Week of 10/19/14 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

The Sierra County Humane Society has an effective program – the Adopt-a-Pet Referral program - that helps local residents place companion animals they no longer can care for from their home directly into a new home. The program offers a connection between individuals who need to place their companion animals into new homes and folks who wish to give a forever home to a non-longer-wanted little one. You can either connect with us at 575-894-1694, e-mail us at adoptapet4life@gmail.com or bring your information to Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe. It will be forwarded to Joe, Desert Haven General Operations Coordinator. Joe and Eliana enter the information into an effective long-standing network, such as Petfinder, Facebook and, on the local level, this weekly column in both local newspapers. As importantly, let us know if you are looking to give a home to a little one. Most recent on our Adopt-a-Pet Referral list are young kittens needing a new home – one is a tabby, the other is grey. Also someone is looking for a puppy or a young adult, preferably a Healer or Australian Shepherd. Interested? Contact us.

Your contributions, large or small, of CANNED dog & cat food are crucial to get us into the colder season. We also welcome donations of large bottles of Clorox, Odorban and diswashing liquid, also tall kitchen bags, large black bags, paper towels and other paper products. We always need extra helpers at Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe, any time between 10 AM and 4 PM, Wed through Saturday. Can you contribute at least 2 hours of your time each week? Let us know. Joyce has been a dependable volunteer at Paws & Claws since she moved to the community early this year. She is leaving the country to relocate close to her family in Australia. We wish Joyce the very best as she undertakes this next chapter in her life in the next couple of weeks.

Contact us at 575.894.2639 or e-mail us at weR4pets@gmail.com. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. and www.Facebook.com/DesertHaven and www.Facebook.com/Pawsnclawsthriftshoppe.

Thank you, David White, for sharing with us this very appropriate quote of Kalu Ndukwe Kalu:  

“The things you do for yourself are gone, but the things you do for others are your legacy”

Week of 10/5 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

 First and foremost, the volunteers at Desert Haven Animal Refuge wish to acknowledge the several anonymous donations of pet food kindly left on the bench at the entrance of DogTown this past Tuesday. We didn’t get your names but we sincerely appreciate your thoughtfulness. As importantly, we also appreciate the pet food and treats that we often find inside the donation box at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe in TorC.

Lance and a buddy

  Cat treats are especially welcome these days. Lance Hoffman and his family recently moved back to TorC. Soon afterwards, the entire family started to help out at the sanctuary. Lance currently spends every Tuesday connecting with and giving special attention to each and every feline inside the Cool Cat neighborhood. Lance’s genuine affection for all felines, his unending patience - together with the tasty treats he distributes to them - are making him very popular inside the feline neighborhood.





It’s been several weeks now since the Sierra County Humane Society sent its membership renewal letter to members and supporters from all over. Thanks to the modern cyber world, we now have supporters and well-wishers from across the entire country, from California to Maine, Oregon to Florida. Over the years, our animal welfare organization and Desert Haven Animal Refuge, the no-kill domestic animal sanctuary that operates under its 501-c-3 non-profit umbrella, have received acknowledgement and positive reinforcement from all over the country. Animal lovers from everywhere are slowly starting to recognize that small organizations like ours are usually extremely under-funded, mostly because they can’t advertise as effectively as large, well-funded and consequently well-known regional and national organizations. Our team of volunteers work “in the trenches” with very limited resources. Your financial help is crucial and immensely appreciated. Please send your contribution where you know it will be most effective in directly helping animals-in-need.

Bootzie

 Winter is approaching; Your contributions of canned dog & cat food are crucial. Our wish list includes: tall kitchen bags, large black bags, paper towels and other paper products. Also large bottles of Clorox, Odorban and dishwashing liquid. We need helpers at Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe, Wed through Sat between 10 AM and 4 PM. Contact us at 575.894.2639 or e-mail us at weR4pets@gmail.com. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. and www.Facebook.com/DesertHaven and www.Facebook.com/Pawsnclawsthriftshoppe.

Week of 9/27/14 Humane Happenings

 by Eliana Aubin

Lois Reaver-Black

 Lois Reaver-Black passed away a few days ago. With the passing of this Grand Lady, our area has lost one of its most active community-minded individuals who, until Time took its toll several years ago and Lois was forced to slow down, was also a very productive and highly respected member of our community. Lois will be remembered by all who knew her as a remarkable lady who left this world a little better, a little kinder because she was in it.

On a Tuesday morning several years ago, Desert Haven received a surprise visit from Lois and Chet. Freddie, who was at the time the official Tour Guide at the sanctuary, gave her and Chet the “Grand Tour of the facility. When it was over and before Lois & Chet got back into their vehicle, she kept saying “It’s a really beautiful place here! I had no idea! And it’s so clean and it smells so nice! And it’s very quiet and peaceful!” She added “I expected a lot of barking and a lot of noise. I am truly surprised and very pleased at how nice everything looks and how clean and peaceful it all is”. Before she left, she added” This place is worth supporting. People in town need to know. “ True to her word, Lois made a point to share with the readers of her next weekly newspaper column, her very positive experience while visiting Desert Haven that Tuesday.

Lois, this corner of the world is a little better now, because you were in it. Our deep appreciation goes to Lois and also to her family for inviting everyone who knew her and loved her to made donations to the Sierra County Humane & Desert Haven Animal Refuge in lieu of flowers. Lois, even in death, you continue to give to the community that you loved so very much.

 We continue to need canned dog & cat food, also tall kitchen bags, 30 gallons trash bags, paper towels and other paper products. We also need helpers at Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe and Desert Haven. Contact us at 575.894.2639 or e-mail us at weR4pets@gmail.com. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. and www.Facebook.com/DesertHaven and www.Facebook.com/Pawsnclawsthriftshoppe.

Week of 9/20/14 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

 This week, the Sierra County Humane Society wishes to thank Burkes’ Outlet in TorC, for donating – and delivering - to Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe a number of much-needed clothes racks in excellent condition. Over the years, Burke’s Outlet continues to be generous to our organization in a variety of ways, and we sincerely appreciate it. We also thank the friendly-gentleman-with-a-truck who stopped at Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe during business hours sometime last week and dropped-off half-a-dozen of large – much needed - Clorox bottles to be used at Desert Haven.

 A friendly reminder to our local and out-of-town animal loving friends: When you shop at Bullocks Grocery Store in TorC, save your Bullocks’ receipts for our organization. These receipts, when tallied and redeemed, mean “dollars” for our community-minded programs. Please either send them to us at POB 638, Williamsburg, NM, 87942, or drop them off directly at Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe located adjacent to the TorC Family dollar. You can conveniently deposit them any time during the week through a slot labeled “Bullocks Receipts”, located at the drop-off box in front of the store. Bullocks donates to our 501-C-3 non-profit organization $2 for each thousand dollars of redeemed receipts! The funds we receive from Bullocks go towards the Spay-Neuter and Spay-a-Stray programs, both are effective signature programs of our organization. This comprehensive sterilization program is available to Sierra County residents who need some financial help to get their companion animal sterilized. Want to learn more? Contact us 575-894-1694 and leave a message with your phone number. We will return your call within a few days.

This week’s wish list: Canned dog & cat food – Tall kitchen bags - 30 gallons trash bags - paper towels and other paper products - Pecans which we place routinely in the doves’ nests inside our large aviaries. They comfort our resident doves while keeping them from reproducing – We also need helpers at Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe and Desert Haven. Contact us at 575.894.2639 or e-mail us at weR4pets@gmail.com. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. and www.Facebook.com/DesertHaven and www.Facebook.com/Pawsnclawsthriftshoppe.

Week of 9/1/14 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

“Hi there! Some of you may not know me but you might have seen me running back-and-forth around town. I am the “IM4PETS” Toyota work-truck. I have been working hard for the Sierra County Humane Society for over 25 years. I am pretty old now of course, a little on the decrepit side in some ways, but still running strong and dependable.

I am a hard working little truck, a one-person truck. I don’t let anyone drive me except my owner. She is the one that gases me up, changes my oil, buys me new tires, and covers me with insurance in case I get hurt. She does all of this out of her own pocket. Nobody else but her. Not even the non-profit organization I volunteer for pays for any of this.

 For the last 25 years now, I have moved mountains, literally – mountains of dirt, refuse, but also furniture and bags and boxes of donations of all types. I do all of this for Desert Haven Animal Refuge and also Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe, which helps supports the Sierra County Humane Society. When parked at Paws & Claws waiting for my owner who volunteers there from opening to closing time several times a week, I get loaded with all sorts of donations needed at Desert Haven, such as office supplies, pet food, also bedding for the furry and feathered residents who live there. By the end of each work day, I have done my part. I do this because it needs to get done and I am needed. I do this because I am the only truck available and also willing to do what needs to be done without asking for any compensation of any type.

Every year for the past 25 years, I have accumulated thousands and thousands of miles, all of them in the service of the Sierra County Humane Society.

So if you see a faded white, over-loaded 1988 Toyota Pick-up truck with the “IM4PETS” license plate driving around town, just know it’s me, and I will keep doing what I am doing as long as I can still roll. "



This week’s wish list: Canned dog food, volunteers at Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe and Desert Haven. Contact us at 575.894.1694 or 575.894.2639 or e-mail us at weR4pets@gmail.com. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. and www.Facebook.com/DesertHaven and www.Facebook.com/Pawsnclawsthriftshoppe.

Week of 7/13/14 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

Trying hard to please

 Desert Haven Animal Refuge enjoyed the visit of several local individuals last Tuesday, including a couple looking to adopt a young Dachshund mix, either from our sanctuary or our Adopt-a-Pet Referral program. Desert Haven has been home to two Chi-Weenies-with-Personality for a couple of years now - Sandy and Daisy. Our goal is to adopt them out together. They have been together their whole life and our Desert Haven staff would find it cruel to let one move on to a new home, leaving the other little one behind without her life-long companion. Call Desert Haven at 575-894-1694 for more information.

Interested in adopting a 2 years old, sterilized female Bobtail cat? This little one desperately needs a new forever home. Call the owner at 575-894-0162.

Did you watch Channel 4 News a couple of evenings ago? Some deadbeat was caught on camera, stealing from donations bins outside of a Goodwill Store in Albuquerque. Over time, he had accumulated enough stolen property to be charged with a fourth degree felony. Justice at last! Here in Sierra County, the work of our animal welfare organization is supported entirely through the donations of our members. Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe, located adjacent to Family Dollar in TorC, is an integral part of that support. The profits from the sale of items at the store benefit the entire community, through programs that would not be available otherwise. So when someone is caught ( photos will help) stealing either from inside the donation box or from donated items deposited after hours in front of Paws&Claws or from inside the store during business hours, that person is prosecuted to the full extent of the law. If you have information you wish to share with us on this, contact us at 575-894-2639 or at weR4pets@gmail.com.

Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe and Desert Haven Animal Refuge need volunteer helpers this summer. Our wish list also includes several heavy duty 50 ft long water hoses, large bottles of Clorox bleach and Odorban, also remnant of indoor-outdoor carpet.

Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, also www.Facebook.com/DesertHavenAnimalRefuge and www.Facebook.com/Pawsnclawsthriftshoppe. You can also visit Desert Haven any Tuesday, between 9 AM and 4 PM.

Week of 7/6/14 Humane Happenings

by Eliana C. Aubin

MAKE A DONATION

Bonnie Waters, a life-long resident of Truth or Consequences, recently passed away in Las Cruces. Bonnie’s daughter - Colleen Pullen – lives in Las Cruces. She had just moved her mother there to better care for her medical needs. Animals were a very important part of Bonnie’s life. To honor her memory, her family requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Desert Haven Animal Refuge, where several of her fur-kids were adopted from. Bonnie Waters’ love for animals is being recognized in a way that allows her to leave a legacy of kindness even long after her passing.

The work of the Sierra County Humane Society & Desert Haven Animal Refuge is supported entirely through the donations of our members and friends of animals. Through the generous hearts and hands of people like Bonnie, her daughter Colleen and all the kind folks who support our efforts, we can ensure that animals who come into the care of Desert Haven will never again be alone, hungry, sick, afraid or in pain.

Why take exercise so seriously when it can be fun? What’s wrong with “fetch” or “chase”? At Desert Haven, we have canines who would love nothing more than become an integral part of your routine exercise schedule. At this time of the year, morning animal care starts at 7:30 every morning and lasts until 10:30AM.

Aside from volunteer help, this week’s wish list includes several heavy duty water hoses, large bottles of Clorox bleach and Odorban, also remnant of indoor-outdoor carpet. We are actively looking for a good used refrigerator. The one inside the kitchen at Desert Haven was already old when donated many years ago. It no longer cools efficiently and soon will be a thing of the past. Can you help?

Contact us at 575-894-1694 or 894-2639. weR4pets@gmail.com. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, also www.Facebook.com/DesertHavenanimalrefuge and www.Facebook.com/Pawsnclawsthriftshoppe. You can also visit Desert Haven any Tuesday, between 9 AM and 4 PM.

Week of 6/29/14 Humane Happenings

by Eliana C. Aubin

Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe Management Team

It’s especially hot and dry this summer in our Desert Southwest. The wonderful birds that visit our yards will appreciate that we keep our bird baths filled with fresh water at all times. Our companion animals suffer as we do. They need us to provide for them a continuous supply of fresh, cool water and especially plenty of shade when they spend time outside our homes. Shame on the folks who keep their dog tied in their yard, most especially at this time of the year. If you see a dog outside, either tied up or in an enclosure, without an adequate - and easily accessible - supply of fresh water or shade, contact Dispatch at 575-894-7111. Request for the Animal control Officer on duty to investigate. Also ask for that ACO to call you back and let you know that the problem has been solved. It will make you feel more at ease to know that you – and the ACO – have made a difference in the life on that specific animal. It is unacceptable that some folks keep their dog tied outside in this heat, and also unacceptable that many neighbors or “friends” refuse to ‘get involved” because of “possible retaliation”. When animals suffer needlessly, it is our moral duty to speak out. We are their voice after all. And who will protect them if we don’t?

We understand you mean to be kind in taking your dog with you shopping. But you could be risking his or her life when you do so. On an 85* day for example, even with the windows slightly open, the inside of a car can climb to 102* in 10 minutes, to 130* in 30 minutes. Just think how unbearably hot your car quickly becomes when the temperature is 100* outside. Keep your dog at home when you go shopping, it’s the kindest thing you can do for him or her. If your dog is overcome by heat exhaustion, immediately soak him or her down with water and take to a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Want to know more about our animal welfare organization? Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, also www.Facebook.com/DesertHavenanimalrefuge and www.Facebook.com/Pawsnclawsthriftshoppe. Contact us at 575-894-1694 or 894-2639 or e-mail us at weR4pets@gmail.com. You can also visit Desert Haven any Tuesday, between 9 AM and 4 PM. Thank you all for your support.

Week of 6/21/14 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

Mary Jo and Denny sort through donations to Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe

 Summer is here! At this time of the year, Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe and Desert Haven Animal Refuge are experiencing their seasonal dilemma: the need for new volunteers through July and August. Our animal welfare organization routinely networks with other local non-profit agencies and everyone shares the same dilemma: not enough volunteer helpers. This is the time of the year when local folks enjoy vacation with family and friends, week-end outings at the lake, camping trips in the Gila Wilderness. Consequently, new helpers at currently needed, both at Desert Haven and Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe in TorC.

Want to know more about us? Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, also www.Facebook.com/DesertHavenanimalrefuge and www.Facebook.com/Pawsnclawsthriftshoppe. Contact us at 575-894-1694 or 894-2639. You can also visit Desert Haven any Tuesday, between 9 AM and 4 PM. You are welcome to stay for our Tuesday “Breaking Bread” Pot Luck lunch at 1 PM. If you prefer to volunteer at Paws&Claws, visit during business hours: Wednesday through Saturday, 10-4PM. We are also open the first and second Tuesday of every month. Eliana (P&C manager) and Denny (P&C Assistant manager) make an exceptionally strong team. Their team effort at the store is finally showing.

Paws&Claws sincerely appreciates the business of a variety of routine customers from all over, including Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Las Cruces and El Paso. Our store is fortunate to also attract out-of-state travelers who are visiting our area. We must be doing something right indeed, when these worldly and often very selective customers give our store such good scores about our customer service, the variety of the items we sell and, as importantly, our bargain prices. When these customers find out where the P&C profits go, they are even more supportive.

This week’s wish list: stringed tags /pricing labels and safety pins to use at P&C; At the sanctuary: Large bottles of Odorban; Heavy duty Shop Vac in good working condition; Leaf blower – preferably gas operated; Remnants of indoor-outdoor carpet for our current Cool Cat Neighborhood project. Thank-you all for your continued support.

Week of 6/15/14 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

Wild Goose Rd. at Desert Haven

For a number of years now, the Sierra County Humane Society (SCHS) has raised funds in many ways to benefit its Spay-Neuter and Spay-a-Stray programs. The SCHS “Pennies for Pets” program is managed by Josephine. She routinely collects donations from our organization’s Doggie Banks located in several local businesses. Tim manages the collection of Aluminum cans which are deposited in the “Can Corral” located next to Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe in TorC. Tina and her husband Randy have recently volunteered to help Tim transport and redeem the cans as needed.

Your Bullocks receipts can bring much needed funding for our organization’s Spay-Neuter program! Save them and ask your friends to save them too! You can drop them off at Paws&Claws, either inside the shop or through the special “Bullocks Receipts” slot located on the front of the large P&C Donation Box. We also have collection boxes at the Williamsburg Post Office and the TorC Public Library. For every bundle of one thousand dollars worth of Bullocks receipts tallied by Josephine, our home-town Grocery Store donates $2 to our organization. It adds up and our Spay-Neuter program benefits greatly from the generous contribution Bullocks routinely makes in this way to our non-profit organization.

A young, smart, housetrained female blue heeler needs a new home. She is sterilized and her shots are up to date; Call 575-497-0310. Lydia at 575-740-3496 needs to find a good home for several black-white kittens. A very small terrier and a young Jack Russell need a new home; Call Cassie at 575-740-5310. A pair of peacocks is available for adoption at Desert Haven; Call 575-894-1694 or contact us at Adoptapet4life@gmail for more information.

This week’s wish list for the sanctuary: heavy duty Shop vacuum in good working condition; leaf blower – preferably gas operated; several remnants of indoor-outdoor carpet for one of our Cool Cat Neighborhood’s priority projects.

Check-out our web site at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. Chat with us on www.Facebook.com/DesertHaven and also www.Facebook.com/pawsnclawsthriftshoppe Facebook pages. Desert Haven is open to visitors every Tuesday, between 9AM and 4 PM.

Wek of 6/8/14 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

Eliana Aubin and furry friend

The Sierra County Humane Society operates the Adopt-a-Pet Referral program. It is geared to help out residents of Sierra County who need to give up a companion animal, but hesitate in dropping-off their beloved dog, cat or bird at the T or C City Shelter located on Date Street.

This is how it works: folks who need to give-up a companion animals have the opportunity to be placed in direct contact with others who would like to adopt a specific companion animal or bird directly from the owner. As always, we remind the animal owners to carefully screen anyone wanting to take the animal off their hands. After all, it is public knowledge that too many unscrupulous individuals are traveling throughout our state and beyond in search of “Free to Good Home” dogs and cats. The companion animals obtained in this way are often sold for profit to Research Labs in and around our state. Just as tragic, others end-up at the hands of Dog Fighters. They are used as Bait Dogs to help train Pit Bulls to kill. Let’s not fool ourselves: Dog fighting - although illegal – is still anchored right here in Sierra County.

Through our organization’s Adopt-a-Pet Referral program, we publicize the information on both our Facebook pages at www.Facebook.com/DesertHaven and www.Facebook.com/PawsnClawsThriftShoppe, also in our weekly Humane Happenings article, generously printed by this newspaper. We also post it on our Desert Haven Petfinder page. As always, we keep that information handy whenever someone inquires with our organization about adoptable animals or birds. Contact us at 575-894-1694 or e-mail us at Adoptapet4life@gmail.com.

Several very young black-white kittens need a home. If interested in adopting one or a couple of them, contact Lydia at 575-740-3496. Perhaps you prefer to adopt a very small terrier, or a young adult Jack Russell. Contact Cassie at 575-740-5310. Do you have a large aviary or a fenced area safe from predators? We have a pair of young adult peacocks available for adoption. Contact us at 575-894-1694.

This week’s wish list: Heavy duty Shop Vacuum in good working condition. Leaf blower – preferably gas operated. Indoor-outdoor carpet remnants.

A huge thank-you goes to Camille of Florida, for maintaining our professional looking web site www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. since 2006.

Week of 5/24/14 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

Kitties new toy

The mission of the Sierra County Humane Society is to protect and care for the abandoned and mistreated companion animals of Sierra County. When we expect it the least and need it the most, Good Fortune usually finds a way of landing on our doorstep.

The Sierra County Humane Society has received a huge boost recently. It is generally difficult for any non-profit organization to find volunteer help. It is even more difficult to find quality volunteers and experienced professional staff. The bulk of the work we do depends on a capable and caring but non-professional volunteer staff. It is a rare bonus to receive volunteers who have a background in the Animal Welfare profession. This fortunate situation is where we are finding ourselves in. With the arrival of two very qualified individuals who recently moved to Desert Haven from Tucson AZ, we currently have an excellent quality staff made up of both back-ground and non-background Animal Welfare people.

Are you interested in adopting a young, very small Terrier mix? Perhaps you prefer to give a loving home to a young adult Jack Russell mix? Contact Cassie at 575-740-5310. Cassie is moving and can no longer keep her little ones. Through our organization’s Adopt-a-Pet Referral program, we connect individuals who need to find a new loving home for their companion animals with those who would like to adopt one. Contact us at 575-894-1694 or e-mail us at Adoptapet4life@gmail.com.

Check our updated web site at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. Chat with us at: www.Facebook.com/DesertHaven, and www.Facebook.com/pawsnclawsthriftshoppe.