Week of 10/20/13 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

This week, the Sierra County Humane Society wishes to thank Earl of San Francisco California and long-time anonymous benefactors from Victoria Texas, for answering our appeal for radiating heaters to keep the furry residents of the No-Kill animal sanctuary warm during the coldest winter nights.

Our little Vickie

 Vickie is the oldest canine resident of Dog Town. She came to us as a very small puppy, during the summer of 2003. She has been abandoned by her unscrupulous owner, together with a large number of other dogs and puppies in the middle of the desert around Cuchillo, NM. Just before law enforcement officers had the chance to visit the property after receiving complaints of hoarding and lack of proper sanitation there, the man hauled them off to the desert. Vickie survived her ordeal – barely - by walking all the way back to a house at the outskirts of the little town. The couple who discovered her brought her to the sanctuary.

Vickie

 

 Vickie is getting on in years now. Desert Haven is her home and she is everyone’s special little girl-dog. She and the other furry residents will benefit greatly from the generosity of our friends from California and Texas. We are grateful!


89 years old Edith Mathew visited the sanctuary on Tuesday, to drop-off several bags of dog food and bird seeds. Grand-daughter Gina Thomas and great-grand- son Daryl accompanied her. DHAR staff member Charlotte gave them a tour of the facility. “I am very glad I was able to do this (purchase pet food for the sanctuary residents)” said Edith before she left. What a grand lady!

Wish list for this week: Canned dog and cat food - Bird and sunflower seeds. Rabbit pellets – Odorban - Clorox bleach - Dishwashing liquid - Disposable rubber gloves. We also need volunteers at Desert Haven and P&C Thrift Shoppe.

The sanctuary is open for visitors every Tuesday. Enjoy a tour of the facility and take time to meet the furry & feathered residents and all the dedicated volunteers who care for them. Contact us at 575-894-2639 or e-mail us at weR4pets@gmail.com. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, www.Facebook.com/deserthaven and www.facebook.com/pawsnclawsthriftshoppe.

Week of 10/13/13 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

Charlotte with Dusty Cat aka Flipper

We read of heartbreaks and sadness in this world. The evening news report sad stories with sad endings. Locally, The Sierra County Humane Society routinely deals with animal cruelty, neglect, abandonment. Dogs and cats are treated like throw-away items. Dogs are left behind, still chained in vacant back yards when their owners move. Cats are locked inside no-longer occupied houses. Volunteering for an animal welfare organization in this area can be emotionally demanding.

There is a silver lining we wish to share with our readers - a beautiful story and the most recent: a nice lady comes to Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe and inquires about possibly donating some winter-bedding to Desert Haven, our organization No-Kill domestic animal sanctuary. She is invited to visit Desert Haven on a Tuesday when it is open to visitors. The following Tuesday, Keri- the nice lady - arrives at Desert Haven with the bedding, just as she promised. She receives the grand tour of the facility. It includes visiting the Neighborhood, home to the feline residents.

Dusty Cat aka Flipper

There, Keri's attention is soon directed towards a soft tan tabby known at the sanctuary as “Dusty-Cat”. He reminds her of one very special fur-kid she had shared her life with some years back. Her beloved kitty - “Flipper”- had gone out one day and never returned home. Keri tells how heartbroken she was and how she mourned the loss of Flipper.

Dusty-Cat comes to investigate the visitor. Another mention of Flipper and the little guy immediately jumps into her lap and starts begging for attention. He then grabs her hand with his front claws and pulls it close so he can give his routine soft “love bites”. The staff is no stranger to Dusty-Cat’s attention-begging habits. Keri’s heart stops: Dusty-Cat not only looks like Flipper, but he also displays the exact-same habits of her long-lost beloved Flipper. Could it be? Could Dusty-Cat be Flipper? His file is opened: “2009 - a friendly stray, who came to stay", it says. More time is shared between Keri and Dusty-Cat-Flipper. Everyone now is convinced: Dusty-Cat is indeed Flipper. How he survived in the desert, walked over six miles to the sanctuary grounds? Only Flipper knows!

Charlotte cuddles Dusty Cat aka Flipper

We need volunteers at Desert Haven and P&C Thrift Shoppe. Contact us at 575-894-2639 or e-mail us at weR4pets@gmail.com. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, www.Facebook.com/deserthaven and www.facebook.com/pawsnclawsthriftshoppe.

Week of 10/6/13 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

Vicki with her new squeaky toy

This week, the Sierra County Humane Society wishes to acknowledge the guardian angels who keep Desert Haven Animal Refuge on top of their good-will list. We made an appeal for dog treats in one of our recent Humane Happenings article. It was answered by local friends and also by kind people from as far as Victoria, Texas. Within the past couple of weeks, several local folks dropped-off dog treats inside the Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe Donation Box. Our DHAR friends from Texas sent, via FEDEX, several large boxes of Walmart dog treats. What overwhelming feeling for those of us “in the trenches”, to realize that we are not alone. There are many kind folks who do what they can to help out small animal welfare organizations like ours, even when these organizations are not located in their own neighborhoods!

Dianna and Eliana

The past few weeks, Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe has received an exceptional number of boxes of carefully packed contributions that any antique store, any high-end boutique in any city would pride itself to display in their own place of business. For example, we now proudly display an extensive collection of railroad items, from miniature railroad cars to real-life equipment. We are unpacking large number of boxes of old and antique dishware and houseware, some from Old England. We receive boxes of one-of-a-kind items that are usually found mostly in exclusive big-city shops. Our Paws&Claws volunteers plan to get all these amazing treasures tagged and displayed before the start of the Christmas season. The overwhelming generosity we witness through such contributions indicates that many people care enough about the cause we represent that they will donate their very best to the non-profit store that helps fund our organization.

 Do you have a couple of hours of free time a week to give? We need YOU to help us make a difference in this corner of the world. We need help at Desert Haven and at Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe. We need help building an agility course inside DHAR Playland, also a kitty tower, look-out or Kitty hideaway. Contact us at 575-894-2639 or e-mail us at weR4pets@gmail.com. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, www.Facebook.com/deserthaven and www.facebook.com/pawsnclawsthriftshoppe.

Week of 9/29/13 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

Laura and Mike

 
This week, The Sierra County Humane Society Board of Directors wishes to acknowledge Laura and Michael - General Operations Coordinators at Desert Haven Animal Refuge.

In the fall of 2012, Mike and Laura drove all the way from Michigan to spend a few months as work-campers at Desert Haven. They had sold their home, left the stressful rat race behind in search of a simpler, more fulfilling way of life while moving closer to Mike’s grown children who reside in NM - a huge step that brought them to Desert Haven Animal Refuge.

Last fall, a couple of months into their commitment, Mike and Laura made such a strong impression on the Sierra County Humane Society Board of Directors that they were invited to fill the position of General Operations Coordinator at the sanctuary. The SCHS Board directs the overall operation of the organization, which includes Desert Haven and Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe. We are now October 2013 - Mike and Laura have made Desert Haven and Sierra County their home. They have become an integral part of Desert Haven’s managing team.

Laura with Prince

Both Mike and Laura are exceptional individuals with strong work ethics and valuable skills. They work well as a couple, sharing the oversight of the daily operation of the sanctuary. As part of her commitment, Laura also helps operate Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe in TorC. Among other talents and skills, Michael is a first-class handyman. He handles the maintenance throughout the entire property - not an easy job especially when our limited resources must always be taken into account every time repairs or needed upgrades are made.

This week’s wish list: a variety of dog treats for our Desert Haven canines who all seem to have their own favorites. Are you a handyman with time on your hands? We need YOU to help us build an agility course inside Playland at Desert Haven, also a kitty tower, look-out or Kitty hideaway. We need YOU to volunteer a couple of hours or more a week at the sanctuary. We need YOU to help at Paws&Claws during business hours. Contact us at 575-894-2639. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, www.Facebook.com/deserthaven and www.facebook.com/pawsnclawsthriftshoppe.

Week of 9/22/13 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

 
 It’s been an unusual couple of weeks for the Sierra County Humane Society, which also operates Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe and Desert Haven Animal Refuge. The monsoon floods of 2013 will be remembered for a long time to come in many households, especially those with livestock and companion animals to save from the raging waters and the destruction left behind.

During those times, we received an unusually large number of phone inquiries regarding lost or found dogs and cats. Most were wondering if their companion animal had perhaps found his or her way to the sanctuary or perhaps had been dropped-off there by a good Samaritan. Sadly, it is apparent that some animals left outside during the heavy rains and subsequent flooding of entire sections of Sierra County communities apparently became disoriented and could not get back to their home.

Please spread the word that anyone who abandons an unwanted dog or cat in a neighborhood, near the edge of the river, on the side of a road, is guilty of Animal Cruelty. Some folks even leave the area and abandon their pets behind. One can only wonder what’s wrong with such folks. There is a place anyone can drop-off their unwanted animal at. It is Sierra Veterinary Services which also operates the adjacent City Shelter through a contract funded by local taxpayers. Anyone who lives in TorC or Sierra County can utilize the City Shelter’s services, no questions asked.

Desert Haven is open to the public every Tuesday, from 9AM to 4PM. If you are interested in adopting a dog or cat but you have not had any success yet, contact us at 575-894-1694 or e-mail us at weR4pets@gmail.com. If none of our Dog Town residents melts your heart, you may find your special companion on our DHAR Adopt-a-Pet-Referral bulletin board and running list, which are both updated weekly.

We need YOU to volunteer a couple of hours or more a week at our sanctuary. We need YOU to help at Paws&Claws during business hours. Contact us at 575-894-2639. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, www.Facebook.com/deserthaven and www.facebook.com/pawsnclawsthriftshoppe.

Week of 9/15/13 Humane happenings

by Eliana Aubin

Charlotte; Desert Haven Adoption Coordinator

This week, we wish to share a story: A person was driving on HWY 187 on her way to TorC when she noticed a dog walking along the busy road at a steady pace, then crossing it and walking back at the same pace, back and forth. As she drove by the female dog, she wondered why this dog was there, pacing the road as she did. Hours later, on her way back, she saw the same dog, still walking back and forth on that same road stretch.

This time, she knew she had to stop. Perhaps the poor animal was lost. Most likely, she had been abandoned on that road, somewhere in that general area. She realized the dog would not stay alive for much longer, walking on the busy road as she was. She picked her up. She could not take her home, since she already had a house full of companion animals, so she asked for help at Desert Haven, located a few miles away. The paws on this girl-dog were flattened and raw, obviously from her extended period of pacing the road back and forth in an attempt to wait for her owner to come back for her.

Charlotte, DHAR Animal Care & Adoption Coordinator, had to break the news to Christine, the good Samaritan: “No room at the Inn at this time”. However, she immediately offered the help of our animal welfare organization in other ways, through both DHAR Petfinder and Facebook pages and also the weekly HUMANE HAPPENINGS column in our local newspapers. Charlotte also oversees the Adopt-a-Pet Referral program, which helps individuals who need to give up a pet connect with folks who want to share their home with one.

This story has a good ending: the very next day, thanks to everyone involved, the otherwise doomed female dog found a forever home – the perfect match for her and a gentleman who had been looking for one just like her for a while. Christine, who saved a life by getting involved – needed to find a new home for several kittens and cats and Charlotte connected her with folks who were looking for cats and kittens. Contact us at Desert Haven at 575-894-1694 or e-mail us at weR4pets@gmail.com

Week of 9/8/13 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

Charlotte bottle feeds a kitten

This week, Desert Haven Animal Refuge (DHAR) wishes to acknowledge Charlotte and Gerald, who are currently work camping at the no-kill domestic animal sanctuary owned and operated by the Sierra County Humane Society (SCHS). This exceptional couple moved from Louisiana to DHAR early this spring. A few weeks into their stay, both Gerald and Charlotte had already integrated so well into our volunteer team that when they proposed to commit to help out at the sanctuary for an entire year – many more months than first agreed on - everyone embraced their decision with genuine pleasure. Gerald and Charlotte had become an integral part of the DHAR family.

A few weeks ago, when the long-term Desert Haven Animal Care & Adoptions Coordinator resumed her RV’ing adventures at the end of her one-year commitment, Charlotte kindly accepted to fill her shoes. Her positive energy, her dedication to our animal welfare cause together with her hard-work are instrumental in the program’s on-going success. Our organization’s Adopt-a-Pet Referral program is also part of Charlotte’s responsibilities. If you feel you need to give up a companion animal you can no longer care for, contact us. Even if, at that time, there is no space available at the sanctuary for your little one, we will still help you find him or her a loving home. Among other avenues, we post your information with several photos of the pet on both our Desert Haven PetFinder and Facebook pages. Contact us at Desert Haven at 575-894-1694 or e-mail your information to AdoptaPet4Life@gmail.com. If you are interested in adopting a dog or cat but you have not had any success yet, contact us. We keep our Adopt-a-Pet-Referral list updated.

We need YOU to volunteer a couple of hours or more a week at our sanctuary. We have canines to feed and walk. We have felines, rabbits, guinea pigs and birds to care for. We need help at Paws&Claws during business hours - someone to sort through donations, test small appliances and get them ready for display, also someone to revamp our displays throughout the store while helping our customers. Contact us. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, www.Facebook.com/deserthaven and www.facebook.com/pawsnclawsthriftshoppe.

Week of 9/1/13 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

The Old Farmer’s Almanac has released its predictions: This winter will come early. It also promises to be bitter cold. We assume that Southern New Mexico is included in this winter’s predictions.

At Desert Haven Animal Refuge, we are planning for the winter. During the coldest winter nights, we plan to heat - in the most efficient way and within the constraints of our budget - some of the most utilized areas of the sanctuary’s dog and cat habitats. With this goal in mind, we are concentrating on acquiring several portable oil-filled radiating heaters. This type of heater is considered very dependable and also one of the most energy-efficient heating systems that our budget can afford over several months of cold winter nights.

From the senior canines and felines to the smallest, short-hair breeds, all our little rescues need as much comfort as we are able to provide for them. This coming winter won’t be different. If some of our readers have a good used oil-filled radiating heater you would like to donate, or perhaps the funds for us to purchase one locally, please call us at 894-2639 or e-mail us at weR4pets@gmail.com. You can also send your contribution to Desert Haven Animal Refuge, POB 638, Williamsburg, New Mexico, 87942. Our small sanctuary operates on a very limited budget. Time and time again, our supporters from all over have been there for us. We thank you in advance for any help you can give us to keep our little ones warm this coming winter.

Are you a local or perhaps a seasonal resident who wants to start a safe and fun exercise routine while enjoying the company of dogs? We need dog walkers at Desert Haven, any morning of the week between 8 and 11AM.

Our felines also love extra attention. If you prefer cats, we have many at the sanctuary, ready and eager to spend all the time you want with them. We also need help at Paws&Claws during business hours, to sort through donations, test small appliances and help keep our customers happy. Contact us.

Check us out at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, Visit us at www.Facebook.com/deserthaven and www.facebook.com/pawsnclawsthriftshoppe.

Week of 8/25/13 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

This week, the Sierra County Humane Society wishes to acknowledge the management at Davis Fleck for recently donating to Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe several large boxes of brand new – and very nice - items, such as men and women watches, jewelry, knick-knacks, etc. A few days ago, we also received, again from Davis Fleck, a box filled with a whole series of miniature cars – all brand new - that will be sure to please young children and children-at-heart who shop at our thrift store.

By the way, it seems that after so many years since P&C opened for business in 1997, most if not all Sierra County residents would be aware that Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe is a non-profit store operated by the Sierra County Humane Society, a 501-C-3 charitable organization. A very recent incident at the store indicated once again that some obviously un-informed individuals are still assuming that P&C is a business that benefits a private entity. NOT TRUE. Desert Haven Animal Refuge depends on the funds that are generated at the Shoppe. All the signature programs of our organizations, such as the Spay-Neuter, Spay-a-Stray, also Adopt –a-Classroom programs among others, also depend on Paws&Claws for their survival. P&C also provides an important service to the community by serving as a recycling station for the area while offering necessary and not-so-necessary items at extremely reasonable prices. In these hard economic times, it’s very important.

We thank all our P&C supporters. We thank those who shop there regularly and those who also make a point to let us know that they appreciate what we do for local unwanted animals. We thank those who choose P&C to drop-off their donations of regular household goods but also of furniture pieces and other large items that help increase our revenues ten-fold.

We need dog walkers and kitty cuddlers at Desert Haven, any morning of the week between 8 and 11AM. We also need help at Paws&Claws during business hours, to sort through donations, test small appliances and help keep customers happy. If interested, contact us at 575-894-2639. Check us out at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, Visit us at www.Facebook.com/deserthaven and www.facebook.com/pawsnclawsthriftshoppe.

Week of 8/18/13 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

Jim Seery hard at work

 New York native Jim Seery is returning to Desert Haven Animal Refuge within the next few weeks. Jim is retired law-enforcement officer who has chosen the work-camping lifestyle. He spends the summers work-camping in Michigan, near his grand-children. For the past four years, Jim has called Desert Haven his winter home. A kind and peace-loving man that everyone involved with Desert Haven and Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe has come to appreciate and consider an integral member of the DHAR extended family, Jim will be part of our organization for the next several months, while enjoying the local hot springs and small restaurants. Welcome back, Jim!

Jim is a book aficionado and he is already sharing his plans to help make the book-nook at Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe even more efficient. Our P&C book-nook stays busy all the time – we are told that our collection of donated books is expansive and most of our customers seem to appreciate our bargain prices.

Within the next few weeks, before their regular meeting, the T-or-C City Commission will hold a workshop on the T-or-C Animal Control Ordinance that is being revised. Many animal loving individuals realize that changes need to be made. It is our opportunity to make a difference! So please attend if you can! For more information, contact us at 575-894-2639 or at weR4pets@gmail.com. You can also call the Mayor of T-or-C at City Hall. Mayor Mulcahy seems to always welcome new common- sense ideas and suggestions.

At this time, we need someone to help head our new SCHS foster dog and cat program. We also need dog walkers and kitty cuddlers at Desert Haven, any morning of the week between 8 and 11AM. We also need help at Paws&Claws, to sort through donations and/or test small appliances. P&C opens for business between 11 AM and 4 PM. If interested in giving a couple of hours a week to help a good cause, contact us at 575-894-2639. Check us out at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, Visit us at www.Facebook.com/deserthaven and www.facebook.com/pawsnclawsthriftshoppe.

Week of 8/11/13 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

Sharon and her dad, Bill

Desert Haven Animal Refuge got hammered by the recent major electrical storm from a couple of weeks ago. Not only several walking trails and driveways around the property were transformed into destructive mountain rapids for a while, but our entire WI-FI service also took a major hit. We believe that it is the ESC (electrostatic discharge) caused by the lightening during the major electrical storm from a couple of weeks ago that took everything out, in the DHAR office and also in the entire RV campground. We had everything in protected power supplies. We also had a main antenna with a lightening arrestor, but it was clearly no match for that storm. From the response we received from Windstream, our rural area is obviously low on their list. Until the company upgrades its lines, rural WI-FI users like Desert Haven are on their own with many of their WI-FI problems.

Sharon Stoffel and her dad, Bill, have been the WI-FI experts at DHAR for several years now. They were called to the rescue and came through for us, once again. Sharon lives in Albuquerque and works at Sandia Labs. Bill divides his time between Albuquerque and Elephant Butte. Both worked – totally on a volunteer basis - on the WI-FI until it was back up again. Thanks a million, guys! Also thank-you, Mike Wowianko, (Desert Haven General Operations Coordinator) for making yourself available and working with them until our WI-FI got back on track.

This week’s wish list: Dog treats for our small to large canines. Last year, our pleas for dog treats and canned dog food were answered by our generous Desert Haven long-time supporters from Victoria Texas. We completely ran out of dog treats last month. We hope that some of our animal loving friends will help replenish our supply. Our fur-kids love their treats. At this time of the year, we need volunteer help both at Desert Haven and Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe. We can be contacted at 575-894-2639 and at weR4pets@gmail.com. Check us out at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, Visit us at www.Facebook.com/deserthaven and www.facebook.com/pawsnclawsthriftshoppe.

Week of 7/29/13 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

Shaggy and buddies waiting for Frank to race to the pick up point

The Mighty Mutts of Pedigree Alley who currently reside at Desert Haven Animal Refuge, have something very special to be thankful for these days: they all have made good friends with Frank and his two gorgeous and very well mannered Dobermans, Jessie and Billie-Jo. Frank and his canine family have resided at Desert Haven Animal Refuge since early this spring. Frank keeps his own fur-kids in top physical shape, and he does it in a special way that both “boys”, as he calls them with tenderness, look forward to every day. And now, they have company!

Jesse and Foxie Girl at the river

Frank recently started a routine of picking-up each morning, in his tough old jeep that has served him very well, a couple of the larger DHAR dogs. Picture this: four large dogs – all of them very excited in sheer anticipation of what fun lies ahead – riding all together in the back of a jeep that has had to be made a dog-worthy transport.

Soon after daylight each day, two lucky Desert Haven dogs are selected to load up in the transport and head for the river, where a good time will be had by all. Not so much for Frank, because he is the designated driver, but the rest of the gang is in for a river run! And that’s just the beginning! After a delightful swim, some running around together, some checking-out all the delightful scents at the river’s edge, time comes to pack it up! And here is the routine: Frank gives the signal, the “kids” gather for an all-out sprint on the primitive trail all the way to the pick-up point two miles down the road. One takes the lead. The others follow, tails wagging! The race has begun. Dashing ahead of the jeep, they leave poor Frank in the dust. At the pick-up point, everybody loads-up into the transport and heads for home.

Scruffy loves every minute of this river adventure

Back home at Desert Haven, all the canines, their heads full of the exciting memories of the morning, are now ready for breakfast. It’s waiting for them as they come in. Then it's nap-time. Thank-you, Frank! Today is a good day to be a dog at Desert Haven!