pet paw-see newsletter 2015

4
oliday 2015 Dear Friend of the Pet Paw-See, Another year has flown by and so many little lives have come into our arms. We sincerely appreciate the support of our donors, foster families, volunteers and those of you who opened your hearts and adopted one of our pets in need. Thanks to you, we can turn homeless pets into beloved family pets. Window Well Kids How did five tiny kittens find their way into a window well of a downtown building? Momma cat was nowhere to be found on this rainy miserable afternoon. We are very grateful for the kind person who called the Pet Paw-see. Cold, wet, hungry and covered in fleas, these tiny babies were rescued and brought to a vet clinic for immediate care. Unfortunately, Autumn, the smallest of the kittens was too weak and didn’t survive. We take comfort in knowing that at least she was warm, dry, well-fed and loved when she passed, and not cold and scared. The remaining four babies thrived in their foster home and were ultimately adopted. The beautiful faces of these precious kittens made crawling in the rain and mud to bring them to safety worthwhile. Spook Autumn Binx Delilah Elixir Lucky Little Pup-sicle Chester was found by the side of a road, nearly frozen, starving and very sick. It was only 5 degrees above zero that day in January. He was only a few weeks old when he was brought to the Great Falls Animal Shelter. The pup was given immediate medical care, but his veterinarian thought he would never be able to walk. Chester would drag his hind legs as he tried to get around. The shelter reached out to the Pet Paw-see in hope that we could find the resources to help this tiny puppy. Chester was extremely sick during the first two weeks in his foster mom’s home. Slowly he put on weight and began to use his legs. After about a month he was almost walking normally. At another vet checkup we learned that his extreme malnourished condition for the first few weeks of his life may have led to the weakness in his legs. Chester transformed into an active, happy little puppy. His new family fell in love with him at first sight during a Petco adoption event. Chester has not stopped growing (or eating)! It takes a team to save an animal, but it all started with the unknown kind person who stopped to help Chester on that cold January day. Sugar is Sweet Sugar has been a devoted companion in our Seniors for Seniors foster cat program. Sadly, her senior foster mom has passed away. We’d love to find a new foster home for this beautiful senior girl. Do you know a senior who would enjoy having a feline companion? According to the Centers for Disease Control, owning a pet has many health benefits. In our program, each senior is matched with a senior cat and a mentor. The Pet Paw-see takes responsibility for any veterinary care the cat might need, and the mentor takes the kitty to her appointments. It’s a win-win for both seniors! Call the Pet Paw-see to learn more. Chester

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Our year-end newsletter with stories of some of our rescued animals.

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Page 1: Pet Paw-see Newsletter 2015

�oliday 2015 Dear Friend of the Pet Paw-See,Another year has flown by and so many little lives have come into our arms.

We sincerely appreciate the support of our donors, foster families, volunteers and those of you who opened your hearts and adopted one of our pets in need. Thanks to you, we can turn homeless pets into beloved family pets.

Window Well KidsHow did five tiny kittens find their way into a window well of a downtown building? Momma cat was nowhere to be found on this rainy miserable afternoon. We are very grateful for the kind person who called the Pet Paw-see. Cold, wet, hungry and covered in fleas, these tiny babies were rescued and brought to a vet clinic for immediate care. Unfortunately, Autumn, the smallest of the kittens was too weak and didn’t survive.

We take comfort in knowing that at least she was warm, dry, well-fed and loved when she passed, and not cold and scared. The remaining four babies thrived in their foster home and were ultimately adopted. The beautiful faces of these precious kittens made crawling in the rain and mud to bring them to safety worthwhile.

SpookAutumn

Binx

Delilah

Elixir

Lucky Little Pup-sicleChester was found by the side of a road, nearly frozen, starving and very sick. It was only 5 degrees above zero that day in January.

He was only a few weeks old when he was brought to the Great Falls Animal Shelter. The pup was given immediate medical care, but his

veterinarian thought he would never be able to walk. Chester would drag his hind legs as he tried to get around. The shelter reached out to the Pet Paw-see in hope that we could find the resources to help this tiny puppy. Chester was extremely sick during the first two weeks in his foster mom’s home. Slowly he put on weight and began to use his legs. After about a month he was almost walking normally. At another vet checkup we learned that his extreme malnourished condition for the first few weeks of his life may have led to the weakness in his legs.

Chester transformed into an active, happy little puppy. His new family fell in love with him at first sight during a Petco adoption event. Chester has not stopped growing (or eating)! It takes a team to save an animal, but it all started with the unknown kind person who stopped to help Chester on that cold January day.

Sugar is SweetSugar has been a devoted companion in our Seniors for Seniors foster cat program. Sadly, her senior foster mom has passed away.

We’d love to find a new foster home for this beautiful senior girl. Do you know a senior who would enjoy having a feline companion? According to the Centers for Disease Control, owning a pet has many health benefits.

In our program, each senior is matched with a senior cat and a mentor. The Pet Paw-see takes responsibility for any veterinary care the cat might need, and the mentor takes the kitty to her appointments. It’s a win-win for both seniors!

Call the Pet Paw-see to learn more.

Chester

Page 2: Pet Paw-see Newsletter 2015

OreoDumpster Diving in the Dead of Winter Oreo looked like a Scottish Fold but unfortunately she wasn’t; her ears had been mostly frozen off, leaving her with bleeding, painful wounds. Oreo was spotted eating out of a dumpster last winter. She had obviously been someone’s pet, but had been left behind to fend for herself. Trying to survive outside, frostbite had also affected Oreo’s paws. This cat desperately needed help, a home, and a loving family.

Luckily, a caring soul took pity on this poor kitty and called the Pet Paw-see. A volunteer scooped her up and took her to a vet for medical attention.

Domestic cats are not used to foraging for their dinner and Oreo wasn’t very good at it. The skinny little cat was taken in by a loving foster family where her ears healed and she gained weight.

Oreo started coming to Petco for the weekly adoption events. She was the frostbite “poster child” for a few weeks. Oreo’s ordeal could at least serve as a lesson about cats and the outdoors in winter. Soon enough, the perfect person wanted Oreo and she was adopted into a lovely home.

Oreo now has a warm bed, plenty of food and most of all, the assurance that she will never have to scrounge leftovers out of a dumpster. Oreo is as sweet as her name and is giving back love and affection to her new furrever person.

Love is Blind Cody’s owner had suddenly passed away, leaving this older, blind, husky cross alone and confused. Friends of Cody’s person continued to feed him, but they knew this couldn’t last forever. Thankfully they called the Pet Paw-see asking for help for this gentle boy. He went into a foster home where he quickly relaxed and awaited his furrever family.

Cody became a hit at Petco. He was calm and patient with all who met him. But not many are willing to take in an older dog, much less a blind dog. Our volunteers hoped someone would find a soft spot in their heart and on their couch for this special boy, in spite of his disability and age.

We often say there is at least one perfect family for each of our animals. Sure enough, that perfect family saw Cody while visiting our website. They came to Petco to meet him and then adopted him. Cody’s people continue to tell us how much he has blessed them. We feel so blessed to meet wonderful people who can give love to an animal in need. Cody is spoiled, enjoys his daily walks, and especially loves his new couch!

Addie was probably blind since birth. She was brought to the Great Falls Animal Shelter as a stray, and in hopes of giving

her a better chance for a furrever home, she was transferred to the Pet Paw-see. Addie never let her handicap stop her

from racing around her foster mom’s yard and wrestling with her doggie friends. She brought so much joy to her foster

mom, and now shares that joy with the wonderful family who met and fell in love with this playful, loving hound.

Cody

Oreo

Addie

Page 3: Pet Paw-see Newsletter 2015

Special Kittens Looking for Special Pet Parents The Pet Paw-see received a call one autumn evening from a kind person who had found a tiny kitten in the middle of a road. His eyes were matted shut and the little one was in need of medical treatment. He was delivered to one of our veterinarians and treatment was started. At the clinic, he was named Frodo and continued to receive care. After one week, his little body crashed. Frodo was given a blood transfusion and he rallied.

Little Frodo was taken in by one of our loving foster families. They continued his medical care, and as Frodo grew, the family noticed he had an “odd” gait. At his one-month check-up it was determined that, indeed, Frodo is a special boy. He is deaf, will have low sight in one of his eyes and has cerebellar hypoplasia (CH). This is a condition where the cerebellum, the portion of the brain which controls fine motor skills and coordination, is not completely mature at birth. It is most commonly caused by the kitten’s mother contracting the Panleukopenia virus while pregnant.

Cats with CH are often euthanized, as people misunderstand the condition as being painful and/or contagious. However, these kittens have a normal life expectancy and are very affectionate, sweet, and loving. They return the extra care they need with an intense love for

and bond with their adoptive families.

Frodo is an amazing kitten. He doesn’t know he has any limitations. If you’d like to meet Frodo, please contact us.

From Fat Rat to Fabulous Big Red was a stray in Sand Coulee, MT. The local folks had been feeding him, but no one wanted to take on a dog with medical issues. His skin was in terrible condition with little to no hair on parts of his body. His tail was completely hairless. And he was very overweight.

Despite his awful condition, Big Red’s personality was amazing. He was extremely friendly and affectionate with everyone he met. A simple blood test showed that his thyroid was not working properly. An inexpensive medication was all he needed to look and feel better. The vet warned Red’s foster parent that his coat might never grow back. But before the medication could make any noticeable difference, Red found his furrever person.

Big Red’s outgoing, goofy personality made it impossible not to fall in love with him. In his new home, he slowly began to lose weight and his skin and coat improved. It was an amazing transformation.

His Pet Paw-see fans love to see Red when he comes to our Petco adoption events for visits. Success stories like this give us the strength to take on the challenging animals that come into our care.

Eddie Money is another CH kitten in the care of one of our foster families. He’s a sweet boy with a moderate level of CH. He’s an expert climber and gets around quite well.

Big Red

BEFORE

Cats with cerebellar hypoplasia (CH):

✦ Are not in any pain✦ Are not contagious✦ Have a normal life expectancy✦ Live happy, healthy lives✦ Learn to adapt their abilities and compensate over time✦ Need to be indoor-only✦ Should never be declawed✦ May require no extra care, or a great deal of extra care, depending on their severity✦ Can be more prone to accident-related injuries, like chipped teeth or broken nails

–From CHkittyclub.com

Frodo

AFTER

Page 4: Pet Paw-see Newsletter 2015

Since January 1, thanks to people like you, we’ve helped 108 cats and kittens, 26 dogs and 1 bunny find adoptive homes and get medical care. As of this writing, 73 cats and 1 dog are awaiting homes. We are so grateful to our foster families for the love and care they provide these homeless cats and dogs. Sadly, the Pet Paw-see cannot help all the animals in need.

We are stretched to the limit financially and have only so many available foster homes. Every day, we get phone calls about a cat or dog or litter of kittens. Every month, we must turn away 50-75 animals!

Could you help us save more cats and dogs? We truly need your help! Our largest expense is veterinary care. Disease testing, vaccinations, worming, ear mite treatments, and spay/neuter surgeries all add up! Every pet saved costs $175 in this basic care, on average. By year-end, our vet bills will add up to over $50,000.

Can you imagine how much cat food and litter is needed for the kitties in our PETCO habitat and to use at adoptathons? Cages, carriers and humane traps are expensive, too. When we don’t have enough foster homes, we pay for kenneling at various clinics and boarding facilities. Your support directly helps the animals in our care. If you can’t give financially, please consider fostering! It is so much healthier for a cat or dog to spend their foster time in a home.

During the holiday season we are filled with gratitude. Because of folks like you, many feral-born kittens aren’t cold and hungry ... they’re in warm, cozy homes with loving pet parents. Once “throw-away” dogs are now treasured canine companions. We are so thankful for your past support and wish you the blessings of the season.

For the animals,

Leslie Raynes, Pet Paw-see Founder

For more information, please call 406.231.1132.

Pet Paw-see is a 501(c)(3) organization.

Tax ID 26-1973398

Baby, it’s cold outside. Your thoughtful gift of $15, $25, $50 or more could help us save another cat like Oreo, trying to survive terrible winter conditions.

With your generosity, we can make a better life for homeless and abandoned cats and dogs. They are depending on us!

Frostbite hurts!

Ursula

Roman

Stevie

Jillian

Roman’s pet parent died. This very large cat desperately needs a loving family who will help him lose weight so he can lead a healthy, active life.

We’re on Facebook! Click here to go to our page.

You can donate online! Click here to go to our donation page.

Please help us update our email list! Even if you already get email from us, please

go to our email sign-up by clicking here. We are creating a new online database

with MailChimp.

406.231.1132 petpaw-see.com

PO Box 6491, Great Falls, MT 59406

Some of our cats need single pet homes, to be your ONLY. Because of that, these girls have been waiting a long time for their adoptive families. Jillian, Ursula and Stevie will give you their undivided attention and love!If you’d like to meet one of these special girls, please contact us!