Greetings!

The Cedar Valley Humane Society is very proud to have the support we receive from our community through our volunteer program.

Our volunteers are very special ambassadors, as they provide tours of our facility, help with our community outreach events, take animals for visits to schools and assisted living facilities, and perform many other functions essential to our mission.

We are very grateful for all of the dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers who are regularly engaged in helping us provide ever-better services. You are the lifeblood of our organization, and we want to thank all of you for everything you do.

On behalf of the animals-

Chuck Tourtillott
Executive Director

P.S. Don't have time to volunteer but still want to support our mission? Take a moment to donate today!

I thought I'd give you an update on how Chase is doing.

Chase is very cuddly. He has to be touching me at all times, and if I push him out of my lap he'll compromise and just stick his head in my lap and look at me sadly. This has created many interesting situations. He is also much, much calmer than he was at the shelter.

I'm currently looking for a roommate, and he has investigated all the applicants for me without jumping on their laps. It's nothing short of a miracle. Of course he also makes sure to get as much skin contact as possible without jumping so that they get the message that he needs to be petted very badly. Unfortunately this has also made his separation anxiety difficult to deal with but we're working through it with training and the help of his vet. 
 
Heeling is very difficult for him because there are just too many smells to explore! Oh well, if I can't get a run in we go to the dog park instead, and he does a lot of running there! Other parents at the dog park love him because his favorite game is to steal other dog's balls so that they'll chase him around. (Did you know this when you named him?) Whenever he's at the dog park, every dog leaves worn out, including him.

His two favorite things to do are smell and eat. He never just lets me eat in peace, but he's a Lab so I knew that was a stretch going into this.

His teacher says he is very smart. While most of the other dogs were still learning how to do "down" by leading with a treat he could already do it with just the command. Same with sit, stay, off, and various other things (today he did out which means "get out of the kitchen" without a treat lead, but I still had to do the hand signal). He knows to stay by the door while I'm getting us ready for a walk/errands, and to not walk out the door until I say "okay."

But enough of my not-so-subtle bragging. Chase's premier flaw that has been revealed to me since his adoption is he is highly vocal. He barks, yes, but only for a little while. What is infinitely more annoying is his sighs. If he thinks I haven't been paying enough attention to him he gives out a loud vocal sigh. If I take out my computer he gives out a loud vocal sigh. If I get up too early in the morning there is a super loud sigh! If I poke him while sleeping just to bother him - you guessed it - sigh. He is a bit judgmental for a Lab, but I digress.

He also groans loudly if you rub his ears, or sometimes when he poops (which is incredibly odd and entertaining). Or if he's scratching, and you take over scratching the spot. And sometimes he groans or whines in his sleep (while thrashing around violently) which makes me think he must have very interesting dreams. He does not sleep on my side of the bed....

Anyway, thus far Chase and I are having lots of fun! He sends his love, and wants you to know how mean I was that I didn't warn him the doughnut he ate out of my hand today as I was bringing it to my mouth would make his belly upset. Hope all the animals there find wonderful homes.

Best wishes,

Janielle R.

Remember, YOU can send us your Happy Tail, too!

The dog's agenda is simple, fathomable, overt: I want. "I want to go out, come in, eat something, lie here, play with that, kiss you. There are no ulterior motives with a dog, no mind games, no second-guessing, no complicated negotiations or bargains, and no guilt trips or grudges if a request is denied."

-Caroline Knapp