So Much To Catch Up On: Part 1

Love Is In The Air

With the warmer weather seems to come increased adoptions and, unfortunately, increased drop-offs. Here are a few of our recent adoptions:

Hobo (now Diago) is in a wonderful new home with 2 doggie brothers, a large, fenced in back yard and 2 parents who love him tremendously!

Here's a picture of brother and sister, Salem & Jade, in their new home together!

Here is a shot of sweet Keesha on her way to be spayed before going to her new forever home! Keesha sure has come a long way since she was dropped off and terrified of everyone! 

Here's Blizzard (now Oliver) asleep in his new forever home. Pink blankets are much more comfy than the snow pile Blizzard was found in!

Here's Kendra being picked up to be brought to her new home across the province! It's because of  the wonderful people who donated to Kendra's recovery that she is now fully recovered from her near death by Hartz Products. We beg you, please never use Hartz products on any animals. Hartz Kills! Kenda is one of the lucky ones.

Jax, the sweet dog tied on outside of Wal-Mart and then re-homed by a "rescuer" and thrown outside, has also found his forever home with a wonderful family. Jax has gone from being a terrified dog abandoned twice, to a wonderful family pet who will be cherished to the end of his days. 

While these animals were all so very lucky to find forever homes, it didn't work out quite so well for 2 of SCAPA's animals. Both Dallas (dog) and Cloud (cat) were placed into homes, but were both given up on and passed back to SCAPA. We are very thankful that Cloud's former foster home agreed to take him back until finding a new home. And Dallas has come back to stay at SCAPA until we can find him a real forever home.

We beg those who are considering getting an animal to think through their decision very carefully. Cloud was returned because the adopter was moving. If you are not willing to take your animal with you when you move please do not get one! These are animals that bond with you, love you and depend on you. They are not furniture to be left behind because they are too difficult to transport. We know there can be extenuating circumstances, but it is your responsibility to find your beloved pet another loving and responsible owner.

Dallas was returned because the child in the house did not like him. DO NOT get a pet for your young child unless you are willing to take on all the responsibility. Do not get a pet based on a passing fancy. Children can, and often will, grow tired with an animal. If you yourself are not committed to that animal for it's entire life (as you are to your child), please do not get one.

It's an unfortunate part of shelter life that the animals can so often be bounced from one so-called home to another. We do our very best to ensure we do not adopt any of our animals to such homes, but unfortunately some slip past and then come back to us. Please help us help them. Don't be a part of this problem. Adopting an animal is never a decision that should be taken lightly.


As the weather warms and babes are born, they are abandoned as well. We have had 4 kittens recently dropped off at SCAPA. Two kittens were dropped off by a man, who simply told us that they would be dumped somewhere else if SCAPA did not take them. These 2 male kittens have been placed in foster care.

Statler

Waldorf

The other 2 kittens, 2 females, were found like this one morning at the shelter:

The tied up bin was opened to reveal these beauties:

All of the kittens are in foster care as SCAPA is currently full. 

We beg you, if you cannot help with time, skills, donations or adoptions, PLEASE do not add to the problem. Spay and neuter your pets! It saves lives! 

Be Part of the Solution, Not the Problem

The volunteers of SCAPA have been busy as usual, trying to make a positive difference in the lives of abandoned animals in the Bay St. George area. Unfortunately, it often seems as if we are heading upstream without a paddle. Here are some recent stories from the past few weeks and the lessons that these cases can teach us:

A few weeks ago SCAPA got a call about a sick cat. He was found by a woman who believed his back legs to be broken. She proceeded to put him in her shed with the mindset that she could heal him on her own. He had suffered in her care for 2 days before she called SCAPA. As soon as SCAPA got the call they called the emergency line for our local vet and went to get him straight away. It was immediately clear that his legs were not broken, but that he had an infection. He could barely move due to his sickness. He was rushed to the clinic where he tested positive for FIV/FELV. Unfortunately, he was too far gone to save. In his final moments he was given the name Handsome and was given more love than he probably ever received in his entire life.

LESSON: Unless you are a trained veterinarian, NEVER assume you can heal an animal on your own. If you ever come across a sick or injured animal please call your local shelter or your local veterinarian (they always have an emergency line for after hours) IMMEDIATELY! Good intentions should always be paired with good judgement for a good outcome.

Meet Jax. Jax is a beautiful boarder collie mix (medium sized) who has had a hard time in his short life. He is a male dog, just under a year old, who was left tied outside of Wal Mart. He was taken from there and put into a home by a rescuer. He was kicked out from that home for peeing on the floor and it was said he was to be put down if no home was found. When I picked him up he was extremely nervous, but after spending some time with us he warmed up and showed us how sweet and polite of a dog he really is. It is clear from his demeanour that Jax wasn't always treated kindly.

Jax spent the night with me in my home before going to SCAPA. He was extremely nervous of my dogs, but with short and spaced out visits with them he had warmed up a great deal in the short time he stayed with me. It also became clear that Jax has no issues when it comes to urinating in the house. While it is common for a dog on unfamiliar territory to have an accident, Jax didn't have a single one. In fact, when he needed to pee, he told me immediately by going over to the door that I was taking him in and out of, giving it a good hard sniff and look, then coming over to me, sitting and staring me straight in the face. Anyone who knows their own animal knows this look. I wasn't sure what kind of night I was in for with this strange dog, but he completely won me over. He was calm, gentle and quiet. And he soaked up as much affection as he could get. It was extremely hard for me to let this guy go. I can't imagine a better temperament in a dog. His first day at SCAPA he was extremely nervous of the other dogs, but he was given his own space. By day 2, our sweet girl Roxy had won him over and they became fast friends.

LESSON: To anyone who is a part of rescue or wishes to become a part of a rescue, please screen potential adopters before placing an animal in a home, we beg you! It is not beneficial to an animal, in any way, to bounce from home to home. While some adoptions may fall through, this cannot always be helped, you need to ask questions of those looking to adopt. Jax should have never been placed in a home where he would be thrown out for a simple accident. Also, if you have an animal, please pay attention to what they are trying to communicate. Know your pet. Not all animals are vocal about what they want, but with some simple observation you will quickly learn what they mean.


A few days ago we rescued a very small dog who was taken in at a local retirement home by the kind hearted residents and workers, and nicknamed Cocoa. He was seen roaming the area off and on for a few weeks. Cocoa was a very small and nervous dog, weighing no more than 10lbs, if that. We drove him out to the veterinary clinic in Maidstone, about an hour away, where he was to be fostered with one of the veterinarians. What felt like a good evening's work was quickly shattered. On our drive back we got a call from the veterinarian that Cocoa's owner had posted him on facebook as missing. While finding an owner should be good news it can also leave you with a sinking feeling. The owner stated that she often lets the dog out off leash and he usually comes back. The area Cocoa was found roaming is a very busy street leading out of town in which many folks come into doing highway speeds. Cocoa is also unaltered, so it's quite likely he may impregnate another dog, if he hasn't already, creating more unwanted animals.

LESSON: While not everyone will agree, we believe it is important to keep your pet on a leash when in a populated area. Yes, it was common practice to let your pets roam only a few short decades ago. However, times have changed. Our cities and towns grow more populated. Our streets have become much busier. And the chance of your beloved pet getting struck by a vehicle is much more likely. Even if your pet doesn't usually wander into the street, it only takes once. If something interesting enough is on the other side of the road and there's no-one there to stop him/her, chances are that road is getting crossed. We need to change with the times and not just utter the ignorant phrase, "This is how it always been done."

Furthermore, if your animal isn't fixed for whatever reason, it is YOUR responsibility to ensure that it doesn't breed. This means that your pet should only be let out of the house on a leash that has you on the other end of it so that you can stop anything from happening before it begins. Please don't create any more unwanted life, as there is already so much.

We beg you, be part of the solution, not the problem.

Update

My apologies for those that follow our blog on my 3 week hiatus. So lets get an update on a few things going on with SCAPA!

Beginning With Trooper
As I'm sure most of Trooper's followers know by now, Trooper is back home in Newfoundland and recovering while he stays with his foster mom, Dolores Samms. While he will still need plenty of time and care on his road to a recovery he is improving each day. Every day Trooper does physiotherapy to build back up the muscle in his back leg by walking for short spurts, increasing a bit each day. He is enjoying lounging, playing with his new family (made up of both the human and feline variety), and getting love from his daily visitors. He is basking in the attention, following visitors with his eyes as they enter and not looking away for a moment until they've come over and gave him a proper hello! Trooper really is living up to his name! Please visit our facebook group and Trooper's facebook group for tons of pictures, videos and updates!

Click here to visit
Trooper's Facebook Page.

Or here to visit
SCAPA's Facebook Page.

New Arrivals

Two of our newest arrivals at SCAPA are Keesha and Blizzard.

Keesha is a small and very sweet female dog approximately 1 year of age. She was found being left at the door of SCAPA as the person who dropped her off slunk away. She's a small girl of reddish brown colour. When I first met Keesha she cowered in fear of me, but it only took a few moments with me crouching down to her level, avoiding eye contact and talking to her sweetly and softly with my hand extended for her to sniff for her to realize that I meant no harm. And then came the loving! Lots of kisses were to follow! Keesha has made great progress with her fear and is quickly becoming one of the SCAPA family (yes, they really are a family!). She's now great with cats and her human visitors. If you are interested in Keesha please get in contact with us. We will get a picture posted as soon as we can!

Blizzard is a young male cat who was found in the St.George's area during our last big storm. He was both freezing and starving when a kind man found him and gave him shelter, warmth, food and water overnight until he was able to contact SCAPA and pass him along to us. Blizzard is grey and white, quite fluffy and with one of the most charming temperaments I've come across. If you are looking for a very affectionate kitty, Blizzard may just be for you! We hope to have a picture of him soon (once he stops rolling all over the place for loving and lets us take one!).

Fundraiser

If you are in the Stephenville area Saturday, March 24th stop by the College of the North Atlantic to have an 8x10 photo taken of your family, children, or even yourself by Susan Tulk Reid. Proceeds of the 8x10 photo ($10) will go to SCAPA! The shoot starts at 9am and ends at 6:30pm and takes place in Cobham's Dining Room at CNAs main building.

For more information on the shoot, including samples of Susan's work, please visit the facebook event
Spring Portrait Fundraiser Photoshoot.

Thank you everyone for reading and for your support. Until next time, please remember...

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated” -Mahatma Gandhi

Trooper Prints

We'd like to give a BIG thank you to artist Crystal Shannon. Crystal has created a beautiful hand drawing of Trooper and is selling the prints to raise money for his on going treatment and medical costs. All profits will go directly to SCAPA.

If you would like to purchase one of these beautiful prints please click here to be taken to Crystal's page: Trooper Prints.

To take a look at Crystal's other beautiful work please visit her website here: C.Shannon Artwork.

I'd also like to draw your attention to the right side of the screen. I have added some pictures of some of the very adoptable cats currently residing at SCAPA. All are looking for forever homes. If you are interested in adopting or fostering one of our lovely animals, please contact us.

While One Lives, Another Dies

As I'm sure most Trooper supporters know by now, Trooper had surgery today at AVC (Atlantic Veterinary College) in Charlottetown, PEI. After showing some signs of improvement regarding the nerve damage in his bladder and tail, the veterinarians decided to go ahead with Trooper's surgery today. While we were initially worried that Trooper would lose both his hind legs, good news came a few short days ago that only one would need to be removed. Trooper's leg was so badly damaged due to the frost bite he endured after spending hours frozen in the ice that they had no choice but to remove it. He was also neutered during the surgery, which lasted 2 1/2 hours. After waking the brave little guy was both groggy and cranky, but who wouldn't be! He is currently resting and his condition is being monitored. Please keep Trooper in your thoughts and prayers while he continues on his road to recovery.


While a sense of relief came with the good news regarding Trooper, SCAPA got hit in the face with a harsh dose of reality this past Wednesday. A large, male cat was brought to SCAPA's doors wrapped up in a box, obviously in very rough shape; bleeding from his private area. He was immediately rushed to our local clinic where Dr. Boyd did everything she could for him. Once he was hooked up to everything available at this small clinic he was then rushed to the fully equipped clinic in Maidestone. Here he took a heart attack. He was resuscitated by Dr. McGregor, but lost again. This beautiful boy did not make it. According to Dr. McGregor of West Coast Veterinary Services, he had a urinary track infection that was simply left for too long without treatment.

Thank you to both Dr. Boyd and Dr. McGregor who gave him the best chance he had. And a BIG THANK YOU to the 2 women who saw this sick boy and took it upon themselves to do something.

Before these caring women saw him, he had been wandering the area for about 1 week. While many people saw him, they assumed he lived in the area so they didn't report him to anyone. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to tell weather a wandering animal has a home, as many people still let their pets wander. We beg you, if you have pets PLEASE keep them inside and only allow them outside on leash and under supervision. You wouldn't let your young child play and wander the streets alone, please don't let your furry friends do so either!

We encourage you, if you see a wandering animal, do not assume it has a home. Get close to the animal, if possible, and check them out for yourselves. And if you aren't completely sure, please call SCAPA or your local rescue. It's better to be safe than sorry. If we had gotten to this sick boy sooner his life may have been spared.

Unfortunately, cases like this are not rare in our area. Please spread the word, educate when the opportunity presents itself, and support your local No-Kill, No-Cage animal shelter. Together we can make a difference!

Trooper's Trip to PEI

When we picked Trooper up at the Humber Valley Veterinary Clinic this morning he was surrounded by some of the friends he's made thus far, basking in the affection of his well wishers. Goodbyes were bitter-sweet. While he will be missed by those who have gotten to know him, everyone was glad to know he was off to get the best care possible at the Atlantic Veterinary College in Charlottetown, PEI. Thank you so much to Dr. Tibble and the staff at the Humber Valley Veterinary Clinic who looked after Trooper after his initial emergency care. And another big thank you to Dr. Boyde and staff who handled Trooper's emergency care at the WestCoast Veterinary Clinic.

When we arrived at the Deer Lake airport we were greeted by a welcome wagon, consisting of Linda, Krista and Haley, toting a sign and gifts for Trooper and Gwen. It was wonderful to be able to connect with them, in person, for the first time. Trooper was also greeted by staff and a number of curious people in the airport. Trooper's story hasn't only touched many, but it has brought people together as well. New connections have been made for many Animal Rescues and by working together we are sure to make an even bigger impact on the lives of those who need us.

Trooper's trip went well. While he was a bit nervous at take off, he quickly settled down for a nice snooze. On his 2nd flight Trooper was able to stay on the seat next to Gwen, even enjoying the view from the window seat! Once landed, Gwen and Trooper were met by Doug from the PEI Humane Society who escorted them directly to AVC. Thank you Doug for being there for both Gwen and Trooper!

At AVC some initial tests were ran on Trooper and the veterinarians are hopeful. Tomorrow is a holiday in PEI, but they will be scheduling his surgery soon after. More tests will be ran in the mean time. Please continue to keep Trooper in your thoughts and prayers.

And another big thank you to Maureen Ward Steele for the endless hours she has spent arranging hotel and cab services for Gwen.

For more photos and videos of Trooper please visit the SCAPA (No-Kill, No-Cage Animal Shelter) or the Trooper's for Trooper facebook page.

A Quick Update on Trooper

Trooper is still in good spirits, eating and drinking lots. Both Gwen and Trooper will be leaving Deer Lake airport tomorrow, Sunday February 19th, at 1:30pm. We would like to give a big thanks to Frances Drover of the Corner Brooke SPCA who arranged Gwen's flight and applied all the donated air miles.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to everyone who has supported us throughout it all, none of this would be possible without you. We apologize if we forget to mention anyone in our thanks, and wish we could thank each and every person individually. We've all been a bit like chickens with our heads cut off lately.

You may have noticed that we have increased our ChipIn goal to $9000. When we originally set the goal we were in the dark about what treatment would be required. We are still unaware of an exact amount, but the costs are climbing and we have to consider his on going costs as well. It's amazing to see just how much has been donated already and we can't thank you enough! We have received some news that the ChipIn account has been failing at times. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. It seems that if you continually try it will eventually work, however please see previous posts to find other ways to donate if you are having trouble.

A new facebook group has been started just for Trooper where you can find more pictures and a new video, you can find it by following the link: Troopers for Trooper.

We will be back with an update as soon as we know more!