Nicole's Notes
Read updates from the frontlines...straight from our Operations Director
Nicole regularly sends an e-mail to our wonderful OARS volunteers to update them
on the small successes we have to celebrate...share in our joy as we find more homeless pets
forever homes and discover more support in our wonderful community...
2/26/09
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This Month in Oars World
March Madness
Spring Fever
the Quiet before the storm......
I know, it's not actually March yet....I'm nervous, giddy, restless, excited and a little "off". Why? Because the magic of the adoption center has continued and we've seen the majority of our long-term cat residents find homes. This is no easy task, but in the past; these animals lived with our volunteers in foster care. And we all knew that they could be with us for months and months, and that's ok. Now; instead, they live in their own house and we care for them there. This really got me thinking....why are adoptions so much better now that we have the adoption center?
Why? It's simple. They are being seen and people are falling in love with them. The focus on quality adoptions hasn't changed; but it's allowed a team of volunteers to become involved in the adoption counseling and it's been very successful. Our open hours are convenient for working families and volunteers and it's culminated into this magical thing; it's magic for the cats that are finding homes....... This is what happens:
Someone comes in during the adoption center open hours, to see the available kitties (the center is open 8 hours/week to the public)
They fill out an adoption application (maybe specifying a particular kitty or not)
The application is processed; not all applications are approved. We do a circuit court check and note concerns; we contact 2 non-related personal references; we consider the stability of their homelife; their past/current pet ownership weighs heavily and we contact their vet to ensure all pets have been adequately cared for and are spayed/neutered, current on vaccinations. We also require that cats are kept indoors only and a myriad of other considerations. It usually takes 2-3 days to complete a cat application (dogs have more criteria).
The applicant is called and asked to come back where the counselor meets with them and helps them find the best fit adoption. Many of our volunteers have worked with the adopters to meet them at a time convenient for them or when the adoption center wasn't "open" - Linda, Emily A, Corey, Natalie, Jackie, Denise, Jodi --- thank you!
It's a truly magical experience and process when someone falls in love with the cat and the cat chooses them and they bond. Because of the successful adoptions we're able to take in more homeless pets. Tonight we are expecting 14 from an over crowded shelter. We took in some other kitties that were living outside and had the resources to get them spayed/neutered, healthy and socialized (though we do have a few super-shy ones that can take their time until they are ready for adoption). We could never offer that kind of help if we didn't have the successful adoptions to make it happen.
Our mission is to save the lives of homeless pets. And each adoption is a victory. Because OARS is no kill you'll never have to worry about one of our animals being euthanized for space or some treatable medical or behavioral condition. And we ensure that the adopter knows we'll take the animal back FOR ANY REASON. Returns are pretty rare, about 1 in 50 will come back. We follow up post-adoption to make sure that the family is doing well.
We'll fight to give them all the BEST chance at getting healthy, finding a forever home.....we'll sell chocolate to treat heartworm and hold rummage sales to care for kittens. We take home the very scared or sick animals and care for them as if they were own until they are better and then help them find their own home. It's not the cheapest or easiest way to run a rescue.... it will never make 'business sense' to do what we do. But the life we save cannot be measured in dollars and cents.
Volunteers are going to adoption events at petco and petsmart and selling candy at their work places or even selling things on ebay to benefit OARS. Some volunteers have donated their tax refunds, proceeds from the sale of an old car and personally purchased litter, cat food, items to resell in the lobby....... All of those things add up to make all of this possible. It pays the mortgage, heating bill, and medical expenses. "Thank You" seems inadequate, and if you spend some time with Fancy (who's been with us for about a year now) or any of her friends, they can thank you more appropriately.
Sanctuary is a very special term that ensures that a pet in our care is safe for life. For very special kitties like our own Pumpkin, who lives with Natalie; it means being loved and cared for - for life; even though he has a heart murmur and his survival wasn't guaranteed. If you've ever had the pleasure of meeting Pumpkin you would absolutely, without question; understand what 'sanctuary' means. See, Pumpkin was the sole-surviving kitten in his litter. The volunteers (Kerry and then Natalie) hand fed and nourished him to help him survive. He was very, very tiny. His spirit was undeniable though his prognosis was always uncertain. Pumpkin is simply, special. We all knew that with his medical history, the likelihood of him being adopted was very, very small and for him to have as healthy and happy a life as possible he'd need someone to monitor him daily. Natalie has been his guardian, his caretaker and his family. All of us send him our sincerest desire that he overcomes his current battle, and perserveres; the world is a better place with him in it, if his heart is up to that challenge, we'll all be grateful.
Until the day we have the safe haven, sanctuary for all pets; sanctuary is in our homes. When a volunteer offers sanctuary to a pet, there is nothing more beautiful than their commitment to that animal. Some of our volunteers have dedicated rooms in their homes just for this reason. Because of this, at any given time, we might have 5-8 rooms in private homes to help save homeless pets. Dogs often get the privilige of living with our own families; which just makes them so, very happy and this shines through when they meet adoptive familiies.
Thank you for being in this fight with us to save homeless pets; without you we just couldn't do it.
12/30/09
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This Week in Oars World
People always ask "How do you give them up?" as I finalize adoptions and send a puppy, kitten, cat or dog onto its forever home. I usually laugh it off and say it's because I know they are going to great homes.
The truth is, it's because I know that as much as I bond and love that particular sweet soul. There are many, many more waiting who desperately need us. And, being involved in rescue has restored my faith in people. On one hand, we see what happens when people fail an animal through neglect and apathy. And then on the other hand, we witness when people open their homes and hearts to these same animals. It restores my soul when that happens.
OARS took in some dogs recently and it was right before Christmas. I came home with 2 misfit puppies. One was missing an ear and the other had deformed legs. I sighed a deep breath and accepted that these two puppies would probably be with me for a long time....I was wrong. Both puppies are going home this weekend. Rikki is a kitten who's been with us since August - he went home. And so did, Mr Handsome, a 12 year old kitty that's been in care since May I think who was at risk for euthanasia at an overcrowded, kill shelter.
They are why we do - what we do.
So, this week in OARS world...we have a record number of adoptions pending - 16 I think. We've completed our 444th adoption. We have 45 cats in care, which is exactly where we want to be.....we can only keep 30 at the adoption center so the rest are waiting in foster homes for a home of their own or until space at the adoption center becomes available.
We are opening up the adoption center to the public on Wed nights from 5-7 and on Sundays from 12-2. This is new for us and we're working through our processes to see how it will work. We've always been by appointment only, so this will be an interesting test. Already, we're experiencing more "walk-in" cat adoptions which is a dream come true.
If your New Year's resolutions include volunteering or doing more with homeless animals we hope we can help you with that. We have a small group of volunteers working on a valentine's fundraiser, a special Purple Paw Parade, Brat Frys, our annual rummage sale and creating crafts to sell in our lobby. 2010 will be a great year and we look forward to sharing it with and helping more homeless animals.
Thank you!
Nicole
12/23/09
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This Week in Oars World
The kitties are all sleeping, snug in their house...
The foster pups are snoozing...quieter than a mouse...
With visions of homes of their own dancing in their heads...
And some goodies and snuggles sure to be had....
This week is pretty special. It's our first Christmas with a home to share, we welcomed 9 pups from far away and will finalize our 439th adoption when Emily sends home sweet baby james and Corey sends off Godiva and Mocha to a home together (those are extra special, an adult kitty going home). Denali is going home, maybe Lambeau, Zuri and Greyson soon too. Denali might get there before Christmas....I hope so, that beautiful, redhead has had a rough year.
Smile often this holiday season, you are changing the world everyday by not accepting the status quo and showing our community how to care for homeless pets like they deserve to be. I couldn't be prouder to count myself amongst a group so dedicated, talented and passionate about those who rely on us everyday. This will always be the year to me that we got a home.....that we were a family.
My family is feeling especially sentimental about Max, Lefty, Poof and Tatertot. Max looks like the grinches little dog, but his front legs are bowed and he hobbles around. Lefty lost his left ear along his way...never again will he suffer like that. Poof has become the ultimate purr monster and is overcoming some sneezies and then will surely become the love of someone's life. Tatertot is just always sick...4 types of treatments and it's chronic/persistent but not hopeless. These boys are all pretty special. There isn't a pet who isn't and the spirit of the holiday is even more amplified by these souls who look to us for a home of their own.
Thank you all for being a part of this journey. Merry Christmas.
Next week: Oars Resolutions, Volunteer Adoption Center Cleaning Schedule and Gearing up for 2010 Fundraisers and Events...
Nicole
12/1/09
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This Week in Oars World: New Beginnings
The holidays are hectic and fun all wrapped into one. When you sprinkle in some heart-warming, pet rescuing and snuggles and purrs it's sure to get even better. Times are certainly tough on many people this time of year, and for all of us, it's about getting back to basics and focusing on what really, really matters. We had some rescues this week, 12 I think; and we took in some kitties from overcrowded shelters. These lucky kitties are our first official adoptable guests. The kitties seems to be enjoying the play space and windows very much. Though they told me that they could use some scratching posts....
Imagine my suprise as I started sharing stories of these new arrivals, that a cleaning schedule quickly emerged and everyone stepped up in some way to help. We had volunteers take home some of the kitties that needed work. Volunteers signed up for daily cleaning, pet food replinishing and snuggling. 2 NEW EVENTS popped up in hopes of raising a little money to help get our Adoption Center up and running. 3 Places put up Christmas Trees with ornaments to sponsor OARS - NY Deli, Pet Supplies Plus and The Dog House, all in Appleton. All Creatures Animal Hospital has a mini-Oars store with crafts our volunteers made for sale. Some volunteers set up the OARS e-bay store with really cool Oars sweathshirts for sale http://stores.ebay.com/OARS-GEAR
Sunday, December 13, 2009, 2pm-4pm: Holiday Housewarming Party! Join us at our new Adoption Center in Neenah for hot chocolate, homemade cookies and a tour of our new facility! You can see the progress our wonderful hard-working volunteers have made at our little home, located at 810 S. Commercial St. in Neenah. You can pick an ornament from our Orphan Animal Giving Tree to donate a much-needed gift for our new four-legged shelter residents, who will be moving in come January when we open our doors. We need your help to make our house a home!
Friday, Dec 18, 4-6pm; Saturday, Dec 19, 11am-2pm; and Sunday, Dec 20, 11am-2pm; 2009:
Holiday Gift Bizarre & Supply Drive! Grab fun last-minute, pet-themed stocking stuffers at this exciting event at our Adoption Center! We'll have colorful, fun pet blankets, pillows, dog coats, dog toys, cat toys and much more at very low prices to clear our inventory and raise much-needed funds for the homeless pets! You can also enjoy hot cocoa as you shop. Our Adoption Center is at 810 S. Commercial St. in Neenah.
We are also holding a supply drive, so please consider bringing a gift of Science Diet or Royal Canin wet or dry cat or kitten food, KMR kitten formula, cat toys, scoopable kitty litter, laundry detergent, food bins or any other item from our Adoption Center Wish List. Every donor gets a homemade treat as a thank you!
IF YOU HAVE AN EXTRA SNOW SHOVEL, BAG OF SALT, BOX OF GARBAGE BAGS -- DROP THEM OFF IN OUR CONVENIENT DONATION DROP BOX!
This week is all about doors and floors. The painting wraps up today and then we get some new floors and doors! We plan on moving in some other foster kitties this weekend and getting the place ready for visitors.
WHY WE SHOULD ALL SMILE TODAY -- 411 Pets have new homes because of what you do - 7 kittens and 1 cat were adopted this week. 67 kitties rely on us for daily care, 2 bunnies and 7 dogs. Thank you all for your consistent support and dedication to the homeless pets we serve. Today, we have a home to share with them and to give them until a forever one finds them. Because of this adoption site, people will want to come and visit and we hope to see adoptions increase. Almost everyday, a homeless pet finds a new home with Orphan Animal Rescue. That's something to be really proud of and if you didn't already know - and you haven't been told lately - you are appreciated and you save lives.
Thank you.
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me - one Spay/Neuter Surgery!
Nicole
11/24/09
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This Week in Oars World: Just the Numbers
22 Days ago we closed on the Pet Adoption Center. 5 rooms have been painted, floors redone/refinished. Supplies have been organized, furniture moved, furnace installed, electrical updated, shed installed, windows installed, medical room set up....this next two weeks the foster room doors go in, lobby floor gets refinished, lobby gets painted.....Foster pets moved in - some anyway.....doors open soon.
403 Adoptions to Date
64 Animals in Care - 17 Foster Homes providing daily care
There is so much to give thanks for. And for those who can't speak, but thank you in purrs, snuggles and kisses -- Thanks for painting -- thanks for caring --- thanks for helping -- 403 thanks for finding new homes - 64 thanks for daily love and care --
It's impossible to articulate the joy when 3 little purr-monsters thank you for feeding them by purring in your ear.....or when a timid and scared foster dog impetuously licks your hand for the first time.....
When you see Emily, Natalie, Amy and me running at full speed know that we see what you've done and appreciate it more than words can express. Without you, we simply couldn't do it. Sometimes, we need to slow down and savor this journey we're on. It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And 10 years from now, when we're breaking ground on our Sanctuary, we'll all remember how we started with this humble, sweet little house that we turned into a haven and how we changed the world and defied the status quo with a no-kill, volunteer run, pet adoption center - how freakin' cool is that?
What does it take to run a pet adoption center? Think about what you can do and we'll work together to build a January schedule. We'll need to put together training, checklists and a myriad of other tasks. Please be patient - we're hoping to tackle this mid-December.
Daily cleaning - probably an a.m. and p.m. (Example: I volunteer to do Wednesday night from 5-7pm); this would include floor sweeping, litterbox cleaning, water/food dish refilling, taking out garbage, doing a load of laundry
Weekly supply restocking - in each foster room and in the basement
Lawncare/Snow Shoveling
Building maintenance
Bathroom cleaning
Kitchen cleaning
Crafts - a place in the basement to make items for sale in our lobby and events and vet partners (Fleece tie-blankets are popular now)
Office work - probably Emily, Natalie, Amy and me to start --
Adoption application processing
FUTURE Adoption Counselors
FUTURE Profile Builders - photos/stories of adoptable pets
FUTURE Outreach Coordinators - people to educate the community, attend events and talk about
FUTURE spay/nueter advocates - people to work with the public to ensure access to affordable/accesible spay/neuter clinics
FUTURE Fundraiser Liasons - people to head up special events to raise the critical funding needed to keep OARS operating (only 40% of our income comes from adoption fees -- 20% is raised w/ sales/events and 40% is directly donated)
Have a joyous and fulfilling Thanksgiving. I really hope to see you soon. Check out Buster's Barracks and some of the other cool foster rooms as we button up the details and prepare to make the Adoption Center a home. Like any new homeowner we're nervous about being able to succeed. Our mortgage payment is a very reasonable $600 per month and we have utilities, insurance and other expenses that are new to our organization. Let Santa know that we could use some help -- thanks.
Nicole
11/19/09
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This Week in Oars World
There was an intervention at my house. The children ganged up on me. They have decided that Buster is to stay with the Boesken's forever - period. Together they are pretty convincing. There were tears and promises and pleas. I felt it was better for Buster to find a new home, that he simply deserved better......they feel he's already home.
This happens sometimes when we foster. It's happened to me 3 times now. Charlie Brown, Blitz and now Buster have made themselves part of our family. It's magic and one of the perils of fostering I guess.
396 Adoptions confirmed since yesterday. There's a special challenge for adoption #400 and an honor that goes with claiming that title.... I wonder who it'll be? My own precious foster dog, Star? Mary's sweet little baby kitten, Tipsy (or Orangeness she calls her). One of Amy's adorable kittens - named after our volunteers too.
At the Adoption Site: The electrician is there this week and the demo continues in the lobby. WIth the holiday next week, we'll be pressed to finish painting. Natalie has become an unintentional painting master as she works on her 3rd and 4th room. We really do need some help to finish them up. There will be painting parties Friday night from 5-8, Saturday and probably Sunday. We are also experimenting with a kitty-cam and in the upstairs kitty room we've set up real-time video of the kittens at play. I'm absolutely addicted and so proud of Mr. Boesken for working through the technical issues and finding a way to make a bunch of women squeal.
There are some adorable kitties upstairs already and though our adoptions have been steady, we can't keep pace with the constant pleas for help. I have 12 on the short waiting list and open requests from Lincoln County Humane, Lost Companions and Paws of Marion, Arkansas. The challenge for us is to stay positive, keep focused, do high quality work and be satisfied with helping one at a time. We all have regular jobs, families and the rescue and keeping these things balanced and in perspective has been the challenge of a lifetime. The need here is simply too great.
This morning, a coworker brought me 2 kittens he found dumped near his country home. They are long-haired black with striking gray contrasting colors peeking through. They are a brother and sister pair, maybe 3 months old and little purr-monsters. Emily is working with a lady who's trying to save a kitty living near a highway. Natalie is working with a gentleman in the twilight of his life, losing to cancer, on a plan to care for his 7 kitties when he's no longer here - they are all he has...
So, this week in oars world.....we are changing the world, one life at a time. We're spaying/neutering 25 cats/kittens and 2 small dogs thanks to Donna and her willingness to drive to Madison at the crack of dawn on Saturday morning. And, we're building a home. A sweet, humble, little safe haven with bright colors, natural light and amazing and dedicated people who will care for homeless pets until they have a home of their own. We couldn't do it without amazing volunteers like Russ, and Emily and Natalie who are there daily.
This will be a holiday season like no other. Grab a paint brush and come help make it happen.
Nicole
11/10/09
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This Week in Oars World
It's getting more difficult for me to find the right words to articulate in a nut shell what happens from week to week with Oars. Sometimes I just have images in my head that I wish I could convey.
Have you met "Magic" yet? If you have you might understand why this experience has been so surreal. Magic is how I originally described Oars and this giant adoption site project and the "feel" of what we have going on. But then, "Magic" materialized. She came to us sick, broken, neglected on the day we closed on the site. We thought we were going to lose her and she bounced back. Magic is a very, very old frail little tortie kitty. She was matted from head to toe. Magic now lives at the adoption site in the office.
Isn't that something.....Magic is living at the adoption site. I though we were making magic, and then she appeared and couldn't wait any longer.
392 cats, kittens, puppies, dogs and bunnies have found forever homes because of you. The number of animals in care today is 67. This is manageable for the resources we have available. The waiting list is very lengthy and we are getting alot of emails, phone calls and even drop-by requests to take in more. As a rescue, we have to be careful not to over extend our volunteers or funding. It's a careful balance and it's extremely hard to turn away pets in need. We have to protect and fight for those that already rely on us and as we find them homes we can open the door to one or two more. That is why our mission statement is "Changing Lives One at a Time."
When the adoption site opens we can have 30 cats/kittens on site. The cats and kittens will live at the adoption site and rely on volunteers for daily cleaning, care and adoption meet and greets. Our dogs/puppies can come to the adoption site for meet and greets and events but would go home at night to foster homes.
This week will be relatively quiet at the site since we have a fully scheduled weekend of events including Petsmart, the Happy Joe's Restaurant Opening and an Expo. If you can help at any of the events or bring your adoptable pets to Petsmart please consider making the time for the homeless pets. We are expecting a new furnace to be installed this week and our shed to be put up.
Next week at the adoption site, we expect doors, floors and windows - maybe by Friday! We may also embark on a project to renovate the lobby. Because of the nature of this work we are bidding it out but will rely on volunteers to do the finishing (painting, hanging pictures/light fixtures) etc. And Holiday Decorating!
November 21st is a spay/neuter trip to Madison and we hope to stage the travelers at the adoption site the night of the 20th.
Our Hope is to have the adoption site ready for an open house and kitty occupancy after Thanksgiving. We're working on publishing a schedule of when we'll be at the site to work on it. If there's something you'd like to do or a specific time you'd like to volunteer please e-mail orphananimalrescue@yahoo.com and we'll work with you to make it happen. Most of us work during the week and we have contractors doing some of the work which is making the timeline grey. Though we are there nearly everyday we have a limited amount of time and tasks to accomplish. So, we're asking that people make an appointment vs. just stopping by.
There will be more information to come soon -
Nicole
11/3/09
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Get Your Oars ready--time to move!This week has been the ultimate roller coaster. There were tears of joy and sadness, laughter and moments of deep reflection. There were paint splatters, loud music, organizing, hoping and dreaming.
We got the keys! After we "closed" I sat in my car for a few minutes just holding them. I couldn't help but grin ear to ear as I held them......I wanted to call them "precious".
With your help we could have the adoption site up and running by December. This Friday, November 6th at 5pm we'll be sanding some floors, pulling carpets, cleaning and raking leaves. You can get a sneak peak and share the thrill of doing something once in a lifetime.
Here's a breakdown of the work to be done:
Wed. Nov 4th. Cable and Phones are being installed (Mr. Tim Boesken) Upstairs kitty room floor to be sanded, cleaned and stained (5pm-7pm - Nicole + Helpers). Small group 2-3 needed.
Thurs. Nov 5th. Downstairs rooms (2) floors to be sanded, cleaned and stained (??). Office to be cleaned out - desks to be placed (Emily) (5pm-7pm)
Friday Nov 6th 5pm-7pm. Wood floors to be polyeurathaned. Leaves to be raked, desks to be moved (if not sooner). Paint in upstairs kitty room to be touched up - baseboards installed. Carpet in back 2 rooms to be removed, floors to be assessed - if concrete - clean and paint? (Everyone)
Sunday Nov 8th. Wrap up, clean up, organize. (11-4)
Items needed: Polyeurathane. Brushes. Work gloves, Household tools/items for the center. A deck box for drop-off donations of food/litter. We're asking for these items to be donated. If you have a drum sander to lend or sandpaper that would save us some $ - just let us know and thank you!
Bring your work gloves, rakes and smiles and come help out!
Last night we had our first on-site adoption center adoption! Natalie and her "Turtle" had the honor and what a beautiful way to celebrate our first day! Turtle makes adoption #383!!
Is today Corey's birthday? I think so - happy birthday Corey!
If you want to meet the sweetest dog ever, I'll try to bring "Star" with me to the adoption center this week so she can enchant you all. She's painfully shy and suffering from Lyme's disease. We hope to get her healthy and happy soon, she's a truly beautiful golden retriever. The other golden is the kitty, Buster. He'll be getting his final tooth removal surgery next week and ready for his own home someday too. Because of all of you, these two "golden" furkids have a chance. Thank you - they are the reasons we happily scrape paint, clean and work like we do. We hope to see you all soon.
Nicole
10/27/09
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Oars are used to navigate, guide and propel - many oars make for a swift journey...
I'm not an outdoorsy type. My husband and I canoed once and it nearly ended our marriage. I paddled my way and he paddled his...somehow we ended up at the right place. We're better at it now, I think. And over the years, I've gained some appreciation for the beauty of a canoe navigating its way to safe harbor. It is much easier in calm waters and it takes strength, discipline and perseverance in choppy waters.
When our group first started talking about this new rescue about a year ago and talking about what we wanted for the rescue the desire to keep it small, high-quality, focused and homelike and the fact that we served, primarily orphans and that we rescued made the "Oars" seem like a good fit. But, as we navigated choppy waters this year and took turns when one of us was tired and supported one another, the teamwork aspect of our paddling....and the lives we saved by working in unison and harmony was something I didn't foresee.
See, when we all foster pets; we have the honor of doing it in our own homes...in pajamas sometimes, before our showers - before work and we loved them and cared for them until they were adopted. Sometimes, they were very, very sick. Sometimes, we were busy and sick ourselves. Most of us work and have families and we could turn to each other for help. The help might have been as simple as ordering some cat food or transferring foster pets to other homes or taking on responsibilities others had assumed. Again, the teamwork and working in harmony and not judging but understanding and helping however we can makes this rescue so, very unique and personal.
Oars is you. When we have many, capable oars the work is swift and the burden is lighter for others. And sometimes when the waters are choppy, the oars work harder. I hope the waters settle for these next few months as we build a magic place for the people to come and meet and adopt their new best friends, the loves of their lives.
374 pets have homes because of you
78 homeless pets receive daily care because of you
There are some great upcoming events and next week we close on the adoption center. Like any new homeowner, our needs will be great and resources limited. Please make this new home, yours too. There’s a wishlist posted on our website and a myriad of projects. And as we get closer to operation there will be phenomenal volunteer opportunities.
The journey will be a once in a lifetime experience and we can't wait to share it with you.
Saturday, October 31, 2009, 11am-3pm:
Pet Supplies Plus Annual Rescue Adoption Event!
Join us at Pet Supplies Plus in Appleton, at 702 W Northland Ave in the Northland Mall, behind McDonalds at the intersection of Northland and Richmond. Meet some of our adorable, adoptable kitties and pups!
Sunday, November 1, 2009, 10am-4pm:
Neenah Holiday Extravaganza!
Join us as we celebrate the holidays at the Bridgewood Resort & Conference Center (attached to Ground Round), 1000 Cameron Way, Neenah. No admission fee. Find fun cat and doggie toys, blankets, jewelry and more!
Sunday, Nov 1st from 10am-3pm (I think) is an office work day at the adoption site. We have 1 room to finish peeling wallpaper off of and to paint. We need to find and put up a dry erase board in the kitchen (the future volunteer center). We'll be accepting donations and organizing them in the basement. We won't have access to the full adoption site but you can get a sneak peak of the building, office and meet other volunteers. Let me know if you want to stop out.
Nicole
10/22/09
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This Week in Oars World
8 Adoptions last week - that's more than one kitty or dog finding a home everyday. Because of all of you - Oars completed its 370th adoption this week. We have 66 kitties in care (1/3 are kittens less than 8 weeks old). We have 17 dogs and puppies in care. There are several pending adoptions. Most of the kittens are thriving and will be spayed/neutered in November and then ready for adoption. The adult cat adoptions typically pick up in the winter, so we're hopeful to start seeing more of them finally find homes.
Did you hear about the litter of 9 female kittens? A few weeks ago a mother kitty was killed and her 9 little kittens came running out from a woodpile....the people scooped them up and put them into a box and began looking for somewhere safe to take them. They were tiny little things - maybe 5 weeks old. Many of the sisters were thin and frail and a few were bigger and stronger. Amy and Natalie split them up and worked feverishly to keep them warm and full. Some of the kittens needed extra encouragement and monitoring but they are all doing really, really well now. 9 is alot of kittens in one litter. We went through alot of kitten milk, canned food and litter for them.
But they were not alone, we got 1 orphan kitten that survived a lawnmower accident......then we got 2 orphan kittens someone found in the ditch....then we got 4 kittens that were sick and living in a barn.....23 kittens later....There are simply too many kittens right now.
Help us find homes for homeless pets before the holidays! Help us advertise and spread the word about upcoming events. The halloween event is a pet meet and greet. People interested in meeting our adoptable dogs, puppies and kittens should come on out and see us. Sunday is a craft sale in Neenah if you'd like to shop for some phenomenal gifts stop out and see us!
Saturday, October 31, 2009, 11am-3pm:
Pet Supplies Plus Annual Rescue Adoption Event!
Join us at Pet Supplies Plus in Appleton, at 702 W Northland Ave in the Northland Mall, behind McDonalds at the intersection of Northland and Richmond. Meet some of our adorable, adoptable kitties and pups!
Sunday, November 1, 2009, 10am-4pm:
Neenah Holiday Extravaganza!
Join us as we celebrate the holidays at the Bridgewood Resort & Conference Center (attached to Ground Round), 1000 Cameron Way, Neenah. No admission fee. Find fun cat and doggie toys, blankets, jewelry and more!
Update on the Adoption Center: We're on schedule to close the first week in November. We've rented the upstairs apartment so we can "ready" it as an office. We'll be removing wallpaper and refinishing the floors this Sunday, October 25th from 11am-1pm if you can come out and help please let me know. If anyone is able to haul away and dispose of the carpeting that would be very helpful (I can't lift it). We have a steamer to borrow and a few scrapers and just want to to tackle the master bedroom so we can move some kitties in next week. The living room will become the office and volunteer center and the board will be meeting on Sunday at 1pm there. We do have a folding table and chairs but it is otherwise empty. We expect to have phones/internet next week and are getting quotes for new windows upstairs and insulation. Let me know if you can come help on Sunday.
See you soon -
Nicole
10/14/09
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This Week in Oars World
15 Adoptions last week - WOW! That amazes me and it's hard to comprehend. With so many wonderful people fostering our "rescue" operates out of so many homes. YOUR home is rescue, respite and sanctuary for the animals you foster and/or support. That's pretty amazing that a spare bedroom or just an extra space saves a life. Fostering is so rewarding (though sometimes very challenging) and is the key to our mission of changing lives one at a time.
There are many kinds of shelters and rescues. Our rescue is a foster-care network and this means that we decide who/how many animals to take in based on our resources. Lately, it seems the requests and demands are more than we could ever accomodate. We've swelled this week to help as many as we can. The majority of the newebies are babies will be adopted in the next few weeks. Our "job" in this time is to get them ready, spayed/neutered and healthy. The majority of the dogs from Arkansas were living outside with little daily human interraction. The kittens came to us from life-death situations and were dumped and found all over the fox cities. Some are sick. Most are tiny and need extra support to survive (Kitten Milk, High-quality wet food etc). We are extremely grateful for all the extra donations of supplies this week - it meant everything.
For me, it highlights the continued critical need for low-cost, accessible spay/neuter clinics. And we'll be traveling to Madison on October 24th with 15 kittens and probably again a few weeks later with the remaining ones.
Now, more than ever, we need to support and help eachother. With each animal we provide supplies, medical/veterinary care, loading them onto petfinder and/or adopt-a-pet, responding to inquiries and processing adoption applications. Thank you all for your patience and understanding. We may be slow in responding to non-critical items as we also near the closing on the adoption center. With the holidays around the corner our focus will be on finding homes for some of the adult-cats that have been in our care for months (some a year+ like Sammie). Find personal balance with your passion for animal welfare, your work, your families and eachother and we have magic. Take good care of yourselves and your families so you can continue to help the homeless pets who need us. And if you need something, please let us know. We'll be loading up on supplies this weekend and will be delivering them next week. If you have an opportunity to coordinate a small supply drive at your place of work, worship or other site please know how much we appreciate it. Scoopable cat litter is always needed.
Because of all of you - Oars completed its 362nd adoption this week. We have 70 kitties in care (1/3 are kittens less than 8 weeks old). We have 20 dogs and puppies in care.
Next week we are being honored by the Performing Arts Center for this dedication and work with an amazing opportunity. For the 101 Dalmatians Musical at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center OARS Supporters get a special discount of 20% off for opening night, plus a portion of each ticket sold for this performance will go to OARS! Call 920-730-3760 to order your tickets now before they sell out! Be sure to mention special offer code "OARS" so our organization gets a portion of your ticket price. We need help spreading the word about this and getting support. With just a week to promote it we'd like to see a good showing of support so the PAC invites us back for future events.
Everyday, little sprinkles of magic happen. Emily works her personal brand of magic by navigating the dozens of daily e-mails about our adoptable pets and finding matches and creating excitement for an adoption. One group has taken on our sweatshirt project and by organizing, promoting and selling sweatshirts they will raise funds to provide veterinary care for the animals. Another group is working on a meet-greet on Halloween at Pets Supplies Plus to give the public an opportunity to meet some of the wonderful animals that are waiting for them. And there's a rumor about some kind of holiday fundraiser bowling party --
All of these efforts are an important part of what we do and knowing that we all do it because we want to and because we care so deeply about the homeless pets who need us make it worth it, it makes me bubble over with pride (and I'm not a bubbly sort) and it makes us all hopeful for the future of this tiny little rescue that can....thank you...thank you.
Please feel free to forward this onto any foster homes I may have forgotten or let me know who to add to my "list"- thank you. And if you're on the post-for-paws mailing list I personally challenge you to print 20 and post them everywhere you go for the week. We've had adoptions because someone saw a flyer at piggly/wiggly's, starbucks and the laundry mat. It's so simple and so critical - I'll print 100 in color and put them in my deck box for pick-up and distribution.
Attached is a picture of Bailey. He's been with me since May and he simply deserves, better than me. He's a lover - he loves dogs, kids and other cats. He's a little shy at first and this has put off most potential adopters because he hides. I've never heard him hiss or fight and he loves to have his belly scratched. He can spend hours basking in the sunshine and watching the birds and squirrels from the window. The laser light can entertain him (and me) for hours. He has expressive, big yellow eyes - and someday, he'll have a home of his own....I know this and am grateful I got to love and care for Bailey while he waits.
See you soon -
Nicole
