"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The kittens are coming! The kittens are coming! Yes, we have some kittens -- in various stages of growth. They will soon be available for adoption. Please stay tuned to the Petfinder link in order to see their cute little mugs. And please consider donating Feline Pine brand cat litter when you want to make a donation to the shelter. Feline Pine is a lot less messy when it comes to two or more kittens using the box!!
A wonderful way to help the shelter avoid over-crowding is to provide temporary foster care homes for kittens or for moms who are still nursing their babies. That way, the time it takes to get kitties adopted will not occasion the dilemma which arises because of lack of space.
Please call the shelter at 503/861-7387 after 12 noon Tuesdays through Saturdays to learn how to provide this important service.
Another big need at this time is dog walkers. Shelter dogs spend a lot of time inside a kennel. They so appreciate a break from this confined environment. Walking a shelter dog is not hard to do. Please call the shelter at 503/861-7387 to find out how you can make a waiting dog very happy. Excercise and outings go a long way toward helping the dogs get socialized and become more adoptable.
A variety of events will continue happening throughout the summer. When you are driving out to the shelter, you may see volunteers walking the shelter dogs. Please drive by them slowly and carefully as there is not a lot of shoulder beside the road.
The ever popular Astoria Sunday Market is in full swing. Our shelter booth will be present every other week until the market's ending date with both dogs and kittens. If you would like to help with this activity, please call the shelter at 503/861-0737.
July is nearly over! The shelter dogs and their volunteers had a wonderful walk in the Gearhart 4th of July Parade. As always, it was great to see and hear the applause of our supporters and well wishers.
We want to extend our thanks to the organizers of the Sunkats Feline Fanciers' Cat Show! We love taking shelter cats to this event. We took most of the shelter cats this year and featured a few of the kitties in the household pet category. Ribbons were awarded to our three Cream kittens (who have since been adopted,) and Frisky also won a place of honor. Best of all, Frisky was adopted and went home to Seattle. Remember, it is summer and these shelter cats would like to be able to enjoy their own patch of sunshine instead of spending the long golden days in an indoor kennel at the animal shelter.
In August, we'll begin thinking about our second annual Pet Reunion to be held in September. Despite poor weather, this was a hit last year. And don't forget the annual Astoria Regatta. Look for our shelter dogs appearing in the Grand Land Parade Saturday, August 14. The week before, on August 7th, shelter dogs are invited to the Woof Walk. This Rotary Club sponsored event takes place on the Astoria Riverwalk between the Maritime Museum and the Red Building. Time is 10 am until 3 pm.
Our economy is still making things difficult for a lot of people and their pets. CAA is committed to helping with pet emergencies, spay/neuter coupons, and of course providing for the shelter animals where the county budget does not stretch.
As always, our newsletter Furry Tales is about town or has probably arrived in your mailbox. If you haven't received one, look for it at the usual pet-friendly locations. Please help us save postage by having your copy emailed to you if possible. Let us know your address, and we will be happy to send you your newsletter electronically.
Our meetings are open to all, and there are no dues. We welcome new members at any time. The meetings are usually held the last Thursday of each month at the shelter at 6:00. If there is any change to this schedule, it will be posted as far ahead of time as possible. People interested in attending a meeting can always telephone Linda Dygert at the animal shelter 503/861-7387 after 12 noon Tuesdays through Saturdays. Our August meeting is scheduled for Thursday, August 26 at 6:00 at the shelter.
Please note, an important component to saving lives at the animal shelter is temporary foster care. If you would like to know more about how this service can help the animals or if you can provide this much needed service, please come by the shelter and fill out an application.
On another note, the animal shelter is in need of a volunteer coordinator. This in itself is a volunteer position, but it greatly benefits the animals because the person who fills this role helps insure that animal care is provided for both dogs and cats on a daily basis. The county does provide shelter staff for animal care in the mornings, but late afternoon tending as well is ideal for the animals' well-being. In addition, a full roster of dog walkers really makes a difference toward increasing adoptions. Actually, there are many things that volunteers can do. All of it is a huge help.
With vacations coming this summer, we shall need volunteers to fill in when regulars are taking time off.
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