Tom's Story

If you have been reading Caturday for a while you will remember the shelter blog The Secondhand Dog and some of the characters there, Snickers, Bucky and Tom.

The first two have been adopted and live happily in loving homes. Bucky moved in with Ben, the mailman, and Snickers underwent a personality change when she finally found staff that respected her royalty.

Tom is a VVW, Veteran of Vehicle Wars, and he had lost a leg in the battle. He had survived but he was living in a shed in his family's back yard and sadly, no one seemed to understand what a kind, sweet fellow he was. They brought him to the shelter.



Tom found a job at the shelter working as Greeter, kind of like at Wal Mart. When you arrived and walked down the Dog Hall, Tom would come out to greet you and lift his head for a scritch and a kiss if he could get it. He could hop up and down the hall and spent a lot of time managing the Pantry. He and Bucky were good buds and could often be found shooting the breeze together.

I liked Tom quite a bit and would have loved to offer him a home. But this place has a lot of up and down and his movement would have been limited.

But then, as we say at Caturday, Every Cat Has His Day. A kind woman saw Tom's story on the web and knew he was meant for her. She arrived from hours away and took the old fellow home. He has a low couch of his own and a few housemates he is getting to know.

I will miss his friendly greeting but I am happy to think of him warm, cozy and well looked after in his elder years.



Bucky and Tom hanging out.

Spay Neuter Clinic

One of the animal projects I have been working with is called the Rozzie May Animal Alliance and after posting yesterday's video clip I thought I would post the press release I sent out after the group held their second low cost spay neuter clinic. Above is a photo of Dr. Sara White of Spay ASAP of Vermont who brings her traveling MASH unit wherever she can to help lower the numbers of homeless animals. That photo was taken at the first clinic, held in a small fire station in Tamworth.

Janurary 4th, 2008 Chocorua, New Hampshire

How much of an impact can one devoted veterinarian have on pet overpopulation? Dr. Sara White of Vermont started her low cost, high volume, high quality spay neuter project in 2006. In that first, partial year, she altered 1,200 animals. For 2007 the number is over 4,000.

On Friday, January 4th, Dr. White’s traveling MASH unit set up at Runnell’s Hall in Chocoura. With the help of a crew of volunteer vet techs and assistants she altered 31 cats, 4 dogs and Clover, the rabbit.

The Hall was bright and clean and the mood calm, friendly and well organized. Each animal went through a pre-surgery check from Dr. White and volunteer vet tech Linda Warner from Lakes Region Humane Society. They received shots for rabies and distemper if needed, plus an inspection for ear mites and fleas. For many animals, this was their first visit to a vet. After surgery each dog spent time with a “recovery nurse” who watched, petted and talked to their charges as they awoke. Volunteers were treated to a lunch of home made soup, breads, cookies and brownies and tired shoulders received a massage from Gretchen Loeffler.

This was the second clinic for the Rozzie May Animal Alliance, a new organization based in Tamworth which is dedicated to easing the problem of homeless pets, especially cats, in our area. The clinic was filled within a few days of announcement with people bringing animals from Moultonboro to Berlin. The response was such that enough cats are lined up to fill another clinic.

The Rozzie May Animal Alliance is working towards building a dedicated clinic facility to offer low cost spay neuter services and an animal sanctuary. A one vet stationary clinic could alter at least 4,000 animals a year and lower the number of homeless pets entering shelters in a wide area of northern NH. For more information see the web site at www. rozziemay.org

Help Me!

I got this from Susan at Wildrun and it is just too good not to pass on.

Ramona Says No

Derby told us about the contest Hallmark was having for photos so Ramona and I checked it out.

Ok, so first prize is one thousand dollars and get this: an all expense paid trip to Kansas City with your pet for a shoot with a professional photographer. The value of the trip is four thousand dollars and you have to pay the taxes on your winnings. With capital gains being I think, 15 percent, that means you'd pay 750.00 on your prize money and trip. And Hallmark owns all the rights for ever and ever to your photo (and I'm sure the ones they get at the photo shoot). So you'd get 250.00 and a working trip to KC. And that means traveling on a plane with Ramona in a box. Hmmm. I don't think she'd go for that too much.

I guess it's suposed to be a big thrill but we'll pass.

I asked The Divine Miss R what she thought about the chance to have a career as a supermodel (we all know she'd win)

"Well, she said, It doesn't seem like a lot of money. How many boxes of Fancy Feast is that? And really, why would I want to go to Kansas City? Is it nice?"

We discussed it a bit more and decided that if Hallmark really wants her they can contact her agent and send a photographer here. Hanging around the Secret Garden in the summer and playing with Brother in the winter is much more fun. Miss Ramona is very family orientated, as you all know.

And, as the commercial tells us, this photo:

Priceless.

Ramona Poses and Reposes

The snow is piling up here making the world white and peaceful. The cats find ways to entertain themselves and Ramona loves the cat tree in our room. Some mornings she hops up there and plays games by herself, chasing her tail, batting a few toys and getting to the third platform where her less graceful brother is not likely to reach her.



Sometimes I think she is angling for a modeling career.









And then of course, Brother shows up.

"Hey, Gimme that!"

Top Cat

Marty has won the election and will be the new Top Cat at the Mount Washington Observatory. It looks like he will be making the long journey to the summit (by Snow Cat, no less) next Wednesday. I'll find some photos of the summit to let you see his new home.
Over eight thousand votes were cast and Marty took 53% of the vote.

He'd like to say thanks for your support and he looks foward to his new job from the home of the world's worst weather. Don't worry, the observatory is quite cozy inside and he will be very comfortable.

Vote!

I live in New Hampshire so we are all out to the polls today. And here are the candidates and their platforms. Please give each a fair hearing and send your vote by comment or by email to ZulemeATZulemeDotCom.

The voiceover is Virginia of the Conway Area Humane Society.

And Who Will It Be?

Job Description.

Be the Highest Cat in New England and for many miles around! Live in the cozy Mount Washington Observatory at 6,288 feet. Splendid Views! All the mice you can catch! 24/7 staff on call. Gourmet meals.

Must be super friendly and willing to give attention and comfort to feline starved humans. A good listener. A hearty purr is a plus. Experience not necessary. A modest attitude to fame will help the successful applicant.

Must have the wits not to go outside when the wind is strong enough for a feline to fly.

All benefits provided, health care and secure retirement.

Below are the top three contenders for this challenging job. Vote by comments!




Wilson. I am friendly, lively and will provide lots of entertainment for weather researchers. Eager to please! Personable and handsome.



Sarah. I am calm, kindhearted and love people. I would be a peaceful calming presence and I am adaptable. Eager for new experiences.



Marty. I am wise, benevolent and charming and greet all humans with a purr. I have been at the shelter for quite a while so I am experienced with many different humans and the bustle of a lively environment.

Kitten Therapy

I was feeling kind of low after a few days of a vishus cold and I stopped by the shelter to take a few photos. I saw this little guy just wanting to play so I stepped inside the kitten room for a few minutes.



The kittens got real happy to have company and they climbed all over me and ran around and wrassled and showed off how unbearably cute they are.





This lilttle rascal wanted to be on my shoulder or clinging to my back.









After about ten minutes my spirits had brightened considerably and I went on my way. These guys all have adoptions filed on them. I heartily recommend a little kitten therapy for anyone needing a lift on a cold winter day. Just stop into your local shelter. Bring some food or whatever is on their needs list. There's usually adults cats who can use some cuddling too.

Today I just got back from the spay/neuter clinic. I did my duty as media person, taking photos and making notes. Then I got to be a Canine Recovery Nurse. When I left, all four dogs were on their way out, felines were awake and waiting for their people and the rest of the felines were anxiously waiting their turn with Dr. White of Spay ASAP.

The two clinics held up here have so far totaled about 100 cats that will not be having litters next spring. That should lower the burden on area shelters when kitten season comes around. I'll post some clinic photos tomorrow.

Winter Pace

We have received over four feet of snow here. It has set a record as, I think, the third snowiest December in 40 years. Or something like that. I haven't been out skiing once even though the conditions are excellent. Over Christmas we helped Olof's folks move and then Olof came down with a cold and then I got it. Still have it so feeling not at all like my usual self. And I have some kind of repetitive stress injury to my left wrist which I'm not sure is going to handle gripping a ski pole. As soon as the cold leaves me feeling normal, I will get out and see.

Winter in New England, especially this far north, can be quite harsh. It's also beautiful, but if you don't get outside cabin fever will set in. Ramona has been known to spend cold mornings playing with her tail on the kitty tree. The two of them will play a furious game of hide and seek and I have seen a few brother sister spats. They have given up on wanting to go outside, even onto the porch. There's four feet of snow outside the back door anyway.

Evening finds the family curled up in front of the noisy box, looking for a good movie. Ramona likes anything with a lot of hacking and hewing, she really enjoyed 300.

Tomorrow is the low cost spay neuter clinic where I will be taking photos. I might go down to the shelter today and catch up on cat photos. Nin, the observatory cat, is retiring and there are a few candidates aiming for the spot of Top Cat (the summit observatory is at 6,220 feet or so). Applicants must be friendly and smart enough not to sneak out into a hundred mile an hour wind. Benefits include well trained staff, good meals and a great view. And all the mice you can catch.