Sick Kittens Improve

Our assistant animal care manager just sent the staff an update on some of our shelter animals:

Just a quick note and picture of four of the "20 kittens" that all came in sick just a few weeks ago. The kittens were found in a colony of feral cats in another county and brought to the League. Almost all of them had severe upper respiratory infection with discharge from eyes and nose and severe congestion. Four of the kittens turned out to be too sick to save and had to be euthanized. One is still being treated at a local veterinary hospital.

All the remaining ones except for these are in foster homes! These four were not well enough to go to a foster home so they are here at the shelter. We're hoping that all of them will be well enough to be available for adoption later this summer. They are getting healthier and more adventurous by the minute...the only problem is they don't understand the concept of sleeping INSIDE their beds instead of on top of them. Thank you to all that helped with the oftentimes insurmountable task of caring for such a large group of "sickies"- because of you these kittens will have a chance at a happy, healthy life!!!!

Bunnies Have Their Day

On May 31, the Animal Welfare League of Arlington’s education room was transformed into a spa, and 21 rabbits enjoyed an afternoon of luxurious pampering at "Bunny Spa Day" sponsored by Friends of Rabbits. Expert rabbit groomers volunteered their services to brush, comb, primp, and trim nails. Then it was on to the ultimate in rabbit relaxation with head-to-toe treatment by bunny massage therapist, Aileen Hudspeth. In her hands even the biggest, friskiest rabbits were quickly entranced in total bunny bliss. Some of the shelter residents were treated to a grooming session as well.

To finish a perfect day, rabbit guardians were able to pick out some special toys and treats for their long-eared friends to enjoy at home. A good time was had by all, and at the end of the day Friends of Rabbits presented the League with a check for $578 to help pay for spay and neuter of shelter rabbits. If you are thinking of adopting a bunny of your own to love and spoil, the shelter always has many looking for wonderful homes.

Free Cat Adoptions

Saturday, June 20, we are staying open until 8:00 pm to try to get some of our 56 available cats adopted. It's almost summer and like most other animal shelters, we are inundated with cats and kittens. So anyone who wants to adopt a cat should come in on Saturday. We have kittens and adults. All cats that are at least five years old can be adopted for free on Saturday only. It's not that we don't value our mature cats, we just want to do whatever it takes to find them loving homes.

With a Little Help from Our Friends

Yesterday I was reminded that there are so many people in our community that want to help homeless animals. Robin Burkett of Pawprints Photography has sponsored many of the League's events, but she wanted to do something more for the animals. She volunteered to come to the shelter and take photos of our dogs available for adoption. Although we try to take good photos, we're certainly not going to turn down the chance to have a professional put our animals in their best light.

We are also lucky to have another photographer, Allison DeSilva, who comes in weekly to photograph our cats and sometimes other animals. When people lend their expertise to help animals that need homes, everyone wins.

Robin arrived at 8:30 and we took dogs outside in our backyard one at a time for their photo shoot. I learned that making really weird noises is a good way to get a dog to look at the camera. We even had a bonded pair to work with. It's really hard to get a good photo of two dogs together! But Robin did it!

After working her magic on the photos at her office, Robin e-mailed them to me and I got them up on the Web site. They are fabulous! Thank you so much, Robin. She even posted the photos on her own blog.

With help from friends like these, we can do a better job of letting people know about the animals here at the shelter that are just waiting for them to come in and adopt.

Kittens Need Foster Homes

Kitten season has definitely begun. We have 44 kittens and cats in 11 different volunteer foster homes. These are kittens that are younger than seven weeks and/or weigh less than 2.5 pounds. Only two of these litters are with a nursing mother cat. The others must be fed, taught, and cleaned by a gentle human being. When these kittens are thriving and weigh 2.5 pounds, their foster parents return them to the shelter. They are spayed/neutered and then made available for adoption.

It takes a special person to become a foster parent. You have to devote yourself to these helpless creatures for several weeks and then you must let go. Our foster parents become very attached and after returning kittens and cats to the shelter some check daily to see if their kittens have been adopted. Our foster parents report that although their job is difficult, with some sleepless nights and many messes to clean up, it is very rewarding.

We also have three dogs in three foster homes while they recover from necessary medical treatment. So if you're not a cat person, we still need you.

If you think foster parenting is for you, please complete the volunteer foster application and send it to foster@awla.org.

Best Friends Praises League Policy

Best Friends Animal Society noticed our story on pit bulls in our latest issue of Pawpourri. In the story we explain that the League Board of Directors changed a 20-year-old policy preventing the adoption of pit bulls. The Best Friends online network has a section devoted to ending breed-specific bans.

In the League policy's first year of implementation we found homes for 13 pit bulls, including Sina pictured above with her new mom. Both the dogs and their new families seem to be happy, and we have taken another step toward finding homes for all adoptable animals in our care.

Adopt an Older Cat

We have a number of cats in the shelter that are 10 years or older. They are healthy and friendly and need good homes. Like Bennett, pictured above, they may not have the bounce and antics of younger cats, but they can be wonderful companions and lap warmers.

To encourage people to adopt these sweet kitties, we're offering a reduced adoption fee of $50 for them. We even have a bonded pair that can be adopted for $75 for both. If you have room in your heart and home for a mature feline friend, please consider bringing one of these deserving kitties into your life.