Shelter Life from Shorty's Point of View


Shorty for President!
Hi! Maybe I should have told my people friends I needed to use the office for my campaign headquarters. Well as the saying goes, the cat's out of the bag now. Time to face the music!
"Shorty, what in the world is going on here? Why is the office filled with all these banners and posters saying Shorty for President? Please tell me that I'm having a bad dream, and when I awake all this Shorty for President stuff will be gone, nothing more than a figment of my imagination."
Well if you would give me a chance to explain...
"Yes, I definitely think an explanation is in order! I go out of town for a couple of days, leaving things in your care and you turn my office into your campaign center! Just a few minutes ago the phone rings, I answer it, and a voice on the other end asked me to confirm the number of campaign buttons we were ordering! And what made you think on the spur of the moment that you should run for the presidency?"
I'm sorry, I meant to say something but... Anyway now that everything is out in the open, I certainly could use some help putting up campaign posters all over town, and I'll also need help passing out my campaign buttons at the shelter's "Holiday Magic" Craft Show on the 11th of November. I will be so busy greeting people, and signing pawtographs, and kissing a baby or two... that I won't be able to be everywhere at once.
"Shorty, Whoa! Buttons, banners, flyers, kissing babies, hold on there, you can't run for president!"
HUMPH! And give me one good reason why not. You can't use the flimsy excuse that cats can't run for office, because if you remember, Morris went on the campaign trail back in 1988.
"That's true but Morris had TV ads and newspaper ads, that a well renowned cat food company paid for. As it stands right now, your name isn't even on the ballot."
Not having my name on the ballot isn't a major problem, I am counting on the write in vote.
"Ok so you have that part figured out, but what major issues do you hope to address if you were to be elected?"
As for my political platform, I think I have a very good agenda planned. I believe what the animals in this country could use is a leader that cares about their needs and problems. If I am elected, I would like to amend the constitution, and add to it the "Animals Bill of Rights", which would include freedom from cruel and inhumane treatment, freedom from being used in laboratory experiments, freedom from being overworked, ie livery horses, (and although the following issues aren't as deep they are important to my fellow dog and cat constituents), freedom to go to the refrigerator to get whatever it is you would like to eat whenever you feel like eating it, freedom to sit in the comfiest chair in the house...
"Okay Shorty, you don't have to go any further, I'll be the first to admit that you have a carefully thought out platform, and for the most part your ideas are very good."
Well then, can I count on your vote? And from now on how about addressing me as Mr. President, I like the way that sounds.
"Okay Mr. President, if you go to Washington, what are we going to do without you at the shelter?"
Gee I hadn't thought about that. I know the country will continue to run even if I am not the Commander in Chief. But I am not sure how well the shelter could run without me there.
"Shorty you do have a point, without you the shelter just wouldn't be the same, but with you as President, the country would never be the same!"
Hmmmmmm I don't know whether to take that as a put-down or a compliment.
"Definitely a compliment, Shorty. Oh by the way Shorty, Sam is looking for you, she said something about a photo shoot with her giving you a big kiss, to get the dog and dog lover's vote."
Oh no, here comes Sam, she thinks the photo shoot is still on! I have to get going before she sees me. Uhoh too late, I've been slimed! Kissing babies isn't bad but ugh dog lips! On second thought politics isn't everything I thought it would be, and I have enough to do just running the shelter. I think I'll leave politics alone. Thank goodness no more dog lips!


Love, Shorty

P.S.
Anyone who is baking for the craft show don't forget to bring me a sampler plate of cookies. Somebody has to test them, and I am willing to make that sacrifice for the shelter and for my country.
"Shorty"!
Uhoh, gotta run!


Discrimination Suit Update
We promised to keep you posted on how the discrimination suit against the shelter is going. We were told by the hearing officer that it may take up to 7 months for a judgement to be made regarding this case, and so far we have not heard any more. As the old adage goes, no news is good news.
We want to thank everyone who called and wrote letters in support of our decision, for upholding (what we feel is our right) to deny an adoption on the grounds the placement would not be in the puppys best interest. We do not feel any animal should be chained outside 24 hours a day, day in and day out, let alone an 8 week old puppy! We know our decision was the right one, and we will continue to stick by that policy no matter what.

Animal Care Clinic Car Wash for T.L.C.
Animal Care Clinic changed its venue for the day, and became a car wash in order to raise money to help the animals at T.L.C.. We want to thank Emily Konzcal, Melinda Konzcal, Dr. Rob Robbins and Family, Tricia Hupac, Adam Hupac, Ted Hupac, Ryan Kittler, Ed and Jennifer Frayne, the Endebak family, and Dr. Edward O'Brien for getting up to their elbows in suds! Dr. O'Brien supplied all the car wash necessities and made a matching contribution to bring the total for the day up to $1.080.00! Thanks one and all for going all out to help the critters!

Good Golly Miss Molly, Now She Sure Has a Ball!
In the previous issue of Paw Prints, you probably remember reading about the plight of Mama Dog, a stray that was brought to the shelter along with her litter of eleven one day old puppies. If this weren't sad enough, Mama Dog had many other obstacles to overcome including Toxic Necrotic Mastitis, which required the surgical removal of two breasts, and being the necessity of removing her from her then 3 week old puppies due to the surgery. She had also been abused, frightened more so of women than men, which made caring for her a little tricky in the beginning.
We knew whoever adopted Mama Dog would have to give her alot of time, because it would take much longer to heal the wounds from abuse left on her memory, than the time needed to heal from her surgeries. Slowly but surely she began to accept us.
Frank Dunn had read the article too, and he felt sorry for Mama Dog, although he was hesitant to come to the shelter to see her. Frank's old dog had just died, and he felt very lost without his buddy. At this point in time, he did not think he was ready to take another dog into his home and his heart, but the more he thought about Mama Dog's plight, the more he wanted to see her. (Frank has been a friend of the shelter for years and has helped us in many ways, yet Frank prefers not going into the kennels to view the dogs because they all pull at his heartstrings.)
After spending a goodly amount of time with Mama Dog, Frank decided they would give each other a try. Frank said she needed a good home, and he needed a canine buddy, but first he had to give her a proper name, and decided on Molly. He said Molly sounded similar to Mama, and would be easier for her to adjust to. The first few days in her new home were the hardest. There were so many things Mama Dog was afraid of, including the television. Now they watch TV together, with Molly resting her head on Frank's arm. The only problem now, Frank quips, is that Molly wants her own remote! Molly loves to ride in the truck with Frank, going nearly everywhere with him, which includes going to work with Frank too! Her favorite stops though, are fast food restaurants and the local ice cream shop where Frank buys Molly her own cone.
Toys were also something unknown to Molly, it is sad to think a dog just a year and a half old knew nothing of how to play, we honestly believe she never had a chance to be a puppy, and get to do the things that a normal puppy would get to do. Frank had to take the time to teach Molly how to play. When Frank first attempted to throw a ball to Molly or a toy for her to fetch, she reacted as if she were going to be beaten with it. But now things are different, she just loves to play, and seems to be making up for lost time...
"Good golly Miss Molly, now she sure has a ball!"

Great Garage Sale
It was another great garage sale for the shelter, thanks to Sharon Hager, Donna Holous, and Annie Coleman. For the past few years these ladies have held a garage sale to benefit the animals at T.L.C.. You can't imagine all the work they go through, collecting, pricing, getting publicity, setting up, selling and then cleaning up, but the end results really paid off with a grand total of $800.00. Thank you!

What's Hiding Under Those Cushions?
Ms. Peterson's first grade class at Saint Raymond's School in Joliet, wanted to raise money for the animals at T.L.C. The students wanted a name for their group, and decided upon "Paw Prints, Hands Helping Paws", which we thought very apropos. The kids made banks out of coffee cans they decorated, and then delivered the banks to each classroom, and explained what their project was all about. They told the rest of the students to scout around for loose change at home, being sure to check under cushions, car seats, even the washing machine. Some of the kids even reached into their own piggy banks to help the animals. Handfuls of loose change quickly added up to $275.00! Thanks kids for caring!

Bertha Fund helps Again
This little pup acquired a broken leg from having fallen into a crawl space. It is not known if the leg was broken due to the fall, or from trying to extricate the puppy from the predicament he was in. He was brought to the shelter with a cast on. but upon examination, it was deemed that the cast would have to be removed and a new cast would be required since the puppy was in a growth spurt. Leaving the original cast on would have created bone growth complications. But thanks to the "Bertha Fund" that many of you have contributed to, the costs for the pup's care were covered.



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