden came through again for our Desert Haven feline residents this pastTuesday. When she found out that our kitty cupboards were almost depleted, Mary immediately committed to bring canned food and she was true to her word: she delivered several large boxes of canned cat food which we unloaded gratefully. “I forgot the catnip” she added, “but I will bring it next Tuesday”. What a very special lady!

Fender, Lady and Spirit

The last few weeks have been very busy at Desert Haven. Several small and medium size canines were rescued and are now enjoy a safe and fun life at Dog Town, together with the rest of the residents. During the same time, Desert Haven sent to their new forever home Sally the Australian Shepherd, Cinder the little terrier, Fender and Lady Bug, two Coker Spaniels who were together since they were puppies. They all will be living in local homes. Fender and Lady Bug will be the new buddies of Spirit, a Desert Haven rescue adopted out several years ago. He now resides in Hillsboro with his mom.

On Sunday October 30th from 2-4 we are holding our first ever Adoption Option at Walmart in T or C. Interested in participating? Let us know. Desert Haven and Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe offer many volunteer opportunities for service oriented people who want to help the cause of domestic animals down-on-their-luck. Contact us at 575-894-1694 for more information.

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/PawsnClawsThriftShoppe

Week of 10/16/11 Humane Happenings

2011-10-28T19:40:00.000-06:00

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

2011-10-19T19:28:00.000-06:00

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

2011-10-16T21:04:00.002-06:00

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

2011-10-16T20:16:00.002-06:00

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.

Week of 9/25/11 Humane Happenings

2011-09-30T20:23:00.000-06:00

by Eliana Aubin


Mosey is waiting patiently at Desert Haven for her "forever" home!

This week, the volunteer team at Desert Haven was made aware of a situation involving a dog owned by a local individual. The dog – a gentle female Pit Bull - has been bred regularly for profit. Pit Bull pups are sold to the highest bidder in this area of NM. This situation seems to be the norm around here, as far as Pit Bulls are concerned. The ordeal of this specific female dog touched a sensitive cord with the ranks of the sanctuary’s volunteers. This time, the delivery went wrong. The female suffered terribly – an agony that took many, many drawn-out hours. The puppies were dead at birth and the mother is not expected to survive. Of course, no veterinary care for that dog – it would have cut into her owners anticipated profits.

People who love animals feel immense compassion for dogs routinely bred so that their owners can reap a sizeable profit from the sale of their puppies. Back yard Puppy Mills are still alive and well right here in and around our communities. Back yard breeding involving Pit Bulls is even more disturbing. Pit Bulls in this area and perhaps in most areas of the US are generally acquired for all the wrong reasons. The fact that their owners refuse to have these dog sterilized is a unmistakable indication that their reason is obvious and consequently it is very unsettling to decent folks.

Anyone knowing of back yard Pit Bull breeding should contact The Sierra County Humane Society at 575-894-1694 or 894-2639. Please leave a clear message and as much pertinent information as you can, such as the exact address of the breeders, number of adult dogs, etc. You can remain anonymous, but please, if at all possible, leave a number where you can be reached if we cannot find the location ourselves. Sheriff Joe Baca and Tor C Police Chief Gallagher do not condone dog fighting, an illegal activity in all of the US, including New Mexico. The raising of Pit Bulls for dog fight, the back yard breeding of Pit Bulls for profit, so that their off-springs can be sold at a profit to unscrupulous individuals who use the most aggressive ones for fighting and the gentler ones for bait, an abomination. Unfortunately, our area is not immune to this illegal activity.

If you have the use of a computer, please check our Desert Haven Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/deserthaven for more information. Decent folks who love animals owe it to the innocent victims of Man’s Cruelty to become more aware of their agony as they are bred, raised and sold to be used and ripped apart in dog fights. Some of these activities are kept well hidden but still right under our noses, in our neighborhoods. Vigilance on the part of all decent folks may save some of those animals. All animals deserve better.

Week of 9/17/11 Humane Happenings

2011-09-20T20:18:00.001-06:00

by Eliana Aubin

David Kuhn and Lolly

These past couple of weeks, the Sierra County Humane Society 2011 newsletters went out to members and supporters from all over. The on-going generosity and kindness of our members and friends allow us to help and protect homeless pets in our area. We appreciate the dedication of our volunteers, both at Desert Haven and Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe. Everyone involved with our organization has contributed to its success over the years. It’s a success that finally gives a voice to the unwanted animals in our corner of the world.

The Sierra County Humane Society was organized in 1989, only after many unsuccessful attempts were made over the years by people wanting to make life a little better for dogs and cats in Sierra County. It took a lot of determination to get our organization started. The road was not easy and full of man-made obstacles. After all, this was still “The Wild West” not that long ago. In 1995, to curb the cat overpopulation in Sierra County, our organization decided to cover the costs of sterilizing stray and feral cats. We called it the Spay-a-Stray program. It was tailored from the Trap-Neuter-Release program initiated by the national organization “Alley Cat Allies”. Surprisingly, several local people with special interests and free time on their hands were not only dead-set against it, but even campaigned against us. They tried to crush our efforts to save stray and feral cats and kittens whose only fault was to be born unwanted, from systematic killing to reduce their population.

Thankfully, times have changed. More cat owners now understand the need to sterilize their companion animal. There is also more compassion towards stray and feral cats and kittens. Feral cats, after all, are the off-springs of un-sterilized female house cats or of cats abandoned by their owners to fend for themselves. Male cats allowed to roam out-of-doors also contribute to the cat overpopulation. Until our organization instated the Spay-a-Stray program, all of these unwanted animals were doomed to die. For more information on the Spay-a-Stray program, contact us at 894-1694.

Volunteer opportunities are always available at both Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe in TorC and at Dessert Haven Animal Refuge. Call us at 575-894-2639 or at 813-716-2033 for more information. To adopt a dog or a cat, contact us at 740-9412. Tuesday is Open House Day at the no-kill sanctuary and everyone is welcome to visit. Visit our web site at: www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. , our blog at http://DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com and our Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/deserthaven.

Week of 9/10/11 Humane Happenings

2011-09-20T19:55:00.002-06:00

by Eliana Aubin

Newsletter crew

This past Tuesday was very busy at Desert Haven Animal Refuge, the no-kill domestic animal sanctuary owned and operated by the Sierra County Humane Society. After the traditional pot-luck lunch shared by the DHAR volunteer and work camping team, everyone gathered around the oversize table in the dining/meeting room. The goal this week was to fold the newly printed 2011 newsletters and get them ready to mail to our supporters and members. In a few days, over six hundreds newsletter will have been mailed to our animal loving friends in Sierra County and throughout the US. The furry and feathered residents of Desert Haven count on YOU. Our volunteer team counts on YOU. Your membership gift and your continued support make our work of love at Desert Haven Animal Refuge possible. We could not do what we do without YOU.

This week’s wish list: Bleach, Odorban, dishwashing liquid, heavy duty long and short handle brushes. We can also use construction and roofing material, plywood, rolls of insulation, wood screws, etc. Our on-going treat supply for Desert Haven canines of all sizes needs replenishing. Please consider donating dog treats for dogs of all sizes (no rawhide please). Your contribution can be dropped off on Tuesday at DHAR or at Paws&Claws when the shop is open for business (Wed through Sat from 11 AM to 4 PM). Please wait for the shop to be open for business when you drop-off your contributions. Remember that any donated item left at the front of the store when it is closed usually disappears quickly into the wrong hands and does not make it inside.

We continue to offer volunteer opportunities at both Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe and Desert Haven Animal Refuge. Two of our P&C Thrift Shoppe dedicated volunteers have recently taken a medical leave of absence. We need help now more than ever at the shop. It’s in the middle of re-organization and our customers are obviously impressed with the results. All the comments we hear are very positive and encouraging and they are shared with all the volunteers. Everyone likes the “New Look” at Paws& Claws.Interested in helping your local animal welfare organization in some way? Call us at 575-894-2639 or at 813-716-2033 for more information. Tuesday is Open House Day at the no-kill sanctuary and everyone is welcome to visit. Visit our web site at: www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. , our blog at http://DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com and our facebook page at www.Facebook.com/deserthaven.

Week of 8/28/11 Humane Happenings

2011-09-20T19:44:00.000-06:00

by Eliana Aubin


Bill washing dog dishes

Sunvalley Hardware made a generous donation of dog food to Desert Haven recently. We sincerely thank owner Chuck Watkins and Manager Doug Brown for initiating this timely donation. We also thank Jesse Bailey for kindly loading the several large dog food bags into the IM4PETS truck - destination: Desert Haven Animal Refuge.

These are tough economic times for everyone. Contributions to our cause have understandably decreased since the past economic down turn, but the need to care for even more animals has increased. These are also though times for the animals all over Sierra County. These are times they need us the most. We depend on our supporters now more than ever. We depend on profits from our Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe now more than ever. Times are tough. Still, our business community continues to come through for us. Moose Lodge 2050 and American Legion Post 44 also came through for us this year, as they do whenever we need it the most. People from all over who love animals continue to help us make a difference in Sierra County. We are grateful. We could not do what we do without ALL OF YOU who support our cause.

Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe has been undergoing some re-organization the past couple of weeks. The major project has been on our “must-do” list for several months now, but we just did not have the able-bodied volunteers to get it off the ground. Last Monday, Frank and Daniel Welch, Sherry Scott, Janice and David Lamb, Bob and Bonnie Collins, Israel Davis, together with Eliana Aubin, spent the entire afternoon re-organizing the store front of Paws & claws Thrift Shoppe. Janice, David and Eliana worked long after everyone else had left that evening, to bring the project a little closer to completion before the shop opened for business as usual on Wednesday of that week. It was hard physical work, but the results made it all worth it. A sincere “Thank- you” goes to everyone involved in this major and much needed project.

Interested in joining our animal welfare cause? Pick up a membership form at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe and become a member. There are volunteer opportunities at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe as well as Desert Haven Animal Refuge. Contact us at 813-716-2033 or 894-2639 or for more information. Visit the sanctuary on Tuesday, between 9 AM and 4 PM, when it is open to visitors. Want to adopt a dog or a cat? Contact us at 740-9412. Visit our web site at: www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. , our blog at http://DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com and www.Facebook.com/deserthaven.

Week of 8/21/11 Humane Happenings

2011-08-31T19:29:00.000-06:00

by Eliana Aubin


Leonard Chambers watering the cats

MOOSE Lodge 2050 recently made a very generous donation to the Sierra County Humane Society & Desert Haven Animal Refuge. The donation will go towards veterinary care for the dogs and cats residing at the no-kill sanctuary. It will also allow the completion of several projects that will make life even more comfortable for its furry residents. MOOSE Lodge 2050 has always been very supportive of the entire community and of our animal welfare organization. All of us who love animals sincerely appreciate the on-going kindness of its members and leadership.

It’s been a good summer. It started in April of this year, when Sherry Scott filled-in the position of DHAR Animal Care Coordinator. A few days later, Frank Welch of Albuquerque arrived with his two Dobermans at the sanctuary as a long-term work camper. He had watched a segment on Desert Haven aired on a number of regional TV stations, as part of the “It’s All Good New Mexico” program presented by Comcast TV. Frank was inspired enough to make a change in his lifestyle and become involved as a full-fledged member of the DHAR team. Frank is also an accomplished handyman – a magic word at Desert Haven. A few days later, Diane Lombardo of Northern New Mexico, together with Max, her constant fur-companion, committed to help the crew for a couple of months. Diane is returning this fall as a long-term work camper. Her involvement will include our organization’s Humane Outreach and Education program.

Janice Lamb and her husband moved from Florida to Elephant Butte in April. Almost immediately, Janice became a volunteer at DHAR. Just recently, they moved to Desert Haven. Janice is a tremendous asset, and she is already making a difference in her new position in the organization.


Karen and her cake

Israel Davis and Daniel Welch are Desert Haven’s newest long-term work campers. Barbara and her husband moved to Elephant Butte this past April. Not only she is helping with animal care through the week, but she also volunteers at P&C and handles the front desk at Desert Haven every Tuesday. Bill McLain, Leonard & Karen Chambers are currently work camping at the sanctuary. Leonard & Karen’s commitment to DHAR is nearing its end. They will be missed.

Indeed, many good things have happened at Desert Haven since the month of April. Interested in joining our team and become a dog walker or a kitty cuddler? Visit the sanctuary on Tuesday, between 9 AM and 4 PM, when it is 0pen to visitors. Desert Haven can be reached at 575-894-1694. Visit our web site at: www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. , our blog at http://DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com

Week of 8/14/11 Humane Happenings

2011-08-31T19:04:00.001-06:00

by Eliana Aubin

Over the next few weeks, the Sierra County Humane Society team will be concentrating its efforts on revamping Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe adjacent to Family Dollar in TorC. We plan to make it more spacious and attractive and can certainly use a few extra hands to do so. Is this type of physical volunteer work up your alley? Then check with our shop cashier during business hours for more details . We are open from 11 AM to 4 PM Wednesdays through Saturdays, or call us at 894-2639.

Tuesday lunch at Desert Haven

Paws & Claws customers Sharon Lagerfeldt recently dropped-off at P&C a box full of home-grown Gala apples to be shared at our Tuesday lunch - very tasty by the way and a thoughtful gesture appreciated by everyone. By the way, Sharon does this every year and she also supports our animal welfare efforts by donating to our cause items from around the world and also one-of-a-kind items that go a long way to enhance the variety of our assortment for sale. Donations such as these help give our shop its unique flair making it an interesting place to shop at - a point often acknowledged by many of our customers. Israel David is DHAR’s newest long-term work camper and already, he is becoming very versatile both at DHAR and P&C Thrift Shoppe. Israel’s willingness to give a hand whenever needed, together with his pleasant attitude and his generosity, is already making this hard working and conscientious individual a valued member of the team.

For more information on our organization’s Adoption and Adopt-a-Pet Referral programs, contact Sherry at 575-740-9412. Do you feed a feral cat in need of sterilization? Call Janice at 813-716-2033. Perhaps you need some financial assistance in having your companion animal sterilized? Spay-neuter forms are available for you at the TorC Police Station and Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe. Please remember that it is only through YOUR purchases at P&C that these crucial sterilization programs can be made possible. Desert Haven can be reached at 575-894-1694. It is open to visitors every Tuesday from 9AM to 4 PM. Visit our web site at: www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. , our blog at http://DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com and www.Facebook.com/deserthaven.

Week of 8/7/11 Humane Happenings

2011-08-24T05:04:00.002-06:00

by Eliana Aubin

David Kuhn is a former Desert Haven work camper who returned to the sanctuary for a brief visit this past Tuesday. Lolly, his constant companion whom he had adopted from the sanctuary, was with him. His reason for the visit:“ I want to thank Desert Haven and everyone who was there at the time I worked at the sanctuary last year, for their generosity and their kindness to me when I was down-on-my-luck”. He added, emotional and struggling for words: “the kindness that was shown to me … from Eliana to everyone there at the time…..I don’t have the words…..to express the depth of my gratitude.”But David, a reserved man of few words, didn’t need to say much – everyone there was able to grasp by his expression how touched he had been, and obviously still was, by the kindness extended to him by the Desert Haven team in his time of need.

David did not come empty-handed by the way. He had brought with him two large dishes of Lasagna. By what was left in the dishes at the end of the Tuesday lunch, his gift was great idea. It was truly a good feeling to visit with David. He looked and obviously felt better than the last time he resided at the sanctuary. David told the gang that during his difficult period last year, he came to realize that work camping was no longer a way of life for him. David is now is a full-fledged resident of TorC.

Thank- you, Debbie Niles of The Ivory Spa in Elephant Butte, for your timely donation of a brand new gas powered weed eater for Desert Haven some weeks ago. Debbie has been a strong supporter of our organization and she makes a point to visit the sanctuary whenever she is able to.RV’ers Bob and Bobbie Collins of Oregon recently parked their rig at Desert Haven campground. They learned about Desert Haven thanks to the “It’s All Good, New Mexico” segment aired this last Spring by Comcast TV on several regional and state TV channels throughout NM, CO and AZ. Bob mentioned that after watching it together, Bobbie was very inspired by the work that we do at the sanctuary. She checked out our www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com web and told Bob that she would love for them to visit and help out for a few weeks. And here they are - two wonderful people who came to DHAR to check it out and help as needed, both in time and money. We are grateful for their thoughtfulness and their kindness.

Interested in learning more about us? Visit our blog at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com. You can also chat with us on www.Facebook.com/deserthaven.

Week of 8/1/11 Humane Happenings

2011-08-10T20:56:00.001-06:00

by Eliana Aubin

Barbara

Barbara Teater of Spokane Washington moved to the area in April of this year. Already, this versatile and delightful lady is becoming very involved with the Sierra County Humane Society and Desert Haven Animal Refuge. For several weeks now, Barbara helps care for the little rescues one morning a week and then she shares some of the office work on Tuesdays when the sanctuary is open for visitors. What a valuable new member of the team! Knowing that Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe is always – and especially at this time of the year - in need of extra helpers, Barbara is also volunteering a few hours a week there. Way to go, lady!

Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe continues to be very busy and we still needs a few more helpers on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, or Saturdays during business hours, which are from 11 AM to 4 PM. Contact us at 575-894-2639.

Is any of our supporters knowledgeable about WI-FI? While WI-FI is still available on the sanctuary grounds and inside the office building, the WI-FI connection inside the small campground recently gave up on us from one day to the next and getting it repaired and back to normal is now high on our list of priorities. As most of our animal loving friends and supporters are already aware of, our small sanctuary receives no government funding and operates solely on private and corporate contributions together with the hard work from volunteers at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe. Any hands-on help, advice or even financial support with getting our WI-FI back in line would be so appreciated!

Desert Haven is a small sanctuary which operates in one of the most disadvantaged counties in the entire US. Consequently, our resources are limited. While we neither have space, nor manpower or funding to take in and provide a home to all the unwanted dogs and cats in Sierra County, our animal welfare organization provides a unique and valuable tool – the SCHS Adopt-a-Pet Referral program – that allows Sierra County pet owners an alternative should they no longer wish to keep their unwanted dog or cat. For more information on the Adopt-a-Pet Referral program, contact Sherry at 575-740-9412. Desert Haven can be reached at 575-894-1694. Visit our web site at: www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. , our blog at http://DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com and www.Facebook.com/deserthaven

Week of 7/24/11 Humane Happenings

2011-08-09T21:06:00.000-06:00

by Eliana Aubin


Freddie and her "Happy Trails" cake

This past Tuesday at Desert Haven, Sierra County’s No-Kill domestic animal sanctuary, everyone had the opportunity to wish Freddie Loveless “Good Luck” as she is moving out of the sanctuary and into the community nearby to start the next chapter in her life. Freddie is special to all who know her, especially those within the ranks of the Sierra County Humane Society and Desert Haven, where she has given so much of her love, time and energy over the years. A first time RV’er in the fall of 2002, Freddie arrived from her home state of Indiana to the sanctuary for what she anticipated would be a short stay before moving on to new RV’ing adventures across the US. She was accompanied by her constant companions, Belle and Girl, two elderly Labradors that she had rescued some years before. The Refuge was just getting off the ground when Freddie started calling it “home”. At the time, it had recently become a safe haven to a small flock of white doves, a few baby Easter rabbits, along with several guinea pigs. The rest of the furry and feather inhabitants came later, some of them much later. Freddie quickly embraced her new environment and soon gave it her love and loyalty. As she worked closely alongside Eliana through the years, she helped make it what it is today. Freddie’s two elderly dogs have passed on and are buried at Rainbow Bridge Pet Sanctuary. Her fur kids consist now of six years old little Jordan, Penny and Ruffles, all of them rescued at the sanctuary and fostered at her home for some time before she officially adopted them. Freddie is relocating, but she will be ending up only a couple of miles away. That will be nice for all of us because she won’t be far. This very special lady will always be a part of our animal welfare family here at Desert Haven. She is welcomed and encouraged to come by and visit for as long and as often as she wishes to do so.

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. Help walk some of our resident dogs and care for our felines. 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 or 740-9412 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 7/18/11 Humane Happenings

2011-08-08T20:45:00.000-06:00

by Eliana Aubin

This week, a huge thank-you is in order for a generous couple who wishes to remain anonymous. These two wonderful people from out-of- state are strong supporters of Desert Haven Animal Refuge. They have special ties to the sanctuary, as one is a former DHAR volunteer and the other is a work camper who both met each other there before starting a life together –We very recently received from them almost a dozen boxes of DVDs, some of them still brand new and unopened and all of them earmarked for re-sale at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe. Paws & Claws is the major fundraising activity for The Sierra County Humane Society, the animal welfare non-profit organization that owns and operates Desert Haven Animal Refuge. The past few years, the declining economy of our entire area has joined the rest of the country. Of course it has greatly affected all of us here at Desert Haven and our Society’s dependence on the revenues of Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe is stronger than ever.

At the shop, we continue to need help from a book lover or two who would enjoy keeping the Book Nook as pleasant an environment as possible. We also need help in the shop’s receiving area – electronics and electrical items, also furniture pieces and small appliances arrive on an on-going basis and need to be either tested and/or cleaned-up for display. Are you a crafty person? Can you spare a couple of hours one or two Tuesdays a month at Desert Haven? We receive donations of entire boxes full of craft items, but we don’t have anyone available for sorting and pricing them regularly, so they can be displayed for sale in the craft section at P&C. We sincerely appreciate all our volunteers who work very hard many hours to keep Paws & Claws open for business from Wednesday through Saturday every week. Most of our customers appreciate P&C’s existence and they tell us so. One local lady said to our cashier last Friday:” We love your shop - Thank you for being here and doing what you do”. We could not do what we do without those who either donate to us, volunteer with us or purchase from P&C Thrift Shoppe. Thank-you, everyone.

Desert Haven is open for visitors every Tuesday. The Pooch Play yard in Dog Town is currently home to quite a few small breed canines and they need special attention including a daily walk on a leash. If interested in walking a little dog or adopting one, contact 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 7/9/11 Humane Happenings

2011-07-16T07:25:00.001-06:00

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

2011-07-11T07:04:00.000-06:00

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

2011-07-08T20:33:00.003-06:00

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

2011-07-07T20:56:00.001-06:00

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.

Week of 6/15/11 Humane Happenings

2011-06-21T09:13:00.000-06:00

by Eliana Aubin


Sharon Stoffels

Desert Haven is extremely grateful for the most generous contribution of several key individuals this past week. Albuquerque resident Sharon Stoffels, a computer software specialist at Sandia Labs, made yet another visit to Desert Haven to take care of some glitches in our office computers. Before Sharon left DHAR that day, the office had a much needed printer, a brand new CPU tower and a few other amenities to help make our office function more efficiently. We can’t thank this professional lady enough for her on-going generosity and the contribution of her precious time.

Bar-2 Sand and Gravel generously donated enough crusherfine to completely resurface the several large canine play yards in Dog Town. We especially wish to thank Jered Bartoo for his significant contribution. Bar-2 Sand and Gravel has been a long time contributor to our animal welfare organization and we appreciate it immensely.

What a great surprise we received in the mail this past Tuesday! A former Desert Haven work camper sent us the funds to cover the costs of replacing the sagging and rotten wooden flooring in the Snack Shack in Birdland with a strong, easy-to-clean cement floor. She and her husband have been staunch supporters of our organization over the years. Her generous contribution may even allow us to replace the broken-down refrigerator with a good used one. We can’t thank this couple enough for their on-going generosity over the years. She and her husband have modestly wished to remain anonymous but we know them as exceptionally kind and generous people.

Do you have a few hours of free time each week and would like to volunteer for a good cause? We need someone to help us walk the dogs or care for the felines early in the morning. We also have a couple of relatively small painting projects in the works. It would be great if they could be completed before the monsoon season arrives in our area. Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe also needs extra helpers during business hours. Would you enjoy organizing books? We have a great selection of books in our P&C Book Nook, but no one to keep it sorted. Come by P&C and see for yourself what you can do to help. At DHAR, we currently need the help of several young folks to spread the crusher fine inside the dog’s yards some morning.
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

Humane Happenings

2011-06-13T20:05:00.000-06:00

by Eliana Aubin

The Sierra County Humane Society continues to collect Bullocks receipts. Josephine Varnum has picked them up from the Bullocks drop-off box at P&C Thrift Shoppe and the T or C Library, also at the Williamsburg Post Office ever since the program went into effect many years ago. She tallies them for us and redeems them at Bullocks on our animal welfare organization’s behalf. PLEASE: do not cut off the bottom section of your receipts for any reason. If you do, they cannot be redeemed and we must discard them. Josephine deserves a huge thank-you from everyone who loves animals for being so helpful for so many years. We receive a large number of receipts every week and it helps cover some of the costs of both the SCHS Spay-Neuter and Spay-a-Stray programs. Bullocks grocery store in T or C is very community minded indeed. Sierra County dogs and cats, including feral cats who have a caregiver to watch over them, benefit from the program, courtesy of our organization. We also thank all the nice people who save their receipts and their friends for our animal welfare organization.

We also collect aluminum cans. We have a Can Corral adjacent to P&C Thrift Shoppe in TorC, across the alley from Family Dollar. We routinely take a truck load of cans to a local recycling center and the money collected also helps fund our comprehensive spay-neuter program.

Do you like to paint? If so, we have just the project for you – it’s not a big project, perhaps a couple of hours at the most, and it can be a very enjoyable! We need to get several kitty-condos painted, each one in a bright and cheery color – and hopefully before the monsoon season starts. The paint was recently generously donated by Walmart. Once the project is completed, the kitty condos will be moved back into the Feline Dorm inside the Cool Cat Neighborhood at DHAR. This summer and until our long-term crew comes back from vacation or from their summer play-grounds across the US, our Desert Haven kitties would love a couple of hours of your time on any morning of your choice? At 8 AM, the weather is cool and the “Neighborhood” is active with felines of all sizes and temperaments who love any extra attention. You prefer dogs? We have them too and they all want your attention and to be walked by your side if you will give them some of your time – and what great exercise it can be for you too!

Interested in finding more about us or any specific program we offer? Call our SCHS office at 575-894-1694. Desert Haven is open for visitors every Tuesday or by appointment. Check-out our web site at: www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com and www.Facebook.com/deserthaven.

Week of 5/25/11 Humane Happenings

2011-06-01T19:56:00.000-06:00

Catwalk resident enjoying the day

by Eliana Aubin

This summer, The Sierra County Humane Society is appealing to friends and supporters of our animal welfare organization to help us locate the funds and manpower needed to resurface the very rocky ground of several doggie play-yards with a layer of crusher fine. After almost ten years of constant use by all the little rescues who have found a haven at the sanctuary before being adopted, the rocky grounds badly need resurfacing.

Our other priority project this summer is to replace the dry-rotted and badly sagging wooden floor inside the 12 by 12 ft service area (The Snack Shack) inside Birdland by a strong and easy-to-clean concrete floor. The used shed was donated in 2002 by a local resident, then moved to the sanctuary - courtesy of Jerry Gustin - to serve as storage and service area soon after Desert Haven rescued its first large flock of white doves their elderly owner no longer could care for. The doves soon shared the 10by30 ft Birdland aviary – custom- built and donated by Gustin Enterprises - with several no longer wanted Easter Rabbits and also dozens of abandoned guinea pigs. Birdland continues to be home to rescued peacocks, hens and roosters, guinea pigs, white and domesticated ring neck doves, some of them handicapped and requiring special care. Alice, Desert Haven’s elderly Rabbit, was dropped off at the sanctuary in 2002 - soon after Easter. Alice’s favorite daily treat is a slice of apple. Here at DHAR, the elderly fur-girl receives her slice of apple every day.

Walmart recently donated to our organization several gallons of brand new, good quality paint. We plan to use Walmart’s generous – and timely- donation to re-coat the individual cat condos inside the Cat Patio and the Feline Dorms. The paint job on the first condos dates to 2001. Cat lovers, do you enjoy painting? If so, connect with Eliana at 575-894-2639 - possibly before the first monsoon rains. It’s cool and pleasant enough on a Tuesday morning to paint in a comfortable environment.

Interested in visiting Desert Haven to visit our little rescues? We have dogs - and cats - of every size and temperament – all love the extra attention. Foxy Girl is our latest rescue. She is an active and loveable, absolutely gorgeous young boxer. Now sterilized and her shots up-to-date, Foxy Girl is ready for adoption. Interested? Call us at 575-740-9412. Desert Haven is open for visitors every Tuesday or by appointment. Check-out our web site at: www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. and www.Facebook.com/deserthaven.

2011 PROJECTS FOR DESERT HAVEN ANIMAL REFUGE

2011-05-30T19:38:00.001-06:00

Any donations of the following supplies would be greatly appreciated. These are needed for planned repairs and upgrades at Desert Haven Animal Refuge.

1. Commercial grade dog and cat groomer set.

2. Heavy duty four-wheeled garden cart or commercial grade two-wheeled wheelbarrow

3. 1 or 2 dump-truck loads of crusher fine to completely resurface several of our most rocky canine play-yards. Providing a smooth surface for our dogs to play on would be a huge improvement, both for the resident dogs and for those who care for them, as it would also make the yards easier to keep clean.

4. Indoor/outdoor plywood, pegboard, rolled insulation, roofing material.

5. Replace with concrete the rotted and sagging 12ft by 12ft wooden floor (12x12) in the Birdland service area

6. New or good used refrigerator/freezer for the Birdland service area. This is where we store fresh produce routinely donated by Bullocks, together with other perishable food products that help feed our rescued rabbits, guinea pigs, doves, chickens, rooster and peacocks.

7. New or good used computer in our main office. Our over 8 years old computer crashed very recently.

8. Resurface the 12 by 12 ft Feline Dorm with new, easy-to-clean vinyl tile. At DHAR, we house an average of forty residents throughout the year. Especially during the cold winter nights, most if not all the felines of DHAR usually sleep in individual condos located inside the insulated Feline Dorm.

Please consider helping us out in any way you feel appropriate. We put to good use each and every donation that we receive. We sincerely value and appreciate any support you can give us at this time.

Sincerely,

Eliana Aubin
President since 1989
The Sierra County Humane Society, Inc. is a 501-c-3 non-profit organization.
All contributions are tax deductible in accordance with the law.

Week of 5/22/11/ Humane Happenings

2011-05-30T19:11:00.000-06:00

by Eliana Aubin

Rhonda Brittan, owner of Black Cat Books & Coffee in downtown TorC, recently donated a large number of paperback books to Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe, the Sierra County Humane Society major fundraiser. When Eliana Aubin picked-up the boxes of books, Rhonda kindly took the time to show her the Santa Style patio addition that her husband Bob created for the customers. Those of us who appreciate spending our leisure time in a Santa Fe style environment, surrounded by interesting books while enjoying the taste of a freshly brewed cup of coffee from countries all around the world, Black Cat Books & Coffee is the place to be. While there, let’s make a point to tell Rhonda that we value and appreciate her support of The Sierra County Humane Society & Desert Haven.

For many weeks now, dry and canned cat food has been our most needed food items at Desert Haven. Local resident Bill Stoffels and other thoughtful folks dropped-off several bags at P&C Thrift Shoppe over the past couple of week. Your generosity is helping keep our feline fur-kids well fed and happy.

The summer season has arrived. P&C Thrift Shoppe volunteer Bootz has left for her yearly summer vacation. Bootz is a jewel at the shop – dependable, friendly and always ready to give 110% wherever and whenever needed. Velda, who volunteers every Friday, is also leaving for the entire summer. Jackie Fletcher, Estella Groff, Freddie Loveless and Eliana Aubin will continue to insure that P&C stays open throughout the summer. We need extra help at P&C Thrift Shoppe - to sort and display donated items and clothing, keep our Book Nook full and attractive, test electronics and electrical items. We also need manpower to work with Jackie in the sorting & storage yard. Interested in volunteering for a good cause? Call us at 575-894-2639 or visit the shop on Wednesday or Friday and talk to us.

This summer, our biggest challenge is to locate the funds and manpower to resurface the very rocky ground of several doggie play-yards with a layer of crusher fine. We need this done, to make the canine play-areas smoother and easier to walk on. Our fur-kids and also those who care for them will appreciate the upgrade. Cat lovers, do you enjoy painting? Several Kitty Condos are now in the front yard and ready for a new coat of paint. Once repainted, they will be moved back into the Feline Dorm in anticipation of the cold winter nights. Interested in helping? Call us at 575-894-2639.

Ready to add a fur-kid to your family? Call us at 575-740-9412. Desert Haven is open for visitors every Tuesday or by appointment. Check-out our web site at: www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com and www.Facebook.com/deserthaven.

Week of 5/14/11 Humane Happenings

2011-05-21T20:26:00.001-06:00

by Eliana Aubin

Middle School teacher Rhonda Spence recently visited Desert Haven with several students in her class. At the end of last month, Mrs. Spence had contacted Sierra County Humane Society President Eliana Aubin to inquire if some of her students, who had just started a Humane Group as part of a project she was welcoming in her classroom, could visit Desert Haven Animal Refuge on a Sunday afternoon and take part in caring for the animals.

Last Sunday, Animal Care Coordinator Sherry Scott, who resides on the DHAR property, welcomed to the sanctuary Rhonda, her husband Bob and some of her young students. Together, they shared the routine evening care of all the furry and feather residents. Dogs were walked, water buckets and bowls refilled with fresh water, habitats and play yards cleaned and readied for the night. Also every little fur-guy and girl wanting cuddles and special attention received plenty of it along the way. At the end of the long visit, Rhonda and Bob commented to Sherry that they both were “impressed with how happy and friendly all the dogs and cats are” and “how clean the whole place is”.

It was a great visit. Everyone enjoyed every bit of it. This was Sherry’s first time at welcoming a group of students and their teacher and she mentioned that it went so well that plans are already in the works for more Sunday visits by Middle School Teacher Rhonda Spence and members of the “Humane Club” at her school. At the start of the school year 2011-2012 and at Mrs. Spence’s request, every student in her classroom will receive the bi-monthly monthly newspaper KIND NEWS ( Kids In Nature’s Defense), courtesy of the Sierra County Humane Society. This award winning children’s newspaper enables educators to more effectively teach youngsters to be kind to each other, animals and the Earth, and to empower them as they seek to embody the ideal of respect and appreciation for all life.

Are you a Sierra County Elementary or Middle school teacher interested in receiving a bi-monthly Kind News subscription for each of your students during the school year 2011-2012? Contact Eliana on or before June First at 575-894-2639 or e-mail weR4pets@gmail.com. Include in your message your name, the classroom level you will be teaching during the 2011-2012 school year, also your school’s mailing address. The costs of the subscription is entirely covered by the Sierra County Humane Society – therefore totally FREE to you, your school, or the tax-payers of Sierra County.

This week, we urge our animal loving friends to donate dry and canned cat food. Forty healthy and hungry felines require a lot of food every day and we need to constantly replenish our Kitty cupboards. Your donations of cat food for our sanctuary kitties are critical at this time. They can be dropped off at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe during business hours, preferably on Wednesdays between 1 and 4 PM and Fridays between 10AM and 4 PM.

Interested in connecting with us or learning more about us? Call us at 575-894-1694 or e-mail us at weR4pets@gmail.com. Visit our web site at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, our blog at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com. Check us out at www.Facebook.com/deserthaven.

Week of 5/7/11 Humane Happenings

2011-05-11T20:22:00.000-06:00

by Eliana Aubin

Kim and his new buddy...who picked whom?

It’s been a great week at Desert Haven – lots of good weather and also many heart-warming activities as the summer crew is arriving and getting settled at the campground and at the sanctuary. Since he moved to Desert Haven from Albuquerque at the end of last month, in anticipation of staying long-term in his new and overwhelmingly approved position as “DHAR Handyman”, Frank is often seen inside the sanctuary grounds at any hour of the day. Tools in hand and a wonderful disposition to boot, Frank fixes and repairs as he goes along. Diane, DHAR new “Cat Lady’ is already making friends in the “Cool Cat Neighborhood”. Pat, one of our local dog walkers, is recognized by everyone to be a great individual to work with at the sanctuary. He is a true professional with a kind heart – a former judge by the way, who loves animals and likes what is being accomplished at our sanctuary. After all, he drives all the way from the Gila mountains where he lives with his wife Judy and his fur kid Indy, a little guy he adopted from DHAR, just to walk the dogs of DHAR two mornings a week. Larry is a former DHAR work camper who with his wife Christy, lives and works at a “ranch’ way out in the mountains. Larry returned to DHAR very recently, to walk our dogs one morning a week. Thanks Larry. Diana, “The Queen of Clean”, is back with our P&C crew for a little while each week, and we are all delighted that she concentrates on insuring nice displays. Diana has indeed a natural flair creating great looking displays.

Until our local helpers return from their summer vacation, and until our animal loving winter visitors come back to our area and help us care for our residents, we certainly appreciate those who stay with us year-round and those who recently came back to help this summer.

This week, Kudos got to two generous individuals who chose to remain anonymous. They started an account for DHAR at the new store “ Horsin ’Around’ in T or C. We purchase some of our feed supplies for Birdland there, and it’s a great help for us. Sandy and Teston Milton routinely donate canned and dry cat food, something we seem to always need. Catnip anyone? Our kitties sure love Catnip and we would love to have some for them. Kim Nelson is a new – and very strong - supporter of DHAR. Already he has made a huge difference with the little residents, with the three months supply of Front Line Flea and tick spray that he recently donated to Dog Town.

Interested in connecting with us or learning more about us? Call us at 575-894-1694. Visit our web site at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. Chat with us at www.Facebook.com/deserthaven.

Wish list for Desert Haven

2011-05-11T19:50:00.000-06:00

Can you help with any of these needs?

Any assistance with donations of materials or time is greatly appreciated!

CLEANING SUPPLIES
Long handle scrub brushes / hand scrub brushes
Small shop brooms / heavy duty brooms
12 brushes for concrete floors
Bleach
Odorban
Dawn dish soap with bleach
Food and treats for our residents
Good quality wild bird seeds
Sunflower seeds
Cat nip and cat treats
Alfalfa and straw
Timothy Hay
Rabbit pellets
Heavy duty, long handle litter strainers.
Heavy duty pooper scoopers

MISCELLANEOUS
Large see-thru plastic tubs
Small & medium galvanized water buckets
Galvanized outdoor trash cans

LARGE ITEMS
New office computer
Roofing material
Plywood

VOLUNTEER HELP
Dog Walkers and Kitty cuddlers at Desert Haven
Someone to help sort and display small items at Paws & claws Thrift Shop
Someone to help the Paws & Claws Yard Foreman with donations intake.
Someone to help maintain the Rainbow Bridge Pet Cemetery grounds, handle routine paperwork on Tuesdays and enter information in computer.

Call us at 575-894-1694 or email to eliana4pets@gmail.com. Thanks in advance!

Week of 5/1/11 Humane Happenings

2011-05-02T20:22:00.000-06:00

by Eliana Aubin

A little break from reading

Many good things are happening at Desert Haven Animal Refuge these days. A new staff is on board, fresh volunteers have arrived and everyone is excited about being given the opportunity to be a part of our companion animal oriented team. Frank, the newest arrival at the no-kill sanctuary, first learned about Desert Haven from the TV segment that recently aired on a number of TV channels this past month, as part of the “It’s All Good New Mexico” program. We can’t thank you enough, Ellen Evans, for taking the time to write about our story and to send it to reporter Chris Anderson of Comcast. Thanks a million, Chris Anderson, for selecting it from many others in New Mexico and for doing such a great job publicizing our work of many years to protect companion animals down-on-their-luck. From the responses we received the past few weeks, the program on Desert Haven aired on many stations not only in New Mexico but also in Colorado.


Cinder, a recent arrival

Frank was so inspired by the program he watched that he decided to move here from Albuquerque to become part of our DHAR team. Frank is a handyman, which is a huge “plus” here at the sanctuary. He is also eager to get started and use his new workshop at Desert Haven to keep things running and in good state of repairs. It will really be a huge step forward to finally have a talented handyman on board.

"Did you call me, Mom?"

This week, we are reminding our animal loving friends to please save their Bullock’s receipts for our organization. When redeemed, the receipts generate funds for the Sierra County Humane Society Spay-Neuter and Spay-a-Stray programs. Several of our long standing and reliable volunteers will be away on vacation for much of the summer. We could use extra help at both Desert Haven and Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe during their absence. The funds generated at P&C allow the Sierra County Humane Society and Desert Haven to provide important services to all the residents of Sierra County, people and animals alike.

Interested in connecting with us or learning more about us? Call us at 575-894-2778. Visit our web site at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, our blog at http://DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com. Chat with us at www.Facebook.com/deserthaven.

Week of 4/24/11 Humane Happenings

2011-04-24T05:12:00.000-06:00

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

2011-04-20T11:55:00.000-06:00

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

2011-04-18T20:58:00.000-06:00

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

2011-04-05T19:59:00.000-06:00

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.

Week of 3/27 11 Humane Happenings by Eliana Aubin

2011-03-29T19:55:00.000-06:00

by Eliana Aubin

Freddie Loveless

This week, we wish to thank everyone who is inquiring about Freddie Loveless’ health status. Freddie, Desert Haven’s Operations Coordinator, is home now, recuperating from her hospital stay as well as from a severe case of bronchitis that sent her there in the first place. Since her arrival at DHAR several years ago, Freddie has been involved in every facet of its operation. She is now a major player within the Sierra County Humane Society. Her loyalty and dedication to the cause of companion animals in Sierra County, together with a genuine love for animals, continue to play a important role in the success of our animal welfare organization, Desert Haven and also Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe. Those of us who know Freddie continue to send good vibes her way and we join together in our thoughts and prayers for her full recovery.

During Freddie’s unfortunate absence from Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe, everyone involved with the non-profit shop is making an extra effort to help insure that it continues to serve the community as it has. Our entire crew works hard and deserves to be acknowledged: “Bootz” Farester, Jackie Fletcher, Estella Groff, Glen Parks, Velda Preston, Sherry Scott, Jim Seery and Eliana Aubin. A special thank you goes to Glen Parks and Jim Seery for covering Freddie’s responsibilities at P&C in her absence.

The focus this week is on the fabulous work of our pricing crew. Thanks to their dedication and attention to details and also for their effective pricing talents in a fluid economic environment, P&C thrift Shoppe continues to operate in a productive and efficient manner. We constantly strive to seek a level of uniqueness among the sea of typical thrift shops. It’s because of the constant efforts on the part of our entire crew and also because of their dedication that we are able to maintain that uniqueness.

Many local and out-of-town customers find us exceptional and above the watermark of the common thrift shop. What sets P&C Thrift Shoppe apart from the others is the fact that we are all personally involved. It’s not a matter of collecting a paycheck at the end of the week – we are all volunteers with a purpose. Protecting, helping and properly caring for the unwanted, abused and neglected companion animals in this area is our purpose. Willing to give us a hand in some way? Contact us at 575-894-2639 or weR4pets@gmail.com. Write us at POB 638 Williamsburg, NM 87942. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com and www.Facebook/com/deserthaven.

Week of 3/21/11 Humane Happenings

2011-03-29T19:42:00.000-06:00

by Eliana Aubin

This week, we are sending our sincere appreciation to all our animal loving friends who have recently made a point, in their own way, to show their full support of all who make things happen within the Sierra County Humane Society and Desert Haven Animal Refuge. The past couple of weeks, many Paws & Claws customers thanked us personally for what we do to help local companion animals down-on-their-luck. We have also received e-mails and phone calls thanking us and giving us moral support. We have been stopped at the local grocery stores, just to tell us how much our selfless hard work is appreciated. Anyone who does anything worthwhile in one’s life eventually gets to learn first-hand that doing something successfully often attracts personal jealousy and resentment on the part of a few. It goes with the territory. The on-going support of valued animal loving friends, together with determination tremendously helps rise above the pettiness and brush it off. It is always a boost to be reminded that we are not alone in our work of love for local animals in distress and that each one of our supporters cares enough to be counted.

A number of folks contacted us since the story came out about the elderly, blind Miniature Pinscher rescued from the dumpster at Rotary Park. We name him Ray - his owner called him “Cowboy”. With appropriate information, we will prosecute the young woman who disposed of the little guy, like a piece of trash, inside the dumpster before she moved to Las Cruces. We are told that she still owns at least two other dogs, one of which she tried to get rid of as well before her move. We assume that she could not load him over and into the dumpster, in the same way as she “trashed “Cowboy, her old and helpless 10lbs little dog. In a last effort to get rid of that larger dog, she attempted to leave him behind with a “friend”. Since she was unsuccessful, we are concerned that she is now going to ‘discard” her other dogs in some way, somewhere in Las Cruces. Please continue to send any pertinent information regarding this matter to 575-894-2639 or weR4pets@gmail.com.

Freddie, Desert Haven bookkeeper and Operations Coordinator, has been quite ill for many days now. Freddie is well known within our animal loving community and also very much loved by everyone who knows her personally and works with her. We miss her and trust that she will soon recover fully and come back home. At this time, we need someone to help with office work at Desert Haven on Tuesdays, at least during Freddie’s illness. Please contact Eliana at 894-2639 if interested. We can be reached at POB 638 Williamsburg, NM 87942. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com and www.Facebook/com/deserthaven.

Week of 3/13/11 Humane Happenings

2011-03-14T20:42:00.000-06:00

Eliana with Cowboy after his rescue from a dumpster

by Eliana Aubin

This past week, an incident happened that made us realize that some folks in Sierra County seem to be unaware or oblivious to the fact that there is a place where these individuals can – no questions asked and totally free of charge to them –drop-off a dog or cat they cannot care for, whether that animal is their own or one that they found wandering on a street, in their neighborhood or in the countryside.

The place is SIERRA ANIMAL SHELTER. It is a modern, clean, privately owned business located on Date Street. The building is adjacent to Hot Springs Animal Clinic, a business that is also privately owned and by the same entity. Through its contracts with the City of T or C, Elephant Butte and the entire county of Sierra, including both Elephant Butte and Caballo state parks, Sierra Animal Shelter is funded by S.C. Taxpayers and it operates as the official city & county animal shelter.

Consequently, anyone with a dog or cat he or she no longer want for whatever reason should bring the unwanted animal to Sierra Animal Shelter. There is absolutely no charge to that individual. Abandoning a dog, a cat or any other companion animal on the side of a road, near the river, in some neighborhood, in the middle of the desert or anywhere in Sierra County, is sentencing that animal to a life of misery until death by exposure, starvation, dehydration, or being eaten, often alive, by other animals. There is absolutely no reason for anyone to abandon an unwanted animal in any other way than to drop him or her off at the local animal shelter: Sierra Animal Shelter on Date Street.

The elderly, handicapped Miniature Pinscher recently found still alive inside the dumpster located at Rotary Park in downtown T or C could have just as easily been dropped off at Sierra Animal Shelter. Instead, his owner sentenced him to die a sure and painful death. It was truly a miracle that the little guy was rescued. The little dog’s owner text messaged us:”Look my mother saw your ad up at bullocks about Cowboy. I’m the owner so please take your ad down”. He added: ”He’s very old and blind and deaf. He has a lot of health problems including severe arthritis and he’s in a lot of pain all the time”. The man’s signature: “Donknow doncare” tells it all.

Any information on Cowboy’s owner? Call 575-894-2639. Contact us at 575-894-2778 or 740-4100. Write us at POB 638 Williamsburg, NM 87942. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. Meet us at www.Facebook/com/deserthaven.

Week of 3/6/11 Humane Happenings

2011-03-14T20:19:00.000-06:00

by Eliana Aubin

This past week, Desert Haven Animal Refuge, Sierra County No-Kill domestic animal sanctuary, received a visit from Chris Anderson, a reporter for Comcast Spotlight.
According to their web site http://site.itsallgoodnewmexico.com, “It’s All Good New Mexico” program brings New Mexico cable viewers uniquely positive stories from across the state, highlighting people, organizations, businesses and employers that are doing good things in our communities. Series of 60 second segments profiling people and organizations that are “giving back” to New Mexico are aired on various networks (TBS, USA, ESPN, FOX NEWS, etc) on 20 local cable systems across the state. “

Desert Haven is receiving recognition through “It’s all good New Mexico” and several of its furry and feathered residents will soon become TV stars as they are featured as part of Chris’ interview with the Sierra County Humane Society president Eliana Aubin. It’s quite an honor for Desert Haven to be recognized in this way.

As they walked through the several animal and bird habitats and visited with the residents, Eliana asked Chris “Why us?”. He answered “We received many stories from all over New Mexico and I chose yours”. How humbling! Someone local (Ellen Evans ) had thought enough of what has been accomplished over the years to help the unwanted and abused animals in Sierra County, to take the time to write a story about it and then to send it to the TV station. And then a perfect stranger had chosen our story out of many, to air on the program.

Desert Haven Animal Refuge is truly a labor of love in progress. Folks from all over the entire United States come to the small but effective sanctuary to share in the experience of caring for companion animals down on their luck. Whether they stay a few months or a few years, everyone who loves animals and shares in the day-to-day care of animals and birds makes a difference. We can’t save all the unwanted, the suffering companion animals in Sierra County, but we certainly and without a doubt make a difference in the lives of those that we can save. That conviction makes everyone involved with Desert Haven feel good about what is accomplish there. In the end, it’s ALL for and ABOUT the animals who call the sanctuary their home.

Interested in adopting a cat or dog from DHAR? Contact us at 575-740-4100. To learn more about us or to help us in some way, call 575-894-2778. Write us at POB 638 Williamsburg, NM 87942. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. Meet us at www.Facebook/com/deserthaven.

Week of 3/1/11 Humane Happenings

2011-03-06T05:43:00.000-07:00

by Eliana Aubin

David, Stephen, and his dad, Gene Wagner, unload pet food in the the "Feed Store" on a Tuesday morning

This week, the Sierra County Humane Society volunteers wish to acknowledge a local business for its on-going commitment to Sierra County and our animal welfare organization: Bullocks Grocery Store in downtown TorC. Bullocks receipts that are saved and dropped-off at the T or C Public Library, Desert Haven Animal Refuge and also Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe are tallied regularly by Josephine Varnum, long time SCHS member and Desert Haven supporter. Once redeemed, they provide much needed funding for the SCHS Spay-Neuter program. Our organization is very proud of this program initiated in 1991 -twenty years ago. Sterilized companion animals live healthier and longer lives. Download an application for the SCHS Spay-Neuter program, also available at the T or C Police Department, Hot Springs Animal Clinic, Desert Haven and at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe. Also thanks to Bullocks, the feathered and furry residents of Birdland & Animal House continue to enjoy fresh veggies and fruit chef salads every morning, with a little help from Freddie Loveless, a volunteer since 2003. Freddie picks-up the boxes from Bullocks and transports them in her vehicle three times weekly.

Did you know that in Dog Town alone, the daily breakfast for everyone amounts to no less than 30 to 40 cups of the regular size dog food and another 5 to 7 cups of the Little Bites that we reserve for our very small dogs. Every morning, dry dog food is mixed with 4 to 5 cans of canned food and, “voila!” breakfast is ready to be served at Dog Town. It’s not hard to imagine how many bags of dog food we use every day to feed our canine army! All the donated dog food is mixed together with Pedigree and Purina, providing our residents dogs with the very best we can provide.

Over the week-end, local residents Michael and Shelly dropped-off at Desert Haven two large bags of dog food – They had found out that morning that dog food was urgently needed. This week again, dog food is number one on our high priority list, with cat food not far behind.

Interested in adopting a cat or dog from DHAR? Contact us at 575-740-4100. To learn more about us or to help us in some way, contact us at 575-894-2778. Write us at POB 638 Williamsburg, NM 87942. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. Meet us at www.Facebook/com/deserthaven.

Week of 2/20/11 Humane Happenings

2011-02-26T19:57:00.000-07:00

by Eliana Aubin

Joe Pack sprucing up the Mutt Hut at Desert Haven

There are folks in Sierra County who care about animals, but they are not sure how to contribute to their welfare. The following are some of the actions that we can take to impact the lives of animals in Sierra County, in our own communities, in our respective neighborhoods. Be on the alert for a stray dog walking in the street for example. Perhaps he has lost his way, or someone abandoned him. That animal needs someone’s help. Let it be you. Keep an eye out and report animal abuse when you see it. Contact the local law enforcement agency. You can remain anonymous when you do so. If you wish to learn the laws regarding animal abuse in New Mexico, you can check right on the web site: www.aspca.org/reportcruelty.

There is always a way for someone to make a difference in the lives of companion animals in your little corner of the world. You can volunteer at Desert Haven Animal Refuge for example. The resident dogs and cats always enjoy the special attention. Any little thing that you do for animals, either at the no-kill sanctuary or in your own neighborhood, is a huge contribution to animals. Just because you cannot do everything you would want to do, you can do something. No action on your part is too small to make the life of these creatures a little brighter. Perhaps even your own lives can be a little brighter by contributing to the happiness of companion animals down-on-their-luck.

This week’s wish list for Desert Haven: dry dog and cat food - carpet remnants - rigid insulation to insulate our pump house - Heavy duty 75ft long water hose - Plywood pieces of all sizes – brooms & scrub brushes.

Interested in learning more about the Sierra County Humane Society, Inc? Perhaps you would like to volunteer at Desert Haven Animal Refuge, Sierra County’s no-kill domestic animal sanctuary. Would you prefer to help out at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe? Contact us at 575-894-2778 or 894-1694. We can also be reached at POB 638 Williamsburg, NM 87942. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. Check our blog at http://DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com. Meet us at www.Facebook/com/deserthaven.

Week of 2/13/11 Humane Happenings

2011-02-22T18:10:00.000-07:00

by Eliana Aubin

Glen Park; Volunteer at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe

This week, we wish to inform our readers that The Sierra County Humane Society, which operates Desert Haven Animal Refuge and Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe, is in no way associated with the people who call themselves “Assets for Animals.” They are currently running an ad in the local papers to attract 'animal-loving' folks to donate items to them. According to their claim, they plan to ultimately distribute your donations to “participating” thrift shops that benefit animals, whether locally or nationwide.

We were very recently invited by the organizers of 'Assets for Animals' to team up with their new venture. Our staff unanimously declined for the following reasons. This is an unknown organization without any verifiable history. Also, why would anyone living in Sierra County choose to have their donations benefit unknown entities outside of the county where we live? In addition, the very few thrift shops whose goal is to contribute to animal care organizations pay salaries to a manager and staff before any profits are allowed to trickle down to benefit animals. Paws & Claws is run entirely by non-paid volunteers and all profits are directly dedicated to the welfare of the animals we can help within Sierra County. Furthermore, P&C Thrift Shoppe operates under the non-profit 501-C-3 umbrella of the SCHS, therefore all your donations are tax deductible, while ‘Assets for Animals’ do not offer that important benefit.

The Sierra County Humane Society believes that being involved with 'Assets for Animals’ is not in the best interest of our local animals. Our animal welfare organization is dedicated to helping Sierra County animals first and foremost. Consequently, until or unless 'Assets for Animals' can insure that all the funds earned from local donations benefit the animals of Sierra County and Sierra County only, the Sierra County Humane Society and P&C Thrift Shoppe will not be associated with this group.

Whereas the Sierra County Humane Society would applaud any organization that can clearly demonstrate their commitment to animal care within our community, we feel obliged to keep our fellow citizens informed of all the information we have received regarding these matters.

If you have any questions or if we can be of service in any way, please feel free to call us at 575-894-1694

This week, our most crucial need is: Dog Walkers at DHAR. While the larger dogs exercise in several groups in the all-fenced Old West Trail every morning, our small breed canine residents are walked individually or two-by-two on a leash. This allows precious interaction between them and the folks who walk them. This takes time and manpower and we currently need more local folks to help us handle that important morning task. Contact Reba at 740-4100 if you wish to help.

Interested in helping at P&C Thrift Shoppe? Call us at 894-2639 or 2778.

For more information, visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. and www.Facebook.com/deserthaven. Our mailing address is POB 638, Williamsburg, NM 87942.

Week of 2/6/11 Humane Happenings

2011-02-14T20:00:00.000-07:00

By Eliana Aubin

What a storm we all lived through in Sierra County! At Desert Haven Animal Refuge, member of the DHAR team worked closely together to insure that all the animals and birds were as protected as possible from the extreme cold. Pat Madden, who drives twice a week all the way from beyond Hillsboro to help care for the animals donated a new portable propane heater last week. It was immediately installed inside the fully insulated Inn at Dog Town. The heater replaced the one belonging to work campers Carl and Nancy Findling, who generously had let us borrow their own heater when the night temperatures started dropping quickly.

Even with comforters and blankets lining individual dog houses and a heater kept on day and night inside the Inn at Dog Town, even with plenty of straw insulating the birds and guinea pigs habitats inside Birdland & Animal House, even with comforters, pillows and warm blankets inside the Kitty Dormitory, everyone at Desert Haven, humans and non-humans alike, was affected in some way by last week’s extreme temperatures.

When the temperatures allowed it, the dogs were eager to get out of the Inn and into their play yard and also get the chance to run again to their hearts content all over the fenced Wild West Trail area.

Can you help us renew our now-depleted supply of warm blankets, pillows and area rugs? We need them for our resident dogs and cats. All donations can either be dropped off at DHAR or at Paws & Claws during business hours. Please remember that any item, box or bag of items left in front of the shop when it is closed for business runs an extremely high risk to be stolen within a few moments by unsavory individuals who are making a lifestyle of profiting from others in one way or the other. We will pick up if needed.

We still have plenty of straw for the rest of the winter. We owe our good fortune to Jeanette Galliard of Albuquerque and to local resident Bobby Dawkins. Several times a year, Jeanette drives all the way from Albuquerque with a truck load full of straw and alfalfa that she generously donates to the sanctuary. This past summer, Bobby Dawkins chose Desert Haven to donate over a hundred bales of hay that he said could not be fed to his horses. Thanks to these two great folks, Birdland & Animal House continue to have plenty of straw to protect its residents from the extreme cold we are experiencing this Winter.

Along with warm blankets and pillows, this week’s high priority items are dry cat food, cracked corn and bird & sunflower seeds.

Interested in learning more about us or helping us in some way? Contact us at 894-2778 or 740-4100. Visit our web site at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. Check us out on www.Facebook.com/deserthaven. Our mailing address is POB 638, Williamsburg, NM 87942.

Week of 2/1/11 Humane Happenings

2011-01-31T19:35:00.000-07:00

By Eliana Aubin

A kitty recently "dumped" by her owner, photographed through a sliding glass door while she comes for food put out by a compassionate animal lover. We're calling her "Pumpkin" for the color of her fur.

The past year has been a really tough one for many in Sierra County, including homeless dogs and cats. The economic crisis has taken its toll on people, but also on their companion animals as they are becoming innocent victims of the current difficult times. Now more than ever, people are often tempted to look the other way, or they give up in despair when they come across a non-human in distress. Fortunately, Compassion compels some of us to act when others would not have. Every life has value. Because of all the kind folks who help our non-profit volunteer animal welfare organization in many ways, we continue to make a difference in this area of New Mexico.

Jeff, a volunteer at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe, cleaning the front windows.

The Sierra County Humane Society is a no-frill organization. We do not have an expensive office by any means. We do not pay any salary. Even the President of the organization is a volunteer. The duties of Executive Director of Desert Haven Animal Refuge and those of Manager of Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe are also performed on a strictly volunteer basis. As in many other worthwhile organizations in the community, our crew of volunteers is very limited and this is obviously a fact – sad as it may be - that we always must take into consideration in whatever we decide to do within the entire organization.

For the year 2010, only 4% of the budget of the Sierra County Humane Society went towards office expenses and supplies. The remainder funded projects and programs that benefit companion animals in Sierra County. The SCHS Spay-Neuter and Spay-a-Stray programs were by far the most costly. Medical expenses for unwanted and abused dogs and cats taken in at Desert Haven also came with a high price tag.

Desert Haven is sanctuary to over two hundred (200) non-human creatures which at one time were unwanted, neglected or abused. As we routinely adopt out dogs and cats at Desert Haven, we take in others down-on-their-luck. It breaks our hearts to turn away any animal in need for lack of resources. But again, taking in more animals than we can provide for would jeopardize the ones we have already rescued. We are often forced to say: “sorry, we cannot take in anymore”. Some folks understand, others get very angry with us and call us names. It’s something we accept as part of dealing with the “takers” of this world.

This week’s wish list: dog and cat food, sunflower and bird seeds, also rabbit pellets – Interested in becoming a member of the Sierra County Humane Society? Do you want to help us in some other way? Contact us at 575-894-2778. Write us at POB 638 Williamsburg, NM 87942. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. Meet us at www.Facebook/com/deserthaven.

Week of 1/23/11 Humane Happenings

2011-01-25T19:37:00.000-07:00

By Eliana Aubin

Mattie Ganos with sign honoring Leonard Bullington

The Sierra County Humane Society, Inc. will hold its Annual Membership Meeting in February. Directors for vacant and expiring positions will be elected at that meeting. The SCHS Board of Directors also governs the operations of Desert Haven Animal Refuge, Sierra County’s No-Kill companion animal sanctuary. Please contact us at 894-2778 or 894-2639 for more information or to be placed on the 2011 ballot.

Some weeks ago, Mattie Ganos, who work camps at Desert Haven with her husband Denny, designed and painted several large Old West Style signs that were proudly hung in their respective places on several buildings around the sanctuary. We now have a sign on the Desert Haven workshop that honors the man who contributed greatly to our organization: Gene Trelewicz. Gene no longer lives in Sierra County, but he is remembered fondly by everyone who knows him and worked with him at Desert Haven.

Leonard Bullington is being honored also, and rightly so. Leonard is a retired cowboy who used his lifelong experience and skills to help the very first crew of volunteers who cleared the undeveloped parcel of land and then started to build the sanctuary, one project at a time. Among several large projects, Leonard completely revamped a small building in the Old West Style. A large, colorful and very attractive sign “Leonard’s Mercantile”, created by Mattie, was recently hung on that specific building – a fitting bit of recognition for an “Old Cowboy”, as Leonard often calls himself.

Last Tuesday, the crew erected another very meaningful sign, also designed by Mattie. The sign honors Ardell, a Charter member of the Sierra County Humane Society and one of its strongest supporters from way back. Back in the “Old Days”, Ardell owned and operated a small rock and antique shop in Northern New Mexico. Over the years, she had decorated the entire front yard of her shop with artistic and unique compositions of colored glass bottles and containers. That “Glass Garden” became such a tourist attraction that an Albuquerque TV station ran a story in the 1980’s on “Ardell’s Glass Garden”.

Ardell’s 21 years of support of our animal welfare organization deserves recognition. What more fitting than to honor this amazing pioneer lady by creating a small - very small - “Ardell’s Glass Garden” at Desert Haven, a place she has given so much of herself over the years and in so many ways. Do you have colored bottles and containers you wish to donate to help us get this meaningful project off the ground? Let us know. Interested in learning more about us or helping us in some way? Contact us at 575-894-2778. Write us at POB 638 Williamsburg, NM 87942. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. Meet us at www.Facebook/com/deserthaven.

Week of 1/17/11 Humane Happenings

2011-01-15T19:06:00.001-07:00

By Eliana Aubin with photos by Dennis Gano, except "Lucky" by Teddi

Basket of doves

The year 2011 is unfolding and Desert Haven is entering into the 10th year since the very first non human residents arrived at the sanctuary – a flock of domesticated ring neck doves relinquished by an older gentleman who could no longer care for them in the outdoor aviary he had built for them many years before. Then several guinea pigs followed – a young boy had gotten tired of feeding and watering them every day and he often forgot they were even here, huddled all together in their small cage inside his mother’s garage. Soon after, several no-longer-wanted Easter rabbits joined the group.

Guinea pigs enjoying fresh veggies

Then in 2002, a mother cat about to deliver was dropped-off in a box because she was pregnant - the man did not want kittens. Lucky, the sanctuary’s first dog arrived some months later. Someone had found the pup one afternoon, wandering the solitary stretch of HWY 195 between TorC and E.B. At the time, the facility was still in the process of being built, one habitat at a time and according to long-range plans outlined some time before.

Lucky; first dog rescued by DH

Today, Desert Haven provides sanctuary to over two hundred (200) fur and feather creatures. It is tailored to available resources, such as manpower and funding. The road is not easy, but with the on-going help of our members and supporters, we have accomplished nothing short of miracles along the way. Membership forms are available at P&C thrift Shoppe and DHAR. You can also contact Freddie at 575-894-2778 for more information.

Rooster at Desert Haven

For many months now, Diane Bellack of Hillsboro has sorted, tagged and priced all donated craft and sewing items to be displayed and sold at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe in TorC. Diane is no longer able to help our cause in this way, at least for some time, and we are going to miss her help terribly. If any of our craft oriented Readers wishes to help us get those items readied to sell at P&C, contact Eliana at 575-894-2639.

Our Desert Haven peacock

This week’s wish list: dog and cat food, also sunflower seeds - carpet pieces – wood and plywood, even small pieces to be used for smaller projects such as bird houses, trail signs and pet grave markers. We need construction and roofing material –large plastic containers – exterior white latex paint. If you are computer oriented and enjoy working with numbers, we need your help for a couple of hours on Tuesdays.

Write us at POB 638 Williamsburg, NM 87942. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. Meet us at www.Facebook/com/deserthaven. Desert Haven is open to the public every Tuesday and anyone interested in adopting a dog or a cat is welcome to visit the sanctuary on that day.

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Week of 1/10/11 Humane Happenings

2011-01-11T17:41:00.000-07:00

By Eliana Aubin

Gunner at the campground before being rescued

At this time of the year, we see the worst in Human Nature…dogs and cats abandoned or left outdoors, even at night, in the freezing weather. Dogs especially- short hair dogs and very small dogs too - left out-of-doors in their yard in below freezing temperatures - no shelter available, their water bowl is frozen. Many of them are tied or chained – yes, chained - outside in the freezing cold. Our organization receives calls every day about dogs left outside in these extreme temperatures. What’s wrong with some people?

This time, this article wishes to share a heartwarming story of a stranger who went way out of his way to save a cat from certain death, a cat he didn’t even know. Yes, there IS hope for the Human Race.

In a campground in Santa Rosa, in Northern New Mexico, a man is taking a break from work and spending a few days of R&R in his RV. The ground is frozen and the campground is sparsely occupied at this time of the year. Something catches the man’s attention early one morning: a little ball of fur, all curled-up on the cement floor outside of the campground's restroom. It’s a small cat. He is very skinny under that dirty matted fur- and he is very scared. He hisses every time the man attempts to get closer.

The man is patient and he has a good heart. Within a couple of days, the little fur-guy has furtively investigated the RV and hesitantly accepted the man’s caresses and food. The man knows that his lifestyle and work habits do not allow a companion animal, even a cat. Some folks may have just left the animal to his fate – block one’s mind and ignore the animal altogether. The man chooses to go the compassionate way. He contacts sanctuaries and no-kill shelters in communities around the campground. No luck, no room for another cat anywhere. In a last attempt to save the little guy before moving on, the man e-mails Desert Haven, located half- way across the state. Here at Desert Haven, we weigh the situation and decide that we simply can’t turn our back on the man’s plea and on the helpless little fur-guy. If the man cares enough to deliver the cat to Desert Haven, we will make “room at the Inn”.

Gunner at Desert Haven, feelin' the love from Reba's ear scratches!

It takes several hours for the man to bring the cat all the way from Santa Rosa, and several more hours for him to return back to his RV in Santa Rosa campground, which he does right away so he can be back home to his RV before night. A remarkable story – a remarkable man. We call the little fur-guy “Gunner”. It’s the man’s last name.

Recently two DHAR resident dogs were taken to a veterinary hospital for emergency lifesaving surgeries. We are asking our animal loving friends who can do so to please help us cover the medical costs that are prohibitive for our small sanctuary. Make a donation via credit card easily by visiting our "Causes" page at http://www.causes.com/causes/313794-desert-haven-animal-refuge. We can be contacted at 894-2778 or 740-4100 for more information.

Write us at POB 638 Williamsburg, NM 87942. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. Meet us at www.Facebook/com/deserthaven. Desert Haven is open to the public every Tuesday.

Week of 1/2/11 Humane Happenings

2011-01-05T04:42:00.000-07:00

by Eliana Aubin

Denny Gano with Isis, our newest rescue

The year 2010 went out with a bang, as the dreaded cold front finally hit our area with a vengeance. It’s been very cold at Desert Haven the past few nights and all the volunteers caring every day for the animal and bird residents of the no-kill sanctuary deserve a special pat on the back. Freezing weather or not, all the fur and feather guys and girls get hungry every morning. Even before the Arctic weather hit this part of Sierra County, the volunteer crew had insured that the Kitty Motel, Feline Dorm, Cat Condos and Kitty Igloos were revamped with even more warm comforters, fleece blankets and large fluffy pillows.

At Dog Town and inside the Inn, nothing was left to chance either. As more rugs and carpets were laid over the cement floors inside the individual sleeping areas, every dog house was being refurbished to provide enough warmth for all the little fur-guy and girl residents during this especially cold front. The smaller breeds were fitted with snug doggy sweaters. At Birdland & Animal House, the guinea pigs, rabbits, doves, peacocks, roosters and hens received extra straw to keep them warm. Come on down, Old Man Winter, Desert Haven is ready for you!

Denny installing insulation

Denny Gano deserves special recognition. Denny and his wife Mattie are work camping at the no-kill domestic animal sanctuary this winter. Among other qualities and skills, Mattie is an accomplished artist and Denny, a contractor by trade, can build anything. Recently, Duke’s Pet Parents, some of Desert Haven’s strongest and most generous supporters, offered to cover the costs of the insulation material for the entire roof of the Inn at Dog town, if someone at Desert Haven would install it. Denny volunteered his personal time to do the project and last Tuesday afternoon, he had completed it. What a difference it makes inside the building!

Mattie Gano with one of her custom made signs

A well deserved “thank-you” is in order to everyone who made this happen. Duke’s Pet Parents wish to stay anonymous. Their very generous contributions since they visited Desert Haven for the first time last July are in memory of Duke, their beloved black lab. Duke passed away at 13 years old last June. Thanks, Duke.

This week’s wish list: aside from volunteer help at Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe and Desert Haven, we need large storage containers, carpet remnants, Odorban cleaning detergent, hand and floor brushes and squeegees, also two heavy duty filing cabinets. Do you have a scroll saw and would like to help out, directly from your home workshop? We have a project for you. Of course, catnip and pet food, including sunflower seeds, is always on our list. If you would like to help in some way, contact us at 575-894-2778, 740-4100 or 894-1694. Write us at POB 638 Williamsburg, NM 87942. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. Meet us at www.Facebook.com/deserthaven. Desert Haven is open to the public every Tuesday.

Week of 12/26/10 Humane Happenings

2010-12-31T12:00:00.001-07:00

By Eliana Aubin

Gate to Desert Haven Animal Refuge

This year again, Santa remembered Desert Haven Animal Refuge and all its furry and feathered residents. Throughout the past couple of weeks, his helpers dropped off at the sanctuary and at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe in T or C several car loads of dog and cat food, including several cases of canned food which is very needed at this time of the year. Large or small, every contribution towards feeding all the little rescues in our care is greatly appreciated and very much needed. A few days ago, someone who wishes to stay anonymous unloaded at DHAR a full carload of dog and cat food, most especially canned food, together with dog treats, plastic storage containers, doggie sweaters for our smallest fur-guys and girls, and also some small toys for dogs and cats. All of it, we were told, was in recognition of Blue, the community dog of Elephant Butte. What a nice gesture! Also it could not have arrived at a better time, with the winter now here and Desert Haven’s cupboards always needing replenishing.

The year 2010 is about to end and we believe there could be no better time to let our readers know how much we have appreciated their support throughout the entire year. Without the generosity of caring folks who want to help us help the unwanted companion animals of Sierra County, our volunteers would not be financially able to care for over two hundred (200) furry and feathered creatures for whom the no-kill sanctuary is home year’ round. A huge thank-you is especially in order for the local media. The Sierra County Humane Society articles come out in the local newspaper every week as a Public Service Announcement. At this time of the year, our volunteer organization wishes to express its sincere gratitude for the on-going support from the local media, together with businesses and animal loving friends from all over.

This week’s wish list: two heavy duty filing cabinets for the DHAR office – someone with a scroll saw and able to work from home, to cut out many dog and cat silhouettes out of plywood. We also need dog and cat food, catnip, large storage containers, carpet remnants to be used either for rugs inside the dogs’ indoor-outdoor kennels or on the trails to help out with weed control. We also need volunteer help at DHAR and Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe. If you would like to help in some way, contact us at 575-894-2778, 740-4100 or 894-1694. Write us at POB 638 Williamsburg, NM 87942. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. Meet us at www.Facebook/com/deserthaven. Desert Haven is open to the public every Tuesday.

Week of 12/20/10 Humane Happenings

2010-12-28T13:00:00.001-07:00

By Eliana Aubin

Mosey at Desert Haven

Why on Earth do folks have Pit Bull dogs without getting them sterilized? Unwanted Pit Bull and Pit Mix are hard to place. The animal shelters all over New Mexico routinely euthanize them immediately after they are relinquished mostly because Pit Bulls are a special breed that needs a specific environment to thrive as companion animals. Consequently, a good home for a Pit Bull is hard to find. Also too many Pit Bulls and Pit Mix are being bred, making it difficult to find enough of the right type of folks wanting to adopt that specific breed.

More and more, the Sierra County Humane Society is receiving call after call from local folks who either want to give-up an unwanted Pit Bull, or they have had a bad encounter involving a Pit Bull. Some folks also call to find out how to adopt a Pit Bull - we suspect for the wrong reasons. Some local folks acquire a Pit Bull to make a profit from the sale of the pups that are born when they breed the animal. Sierra County is overrun by Pit Bull and Pit Mix pups.

Have you ever wondered why there is such a great demand for Pit Bulls locally? Also to whom are Pit Bull pups routinely sold? After all, this is still Dog Fighting Country. Even though New Mexico has now joined the rest of the states in finally making the sport of Dog Fighting illegal, some low-life unscrupulous folks still breed and use Pit Bulls for that purpose, right here under their neighbors noses. “Free to good homes” Pit Bulls and Pit Mix usually end-up in the wrong hands. Trained to fight or used as “bait” in dog fights, their short life ends in miserable agony. Shame on those who breed them indiscriminately! Fighting dogs or roosters is against the law in New Mexico. Consequently, the sport, as cruel and degraded as it is, has now gone undergrounds.

Do you know of some illegal activities involving Pit Bulls? If so, quietly gather as much information as possible and then contact the appropriate law enforcement agency - The TCPD or the Sheriff’s Department. Of course you can stay anonymous if you wish. A few days ago, we were re-assured by the County Sheriff’s Office that investigations will be conducted for each call regarding possibly illegal activities involving Pit Bulls. If you know of some activity involving Pit Bulls or Pit-Mix that you believe may be illegal, please bring it to light by going through the proper channels.

Should you prefer to connect with our organization instead, we can be contacted at 575-894-1694 or 894-2639. Please realize that all that we can do is to call the appropriate law enforcement agency ourselves with the information you will have given us. In the process, the information we give the law enforcement agency will have become second-hand information. Let’s team up to clean Sierra County of the unsavory elements of Society that fight Pit Bulls for sport and money, right here in and around our Sierra County communities.

This week’s wish list: canned dog and cat food – dry cat food - catnip – large storage containers – carpet remnants - volunteer help at DHAR and Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe. Visit the sanctuary on Tuesday. Contact us at 575-894-2778 and 740-4100. Write us at POB 638 Williamsburg, NM 87942. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. Meet us at www.Facebook/com/deserthaven.

Week of 12/12/10 Humane Happenings

2010-12-12T17:16:00.005-07:00

By Eliana Aubin

Last Saturday, the Desert Haven Animal Refuge volunteers participated in the Luminaria Beach Walk at Elephant Butte Lake. Our Old West style booth attracted a large number of visitors and many of them made a point to get some information about Desert Haven Animal Refuge and the Sierra County Humane Society, the booth’s host organization.

While enjoying the warmth of the huge bonfire and connecting with all the Desert Haven volunteers and work campers who were helping man the DHAR booth, folks could taste some of Reba Wagner’s special hot cider and Mattie Gano’s scrumptious fudge cookies. Missy and Duchess who reside at Dog town at the sanctuary were also enjoying the atmosphere. They were having a great time with all the attention they attracted. Denny Gano had brought his guitar along and he gave a wonderful musical concert throughout the evening. Mother Nature provided great weather for the evening event. It was a huge plus to help make this year’s Luminaria Walk the best ever so far. Everyone who took photos, please consider e-mailing them to us at weR4pets@gmail.com. We will put them on our blog and on Facebook and credit you with taking them.

We recently handled several adoptions. While a couple of our little rescues were adopted locally, two moved together into their forever home in Silver City and another went to Roswell. Extra good news: Mosey is being adopted. Mosey is a large mixed breed dog that we adopted out three years ago from Sierra Animal Shelter in TorC. That morning, two DHAR volunteers – Ron and Eliana - visited the city shelter to adopt and rescue a couple of dogs as planned. Mosey was there too, but not in the adoption section of the building. She was in another section of the building as she was to be euthanized that same morning, we were told. She had been found a couple of days before, wandering the streets in some T or C neighborhood. She was so skinny that she looked like the skeleton of a dog covered with skin. She has scars all over - some old, some new – probably from having been in several fights along the way. Still, there was something about her that caught the volunteers’ eyes and melted their hearts. Her eyes were warm and pleading as she looked at them intensely when they walked past her kennel. We knew then that we simply needed to make room for her at Desert Haven. We saved Mosey that morning - this was 3 years ago. This week, Mosey is being adopted. What a wonderful feeling for those of us who have cared for her all this time. Mosey is living proof that here at Desert Haven, we make a huge difference in the life of each and every companion animal that we can save.

Mosey and Pat at Desert Haven

Interested in helping out? We need canned dog and cat food –large storage containers. We also need dog walkers and kitty cuddlers at Desert Haven and help in the office. Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe needs helpers as well. For more information, contact us at 575-894-2778 or 740-4100. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. Write to us at POB 638, Williamsburg, NM 87942. Meet us at www.Facebook.com/deserthaven.

Week of 12/5/10 Humane Happenings

2010-12-05T20:33:00.000-07:00

By Eliana Aubin

Each year, over one hundred thousand dogs and cats enter animal shelters in New Mexico alone. Of those, over sixty thousand are euthanized, because nobody wants them. It does not have to be this way. We all know that spaying and neutering is the solution to this tragic - and costly - problem. Making low-cost surgeries widely available must be a priority if we are ever going to end dog and cat overpopulation.

The Sierra County Humane Society is doing its part to help curb dog and cat overpopulation. For over 20 years now, the SCHS offers Spay-Neuter rebates to local folks who need some financial help to have a companion animal sterilized. Spay-Neuter forms are available from the TorC Police station and also at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe in T or C. We also fund the SCHS Spay-a-Stray program, which covers sterilization costs of feral and stray cats in Sierra County. Call us at 575-894-2778.

According to Animal Protection of New Mexico located in Albuquerque (call 505-265-2322 or fax 5505-265-2488), “Pet Care plates” are now available to animal loving folks who wish to be part of the solution to dog and cat overpopulation in our state. $25 of each $37 spay-neuter license plate sold will go to spaying and neutering programs in the purchaser’s county. Enhanced programs at the local levels will reduce the number of animals euthanized each year. Fewer cats and dogs will ease the growing financial burdens on animal control and public safety departments like ours here in Sierra County. The Spay-Neuter license plates must be ordered from the New Mexico Motor Vehicle Department. Order forms are available at any MDV office, or at www.mvd.newmexico.gov.

The “Pet Care Plates” have been in the making for at least a couple of years. Now that the process is in place, Animal Protection of New Mexico is asking animal welfare organizations all over New Mexico to drive home the message. For more information, visit www.apnm.org or contact apnm@apnm.org.

Thinking of donating to an animal welfare organization this Holiday season? Please consider including your local animal welfare organization in your generosity. Any donation, large or small, is very much needed to help YOUR humane Society achieve its goals. So many Sierra County companion animals out-on-their-luck need your help! Desert Haven Animal Refuge is the only no-kill domestic animal sanctuary in this area. It operates under the umbrella of the SCHS. Contrary to popular belief and just like other humane societies and animal welfare agency anywhere in the US, our local Humane Society receives absolutely no funding from the Humane Society of the US, ASPCA or any other large and powerful national organization involved with animal protection. The Sierra County Humane Society and Desert Haven receive absolutely no funding through taxes, local or otherwise, and every penny that is spent to help companion animals in need is earned through fundraising activities and donations.

Interested in helping out? We need canned dog and cat food – carpet remnants - large storage containers – plywood & building material – fencing material. We also need dog walkers and kitty cuddlers at Desert Haven and help in the office. Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe needs helpers as well. For more information, contact us at 575-894-2778 or 740-4100. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. Write to us at POB 638, Williamsburg, NM 87942. Meet us at www.Facebook.com/deserthaven.

Week of 11/28/10 Humane Happenings

2010-11-29T18:49:00.000-07:00

By Eliana Aubin

Old West Placita

This week, Desert Haven welcomed the arrival of Penny, a Pomeranian Pug mix relinquished by her human companion who could no longer care for her because of failing health. The tiny, cute-as-a-button, well-mannered four-year old girl-dog is now waiting to melt somebody’s heart and move into her very own loving home.

This week’s special thanks go to: Herman & Sugar Armijo of Albuquerque, who contribute to our organization every time they visit the area - Mary Roden of T or C who insures that the cupboards of Dog Town & The Cool Cat Neighborhood are never empty for too long - Mary Ann Nolan who recently dropped-off at DHAR much needed dog and cat food and also some treats – Jerry & Paul McCauley who delivered to the sanctuary many cans of dog and cat food last Tuesday. When told that they must have sensed that we badly needed the canned food, Paul answered with a smile “We read your column”.

Jason Gransbury of Palomas Canyon recently visited the sanctuary. As he walked through Desert Haven’s “Old West Placita” and around the animals and birds habitats, he gave us a very nice compliment:”You have built this whole place to look like an Old West town – it looks really neat!” A visitor from Kansas shopped at Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe last Friday. She told our volunteers on duty that she had landed in Albuquerque a couple of days before and as she was picking-up a car at budget Rent-a-Car to visit a family member living in TorC, the clerk at the desk had told her:” While you are there, one place you don’t want to miss is Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe in TorC. It’s a very interesting store and you can’t beat their prices. And it’s all for a good cause.” Our Kansas visitor added:” I came and I was not disappointed!” Such a nice compliment for all the dedicated volunteers who work well together to make it all happen at P&C!

This week’s wish list: bird & sunflower seeds - canned dog and cat food – catnip - large storage containers with or without lids, also plywood & construction material - tarps or canvas material to protect waiting-to-be-sorted donations inside the P&C Thrift Shoppe yard - carpet remnants to be used either as area rugs at Dog Town or to keep the weeds down on several new dog walking trails that our crew is clearing around the sanctuary.

Acquainted with the computer program XL? Do you enjoy working with numbers? We need your skills and two hours of your time in the Desert Haven office every Tuesday morning. We also need someone to help for an hour or two with routine office work on Tuesdays. Call us at 575-894-2778. Interested in visiting Desert Haven? It is open to the public every Tuesday. Thinking of adopting? Visit our web site and Petfinder page at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com or contact us at 575-740-4100. Write us at POB 638, Williamsburg, NM 87942. Meet us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/deserthaven.

Week of 11/21/10

2010-11-22T06:55:00.000-07:00

By Eliana Aubin

Every year, Thanksgiving is celebrated at Desert Haven Animal Refuge on the Tuesday before the official Thanksgiving Day. This year again, everyone who volunteers at DHAR and Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe has been invited to share the traditional meal served pot-luck style at the domestic animal sanctuary. It’s always a very enjoyable time, to “break bread” with folks of kindred spirit and Thanksgiving dinner at Desert Haven continues to be a special event.

The Christmas Season is now under way. With it, many of our readers are already starting to feel the pressure from large organizations from all over, asking them to donate generously to help this or that cause. Fundraising on a grand scale is usually carefully orchestrated, especially at this time of the year. It also effectively reaches out to folks’ generosity and compassion. At this time of the year, it’s not often easy to brush-off carefully presented and well written appeals for help, from any worthwhile national organization. Local organizations more often than not don’t have the luxury of being able to spend any of their hard earned resources on fancy fundraising mailings. Anyone interested in donating to a worthwhile cause should consider a local organization first. When you donate locally, you have the opportunity to experience first-hand the Good that you are doing through your generosity.

Thanks to a great team of animal loving folks involved with the Sierra County Humane Society and Desert Haven Animal Refuge, adoptions continue to make Dog Town a very busy place these days. In fact, this year has seen the greatest number of companion animals being adopted from DHAR. While some of them are adopted locally, the new forever home for most of them is many miles away.

This week’s wish list: canned dog and cat food – catnip -tarps or canvas material - carpet remnants - large clear storage containers with or without lids – plywood & building material. We need extra hands in the Desert Haven office and also helping care for the animals. Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe needs helpers as well. Interested in visiting Desert Haven? It is open to the public on Tuesdays. Thinking of adopting? Contact us at 575-894-2778 or 740-4100. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. Write to us at POB 638, Williamsburg, NM 87942. Meet us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/deserthaven.

Week of 11/14/10 Humane Happenings

2010-11-22T06:45:00.000-07:00

By Eliana Aubin

Winter is on its way to Sierra County and Desert Haven Animal Refuge is making preparations for the cold nights ahead. Thanks to Denny & Mattie Gano, Reba, Gene & Stephen Wagner, Pam Mosher, Sherry Scott and David Kuhn, winterization of the facility is now completed - water lines and spigots throughout the property and also the residents’ habitats are now ready for Old Man Winter!

Do you enjoy working out-of-doors and taking advantage of clean fresh air and the current sunny weather? Our Desert Haven crew always needs extra help with the Fall clean-up of dead weeds, the pruning of large bushes and also with revamping the gravel trails inside Rainbow Bridge Pet Cemetery. If interested, let us know. Bring your work gloves and tools if you wish, and join us mid-morning on a Tuesday. Plan to stay for the 1 PM lunch. We have good folks at Desert Haven - and you may even enjoy visiting with the animals of your choice while you are there.

This week, we thank all the kind folks who help us feed the little ones under our wings, either by donating pet food or with contributions earmarked for food. If you wish to help but can’t make it to DHAR, bring your contributions to Paws & Claws Thrift Shop during business hours, from Wednesday through Saturday. We always need bird and sunflower seeds, rabbit pellets, and also dog and cat food, especially canned food. During the cold winter mornings, the little fur-guys and girls under our care very much enjoy and surely appreciate a little moist food mixed with their dry breakfast. The furry and feathered residents of Desert Haven start their day with kind words, cuddles and breakfast every morning. At Birdland & Animal House, chef salads of cut-up fresh fruits and veggies - courtesy of Bullocks Grocery Store – are mixed together in large stainless steel pans, served inside the several aviaries and habitats. While their breakfast is being prepared, fresh water provided and their living areas and play-yard spruced-up, the dogs are exercised outside their compound, either walked on a leash around the sanctuary or given a chance to romp in groups and socialize inside the Old West Trail, an enclosed one acre track of walking trails and desert landscape. The dogs look forward to this special time every morning and when they are brought back on a leash to their respective quarters, their individual bowl of breakfast is waiting for them. Our small army of 40 resident kitties loves the special attention given to each one of them every morning as they slowly leave their warm cubby holes and their cozy condos to come out and enjoy the tasty treats and moist food prepared with their discerning tastes in mind.

Priority list: heavy duty tarps, large plastic containers with or without lids, canned dog and cat food. Interested in visiting Desert Haven? It is open to the public on Tuesdays. Thinking of adopting? Contact us at 575-894-2778 or 740-4100. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. Write to us at POB 638, Williamsburg, NM 87942. Meet us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/deserthaven.

Week of 11/8/10 Humane happenings

2010-11-20T19:38:00.000-07:00

By Eliana Aubin

The past few weeks, the Sierra County Humane Society and Desert Haven Animal Refuge volunteers have had a lot to be thankful for. Recently, Sharon Stoffels of Albuquerque and her father Bill, together with several contributors who wish to stay anonymous, donated time, expertise and funds to update the organization’s computer operation which was badly in need of revamping. In doing so, they helped our office move into the 21st Century. What a difference it is making for our volunteer staff! We also wish to thank Gene Wagner, Desert Haven’s talented handyman, for building a long, great looking wooden computer table for our “new & improved” equipment.

“Kudos” are in order for the leadership of Bullocks Grocery store in TorC for continuing its very generous Cash for Clubs program. The funds our organization receives from redeeming Bullocks receipts are earmarked for the Society’s Spay-Neuter and Spay-a-Stray programs. The results of this year’s Bullocks generosity were recently publicized in the local newspapers and our organization was the highest recipient on record. Each and everyone who saves and regularly drops-off their Bullocks receipts into the SCHS collection boxes around town is part of our success. We could not do what we do for the companion animals of Sierra County without the support of all of YOU who participate in some way. Keep saving those Bullocks receipts for the SCHS & Desert Haven Animal Refuge! They are worth $$$ to the Society!

We also collect aluminum cans. They can be dropped off in the Can Corral adjacent to P&C. Reba Wagner, her husband Gene and son Stephen handle their transport and redeem them locally for our organization. The funds collected help sterilize Sierra County’s companion animals through the Society Spay-Neuter program. Thanks, Guys!

An abandoned Heeler and her three pups need a loving home. The folks who rescued them from the wild already have other dogs and are not able to keep them. For more information, contact Sandra or Johnny at 575-267-9341. A young calico indoor kitty needs a home. His owner has found out that she is allergic, so she can’t keep him.

This week’s high priority wish list: canned dog and cat food, several heavy duty medium sized tarps. Interested in visiting Desert Haven? It is open to the public on Tuesdays. You can also visit our web site at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. We can also be reached at POB 638, Williamsburg, NM 87942. Meet us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/deserthaven. For more information about our animal welfare organization, contact us at 575-894-2778 or 740-4100.

Week of 11/1/10 Humane Happenings

2010-11-16T19:36:00.000-07:00

By Eliana Aubin

Lunch time at Desert Haven Animal Refuge

Helen, Sherry, Glen, Stephen, Jim and Larry

The Sierra County Humane Society, Inc., ( SCHS) is Sierra County's only animal welfare organization. It is NOT associated with either Sierra Animal Shelter or Hot Springs Animal clinic, both of which are privately owned local businesses. The SCHS is a non-profit, volunteer organization which owns and operates Desert Haven Animal Refuge, Sierra County no-kill domestic animal sanctuary. The Society and Desert Haven's operating funds are generated solely from the profits generated at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe in TorC, the Society's major fundraising activity, together with private and business contributions. The organization receives no government funding, local or otherwise. Consequently, no Taxpayers dollars are used to operate either the SCHS or Desert Haven.

The SCHS is governed by a volunteer Board of Officers in which are vested the concerns, direction and management of its affairs. Desert Haven is headed by an Executive Director, also a volunteer. The Desert Haven CEO - Eliana Aubin - works closely with the DHAR staff - Operations Coordinator Freddie Loveless and Animal Care Coordinator Reba Wagner, who both reside at the sanctuary, in housing provided by the organization.

Elections of SCHS Directors are held each year at the Annual Meeting on the first Monday in February. Directors serve for three years. The SCHS President, Vice President, Treasurer, both Recording and Corresponding Secretaries are elected each year at the board meeting following the Annual Meeting. Officers serve for one year. Anyone who has been a SCHS member for at least one year and who wishes to serve on the board is invited to send a letter of intent to the SCHS at POB 638, Williamsburg, NM. You can also e-mail the SCHS President at eliana4pets@gmail.com or call the SCHS Secretary at 575-894-2778.

This week, we wish to acknowledge the folks who continue to make cash or in-kind donations to help us feed the furry and feathered residents of Desert Haven. Times seem to be tough for everyone these days, and our non-profit volunteer organization, which relies on the generosity of other caring animal loving folks, is also feeling the effects of these difficult times. Still, every companion animals rescued at the sanctuary must be fed and cared for daily, and their medical needs attended to. Every donation, large or small, is immensely appreciated.

We continue to need helpers at Paws & Claws and also at Desert Haven. Interested in donating at least a couple of hours a week to a worthy cause? contact Freddie at 575-894-2778 or Reba at 740-4100. Interested in adopting? Visit Desert Haven on a Tuesday and meet our little furry guys and girls. If this is the right time for you, surely one of them will "adopt" you. Regardless, a visit to DHAR is sure to be pleasant and rewarding, whether you adopt or not.

You can also visit our web site at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com.

Meet us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/deserthaven. Our mailing address is 638, Williamsburg, NM 87942.

Week of 10/24/10 Humane Happenings

2010-10-28T19:28:00.000-06:00

By Eliana Aubin

Life is very busy at Desert Haven Animal Refuge these days, as Sierra County small domestic animal sanctuary is being prepared for the winter. Dog houses and kitty condos are being provided with extra insulation and warm blankets. Rugs of all sizes stored throughout the summer are being cut and made to fit inside the several canine and feline housing areas, to protect the little fur-guys and girls from the cold cement flooring. With cold weather almost here, DHAR animal care providers have already started to mix canned dog and cat food with the dry food that is served early each morning and again in the evening, to all the residents of Dog Town and The Cool Cat Neighborhood. It takes a lot of bags and cans of food to feed an average of eighty (80) dogs and cats every day. Our readers have been great and we trust that they will continue to help us provide for them in some way.

At this time, Desert Haven is home to a large number of small breed dogs. We especially need “Little Bites” dog food or any dry dog food specifically made for their small mouths. Desert Haven is also a sanctuary for doves, both white and domesticated ring-neck. Peacocks, chickens and roosters, guinea pigs and rabbits also live at DHAR, in their respective habitats and aviaries. Aside from fresh veggies donated by the local grocery store –Bullocks Shur-Save of T or C, and also alfalfa donated by Jeanette Galliard of Albuquerque, they eat scratch corn, bird and sunflower seeds and also rabbit pellets.

Do any of our readers have a small tractor and a blade he or she could use to level two or three work camper RV sites at the small RV campground? RVs seem to have grown even longer the past few years and a couple of the sites need more leveling so that they can easily accommodate the larger RVs. Work campers from all over the US are integral part of the Desert Haven volunteer crew and it’s crucial that the sanctuary continues to be able to accommodate their larger size RVs whenever necessary.

We need two extra helpers on Tuesdays, to help in the Desert Haven office for a couple of hours: one with some simple bookkeeping knowledge to assist Freddie in the morning, the other would be familiar with computer spreadsheets and with some working experience with the program XL. For the past several months, Larry Seaman has been kind enough to keep the spreadsheets up to date until another volunteer takes over.

CPA James Bagwell deserves a huge thank-you from all animal loving folks involved in some way with the Sierra County Humane Society and Desert Haven. Mr. Bagwell’s main office is in Las Cruces, but he also does business in Sierra County from his T or C office. For the past three years, he has handled our animal welfare organization’s taxes and his efforts and expertise have taken a tremendous load off the shoulders of the office staff as well the SCHS board of Directors.

Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com and http://DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com. Meet us at www.Facebook/com/deserthaven. Our mailing address is POB 638, Williamsburg, NM 87942.

Week of 10/16/10 Humane Happenings

2010-10-21T17:23:00.000-06:00

By Eliana Aubin

Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe; T or C, New Mexico

Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe is perhaps one of the busiest shops of its kind in the area. Our crew takes in household goods, clothing, furnishing, electronics and small appliances. Volunteers sort through what is donated and keep for display inside the shop high demand items, together with what they consider the best quality and the most unique.

Most of the folks who patronize Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe are very complimentary of the non-profit, volunteer operated resale shop. Many mention the shop’s atmosphere, its character and also the large variety of unusual and often hard-to-find items offered at great prices. They often comment on the friendliness and helpfulness of everyone who volunteers there. Patrons are even more supportive when they are made aware of the reason for its existence. Many tell us that they understand the amount of physical work and dedication that it takes to operate a second hand shop this busy. Most also understand that it takes many transactions to make this type of shop cover the costs of not only its overhead but most especially the entire operation of Desert Haven Animal Refuge and the Sierra County Humane Society.

All the profits generated at P&C help fund community service programs sponsored by the Sierra County Humane Society. Among others, Humane Education through the Adopt-a-Classroom program is available to elementary and middle school students whose teachers choose to participate in the program at the start of each school year. The Society also sponsors the sterilization of dogs and cats through its Spay-Neuter and Spay-a-Stray programs. Last but not least, Desert Haven Animal Refuge - Sierra County’s no-kill domestic animal sanctuary – is almost entirely supported financially by P&C Thrift Shoppe.

We always need extra helpers at the shop which is open each week from Wednesday through Saturday. Interested in helping revamp the display areas and keep them neat and attractive? Decorate the front windows? Help bring larger donated items inside? Help sort through donated items? Contact us at 894-2778.

This week’s wish list: canned dog food – a large tent, enclosed cabana, carport or storage building. We have space for a size 15ft by 15ft or 12ft by 20ft. We desperately need the extra protected floor space to be used as storage & sorting area for Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe and to display for resale most donated furniture and large item.

Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. and http:''DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com. Meet us at www.Facebook/com/deserthaven. Our mailing address is POB 638, Williamsburg, NM 87942.

Week of 9/28/10 Humane Happenings

2010-09-30T06:18:00.000-06:00

By Eliana Aubin

This past Tuesday was full of activities at Desert Haven, as several work campers just arrived at the campground adjacent to the small sanctuary and they were being given the opportunity to comfortably settle into their new surroundings. The small DHAR campground now has several new residents: Dennis & Mattie Gano and Linda Livingstone, all originally from Texas. They have been RV’ing all over the US for several years now – a wonderful way to visit the entire United States, one work camping experience at a time.
While the crew is not yet complete, it is at least no longer a skeleton crew and everyone appreciates it. Meeting the new folks was a real pleasure Tuesday, as it was obvious that they all were genuine animal loving individuals who sincerely want to make a difference. Everyone on the crew immediately connected with them and is now looking forward to working together with them this winter.

Tuesday morning, Freddie gave the grand tour to Rich and Jane Johnson of Colorado. The couple is spending a few days at the sanctuary, checking out the area and also helping the crew in anticipation of a possible work camping experience at DHAR in the winter of 2012. They brought with them warm blankets and toys for the residents of Dog Town and The Cool Cat Neighborhood.

Our DHAR office computer – a Dell - is over five years old now and it badly needs servicing. It operates very slowly and we fear that it is now on its last leg. Our budget does not yet allow for the purchase of a much needed “new and improved” computer, so we need to keep our current one in good state of repair, at least as much as we can. Is there someone among our readers with the knowledge to revamp the one we currently are using? This sure would be a great help. Does anyone wish to contribute towards a brand new computer that will last for years to come and also successfully handle the newer programs. All donations made to our organization, in-kind or otherwise, are tax deductible.

For more information on our volunteer, non-profit organization, contact us at 894-2778 or 740-4100. You can also visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com and www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com. Chat with us at www.Facebook/com/deserthaven. Our mailing address is POB 638, Williamsburg, NM 87942.

Week of 9/18/10 Humane Happenings

2010-09-29T08:11:00.000-06:00

Reba, DH Animal Care Provider, at Paws n Claws Thrift Shoppe with Pandora

Desert Haven Animal Refuge is getting ready for the cold nights of the year. From the residents of Dog Town to those in Birdland, Animal House and the Cool Cat Neighborhood, every feathered and furry creature will be insured a warm and cozy place to sleep this winter. Carpet remnants, comforters and warm blankets, fluffy pillows, doggie beds and all the warm bedding items that were collected throughout the summer are now being put into place inside the several habitats in anticipation of the first cold nights of the year.

Local resident Bob Dawkins is no stranger to Desert Haven. Several years ago, he and Father Peter Cacoperdo worked together at the sanctuary, to enclose the area that was to become Dog Town. Bob drilled the post holes with his power auger and Father Peter was in charge of getting the lattice fence off the ground. Thanks to both of them and a small crew of helpers, Dog Town was finally enclosed and ready for occupancy.

Bob read in a recent Humane Happenings article that Desert Haven was using old hay and straw as bedding for the bird and animal residents during the winter months. Soon afterward, Desert Haven became the lucky recipient of an entire truck load of 90 bales of hay to be used exclusively for bedding for the sanctuary residents. Thank you, Bob for your generous donation. Also a well-deserved thank-you is in order to you and all the DHAR volunteers involved in unloading it.

A few days ago, someone dumped an unwanted, not-yet weaned three to four weeks puppy in an alley between two businesses near downtown T or C. The alley is somewhat out-of-the way and it was only by accident that the little fur-girl was discovered one morning. It’s hard to imagine anyone discarding a living creature, just like any unwanted piece of trash. But again, after being involved with helping unwanted companion animals in this area for over twenty years now, this writer is no longer surprised about anything some humans can do to a companion animal. Sad but true.

The tiny pup was brought to Desert Haven. She is safe now, and when old enough, she will be available for adoption. She sure is cute! she has long white hair and two black marks around her eyes, which makes her look like a tiny panda, hence her new name “Pandora”.

Dog Town has another new resident, soon to be ready for adoption: a full-breed, absolutely gorgeous looking five to seven months old male Boxer. We call him Mac. The little guy was obviously abused in the past, but at Desert Haven, he is safe now. He and all the other animal and bird residents are now surrounded by compassionate folks who insure that the helpless creatures that come to the sanctuary will never again be abused or neglected.

We continue to need someone to volunteer a couple of hours every Tuesday to help in the Sierra County Humane Society office at Desert Haven. We have a wide range of office work available, from light office tasks to computer work. If you are interested in helping in the office every Tuesday, either morning or afternoon, contact us at 894-2778 for more information.

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

Sign the petition to keep "Blue" free!

2010-09-02T10:45:00.002-06:00

Save "Blue" by making him the official EB community dog!

By Janice Connor
Owner; Butte General Store and Marina

If you are ever in the Elephant Butte area, you are probably familiar with the “Unofficial” Community dog named Blue. For the last six years, Blue has greeted people initially at a local restaurant, Casa Taco. After the owner became ill and needed to close his business down for the winter, Blue made his way to the Butte General Store to continue meeting and greeting people who visited him at the store. For the past year, the community of Elephant Butte has rallied together to take care of Blue’s needs to keep him safe and healthy. Someone now is trying to have Blue’s freedom revoked and keeps harassing the City Officials of Elephant Butte to have him put in the pound. She has even gone as far as threatening to kill him if ever he is seen wondering alone. This loving, gentle dog would never hurt anyone and has been known to protect many people and other pets. By the signing the petition, you can help us keep Blue free and make him the OFFICIAL EB Community dog. If you are unable to come in to our store to sign the actual petition, please add your comment at the bottom of this post with your full name. This way, the judge will know how much community support there is for Blue. Thanks in advance!

Week of 8/22/10 Humane Happenings

2010-08-27T08:24:00.000-06:00


Yes, that me...I'm Blue!

by Eliana Aubin

It’s often not easy to be a companion animal in Sierra County, especially a puppy that nobody wants. That’s what happened to a furry little guy who came into the world in this part of the desert southwest during the spring of 2004. When the pup was still very young, his owners moved from Elephant Butte to TorC. They did not want to bring him along, so they passed him on to some neighbors of theirs. Soon after that, his new owners moved away, leaving the little guy behind - only a few months old and already all alone. He had to find his place in the world or die trying. The little dog had blue eyes, so “Blue” became his name – a Blue Heeler puppy not yet four months old.

As time went on, Blue made many friends throughout his neighborhood. JR of Casa Taco built him a dog house and cared for him for a while. When JR’s health deteriorated, the folks at Butte General Store & Marina became his new guardian angels. Blue is 6 years old now. Along the way, he has earned a reputation of being gentle, easy-going and also very loyal. Blue has indeed carved his place in the world – he is now the unofficial “greeter” at the General Store.

Blue is very special to the folks in E.B. who know him or his story. They care enough to help insure the safety and well being of this little guy who came into this world several years ago as a throw-away - a small pup nobody seemed to want. Blue is now neutered and his shots are kept up-to-date, thanks to a community that rallied together in his support and made a commitment to help with his upkeep and routine vet bills. It’s obvious that Blue means a lot to a lot of people in Elephant Butte who have come to see him as a community dog. In a society that, sadly, tends to see animals as unimportant creatures, throwaways discarded at will, it is very refreshing to know that there are still folks in our communities, in our neighborhoods, folks who care enough to do what is right when the opportunity arises. Kudos are due to all the great folks who are watching over Blue, the "Community Dog of Elephant Butte City".

This week, we dedicated this article to Blue and we trust that our readers will appreciate our reason for doing so. Those of us who sometimes wonder whether or not there is some compassion left in our materialistic society, the story of Blue rekindles our trust that there is still a lot of good in the human heart.

The Sierra County Humane Society operated thrift shop in T or C continues to need volunteer helpers. Desert Haven needs an administrative assistant on Tuesdays. Interested in helping us in some way? Contact us at 575-894-2778 or 740-4100. You can also check us out at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, http://DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com, or at www.Facebook.com/deserthaven. Our mailing address is POB 638, Williamsburg, NM 87942.

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Week of 8/10/10 Humane Happenings

2010-08-17T19:14:00.000-06:00

Maxwell

by Eliana Aubin
The Dog Days of summer have arrived in our area of New Mexico and Desert Haven, Sierra County’s No-Kill domestic animal sanctuary, is also feeling the effects. The weather has been very hot and humid the past few weeks, and during the hottest part of the day, the dogs especially are most appreciative of their kitty pools and also of the young shade trees planted several years ago inside their play yards and with them in mind. Keeping up with the fast growing weeds and grasses at this time of the year is also a goal that can’t be overlooked and the DHAR volunteers are very good at keeping them in check.

Rascal

This week, we wish to acknowledge Don and Barbara Heller of Elephant Butte, for regularly stopping at the sanctuary with donated pet food. Our thanks also go to Cecilia Perez of El Paso who adopted Chiquita several months ago and who continues to remember us with a donation which we use to purchase needed bird seeds for the residents of Birdland. Folks ask us from time to time why we have chickens and roosters, rabbits, guinea pigs, peacocks and even doves. These little feathered and furry guys and girls deserve a decent life too. Every one of our non-human residents is special to us, even Alice the now-elderly rabbit who refuses to eat if either apple or carrot is not part of her menu. There is also 9 year old Elvis who with all the other guinea pigs, some of them elderly like him, is used to choose from a large assortment of fresh veggies, served to the Birdland group early every morning. There is also Rustle the proud Peacock, Jr. and several peahens, also George the feisty rooster, and all the other residents who arrive at DHAR, each one a little rescues, each one with a story.

Riley

This week’s wish List: gas operated power washer, manual post driver, plywood and other building and construction material, fiberglass sheets, plastic or other water resistant paneling, table saw, plastic and straw brooms, long handed squeegees, cement floor brushes, large clear storage containers. We also need helpers at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe and also at Desert Haven Animal Refuge. If you love animals and are paperwork or number oriented, helping in the office at DHAR on Tuesdays may be for you. Interested in giving us a hand? Contact us at 575-894-2778 or 740-4100 or 894-2639. Interested in learning more about us? Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com and www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com.
Become a fan of DHAR at www.Facebook/com/deserthaven.

Week of 8/3/10 Humane Happenings

2010-08-17T19:02:00.000-06:00

Cactus garden and Memory Bench

This week, the Sierra County Humane Society & Desert Haven Animal Refuge wishes to acknowledge Sierra County Soil & Water Conservation District for the part they play every year in the beautification of the no-kill domestic animal sanctuary. For the past several years, Desert Haven has received seedlings and small container plants - all of them carefully chosen for our desert climate - courtesy of the SCSWCD. The sanctuary volunteers plant and care for them. At this time of the year, many bushes are flowering all along the trails of DHAR and around the animal and bird habitats and the recent rains have been a blessing.

As visitors and volunteers alike enjoy their scent and their beauty, the DHAR staff makes a point to mention how generous the SCSWCD has been to the sanctuary since it opened its doors several years ago. A very special thank you goes to both Mary Jo Fahl and Bonnie Freeman of the Soil & Water Conservation District. We appreciate their friendliness through the year and especially their helpfulness when we order the seedlings, courtesy of SCSWCD.

Bootz cleaning up outside Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe

Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe continues to be a great local destination for thrifty shoppers, E-bay sellers and also for those who wish to find a very special item, perhaps vintage, antique or simply unusual. The great majority of P&C patrons acknowledge the hard work involved in keeping the store open for business four days a week. We are literally a recycling point-of-contact for the community. We sift through the donations that are dropped-off; we pick out the best as we trash the rest, always keeping in mind what is most in demand within our small community of folks who come from all walks of life. As more and more “lake visitors” from out-of-town patronize our store, especially on week-ends, we keep their needs and special interests in mind as well - not an easy task for our volunteers, since available space and dependable manpower are at a premium at P&C Thrift Shoppe.

A retail shop such as ours is extremely labor intensive and not for everyone, but it has its rewards. We run a tight ship at P&C, under strict policy and procedures. Absolutely no one receives any type of salary. Sierra County’s animal welfare organization operates the shop and its profits benefit the community in many ways. The success of P&C Thrift Shoppe is intimately connected to the success of Desert Haven, which could not operate without the funds generated by the shop.

We need helpers this summer at P&C Thrift Shoppe in TorC, also dog walkers and kitty cuddlers at Desert Haven. We also need office help on Tuesdays. Interested in giving us a hand? Contact us at 575-894-2639, 894-2778 or 740-4100. You can also visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com and www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com. Become a fan of DHAR at www.Facebook/com/deserthaven.

Week of 7/24/10 Humane Happenings

2010-07-31T20:53:00.000-06:00

Donated food comes in

80 years old Lawrence (LARRY) Plaatje passed away recently. Respected around the community and well known as loving life and also as someone who loved animals, he will be sorely missed. Muriel Clark of Canon City, Colorado, friend of both Larry and his wife Dorothy who preceded him in death two years ago, sent a donation to Desert Haven in both their memories. What a thoughtful way to help insure that Larry’s love for animals goes on a little longer.

Guardian angels have been watching over Desert Haven the past few weeks. It started with a long visit to the sanctuary by a couple from Albuquerque who spends their vacations at Elephant Butte Lake. A few hours after their visit, the couple came back to DHAR with a brand new – and very much needed - chest freezer that was immediately put to good use. Their generosity did not stop there: their next act of kindness took the shape of a brand new roof at Dog Town. The couple had hired a contractor to replace the existing antiquated - and leaky – corrugated steel roof at the Inn at Dog Town. Plans are now being made for new insulation to be added to the existing one. This will also be done professionally and, once again, courtesy of this wonderful couple. What a difference their generosity has made during the recent heavy rainstorms! No more roof leaks! No more soggy insulation! It is making everyone’s work so much easier!

A few days ago, the same wonderful folks reappeared at DHAR with a truck load of badly needed items that we had recently listed in the wish list section of this article. “We don’t want our names to be mentioned” the gentleman told our staff “We are doing this in memory of our dog Duke. He was our buddy; we miss him very much.” Duke is their 13 ½ years old black lab who died in June of this year. Duke must have been a very special best friend to his folks. Now, even in death, he continues to be remembered through their acts of kindness. So many animals are forgotten by a society that considers them expendable! What better way to memorialize a beloved animal than to help others in need?

Folks like Duke’s help re-energize our commitment to the abandoned animals of Sierra County. Although we can’t save them all, we are determined to help save those we can save. At Desert Haven we most certainly change their lives. We thank everyone who appreciates what we do for animals and who understands what it takes to keep a small, non-profit volunteer organization like ours going every day of every month of every year.

We need helpers this summer, both at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe in T or C and at Desert Haven. Interested in giving us a hand? Contact us at 575-894-2778 or 740-4100. You can also visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com and www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com.
Become a fan of DHAR at www.Facebook/com/deserthaven.

Week of 7/19/10 Humane Happenings

2010-07-30T09:17:00.000-06:00

by Eliana Aubin

St Cloud Mining recently donated a pallet of kitty litter to Desert Haven Animal Refuge, to be used for the 37 feline residents of the No-Kill sanctuary. True to their word, the generous leadership at St Cloud Mining has shown their community mindedness as they have done every year, since DHAR opened its doors to its feline quarters seven years ago. The folks from H&O Feed and Tire store in T or C accepted to add the donated kitty litter to their regular load and to transport it to the H&O store. DHAR volunteers Reba, Gene and Stephen Wagner picked it up at H&O and transported it to the sanctuary, where Jim Wilson and Mel Klien helped unload it. Thanks, everyone.

The heat at this time of the year can be very dangerous for companion animals. A dog left unattended inside a parked vehicle during the day can die of heat exhaustion or be left brain-damaged within a very short while. So many dogs suffer needlessly when left outside without proper shade. To add to their misery, many are kept chained, sometimes without access to fresh water for long periods of time. Is this callousness, a senseless need to torture another being? Or is it simply miserable ignorance? Why is it that some dog owners treat their companion animals so badly?

If you come across a dog left in a yard without direct access to fresh water or without protection from the summer heat or rain storms, please immediately contact DISPATCH at 575-894-7111 and give the exact location of the animal. Then insure that the situation is properly taken care of. It can soon become a matter of life and death for that animal and your intervention on his behalf may be his only hope for survival.

We, as human beings with a conscience, have a moral obligation to report any incident that we witness and that involves an animal in distress. Call DISPATCH first. Then contact our organization at 575-894-2639 if you wish. We will do our very best to follow through and help insure that the situation is properly taken care of as necessary. Our resources are very limited, both in manpower and financial abilities, but we continue to do whatever is in our power to protect defenseless companion animals in Sierra County. We are their voice after all, and together with every decent human being, we can protect and save as many as we can.
Do you believe in the cause of the animals of Sierra County? Are you paperwork oriented? Perhaps you prefer to work with numbers? Do you have some knowledge of computer? If so, we desperately need your help in the office at Desert Haven on Tuesdays. Contact us at 575-894-2778. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com and www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com.
Become a fan of DHAR at www.Facebook/com/deserthaven.

Week of 7/12/10 Humane Happenings

2010-07-16T19:58:00.000-06:00

by Eliana Aubin

Recently, the Sierra County Humane Society and Desert Haven received several phone calls and visits from distraught local residents who were looking for their missing companion animals. The great majority of them had suspiciously disappeared from their own fenced yard. An interesting bit of information came to light: many of the missing dogs resided around the Palomas Circle area near Williamsburg.

The most recent disappearances involved a young Black Lab, also a Great Dane, an Akita, two young Rottweilers, a Springer Spaniel and three German Shepherds, two of them full blooded. Also a Poodle and Basset Hound went missing from their yard recently. Anyone possibly knowing the whereabouts of one or more of the missing dogs should consider contacting the Sierra County Humane Society at 575-894-2778. We will make every effort to reunite the missing dogs with their owners.

This subject is a vivid reminder to animal loving folks that dog fighting is still a real threat in our area, although it has seemed to have gone more underground within the past few years and consequently more difficult to uncover and prosecute locally. Several of the perpetrators, one of them a local business owner at the time, moved out of the area for a while. Sadly, some are now quietly returning. Decent folks have a moral obligation to be watchful for and report to the proper authority suspicious activity anywhere in Sierra County, including the locations where Pit Bulls are suspected of being bred for fighting. Should you wish to do so, you can also contact our organization at 575-894-2639 with your information.

This week, we received a note from John Mulcahy, a recent visitor at Desert Haven. John is Executive Director of the Sierra County Economic Development Organization. His note, which thanked the Desert Haven staff for letting him come out and see the sanctuary, included a generous donation and the following words: “..…….Thank-you even more for your vision and commitment to create such a wonderful place and for bringing together a group of the most caring people in the county. Bless you all. You are doing the right thing.” Thank you, John. Your kind words are heartwarming.
This week’s wish list: Volunteer helpers at both Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe and Desert Haven - sturdy garden tools - fiberglass sheets - plastic water resistant paneling – roofing and construction material - canvas and small tarps - large plastic containers with lids - large dish pans for use as water bowls for the residents of Dog Town. We desperately need a table saw in good condition.
Interested in knowing more about us? Contact us at 575-894-2778 or 740-4100. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com and www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com.
Become a fan of DHAR at www.Facebook/com/deserthaven

Week of 7/5/10 Humane Happenings

2010-07-16T19:42:00.000-06:00

The Fourth of July week-end has come and gone, together with its traditional festivities and fireworks. Throughout the long week-end, both Caballo and Elephant Butte Lakes were packed with vacationers. During the week-end and for several days afterwards, the Sierra County Humane Society and Desert Haven Animal Refuge received phone calls from owners of dogs who had disappeared during the week-end series of fireworks events. As of the writing of this article, many of the lost dogs were still unaccounted for. Many dogs and cats are terrified by fireworks and they try to run away from them. Those who get lost often cannot find their way back home on their own. Many never find their way home and ultimately die. The ones who end-up at the TorC City Shelter on Date Street and who have identification tags or chips can be reunited with their families within a few days. Unfortunately, the great majority of lost dogs and cats do not have proper identification and are never heard from again. If you share your life with a companion animal, please insure that your little dependent has a collar and current identification tags. Without that information, your little one, even if found, is doomed to become another statistic.

Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe and the Sierra County Humane Society are not affiliated in any way with Sierra Animal Shelter, a for-profit business that is funded by your tax dollars. Consequently, we must generate, through private and business donations and especially through the hard work of our thrift shop volunteers, all the funds needed to operate the Society’s community oriented programs as well as Desert Haven Animal Refuge. At this time, P&C Thrift Shoppe is currently feeling a severe volunteer shortage. Several dependable long-time helpers are now on their summer vacation. We need extra help to replace them until the end of summer.

Do you believe in what we do for the animals of Sierra County and wish to help us in some way? Are you able to give at least two hours a week at P&C Thrift Shoppe during business hours, which is from Wed through Sat? You may prefer doing office work at Desert Haven on Tuesday mornings. Perhaps you enjoy working directly with animals and want to help care for them at the sanctuary? Your time is valuable and we can use it. To quote John Muir “The time that you spend here will not take away from your life. On the contrary, it will enrich it”.

Contact us at 894-2778 or 894-2639. Check us out at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com.
Become a fan of DHAR at www.Facebook/com/deserthaven.

Week of 6/25/10 Humane Happenings

2010-07-06T20:25:00.002-06:00

by Eliana Aubin

John Mulcahy with Freddie and Eliana at DHAR

This past Tuesday morning, Desert Haven Animal Refuge had the pleasure of a visit from John Mulcahy. John is the new Executive Director of the Sierra County Economic Development Organization. As he was strolling around the sanctuary and visiting the residents’ habitats, DHAR’s official tour guide, Freddie Loveless, explained the Sierra County Humane Society’s 21 (twenty-one) year history and the reasons behind its foundation. John commented:” I am inspired by what you have accomplished here. I am inspired because what Desert Haven is doing is so obviously right. It’s the right thing to do.”

To quote a saying taken from John Mulcahy’s Facebook page “You have not started living until you have started giving”, the volunteer members of the team at Desert Haven understand this saying very well, as they give of themselves at the sanctuary to help make a gentler and kinder world for all of us, including the creatures who share this Earth with us.

This week, we wish to remind everyone who shops at Bullocks and who wishes to support us in some way, to please save all their receipts for our organization. Bullocks receipts can be dropped-off at Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe, the TorC public library and the Williamsburg Post Office. Our non-profit organization redeems them routinely for cash – $2 per thousand dollars, courtesy of Bullocks Grocery Store. The funds collected through the Cash-for-Clubs program (Bullocks receipts) help keep the Society’s spay-neuter and spay-a-stray programs in existence. We also collect aluminum cans. They can be dropped-off in the Cans Corral adjacent to Paws&Claws.

MD”Doc” Kucera has been a dedicated – and very much appreciated - volunteer Administrative Assistant at Desert Haven for several months now. His deteriorating health has recently forced him to resign from his position at the sanctuary. Although we will greatly miss seeing both him and his spirited furry buddy “Harley” every Tuesday morning, we understand his difficult decision to totally concentrate on his health and well-being until his health gets back on track. Filling Doc’s position as soon as possible is crucial to Desert Haven and the SCHS. If any of our supporters has a couple of hours and some general office and computer skills to give to a worthy cause on Tuesdays, please call us at 575-894-2778.

Interested in knowing more about us? Check us out at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com, and become a Facebook fan of DHAR at www.Facebook/com/deserthaven.

Week of 6/21/10 Humane Happenings

2010-06-29T08:27:00.004-06:00

Our work camper, Mel, talking to Mosey, resting comfortably in the shade at Dog Town.

Hot, hot, and hotter! Soon, the monsoon season will be here and with it the summer rains will drench our Desert Southwest and bring much needed relief. Until then, the Desert Haven team is using all the resources at its disposal to keep the furry and feathered residents as comfortable as possible throughout the day in this torrid heat.

With no large shady trees providing needed protection from the three- digit desert heat, our crew has to resort to other means of providing shade for the little ones in its care during the current series of uncomfortable heat waves. We have found out that tarps, mostly the smaller sizes, can successfully cover specific areas inside the sanctuary - in Dog Town especially - providing effective shade during the most intense heat in any given day. If anyone wishes to help us keep tarps handy for shade, we would certainly be most grateful. As many of our active members and supporters are aware of, the resources of the Sierra County Humane Society and Desert Haven are very limited and every donation, either in kind or monetary, is used carefully and effectively.

Nice shot of our work campers Mel & Eve - Mel with Missy and Eve with Dutchess (tough getting doggies to "smile" for the camera"!)

We also thank the generous folks who kindly drop-off bags of pet food at Desert Haven on Tuesday and to Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe whenever it is open for business (Wednesday 1 PM-4PM, Thursday and Friday 10AM-4PM and Saturday from 10-3 PM). At Dog Town, not counting the larger breeds, we currently care for seventeen small to tiny canines, which is an increase of four since last week, when we rescued four new tiny furry little guys and girls. All these little ones require dog food geared to their small to very small size. Although Desert Haven purchases the “Purina Little Bites” brand for its small army of adult little dogs, any brand specializing on small breeds is most welcome. Treats of all types are a regular part of our dogs’ diet - except rawhide bones, as many of our canine residents tend to fight among themselves over treats that are not totally eaten in one or two bites. If you wish to donate pet food or treats to the dogs and cats of Desert Haven, you can drop-off your contribution directly at the sanctuary on Tuesday or at Paws & Claws when open for business. Please don’t leave anything in front of the store unless you wish to take the risk that unscrupulous characters will likely steal your donation before anyone on our crew can secure it. For more information on our animal welfare organization and Sierra County’s no-kill domestic animal sanctuary, contact us at 575-894-2778 or 575-740-4100. We can also be reached at POB 638, Williamsburg NM, 87942, www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com and at www.facebook.com/deserthaven

Week of 6/14/10 Humane Happenings

2010-06-16T11:53:00.005-06:00

by Eliana Aubin

Maxwell

Aside from being home to 37 cats, a large number of domesticated ring neck and white doves, several peacocks, chickens and roosters (most of them miniature), many guinea pigs and one older rabbit, Desert Haven Animal Refuge is also home to 30 dogs of all sizes. There is Maxwell, a very handsome shepherd who has been living at Dog Town for several years now. He was a very young pup when found wandering along a deserted section of the Rio Grande, together with his brother who was also suffering from exposure and malnutrition. There is Vicky the Boxer, also rescued one summer a few years back from the desert near Cuchillo. Vicky shares The Canine Cottage and its play yard with her buddy, Sparky, a young and playful bird dog.

Sparky

There is Mosey the gentle Rhodesian Ridgeback, who shares a play yard with Skye, the heeler. There is also Chowder the heeler-mix and his playmate, Shadow, a handsome, slender black lab. There is old Missy and her sister Duchess, both life-long partners who continue to enjoy each other’s company as they are growing old. Buddy the border collie, Emma the boxer-american bulldog and Ranger the husky share a large play yard.

Copper

There is Copper, a young sheba-inu, also old Jack, a German Shepherd. Then there are the little ones: Penny the chihuahua and Ruffles the terrier are playmates in their foster home at Desert Haven. Tina and Brendle are both Chihuahuas. Sassy and Taffy are Chi-weenies. Rosie, Pippy, Zena are terrier-mix. Tootsie is a fox-terrier. Oscar is a Chihuahua. Sallie is a miniature Pincher. They all live together and share several indoor condos, also the Puppy Play-Yard, the Puppy Club House and its kiddy swimming pool. And now there are the five puppies left from the litter of seven tiny pups abandoned at the entrance of DHAR several weeks ago. They are: Madison, Raider, Corey, Riley and Jasmin. The other two have been adopted already.

This week’s wish list includes dog food for Desert Haven’s adult little dogs. Currently, Dog Town at Desert Haven has twelve (12) small adult resident dogs and their mouths can’t handle the regular size dog food. At this time of the year, we also need several extra dog walkers who can help walk our furry little ones one or more days a week during morning animal care. For more information on how you can support our animal welfare organization in some way, or to adopt a companion animal, contact us at 575-894-2778 or 575-740-4100. We can be reached at POB 638, Williamsburg NM, 87942, www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com and at www.facebook.com/deserthaven

Week of 6/8/10 Humane Happenings

2010-06-08T19:31:00.003-06:00

By Eliana Aubin

Eliana and Luke

This past couple of weeks, Desert Haven Animal Refuge has been taking strong measures to give the residents as much protection from the heat wave as possible. The resourceful crew is working hard to keep the animals and birds as cool as possible. Misters and fans are cooling the inside kennels in the Inn at Dog Town and in the Cool Cat Neighborhood. Large tarps are now providing extra shade inside the several doggie play yards. The kitty plastic pools in Dog Town, recently donated to the sanctuary by Shelly & Kevin Salazar of KNS Painting, LLC in Albuquerque, NM, are a hit with all the furry little guy and girl dogs who can’t seem to get enough of the water and can often be seen wading into it and splashing it with pleasure.

As we lovingly care for our little rescues, our hearts break for the neglected dogs and cats in this area. It’s a sad fact that dogs are still seen chained out-of-doors, even in this torrid heat? Without an adequate water source or proper shelter, dogs left outside suffer needlessly and some of them even die – an agonizing and lonely death.

Our organization continues to receive phone calls from folks who wish to report animal cruelty, abuse, or lost or abandoned dogs. Contrary to what some of our readers watch on “Animal Planet”, animal welfare organizations in New Mexico are not legally connected with the Law Enforcement. Consequently, they cannot physically trespass on private properties to rescue domestic animals in distress. This is the duty of the local Animal Control Officer - a public servant whose job is to investigate and properly handle complaints from the public. Anyone witnessing animal neglect or cruelty has the moral obligation to contact Dispatch at 575-894-7111. You can stay anonymous if you wish. Dispatch will then connect with the Animal Control Officer on duty.

Don’t just stop there. Either request a follow-up or call Dispatch again to find out what has been done. Animal cruelty or neglect is punishable by law and we trust that folks who witness it do what is morally right. If there is no follow-up and you realize that nothing is being done, contact our organization at 575-894-2778 or 575-740-4100 or 575-894-2639 and we will then do what is in our power to insure that the law is followed and the animal rescued.

Fun time watching Tuesday AM activities

This week, we appeal once again to our readers for puppy food. The rescued puppies are eating no less than 7-8 lbs of food each day and their food intake keeps growing along with their size. We need dog walkers at DHAR in the morning. For more information on how you can help, or to adopt a companion animal, contact DHAR Animal Care Coordinator Reba Wagner at 575-740-4100.

We can be reached at POB 638, Williamsburg NM, 87942, www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com and at www.facebook.com/deserthaven

Week of 6/1/10 Humane Happenings

2010-06-05T19:29:00.004-06:00

Entrance to the Cool Cat Neighborhood

By Eliana Aubin

This week, the Desert Haven Animal Refuge volunteer team wishes to thank St Cloud Mining for the business’ on-going support of Sierra County’s No-Kill domestic animal sanctuary. For many years now, St Cloud Mining generously donates much needed kitty litter for the sanctuary’s felines.

DogTown at DHAR is full to capacity at this time. We wish to acknowledge the continued support of Don Howell of T or C, Mary Roden of Caballo, Susan Newman of Animals Creek Plant Nursery, Rod Heier of Caballo Lake RV Park as well as the contributions we receive anonymously, either at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe or Desert Haven.

Canine Cottage and new wading pool

This week, the kindness of Katie Semones of Monticello is allowing us to purchase small swimming pools, also Purina and Pedigree puppy food, the food of choice for our youngest and smallest canine residents. The continued success of our modest but effective sanctuary depends on everyone, from the kind folks who volunteer their time to all those who contribute in some way to help make this operation possible.

It is said that when you take a man’s time, you take part of his life. At this time of the year, our animal welfare organization is appealing to local folks who appreciate what we do and are interested in helping us succeed. The vacation season is here. In normal times, both Paws & Claws and Desert Haven volunteer crews are already small. Now, the volunteers left have to divide time and energy between the thrift shop and the sanctuary. The shortage of help continues until fall, when everything returns to normal and our winter visitors and seasonal work campers return to our area.

Do you appreciate what our animal welfare organization is doing? Do you have at least a couple of hours on your hands each week and a desire to do something that uplifts your spirit and makes you feel productive? Perhaps you enjoy working directly with animals? Do you prefer surrounding yourself with people? Walking with a dog or two by your side is known to be therapeutic and also good physical exercise. We don’t just rescue dogs and cats at Desert Haven, but also doves, peacocks, guinea pigs, rabbits, hens and roosters. For more information on how to help us in some way, contact us at 575-894-2778, 575-740-4100 or write us at POB 638, Williamsburg NM, 87942. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com and at www.facebook.com/deserthaven

Week of 5/23/10 Humane Happenings

2010-05-28T20:04:00.003-06:00

Central Bark in bloom

by Eliana Aubin

Birds of Paradise and desert willows in full bloom against barn wood fences and Old Tucson style buildings - song birds nesting in budding mesquite trees - desert sage and greasewood bushes growing in large green clumps along the walking trails – wild flowers everywhere - and up above, the blue New Mexico sky with not a cloud in sight – springtime has settled at Desert Haven Animal Refuge, Sierra County’s no-kill domestic animal sanctuary.

Cool Cat Neighborhood in bloom

When mixed with a team of caring folks who want to make a difference, the entire atmosphere at the sanctuary takes on a spiritual feel. Spring at DHAR is truly one of Nature’s wonderlands, and the folks who visit the small sanctuary at this time of the year seem to appreciate it fully. They never fail to comment about it.

“What impresses me the most here is the collective synergy and great cooperation from the entire group” said local resident Steve Spaw on his very first visit to the sanctuary this past Tuesday, accompanied by Freddie Loveless and Reba Wagner as tour guides. “Everyone knows what the mission is and is happy with it. Everyone gets along well and that is also very impressive – a well-run and happy ship”.

This week, the Sierra County Humane Society wishes to thank “the Friends of Blue”, for the generous – and anonymous - donation made recently to Desert Haven in his name. Blue is a dog lost or abandoned in the Elephant Butte area some time ago. Some residents took pity on him and made food and water routinely available to him. Soon, he became known through the small Elephant Butte community as “Blue”. Several times now, anonymous donations to DHAR have been made in his name. What a kind gesture made in the name of a lost or abandoned dog to help other lost or abandoned dogs who find their way to DHAR.

Kudos go to Rod Heier of Caballo Lake RV Park, Don & Barbara Heller of Elephant Butte and Mary Roden of TorC for dropping off at Desert Haven food or money to purchase food for the birds and animals in our care. We also appreciate the recent donations made by John Lyall of Tijeras, NM, Joan Brewer, a former – always remembered with fondness - DHAR work camper who now lives in Connecticut, Mrs Richard Wagner of Elephant Butte in memory of her late husband, Susan Newman of Animas Creek Nursery, Mark Humble of To C. We also wish to thank Cecilia Perez of El Paso who adopted “Chiquita” from DHAR last year and who continues to remember the sanctuary in her charitable endeavors. Large or small, every contribution to Desert Haven is a token of appreciation for all the good work that is done at the sanctuary by a small and dedicated group of animal loving folks who want to make a difference in this world. With many little mouths to feed, the Desert Haven volunteers certainly put every donation to good use. Puppy food and treats continue to be in very high demand at this time.

This week, we especially wish to acknowledge the wonderful couple from Albuquerque who not long ago unloaded at Desert Haven several small and large – brand new - swimming pools for the residents of Dog Town. We set them up in the several doggie play yards this past Tuesday. Some of the little guys in the Pooch Play Yard did not wait long to jump in and wade in theirs as soon as it had been filled with water. They seemed to have so much fun in their large swimming pool that DHAR Animal Care Coordinator, Reba, who was watching them, promised to catch them in action whenever she had her camera handy. Her photos will go on our blog (www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com), and on Facebook (www.facebook.com/deserthaven). Interested in volunteering at Desert haven or Paws & Claws thrift shop? Contact us at 575-894-2778, 575-740-4100, or write to us at POB 638, Williamsburg NM, 87942.

Week of 5/16/10 Humane Happenings

2010-05-21T09:37:00.002-06:00

by Eliana Aubin

Desert Haven received another seal of approval a couple of weeks ago. The former mom of one of Dog Town’s newest residents, a boxer mix named Emma, recently visited the sanctuary with a friend, Yvonne. They wanted to spend time with the dog she had to give up when her living arrangements changed drastically as she started her first semester at NMSU in Las Cruces. Yvonne is a local resident of TorC and a strong supporter of Desert Haven. Seeing Emma settled and happy in her new environment in the company of several constant playmates inspired her former mom to leave a donation to help DHAR cover some of her daily care.

While at the sanctuary, Yvonne questioned Reba, DHAR's Animal Care Coordinator, about ongoing and future projects. When she heard that we had been planning to expand several indoor-outdoor kennels, but the lack of adequate funding to cover the costs of the needed materials precluded us to start on that important project, Yvonne made a donation to help us get it underway.

We have something new and exciting we'd like to share with you! It's the new Sierra County Humane Society toolbar - once added to IE or Firefox, each time you shop at more than 1,300 stores (from Amazon to Zazzle!) a percentage of your purchase will automatically be donated to Sierra County Humane Society - at no cost to you (and you may even save money as the toolbar provides coupons and deals as well!). The toolbar also has a search box and each time you search the Internet, about a penny is donated to Sierra County Humane Society.

http://www.goodsearch.com/toolbar/sierra-county-humane-society.

And please pass this along to all of your friends. The two minutes it takes to add this toolbar to your browser can make a lifetime of difference!

We continue to need dog food and especially puppy food for the several Aussie mix pups rescued at DHAR a few weeks ago. We are grateful for each and every bag of pet food that kind folks drop-off either at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe, located next to Family Dollar in TorC, or at Desert Haven on Tuesdays, when the no-kill sanctuary is open for visitors.

We can be reached at POB 638, Williamsburg NM, 87942, also at 575-894-2778, 575-740-4100. Check us out at www.DeserthavenanimalRefuge.com, www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com,
and www.facebook.com/deserthaven.

Week of 5/9/10 Humane Happenings

2010-05-14T14:37:00.002-06:00

Morning walk to the Old West Trail

By Eliana Aubin

Spring has arrived in Sierra County, and with it the threats of rattle snake bites. We take rattle snakes seriously at Desert Haven Animal Refuge, Sierra County’s no-kill domestic animal sanctuary. DHAR work camping residents Skip Higgins and Helen Hasty, with the help of Stephen Wagner, gave the canines living at the sanctuary their yearly rattlesnake vaccine shot. We started this routine inoculation last year. Even though the cost was significant, we felt that the extra yearly medical expense would further protect our furry little dependents while they lived at the sanctuary.

Twice a day, the dogs of Desert Haven are given the opportunity to exercise and run together in groups outside of their Dog Town play yards. The Old West Trail is their official community playground at the sanctuary and they are walked there on a leash mornings and evenings. Once arrived, they are unleashed and set free to investigate their surroundings, socialize and play there together to their little heart’s content. It’s a fun time for them and we want them to be safe in this desert landscape.

The Old West Trail is an all-fenced patch of land about one acre in size and located inside the Desert Haven property. It is covered with desert vegetation and small bushes. The crew maintains several wide trails throughout the entire fenced area, to allow the dog walkers of DHAR to get as much physical exercise as they wish while they spend quality time with the dogs playing under their watchful eyes. The rattlesnake vaccine protects a dog who is bitten by a rattler and it gives that little guy a fighting chance.

This week, we especially wish to thank Bullocks Grocery store for its on-going support of our organization. Through its “Cash for Clubs” program, Bullocks offers our non-profit organization the opportunity to earn funds when we redeem Bullocks receipts collected for us by customers. We have collection boxes at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe in TorC, the TorC public library and Williamsburg Post Office. Bullocks also lets Desert Haven pick-up boxes of fresh veggies and fruits every week. Our volunteers serve them every morning, all cut-up and ready-to-eat, to the feathered and furry residents of Birdland & Animal House. All of them have been rescued at some time or another since Desert Haven opened its doors in 2002 and if animals could speak a language we understand, each one would have a sad story to tell. We supplement their diet with alfalfa, bird and sunflower seeds and chicken scratch.

This week’s wish list: small – easy to empty - swimming pools for our resident dogs. We can use seven pools for their seven play yards. The high winds have damaged some of our roofs and if you have roofing material you no longer need, please drop it off at DHAR or Paws & Claws. We have the volunteer manpower, but we need the material to make the needed repairs. Puppy food for the seven furry little guys and girls abandoned at DHAR’s entrance a couple of weeks ago is also a high priority. We can be reached at POB 638, Williamsburg NM, 87942, also at 575-894-2778, 575-740-4100. Check us out at www.DeserthavenanimalRefuge.com, www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com, and www.facebook.com/deserthaven.

Week of 5/2/10 Humane Happenings

2010-05-10T18:39:00.002-06:00

Old Sophie with her pet parent, Danny

By Eliana Aubin

Sophie came to visit Desert Haven Animal Refuge last week. She was accompanied by her human friend and caregiver, Danny Springer. Danny is a local artist who owns and operates “Floor Covering” in T or C. Sophie is an older dog who has lived most of her life outside and at the end of a chain on someone’s property in Hillsboro. Sophie’s lonely life was doomed to end at the end of that chain, but she had a guardian angel - Jan Haley - also of Hillsboro. Jan rescued Sophie and convinced DHAR, full at the time, to take the older dog in. She promised to contribute to her care, both financially and in person. Jan stayed true to her word and became Sophie’s sponsor and official protector. At the sanctuary, Sophie started a brand new life, never again to be lonely, hungry or lacking loving human attention.

Everyone assumed that Desert Haven would be Sophie’s home until the end of her natural life. Exposed to many cold Hillsboro winters without adequate shelter, Sophie was suffering from arthritis, among other ailments. At DHAR, she now resided in the VIP play yard, connected by a doggie door to Gene’s Dog House, a fully enclosed porch that was reserved for Desert Haven’s special needs dogs. Aside from the sanctuary volunteers’ loving care, Sophie also enjoyed the company of a roommate, another gentle older canine resident. Sophie’s life had finally turned around and good things were happening to her now.

Several weeks ago, Sophie was adopted locally. As she quietly walked from one Desert Haven volunteer to another during her visit that Tuesday afternoon, she was wagging her tail, obviously remembering each and every one of them with fondness. During that time, Danny shared with the group some details of her new life. Aside from fish and rice seasoned with fish oil, one of her favorite meals, old Sophie also appreciates a piece or two of banana bread, to satisfy her sweet tooth. The old girl is indeed living the good life these days and her entire composure shows it. Sophie is now a happy dog.

Sophie and Danny are planning an Art Auction to be held at Ralph Edward Park. The auction is to raise funds for Desert Haven Animal Refuge, to help rescue and provide care for other dogs like Sophie. For more information, contact Danny at 505-203-1241.

Please consider helping us feed and care for the seven very young pups very recently abandoned at the entrance of Desert Haven. They and the other residents at the sanctuary need the on-going support of our animal loving friends. Write us at POB 638, Williamsburg NM, 87942. Call us 575-894-2778, 575-740-4100. Check us out at www.DeserthavenanimalRefuge.com, www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com,and www.facebook.com/deserthaven.

Week of 4/26/10 Humane Happenings

2010-05-03T21:32:00.002-06:00

Someone decided to discard a litter of seven not-yet-weaned pups this past week-end. They were abandoned at the entrance of Desert Haven Animal Refuge, huddled together in a small cage. When finally discovered, the little ones were very hungry, cold and scared. They look like Aussie mix.

Abandoning an unwanted companion animal is now a crime in New Mexico. Desert Haven is a small sanctuary with very limited resources. Consequently, it is neither physically nor financially able to take in every companion animal some owners refuse to take responsibility for and decide to literally “dump” on the sanctuary’s doorsteps. Every abandoned dog or cat for which we have no room for creates unnecessary hurdles for the crew as well as for the animals already settled there. We cannot possibly take in all the unwanted domestic animals in Sierra County, and we must make difficult choices. If we did not, we would not stay in operation and be able to continue to help the community very long.

Since they have already abandoned one litter of pups, the owners of the female dog who recently delivered them should have her sterilized before she gets pregnant again and continues the tragedy of bringing into the world even more unwanted pups that they will also abandon. Getting their female dog sterilized would finally stop the indiscriminate reproduction of the “factory of unwanted puppies” these folks have created.

The Sierra County Humane society offers rebates to help pet owners with the costs of sterilizing their companion animals. Applications are available at the T or C police station, Desert Haven and also at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe. Once a month, our animal welfare organization also offers a free Spay to one dog or cat owner, courtesy of our local veterinarian Doctor Cardwell.

Sadly, even in this day and age, unwanted pups are born all the time, from unsterilized females owned by folks who either don’t care or who claim they can’t afford the costs of sterilization. Sooner or later, many of those unwanted dogs and cats find themselves dropped-off at Sierra Animal Shelter, T or C and Sierra County Animal Shelter. The service is covered by the tax payers of Sierra County and is totally free to pet owners. The great majority of unwanted animals are euthanized at the local shelter, because there are not enough homes for them all. Others are literally “dumped” here and there, near the river, the lake, some neighborhood, somewhere in the countryside. They are left to fend for themselves and they die slowly and miserably. How can a dog survive long on his own in this desert? Folks who do not sterilize their companion animals are perpetrating the tragedy that T or C and Sierra County continues to be plagued with.

This week, we are asking our friends who believe in our cause to please consider donating puppy food and some of their time to help us feed and care for the seven new pups abandoned last week-end at the entrance of Desert Haven. We can be reached at 575-894-2778, 575-740-4100 or POB 638 Williamsburg, NM, 87942. Check out our web site at www.DeserthavenanimalRefuge.com, our blog at ww.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com, and our Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/deserthaven.

Week of 4/19/10 Humane Happenings

2010-04-26T08:09:00.003-06:00

Sunny, in her new home after Desert Haven

Desert Haven Animal Refuge, the Sierra County Humane Society owned-and-operated domestic animal sanctuary, is welcoming its newest resident – Emma. This small, 16 to 18 lbs 6 months old boxer mix is a real cutie. Sweet, calm and already with all the good habits that make a dog a pleasure to live with, Emma will soon be made available for adoption. Meanwhile, she is settling down at Dog Town as she connects with the rest of the canine gang while enjoying the wonderful care that each and every resident receives at the sanctuary. With work camper Helen Hasty’s recent arrival and now, Mel and Eve Klein returning soon to Desert Haven, the crew will be almost complete. We can’t thank enough our local animal care volunteers – Pat, Stan, Becky, Steve and Jan, all of them of Hillsboro, Art, Martye, Claudette & Birdie of T or C and E.B. They work together with a small but efficient work camping crew, as they help feed and care for the sanctuary residents.

Are you interested in perhaps adopting a dog or a cat, but you don’t know how to go about finding just the right one for you? Do you want to exercise with a dog at your side but you don’t have one of your own or simply don’t want one just yet? Would you like to extend your circle of animal loving friends? Then, volunteering at DHAR may be for you. You can reach Animal Care Coordinator Reba at 575-740-4100 for more information.

The Sierra County Humane Society continues to collect Bullocks receipts and aluminum cans which, when redeemed, help cover the costs of the Society’s comprehensive Spay-Neuter program. Our $30 and $40 rebates for male and female dogs and cats, respectively, are intended to give an extra incentive to pet owners to have their companion animal sterilized. The major part of the cost of the Society Spay-Neuter program is covered by the proceeds from Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe in T or C. You can drop-off your Bullocks receipts at Paws & Claws, the T or C library and the Williamsburg Post office. Several nice folks, including Shirley Babe of T or C and CJ Ellis of Caballo Lake RV park also make it a point to collect the receipts from their friends for our non-profit animal welfare organization.

We continue to need dog and cat food, bird and sunflower seeds, also rabbit pellets for the furry and feathered residents of the sanctuary. Our little dependents consume a lot of food every day. We appreciate immensely every cash donation, bag or can of pet food donated by folks who believe in what we do for animals in this area, and who want to help us help them. We can be reached at 575-894-2778 for more information. Write us at POB 638, Williamsburg, NM 87901. You can also check us out at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, http://DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com and www.Facebook.com/deserthaven