Leon County Humane Society

Got Towels? We Need 'Em!

Tue, 01 May 2012 17:54:22 GMT

Our monthly Dog Washes are always very fun, but very soggy too!

As you might imagine, we use lots of towels to get all those just-bathed dogs dry, and this month we find ourselves in need of a fresh supply.

So if you have any towels to donate, we'll take them!

The dogs don't care if they're old, ugly, plain or mismatched, just as long as they're big enough and absorbent anough to get a wet dog dry, and we can use as many as you can bring us.

Towels can be dropped off anytime at the LCHS office at 413 Timberlane Road. (If after hours, please place the towels in a plastic bag on our front porch.)

Adopt-A-Thon Extravaganza this Weekend!

Tue, 01 May 2012 17:11:54 GMT

Look for the tent at PetSmart and join us for a three-day-long adoption extravaganza! Many local rescue groups will have animals for adoption all weekend long.

Join us for this MayDay Adopt-A-Thon and find your Spring sweetheart!

Adopters will receive a coupon for a FREE bag of Purina Pro Plan brand dog or cat food (maximum value of $13.99).

Also receive many other store coupons and savings to get you started off right with your new family member!

Adopt-A-Thon hours are:

Friday 6-8pm

Saturday 11-4pm

Sunday 11-4pm

Location: PetSmart at 3220 Capital Circle NE, Tallahassee

This Charming Cat Needs Your Help

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 20:19:31 GMT

Raddar came to LCHS from a small, rural shelter where he had been waiting for a home since he was abandoned there a year before. He was born with a defective eye and when he entered our Foster Program, the vet determined that it would eventually be neccessary to have it removed.

But before he can undergo the complex and delicate surgery required to remove his damaged eye, Raddar must first be treated for a severe upper respiratory infection. Daily breathing treatments and antibitotics are helping him steadily improve, but this brave boy still has a long road and major surgery ahead of him.

Raddar has had a rough beginning, but with lots of love and quality medical care, he will soon be healthy, happy and ready to start a new chapter of his life with his own family. Help us make that possible by donating to his care via the button below!

You Helped Us Save Gyzmoe & His Friends

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 20:06:02 GMT

Earlier this year, Gyzmoe was rescued from a hoarding situation with open, festering wounds and several other serious ailments. He came into the LCHS Foster Program with eight other cats when LCHS responded to an urgent request from Leon County Animal Control, one of our ASPCA Community Partners.

A well-meaning couple had become overwhelmed by unaltered cats that quickly multiplied from just a handful to over twenty housed in one small mobile home. Disease spread rapidly amongst them, resulting in a very unhealthy situation for both cats and people.

LCHS treated the rescued cats for severe upper respiratory infections, intestinal parasites and coccidia. Their medical treatments were expensive and it took more than a month to get the group of affectionate cats healthy! Once they were well and spayed/neutered, these loving cats didn’t linger at LCHS. One by one they were adopted into wonderful homes until only Gyzmoe, who had the longest recovery period, was left waiting for a person of his own. With your support, we can help him find a home and be prepared to care for more just like him.

Fauna & Her Brothers and Sisters Have a Second Chance Thanks to You!

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 20:26:01 GMT

In early March, LCHS received a call from the City Animal Services Center (one of our ASPCA Community Partners) about a group of 4-week-old boxer mix puppies.

The pups were very ill and lethargic, with such extreme symptoms of malnourishment that the bones of their feet were too soft to support their weight, causing their toes to splay out unnaturally. Additionally, Fauna, Silvermist, Vidia and Terrence had severe anemia, acute coccidia and were infested with intestinal parasites.

Placed into LCHS’ Foster Program, it was touch-and-go with these sweet puppies as they fought for their lives. The medical care for each puppy was expensive, as it involved three rounds of deworming, coccidia and anemia treatments. It took round-the-clock care and high-caloric specialty food to finally get these babies healthy.

Once all four pups had overcome their illnesses, it wasn’t long before their friendly dispositions had all but one of them adopted. Only Fauna is still waiting for her forever home, but meanwhile she’s enjoying just being a healthy, happy and pampered puppy in her wonderful foster home - all thanks to the generous support of people like you who help LCHS to save lives every day!

Help Us Keep Jazz's Lucky Streak Going

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:43:58 GMT

In pain and exhausted, Jazz had been in labor for more than two days with a stillborn puppy when she was abandoned at Animal Aid Spay & Neuter Clinic. She made it through the emergency surgery required to save her life, but given her condition, the vet staff doubted she would survive the night.

But Jazz has an indomitable spirit and she proved it by not only surviving the surgery but also healing quickly despite being heartworm positive.

As you can imagine, the vet office environment was very stressful for the sweet little dog, so Animal Aid asked LCHS to place her in our Foster Program. Today, Jazz is in a loving foster home preparing to start her heartworm treatment. With continued luck and some help from you, she will be ready for her very own forever home in no time!

First Dog Wash of 2012 Season a Bark-erfic Success!

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 22:14:28 GMT

(Pssst, want to make getting your dog washed even more convenient? Check out the Dog Wash Season Pass!)

Our best dog wash ever raised over $2000 for the foster animals of LCHS thanks to the enthusiastic participation of people like you! Forty volunteers washed, dried, clipped nails and dipped more than 130 dogs between 10am and 2pm on April 12th.

It was beautiful day for a bath, and everyone from the dogs to their owners, to the many amazing volunteers who helped make it possible had a great (and slightly soggy) time. Join us again on May 12th for the next Dog Wash!

2012 Dog Wash Photo Album »

Special THANKS and KUDOS to Cindi Owen Briley, Liz and Bob Maryanski, Rachel Williams, Lisa Glunt, Monica Turner, Barbie Ward, Jarrod Hollis, Cal and Ruth Ogburn, Bob and Donna Downing, AKTION CLUB members, Annie and Monica Frehn, Karen Godbey, Mallory Bair and all the CHICS, NRHH, Delta Nu Zeta, and all our wonderful LCHS volunteers!

New T-Shirts for Sale - Life is Better With Pets!

Sat, 14 Apr 2012 12:05:08 GMT

You know that life is better with pets. Now you can let everyone else know with these beautiful t-shirts! We have a range of sizes available and each t-shirt is only $15.

Shirts can be purchased at the LCHS office at 413 Timberlane Road, or online via the button below. There is a shipping charge of $2.50 for online orders.

Day Lilies Are Here Just in Time for Spring

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:27:43 GMT

LCHS friend Barry Mittan, Bronze Paw Sponsor & Master Gardener, is once again helping the animals by harvesting variously colored bulbs and making randomly mixed bags of them. Plus, to help the animals even more, this year Mr. Mittan has also offered other types of flower bulbs available for special order.

ORDERING IS NOW CLOSED. Thank You!

Plants are being harvested now by master gardener Barry Mittan. They will be ready to pick up at the LCHS office 413 Timberlane Road on:

Monday April 30th, 1:00pm – 6:00pm

Tuesday May, 1:00pm – 6:00pm

Wednesday, 1:00pm – 6:00pm

If you have placed an order for the Agapanthus bulbs they will NEED TO BE PICKED UP on Monday April 30th as they are being harvested the same day & have a fragile root system. They will need to be planted within 24 hours of being harvested.

Our wonderful LCHS volunteers will help distribute the orders & we accept cash & checks.

We've heard many compliments from past clients on how beautifully their day lilies are blooming!

100% of the proceeds for this fundraiser will go to the LCHS Animal Medical Expense Fund!

A Cat Mom Makes Fostering Bottle Baby Kittens a Snap!

Sat, 14 Apr 2012 12:34:44 GMT

That was easy!

That’s what I’m saying about fostering mom-cat Dapple and her four plump, healthy kittens. The kittens are only two weeks old, and if they were bottle babies I’d have my hands full feeding, cleaning, keeping them warm and carrying them around with me.

But lucky me! Dapple does all the work, and does a much better job of it than any human could. All I have to do is provide plenty of fresh water and good food and clean and tidy her litter box, crate and bedding once a day. Oh, and pet and play with her clean and healthy babies frequently!

If you read my story about raising my tiny bottle baby Greyson and wanted to help but thought, “There’s no way I could do all that on top of my work/school/family obligations!”, this might be your answer.

For the first four weeks, mom and babies are content to be quiet and together in a large crate or small quiet room. After that, the kittens start to explore and mom understandably needs some “me time”. If the prospect of rambunctious teenage kittens is not your idea of fun, LCHS has foster homes that specialize in this stage of life and who will gladly welcome the whole feline family into their home once the nursing stage is over!

If you would like more information on fostering a feline family or any other pet, give us a call at our office at 850-224-9193 and ask to speak with our Cat Foster Coordinator, Lisa Glunt, or email her directly.

Mega Match-A-Thon was a MEGA Success with 186 Lives Saved!

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 14:29:47 GMT

Sunday, April 1st

Nearly 150 people were waiting in line outside the old Goodys location at the Tallahassee Mall by the time the doors opened for the Tallahassee Community Partnership's first ever ASPCA Mega Match-A-Thon. They were eager to meet the hundreds of animals waiting inside, ready to be adopted. And the animals were eager to meet them! With $20 adoption fees and dozens of matchmakers on hand to help find the right pet, adopting had never been easier than during the Mega Match-A-Thon.

Adopters were also treated to free gift bags of pet supplies, free pet ID tags, free pet food, free family photos (courtesy of Fur by Robin Adams) and more!

The partnership's goal of 100 adopted pets was met before noon and quickly surpassed, with an average of 23 adoptions per hour! The final tally came in at a whopping 186 adoptions, 59 of which were animals from the LCHS Foster program. All told, 33 foster dogs and 26 foster cats found wonderful homes at the event, including Juniper, a cat who had been in our program for more than 2 years!

You can view photos of the newly adopted pets and their families by entering your name and email address after clicking the link below. There are some incredible smiles on the faces of people and pets alike!

Mega Match-A-Thon Photo Gallery by Robin Adams »

Overall, the Mega Match-A-Thon was a great success, with almost double the number of adoptions hoped for, a live radio remote by John & Tammy of STAR 98.9, dozens of local vendors, 43 spay/neuter vouchers distributed by Be the Solution, Inc., and a huge turn-out from our amazing Tallahassee community. We hope you will join us for our next Mega Match-A-Thon!

The ASPCA Mega Match-A-Thon was made possible by a generous grant from the ASPCA and by the volunteers who turned out in force to help make this day such a success! We would also like to especially thank the Tallahassee Mall, Dr. Liz Blount of At Home Veterinary Care, Tallahassee Democrat, WCTV, STAR 98.9 and Fur by Robin Adams for their contributions to the event.

Photos from the Mega Match-A-Thon

Friends Fur Life Brings Hope to Area Seniors & Their Pets

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 17:19:17 GMT

Saturday March 17

Leon County Humane Society staff and volunteers worked to bring a little of the luck of the Irish to senior citizens in the Tallahassee area. This is LCHS’s fifth year coordinating the Friends Fur Life program which collects and distributes pet supplies to senior citizens with furry friends who, like many of us, have been faced with economic hardships.

Pet food, toys, beds, collars, bowls and other supplies have been collected for months by the Leon County Humane Society, and thanks to the hard work and generosity of local donors, the wish-lists of more than 70 clients have been filled. The morning of St. Patrick’s Day, a dozen volunteer drive teams gathered at Gilchrist Elementary at the crack of dawn, and embarked to deliver packages of pet food and supplies all over Northwest Florida.

All deliveries to Casa Calderon, a local assisted living facility, were met with smiles, warmth and genuine thanks.

This program is a good thing,” said Arianne Davis, pausing to kiss her chihuahua, Precious. “I am just running out of food from my delivery last year.”

Many of the seniors assisted by this program met their pets many years ago, either as strays or in local shelters. One resident recounted finding her now 15 year old cat as a kitten in her apartment complex, abandoned by her former owners. “I came back from the laundry room and she walked right into my apartment and laid down on my bed. She picked me and we’ve been together ever since.”

Sue Deese and Surely

There are many touching tales to be told of the love shared by these seniors and their pets. Sue Deese proudly displays the bond between her and her furry friend to everyone she meets. Ms. Deese greeted volunteers sitting in her motorized scooter with her dog, Surely, placed proudly at her feet, wearing a pearl necklace. “She rides around like this,” Deese laughed. “I take her downstairs and outside like this 4 or 5 times a day, she loves it.”

These seniors and their stories serve as a reminder that the animal friends that are brought into families early in life, often remain with them for a long time. It is important to remember that we are as fortunate to have our pets as they are to have us, and none of the clients of Friends Fur Life have forgotten this. The program completed a successful fifth year thanks to the great support from the Tallahassee community. More photos from the day »

“This has been a big help,” Arianne Davis assured volunteers delivering supplies. “You know, you get these pets when you’re in a good place in life and then the years go by, things change and it gets hard. Thank you so much for this.”

The fifth annual Friends Fur Life helped more than 70 seniors and 250 pets in 4 counties with more than 3,000 pounds of pet food. The success of this wonderful event is all due to the generosity of our donors and supporters coupled with the hard work and dedication of our volunteer crews.

LCHS would like to thank our Friends Fur Life event sponsors, the businesses who volunteered to be drop-off locations for supplies, our supporters who donated several specialty foods and items, and Gilchrist Elementary School, which graciously allowed the use of their property as a staging area.

Photos and story by Devon Kodjis

Chronicles of a Foster Mom: The Play Date

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:18:18 GMT

Chloe progressed and grew stronger during the first 10 days I had her, despite being treated for an intestinal parasite. However, during her medical checkup, her blood work showed she is too anemic to undergo surgery to spay her. I was advised by the vet to give her 10 more days and bring her back for a re-check.

I have to be honest and tell you that I don't mind the idea of keeping Chloe for 10 more days because she is such a delight. I watch her play in the jasmine that grows in our yard, grab up every stick and pinecone as a favorite toy, and explore the outdoors with such wonder. Chloe's greatest charm is that she loves to snuggle. When she is tired after play, she approaches me with a soft whine or places her two front paws on my knees indicating that she wants to be held or lay next to me while she falls into a peaceful sleep.

Even though Chloe is not technically available until she is spayed, I was still accepting applications from people interested in adopting her. One couple asked if Chloe could visit their farm so they could observe how the pup would respond to their chickens that roam freely about the property. It was a fair request, so I scheduled a play date for Chloe. On the following Friday afternoon, I loaded Chloe into my vehicle and drove to our appointed destination.

Chloe was happy to meet the couple, their adult lab/chow mix dog, and the chickens. When the chickens first arrived on the scene in response to tossed breadcrumbs, Chloe watched in puzzlement. She had never seen a chicken. As she moved forward to take a closer look, a chicken flapped its wings, startling Chloe and sending her running backward. At this point, she decided to just sit and watch. After the chickens left the yard, Chloe explored their scent; she was especially interested in feathers that they left behind. All in all, Chloe passed the test of not chasing the chickens, and she played and interacted with the couple as they shared with her various dog toys.

On the drive home, I felt both a sense of pride that Chloe was so well liked by the couple and a sense of deep sadness that Chloe will soon leave my home when she is adopted.

Meet Our New Staff Member, Lisa Glunt

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:11:21 GMT

We are very excited to introduce you to our newest staff member, Lisa Glunt. She has stepped in as coordinator of the LCHS Cat Foster Program and will be helping us to streamline and improve the program for our cats and our foster parents. But don't worry! Barb, Rachel and the whole Cat Crew are still here and thrilled to welcome Lisa to the team.

Lisa has a huge heart and comes to us with many years of animal rescue experience. She worked at the Tallahassee Leon Community Animal Services Center (the city shelter) for six years, and at Animal Aid for two years prior to that.

If you would like to welcome Lisa to LCHS, you can drop her an email at lglunt@lchs.info or simply stop by the office and say hi - she would love to meet you!

Dog Wash Season Passes Available: Buy Yours Today!

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 19:50:09 GMT

They're finally here! After much anticipation, the LCHS Dog Wash Seaon Pass has arrived.

It makes getting your dog washed or having his nails clipped even more convenient. Simply present your Pass to be punched and continue on to the bathing area without worrying about finding your wallet, writing a check or juggling your dogs!

Every Dog Wash Pass has six uses, each worth $10 and applicable toward either a bath or a nail clip. You can easily purchase a Season Pass for each of your dogs to keep them clean and pampered all season long.

Buy your Pass before May 1st and get 10% off the regular price of $60! All proceeds from our Dog Washes go to our Animal Medical Fund to help provide veterinary care for our Foster pets.

Mark your calendar for the first Dog Wash of the 2012 Season, April 14th.

Help Us Save Lives & Get 100 Pets Adopted at the 2012 ASPCA Mega Match-A-Thon!

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 18:15:09 GMT

Come meet your furry match at the first ever Tallahassee ASPCA Community Partnership Mega Match-A-Thon! Bring the entire family and plan to meet your new best friend at this fun event! It will be held at the Tallahassee Mall inside the old Goody's location on Sunday, April 1st from 10am-6pm.

The ASPCA Community Partners' goal for this event is to adopt out 100 pets!

Highlights include:

Hundreds of pets available for adoption
Most adoptions $20!
FREE Pet Packs to the First 25 Cats & Dogs Adopted
Lots of pet related vendors with special offers and freebies
Discounted spay/neuter vouchers
FREE goody bags to the first 100 visitors
Dog obedience training demonstrations
Personalized Pet ID Tags
LIVE Radio Remote by STAR 98.9
Professional photos by Robin Adams for all adopted animals

"Happily Ever After" Happens at "Pets & Their People"!

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 18:13:32 GMT

Something amazing happened at LCHS last week...we helped save a dog’s life. You might say, “But LCHS does that all the time, what’s the amazing part?”

And we would agree; In the midst of doing what we do everyday, in striving to help as many animals as possible, sometimes it’s easy to lose sight of what a remarkable thing it is to save a single animal’s life. Dolly certainly knows it, though. She was just another dog left at a small rural shelter with no hope for a happy ending. On top of being abandoned at an underfunded and overwhelmed facility, she was snippy with the staff, threatening to bite. So when Amy Raddar (LCHS Dog Foster Program Coordinator) called to ask about which dogs she might be able to take into our Foster program, Dolly was low on the list because of her behavior issues. But Amy had a feeling that she might be able to help Dolly overcome her biting issues, and added her to the transport list.

Amy Raddar and Dolly at "Proctor Pets and Their People"

Unexpectedly, the night she was rescued, the little dog gave birth to a stillborn puppy. You see, it turned out that Dolly had a very good reason for being so irritable. She was in labor and having a lot of difficulty. In fact, when she arrived at Paws and Claws Veterinary Hospital on the morning of February 27th, Dr. Ghurt determined that she was in so much trouble with her labor that her life was in jeopardy. She was immediately rushed into emergency surgery where it was discovered that she had two more stillborn pups, one that had been hung-up in her birth canal for most of the night, the other still in her womb, putting her at massive risk for infection.

Fortunately, Dolly made it through the surgery and came out with a completely new outlook on life. She is as sweet and cuddly as they come, with lots of love to give to anyone who would love her back. Amy took her home for her recovery and later that week Dolly was healthy and ready for adoption on Saturday, March 3rd at the “Pets & Their People” event at Proctor Subaru. The sweet little pom mix was only there for a few hours before Amy had to hold back tears as she watched Dolly leave with her wonderful new adoptive family. (The latest report has her completely bonded to the older sister, Sarah, following her around the house and sleeping on her bed.)

This is the kind of thing that happens a lot at LCHS...but it’s important to remember that it’s not something we can take lightly or for granted. You can be sure that the animals we save and the people who love them never will.

Lots of great things happened for the animals at the 2012 "Pets & Their People" extravaganza. Check out the recap!

2012 "Pets & Their People" Recap

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 14:54:06 GMT

Check out the 2012 Proctor Subaru "Pets & Their People" Event Photo Album »

The 13th Annual "Pets & Their People" presented by Tallahassee Magazine and hosted by Proctor Subaru was a hugely successful event for animals and people alike. Highlights of the event include hundreds of attendees, 10 foster animals adopted, a dozen spay/neuter vouchers distributed, several microchip vouchers distributed by At Home Vet Care, delicious cupcakes from Lucy & Leo's Cupcakery, great BBQ from Sonny's, demonstrations by Southeast K-9 Search & Rescue, free gift bags from Petco, and professional photos of attendees and their pets by Tallahassee Magazine.

Read about Dolly, a sweet pomeranian mix who found her "Happily Ever After" at "Pets & Their People"!

More Photos from 2012 "Proctor Pets and Their People"

Also during the event, LCHS was presented with a brand new 2012 Subaru Outback from Subaru of America, the ASPCA and the Proctor Family Dealerships. It will be used to transport fostered and rescued animals to vet clinics, adoption booths and other exciting events! Keep an eye on our website for more details about this amazing vehicle donation coming soon!

EXTENDED THROUGH SUNDAY: Tallahassee Grapevine Discount Cards Still Benefit LCHS!

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 16:05:13 GMT

For just $25, the card gets you over a year of discounts of 15% or more as well as Buy-One-Get-One offers at over 140 local businesses with more merchants joining every week! Because the deals are listed online, they are always growing and always up-to-date - unlike those bulky coupon books or discount cards with a few merchants listed on the back. Grapevine Discount Cards even offer discounts on admission to upcoming events!

The folks at Grapevine Discounts are giving the Leon County Humane Society proceeds from online card sales through Sunday, March 11th. So you have to order your card now for LCHS to raise money for the Animal Medical Fund. Our goal is to sell 300 cards!

The cards are only $25 each and shipping is free. The cards will expire in June of 2013 so you will enjoy over a year of savings.

Friends Fur Life is Desperately in Need of Cat Supplies!

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 15:48:17 GMT

For the past four years, LCHS' "Friends Fur Life" program has helped our community's seniors to feed their beloved pets. Because of the generosity of our community, LCHS volunteers are able to distribute donated pet food and supplies to over 70 seniors and their more than 200 pets, many of which are felines.

This year, donations are shaping up nicely on the dog front, but we are still very much in need of cat supplies and food.

Needed donations include:

Dry cat food
Canned cat food
Cat litter
Cat treats
Scratching posts
Flea medication

If you would like to donate, simply drop off your contributions at any of the convenient locations listed on our Friends Fur Life page.

A Bottle Baby Kitten Story

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 23:06:25 GMT

Barb Hatch is known throughout our community as a "Cat Lady Extraordinaire", and has many years of experience saving hundreds of neonatal kittens. Most of the time, our "bottle babies" come to us several weeks old, but sometimes, they are as young as a day or, in this case, a week.

They are EXTREMELY fragile at this age and require a lot of careful tending. This is Barb's account of how she nursed the tiny little guy through the first crucial weeks of his life and into full-blown and healthy kittenhood:

"The shelter called early November 2011 asking, “Can you take a kitten about a week old?” Since I had space in my foster home for a bottle baby I told them that I could. They answered “Good. Hurry, because he’s tiny!" Luckily I was out running errands so I swung by the shelter and picked him up.

Tiny was right! He was the size of a mouse – grey, too—with his eyes still shut. Hoo boy, I thought, I have my work cut out for me and I’ll need some luck if this guy is going to make it. I know how fragile these little guys are from years of past experience. If you get a litter of itty-bitties like this one you’re lucky if ANY of them survive once they have lost their mother.

Bottle Babies

So Greyson, as I named him, accompanied me everywhere for the next month in the little carriers I use for bottle babies. He went to and from my office at LCHS, joined me at a friend’s house for a “movie night”, got smuggled into the grocery store and rode in the grocery cart, went to the massage therapist and hairdresser – everywhere I went, he went! Luck was with us – he made it! A nasty bout of coccidia almost cost him his life, but with a lot of perseverance and thanks to his strong spirit, Greyson pulled through. Although small for his age, he is FEARLESS. He runs full speed around the house, swatting at tails of 14lb cats and 40lb dogs, making flying leaps onto the sofa, skittering up the cat tree, and snuggling on me as I watch TV or read.

His boldest move to date was leaping on the back of a large neutered male cat at least 5 times his size and grabbing the scruff of his neck with his teeth. The big mellow cat just shook himself and Greyson went flying off.

Lots of work...you bet! Especially when he was fighting for his life. Will I do it again for another one...you bet...in a heartbeat."

-- Barb Hatch, LCHS Foster Mom & Staff Member

Want to see more Bottle Babies? Check out the video!

Interested in adopting Greyson? Fill out an adoption questionnaire for him.

THIS WEEK ONLY: Buy a Discount Card to Save Money & Help Pets

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 21:19:44 GMT

As you know saving local animals is our number one priority and we appreciate your help through donating and volunteering.

We are excited to announce that GrapevineDiscounts.com has generously named us as a beneficiary for this week's online card sales! Not only does LCHS get the proceeds, but the GrapevineDiscounts.com card actually saves you money.

The only way to obtain a Grapevine Discounts Card is through a charity fundraiser.

Go ahead and get dessert since you will be saving money at your favorite restaurants like 1 Fresh, Morelia's, Village Pizza, Los Amigos, Bagelheads, Coosh's Bayou Rouge, Gumby's, Fuzions Yogurt and Many More!

The card could pay for itself with the first use at places like Way Out West, BluHeaven Boutique or Orsillo Vision Care (Just Imagine: 20% off your eye exam and frames could add up to over $75 in savings!)

Plus, if you sign up for their newsletter, you will learn about exclusive limited time deals like Free Admission Nights at Movies 8, Buy-One-Get-One offers at your favorite restaurants and discounts on admission to local events that you can only get with a Grapevine Discount Card.

The folks at Grapevine Discounts are giving the Leon County Humane Society proceeds from online card sales from Monday, February 27th until Saturday, March 3rd. So you have to order your card now for LCHS to raise money for the Animal Medical Fund. Our goal is to sell 300 cards.

Purchase Your Grapevine Discount Card Here »

The cards are only $25 each and shipping is free. The cards will expire in June of 2013 so you will enjoy over a year of savings.

We are also excited that TallahasseeGrapevine.com wrote an article about the The Humane Society! Their online magazine gets over 100,000 local views a month and the article is featured in their weekly newsletter that goes out to over 7,100 local subscribers. Read the article »

Don't forget, you must purchase your card from their website before Saturday, March 3rd for LCHS to get the proceeds. After the 3rd, another local charity will be the beneficiary.

Chronicles of a Foster Mom: The Reminder

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 20:14:30 GMT

A couple of days ago, I took on a second foster puppy named Moe. I normally try to foster one pup at a time, but Moe is a special case that needed Chloe's help. Moe was retrieved from the local shelter where he was listed as “feral” due to his severe lack of socialization.

Moe is a beautiful, gentle Collie mix puppy that would like to disappear into thin air. He draws all his courage from other dogs, and he is very frightened of people. I took Moe in because my adult dogs are calm and well trained, so it is a good and safe environment for him. But mostly I took Moe in because he needs to be reminded that he is a puppy that should be full of joy without a care in the world; and Chloe is the perfect dog for this job.

For the first couple of days, Moe was an escape risk and had to be leashed at all times when outdoors. He also had a tendency to hover behind or underneath my adult dogs while indoors. Eventually, though, Chloe introduced Moe to her favorite squeaky toys, showed him how to play tug with her braided rope, and prompted him to leave the security of the older dogs to play and wrestle with her.

Moe the Foster Puppy

When he first arrived, Moe was afraid to eat in sight of a human. At feeding times, I used Chloe to teach Moe confidence and trust. I placed Moe inside his kennel with his food dish next to the door, while placing Chloe's food dish only inches away outside the kennel. As long as Chloe was eating, Moe would eat also. Soon I was feeding Moe outside his kennel with his dish near Chloe's dish. Now, I have to stop Moe from eating Chloe's food when finished with his own!

Moe the Foster Puppy

I decided to leash Moe to Oscar, my adult male dog, when he needed to go outside. This tandem relationship to Oscar gave Moe more freedom to move and explore the outdoors than when I held his leash. It also helped Moe grow more courageous. Moe has been with me now for 12 days, and he is no longer a flight risk. He goes outside and comes back inside on his own, without a leash. He and Chloe run and play in the yard every morning and throughout the day, like a puppy should. Moe still hides behind the adult dogs from time to time inside the house, but he is progressing daily thanks to Chloe.

A Special Celebration of Very Special People

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 19:53:43 GMT

On Thursday, February 16th, LCHS took some time to honor our very own heroes – our amazing Volunteers! Our guests of honor were welcomed by Executive Director Sonya White and LCHS staff and Board members Cindi Owen-Briley and Mike Eurich. In addition to acknowledging the generous donation of time and efforts by every one during 2011, Volunteer Coordinator Lori Carlson presented special honors to several who were singled out for particular recognition. These exceptional souls truly demonstrate how: “Volunteers do everything they can do…then they find a way to do something more!”

For services above and beyond the daily needs:

Annual Special Angel Awards:

“Special Laundry Angel” Karen Godbey

“Anything You Need Angel” Marsha Davids

“LCHS Trees Angel” Bill Armstrong

“Adoption Booth Angel” Lacey Kantor

“Special Correspondence Angel” Destiny Bryant

Fur-Ever Fi Award: Wayne & Lynn Quinsey

Purr-Ever Fi Award: Margaret & Bruce Timm

Kitty Visitor Extraordinaire: Barb Thurston-Pagni

For HOURS of service caring for dogs in a new rescue effort:

Rescue Ride Team:

Dana Brillante

Michelle Stewart

Cathy Sherman

Cesar Kothe

Tanya Patton

For unsurpassed loving home care of animals in critical need of special care:

2011 Foster Heart Awards:

Tripp & Joann Andersen

Nancy & Bill Spears

Tanya & Joe Patton

For embodying the spirit & desire to Volunteer their time to help LCHS in whatever way possible: (Including but not limited to kitty kare and also the wearing of Elf ears and impersonation of a famous wizard)

2011 Volunteer Spirit Awards: Bob Bugbee & Leigh Ann Stevens

For Devotion & Duty Above & Beyond, in the service of innumerable homeless cats, bottle feeding & nursing the puniest kittens and making the world a better place for felines:

2011 Volunteer Meow-dal of Honor: Barb Hatch

For DECADES of dedicated service to LCHS and countless animals:

2011 Volunteer Medal of Honor for One Million Hours: Pam Houmere

In recognition of the irreplaceable contributions made, furthering the LCHS Mission throughout the community, and enriching the lives of Members, Staff and Critters. Honoring your dedication, time and energy:

2011 Volunteer of the Year Award: Sharon Bruley

Student volunteers:

Student Volunteers were also present, and recognized for all their work and reminding us that the future of Volunteers who care for critters is secure. The youngest honoree, Middle School Student Noah Fuentes summed up their thoughts, “I came to work here for a school assignment, but found that I wanted to keep coming back. I just love this place!”

2011 Student Volunteer Awards:

Outstanding College Group: C.H.I.C.S.

Outstanding Sorority Group: Delta Nu Zeta

Outstanding College Student: Mallory Bair

Outstanding High School Student: Monica Frehn

Special Honor for

Creation of Happy Cat Habitat: Celia Garthwaite

Outstanding Junior Volunteer: Noah Fuentes

A full house of admirers, friends, LCHS staff and other volunteers were present to add their “applaws”. The cats cheered from their perches in the upstairs cat room and offered their meows of appreciation.

A special gift of a musical slide show of LCHS Volunteers in Action “Perhaps Love is Like a Volunteer” brought the program to a close. Then everyone munched on cake and received a long stem rose and special Valentine Goodies Bag (which the critters had packed for their favorite people - the LCHS Volunteers.)

Rescue Relief Comes Through Once Again

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:15:36 GMT

For the 5th year in a row, Northwood Animal Hospital and The Animal Hospital and Pet Resort at Southwood coordinated a huge food drive for the animal rescue groups of Tallahassee.

One of the groups that benefited from their hard work was LCHS! We are once again very grateful to the staff and vets of Northwood and Southwood, and all the generous people who donated on behalf of the animals!