EBHS Unleashed

I'm baaack!

I have been away far too long. I was busy getting ready for Wag Fest, then recovering from Wag Fest, then catching up from all the work that did not get done because of Wag Fest. So, I apologize for my long absence.

I want to congratulate Team Raman for their second consecutive win in Wag Fest fundraising! This is not only testament to their winning personalities, but also their dedication to the animals at the shelter. They are excellent supporters, generous donors, and two people that I consider dear friends. Thanks again to all the Wag Fest fundraisers, because without them, we would not be as successful in fundraising at Wag Fest!

The shelter has been busy and very active and we are trying our best to weather the storm created by the flailing  economy. We have the double whammy of receiving less financial help from the community, and the added work of the many surrenders from people who are truly suffering financially by losing a home or job during this mess. I am praying that this is as bad as it can get but when you turn on the news the talking heads keep saying it is going to get worse before it gets any better. That does not bode well for a lot of companion animals out there who may lose a family.

On the bright side, we have some wonderful animals on the adoption floor right now. Darby is the best dog ever, and I wonder how she ever ended up here. She is a beautiful mixed breed dog with the best temperament. We have had some puppies, and some great cats and kittens come available as well. What we need now is to find them some forever homes.

Startling fact of the day: If every single person in America adopted one dog or cat today there would still be thousands of animals without a home. Can you imagine how many animals there must be waiting for a new home?

Please adopt your next companion animal! I never get tired of saying it, and I mean it!

We had a visit from a dog that was adopted here a few months ago that we had named Dingo - because he looked like a dingo. His new family got one of those new DNA tests. The test costs about $65 and it told us that he was part German Shepherd, Pekingese, Cairn Terrier and Alaskan Malamute. A true Heinz 57. You would have never thought any of those breeds were in this dog, but we were fascinated by the results of the test.

When people come into the shelter, they often expect dogs to be a mix of two purebreds. Most often there are many mixes in there and there is no way to know for sure what mix the dogs are. Sometimes a puppy will look like one breed and when they grow up they look totally different. We can make estimates of how big a dog will get, but there are never any guarantees. I have met a lot of people over the years who thought they were adopting a small dog and wound up with a dog you could saddle if you wanted.

There are a lot of dogs I would love to test to see what they are mixes of, but I guess at the end of the day, my biggest concern is finding them a loving forever home.

I hope to see you all out this Saturday at our Wag Fest on Saturday at Fox Brook Park in Brookfield. This is our biggest fundraiser of the year, and we hope that we have a great turnout this year. The event starts at 10am and you do not have to pre-register. Come on down and have a great time with EBHS - and your family, and even your dog (or cat - there was a cat on a leash there last year!).

Ah, puppies. They are so cute, playful, and make just about everyone smile when you see them. Unless you live with them. Oh sure, there are a few people out there who will tell you that the minute they got their 5 week old puppy home it was housebroken, and slept through the night, and never chewed on anything other than a rawhide. But I live and work in the trenches, and I will tell you that most people that work in animal welfare will tell you that they would take in a 10 year old dog than a 10 week old puppy.

Yesterday, we had a family who adopted a puppy last week come in wanting to return the puppy. The reason? It was being a puppy. This was their first dog. They let the puppy have free roam of the house and it was going potty wherever it wanted to, chasing their cats, and wreaking general havoc. This must have been the happiest puppy in all of Wisconsin last weekend!

We do go over crate-training with potential adopters, but you often meet resistance as people often do not realize what crate training is all about. Most of us grew up with paper training a puppy, in fact, I never even saw a crate in a home until I was in college. Crates were only for travel back in those days. Additionally, I think when most people are falling in love with an animal here at the shelter, they really do not hear anything we are saying as they are just so enamored with this new little family member. Especially puppies.

I have said it before and I will say it again. Puppies are not for everyone. In fact, I have one, and it is really hard work, even for someone who sort of knows what they are doing. You are essentially bringing a baby animal into your home. Not a small dog. My dear friend, and dog trainer, Carol Sumbry often asks people "When were you housebroken? Two or three years old?" Yet, we expect our 3 month old puppies to come home and ask to be let out when they get the urge. They are babies, and need us to teach them everything! Most dogs are not trustworthy in the housebreaking department until they are at least 6 months old, and for some dogs in can take a year! I still remember excitedly calling my husband at his office when our 8 month old black lab puppy, Murphy, finally urinated outside when he was supposed to. I was relating this story to my husband when I looked down to see Murphy pooping on the floor just one foot away from me.

When you bring a puppy home, you should expect the first year of this animal's life to be all about learning where it is acceptable to go potty, where it is acceptable to sit, sleep, and what kind of manners it is expected to have inside and outside of your home. I know it sounds like a lot of work. It is a lot of work. More work than you expect. But, it is worth it in the long run. The reason many people get a puppy in the first place is for the companionship this dog will provide as an adult. You expect a lot of out a little baby animal. Your puppy expects a lot from you, too. Go into bringing a dog into your life with your eyes wide open. If this work is not for you, go for an adult dog. There is often a shorter learning curve, and you can get your instant best friend a lot sooner than you ever thought possible.

Fans of felines are in no easier boat when it comes to deciding on a kitten or cat. Sure, the potty training often takes care of itself, but kittens are capable of gravity defying feats that an adult cat could never pull off due to their size and weight.  Our last kitten foster walked up our pant legs (sometimes even our bare legs), climbed houseplants, climbed wooden paneled walls, chewed every cord it could get its mouth on and was a complete maniac in the house. Adult cats can be playful, and even "wild", but kittens seem to have only 2 speeds. Sleeping, and the activity level of a cat on 3 pots of espresso.

Think long and hard before deciding to bring any animal into your life, and about the sacrifices you are willing to make to ensure this animal gets the care and training needed to be a lifelong companion - not a mistake that you will feel guilty about returning to a shelter after a week.

For the little puppy that was returned, we gave her family some new training tips, a crate, and educated them on what life with a little puppy was really like. They took her home again, more confident that they can give her the home she needs. Hopefully in the end, they will be able to make it work. The puppy has really bonded to them, and they really love the puppy.

Happy endings are our specialty, and I am crossing my fingers for just one more for this family.

 Chupracabras?

When I first heard the word, I could not understand what the staff was talking about. Why do kittens have Chupracabas under their skin? I had recently watched a very lengthy documentary on the National Geographic Channel about Chupacabras - who are according to eyewitnesses supposed to be small little devil animals that kill small animals by sucking out their blood. Despite the teasers for the show, there were no real Chupracabas found and I was disappointed after an hour of being promised evidence of their existence.

My staff was, in fact, referring to something equally as disgusting - Cuterebras. These creepy little fly larvae attach themselves to animals, entering into the host via nose or mouth who then migrate to specific areas in the host's body. Apparently, they usually flock to the head and neck areas of kittens and other animals where they make a breathing hole under the skin and grow into large larvae that can kill the host by causing internal damage and infection.

Cuterebras need to be carefully removed in one piece or they can cause infection and death. After removal, the animal often goes on antibiotics, to prevent infection and illness. Obviously, going to a vet to have this done is a must. The staff showed me a Cuterebra in formaldehyde and it was an inch long and brown and I got the willies thinking about one of those suckers climbing around under my skin.

How disgusting is that? If there is no other reason to keep your cat indoors, preventing them from getting Cuterebras is a pretty darn good one!

Small parasites totally creep me out. Humans have to be just as vigilant in our fight to keep internal parasites out of our bodies as our beloved companions do. In the south, I was always told not to stand in pine needles because the chiggers would get me. When I traveled to NY recently, I was in a cab that had a story that bed bugs were becoming more common in hotel rooms around the world and I was so happy that I was staying with relatives. In the Northeast, it is the dreaded deer tick and Lyme disease. My step-dad and sister both have Lyme disease the contracted in Connecticut.

Our dogs and cats are so lucky that they have Frontline, and Revolution to keep icky bugs away. Our own skin seems so flimsy a defense from these bugs that would like to call us home.

I suppose the moral of today's story is that you should keep your cats in, your dogs on a leash near wooded areas where these flies lay their eggs near the burrows of small rodents and animals, and that no matter how many precautions you take Mother Nature can always take it up a notch on the creepy factor and make you wish you never left your house.

I guess the bright side is that there are no Chupracabas in Wisconsin, because I am sure my Humane Officer and staff would probably not want to have to pick up a stray or injured devil animal who wanted to suck blood in the middle of the night. Not to mention the trouble we would have trying to find a vet to treat it.

The shelter has been pretty quiet lately. We have had some adoptions, and fortunately, many cats were adopted during our cat and kitten adoption promotion. Fall is already creeping up on us, it seems. While some people can feel depressed at the end of the summer, I could not be happier.

Fall is a very exciting time for Elmbrook Humane Society. We have our Wag Fest coming up on the 20th. That is a great day, where we get to see many of our former residents, current friends, and meet new people. Aside from that, it is our biggest fundraiser of the year, so we have to hope for a large turnout, and great weather.

This is my favorite time of year in Wisconsin. We do not have a spring most of the time, it seems to go from snow to hot rather quickly in the beginning of the year. The only real sign of spring to me, and I am sure many other dog owners, is the disappearance of the permafrost at the dog park and the arrival of the mud.

Fall weather keeps me out with my dogs after work late into the evening. It is just the right temperature for long walks and meeting neighbors and other dog walkers. The best is when it gets dark earlier, and you can smell wood burning in fireplaces as you walk along. Soon we will see pumpkins, and dried corn, and other fun fall decor.

This is a great time of year to adopt a new friend. A new dog will get you out and about in the best weather of the season. You will be surprised at how many people will run up and say hello if you have a dog on a leash. A canine companion brings out the friendliest nature in people. If you walk by alone, people wonder if you are up to no good. If you have a dog, it seems to say "I must be alright if this dog likes me".

This is also a great time to adopt a cat. This way you can get to know each other during the early football games, and by the time the cold weather sets in, your furry little lap warmer will know just the right position in your lap for you both to keep cozy. Watching the fall light and shadows creep around your house will keep any cat busy all day.

Do not put off until Christmas what you can do today, get yourself that new companion that you have been promising yourself NOW. You will miss the best bonding time of the year if you don't!

The only thing I love more than animals is food (much to my husband's dismay). Fortune has smiled upon me and Elmbrook Humane Society in the form of a fundraiser at the brand new restaurant Stir Crazy, which is opening at Brookfield Square later this month. They are having 4 trial runs for their wait-staff, and EBHS was selected to be a recipient of their Friday night trial run. We are going to fill up the restaurant for them on Friday night between 6 and 8:45pm to raise money for the shelter.

The best part is that the food is 1/2 price! I can order twice as much! Follow the link here to make your reservation. I will be dining with Carol and two friends that night, and I hope to see everyone there!

I moved my office today from my old office to the one up front behind the front desk. I never realized how many dust bunnies I had in my old office. My mother would be appalled. My puppy Rocco christened it right away. What a champ!

Adoptions have slowed down at the shelter this week with people coming back from vacations and getting used to the new school schedule. Bailey, our wonderful Basset Hound, who had been here for a little while was adopted, and as soon as he left another potential adopter came right in looking for him. Go figure!

We have been adopting out quite a few cats and kittens thanks to our special adoption prices. I am so happy to see so many of the adults being adopted. Trust me, adult animals are the best to adopt. They usually transition into new homes and families so easily, and we hear this from adopters all the time. I would almost rather get minor dental surgery than housebreak a puppy.

The shelter has never looked better (except for my old office which I promise will be cleaned tomorrow). If you have not been in for a visit in a while, I invite you to come in and say hello and take a tour. I love to show off how great our shelter is. Our garden in the front is still blooming, we have added new kennels in the backyard so the dogs can spend more time outdoors, and the building and grounds have never looked better thanks to the staff and volunteers.

I meant to follow up on a previous story, about the overweight cat from New Jersey that was adopted by a family. Apparently, the family is angry with the shelter because the cat only weighs 22 pounds now instead of 44 pounds and they feel duped and might return the cat. To be fair, there is also another another issue with adoption paperwork that is slow in being completed. But to return a cat because he is not 44 pounds? That just adds another level of crazy to the whole story.

After my night of eating at Stir Crazy, I might have to check myself in at that shelter for a month to lose some weight. I would love to lose 22 pounds in a month!

Today is my favorite day of the year! It is otherwise known as the first day of school for Elmbrook School District, and my two girls are now back in school. Summer never seemed so long when I was a kid, but as an adult with kids, I know I am not alone in my happiness that it is finally over!

Summer is now over, and I am about to begin a new chapter in my life, and my tenure here at Elmbrook Humane Society.

I have been officially named the Executive Director of Elmbrook Humane Society. I have been unofficially toiling in that capacity for the past few months, and when my Board of Directors went to start searching for a new Executive Director they decided that they had a perfectly good one right here at the shelter already. 

I have some mixed emotions about this appointment. I have made a career of being a #2 person. I liked to think that the #2 person slept better at night, but that was never the case here at EBHS. I worried, thought about, worked for, and lived for this shelter 24/7 no matter what my role was. I am ever hopeful that the next year will bring us success both in our mission of finding the best homes for wonderful animals, and the financial success that will ensure that we live on as an organization. 

I really believe in EBHS. I believe that we are a different type of animal shelter. 

We are a place where potential adopters get hands on help in making the right match for their family. We are not a Wal-Mart type of animal shelter with a lot of animals we want to get out the door that day. I like to think of us as a Tiffany & Co. type shelter. A small boutique with a great selection of family companions, that offers the animals and the adopters the time, the care, and the attention they deserve in making this most important and life altering decision.

We are a place where volunteers have a voice, and the freedom to work with the animals in a way that enriches their life and the lives of the creatures we care for. Our volunteers provide us with so much, and I think that we take our responsibility to our "unpaid staff" very seriously. They give us ideas, resources, knowledge, and love that we could not provide with our small staff alone. Every day I am awed by the extraordinary efforts of the volunteers here, and I am both proud, and humbled by the level of commitment I am surrounded by.

We are also a place where donors are more than just a name on a wall. I go lots of places, like zoos, or hospitals, where you see a bunch of names on a wall and you are left to wonder who these people are, and why they donated to this place. At Elmbrook Humane Society, every single day I either speak to on the phone to or I see one of our donors here, either volunteering, stopping in to say hello with an animal that they adopted, or coming in to show a friend or family member their special room or the sign commemorating the sponsorship they provided to us.

These reasons are why I know that EBHS is more than just a building with animals in it. It is a place with heart, thanks to our volunteers and donors, and soul, thanks to our staff and Board of Directors. I am so proud to be a part of EBHS, and I am so thankful for the opportunity I have been given to help lead us into the future.

I would like to thank the staff here at EBHS, most of all Carol Sumbry, who is truly my better half while at work. Also, Julia, Sue, Dawn, Marge, Crystal, Cassie, Paula, Kathy, Kara, Jerusha, Jeanette, and Darlene. They are a better team than I deserve, and they make me look good. I would never have even considered taking this position without knowing you all have my back!

I would like to thank all of the volunteers, especially Valerie, Clarice, Christine, Anil, Robin, Meggie, George, Dotty, Janet, Kathy, Colleen, Karen P., Karen S., Patti, Jill, Judy, Laura, and many others who I do not have time to thank here. I also want to give a special shout out Cheryl Robbins (who is no longer here but missed every day). These volunteers have so much energy, drive, and passion, and my day is all the brighter from a visit to my office or email from any of them. 

I would like to thank the Board of Directors, especially Barb Baron, our President, Pam Rische, our Vice President, and JR Rickinger, member at large. Without their support and cheerleading, I would not have gotten through the summer. The rest of our Board is also very committed to the shelter, and I am thankful for their vote of confidence in me.

Now, to stop sounding like I just won an Academy Award, I want to remind you all that we have plenty of Waggin' Wheels car raffle tickets left, we still need your vote on the WISN A-list, Wag Fest is coming up on September 20, and the shelter is in need of toilet paper and canned dog and cat food!

Now I sound more like myself!

Recently, a cat made national news (on CNN to Regis and Kelly) from a local shelter in the state of New Jersey.  I think everyone heard about this cat, not because it was a stray, but, because it weighed in at 44 pounds. Which, for a cat, is a lot. My dog is only 30 pounds.  The suitcase I brought on my flight home was under 44 pounds.

What really amazed me about this situation was not that this cat was grossly overweight (so much so that they initially thought it was a female because the fat covered his naughty bits), not that he was 10 years old, and certainly not his average markings or personality, but that over 500 people applied to adopt this cat. Even people from England had contacted this shelter to adopt the cat. I could not get over it. Five-hundred people. 5-0-0 people. For one cat! Who is 10 years old, and in serious need of a diet! People can be pretty grumpy on a diet, I imagine a cat on a diet is no picnic to live with.

I have a shelter full of cats and kittens, who are all unique and special individuals. Some with amazing markings. Some with fun personalities. Some young, some old. Some were even brought here as strays and victims of the economy (like Mr. 44 pounds). Yet, they linger here for months at a time waiting for a new home.

Sadly, the part of the story that did not make the news is that not one of the 500 people that applied to adopt this cat offered to take home one of the more than 200 other cats and kittens that were housed in this very same shelter at the time. The shelter said that they had to euthanize about 1/3 of the approximately 1000 cats they take in every year.

Since we are located in Wisconsin, I cannot get our cats booked onto Live with Regis and Kelly. I thought about creating a fat suit, or making a cardboard cutout of the fat cat and having their photos taken to look like they were enormous so that people might be interested in them. I do not know what I can do to make our cats more appealing to adopters. In fact, our cats are pretty darn appealing all on their own!

My time here at the shelter has taught me that people find cats pretty easy to part with. Certainly we see all kinds of animals surrendered here for many reasons, but cats really seem to be the ones people can walk in and say "He is 12 years old, and a wonderful cat, but I would like to travel now, so you should find him a nice home" or "Yes, they are 10 and 11 years old, but I am pregnant now, so I should not have a cat anymore". When we ask for a donation at the time of the animal being surrendered we get people that will respond "I will let him out on the side of the road before I give you money to take him. You are just going to make money on his adoption, so why should I give you anything?".

We have so many cats and kittens at the shelter at the moment, we have cut our adoption fees in half to help get them adopted. They are no less valuable to us. It is just that we want people to be able to use the money they save on making sure their new best friend gets the best food, and necessities to get them started on the right paw in their new family.

Even though our cats were not on TV, and none of them are grossly overweight, they are all celebrities to the staff and volunteers here. More than anything else, we want them to find great families that will always love them and give them a home forever - not just when it is convenient, or when it provides 15 minutes of fame.

Your prayers and kind wishes must have helped because the puppy that I wrote about yesterday has made a miraculous recovery. She was bright eyed this morning, had eaten and taken water on her own during the night, and was wagging her tail like crazy. When I went to check on her this afternoon she had eaten all the food I left for her in her crate and wanted a bunch more. She seems like she will make a complete recovery. A happy ending! Thank you for all of your well wishes! Now she just has to get over her upper respiratory infection and she will be able to be made available for adoption.

Now, I am going to wish for some more happy endings, like tons of people coming to our event this Thursday night! If you are free, you have to come to our Giggles Fundraiser this Thursday night. Giggles Comedy Pub in the Sendik's Towne Center is hosting a fundraiser for us, doors open at 5:30 and the show starts at 7pm. I will be at the door greeting our guests. Tickets will be available at the door! We are going to have a great time!

Also, I need you to vote for us for the WISN A-List. It is not as simple as just clicking a button, but it is a really easy registration process. I get turned off immediately if there is a bunch of blanks to fill in to do something, but it was easy to do. You get an email to confirm that you are a real person, and then you click the link and you are done. We have been working really hard to get the word out about how great EBHS is, and this is just another way to have more people recognize our name and help support our beloved shelter. Here is the link to vote:

http://wisn.cityvoter.com/contests/a-list-on-wisn-com/1858/pets/animal-shelters

If we win, we will have a big party at the shelter to celebrate.

Some more great news is that we are welcoming the kids from Lad Lake back to the shelter. Lad Lake is a great organization out in Dousman that provides positive learning experiences for at-risk young men in our area. We have had some wonderful experiences with these kids and are looking forward to working with them again. They will be back on August 26 when school starts for them. The kids help us with cleaning in the morning and then work with the animals who need training and socialization. It is a win-win for all of us. It will be nice to have some more men around the shelter, as for some reason, most of our staff and volunteers are women.

This has been a great day! Thanks again for all of your wishes! I will post a picture of Minnie, the Parvo puppy as soon as I can! 

On Friday, I did something very few shelter or rescue people would do. I took home a puppy with Parvo.

Parvo is a deadly disease that mainly affects puppies, but is deadly to all dogs without a vaccination. This little dog was transferred in from another shelter. She is about 9 weeks old. Some kind of golden colored mixed breed. We sent her into foster care when she seemed to have an upper respiratory infection. The next day she started vomiting and we knew even before the test came back positive what it was going to tell us.

Many puppies, if treated early enough, can recover from Parvo. She is so little, so weak, so emaciated. She was that way when we got her, but she is now just a whisper of a dog.

I am usually very pragmatic in situations like this. Irish people are genetically pragmatic, it is in our DNA.  To quote one of my fellow Irish-Americans, the late Tip O'Neill, "To be Irish is to know that, in the end, the world will break your heart". Maybe that is how I am able to work in a shelter and not cry myself to sleep every single night. Because the world is supposed to be this way. Bad things happen to good people and innocent animals all the time, for no good reason.

Many shelters would not have given her a chance. It is dangerous to have a dog with Parvo in a shelter. Maybe she should have been euthanized when we found out how bad it really was. I do understand what other shelters would do in this situation, and why it should be done. But I could not do it. She seemed like she wanted to fight. So I figured that I should let her.

I took her home and have set up a makeshift hospice where she could be isolated from my dogs and family to minimize the risk of her infecting other dogs and the environment. I have been administering subcutaneous fluids, as an IV was unable to be inserted due to her weak condition and collapsing veins. I have been keeping her warm, clean and dry. I have been giving her nutritional supplements. I have been trying to keep her spirits up. Every time I think she is done for, she seems to read my mind and gather up all of her strength to get up and walk around so I can see she is not ready to go, yet.

Somewhere along the line I became a person who cannot bear a sad ending. I am not sure when this started, but I will not read a book or watch a movie anymore unless I can be certain of a happy ending. After living a pessimistic life where not only was my glass half-empty, but the liquid left in it was arsenic, I have turned into a believer.

I am the person who watches the wildlife shows on TV who roots for the wildebeest crossing the river with the crocodiles waiting nearby. I shout encouragement to the baby seals in South Africa, as they dodge the teeth of the Killer Whales. I know all about the circle of life, I saw The Lion King. But, while in my world, the zebra escapes to run another day from the pride of lions who are now happily munching on a dead animal they took from the hyenas off camera. I root for the underdogs. I root for the lowly and meek. Heck, I even root for the Mets.

I believe that this little puppy will somehow make it, and pull through this disease. Despite her weak condition. Despite her bad odds. Despite everything. I have done all I can do for her. It is up to her now. She has to be strong. She has to accept my medications, and needle pricks. She has to want to live as badly as I want her to.

I am praying for one more happy ending tonight.

The other day I wandered out into the reception area and was greeted by a young lady, about 9 years old, armed with a notebook and a pencil. She told me she had a couple of questions for me. I thought maybe she was a young, budding reporter or journalist, and I was not going to take any chances on a bad press story in a school newspaper so I immediately sat down and prepared myself to be grilled.

See, I have met the budding Tim Russerts and Barbara Walters from our community before. Unlike a seasoned reporter, who will try and gently gain your confidence and get you to spill your information about a certain topic, these youngsters immediately ask the tough questions about euthanasia, declawing, and adoption policies without giving you a nice warm up question first.

Fortunately for me, this young lady had only one question for me "How old do I have to be to volunteer?"  I get this question a lot, too. Most elementary school kids, especially the girls, would love to spend every hour of the day here. The catch is that if you are between 10 and 15, you must volunteer with a parent. Now, I work at the shelter, so it is easy for me to have my kids involved here. But most parents work a 40 hour work week and do not get excited at the thought of coming in after work or on weekends to clean, do laundry, or socialize animals.

Since this young lady was not old enough to volunteer, I did give her an application to hold on to for her birthday, and asked if she would like a tour of the shelter. Not just the viewing areas, the whole building. She was excited so we went to find her mom and sister to get permission and to invite them along. I cannot tell you how much I enjoy giving tours to kids that are really interested in the shelter.

I took them first to the laundry room which before looked like a regular old laundry room, but through the eyes of these two young ladies it became this exciting hub of domestic activity. Then we went and saw where we house the stray animals, and the animals that will be coming up on to the adoption floor in a few days. They were full of questions about where the animals came from, how they are taken care of, and were excited to see so many animals that they could have never guessed were even in the building.

On to the surgery room and recovery area which in reality is nothing like the really cool operating rooms on Animal Planet, but showing the space to these two kids, it suddenly seemed like it. They were fascinated and interested and asked more questions than most adult visitors to the room. I took them to our outside kennel areas, and they were really impressed with how much time the animals got to spend outside, and loved that they all had their own pool to hang out in.

I had a great time with my new friends, Rae and Anna, and even though I was totally swamped when I ran into them, I genuinely enjoyed every minute I spent with them and was thankful for the respite. Seeing the shelter through the eyes of a visitor is always interesting, but seeing the shelter through their eyes proved to be much more exciting. My place of "work" suddenly became the coolest place in Brookfield, and I was all the more proud to be here.

I was in a meeting the next day when they stopped in, though I would have gladly stepped out for a second to say hello. Instead, I was greeted by two beautiful pictures drawn by them with really nice notes on the back. I hung them on my office door as a reminder of the fun I had that day, and a reminder of how cool the shelter really is for the people we serve.

 I was unable to write yesterday, as I had to run out to take my kids for back to school hair appointments, since they have to take class pictures in August. I also just had my dogs to the groomer last weekend. I would like to share my top 10 reasons why taking your companion to the groomer is much more pleasant than getting back to school haircuts:

10. Your dog cannot ask for their hair to be styled like their favorite Disney teen celebrity, or cartoon character after you return to the waiting area.

9. You can drop your dog off and come back in a little while and not have to fear your dog telling the groomer things like "Mommy likes wine in the morning" or "Mommy does not wear pants to bed"

8. Often your groomer has a nice selection of things you actually will buy and use, unlike the hair products at a salon that they recommend to make your child's hair look like they do when you pick them up and will invariably age like fine wine under the sink until they dry up on their own.

7. Your dog cannot tell the hairdresser that you would love it if they had a permanent pink stripe of hair like Avril Lavigne.

6. Groomers sometimes make housecalls.

5. Your dog does not get mad at you if they get a haircut they do not like. Heck, they are just so happy to see you they could care less what their hair looks like.

4. The mani-pedi is included with the grooming - they will even brush your dogs teeth! Try getting the stylist at Master Cuts to brush your kid's teeth!

3. Your dog usually is on their best behavior at the groomer. Unlike my 14 year old who perfected her dirty looks in the mirror each time the stylist tried to engage in lively chit-chat. Gotta love teenage girls!

2. Your groomer does not judge you for your bad interim "trim jobs", but your child's stylist looks at you with pity upon seeing your amateur bang trim job on your young child.

1. When you get home from the groomer, your dog will not hog the bathroom for 3 hours rewashing and styling their new do.

Thanks to all the groomers out there who put up with us fussy moms and dads! I suppose I should thank all the stylists too, as they sure do a better job cutting my family's hair than I do. Although, I did marry a man who cut his own hair right before a job interview and he kind of looked like Pee Wee Herman when he was done. He did get the job, but that is a story for another blog...

The other day I had to accept that I am getting old. Surely the expanding waistline and the growing crow's feet were a sure sign of that, but I am usually able to hide those things with clever outfits or cosmetics. But this week is the 20th anniversary of Shark Week on the Discovery Channel. I cannot seem to comprehend that I have lived long enough to have done something 20 years ago.

As with most animal lovers, I not only occupy myself with the trials and tribulations of the family companions. I have a thirst for knowledge about all kinds of animals. I often amaze friends with a plethora of facts such as the gestation period for an African Elephant (22 months), the top speeds of emus and ostrich (30mph), and which types of sharks lay eggs or have live births. This type of knowledge might be useful on Jeopardy but has otherwise not gotten me very far in life.

I have loved sharks since I was a kid on Long Island. Back when I was growing up there were still fish and a thriving fishing industry in the area. There were always fish tales about sharks getting stuck in nets and ripping holes in them, or sharks eating a hooked fish right off the line. Many a child from Long Island was threatened with becoming "chum" for shark fishing when we were naughty. I did a science project for school on sharks when I was in 7th grade which got me a 2nd place ribbon for a state science fair competition.

So, naturally, when the first Shark Week came on 20 years ago, I was rapt with awe at the amazing discoveries in the world of sharks since the time of my 7th grade triumph. I lived with my Aunt and my Grandmother at the time, and me and Gram would watch Shark Week programming all evening. I have watched it faithfully every year since. It has never gotten boring.

It is hard to remember what my life was like at the time.

I was still in school. I was working in an animal hospital as a Vet Tech. I was fostering "Lincoln" for a local shelter, he was a Lab mix with a stump for a tail. I also was the proud owner of Pete the cat, who became mine when my Grandfather passed away. If someone told me then that I would be living in Wisconsin and working in an animal shelter in 20 years, I would have told them that they were crazy.

Twenty years is a long time. I think back on all of the animals that I have had the good fortune to become acquainted with and the people who loved them. I can remember all of the dogs that I have fostered and helped find new and permanent homes, the many kittens I bottle fed. It can almost be discouraging to know that I have worked so hard on behalf of so many animals, and I know so many people who have worked so much harder and it seems like there is still so much more to be done.

At the end of the day, I am pretty happy that life took me to Elmbrook Humane Society. It is hard work, the hours are long, and I will not retire a millionaire. But I am really proud to be a part of something so special. The staff and volunteers amaze me every day. The animals are always wonderful. The work we do is so important, and so necessary.

Today we had a couple of great adoptions, Bailey the Lab went to a new home with a super nice couple. Paddy the Standard Poodle got a great new home. I even got to take a puppy and a kitten to a photo shoot for an animal health product that will be in veterinary magazines. I will be here a bit longer finishing up a couple of projects, then go home to my kids and dogs, and Shark Week!

Have you purchased your Waggin' Wheels Car Raffle tickets yet? Call me (262-754-6597)! I have plenty!

First of all, I would like to send a really big thanks to Bob and Stephanie Soerens, the father-daughter team who own, and put all their passion into the family business, Soerens Ford right here in Brookfield. We spent the day with them on Sunday selling raffle tickets for our Waggin' Wheels Car raffle on Sunday. They helped us put up our tent, they kept our spirits up, they auctioned off a hat for us, and at the end of the day helped us raise about $1,700 for the shelter. Not only is Soerens a great dealership, but they are longtime supporters of EBHS and animal lovers as well!

Second, I wanted to ask for the help of everyone who reads this (Yes, you!).

We are trying to sell raffle tickets to raise money for the shelter. The winner will get to pick their choice of a brand new Ford Mustang Convertible, or a brand new Ford Edge. Each ticket is only $20 (my church car raffle tickets were $50!) and we need to sell 5,000 of them by November 8, 2008. We have the drawing that day at Soerens Ford at noon.

We need help selling tickets! If you are having an event where we can sell tickets, call me! If you will let me come up to your place of employment at lunch time and sell tickets, call me! If you would like some tickets to sell to help us reach our goal, call me! I always hear how it takes a village to raise a child, or train a dog. It will take several villages, towns and cities to help EBHS reach this goal. I keep going over the math in my head - it will take 100 people to sell 50 tickets - or 50 people to sell 100 tickets. That does not seem so impossible, does it?

If you are interested in buying a ticket - call me! I do make house calls (within reason - gas is pricey you know!).

If we sell more than 3,000 tickets (we only have 5,000 to sell) we can give away the car - if we cannot get to 3,000 we will split the money 50/50 with the winner instead. I am not above begging, so if you can help us - please call me! I can be reached at 262-754-6597.

We have been doing so many adoptions lately, for which we are very thankful! It is so great to be finding homes for so many wonderful animals. This has to be the best summer ever for EBHS in the adoption/animal department. We have one of the best groups of animals we have ever had available lately. We have also had some really great new families come into the shelter looking to expand their families.

One dog I am really hoping to find a new home for soon is Remmington. Remmington is a super loving Australian Shepherd mix. He does not like to be left alone in a kennel, and is quite adept at escaping from them. It is kind of cute to be sitting at my desk alone one minute and then the next minute find our Remmington curled up at my feet. He seems super sweet, and very eager to be around people. He should be up on the web page with a picture soon so you can see a photo of this loveable dog. If I had room at my house, and did not have a husband to keep me in line, I would love to bring that sweetie home with me, myself!

We still have many kittens available for adoption, so I hope if you have been thinking about a new kitten, you will stop in and see us. We have two black and two tortoiseshell kittens right in our lobby that would love to meet you!

Remember - think Waggin' Wheels raffle! It is a great opportunity to win a new car and help out the animals we take care of here at the shelter. Heck - even if you do not need a car, you can win it and sell it, and with better odds than the lottery - it is worth taking a chance. Don't you think?

Many of you have been hearing about different shelter activities in the news, both at Elmbrook Humane Society and the Wisconsin Humane Society. Since we have been taking many calls about it, I wanted to let you know what the situation is in regard to the WHS puppy mill dogs.

Yes, Wisconsin Humane Society was able to purchase the puppy mill business of Wallace Havens, the self-proclaimed "inventor" of the Puggle. They purchased not only his facility, but his breeding stock and remaining "inventory" as well. This of course is an excellent development for the almost 1,200 animals that called Puppy Havens home.

Wisconsin Humane has now set upon the daunting task of rehoming all of these animals. The young puppies will be the easiest to place, as they were the least traumatized by the experience. The adults, however, will be a much harder endeavor.

Supporters of Elmbrook Humane Society already know how hard it is to rehabilitate an animal that has had little human contact, no proper socialization, and years of neglect. The adult dogs rescued from this facility have a long road ahead of them. Fortunately, most dogs from puppy mills can lead relatively normal lives, if not fully recover. They will need to be in homes with no small children, with another dog already in residence to help them learn to trust people and help them learn how to be a family member instead of a breeding machine. They are also very difficult to housebreak and can have food aggression issues.

There are a few that never recover enough to be what we consider "normal" pets, but they still deserve a chance to try and live a life that most of our own animals enjoy. A life full of love, food, treats and a warm place to call home.

We will be taking animals from Wisconsin Humane Society as we can, and as they need assistance. WHS will be placing most of these animals directly through their own shelter. The puppies will be easily adopted. Some adults will also be easy to place. Some adults will go to breed rescues. Others will be in long term foster care. They are all safe now.

We heard that Wisconsin Humane Society had to open early for the many people lined up down Wisconsin Avenue who came in to adopt one of these puppies. Just remember these animals are not the only animals in Wisconsin in need of a home. There are shelters and rescue groups all across the state with wonderful animals who need a home to call their own as well.

Many of these animals reside right here at Elmbrook Humane Society.

I love public speaking. I am, in real life, a very gregarious person who is always the life of a party, and never at a loss for words. However, my bravado was taken down several (hundred) notches at a recent meeting at Brookfield City Hall.

I was invited to speak to the Licensing Committee in regard to some shelter statistics on complaints we had received in regard to the number of pets people had living in their home. The first item on the agenda was in regard to "animals at large". I was taking copious notes on the story of an unhappy citizen when she uttered the words "So, I called the Humane Society". What followed was very audible snickering, rumbling, laughing and the person behind me said "What a joke". I could feel my face turn red with shame. I had no idea what people thought of Humane Societies. Or maybe I just thought that people loved Elmbrook but thought other Humane Societies were not as great as we are.

Surely I am biased, as I spend about 60 hours a week here, and I know all the good we do for the community, and the animals here. But, it was very hard to hear, and I started praying that they would forget to call me up to the podium. Unfortunately, they did not forget me, and the walk up to the podium seemed to take about 20 minutes. Once up there, all of my saliva dried up and I had a cracking voice while trying to mutter out the statistics I came to present. I prayed for one of those large vaudeville hooks to creep in and yank me out a side door. I stumbled through a few questions, then returned to my seat.

After some more discussion, I was again asked to come up to the podium. Fortunately, my genetics had kicked in and I got my Irish up, and was able to return to the podium and speak more eloquently about the subject at hand, give more information, and hopefully my input will lead to a fair resolution of the question of animal limit laws in the City of Brookfield. I have to add, that I work and live in the City of Brookfield, and would never leave the city limits if not for the draw of Mayfair Mall and the occasional Brewer game.

But, the meeting did leave me rattled after taking in the public perception of what a Humane Society is. In fact, we even had an adopter refer to us as "dog jail" the other day. Now, if we are going to compare Elmbrook Humane Society to a prison, it would surely be one of those nice white collar prisons up in Connecticut, not one of those horrible ones on MSNBC's "Lock Up".

The animals here are confined for a portion of each day, no doubt. However, you will not find a cleaner, odor free establishment in Wisconsin - and that includes places without animals. Plus, the dogs, cats and rabbits here get more outside time than any prisoner in any jail in this country! We have dog walkers, and even dog runners who take the dogs out for plenty of play time. The cat socializers spend countless hours playing with the cats in a playroom. Even the rabbit volunteers make sure the rabbits get plenty of floor time and set up ramps for them to climb and explore play areas.

When I was a kid, the local humane society was a sea of chain link fences, barking dogs with dirty cages, and lethargic looking cats. Those days are over. Elmbrook is a happy place, with happy animals, happy employees, and happy endings each and every day. Even if you are not looking to adopt a new family member, I strongly encourage you to come to Elmbrook Humane Society and see for yourself what a great place we really are. I am very proud to work here, and I know you will be proud to know how much the people in your community care about the animals here as they helped us build this place and their support allows us to continue this work.

As a child I remember summer as being the lazy time of the year. We got to ride bikes, swim, chase fireflies and the days seemed so carefree. Flash-forward to adulthood. Summer is the craziest time of the year! I am busier in the summer than I am the whole rest of the year! I feel like I could work 24 hours a day and never catch up! At least that is the excuse I am using for not posting here for a week!

The shelter is also very busy, which is a good thing. We have lots of dogs, cats, and tons of kittens all looking for new homes! We have 6 parakeets, and 3 finches waiting for new homes as well. If you are looking for a small bird to keep company with, we are sure to have one that will be a great fit for you!

I do have good news to share! The rats and guinea pigs are finally starting to find new homes. One adopter, a sweet kid named Molly, came in to adopt 2 rats with her family. She said she had waited months and had to talk her parents into it. While rats may seem like an unorthodox choice, they actually make excellent companions. Molly told us she did her research into small animals, and had to choose between rabbits, hamsters and rats, and rats won paws down! She decided that since rats were extremely intelligent and loved to be held and interact with people, that a rat would be her best bet!  She sure looks pretty happy, and we are happy to know that our rats are going to a great home! Is there anything cuter than a picture of a girl and her rats?

We are in need of foster homes for kittens! Kittens under 8-10 weeks of age need a mother or human surrogate to care for them. They are very vulnerable at this age in a shelter environment and have the best chance of survival in a foster home setting. Fostering is hard work but caring for a life in need can be a wonderful, rewarding experience.

If you are interested in fostering a kitten, or three, or four, please contact Carol Sumbry at 262-782-9261 or via email at carol@ebhs.org.

How many years have we heard not to lock a dog in a hot car? I have been hearing that since childhood as well, yet I see dogs locked in hot cars all the time. We got a call for one today, in fact. This enterprising person thought that cracking the windows and leaving the dog a bowl of water while they were at work for 8 hours would be a good idea. The morning was cloudy, but this afternoon got sunny and hot fast.

If we say "Please" will you stop locking your dog in a hot car? Even in 70 degree weather the inside of a car can get up to 90 degrees. In the sun, a car's temperature can reach 160 degrees in just 15 minutes. Even in the shade. I can barely handle getting into my car on a hot day and waiting for the air conditioning to kick in. Imagine how hot it would be for you to sit in a hot car for 15 minutes. Today when I left work I sat in my car with the windows cracked to see how long I could stand it. It was 6:30pm, and I will tell you, after 7 minutes I had to turn on the air.

I am sure if you asked your dog if they would rather stay in the comfort of their home, or sit in a searing hot car for half an hour while you ran in to get some groceries, they would opt to stay home. I have dogs that live to ride with me in the car, but I do not take them anyplace during the summer where they would have to be left alone. I only use drive-through places in warm weather with my dogs in the car. Or, I leave them home.

There have even been cases of people leaving a dog in the car with the air conditioning running and the car will turn off the air after a certain amount of time when the car is left in idle leaving the poor animal to roast while their humans think they are taking care of them.

Let's all make a pact and not bring our dogs on every errand. Let's leave them home, and safe. I know they miss us. But better to miss us for a little while than to bear losing them in such a painful way. Dogs do not have the ability to make safe choices, so they are counting on us to make these choices for them.

Sometimes, love means having to leave them home for a little while.

If I were a Beagle, I would not be able to count how many times guests came to the shelter and looked at me and said “How cute! But too noisy!” or “They are good for hunting, but they do not make good pets”.

If I were a Beagle, I would walk over to my kennel door and call over these misinformed people and tell them that not only am I cute, but I am no noisier than any other dog in the shelter. The thing is, when a Beagle has something to say, we want to make sure that everyone can hear. Us Beagles do not make small talk – if we are barking, there is something the whole neighborhood should be aware of.

If I were a Beagle, I would further explain that there are few dogs that are better suited for life in a family. Beagles are devoted, loyal, brave and loving and make excellent companions for most families. We are the perfect size for children to pal around with. We love to take walks and be part of your life. It is common (and heartbreaking) knowledge, that Beagles are among the most desired breed of dogs to be used in laboratories because we are compact, adjust easily to confinement, and no matter what you do to a Beagle, our temperament is such that we will still give you a lick on the nose. We have never given up on people because Beagles are the eternal optimists of the dog world.

If I were a Beagle, I would readily admit that we do have some quirks. Once we get our nose on the ground and pick up the trail of a squirrel or rabbit, we can excitedly run to find them, even if our person might be calling our name. We tend to gain weight easily, so if you are a couch potato, a Beagle might be an early warning sign that you need to get up and get some exercise. We also shed, but not as bad as some breeds. Fortunately, we love to sit on your lap for a good brushing.

If I were a Beagle, I would sum up our conversation by saying that Beagles spend way too long in the shelter because people believe the bad press about Beagles. If you see a Beagle in a shelter, take a few moments to take a look into our trademark big, brown and beautiful Beagle eyes. These eyes were specially developed to be so deep and expressive that you might decide to give me a chance to prove what a great companion that I would make for you.

If I were a Beagle, I would not let you down, because a Beagle exists only to make people happy.

Dogs that before could barely jump onto a couch suddenly become able to leap over high fencing in an effort to escape the bombs bursting in air. I have a close friend who had a dog jump out of a second story screen window due to the extreme terror it felt from the fireworks on the street below. Fortunately the dog survived, but had two broken legs and needed to be sedated each subsequent Fourth of July for fear of a repeat performance.

This Fourth of July, there are precautions you can take to make sure your four-legged friends are safe and comfortable:

-- Keep your animals indoors in a secure area during peak fireworks times, and make sure you've

   removed any items that might be harmful if chewed.

-- Having a television or radio playing at low volume can help calm an animal.

-- Check with your vet in advance if you know your animal gets distressed on the 4th as they may

    be able to offer some medications to keep your companion's anxiety to a minimum (this is a last

   resort!).

-- Don't leave your animal outside unattended, even if your yard is fenced! Debris from falling fireworks

    can be fatal if ingested, and your animals can be burned by out of control rockets, or worse,

    become a target for someone who might think it was funny to aim a bottle rocket at a living

    creature.

-- Make sure your animal is wearing identification tags.

-- Leave your dog home if you're going to a fireworks display.

It is best to take the necessary steps now, rather than have a animal injured, or even killed on the road if they escape your control and run into the street.

This is another example of how important it is to expose your puppy or dog to as many things as possible so that they do not develop fears of everyday things, and even unusual things. There is a saying that each puppy should be exposed to 100 different people before it is 6 months old. You should also make sure that you bring adult dogs out for as much socialization that is possible, depending on their personality.

The best advice a vet friend gave me was to make sure your dog got a lot of exercise during the day on Fourth of July so that they can try to sleep through the festivities and fireworks show. I think that is what I will be doing myself!