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News and Updates for AHS Friends and Family July 2012
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Read Elliott's Story And Learn Why Fostering Is So Critical
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Elliott's eyes were still closed at 3 days of age when he went into foster care with his mother and two brothers. Kittens usually open their eyes within 10 days of birth.
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Elliott's Story
Elliott and his two brothers were born at the Buncombe County Animal Shelter in early June. Their mother, who we named Thumbelina, was found as a stray at the I-Hop parking lot off of Smokey Park Highway and brought to the shelter. Within a day, Thumbelina gave birth to her three boys. Our medical staff determined that Thumbelina is not even a year old herself - still a kitten. Female kittens can enter their first heat cycle as early as 5 months of age which is why pediatric spaying/neutering is so important!
Like most newborns, Elliott and his brothers snuggled closely with their mother while we searched for a foster home. It's kitten season right now so we are inundated with kittens and our foster homes are full. Our President/CEO Katherine Shenar decided to take Thumbelina and her three babies to her house for foster care.
Elliott is bright orange while his two brothers are rich, smokey black in color. After 10 days, the three kittens began opening their eyes to see the world around them. And that's when the trouble started...the kittens started sneezing.
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Thumbelina nurses her three babies during their first week of life. Thumbelina showed no sign of illness and the babies seemed very healthy.
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Elliott opened his eyes and seemed like a healthy little boy for several days afterwards.
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Elliott's eye became swollen and his nose was completely stuffed up. He was rapidly dropping weight while his brothers were still gaining weight. |
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Our veterinarian examined Elliott and his brothers. In spite of being only 3 weeks of age, it was determined they would need antibiotics to combat their upper respiratory infection. Elliott's brothers, Bjorn and Cornelius, continued nursing from Thumbelina. However, Elliott, too weak and unable to breathe through his nose, stopped nursing. We knew he wouldn't make it if he wouldn't eat. |
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In order to save Elliott's life, his foster parents began syringe feeding him. He was losing weight rapidly, was extremely lethargic and failing to thrive. Every 3 hours, Elliott was fed kitten replacement formula to keep him alive. Tender loving care combined with antibiotics was all that could be done. It was up to Elliott to pull through his ordeal. |
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Watch this video and see what Elliott decided to do. |
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After four days of aggressive medical treatment and tender loving care, Elliott pulled through. Now his eyes are both normal and he is again nursing from his mother. His energy level is high and he is playing with his brothers as if nothing ever happened. A huge sigh of relief! |
Now at four weeks of age, Elliott is on his way to being a healthy boy. In another month, he and his brothers will be neutered and placed up for adoption. Thumbelina, their mother, will be spayed and also placed up for adoption at our Adoption Center. Elliott's story is just one of hundreds of animals who are saved through our Foster Program. We rely on love and compassion from our amazing, dedicated foster volunteers to save lives of puppies, kittens, cats and dogs throughout the year.
This past year, more than 1,300 animals went through our Foster Program before they could be adopted. Although we're elated by the number of lives saved through our Foster Program, we still need more help. Please consider becoming a Foster Program volunteer for Asheville Humane Society. You can learn more by attending Fosterpalooza this coming Saturday and hearing from other foster volunteers. You can also complete an application online right now. Asheville Humane Society provides all the
medicine, supplies, and food - can you provide the love?
Please consider making a donation to help animals just like Elliott who need medicine to stay alive. 
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FOSTERPALOOZA - July 21, 1:00 p.m. at Asheville Humane Society |
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Join us Saturday, July 21 for FOSTERPALOOZA and learn how to save the lives of animals that need you! Our foster program is an essential program of Asheville Humane Society and we depend on the support and participation of people like you. Our own President/CEO Katherine Shenar, fosters kitties every year when kitten season rolls around in the springtime, and she currently has a litter of three baby kittens in her bathroom. She's even got her husband Chris involved; he hand feeds the kittens with a bottle!
Hear from current foster families about the joys of fostering and bring your kids along to help make toys for the puppies and kitties in our care. Thanks to our Foster Program volunteers, Asheville Humane Society has been able to save an additional 1,300 lives this year. Animals that are born too soon, that have been separated from their mother, that come to us injured or malnourished get a second chance at a happy life because of foster families.
The fun starts Saturday, July 21 at 1 p.m. Won't you join us in making a difference in the lives of the most helpless of animals?
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Thank You Beemer and All of the Folks at BMW of Asheville |
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DADS AND DOGS EVENT AT BMW OF ASHEVILLE RAISES $8,000!
Joey Beckham, who works at BMW of Asheville, coordinated an event this year that everyone could love. What could be better than combining dads, dogs, kids, food, music and of course BMW vehicles?
Folks came out on June 23 to enjoy the summer sun and in the process helped raise nearly $8,000 for homeless animals and donated nearly 1,000 pounds of food for hungry cats and dogs in the area!
BMW mascot Beemer was the proud hostess of the event and was thrilled to meet people coming out to help her animal friends still looking for their forever home! Congratulations and a big thank you to Joey and Beemer for all of their hard work!
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Joey Beckham and Beemer (r) meet and greet some of Beemer's friends at BMW of Asheville's Dads, Moms, Kids and Dogs event. |
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Happy Tails & Love Connections: We LOVE These Love Stories! |
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About Bright
Adam Stolzenburgh found the love of his life when he spotted Bright, a three-month-old kidtten. Bright was just over two pounds when Animal Services picked her up in Black Mountain and brought her to the shelter. After getting treatment for a few ear mites and getting her vaccinations, Bright has settled into her new home.
About Ivy
Ivy came to Asheville Humane Society as two-year-old stray. This part-Boxer beauty waited nearly a month but one look from the Owens family was all it took for Ivy's dream to come true -- she was going to her forever home!
About Murphy and Mason
Sometimes you get double the fun when you come to adopt a pet. These cuties were surrendered by their owner because he had too many pets already. Murphy and Mason, a Great Pyrenees/Rhodesian Ridgeback mix, were fortunately old enough and healthy enough to be adopted out immediately. Along came the Frink family and took not one, but BOTH of these puppies. Congratulations to another happy family! |
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What To Do If Your Pet Goes Missing
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A missing pet can devastate a family but follow these tips to bring your pet home sooner!
Contact All Local Shelters
Make sure you contact not only your local shelter but also ones in surrounding counties. Ask to leave a lost pet report and current photo of your animal with the staf. Check back daily.
Pay a Visit
Visit the shelters in person since your description of your pet may not match the shelter's description. Buncombe County Animal Shelter keeps lost pet reports on file for 30 days. You can also ask a staff member to take you to the animal holding areas so you can look for your pet.
Take a Color Photo of Your Pet
This is one of the most beneficial tools to help locate your missing pet. Make a few copies and leave one at the shelters you visit.
Visit the Shelter Regularly
Animal Control and private citizens bring stray animals to the Buncombe County Animal Shelter each day. By visiting regularly to look for your pet, you will increase your chances of finding him or her if they have been brought to, or reported as found to the shelter.
Identification Tags and Microchips
If you have registered your pet by an ID tag or microchip, contact the registering agency and alert them that your pet is missing. Also, update the agency with your current contact information. You can also look up your pet's information, if you have the microchip number, at www.petmicrochiplookup.org. However, do not assume that the ID tag will remain on the pet since it can sometimes get caught and pulled off accidentally.
Social Media Can Help You
Internet sites such as Facebook and Twitter as well as local blogs, can be great tools to help you find your missing pet. Notify all of your friends, neighbors and local businesses in the area as well.
Reach Out to Animal-Related Businesses
Contact veterinarians, groomers and pet supply stores in your area. Many of them have Lost and Found boards and will allow you to post a flyer about your missing pet. Read the lost and found ads in the newspaper and don't forget to check the IWANNA and Craigslist.com. Also post flyers in businesses where your pet went missing and include a photo of your pet and a cell phone number.
Morning Time is the Best Time
The quiet, early-morning hours are often the best time to look for your pet. If a neighbor's dog is barking during the search, politely ask them to keep the dog inside while you look.
Staying Close to Home
Oftentimes cats are not far away and are found in small spaces under sheds, and garages. When you're looking, bend down low to the ground to get your missing pet's perspective and you may just locate your pet's hiding spot.
 | | This fortunate pet owner (holding the cat) NEVER gave up and was recently reunited with her pet after her kitty had been missing for more than a year. She filed a lost pet report and kept checking back until our Lost and Found coordinator finally called her with the good news. |
Don't Give Up!
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| We Love our LITTER LOVERS! |
Longtime volunteer and very special to Asheville Humane Society Sandy Jones celebrated her birthday in a big way this year: she sponsored all of the kitty litter for her birthday month! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, Sandy!
"Litter Lovers" sponsorship underwrites the expense of kitty litter for a month at Asheville Humane Society. For $250 a month, sponsors, either businesses or individuals, will receive prominent in-lobby signage and website placement. If you'd like to be a Litter Lover of the Month, please contact Meghan Jordan at mjordan@ashevillehumane.org.
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| LOVE IN A CAN Means Full Tummies for the Puppies and Kitties! |
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"Love in a Can" continues to be a success and we are so thankful to our sponsors!
We purchase canned cat and dog food to help stimulate the appetite of those animals who are sick, injured, stressed or simply lonely. This affordable monthly sponsorship of $250 to cover this cost celebrates the love we have for those special needs animals requiring a little nudge to keep their spirits high as they await their forever homes.
Sponsorship of this program is only $250 each month and it helps make a big difference in the lives of the animals in our care! Contact Meghan Jordan at mjordan@ashevillehumane.org if you would like to become a sponsor.
For more information about Black Orthodontics, who generously sponsored "Love in a Can" for June, visit www.blackorthodontics.com.
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French Language Group Hosts Fundraiser for the Animals on July 19 |
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Our Business Sponsors Help Us Save Lives |
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Left to right: Kathy Hoyle, Asheville Humane Society Adoption Center Manager Pam Burgess, Buncombe County Animal Shelter Manager Christine Strickland and Tracy Simpson, Marketing Manager for Hoyle Office Products.
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Hoyle Office Products Lends a Helping Hand to Asheville Humane Society
Thanks to Kathy Hoyle, owner of Hoyle Office Products and Tracy Simpson, director of Marketing for Hoyle, Asheville Humane Society recently received a donation of more than $800. Hoyle Office Supply hosted an adoption event for dogs where two lucky animals found new homes. They also sold adorable stuffed puppies to help raise money for the animals here. Thank you Kathy, Tracy and all of the Hoyle employees!
If you wish to become a business sponsor of Asheville Humane Society, please contact Meghan Jordan at mjordan@ashevillehumane.org.
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You Can Get Great Deals AND Help Homeless Animals!
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Get some of the best deals in town and help homeless animals!
Have you checked out the latest deals on You Get, We Give? Each time you purchase a deal, you can select Asheville Humane Society to receive a portion of the proceeds. How can you beat that? You save 50% of highly desirable services and items and the animals win, too. Sign up today and start saving AND helping animals at Asheville Humane Society!
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| Volunteers Help Us Save Lives... Join Our Volunteer Family! |
Sharing Elliott's story with you above speaks to the vital importance of our foster volunteers to help us save lives. But we rely on several types of volunteers to work within our life-saving programs at Asheville Humane Society. When I walk in the doors at the Adoption Center each morning, I usually see several volunteers already hard at work feeding the puppies and kitties, washing dishes and loading at least one of the dozens of loads of laundry we'll do in a day. It makes my heart sing with gratitude because without these volunteers, operating the Adoption Center would be much more challenging.
Currently, we have hundreds of active volunteers who dedicate their time to helping the animals in our care and in the summertime, WE NEED EVEN MORE!
This is the time we also count on our Junior Volunteers. We encourage students ages 10 and up to go through our volunteer training program with their parents or guardians. Although they must be accompanied by an adult at all times, students often will develop a life-long love of animals by learning to care for them from an early age.
We rely on animals loves just like you to help us with our lifesaving program. Each year, hundreds of your neighbors and friends donate their time and talent to help us help the animals. They get tremendous personal satisfaction from doing so. We encourage you to join us and become a lifesaving volunteer. Whether you're interested in helping at adoption events, socializing kitties, or being part of our newly created "Kids Cookie Crew," we'd love to have you as part of our Asheville Humane Society volunteer family. Our volunteers tell us they love being a part of our professional, organized volunteer program which matches you with a volunteer opportunity based on your skills and interests. Our appreciative, friendly staff will provide you with all of the training you require to succeed as an Asheville Humane Society volunteer. An the animals will provide you with unconditional love.
With summer in full swing and maybe a little extra time on your hands, why don't you check out some of the lifesaving opportunities we have for volunteers? Contact Community Programs Manager Heather Brannan at volunteer@ashevillehumane.org or call 828-761-2001 x307 for more information on how you and/or your children can join our volunteer family.
For the animals,
President/CEOAsheville Humane Society
828.761.2001 x 309
Please join me in my journey as President/CEO for Asheville Humane Society as I share behind-the-scenes and up-to-the-minute details of our lifesaving work. I want to share our important work with YOU, our dedicated supporters. I want YOU to be the first to know how your donations are helping save lives. Let's share these moments together: join me on Facebook and Twitter by clicking on both or either of these icons.
"We're proud to feed Science Diet to the animals in our care."
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