Week of 4/6/14 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

Forest gets a bath and a hug from Charlotte

This week, we wish to thank a very special plant-lady who wants to remain anonymous. Every spring since Paws&Claws opened for business some years ago, this generous green-thumb brings to the store, every week, a variety of home-grown cactus, succulents and other interesting plants to help raise funds for the Sierra County Humane Society & Desert Haven Animal Refuge.

Paws&Claws is currently recruiting several volunteers to help out at the Shoppe during business hours, from 11 AM to 4PM Wed through Sat. Until they leave the area in a few weeks, Kendall and Charlotte are on hand at the shop to train dependable individuals who would like to get involved for at least a couple of hours each week. We also need help at the sanctuary from 8 to 11 am any morning of the week, when dogs are fed and walked and cats and birds are cared for.

Welcome to our volunteer team, Jodi, Steve & Joyce! These folks very recently relocated to our area. Their decision to answer our plea and to volunteer their time on some of the days the need is at its greatest is commendable. This is the time of the year when Desert Haven and Paws&Claws must rely even more on local helpers to help make a difference in this little corner of the world.

Interested in perhaps getting involved in a worthwhile cause? Visit Desert Haven on a Tuesday morning. Join our team for a while. Plan to take part in the Pot Luck lunch that our volunteers share every Tuesday at 1 PM. Then decide for yourself if this environment is for you!

This week’s wish list: Bottles of Clorox, Odorban, dishwashing liquid, short and long handle cleaning brushes – also the funds to cover the costs of several bags of cement or quickcrete – transparent plastic bags of various sizes for us to use as a temporary protection for the bedding, blankets, etc., that we sell at P&C. We recycle all of them over and over again - We can be reached at 575-894-2639 or weR4pets@gmail.com. Check us out at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, www.Facebook.com/DesertHaven, and www.Facebook.com/pawsnclawsthriftshoppe.

1st week of April; Humane Happenings

Vickie loves her Tuesday afternoons in the office

 by Eliana Aubin


What initiate a small non-profit organization in a small rural community, such as the Sierra County Humane Society, are the efforts of a few local citizens with a vision. That’s what gets it off the ground! That is also what makes it work on a daily basis. What sustains it in the long haul, however, are a few individuals who don’t participate in the day-to-day operation but who share the vision. And it’s through their contributions, be it material or financial, that the organization survives. Now having said this, anonymous people who make such great contributions that nobody knows about are to be recognized. We, the leadership of the Sierra County Humane Society & Desert Haven Animal Refuge, wish to recognize them, not by name because they request to remain anonymous, but by their actions, by their deeds. Contributions from such generous and selfless individuals help with feeding the animals and with veterinary care. They also help with essential physical structures, also with equipment and supplies that are all needed to run the operation and keep the property in good state of repair.

Afternoon siesta in the Cat Patio

These people honor us. We as an organization have a vision. That vision is to protect and care for neglected, abandoned, abused, unwanted dogs, cats, birds, guinea pigs, rabbits, and other helpless little creatures as if they were our own. Not everybody shares this vision. Not everybody feels this compassion. But the people who have greatly contributed to our organization over the years do share this vision, do share this compassion. They have visited with us, they have seen what we do and they believe enough in us to unequivocally give of themselves in the way they know will help most at the time. This is what makes it an honor for us. They honor us. And through this article, we want to honor them although they selflessly wish to remain anonymous.

This week’s wish list: volunteers at Desert Haven and Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe. We routinely need large bottles of Clorox and Odorban and long handle cleaning brushes for our sanctuary. We need large transparent plastic bags , also the funds to cover the costs of several bags of cement or quickcrete to build a handicap ramp at Paws&Claws. We can be reached at 575-894-2639 or weR4pets@gmail.com. For more information, check us out at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com, www.Facebook.com/DesertHaven, and www.Facebook.com/pawsnclawsthriftshoppe.

Week of 3/22/14 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

A visit with Gumbo

What a busy week we had at Desert Haven Animal Refuge! And what an interesting day last Tuesday! Several out-of-town visitors and potential adopters were given the tour of the facility by Kendall, Charlotte and Beth. Gumbo, the Chihuahua recently rescued from an out-of-the-way salvage yard in Albuquerque and currently fostered by Beth, spend most of the day at the sanctuary Tuesday, while Beth was helping out in the office. The little fur-gal’s socialization skills continue to improve and we trust that when Beth returns to her home state up-North in a few short weeks, someone will be ready to adopt little Gumbo. Our little fur-gal deserves the very best home possible.

Peacock round-up

Several pairs of peacocks went to their new adoptive home within the last few weeks. They are now enjoying life all together on a dairy farm in Colorado. Thank-you, Charlotte and Kendall, for making this adoption possible! We are posting their odyssey on our Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/DesertHaven. Birdland now has one remaining pair of peacocks still available for adoption. The last adoption of some of our resident doves went well and we are now adopting-out white and domesticated ring-neck doves in groups of no less than 3 at a time. Interested? Contact us at Adoptapet4life@gmail.com or visit Desert Haven this Tuesday, between 9 AM and 4 PM. You can also call our office at 575-894-1694.

Desert Haven is owned and operated by the Sierra County Humane Society – a private non-profit 501-c-3 animal welfare organization dedicated to make a difference in the lives of companion animals in our area. Several winter residents who are currently volunteering at the sanctuary will soon be moving back to their respective home states, leaving Desert Haven and Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe with a skeleton crew. Do you have at least a couple of hours a week to donate to a worthy cause? Let us hear from you!

This week’s wish list: large bottles of Clorox, large transparent plastic bags, several bags of cement to help build a much-needed handicap ramp at P&C Thrift Shoppe. We can be reached at 575-894-2639 or weR4pets@gmail.com. You can also check us out at www.Facebook.com/pawsnclawsthriftshoppe, www.Facebook.com/DesertHaven, and at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com.

Week of 3/16/14 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

Atty. John Wheeler meets with Eliana Aubin

Many local businesses support the Sierra County Humane Society, either with their business membership or through in-kind or financial contributions. We count on these contributions. They help pay for the labor of love that we provide for the companion animals of Sierra County.

For some years now, Attorney-at-Law John Wheeler, James Bagwell, CPA PA, Davis Fleck, Foxworth-Galbraith Lumber CO, Sun Valley Hardware, Walmart, Desert Winds Boat & RV Storage, Bullocks Grocery Store in TorC, also Hodges Restaurant and Bar-2 Sand & Gravel in Elephant Butte, Animas Creek Plant Nursery, both the Sierra County Sentinel and the Herald newspapers, have all been some of our strongest supporters. Recently, the current owners of Adobe Hacienda Real Estate gave us their vote of confidence by becoming business members of our animal welfare organization.

We also wish to thank Sierra Veterinary Services for being one of our business supporters. The modern facility is located on North Date Street in TorC. Formerly “Hot Springs Animal Clinic”, owned and operated by Dr Cardwell who retired not long ago, then moved back with Judy to his home state of Texas, the veterinary business is currently owned by Dr Dawkins, daughter of local resident Bobby Dawkins. We consider Bobby Dawkins a strong supporter of the SCHS as well. Sierra County residents are fortunate indeed to have community-minded businesses that care enough to support non-profit organizations like ours.

Without Dr Dawkins and Sierra Veterinary Services conveniently located in TorC, many local people who share their lives with companion animals and who want to provide for them the very best of routine and emergency care available would not be able to do so.

We need helpers at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe, also at Desert Haven Animal Refuge. Interested in giving us a hand this spring and summer? Even as little as two hours a week of your precious time would certainly make a difference.

Visit Desert Haven on a Tuesday, between 9AM and 4PM when the sanctuary is open to visitors, and find out for yourself where you would be most needed. You can also contact us at 575-894-2639 or at weR4pets@gmail.com . Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. www.Facebook.com/pawsnclawsthriftshoppe. and www.Facebook.com/DesertHaven

Week of 12/29/13 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

We mourn the loss of a long-time friend of Desert Haven - Ginny Nylen – who passed away suddenly doing what she loved: RV’ing throughout the US and making friends along the way. Ginny had work-camped in our area some years ago. When we appealed to the community for someone to help in our Desert Haven office on Tuesdays, Ginny came forward. She helped us again the following several winters. Time went on and Ginny no longer work-camped, but she kept traveling and every year, she was back at Desert Haven to visit, with plenty of goodies for our furry residents. Ginny, you will always be remembered fondly by all of us who shared precious moments of your life.


Susan Newman of Animas Creek Plant Nursery and Gina Kelley of Ruidoso, we value your long-standing commitment to our animal welfare cause. Susan is a local business person with a high level of moral principle. Gina was the Sierra County Tourism Director until she moved to Ruidoso over 2 years ago. While a local resident, she had asked our organization for help to sterilize the small army of feral and stray cats who lived in her neighborhood. We came through for her. Then the economy took a dip, so did the support we counted on to keep our spay-a-stray program solvent. We appealed to all those we had helped in the past – even one dollar would make a difference, one dollar from each of the several thousand individuals we had helped since we started the program in 1994. A hand-full came forward.

Gina Kelley

 Gina came forward, and very generously indeed! She contributes towards our program every month since that time. Individuals like Susan Newman and Gina Kelley exemplify people who are committed to their moral principle. They don’t just say they believe in something, their show they believe in something, quietly and without fanfare.

We need volunteer help every morning at Desert Haven. We also need help at Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe. Contact us at 575-894-2639 or at weR4pets@gmail.com. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com and www.Facebook.com/pawsnclawsthriftshoppe. Our mailing address is: POB 638, Williamsburg, NM 87901.

Week of 12/22/13 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

Crissy

A very young female black lab arrived at Desert Haven Animal Refuge on Christmas Eve. She was rescued from a mountain road during a recent snow storm. A good Samaritan rescued her before she became another victim. “Crissy” is now the newest member of Dog Town. You can soon see her on our Desert Haven Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/DesertHaven.

We have much to be thankful for this Christmas season. Among other wonderful contributors, some of them who want to stay anonymous, Gina Kelley of Ruidoso sends generous monthly pledges to help keep our Spay-neuter program alive. Local resident Mary Roden recently donated much needed canned cat food. Carmel O'Connell of San Francisco CA contributes every month through our Pay-Pal account. A monthly pledge is made in Richard Wagner’s memory, ensuring his name will always be remembered with fondness.

Christmas donations for our rescues

Robert & Marian Allen donated a vehicle full of pet food and birdseeds, toys, treats and bedding last Tuesday. Chet & Val Two-Wolves dropped-off pet food and treats in memory of their beloved companion-dog Lady who had just passed away. Several large boxes of pet food and treats sent by our supporters from Texas, via Walmart and Amazon arrived recently. Last week, Moose Lodge 2050 contributed towards the veterinary costs of bringing our latest rescues back to health: Charlie, Gumbo and Forest.

Moose contribution

Last week, the drop-off box at Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe was broken into several times. The thieves not only stole everything inside it, but they also badly damaged parts of the structure, outside and while they were foraging directly inside it. A police report was made each time. It’s very sad when a few undesirables make it so hard for the rest of us to do what we can to make this corner of the world a better place to live. If you know anything about these thefts, contact us at 575-894-2639. The information will be forwarded to the TorC Police Department.

Drop off box - repaired

 We need volunteer help every morning at Desert Haven. We also need help at Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe between 11am and 4pm. Contact us at 575-894-2639 or at weR4pets@gmail.com. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com and www.Facebook.com/pawsnclawsthriftshoppe. Our mailing address is: POB 638, Williamsburg, NM 87901. Happy Holidays to all our members and animal loving friends.

Week of 12/17/13 Humane Happenings

Bar-2s Contribution

by Eliana Aubin

We thank you, Bar-2 Sand and Gravel, for donating a truck load of crusher fine to Desert Haven. We will use it to repair the damages caused by the heavy rain storms and subsequent flooding this past summer. Bar-2 Sand & Gravel always comes through for us – a community-minded business indeed.

Our friends are asking us what we need at Desert Haven this winter. Here it is: bird and sunflower seeds, cracked corn and scratch to help feed our white and domesticated ring-neck doves, hens, roosters and also the peacock residents of Birdland. Timothy hay is always an especially welcome treat for our resident rabbits and guinea pigs. Now that Desert Haven is the new home to several special needs dogs, we need more canned dog food than ever. Young Gumbo the Chihuahua came to us skinny and starving, discovered by accident in a vehicle bone-yard on the outskirts of Albuquerque. Forest is a large, older hound dog with arthritis, recently rescued from the Gila Wilderness; and now we also have Charlie, a senior shaggy dog with dental issues among others. 

Charlie

 Charlie spent his entire adult life alone and forgotten at the end of a chain in someone’s local back-yard. We are asking everyone who wishes to help out this winter, to donate the extra CANNED dog food that we need to help bring our several special-needs canines back to health.

We also need cleaning supplies and detergent: disposable gloves, heavy duty rubber and work gloves, long and short handle heavy duty brushes, a heavy duty pooper-scooper, Clorox, Odorban, Dawn diswashing liquid.

We need volunteer help every morning at Desert Haven. Choose the morning you would like to help! We also need help at Paws&Claws Thrift Shoppe during business hours (Wed through Sat from 11 amweR4pets@gmail.com. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com , www.Facebook.com/DesertHaven and www.Facebook.com/Pawsnclawsthriftshoppe. Our mailing address is: POB 638, Williamsburg, NM 87901. Happy Holidays to all our animal loving friend
to 4:30pm). Contact us at 575-894-2639 or at

Week of 12/10/13 Humane happenings

by Eliana Aubin 

Foxie's new family

Charlie is now the newest resident at Desert Haven Animal Refuge. He is a cute, medium sized shaggy dog who was recently rescued by a Good Samaritan from years of misery and loneliness at the end of a chain inside some uninterested individual’s yard. His rescuer could not keep him long, only because of restrictions about companion animals in her apartment complex. Charlie is now safe and finally well-cared for at the no-kill sanctuary. The gentle senior-dog is now able to enjoy whatever is left of his life in a loving environment, with no more chains forever hanging from his neck. Charlie’s new play-yard used to belong to Foxie Girl. Yes, we have even more good news to share with our readers and Desert Haven supporters: Foxie Girl – Desert Haven’s resident Boxer –recently moved to her forever home. Her new family drove all the way from Albuquerque to pick-her up at the sanctuary and it was love at first sight for everyone.

 A huge Atta-Girl is in order for Charlotte, DHAR Animal Care & Adoption Coordinator, who handled the adoption from start to finish. Photos were taken - they will soon be posted on our www.Facebook.com/deserthaven page - good-byes were shared, before our beloved fur-kid left the sanctuary – her home for over two years.

Our Christmas Wish List: Canned dog and cat food (We mix it with the dry food during the coldest part of the winter). Bird Seeds. Cracked corn. Cedar chips. The Sierra County Humane Society has an open account at Horsin’ Around Feed & Tack in TorC. You can either contact them at 575-894-0318 or you can send your donation earmarked for those specific items and we will pick-them up as we need them.

For a while now, we have needed a Cash Register for Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe. If you have one in good working condition that you no longer use and wish to donate to our 50-1-c-3 non-profit organization, please let us know at 575-894-2639 or at weR4pets@gmail.com. Our mailing address is: Sierra County Humane Society, POB 638, Williamsburg, NM 87942. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. Happy Holidays to all our animal loving friends.

Week of 12/1/13 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

Michael Gurnsey

Our community has lost one of its upstanding citizens, 58 years old Michael Gurnsey, who passed away recently. The news of his untimely passing was an absolute shock to many of us in the Sierra County Humane Society. Michael was well-known and well-liked in the community and in our animal welfare organization. Together with his mother, Josephine, and sisters, Joan and Terri, Michael became an active member soon after it was organized in the late 80’s. We join Michael’s family as we mourn his passing. He will be fondly remembered as an animal loving individual, and outstanding member of our organization and of the entire community. We sincerely appreciate the wishes of Michael’s family for contributions in Mike’s memory to be sent to the Sierra County Humane Society and Desert haven Animal Refuge, POB 638, Williamsburg, NM 87942.

Forest, the older, emaciated and arthritic hound dog recently rescued from Gila Wilderness is now safe at Desert Haven. Some of Forest’s wounds are emotional wounds that will heal only with love and special care. He is receiving both at the sanctuary. Gumbo, the small, skin-and-bone, Chihuahua discovered by accident inside a junk vehicle in an Albuquerque bone-yard is becoming more active and friendly every day. One can’t begin to imagine what went into these two canines’ minds when they realized they had been abandoned.

This week’s wish list: we badly need canned dog and cat food. You are appreciated, Edith Matthew. this caring lady visited Desert Haven last Tuesday with her grand-daughter Gina. As their canned dog and cat food contribution was being unloaded, “Grand-Ma Edith” said: “It’s my Christmas contribution to Desert Haven”. Also we thank our supporters for Victoria, Texas. Their generous gift of several boxes of canned pet food and treats, directly ordered from Walmart, arrived with perfect timing. Our mailing address is: Sierra County Humane Society, POB 638, Williamsburg, NM 87942. You can also contact us at 575-894-1694, 894-2639 or weR4pets@gmail.com.

Week of 11/24 13 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

Desert Haven Thanksgiving Turkey 2013

Thanksgiving is being celebrated at Desert Haven Animal Refuge on the Tuesday before the traditional Thanksgiving Day. At lunch time, everyone gathers around the oversized dining room table in the main building. It’s a very pleasant time, not only because of the great pot-luck lunch that we get to enjoy together, but also because of what we at Desert haven, have in common: our love for animals and our desire to make a difference.

 Jim is originally from New York. He has work-camped at Desert Haven for the past four winters in a row. Charlotte and Gerald are from Louisiana. Charlotte is the sanctuary’s Animal Care & Adoptions Coordinator.

Charlotte with Sandy and Daisy

Mike and Laura are General Operations Coordinators at DHAR. They relocated here from Michigan over a year ago. Mike also handles maintenance & projects and Laura helps Eliana operate Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe in TorC. Kelly and Paul are from New England. They plan to help out at the sanctuary until Spring 2014. Aside from local resident Eliana, who has been actively involved with the Sierra County Humane Society since it organized in 1989, Rocky and Tim are also local folks who want to make a difference in the lives of animals. And what better way to do so, than helping care for the little rescues at a No-Kill sanctuary?

Vickie

Thanksgiving 2013 at Desert Haven! We can think of many reasons to be thankful! We make a strong team; we are connected to each-other by our love for animals and our desire to do something to help those in need. We are also thankful for the kind folks - some of them locals and others from throughout the US - who support our animal welfare organization and our no-kill domestic animal sanctuary in any way they can.

Visit Desert Haven on a Tuesday and spend quality time with some of the small residents. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. Chat with us at www.Facebook.com/deserthaven and www.facebook.com/pawsnclawsthriftshoppe. You can also contact us at 575-894-1694, weR4pets@gmail.com and at: Sierra County Humane Society, POB 638, Williamsburg, NM 87942.

Week of 11/16/13 Humane Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

Forrest

 

This week, Desert Haven became home to two lucky dogs, literally! “Forrest” is a large size hound - an emaciated, wounded and arthritic “old guy”- recently rescued from the Gila Wilderness. The other is a young Chihuahua we named Gumbo. She was discovered by Tim, a local Desert Haven volunteer who was walking around a vehicle bone-yard near Albuquerque a couple of weeks ago. His eye caught the tiny dog curled-up on the torn seat of one of the junk vehicles. Fearful, she repeatedly refused to be caught. While checking out her surroundings, Tim soon realized why the frightened little dog kept coming back to the vehicle. She didn’t want to leave her little buddy’s side. His decomposing skin-and-bone body had obviously been stuck between the door and the passenger seat of the junk car for some time.

Tim rescuing Gumbo

It took an enormous amount of compassion and patience, several trips to the bone yard over a number of days, plenty of canned food and also a steel trap for Tim to get her safely into his car and on their way to Desert Haven. Common sense tells us that we can’t save them all. We saved two more this week: Forest and Gumbo. They will never be alone again. They will never be hungry, or hurt again, as long as they are under the care of the good hearted individuals who put their strong love for animals into action at the sanctuary.

Sweet littel girl - finally safe!

In my new bed!

This week’s wish list: canned dog and cat food, also monetary contributions to help offset the high costs of veterinary care for our most recent little rescues.








Desert Haven is open to visitors every Tuesday. Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. You can also chat with us at www.Facebook.com/deserthaven and www.facebook.com/pawsnclawsthriftshoppe. Our mailing address is: Sierra County Humane Society, POB 638, Williamsburg, NM 87942. You can also contact us at 575-894-2639 or e-mail us at weR4pets@gmail.com.

Week of 11/10/13 Humne Happenings

by Eliana Aubin

Steve unloads pet food donated by Walmart

 The holiday season is on its way. Especially at this time of the year, a large number of regional and national organizations send their Holiday Appeals to every American household they can reach through their numerous mailing lists. The results are obviously successful, or few of us would receive so many requests for donations to help this or that cause. It costs money to raise funds in such a professionally orchestrated manner. Where does that money come from? Of course, it is taken directly from the contribution that we so generously send to those organizations.

All of us who love animals want to help those in need. Some of us lack the time, so we send money to help care for them. For those of us who donate to out-of-town organizations, it would be wise to verify beforehand how much of our hard-earned contributed dollars is actually going towards making these animals’ life a little better.

The Sierra County Humane Society Board of Directors continues to make the most of the funds donated to benefit animals-in-need in our area. With this in mind, we choose not to utilize the professional services of companies who make money out of raising funds for organizations like ours. Our organization is proud to say that every contribution that it receives to help animals-in-need in our area, goes directly to them.

This week’s wish list: At Desert Haven, bird and sunflower seeds for our white and domesticated ring-neck doves, canned food and treats for our canines and felines. The sanctuary is open to visitors every Tuesday.

Visit us at www.DesertHavenAnimalRefuge.com. You can also chat with us at www.Facebook.com/deserthaven and www.facebook.com/pawsnclawsthriftshoppe.

You appreciate our efforts to make a difference? Then get involved in some way with our animal welfare organization! Become a member! Volunteer at Paws & Claws Thrift Shoppe or Desert Haven! Donate to help us care for local animals-in-need! Send your Holiday contribution to the Sierra County Humane Society, POB 638, Williamsburg, NM 87942. You can also contact us at 575-894-2639 or e-mail us at weR4pets@gmail.com.