December 2008

Welcome to December!

Updates:

-Hope4FuzieFaniez was very pleased to receive a spay/neuter grant from the Animal Assistance Foundation. This will ensure that we can get caught up on our backlog of animals that must be altered prior to adoption.

-We did reach our goal for the pellet stove needed to heat the shelter building through the winter. We’re hoping to get it in place very soon. Thanks to everyone who helped us meet this extremely urgent need!

-We were supposed to meet a large transport down in Denver last week to pick up several rescued dogs. However, the rough weather prevented that trip but we are working on arranging another transport! In the meantime, we have two new babies that need homes.

Some new arrivals:

This is Diva and she was an owner surrendered (due to divorce) kitty. Diva is already spayed and declawed.

Also, this is Pam, a 1 year old terrier mix. She is about 10 pounds and really needs a warm home for the holidays.

How you can help:

Sponsorship

In October we began a sponsorship program. Since donations have dwindled to a very low level, we asked all of those shelter supporters to please think about a commitment to Hope 4 Fuzie Faniez by establishing a monthly giving plan and FIVE people have now signed up for this. It’s been wonderful to be able to count on regular donations to keep the shelter going. We would like to encourage others who do donate to think about participating. A monthly plan allows Tami to budget how much she can afford for operational expenses and also ensures that she will adequately be able to provide enough food for all of the adoptees and residents. All you need to do is decide how much you and your family can afford to send per month, tell Tami of your commitment, and send that amount via paypal or checks on a monthly basis. Tami needs you to help her care for the animals during the economic slump.

Fundraising

There are other ways you can help the shelter with just your computer and a little time. With your help, Hope4FuzieFaniez could win a $10,000 donation from Care2.com. Hope4FuzieFaniez will need the votes of your friends and family by January 31, 2009 to win. Please help Hope4FuzieFaniez win $10,000 in Care2's "America's Favorite Animal Shelter" contest - vote here:
http://www.care2.com/animalsheltercontest/75651/?refer=21253.06.1228582341.6317

You could help with fundraising in lieu of providing a monetary donation. Ally needs people to help with contacting businesses for donations, “selling” logo space on our new adoption brochures to local businesses, and also help with finding appropriate grants to apply for. And, if you have some other fundraising ideas she’d love to hear about those too! Please contact Ally at ally.mead@colorado.edu.

Success story:

Rescue work is not always happy work.  Oftentimes discarded furkids are ill and sometimes, no matter how hard we try to restore health and save lives, we simply cannot succeed.  Our lives revolve around the care and nurturing of each and every little one, and big one, in our care, and we live our passion 24/7.  Sometimes we just want to give up: we are tired, we are out of funds, we owe more than we should to suppliers and vets, but something inside us spurs us on to take in "just one more"!

On Monday, November 11, just three days before Thanksgiving, my neighbor drove up our lane and with her was a little wirehaired fox terrier complete with collar but no tags to tell us who he was or where he belonged.  She knew we had rescue dogs, so we were her first stop.  I called Tami, and she made a quick call to our vet, Dr. Bob Farr, and soon, we were on our way to Cheyenne with this darling little boy in tow.  The first thing one of the girls at the clinic did was check for a microchip.  There was none.  So this little guy stayed at the clinic, and Dr. Bob, Tami and I all called the shelter at different times to give a description and leave our names and phone numbers in case someone called them to report him missing. 

Thanksgiving came and went, and on December 1, a full week later, no one had called any of us, so we had Dr. Bob alter him, and Tami came in to pick him up.  He was such a happy boy, and we just knew someone, somewhere was looking for him.  On December 4th, in spite of the weather, I decided to go the Post Office for stamps, and when I got to the corner, I almost turned around because the roads were icy and treacherous.  But something inside said "Go to the Post Office" and on I went, driving 15 and 20 mph all the way.  When I got to the door, I noticed a flyer with a picture of a little dog and a name and phone number to call.  "Hunter" was missing and his family missed him very much.  I asked the postmistress if she knew who the family might be, but she did not.  So I quickly put the phone number with the name in my cell, and on my way home called and left a message.

That evening, Chuck called and from our brief conversation I knew we had found his beloved Hunter.  By this time, the snow had stopped but the fog had rolled in with a vengeance, but Chuck wanted to get Hunter home, and he and I drove out to the ranch.  The minute he saw Hunter, the air was almost electric with happy smiles and wiggles from Hunter.  We drove home, Hunter in tow, knowing that this little boy was soon to be reunited with Susan, his "mom" and Grace, "his sister" who had been walking him, tripped and dropped his lead, and Hunter was off on probably the greatest adventure of his life. 

 When we are tired, and discouraged, and we think we cannot empty one more litter box, or clean one more kennel, we remember scenes like Chuck and Hunter's reunion, and we are more determined than ever to continue our mission to save lives and find furever homes for these wonderful furkids who deserve the best.  And being able to reunite a lost little soul with his family is just the best feeling in the whole world. 

 Please microchip your furkids, cherish them at the Christmas season, and remember that we are doing all we can to help those without a family or their own home, and we do it because you help us with your donations, your love and your prayers.  Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year to all of you and your furkids!  From Tami, Judy, Hunter and the entire FuzieFaniez family

Here are some pictures from Hunter’s homecoming!

Shelter supporters:

Business sponsors for December

Cheyenne Animal Shelter for some dog food

PetCo also provided some pet food

Individual sponsors for December

Tami thanks these people for help with the pellet stove purchase!

Nita, Frank and Jenny from Nevada!

Jane E.

Ann G

Kathie B

Cheryl O

Robyn S

Sandra P

Stacie T

Barbara B

Hal L

Pamela F

Minnie P

Lee F

Tanner & Cayla B

Ron & Sonja A

Bill & Marcia D

Ally & Mike O

Hope 4 Fuzie Faniez staff

Tami Walden – President

Dr. Robert Farr (DVM) – Vice President

Kathie Busby – Treasurer

Judy Loudin – Secretary
Ally Ostrowski – Fundraising/Newsletter