EBHS Unleashed

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!