Week of 7/29/07 Humane Happenings

Charlie (female) recently arrived at Desert Haven with her look-alike sisters Austin & Tux, another sister, Montana, who is an all-black kitty, and a brother, Bandit, mostly white with an adorable black "mask".

This week we wish to thank a kind local individual who made a very generous - and anonymous -contribution specifically earmarked for a dinner at a local restaurant, to be enjoyed by all the resident-volunteer crew at Desert Haven Animal Refuge. This was a most thoughtful gesture to show one’s personal gratitude for their efforts, often above and beyond the line of duty. It was very much appreciated by everyone who attended.

DHAR crew member Debbie Peters has already left DHAR to spend five weeks vacation back East. With school starting very soon, local volunteer Molly Williams is getting ready to resume her job as a teacher. Several other volunteers, including Stan and Robbin Brodsky of Hillsboro, are getting ready for a vacation of their own before the summer is over. Consequently, we are hoping that those of our readers who wish to help us in some way consider giving us a hand for a couple of hours or more a week, either at Paws & Claws thrift shop or at Desert Haven. We certainly could use the extra help, especially at this time of the year, when out-of-state RV’ing volunteers prefer to spend their summer up North, as opposed to the Desert Southwest.

Friendly reminder: Last call for your Bullocks receipts. They must in by the end of the first week in August if they are going to be tallied and redeemed for cash at Bullocks Grocery Store. Last year, while 54 local entities participated in the Cash-for-Clubs program, our Society earned a total of $3,351.53 - over $1,000 more than the $2,361.37 we earned the year before, and $934.69 more than the 2006 second highest recipient organization: the ZIA Parents Teachers Organization (PTO). We wish to thank each and everyone who made it a point to give their Bullocks receipts to our organization, to benefit the domestic animals of Sierra County. With the help of our animal loving friends who save Bullocks receipts for us throughout the year, we hope to continue to redeem enough receipts to help keep our comprehensive Spay-Neuter program alive each year. We are very serious about the need to curb the on-going dogs and cats population explosion in Sierra County, and we urge pet owners interested in our help to have their animal sterilized, to contact us at 505-894-2778 for more information on both our Spay-Neuter and Spay-a-Stray programs.

Wish List: Canned dog and cat food. Desert Haven is open for visitors every Tuesday. For more information, contact us at 894-2778. You can also check- us out at
This week, we wish to thank a kind local individual who made a very generous - and anonymous -contribution specifically earmarked for a dinner at a local restaurant, to be enjoyed by all the resident-volunteer crew at Desert Haven Animal Refuge. This was a most thoughtful gesture to show one’s personal gratitude for their efforts, often above and beyond the line of duty. It was very much appreciated by everyone who attended.


DHAR crew member Debbie Peters has already left DHAR to spend five weeks vacation back East. With school starting very soon, local volunteer Molly Williams is getting ready to resume her job as a teacher. Several other volunteers, including Stan and Robbin Brodsky of Hillsboro, are getting ready for a vacation of their own before the summer is over. Consequently, we are hoping that those of our readers who wish to help us in some way consider giving us a hand for a couple of hours or more a week, either at Paws & Claws thrift shop or at Desert Haven. We certainly could use the extra help, especially at this time of the year, when out-of-state RV’ing volunteers prefer to spend their summer up North, as opposed to the Desert Southwest.

Friendly reminder: Last call for your Bullocks receipts. They must in by the end of the first week in August if they are going to be tallied and redeemed for cash at Bullocks Grocery Store. Last year, while 54 local entities participated in the Cash-for-Clubs program, our Society earned a total of $3,351.53 - over $1,000 more than the $2,361.37 we earned the year before, and $934.69 more than the 2006 second highest recipient organization: the ZIA Parents Teachers Organization (PTO). We wish to thank each and everyone who made it a point to give their Bullocks receipts to our organization, to benefit the domestic animals of Sierra County. With the help of our animal loving friends who save Bullocks receipts for us throughout the year, we hope to continue to redeem enough receipts to help keep our comprehensive Spay-Neuter program alive each year. We are very serious about the need to curb the on-going dogs and cats population explosion in Sierra County, and we urge pet owners interested in our help to have their animal sterilized, to contact us at 505-894-2778 for more information on both our Spay-Neuter and Spay-a-Stray programs.

Wish List: Canned dog and cat food. Desert Haven is open for visitors every Tuesday. For more information, contact us at 894-2778. You can also check- us out at http://www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com and at http://www.DeserthavenAnimalRefuge.blogspot.com.

Viewpoint by Lois Reaver-Black

NOTE: This column was originally published in The Sentinel newspaper and the author has graciously granted permission to share it here.

This past week, we took a picnic and went to Percha Dam Park. On the way back, we stopped at Desert Haven Animal Refuge. Although it has been there quite a while, we had not visited there previously. It was a great place, and I encourage you, if you like animals, to stop in there on a Tuesday, which is visiting day.

We saw large enclosures for each dog—there were twelve dogs awaiting adoption—and each dog is walked twice daily, and the dogs seem happy. I am a dog person and was very pleased to see how well they are taken care of. There was no barking and the dogs all came up to visit with us and give us kisses through the fence. Each one has his or her own dog house, and the whole area was scrupulously clean. There were 23 cats in the cat enclosure. They are all together in a large fenced area, and there are many things for them to do, including climbing places and tunnels to explores. We went into the enclosure and petted many of the cats. They were all friendly and many of them just opened their eyes to see what was going on, then continued their naps. We saw bunnies, guinea pigs, doves, peacocks and even chickens. Probably there were others, too.

The entire place was clean and very well done. There was no smell as the whole area is cleaned every day. Volunteers do everything that is done here. Nobody is a paid employee. Eliana Aubin began the Refuge, but the entire place belongs to The Desert Haven, and even Eliana, who is there all the time, gets no salary.

There is a small RV campground right at the road, and those who park there pay their rent by working at the refuge. There is also a nice pet cemetery and a small fee is charged for each plot. Other than that, the Refuge is financed mainly by the Paws & Claws thrift store, donations and adoption fees. All the animals are sterilized and there is a good relationship with Dr Cardwell, our local veterinarian.

I encourage you to stop in to see what is going on. I am surely glad I did. It was great to see all these well cared for, healthy animals, and I congratulate Eliana and all the volunteers who make this possible. If you like animals, volunteer to help, as volunteers are always needed, and everything is done by them, including constructing the enclosures.
Lois Reaver-Black—T or C

Lois Reaver-Black is a former Truth or Consequences City Commissioner. A civic-minded individual involved in several local service organizations, Mrs Reaver-Black is dedicated to help make her community a better place to live.

Week of 7/22/07 Humane Happenings

Jessie and her puppies


(Above) Suede and Phoebe (Below) Freckles and Tatiana


The Sierra County Humane Society, Sierra County’s non-profit, all-volunteer animal welfare organization, is enrolled in the Cash-for-Clubs program, which ends on the last day of July and starts again in September. Please bring all your saved Bullocks receipts to Paws & Claws thrift shop. If the shop is closed, please drop them off inside the mailbox located in front of the building. They can also be dropped-off at the Williamsburg Post Office or at the T or C Library. Bullocks receipts received after the first weekend in August will not be tallied and potential revenues from them will be lost. Our Society uses the revenues from the Bullocks receipts to cover some of the costs of the Society’s Spay-Neuter and Spay-a-Stray programs.

We also collect aluminum cans that we redeem to benefit that same program. Please drop-off your bags of aluminum cans into the Can Corral at Paws & Claws, which is located adjacent to the thrift shop. Many thanks to Walt Allen for loading them up in his pick-up regularly and redeem them for us locally.

At this time, Desert Haven is home to several small kitties and to Jessie and her five four-weeks-old rat-terrier mix puppies, along with a number of adult felines and canines ready for adoption. Fritzy - one of the male puppies soon to be weaned - is already spoken for. In a few weeks, he will join Taco, the little Chihuahua who survived last year’s Hatch flood disaster and who has been spending many months at Desert Haven until he was adopted into the same household. Jessie with Fritzy and his litter-mates is pictured at the top of this message.

This week’s Wish List: Canned and dry dog and cat food, also bird seed, sunflower seeds and rabbit pellets. We ALWAYS need helpers at Paws & Claws thrift shop from Wednesday through Saturday. Two hours a week out of someone’s time would do greatly to help us keep up with the great donations that we receive almost daily, as well as keeping the shop as attractive as we possibly can under the circumstances. We also need able bodied folks to help with animal care at Desert Haven, any morning of the week.

For more information or to adopt one of the dogs and cats of Desert Haven, or to volunteer, contact us at 505-894-2778. Desert Haven is open for visitors every Tuesday. You can also check- us out at http://www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com.

Week of 7/15/07 Humane Happenings

Blue-eyed Chaco


Happy belated Birthday, Tim Kuzdrowski! At 15 years old, this well-traveled young man, who arrived several months ago to Desert Haven Animal Refuge from Pennsylvania by way of Alabama, together with mom Letha, Dad Ted and their companion animal family, has been a positive addition to the domestic animal sanctuary’s volunteer crew. It is refreshing to know that there are still good ol’ fashion, well-behaved teenagers like Tim, who, instead of always complaining of having nothing to do, choose to be actively involved in making a difference in their corner of the world, as they are on their way to entering adult life.

The Cash-for-Clubs program ends the last day of July to start again in September. Please bring all your saved Bullocks receipts to Paws & Claws thrift shop or drop them off in the mailbox in front of the building. Bullocks receipts received after the end of July will not be tallied and potential revenues from them will be lost. Last year, The Sierra County Humane Society collected the most receipts by far and received more funding than any organization involved in the program. All monies collected through the Cash-for-Club program help cover the costs of the Society’s Spay-Neuter and Spay-a-Stray program. Josephine Varnum is much appreciated for tallying the Bullocks receipts since the program started several years ago.

Interested in adopting young kittens ? Call Patricia at 894-2906, or Sharon at 743-0229. Desert Haven is now home to several small kitties not yet weaned. They will be up for adoption in a few weeks. We are also taking care of five tiny rat-terrier mix pups, soon to be weaned. All animals adopted from Desert Haven are sterilized and their shots up-to-date. If you wish to reserve a Desert Haven kitty or puppy, for the purpose of adoption, call us at 894-2778.

This week’s Wish List: Gallon jars. Canned and dry dog and cat food, also sunflower seeds and rabbit pellets. Helpers at Paws & Claws thrift shop when it is open for business from Wednesday through Saturday. Volunteers to help with animal care at Desert Haven, any morning of the week.

Plan to visit Desert Haven on Tuesday, call us at 505-894-2778 or check us out at http://www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, for a list of available animals to adopt.
By the way, do you know where your cat is tonight?

Week of 7/8/07 Humane Happenings

Proud Maxwell


As the summer heat continues, Sierra County’s animal loving folks should remember that domestic animals, living out-of-doors, either confined in enclosures or in their owners’ yards, should be given ample water and shade at all times. At this time of the year especially, when water is a life-saving necessity, dogs, many of them living at the end of a chain, should not have to go without, for any period of time. Dogs tied to a chain day after day, month after month are a heartbreaking sight. Not only because they can’t protect themselves from the extreme desert temperatures, but dogs, being pack animals, need the company of other dogs and of humans. The TorC Animal Control ordinance indicates that all dogs’ chains must be 25 ft or longer. It is up to us, to those of us who care enough, to insure that dog owners who keep their animal tied-up out-of-doors follow the ordinance. If you live in the city of T or C and see an animal being abused or even neglected, please contact the animal control officer on duty that day – a call to the TCPD will connect you with the ACO. Insure that your complaint is followed through. It may save a defenseless animal’s life.

This week, we wish to thank Williamsburg residents Kathy Elverum and her husband for donating and also delivering to Desert Haven a used side-by-side refrigerator-freezer in good condition. Their very generous donation is already being put to good use.

Tuesday morning, the DHAR crew enjoyed the visit of Nolen Jaynes of Williamsburg, together with her two dogs, Donnie and his brother Cinnamon. Both dogs were adopted from Desert Haven some months ago. Nolene even brought some tamales for the next Tuesday’s pot-luck lunch. A very thoughtful gesture indeed!

Many thanks to ALCO for their contributions of several large bags of dog and cat food. With the number of animals living at DHAR on a regular basis, we can always use donations of pet food, including canned and dry dog and cat food. Your contributions can be dropped off at Paws & Claws thrift shop at 109 East First Street.

As summer continues, we still need helpers from Wednesday through Saturday at Paws & Claws thrift shop, when it is open for business. We also need help at Desert Haven with animal care, any morning of the week. Contact Freddie for more information. Plan to visit Desert Haven on Tuesday, call us at 894-2778 or check- us out at http://www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, for a list of available animals to adopt. By the way, have you hugged your pet today?

Humane Happenings Week of 6/27/07

During the Dog Days of Summer- this time of the year obviously- Desert Haven Animal Refuge operates in low gear: no big projects are undertaken in the middle of summer. The non-human residents of Desert Haven take everyone’s energy and attention.

This week, we wish to acknowledge Dan Mason of Turtleback Pest Control, for his routine and substantial donations of dog and cat food. Home to 10 to 15 canines of all sizes, and 25 to 30 active felines, Desert Haven Animal Refuge always has dog and cat food on its wish list. We can also use canned pet food – a daily treat for all the dog and cat residents. Bullocks Grocery store, especially Judy in the Produce Department, deserves acknowledgment as well. Since Desert Haven became home to over 50 guinea pigs and rabbits several years ago, we have been able to pick-up, three days a week, large boxes full of fresh vegetable and fruit scraps. Freddie Loveless picks up and sorts their contents in the Birdland Snack-Shack. The cut-up veggies and fruits, served in oversize stainless steel platters each morning, look like giant – and very appetizing - chef salads. No wonder the little guinea-guys (and gals) look so healthy! Nothing goes to waste: what the guinea pigs and rabbits can’t eat goes to the chickens and peacocks. They all love fresh alfalfa, of course - Jeanette Galliard of Albuquerque keeps us well supplied - and it’s a permanent feature on their menu.

For a while now, Molly Williams and Stan Brodsky have generously given of their time several mornings each week to help with the daily care of the residents of DHAR, and it has been a blessing! We could use some more helpers at this time of the year - at Paws & Claws and DHAR. Contact Freddie at 505-894-2778 for more information.

The past few weeks, Paws & Claws volunteers have been sorting through an unusual amount of one-of-a-kind treasures and recyclable items, together with some of the best clothing and shoes that have ever been donated. We appreciate all the nice customers who visit the shop regularly, and we sincerely thank all the thoughtful folks who choose Paws & Claws to drop-off their donations. If you must drop off large items in front of the shop, please consider waiting until it is open to do so. Unscrupulous individuals have made it a habit to checkout and take-away - on a regular basis - any unsecured item donated to the thrift shop. Plan to visit Desert Haven on Tuesday or check- us out at http://www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, for a list of available animals to adopt. Until next time, have a purr-fect week!

Letter from a Desert Haven Supporter

We received permission to share this recent letter from a long-time supporter of The Sierra County Humane Society and Desert Haven Animal Refuge.

Thank you, Rick!

With so many instances of cruelty to defenseless, loving animals, it is without a doubt an uplifting experience to rely on Desert Haven Animal Refuge, a no-kill facility, as a secure and safe place where animals can find shelter, food, love and affection.

I have been following the progress at Desert Haven since the sanctuary became a reality, and I continue to be impressed with what has been accomplished, against all odds. A team of volunteers works tirelessly to ensure the safety and the well-being of all of the animal guests.

I have been fortunate to have been the recipient of non-judgmental affection on the part of two beautiful golden retrievers. They often look up at me with their brown eyes, waiting expectantly for a smile from me or a doggie biscuit. Pictorial images of abused dogs often broadcast on television flash through my mind as I gaze upon those two goldens. My eyes tear up as I picture them as victims of similar abuse. I am thankful for the existence of Desert Haven Animal Refuge, where succor is offered to other unfortunate victims.

Eliana Aubin’s work, and that of all the volunteers, at the DHAR is to be commended. They have dedicated their lives to the improvement of the lives of so many abandoned, abused and handicapped animals. They are indeed doing God’s work.

Rick Melpignano
Bellingham, MA

4th of July - Humane Happenings

Suzy-Q

Keep your pets safely at home on the 4thof July. While 4th of July fireworks can be exciting for any patriotic person, it can be a stressful and chaotic event for your pets. The loud noises and flashing lights caused by fireworks can spook household pets and cause wildlife animals to flee their natural habitats, possibly leaving their young behind. Some pets have been known to become so frightened during a fireworks show that they have jumped through window glass to run away.

Here are a few tips to help keep all animals safe this 4th of July:

* Leave your pets at home. Most pets don't enjoy the crashing and flashing caused by fireworks and even the most trustworthy pet could become scared and run away.
* Don't leave your pets in the car during a fireworks display, as the temperatures inside the car may rise drastically.
* Don't leave your outdoor pets unattended, even in a fenced yard. The chaos may cause them to panic and try to escape.
* Be sure your pets are wearing proper identification in case they DO become lost during the events. IDs can help your pet find its way home to you again. Microchips are the most reliable forms of ID possible. You can contact your veterinarian about getting one for your pet, or contact the Sierra County Humane Society for more information.
* If you know your pet usually becomes scared at loud noises, such as during thunderstorms, be sure to keep them in a safe room with lots of treats and favorite toys to help them alleviate any anxiety caused by the exploding fireworks. You may also like to speak with your vet to find some herbal remedies safe for your pet to help keep them calm during stressful times.
* If you have horses or other animals usually kept in stalls, be sure they are kept calm during the events so they don't thrash around and possibly injure themselves.
* Remember not to set off any of your own fireworks near a wildlife-inhabited area. The bursting noises and flashing lights may disturb the wildlife causing them to leave their natural nesting areas. And, any stray sparks caused by the careless use of fireworks can cause serious damage by starting a forest fire

Featured Pet - Toesie

Toesie is so named because of the extra toe on his front paws. He started life as an alley cat, miles from Desert Haven, abandoned by his owners who left the area without him. Toesie was very lucky to be at the right place at the right time. A Good Samaritan rescued him and brought him to Desert Haven in 2005. Toesie has found his place in the world at the Cool Cat Neighborhood. He is a happy and contented cat and deserves a home of his own.





If you have room in your heart and your home for this adorable boy, contact Desert Haven at 575-894-2778.

Week of 6/20/07 Humane Happenings

The Sierra County Humane Society wishes to remind everyone that The Movie Gallery’s owner, Pat Armijo, is donating a free movie rental during the month of June, in exchange for pet food (canned or dry) designated for Desert Haven Animal Refuge, Sierra County’s No-Kill domestic animal sanctuary. A local business helping a local charitable organization – the way to go!

An accolade is also in order for The Herald, whose Publisher Mike Tooley officially approved the designation of the goodsearch.com search engine for all of The Herald’s computers, allowing the Sierra County Humane Society, inc. to receive half of the revenues generated. Any business wishing to support our local animal welfare organization can use goodsearch.com just as it would any search engine. It’s powered by Yahoo!, so you get great results. Be sure to list the Sierra County Humane Society, Inc. as the charity you want to support.

Our non-profit organization is indebted to the local media for the space reserved in the newspapers for the weekly “Humane Happenings” column. For many years now, we have been given the opportunity by the local media to inform readers, week after week, about all the good that our volunteers do to help make Sierra County a better place to live. We owe the media a huge thank-you indeed!

Please continue to save your Bullocks receipts, they means $$ to our Society, which in turn uses the funds generated to cover the costs of our Spay-Neuter and Spay-a-Stray programs. We also collect aluminum cans. Please drop them off at Paws & Claws thrift shop at 109 East First Street, in T or C, or at Desert Haven, whichever is most convenient for you.

This week’s wish list: canned dog and cat food, bird seeds, rabbit pellets and chicken scratch. Rubber tubs to be used as swimming pools for some of our water-loving canines. A refrigerator in working condition for Dog Town, to replace the now-extinct one generously donated to us several years ago. Any chest-type freezer you no longer want can also be donated to Desert Haven - we use them successfully for rodent-proof pet food storage.

The companion animal of your choice may be waiting for you at Desert Haven! Plan to visit the sanctuary on Tuesday, or call us at 505-894-2778 for an appointment. You can also check- us out at http://www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. Until next time, have a purr-fect week!

Week of June 17 Humane Happenings

Feather in dreamland

Aluminum cans and Bullocks receipts continue to be collected by The Sierra County Humane Society and when redeemed, the funds earned help cover some of the costs of sterilizing companion animals of Sierra County residents. Both our Spay-Neuter and Spay-a-Stray programs are crucial in curbing the domestic animal overpopulation in our area. Applications for the Spay-Neuter program can be picked up at the T or C Police station, El Rancho Poodles and Hot Springs Animal Clinic. To take advantage of the Spay-a-Stray program in which the cost of sterilizing a feral cat that you care for is completely free to you, contact us at 505-894-2778 or 894-1694.

When advertising free to a good home a dog, puppy, cat or kitten, please insure that the so-called “good home” does not turn out to be a horrifying experience for the animal you no longer want. No animal deserves to be tortured, maimed or even “dumped” in some obscure section of Sierra County, or left to slowly die, tied-up in some backyard, because nobody really cares. As shameful as it is, this fate happens right here in Sierra County, perhaps even in your own neighborhoods, to “Free to good home” dogs or cats. The Sierra County Humane Society is not a law enforcement Agency, consequently, the local law enforcement departments and Animal Control Officers are the proper authorities to contact first when you witness a domestic animal in distress or someone abandoning one. According to Police Chief Russ Peterson, you can remain anonymous if you wish.

A friendly reminder to our Internet aficionados: Do you wish to help Desert Haven earn $$ while you search? GoodSearch.com is a new search engine that donates half its revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. You use it just as you would any search engine, and it's powered by Yahoo!, so you get great results. Just go to http://www.goodsearch.com. Be sure that Sierra County Humane Society is listed as the charity you want to support. Just 500 of us searching four times a day will raise about $7300 in a year without anyone spending a dime! And, be sure to spread the word!

Wish List: Canned and dry dog and cat food. Rubber tubs to be used as individual swimming pools for the canines of Dog Town.

Interested in volunteering, or in knowing more about us and our dogs and cats available for adoption? Visit Desert Haven on Tuesday or check us out at http://www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. Contact us at 505-894-2778 or 894-1694.

Letter from a Desert Haven visitor and supporter!

We received permission to share this letter from a Desert Haven visitor:

"Recently I came upon this website for Desert Haven while searching the web. My daughter and I had the delightful experience of visiting Desert Haven a number of times over the last few years. This No Kill Animal Refuge was created by hard working, committed volunteers and is funded strictly by donations and the money they receive from their local Thrift Store “PAWS & CLAWS”. Not one person, even the CEO receives any kind of stipend or salary. We had the opportunity to watch this grow in various stages with several visits we had through New Mexico. It has developed into a wonderful haven for abandoned and abused animals. This past summer we went through Williamsburg, NM and stopped to see what progress had been made at the refuge. They not only have dogs and cats, but also peacocks, doves, chicken and roosters as well as guinea pigs and bunny rabbits. My 6 year old daughter was thrilled to be able to enter the cages and pet and hold the animals in their natural setting. The cats have an entire area completely enclosed with open air and a room attached for them to play and frolic. The dogs are not penned in tiny cages as is the traditional method for shelters, but have large spaces to run which are fenced in for protection with their own doghouses. They are walked by volunteers from the community and the workampers who come to Desert Haven through their workamper program. Areas are named in humorous fashion and there is even a Pet Cemetary that people can use to give their beloved animals a proper burial. It’s refreshing to find a loving oasis in a barren desert where animals are often neglected and mistreated. Desert Haven keeps their animals for life in the event that they are not adopted by a caring family. The animals have no threat of euthanasia and live out their lives in an environment filled with loving care. If you are passing through New Mexico, be sure to stop by to visit Desert Haven. You may find that you won’t want to leave!"

Lorena N.
Havelock, North Carolina

Thank you, Lorena! We loved having you and your daughter visit us. Thank you for writing and for your continued support.