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Home .... Adopt-A-Cat .... Adopt-A-Dog .... Pet Cremation Services .... What's New .... Support Us .... Programs & Services .... About Us .... Shelter Blog .... Links .... Contact |
September 9th/ 2011 Fat Boy Fridays: WEEK #7 But on a more serious note, if Fat Boy does not lose weight more steadily, we are going to have to ship him off to Fat Camp (i.e. Dr. Cunningham's) for a more closely monitored regime. So, F.B. has asked us to post a bit of an ad for him: Fat Boy is looking for a dedicated volunteer (or two or three) "personal assistant" who will be able to come to the shelter regularly to help him with his exercise program. Prospective applicants must be skilled in the art of laser pointer use, toy prep, and of course, positive encouragement. If interested, please inquire at the MJHS!
September 2/2011 Fat Boy Fridays: WEEK #6 Fat Boy has agreed to let the shelter auction off his original piece of art, entitled, "Ma Belly" as a fundraiser. Until the end of September, the public will have a chance to bid on a one-of-a-kind F.B. creation. As of this posting, the high bid was $250. To place a bid, please call, stop by, or email the shelter!
August 26/2011 Fat Boy Fridays: WEEK #5 Print, radio, and now TV! Fat Boy has been interviewed on Global Regina, CBC Regina, and will even be featured on the National tonight! For all Fat Boy Friday diet photos and updates, visit our Facebook page, "Friends of the Moose Jaw Humane Society", or Like our Facebook page, "Moose Jaw Humane Society"
Aug 24/2011 Support for Fat Boy grows...
When we put our resident fat cat on a diet we had no idea that support for Fat Boy would grow so fast! Every Friday we have “Fat Boy Friday” and weigh in the big Guy. Tracking his diet and posting his result on our Facebook Fans page the Fat Boy support started to take off. In the past following days stories on his weight lose have been found on Global News, CBC Radio, Msn.ca and Lifewithcat.tv
http://news.ca.msn.com/local/saskatchewan/fat-cats-diet-draws-facebook-fans http://www.lifewithcats.tv/2011/08/24/fat-boys-slimdown-effort-brings-him-fame/ Now that his slim down efforts have brought him fame we are making sure that it doesn’t go to his head! You can follow the popularity and the publicity surrounding Fat Boys diet on our Facebook pages! Until then the battle of the scales continues!
Aug 9/11 Don’t have enough cat hair??????? Well we can help you out!
July 14/11 If you are thinking about adopting a kitten now is the perfect time! We currently have 52 cute little kittens, ranging in ages, which are looking for a forever home. If adopting isn't something that you can do right now sponsoring a spay/neuter for one of these little fluff balls will help increase their chances of finding homes. We are also still collecting wet cat food and bags of dry kitten food. We would also greatly appreciated donations of cat’s bed for so these tiny creatures and their moms.
May 20/11 We have had a very successful few months with our annual fundraisers. Through the month of April we held our Bone-Anza at the Town and Country Mall. We had biggest year! Raising over $18,300 directly for the vet care of our animals We also had our first annual Kitten Shower around the middle of the month. We took this opportunity to use this as a platform to showcase some of our smallest heartthrobs and also reached out to the community for new foster home. We had a blast. And I must say so did the kittens. A big thank you to our resident shelter mama! Ellen joined us and shared her expertise on taking care of these little creatures. Ellen has single handed save countless number of kittens. She is the first to step in and take on the role of “mom” to these tiny boys and girls. This isn’t an easy task. It takes a lot of time and love. We are constantly in awe over the size of Ellen’s heart. (Does it sound like I'm bragging? I am. This really is such a special person that gives their heart and soul to our helpless kittens!)
We went straight from our Bone-Anza into our Spring Garage Sale. Again we had such a wonderful group of volunteers. We owe a big thanks to Jacy and Barb Rathwell for taking on the task of sorting all of the wonderful donations. This is an ongoing job that needs to be done for months prior to our sale. We also are greatly indebted to the group of Pilots that came out to unload our two trailers this year. This was a wonderful addition to our already hard working group of volunteers. Too make this an even sweeter success, we are proud to let everyone know that their hard work raised us over $13,200.00! Our biggest garage sale to date! Both of these event were really an inspiration. They let us know you want to be a community where their Humane Society is a new beginning for the animals that enter. That we will have the means to give them all the time and medical attention that they need while they wait for their forever homes. Because of your support at events like this we truly have become a safe place and a second chance for our unwanted animals. But the bottom line is this: It all starts and it ends with you. We cannot do it without you!
April 15/11 Life at best is bittersweet. And it’s the perfect word to use when seeing one of our house animals finds a home. His story is the finest example of what an organization like the MJHS can do. Take a "throw-away" dog, a dog that a lot of other shelter would have put down, and turn that dog around to make him a loving member of a society. We first met Grover March 2009. He was 10. His owner had gone in to a senior’s facility and so Grover ended up with us. Grover was lost, confused and scared. This old guy was used to a quiet house, a routine and of course his owner. He wasn’t a fan of other dogs, cats and most people. But we cut this old man some slack. We promised Grover that success was the only solution and that we were going to learn how to help him become unbroken, no matter what. No matter how old he was.
Somehow Grover ended up as my dog. I do believe that just one day decided he had enough of being afraid and he wanted very much to be a pet again. I of course obliged and we have been fast friends ever since. I’m glad I did. Because in Grover I found something very special. I found an amazing soul in there. The past 2 years have been filled with many adventures for Grover here at the Shelter. This boy found his inner youth again and began playing with other dogs. Never without a girlfriend, Grover swooned many k-9 females here and of course he meet his best friend Heidi. Heidi and Grover shared the title of my office dogs and became familiar faces to hundreds of people that went through our building. Grouchy Grover turned in a gentle soul that would ask for attention from anyone that would offer it too him.
Knowing that Grover was now 12 years old, we started to talk about where Grover will spend his final years. When we started to have contact with the family that was interested in Grover we knew this was the one. Grover is now happy and living out the twilight of his life being loved and cared for. Grover not only has a doting new mom, he also shares his home with two other k-9 friends and is enjoying every luxury. We’re indebted to Grover’s new family for giving him so much unconditional love and companionship in his golden years
Grover you have been a catalyst for many changes here and many policies. Fighting for you has made us stronger and taught us so many things about life and love and never giving up.
April 15/11 I would like to take this time to announce our new Board of Directors. The membership that attended our AGM has elected the following members to our board John LaBuick – President The MJHS will benefit from a diversity of experience and opinions. This team of people have proven leadership skills, broad management experience in established companies, and have reputations as independent thinkers. The members serving this year bring a great deal of perspective and valuable insight to our shelter. We are looking forward to working with this group to brighten the future for our animals.
March 26/11 Our Annual General Meeting will be held this year on April 5th at Wildlife Federation Building. The meeting will start at 7:00pm We will be reviewing our past year and electing new officials to sit on our Governance board. The Moose Jaw Humane Society is entering into a very crucial period of our future. Our current contract with the City of Moose Jaw will be up for negotiation. We need our city council to support us and provide us with the backbone funding we need. We need funding to allow us to be a humane and friendly community that doesn’t just need a pound, but a safe place and a second chance for our unwanted animals. By electing a strong board that understands the importance of leadership and continuing to increase our membership, we will be able to lobby city council to start providing financial responsibility to the stray, homeless and unwanted animals in our neighbourhoods. Junior Membership $5 We speak for the thousands of dogs and cats that enter the shelter that have no voices.
Too often we are found with litters of Kittens that have no mom. Koda is pictured above helping out their foster mom caring for them. Can it get any cuter than that!
Feb 28/11 We are looking for new volunteers and reconnect with our old volunteers! We are looking for first-time volunteers, those who already know the ropes of our existing fundraisers and events, and people who may have been busy with other commitments in the past but are now able to return to helping the shelter. And if you’re currently an active volunteer, we’d love to confirm your on-going commitment! We like to say that we have something ...for everyone – dreamers and planners, organizers and assistants, “do-ers” and “go-fers”, movers and shakers; we would greatly appreciate any help you’d be able to give and lend us your talents for the benefit of the shelter animals. We are expanding some of our existing functions and also have a few brand new events that we can’t wait to tell you more about! In addition to our fundraisers, we also need volunteers to help with things like taking recycling to SARCAN, participate in programming like Pet Therapy, sew/craft pet-related items for resale at the shelter, help with shelter grounds upkeep and the beautification of the pet cemetery, and putting up posters around the city to announce our upcoming events. Please join us at one of our two Volunteer Nights being held at the shelter at March 15th and March 22th at 7:00pm. We will be going over our calendar of Events and we know we can find the perfect spot for YOU. For more information please contact Karla or Kristyn at 692-1517.
Chaos is looking for someone to help him play with his chicken...ALL DAY!
Jan 11/11 Though the holidays are over and so quickly flew by, I still would like to mention it truly is one of the most wonderful times at the Shelter. People send us cards, letters, pictures, donations, treats. Boxes and gifts for us and animals appear each time the mail is delivered. Business, family’s, school groups rally together to make sure that all the animals here have a wonderful Christmas as well. Hands down the best part of the holidays is the updates that we get from past adoptions. People giving thanks for the wonderful pets that they have taking home. It’s a time when we look back and reminisce about all the pets that have gone through our door. We remember those animals when they first came in. We remember them huddled in the back of their kennels. Eyes wide. Sometimes shaking. Confused. Scared. Unsure. We remember telling each one of them the same thing “You are safe now. You will know love and warmth, plenty of food, and soon a forever home.” Then we watch as they transform. Soon they lose that anxiety and are filled with joy, tails wagging, faces grinning. They are happy, greet us each day, go for walks, for outings and find that special volunteer or staff member that “secretly’ adopts them while they wait for their forever home. It is a sense of bittersweet pride when we hear about how great they are doing. You see, when working with these animals we all have those special moments. Those candid moments that steal your heart and you want nothing more than for someone else to be privy to how special that dog or cat is. They are so much more than an excitable barking jumpy dog or a standoffish earless cat. When we finally get that letter or a visit from a new family, and they are gushing about this amazing soul they have adopted: it makes it all worth while. Every moment. And a little part of us wants to smile and say “ I told you so” We appreciate your support and ask that you continue to support us in the coming year. We have some funding challenges and as usual it is one of our biggest worries. Your help is what keeps us going. Thank you for the cards, emails, notes, telephone calls, pictures and other expressions of your support and affection. We read them all and they have made a tremendous impact on us. We look forward to a 2011 where we can save more animals and make more of an impact on the community. A new year and another chance for us to make a difference.
Through donations and volunteer time we are able to provide dogs like Skylar long term care. Skylar has now been at our shelter for 5 months waiting for her forever home. A long wait yes, but also a chance to recover. Skylar was taking from an abusive situation. Her time here has helped her mend. She is much more confident and mellow. Though it takes time and patience,Skylar is now so gentle and affectionate. Skylar’s resume’s now includes: charm, good looks, the ability to dance and a full body wiggle. Finding herself with the help of her new K-9 friends,Skylar has is becoming the perfect combination of attentive, affectionate and goofy. We are patiently waiting for another long-term shelter resident to start packing her bags, but until then Skylar continues to put a smile on our faces daily.
Jan 11/11 The Rapidly Improving Mr. Magic!! When Magic first came to the shelter at the end of Oct, he didn’t know much about being a dog. He was not affectionate at all. He was a completely blank slate. He loved to focus on everything except you. Boundaries, well he hadn't heard of them. He has been a tough cookie, but after a couple of months of spending time with Derek Snow (No Dog Left Behind) he has improved a great deal. He is not acing the class yet, but he has come a long way from where he started. Witnessing Magic giving affection to Derek is really no finer inspiration for hope.
Magic still has a way to go, living the majority of his life in a shelter has proven a tough go for this boy. Magic is a prime example of a dog that many people took a long look at but rejected, mostly because of his exuberance during his few "unlocked" times. Being able to enjoy some freedom, a solid routine of exercise and some leadership has been wonderful for Magic. Magic has shown us that he can be very social with other dogs and his play dates in our yard also have helped release some of this boy frustration. Having had the joy of watching this wild and spirited dog blossom into a calmer, happier, energetic boy in the last three months, we feel extremely lucky that we continue to have the help of volunteers. Derek has kept him sane during the long months here while. Derek also continues to prove that while Magic undoubtedly suffered a lot of neglect and loneliness in his early life, his adaptability and gameness has given him the heart to leap into his new life with enthusiasm! Magic may not be our most affectionate dog, our friendliest dog, or our most responsive dog, But he’s finally getting the hang of being a dog.
Nov 19/10 As different as they may look on the outside, foster homes seem to be their own breed of people. One of the common traits they share is their willingness to plunge into new adventures with blind faith and a strong sense of optimism.
Chaos is one of our many dogs that are hoping to benefit from a foster home. Chaos will need that will provide him a routine of exercise and the necessary basic training in a positive manner. This boy enjoys his daily activities with enthusiasm and never met a ball he did not want to chase! Every new dog that comes into our shelter has a pocketful of behaviours that need fine tuning. Chaos is needed some work on the his over-exuberant greeting and his demanding ways to get your attention. Plus who couldn't fall for those amazing love me eye's!
Nov 16/10 What an amazing night! Our first annual 'The Best Things in life are Rescued' Telethon was a huge success! Thank you to all who helped, including donors and volunteers and success stories helping us reach and surpass our goal for the evening. We could not have done it without you. Raising over $24,000 was more than we could have imagined for our first year! Your donations truly will continue to give help, hope and a second chance at life to the 1700 unwanted animals that we have have annually at our shelter.
The phone bank crew for our evening!
Derek greeting 'The Baby' and her family as she arrives for her time to shine
A heartfelt thank you also goes out to Shaw Cable who worked with us for the past year on this telethon. A lot of hard work, time and days of growing pains (due us being first timers!) went into this production. The boys down at Shaw really stepped up to prove their commitment to helping out this community and the animals in need. Kudos to your team and we look forward to planning next years.
Shaw cable crew! Thanks guys! Of course a big thanks to Christie Sass our fundraising coordinator who worked tirelessly on this telethon. We went into this telethon with the belief that we had educated the public, to balance the scales by raising awareness, for the animal’s sakes. To give people a real chance to see just where and what their money is going too. Christie did an amazing job doing just that. Once again proving that her dedication and professionalism is one of the major driving forces behind the direction our Humane Society had taken in the past 3 years. And to my wonderful staff who came together, though camera shy, to help us organize our evening. Wonderful job done by all!
My staff, oh so excited... and clean!
Our next goal: To get our 26 dogs and over 70 cats/kittens home for the holidays. We have reached maximum capacity now and are under a significant amount of stress. It’s important that this message resonates within the community. If you are thinking about bringing a new pet into your life, now would be a perfect time. If adopting is something you can’t do we are currently looking for foster homes for our dogs. Please contact the shelter if you would like more information about becoming part of our foster program
Oct 31/10 Put your compassion in action!!
The Moose Jaw Humane Society 1st Annual The Best Things in Life are Rescued Telethon promises to be our largest and most innovative fundraiser to date. The three-hour broadcast will showcase the diverse and meaningful work the MJHS does to rescue, heal, nurture, adopt and advocate for animals in need. We also will be featuring some heart warming stories of some amazing past adoptions! This telethon will be an adoption drive for us and we are excited to showcase the amazing pets that we currently have waiting for their forever home. The goal of this year’s The Best Things in Life are Rescued Telethon is to unite our community and inspire viewers to put their compassion in action to give help, hope and a second chance at life to homeless animals. We are so excited to be able to use our telethon as a platform to speak for the thousands of dogs and cats who have enter the shelter and currently have no voices, and for the many hundreds/thousands of families who will go on to love them after adoption. The Moose Jaw Humane Society has fostered the belief that every pet deserves a good life and a second chance. We held ourselves accountable to the one result that matters—how many animals go home alive. There is a misconception that the Moose Jaw Humane Society received adequate funding from the City of Moose Jaw, but that is not the case. The City of Moose Jaw provides us with less then 30% of our skeleton budget. We are contracted from the City to be a pound. To hold animals for 3 days then euthanize and/or sell them. We strive to be more than that. We know that this community believes in a shelter that is more than that and these animals that are left behind deserve more. We need to be a community where their shelter is a new beginning, instead of what they now all-too-commonly face, the end of the line. Bottom line: Saving lives isn’t cheap. As a result we are using money raised from fundraising and donations for medical care and housing on strays and seized animals that fall under our animals control operations. Because of your generosity and continued support we have been able to provide that. With the help of our special guest host Country 100 Rusty Dean, along with live interview with Time Hearld reporter Lyndsay McCready, we promise 3 hours of laughs and tears! Airing live on SHAW cable we will have our phone lines open from 6-9pm. If you don’t have Shaw we encourage you to find a friend with Shaw. Go to a local restaurant/bar with Shaw and as them to turn it up! But the best part is, Shaw or no Shaw EVERYONE has a phone! Our pledge lines will be open at 6:00pm sharp 972- DOGS (3647) for you to put your put your compassion in action. Not to worry the money raised is going to the cats too!
Sept 14/10 We all have things we love about our pets. I love how Heidi’s body language for good morning is to have all four legs in the air and I adore her big cartoon head when she rests it on my lap. We Love Fat Boy’s big fat belly and how he sits like a human when he attends our meetings and we are obsessed with everything kittens do in general. And I love to photograph all the things that make me smile! Its time again to submit your pet’s photo’s to our famous pet calendar! Zoom in on those things you love. Grab your camera when the cat is curled up asleep or when your dogs are playing like this could be the best day ever! Capture all those little endearing qualities about your best friend. After all, photos are meant to stir up emotions and memories The Pet Calendar is a fundraiser ... but beyond that, it's turned into a way for animal lovers to peek into the hearts and homes of other pet lovers! Our calendar is always full of charm and smiles - it's addictive. Please add your animals, dog, cats, horses, birds, because we all want a blast of your joy Since we're all suckers for cute animal photos and since optimism needs regular feedings, we’re so looking forward to seeing your pets beautiful faces. Submit a photo or two and help us raise some much needed funds! And don’t be shy, buy a few extra’s, our calendars make excellent Xmas gifts!
Heidi remains my daily affirmation that life is fundamentally good, so of course I will honour my Pet Monster by gracing her silly mug in our calendar this year!
Aug 19, 2010 Our gentle handsome Roman
What makes him so special is he loves you and he doesn't even know you ....
Aug 5, 2010 In reality what we do is really very simple. It was about telling 1700 animals that their lives were worth something. To embrace those lives, whisper in their ears that it is over now, that we’ll not let anything bad happen to them ever again.
We are looking for pictures with a short story of your happy ending. Please send your photos and short stories to kmcewe@mjhs.ca.
July 26, 2010 Everyone deserves the chance to shine....
Digger enjoying a run out of town. (If you are looking for a loyal boy Digger is here waiting)
MooToo.. thinking he is hiding. (MooToo is one of our shelter cats that is still waiting for a home to call his own)
Oh someone left the cage open.... don't mind if i do.... (Nala is one of our many cats up for adoption)
Ruby is always loving life and making us giggle... (Ruby is a good hearted woman looking for a good timing family)
Chloe, my food room nemesis. The door can be bolted shut and she will do some Jedi mind trick and find her way in…. (Chloe is one of our shelter cat waiting for to find her own home to call her own… that she can sneak around in)
Val and Nutbolt reminding us that sometimes it's okay to get messy!
Dax once again proving that senior dogs = special dogs
Cute kittens proving that there is a limit to the amount of pictures they want taken!
Animal loving friends, there is no better kind. Helping us when its most needed. (Alexa fostered Benji for us. His health improved in days of being at her house. He now calls her mom!)
Kittens like these, reminding us why we do what we do.
Duke proving that even old boys love toys! (Big Duke is looking for a gentle home for a gentle soul)
Empire School showing us that helping them ... helps us. Great group of kids.
Puppies in your office = hard to work, but make for a pretty great job!
An exercised dog is a happy dog (Nutbolt is still looking for his active forever home)
To all the wonderful volunteers that worked on our awesome float this year.. Thank you!
Muppet showing us that happy endings do come to those that wait. And sometimes that wait isn't all that bad. (Muppet spent over 8 months of her life in a shelter before finally finding her perfect forever home with one of our staff members. Now she is part-time help here at the shelter. She holds the job of encouraging new dogs to come out of their shell and teaches them to play … Muppet style)
Derek who continues to keep us accountable for what we were all trying to achieve. A well balanced dog. (Derek pictured here having some Monster loving, which is ironic as Heidi is not a fan of limitations or boundaries).
Grover showing us daily that this is a pretty great little shelter to call home!
July 12, 2010
I hope that everyone that they touched takes time to think about how you changed their lives, be it too short, simply because you gave them kindness,devotion and love. There will always be the memories… and they are worth it all. These amazing animals deserve to be recognized, and I love to stop and just think about them for a moment. I wish it wasn’t in this context, but all my memories are fond ones. Enjoy the sunny skies, the open space to run and lush green grass to roll in at the rainbow bridge. We loved you all.
June 29, 2010
I hear ya Heidi, I hear ya ....
June 23, 2010 Even our pet Monster has a job here!
Under this pile of puppies is Heidi playing. She is giving their mamma a break and entertaining these fluff balls for a while. Heidi uses mama-style correction, and then rewards them for good signals by giving them what every puppy wants: A happy playmate. Through a combo of tough-love lessons and positive reinforcement, Heidi teaches under-socialized pup how to be a real dogs. Thank you Monster!
May 23, 2010 As usual things around here our busy. It has never ceased to amaze me how time flies by; one minute its spring, next minute it’s going to be summer, you get the point Though some areas of the shelter are quiet…… We only have 7 dogs up for adoption.... (insert cricket chirping) The break is nice and we are enjoying being able to spend lots of time with the dogs that we have! We are starting to feel like we have a little more of a handle of the cat situation. We have had great support for our foster program and have sent some of our kittens out of the building until we know it’s safe for them to come back. Taking in so many strays we are always at risk for brining in disease. Stray cats live in the shadows —the alleyways, empty lots and condemned buildings—of almost every neighbourhood. They struggle to find food and water in an environment filled with the constant threats of disease, starvation, cruelty and predation. They are the abandoned, the lost and the wild—and they need our help so now we are calling on people to help us. We are asking for foster care for our kittens and expecting mothers. This way we know that these kittens will not be at risk to pick up Upper respiratory that does follow in with so many stray cats. This also will free up space for us to isolate these stray cats. So we can treat them, vaccinate them and hopefully find them a safer life. If fostering isn’t something you can do, we are always in need of wet cat/kitten food and dry kitten food. Any donation makes a difference.
Bart.. just one of our cuddley kittens looking for home for him and his extra toes!
Another spring issue we seem to be running into is dogs at large. We know that dogs can be sneaky and at times outsmart us but as pet owners it is our job to make sure we have a secure yard for our dogs. Trust me. It even happened to us. But after “Operation Fixing our *!#$@!!* Fence” we have secured the yard. We have learnt that dogs will take stock of every little change and possible escape route in their outdoor world. Our style of fence wouldn’t stop a committed climber, so we had to tackle it from that point of view .Whatever your fence issues are, fix them, now, before your dog gets out. Before we have to pick him up after being hit by a car, or finding himself in trouble with the City Police for running at large and talking like a scary dog. We may know he isn’t but others may not. Your dog in counting on you to keep him safe.
Of course the yard dogs were alot of help as you can imagine!
A little bit late now but huge thanks to Garth and Glady for fixing our fence. We have put the fence to the test. This yard now can safely contain Heidi, who may have been an Olympic gold medalist in a past life. Good new is now she had more time to focus on digging holes...
Our pet Monster happy and safe in the yard :)
I will be able to share some amazing news a little later next week on our progress with our building repairs. Feel good news! Good stuff news! Makes you proud of your community news!
May 23, 2010 I just couldn’t wait to share this picture with everyone. We have been asking for stories for our telethon and we got in a handful of wonderful pictures and great write ups already. One came from the family that has “ The Baby” ( now Luna) "The Baby" was such a huge part of shelter and our lives for so long, it warm all of our hearts to see and hear that she is out there livin the good life. Honestly we all have had thoughts of stealing "The Baby' back as seriously could she be any cuter!
May 7, 2010 We found another 10 reason why our fundraising campaign to repair our building is so important.
10 Kittens were left in a box in our porch last night. If the Humane Society wasn’t part of our community where would this box of kittens ended up? Abandon and homeless animals need a safe place to go. We need to keep the word out there. We need to make our building safe so we can continue to operate. Thank you to those that have stepped up and donated already. Thank you for focusing on being socially responsible, spreading awareness and believing in a common vision of saving lives We have a long way to go but I know we will get there, we have too. …So many wonderful, beautiful lives depend on us.
Still a little camera shy, all 10 kittens are healthy and safe. They will sleep in a warm bed, have full bellies and a room to play in until we can get them forever homes.
May 1, 2010 This past few weeks we have had some great things come out of a really bad problem that we are facing here. Since we first went to the community with our issue with mold and us facing a very large repair bill, we have had a lot of great support from people and business. A few have really touched our hearts in a special way... as they have come from some of the youngest supporters. Hailey Buyer held her 9th birthday party last weekend. Hailey requested her guest to make a financial donation to the Humane Society instead of bringing gifts. Hailey understood how big of a problem we are facing and felt she wanted to be a part of helping. The money she raised was to go to help with the capital upgrades of the building. Hailey and her friends raised around $540.00 for our cause. Seeing a group of children raising this money, putting the needs of our animals and our community first is really overwhelming. Thank you Hailey, for loving animals and asking your friends to help you out in this cause. Raising $540.00 I believe that they honored you and your mission and we hope these words of thanks in some small way honor you too. We were asked to attended an assembly at William Grayson school. There we were presented with a donation from the kids . The kids there has held a silver collection at one of their events and presented the Humane Society with what they had raised. $115.00 was giving to us to put towards our goal of making our building safe. Seeing children treat animals with kindness and empathy is heartwarming. Having taken a special role in being part of a generous kind community is wonderful. All of them are REALLY great kids. A big thanks to all the parents for raising such wonderful, empathic kids. Good stuff!
Hailey's Birthday party! Spike crashed it... we are still working on his manners!
April 27, 2010 I am pleased to announce our leadership changes to our Board of Directors. Our AGM was held April 14 and our voting members did elect 4 new board members to its current board of directors. This year we are welcoming Ian Leman, Sylvia Ewens, Haley Oshowy and Melanie Kot. With such a talented group of professionals dedicated to the Humane Society, it will be an exciting year to watch our organization grow throughout the next year. On behalf of myself, staff and our animals, I would also like to take this time to thank our past board members for bringing their love of animals and their desire to better our community to our shelter. This year we said goodbye to Muriel Fehr, Jan Smith, Kelly Gross and Darcia Hojenski. Your leadership and direction did not go unnoticed. You enhance our organization’s public standing by advocating its mission and goals to the community. The past year our board, helped put us well on our way to creating the best possible organization to meet the needs of our communities unwanted and abandoned companion animals Our vision is clear; our mission, unshakable. We are delighted and inspired for our new board members to join our team.
Some of us more excited more than others.....
April 22, 2010 Looks who is new ….. Mr. Squirrel here has found a home in the trees in our backyard. As you can imagine this has cause complete CHAOS with the dogs. 
Mr. Squirrel doesn’t care though. Meh. Perched just out of reach in the tree branches, chittering away. Then he jumps to a new tree. Chitters some more. Lather, rinse, repeat
And this is what Muppet has did for 4 days straight.
Seriously.......
April 22, 2010 This week we said goodbye to one of our rescues that really did catch the heart of this community. Our sweet boy Chance. Chance was found running at large with his “brother” Lucky” a few years ago. Two boys in dire need of a lot of medical attention. We call on the community for help with thier medical bill and within days people came through for us in a big way. For us this was the start of knowing this was the kind of shelter we wanted to be. A true safe place for an animal in need. There’s really no way to describe the connection between a sick and terrified dog and the humans they finally love. It’s gentle, comforting, and uplifting. Chance was truly a kind soul and was a fixture at our shelter for a long time before he found his forever family. With some on going medical issue Chance’s family decided it was time to let him go. We can’t be more grateful to his family in knowing you gave Chance the quality of life and the love he deserved. You are truly weighing heavy on our hearts these days
Chance you were an amazing, unbelievable soul. Your strength was something we all envied. You became a catalyst for us – to spur us forward to saving other animals. Perhaps sent here for a greater purpose, larger and farther reaching than we’ll ever know. You were beautiful, and we will remember your smile always.
April 12, 2010 “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” -Helen Keller So we have run in to some problems… I guess that’s putting it lightly. We started to some minor repairs on our building only to find a bigger problem. A lot of mold. A lot of rotten walls. A lot of repairs that just can’t wait. To be quite honest we knew that there was some “issues” with the building. In the past 2 years we have spent close to $50,000 on repairs and maintenance. We were kinda hoping that we could bypass this year without any major repairs. Raise and save some money and start again next year. Well that isn’t going to happen now. Finding the situation we found isn’t something we can leave for a year. Unhealthy for the animals and the people working here we have to fix this now. So we gathered and talk and talked some more, you know the talking you do when you have to fix/buy something but have no idea where you will get the money from? Yeah that talking. Although our old facility has been a place of refuge for lost and unwanted animals, it is simply old and in constant need of repair We know the Humane Society fills an important need in our community. We did make a request to the City Council for some funding. We were hoping and crossing our fingers that they would vote to include financial assistance to the Shelter to help us with our emergency repairs. Who can say no to an army of cute, furry friends? Well I guess the City Counsel can. So where does that leave us. Well that leaves us, and by us I mean the City of Moose Jaw’s homeless animals sitting in a rotten building, staring down a repair bill of upwards of $75,000. The Shelter was built in 1984 using much the same construction methods of an average home. At that time, cleaning procedures were drastically different than they are today and water damage was not an issue. In theory, the Shelter building should have lasted for over 50 years. Today, however, Shelter staff utilizes an extensive cleaning procedure where disinfectants are sprayed on all floors and lower wall surfaces on a daily basis. It isn’t effective enough for cleaning solutions to simply be sprayed on and then rinsed off. All solutions must sit in contact with surfaces for at least 30 minutes. Over the last 26 years, moisture has seeped into and up the walls and our building is filled with mold.
Truly this will be the biggest struggle financially, but we are hanging on. We will be actively fund raising from now, till the end of the year. We will be holding our 1st Annual “The best thing is life are Rescued Telethon” this year and our focus will be to raise money for the capital upgrades. This event isn’t until November so we are now challenging business, families, anyone to start collecting for this fundraiser and come down and donate that night. We are so excited for our telethon to showcase the great milestones that have passed us by the past years.. Sharing these moments and events highlights the passion of every member and is a tribute to each and every one of you who make these miracles possible every day. Until them we will be looking to add a few new fundraisers, shaking more trees and knocking on more doors. This is a lot easier said as we have a big load on our plate already. With 11 fundraiser already planned for the year we have already asked so much for our volunteer and supporters. The key to our success is networking and working together towards the common cause and vision. Of course donations to the Capital upgrades at anytime through the year as we have to start fixing this stuff now. We are Raising the Woof! We are now in the middle of trying to refinancing this and refinancing that to help us pay our bills. Accumulating debt isn’t ideal for a non profit organization. This isn’t where we want to be but we have no option now. This life is a journey and with each day and every new challenge that arises, but seeing these animals, safe and happy, being loved and cared for rather than homeless because there caretakers abdicated their responsibility, makes it worth while. We are able to do this because of ongoing support. That’s you. That’s what you do. More than 1500 animals pass through our ramshackle little slice of heaven every year. Every single one is special. Leaving their indelible mark on our hearts. I know that you or I can’t say no. Please, please, if ever I needed all my animal loving friends it's now.This will be the beginning of something so AMAZING for animals in need, please help us spread the word!!! If you cannot donate, please just spread the word and create awareness that we are in need.
Nope, no money under here .......
April 6, 2010 We are loving the spring weather! We are also loving the great support that we have already had up at our Bone -Anza at the mall. Over $20,000.00 in prizes to be won! Even better, all of that was donated. We couldn’t be more proud of our sponsors for their donations! It's been a tough year for all and financially everyone has been stretched, but you've come together for us and it's been a MIRACLE to say the least. Again: "THANK YOU ALL!!!" This annual fundraiser is one that is truly dear to our hearts. All the money raise is put back into the health care of the animals. Something that we are very proud of is that this shelter that we call our own, is a safe place for the animals that need us the most. With the money raised through events like this, we will be able to continue on making sure that all the medical needs of these animals are met. Though our Bone anza has just started we have a feeling this is going to be our best year! We will be up at the mall till the end of April. Please stop by and take a look... oh and buy a ticket on these wonderful prize packages. A big Kudos to all the volunteers that have donated their time to sit and sell tickets for us. A huge huge thank you to Kelly for organizing all of this. Also a well done is in order to Lindsay! Between the two of them they pretty much knock on all the doors for these wonderful prizes. Great job Girls.
March 29, 2010 Well it happened… someone adopted our Bad Oscar! Not only did he find a home, but we know this will be a fabulous home for our special guy. He is having the honor of living now with one of past dogs, beautiful Bella Oscar we will miss your curious nature, your ability to be everywhere you shouldn’t be, having no option but to share what we are eating with you, watching you mingle with the dogs like you were one of them, hauling anything you could put in your mouth across the shelter for no good reason, your ninja like talent when your realize the food room door is open and appear out of no where and of course you endless cuddles and purrs
Your one of a kind our friend! Our shelter memories of you will always be full of smiles. I tell you to enjoy yourself but hey thats just a given with you!
March 29, 2010 Happiness; The photo edition
Really can they be any happier!
Inspiration; The Photo Edition
Hope; The Photo Edition
Gone from a scared boy that had never seen the inside of a house, no less a collar or leash. Dawson now enjoy his daily walks where he can catch enjoy the sights and smells and of course some one on one cuddle time!
March 24,2010 Our annual meeting is approaching. It will be held April 14th at the Wildlife Center. The AGM is held every year to elect the Board of Directors and inform their members of previous and future activities. It is an opportunity for our members to review fiscal information for the past year and asking any questions regarding the directions the business will take in the future. This is a chance for our members to come out and show support for us by voting or running for a new board. Now with that being said, if this years meeting is a repeat of last years… well I’m looking forward to it as much as I did high school gym class. BUT we will go into things with a positive outlook and hope that others do as well… We need your support! We need you to come and vote. Any of our current members (and yes you can renew/buy a membership that night) can vote on who is running for the new board. We also need to people to run for the board. There are many rewards from serving on the board of directors: And for me the biggest would be sharing with a team in the accomplishment of doing something important for the Moose Jaw Humane Society and Moose Jaw’s unwanted animals; The board of directors is the governance body of the Moose Jaw Humane Society. On behalf of the community, and representing the members of the Moose Jaw Humane Society, it provides the strategic direction, resources, and high-level oversight for the organization to be successful in achieving its mission and goals. That we can provide these unwanted animals with a new life and ensuring that while here that they are receiving the highest quality of care. Board members come from all walks of life to ensure an appropriate mix of perspectives at the table. They share a commitment to the Moose Jaw Humane Society and the animals in our care and have skills that are required by the board. Candidates may posses a combination of work and personal experience that provides them with the necessary knowledge and understanding of the financial, administrative, ethical and policy issues that may be put to the board. So what is expected of you as a board member? The board of directors meet once per month, in the evening, for about two hours, at the shelter. The board provide financial oversight; ensure legal and ethical integrity and maintain accountability; ensure effective organizational planning; enhance the organization's public standing; determine, monitor, and strengthen the organization's programs and services. Keeping this all in mind that we are a governance board not a working board. The day to day operations are managed by the executive director.
A lot of our board members start out as volunteer so they were already wearing that hat before taking on the role of a board member. So there will be other board members that are more active in fundraising events then maybe what you can pledge too. And if I may end with abit of insight, the places that this board has taken us past two years has really been amazing. We have come so far. I am proud of where we are today. I know being part of this board, at are our meetings where you are overcome with the tangible energy in the air - a current of hope, has made me more committed to doing something with this my time here. Working for the better of the animals has made me kinder and has giving me the insight of knowing when to sacrifice my own needs for another’s. To being more human in my everyday life. So if you think that this sound like you and you have the eagerness and enthusiasm, and are looking for another way to help the animals, please feel free to contact myself for some more information And if your not the board memeber type ... I sure hope to see you out supporting our mission for these animals with your vote!!
March 18, 2010
We had a bowling night … and people loved it! No really, we couldn’t be happier with our 1st annual Alley Cat Bowl-arama! People love to come out and support the animals. We also learnt people love to dress us and bowl! Its great see people checking their dignity at the door and trade it in for ridiculous giggles. * cough cough Moose Jaw Animal Clinic cough cough * So to all the great teams and individuals thanks a bunch. We raised close to $2500.00 for the animals here and that is just wonderful for the first year of this event. Everyone did a wonderful job of collecting pledges. We have got a feeling that this is only going to better! A big thanks to Karla for heading up this event and the wonderful job she did that evening being our very own ALLEY CAT …. Meow….
We will be posting some pictures of all the fun we had and the great sports that came out soon under our What’s New Page soon.
March 15, 2010 Over the last several days, I have had a large of amount of wonderful emails. It’s so easy to get caught up in the vitriol, and if you don’t put the kibosh on feeling sorry for yourself, I could easily have missed out on the greatness of this past week.Thank you for your comments. For introducing yourselves. Thank you for the emails of support. It is an absolutely overwhelming feeling to know that we have so many supporters. In the past few years there has been a lot of and bickering, accusation and assumptions and it eats at us. Because, for the most part, it's been in response to some pretty heartfelt stuff for us - the care of our animals. I get that you may not agree with me. You may not even like me. I'm a big girl - I don't need to be friends with everyone on the playground but you can't help but feel disappointed by lack of basic human kindness and respect, much less a sense of positivism or perspective. But one of the most freeing things ever is realizing you have choices. A choice to let it get you down or keep trucking along. It's nice to know that we have so many people in our camp, who want the ultimate happy ending more than anything - great homes for all these animals. All of us here knew our passion a long time ago; We’re just pleased that we found a way to help these wonderful animals. To be able experience the joy we feel on most days, when its more privilege than job. I truly believe that we need to balance the scales by raising awareness, for the animal’s sakes. At times life is not fair, all we can do, is our best with the purest of intentions. For those people who would like a first hand feel of how “our shoes fit" ,we have a perfect pair here for you to try on. It’s our Volunteer shoes. Volunteers play a critical role at our shelter. Donating your time to animals in need is one of the most rewarding commitments you can make. It’s also the best way to educate yourself of what really happens at our Humane Society Trust me, spending some time with members of our furry family will provides mutual fulfillment for both you and them— it’s a meaningful way to make a difference in the lives of homeless animal in your community.
So, you know thanks. A bunch.
March 8, 2010 Operation “Let’s Get This Cat Adopted” Bad Oscar
Favourite Things: Playing with toys, chasing inanimate object around, following dogs around, being in your personal space, being everywhere you are, when someone leaves the food room door open. Least Favourite Things: Snoopy stealing my spotlight, you being in a room and I’m not. What I’m learning at MJHS: Not a lot as I run the show … .just saying. I’m cute and they love me so I take full advantage of that and do as I please. Pets I could live with: Dogs and cats. I’m good with whomever. How could anyone not love me? I think everything is fun, interesting and meant for play, especially you, like your toes or fingers or hair. Anything you do, I’ll want to do too. With my own brand of surprises, life with me will keep you constantly on your toes, and the fun is guaranteed. Ps. I’m WAY cuter than Snoopy!
Don’t let this picture fool you! He is a little devil. Little Oscar came to us when he was just a few weeks old. Ellen took Oscar home and raised him while he overcame his injuries. We think that’s why Oscar is the way Oscar is, thanks Ellen!!! Now labeled as Bad Oscar, this little guy has no fear. He is everywhere and full of confidence. Nothing gets to him. He has overcome his injuries as a kitten, a few months of being treated for ringworm and then upper respiratory. Nope didn’t get him down. He is happy and healthy and to be quiet honest one bad cat! If you are looking for a cat with a large personality this is the man for you. On top of being tooo cute he is a riot to be around. If you are looking to liven up your house, Bad Oscar is here waiting for you!
Operation “Let’s Get This Dog Adopted” Rocco Age: 1-2 years Favourite Things: Playing with all sorts of toys, running around the yard like a nutbar, yummy treats or anything that may be part of a food group, charming people with my wonky ears. Hanging out in the front office hoping that someone will bring in a k-9 friend for me to play with. Least Favourite Things: Not getting out for a walk a day, dog walkers that take other dogs for a walk and not me. What I’m Learning at MJHS : I’m learning to be more confident with new people, not to jump on people, sit for attention, to remain calm before I get fed, walking nicely on a leash. Pets I could live with: Dogs and cats. I have great K-9 social skills. I LOVE to play, boys or girls I don’t care! I’m just looking for fun I also would do well in a home with kids or for a family as their first dog. Yeah that’s how smart I am! I’m a fun-loving, happy-all-the-time, glass-is-half-full kind of dog looking for someone who loves to laugh and play around. Must have a great sense of humor and some time to spend with me. I would love a family that is looking for an active dog to play with the kids in a backyard or to go on an adventures with!
We really don’t know why Rocco has been over looked for so many months. This boy is just an all around nice dog would compliment any family. Rocco came to us stray Nov 18/09. This guy can brighten any of your days with his goofy personality. We would love to see Rocco go to a home that’s see the world like Rocco does... As a big fun adventure!
March 1, 2010 Yesterday has reminded us that today is a gift and we should cherish those moments that we have with our loved ones, whether they are 2 or 4 legged Sadly we lost one of our dogs in an accident. Even though Rider entered into our life for only a short period of time, he captured our heart. Rider was absolutely one of the brightest, easiest; most undemanding dogs in our shelter. He belonged to all of us with his sweet, gentle, incredible energy. A magnet and inspiration to us all with his loving smiling face and bubbly personality I can’t think of Rider without picturing his wagging his entire torso and within that energy exchange this dog shined brightest. Rider your love shines on and will continue to surround us with hope, dreams and gentle tenderness. It is hard to swallow the loss, but we were fortunate to have you here…..it was a beautiful journey we had Rider Pride!
They say when you save someone's life, you're responsible for them for the rest of their life and that can’t be weighing more heavily on our heart than today. This has been a tough winter, my friends. We so look forward to happier days this spring.
February 16/10 We hosted our first annual Sweet Heart Chilli night and auction and it was a great success! We had lots of great volunteers (as usual) that made us the wonderful chilli and people loved it. Almost ran out! Now that’s what we like to hear! We also had a silent auction that night on some beautiful baskets that raised us even more money.This event was lead by our one and only Glenda Hyndman. This was her first event as the leader and I gotta tell ya she stepped up to the plate in a big way. She called in all her favours and got us some great items donated for these wonderful baskets. Huge thanks to her. We owe a big thanks to Glady Bell for just being Glady, and to Adrienne Forsyth for her help with the Chilli end of things and for organizing the volunteers. And to all the volunteers thank again for showing up when we need you! Of course as usual this event flowed smoothly due to our fundraising coordinator Christie Sass. We really be lost without her. This was one of new fundraisers and it’s so exciting when something goes over so great. You can’t help but get excited for next years! You really don’t get the full effect of it until your planning these fundraiser how generous people really are. The donations of items and time people are willing to give because of our shared love of the animals is really amazing to witness. Until I started working here at the shelter I didn’t know the true meaning of the word “neighbour.” or “Community” .Having kindness a few steps outside your door is immeasurable. Hoping everyone got to spend Valentines Day with at least one things with 4 legs and fur! I know I lucked out and spent mine learning again from these animals that you can find joy and happiness daily, in whatever form that comes to you.
Feb 27/10 A BIG thanks to the Warriors for helping us out. A few of the Warriors came to the shelter and got their pictures taking with a few of our finest. At the Feb 23rd game against the Pats if you made a donation to the Humane Society you received a poster with the great pictures on them and all the donations came to the Humane Society. It was a big success as we took home about $900.00 and lots of toys and treats for our animals. One of the highlights of the night was Gus; one of our favourite “Ambassadog” from the shelter was chosen to drop the puck. Fitted with his Warrior Jersey Gus took to the ice but was abit overwhelmed with the boys, so his mom Kelly had to drop the puck. We loved it anyways, as Gus was cute as ever in his Jersey. Gus stuck around through the game and helped us collect donations! Good work Gus! A job well done Warriors! Thanks Boys !
February 02, 2010 I stopped writing my blog a few months back. I really just wanted to use this forum as a place for people to see a bit more of what happens behind the scene at our little shelter. Of course there was some people that didn’t agree with all that I had to say. There is always someone that knows how to do this job better then me. Nothing I’m not use to but since more then just my feelings are attached to this blog I decided to quit writing it, for the better of the shelter. The only constant thing at a Humane Society is the ups and downs. The highs and lows. The extremes leave you searching for something to keep you going and as cliché as it sounds, for us it’s always the animals. This past low really got me thinking about if all of this was worth it. It was a long day to say the least for all of the staff and our board members. A long day that was unnecessary and of course us just fighting the same fight against someone who does agree with what we have become and how we are getting there. We have nothing to hide here and are very proud of how far we have came, but the uphill battle with all the bull can wear you down You see, there has been a times the fate of her life here has been put on the table by people wondering why she is still around. People commenting that she will never get a home and they cant understand why she is still here. I got to tell you, this has made me try that much harder to make the changes that we want to make here. To educate and prove to people that Humane Societies can be more then just a pound. Finding that perfect home isn’t going too happened off the hop for a girl like Heidi (AKA The Monster). But I know somewhere in there is the perfect dog, the perfect pet for the right family. Its there within every animal that walks through our door. The past months with Heidi there has been a lot of tail wagging, gate jumping, garbage eating, one-way fetching, countless moments of bad manners -- and every moment of it all fuelled by an intensely goofy, happy-go-lucky, slobbery monster. How can you give up? Yes it would have been the easy route just to give up. To give up on the Heidi’s, The Chester’s with anxiety issues, The Marc’s that are so scared , The Oscar’s that are older, …. But It’s just not something we can understand Maybe Heidi and the staff here have a little bit in common, while commands never seem to even bend her ears, we seem to use the whole “selective listening” idea when someone is telling us that they don't like the changes. Our dedication to these animals no bounds. There is some bad days, there is some remarkable heart warming day and they all faded into memories, but these’s animals stayed by ourside, whether the belonged to us or not; we both belonged to the journey. As the new year is into full swing we want to thank all of our supporters for the kind words, the money you keep coming up with and the inspiring updates of all the past animals that we have been able to call our own... if only for awhile. We have an exciting year ahead of us. New fundraisers, new ideas, new supporters. So feel free to stop in and read my blog, and for those who don’t agree with what’s happening here, your comments can be directed to The Monster herself… ripping up papers is on of Heidi’s favourite past times!
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Have a comment for Kristyn or want to respond to something posted on her Blog? You can reach her at: Kristyn McEwen
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