for the animals - Chemung County SPCA

Our Executive Director, Barbara McLean, spends somequality time with one of our shelter dogs, Jasmine.For more about our financial situation, please read the cover article.Message from the DirectorMany exciting things have happened since theSpring/Summer edition of For the Animals, whichcame out in May. We held our first ever “Putt forePaws” golf tournament to increase our fundraisingactivities for this year. This event raised more than$4,000 dollars to benefit the more than 150 animalsin our care at the time. To read more about the successof the golf tournament, please see Page 10.Speaking of fundraising, we are in desperate needof your support. We have only raised about 33percent of our $375,000 fundraising goal for thisyear. We need to ask the community, once again,to come to our aid to help us keep our programsand services strong for the community, and forthe hundreds of homeless, abandoned and abusedanimals that come through our doors each year.We had a fun-filled volunteer recognition event and awards picnic at the Harris Hill Youth Campon August 29. At this event, we honored our 2009 award winners and our 2009 volunteers. To readmore on this story, please see Page 3.In early June, both our washing machine and dryer stopped working. What was a shelter to dowith a mountain full of laundry and no way to wash it? Luckily, a generous, anonymous, donorpromptly bought us these badly needed appliances. Thank you so much to the Good Samaritanwho supported us so generously in our time of need.We are happy to unveil some new programs and services now available at the Chemung CountySPCA. With the addition of Leanne Falkingham, the shelter’s Animal Behavior, Outreach andTraining Manager, we have added a lot to our animal enrichment program. We have also addedtraining and behavioral classes by appointment. The shelter will start offering scheduled trainingclasses in September. For more on Leanne and her new programs, please see Page 7.Looking to the future, we are getting ready for our 18th annual Walk ‘n Wag event to be held atEldridge Park on September 18. If you haven’t started already, you can start collecting pledges forthis event with the form on Page 8. You can also register online and get pledges from your friendselectronically by logging onto our website at www.chemungspca.org. Even if you don’t raise anyfunds, or even have a dog, you are invited to come walk and support the Chemung County SPCA.We still have a long fall and winter of fundraising to go and we need your help now, more thanever. Make sure to mark your calendars for all the great events highlighted on Page 4. Stay up todate with everything Chemung County SPCA by “Liking” us on Facebook, following ChemungSPCA on Twitter, checking out our photo stream on Flickr and watching our videos on You Tube.To subscribe to any of our social media sites, visit our website at www.chemungspca.org.Wishing you and your furry friends health and happiness,Barbara A. McLean, Executive DirectorFor the AnimalsPublication InformationFor the Animals is published semiannuallyin the Spring and Fall.Contributors to this edition of Forthe Animals:Michael Brennen, DVM, LakeRoad Animal HospitalKimberley Eveland, Volunteer Photographer,Chemung County SPCALeanne Falkingham, AnimalBehavior, Training and OutreachManager, Chemung County SPCALauren Galloway, Public Relationsand Marketing Intern, ChemungCounty SPCADarryl Heckle, President, ChemungCounty SPCA Board of DirectorsDana Heifferon, Chairman, Walk ‘nWag CommitteeSuzanne Henbest, Foster Parent,Chemung County SPCACindy Lewis-Black, DevelopmentCoordinator, Chemung CountySPCABarbara McLean, Executive Director,Chemung County SPCAClaudia Radin, Founder, Friendsof the Chemung County HumaneSociety and SPCAJaclyn Welles, Public Relations andMarketing Coordinator, ChemungCounty SPCASusan Wenzel-Bertelsen, ChiefHumane Officer, Chemung CountySPCAWe want to hear from you. Pleasesubmit questions, comments or advertisinginquiries to Jaclyn Wellesat publicrelations@chemungspca.org, or call her at 607-732-1827,Ext. 3506. It is only through yourhelp that we can make this publicationa success!Boomer testedandapproved!Carrying:Blue Seal, Innova, CaliforniaNatural, Premium Edge, Tasteof the Wild and many more...

Celebrating our 2009 Award Winners!The staff and Board of Directors of the ChemungCounty Humane Society and SPCA were proud tohonor their 2009 Award Winners and volunteersat a special recognition picnic at the Harris HillYouth Camp, on Sunday, Aug. 29. We honoredsix businesses and individuals with our annualawards.Peg Davis, Humanitarian of the YearThe Humanitarian of the Year Award is the mostprestigious of the SPCA’s Annual Awards. Thisyear’s recipient, Peg Davis, has been a longtimefriend of the Chemung County SPCA andhas always, without hesitation, provided for theimmediate needs of the shelter. One of her mostsignificant contributions has been to sponsor thespay and neuter clinics for our shelter animals.Cohen Elementary School, Educator ofthe YearThe Educator of the Year Award goes tothe school that has made it a point toeducate students on animal welfare duringthe previous year. The educators atCohen Elementary School have goneabove and beyond for the ChemungCounty SPCA by sponsoring severalsupply drives throughout theyear for the animals.Pat Peters, Volunteer of the YearThe Volunteer of the Year is a personwe can always count on. Thisyear’s winner, Pat Peters, is someonewe can count on to do any task, eventhe most un-glamorous of tasks withoutcomplaint. She is someone the staff canrely on to assist with everyday activities. She wasalso one of the people who volunteered the mosthours last year.Peg Davis receives the Humanitarian of the Year Award atthe Chemung County SPCA before her move to Maine.NY Imagery Photography, Business of the YearNY Imagery Photography, owned by BenjaminThomas, was awarded the Chemung CountySPCA’s Business of the Year Award. Thebusiness received this award for the donationof its photography services for thefirst 2010 Forever Friends calendar andfor the 2009 Holiday Pet Photos.Good Samaritan Awards•Town & Country Kennels and Groomingreceived a Good Samaritan Awardfor assisting the shelter with the boardingof many dogs during an ongoingcruelty case. They have also groomedmany of our shelter dogs to get themready for adoption.•Patrick Heifferon was awarded a GoodSamaritan Award for his compassion inidentifying a dog hit by a car. He not onlyreported that the dog was hit by a car, but alsowent back, got the dog off the side of the roadand retrieved the contact information on the collarso the owners could be notified.Wish ListImmediate NeedBaby food - meat onlyCanned cat foodCanned dog foodDog Advantage 55 lbs andoverDry cat foodDry dog foodCanned puppy foodHigh efficiency laundry detergentMilk replacer for kittensPaper towelsSam’s Club gift cardsGas cards9 Volt batteriesFor the Animals6’ leashesBlankets for dog & cat cagesCat hideaways/plastic milkcratesCardboard egg cartonsCat toysCheez Whiz & peanut butterChicken brothDog toys (Kongs, rope toys,etc)Dog treats and rawhidesFabric dog collarsKuranda bedsPaper bagsFor a complete wish list,please go to:www.chemungspca.organd click on the Donate tab.

Suzanne Henbest, her husband Ted and theirthree children have been a foster family forthe Chemung County SPCA for a year now.Two of her children are now away at collegeand she jokes that now that she has two sparebedrooms, she’ll have to have more fosterkittens! We talked with her to find out thebest parts of the foster program, as well aswhy others should get involved.It’s hard for Suzanne to put her finger on thebest part of being a foster parent. “When thekittens are older and more mobile, the mostfun is interacting with them and seeing howmuch they reciprocate when you interactwith them. We have an extra bedroom, sowhen we open the door, they all come runningtoward you. When you sit down, theyall pile on top of you; that’s the best part,”she said. “I have a lot of family in the areaand this is what keeps the family coming tovisit. They come for kitty time. This helps alot too because it gets the kittens really wellsocialized.”Suzanne definitely knows what the hardestpart of being a foster parent is. “Giving thekittens up is definitely the hardest part, nodoubt about it,” she says. “It’s really hard toFoster Parent Profilegive them back. When I saw the intake room,even though everyone at the shelter tries tomake it pleasant, it can’t compare to a homeenvironment,” she said. “I can endure theanguish of giving them back so they can havepure bliss in our home for a few weeks.” SheSuzanne’s daughter, Heather, who is studyingphotography in college, took this picture of theirfoster kittens, Aladin and Willow.told us how her 11 year old (Megan) doesn’twant to come with her to return them. “Shecame with me and cried the first time. It’svery hard,” she said. “But the staff alwaysmakes us feel better when we come. Theycomment on how good they look and howbig they’ve gotten.” She went on to add howCalendar of EventsSeptember 18, 2010—Walk ‘n WagSeptember 23, 2010—Friends of the Chemung County Humane Society and SPCA Inaugural MeetingOctober 2010—National Adopt-a-Shelter-Dog MonthOctober 20, 2010—Charitable Giving SeminarOctober 30, 2010—Trick or Treat at the ShelterNovember 2010—National Shelter Appreciation MonthNovember 6, 2010—Holiday Pet PhotosNovember 25, 2010—Shelter Closed for ThanksgivingDecember 2010—12 Strays of Christmas Holiday PromotionDecember 11, 2010—Holiday Party for the AnimalsDecember 25, 2010—Shelter Closed for ChristmasDecember 31, 2010-January 1, 2011—Shelter Closed for New Year’sFebruary 20, 2011—Spay Day 2011Check out more events, including special promotions, online at: www.chemungspca.org.The end of the summer monthsmarks the beginning of the mostheavily traveled time of the year, theholiday season. Of course, vacationingis always more enjoyable whenwe bring along our beloved animals.For pet-friendly hotel accommodationoptions, please visit the ChemungCounty SPCA website at www.chemungspca.org and click on theBringFido.com icon.It is not always possible to bring your pet, so during these times, weas pet owners rely on the efforts of boarding kennels and pet sittersto care for our animals. Before making any kind of arrangements,here are a few tips from Partnership for Animal Welfare (PAW) toensure a stress-free vacation:1. What are you looking for? Before you go booking the first kennelor sitter you come across, make sure that you have a list of criteriathat you want your boarder/sitter to meet. It is important for youto have confidence in who you allow to care for your pet. You canalso check out BringFido.com to find kennels, sitters, pet-friendlyrestaurants and attractions in your area.Pets and Your Vacationexciting it is to see them go home on Facebookand how glad she is that the shelter staffkeeps her updated when they find foreverfamilies.The most rewarding part, according to Suzanne,is the difference one can make in theanimal’s life in such a short period of time.“I volunteer at other organizations as well,and I have to say that this is probably one ofthe most rewarding volunteer jobs that I do,”she said. “For a short period of time, it tremendouslyhelps the animal’s quality of lifeand makes them more adoptable.” She alsosaid that fostering is very good for children.“My daughter Megan has learned a greatdeal about giving unconditionally and aboutresponsibility. She always feels sorry for themothers because everyone pays attention tokittens. She makes sure the mother cat getsattention, too.”“When I got into fostering, people heardthat I was doing it and asked questions,” shesaid. “Now my mother is a volunteer at theshelter, my daughter is going to volunteer inPittsburgh, where she goes to school, and mysister cleans cages at her local PetSmart inPA. It’s a domino effect.”2. Do your homework. Researching the type of pet care you chooseis an integral part of the process. Your checklist may differ dependingon whether you want a boarding kennel or a pet sitter, but a fewthings to look for regardless of preference are:a. Qualifications - Be sure that the proper training andlicensing are in order.b. Scheduling - This includes your pet’s schedule while intheir care and also how accommodating they are to yourschedule.c. Meet and Greet - Having a sitter meet and interact withyour pet is a great way to observe how they will mostlikely interact while you’re away.d. Recommendations - Be sure to ask for the names andphone numbers/e-mails of a few current clients.3. If your pet has any special needs or quirks, be sure the caregiveris aware of them. This would include things such as up-to-date vaccinationsand proper identification.4. Make sure to bring the phone number of the person or place thatyour animal will be staying with. It is always a good idea to callwhile away to see how your pet is doing.

Q and A with Dana Heifferon, Chair ofthe Walk ‘n Wag Event Committee:Walk ‘n Wag ExplainedThis year, our 18th Annual Walk‘n Wag will be held September18. Every year we get somequestions about the event. Wesat down with Dana Heifferon,Chairman of the Walk ‘n Wagcommittee to answer some frequentlyasked questions.Q: What exactly is Walk ‘nWag?A: Walk ‘n Wag is the ChemungCounty Humane Society andSPCA’s primary fundraiser forthe year. It is held each fall at alocal park. Participants are encouragedto form teams, collectpledges and walk to raise moneyfor the SPCA.Q: When does this event start?A: Registration begins at 9 a.m.and the walk begins at 10 a.m.Q: Is there anything happeningbefore the event?A: Yes! We have vendors anddemonstrations that begin at9 a.m. and go throughout thewalk. We also are happy to announcethat this year, 94 Rockwill be broadcasting live at Walk‘n Wag. There will also be foodprovided by a local Boy ScoutTroop.Q: Where do I get a pledgeform?A: Pledge forms are availableat the SPCA or online at www.chemungspca.org. You can alsoget pledges online and sendrequests toyour friends by going to ourwebsite.Q: Do I have to get pledges, orcan I just walk?A: You do not have to getpledges in order to walk. Youcan just come and walk to supportthe SPCA and enjoy thegreat outdoors.Q: Do I need to bring my owndog?A: You don’t need to bring yourown dog. It is perfectly fine ifyou just want to come and walkfor a good cause. However, participantsare encouraged to bringtheir own friendly, vaccinateddogs on a leash. Please makesure that there is a responsibleadult with the dog at all timesand bring your own suppliesto clean up after your dog as acourtesy to other walkers.Q: Will there be shelter dogsthere for me to walk?A: Dogs from the shelter willalso be onsite to be walked byparticipants who have beenthrough the shelter’s dog walkingclass. If you would liketo walk one of our dogs at theevent, please contact Liz Sowellat 607-732-1827, ext. 210 to setup a dog walking orientation.If you have any other questions,please contact Cindy Lewis-Black at 607-732-1827, Ext.212, develop@chemungspca.org.Come walk your dogand support a greatcause!Holiday Pet Safety Tips♫It’s the most won-der-fultime of the year!♫ The holidaymonths are right aroundthe corner and that meansgreat food, great companyand perfect opportunities foryour furry friends to partakein some seasonal mischief.Don’t let your responsibilitiesas a pet owner take aholiday, too. Here are sometips from Partnership of AnimalWelfare (PAW) on howto enjoy a safe and fun filledholiday season with yourbeloved pets:1. Create a safe haven.While we love being surrounded by friends and family duringthese months, all of the added visitors can be stressful to a pet.Make sure that there is a safe place in the house for them to retreatto.2. Keep decorations out of reach. Filling our homes with shinybaubles, ceramic figurines and seasonal foliage are a typical part ofany holiday. However, all of these things can be extremely harmfulto your pet. Ingesting anything from Halloween cobwebs to Christmaspoinsettias can cause serious problems for your animal. Pleasecheck online for a list of harmful holiday objects. When adorningyour home with displays, be they grand or quaint, be sure to keepyour pet in mind.3. Avoid giving your pets holiday food. The thought of all thedelicious treats that come with the holiday seasons is enough tomake anyone’s mouth water, especially your pets’. While it maybe tempting to want to spoil them with yummy snacks, it is best torefrain. Human food is much richer than normal pet food and toomuch of it can cause digestive and other health problems. Manystores sell holiday pet treats so that your critter will be able toindulge, too!4. Be wary of holiday “pranks.” This tip is one to be especiallyvigilant of as Halloween looms closer. Pets, especially blackones, can sometimes fall victim to the unsupervised horseplay ofchildren. While some say it’s just “kids being kids,” animal crueltyis a serious matter. Please take extra precautions during the holidayseason to ensure the safety of all your animals. If you witness anysuch activities, do not hesitate to report it to your local humanesociety or SPCA. To contact our Chief Humane Officer, SusanWenzel-Bertelsen, please call 607-732-1827, Ext. 203, or e-mailher at humane1@chemungspca.org.Follow these pet tips and it is sure to be the ♫hap-happiest seas-onof all!♫ For the complete list of holiday pet safety tips, please visitour website at www.chemungspca.org.Hours:Monday 11am-4:30pmTuesday 11am-4:30pmWednesday 11am-4:30pmThursday 11am-4:30pmFriday 11am-7pm (open late)Saturday 11am-4:30pm* Open 6 days a week! *Chemung County HumaneSociety & SPCA, Inc.2435 State Route 352Elmira, NY 14903Phone: 607-732-1827Fax: 607-732-6351Website: www.chemungspca.orgEmail: develop@chemungspca.org

The Vet’s CornerThe Importance of DentalHygiene to your Pet’s HealthInterview with Michael Brennen, DVMLake Road Animal HospitalQ: Why is it important to keep your pet’steeth healthy and clean?A: Really, it is important to keep your pet’steeth clean and healthy for the same reasonswe hear that it is important for humans tohave good dental hygiene. At our veterinarypractice, we always say, “Pets have teeth,too!” Keeping your pet’s teeth healthy isthe key to preventing dental disease. Themost common dental disease is periodontaldisease. By the age of three, more than 70percent of pets have periodontal disease ifthey have not had regular preventative care.This can lead to potential life-threateninghealth problems.Q: What is periodontal disease?A: Periodontal disease is a really seriousdisease that can affect more than just yourpet’s teeth. It is caused first by plaque build-up and then by gingivitis. It is basically abacterial infection that affects the connectionof the teeth to the bone. The infectioncan then gain access through the gums tothe blood stream, which means it can affectdistant organs and cause severe infectionthroughout the entire body. This candamage your pet’s overall health, just likeit does in humans. There is a direct correlationbetween gingivitis, heart disease andstroke in humans. People who have gingivitisare two times as likely to have strokesas people who do not. There was a recentstudy in animals that correlated the level ofperiodontal disease to architectural changesin distant organs. We can definitively saythat instances of periodontal disease causearchitectural changes in the kidneys, heartand other organs.Q: How do you treat periodontal disease?A: The treatment of periodontal disease dependson the progression of the disease. Wemay be able to do therapy during the earlystages, but once your pet has periodontaldisease, it requires a lifetime of management.When your pet has advanced periodontaldisease, the tooth needs to come outin order to keep your pets’ teeth healthy.Q: What kind of preventative regimentwould you recommend for pets?A: You really don’t want to wait until yourpet has periodontal disease. We need tostart thinking about our pet’s teeth like wedo our own. Preventative care is always thebest route. Premium dog foods and dentaldiet variety food can help slow down dentaldisease. With dogs, chew toys and chewtreats can be very helpful in keeping yourdog’s teeth healthy. Chewing is a preventativemeasure for plaque and tarter buildup. Brushing teeth is a wonderful thing todo and is unquestionably the number onepreventative for dental disease. If you startbrushing your pet’s teeth at a young age,conditioning the behavior and making it apositive experience, it doesn’t have to be abattle. You should start out early in kittenhoodor puppyhood with treat rewardsfor handling the mouth and gums. A fewmonths after handling the mouth, you canbring the toothbrush to the situation. All ittakes to improve your pet’s dental health is30 seconds of brushing a day. You shouldbrush your pets’ teeth at least three to fourtimes a week.Q: What are the warning signs of baddental health?A: You should look at your animal’s mouthoften to spot the warning signs of bad dentalhealth. Often you will see yellow or brownbuild-up around the gum line or you will seeinflamed red lines on the gum. Bad breathis a sign of periodontal disease because it isa bacterial infection that causes bad breath.Just because it’s “dog breath” doesn’t meanit should smell like it is rotting.It is mind boggling the level of dental diseaseour pets will tolerate until they actuallytell us. If we wait until our pet tells us, thenthey are usually at the end stage of dentaldisease. It hurts them, no question about it.Part of your pet’s yearly examination should be adental exam.Q: What kinds of things can your veterinariando?A: We always want to prevent dentaldisease. One of the best ways to do this isthrough an annual exam. If there are anysigns of gingivitis then your pet shouldhave a professional cleaning. Depending onthe level of build-up, we would sometimesrecommend periodontal therapy. A professionalcleaning requires general anestheticand is a day procedure. Safety is a minimalrisk as long as precautions are taken. Whilethey are under, we do a thorough oral examwhere we look at the jaw, tonsils, tongueand lymph nodes. We remove the plaqueand clean underthe gum line.You can buy a specialtoothbrush and toothpastefor your pet.Q: What doesit mean if yourpet’s tooth fallsout?A: When ourpet’s teeth fallout, that meansthey are at theend stage of dentaldisease. Petshave tremendousroot structuresand in order foryour pet’s toothto fall out, itmust rot through the entire structure of theroot and that is really painful. It’s normalfor puppies’ teeth to fall out between fourand six months of age. Puppies will lose 32teeth at four to six months and gain 42 adultteeth. It is not normal, however, for olderanimals to lose their teeth. This only happensat the end stage of periodontal disease.Your pet should keep their teeth their wholelife.Q: How often should you have your pets’teeth professionally cleaned?A: Our pet’s teeth parallel our teeth in thatyou should do everything you can at homefor their teeth and have regular professionalcare. The American Animal Hospital Association(AAHA), which sets the standards ofcare for pets, states that every dog beyondthe age of one year should have a professionaldental cleaning once a year. There issome debate whether yearly is justified dueto the anesthetic that is involved. It is mypersonal belief that by the time a pet is threeyears old, they should only have a professionalcleaning every other year.Q: Is the concept of oral hygiene for yourpet fairly new?A: This concept really came to light 20years ago, and it is my firm belief thatthis is the most significant advancementin veterinary care over the last 20 years.Studies suggest that pets have a 20 percentincrease in their life expectancy when theyreceive regular dental care. From what I’veseen, the effect that dental health has on ananimal’s quality of life is unquestionable.I once saw a dog whose teeth were so rottenthat we had to extract 17 of them. I got athank you note two weeks later from theowners saying that their dog had gone backto being a puppy and that she was doingthings she hadn’t done for five or six years.After her teeth were fixed, she was a totallydifferent dog. Luckily, now we don’t see toomany mouths like that, but you can reallytell how much difference dental hygienemakes.

A Happy Ending for LacquerWe here at the Chemung CountySPCA love a good happy ending.But who doesn’t? Which is whywe wanted to share one suchfeel-good story with our readers.When Lacquer the cat firstarrived at our shelter’s doors, hisentire body was covered in somekind of dried varnish. Since thevarnish could not be removedwith a simple washing, Lacquerhad to be shaved from head topaw. Due to his ordeal, Lacquerwas a little timid. However, duringthe following weeks, he beganto come out of his shell andhis winning personality finallystared to shine through.Lacquer quickly became afavorite among the staff andvolunteers due to his affectionateattitude. He particularly lovedplaying “mother cat” to all theother cats that lived in his kittycondo. Despite his lovable ways,Lacquer remained a memberof the Lonely Hearts Club, thegroup of cats that have been atLacquer with his new cuddle buddy!When Lacquer first came to the shelter he hadto be shaved because of the lacquer in his fur.the shelter the longest.For months, Lacquer charmedhis way into everyone’s hearts,patiently waiting for the day thathis new family would come toadopt him. Luckily for him, hewould not have to wait muchlonger. On a warm day at the endof June, the day that everyonehad been hoping for had finallyarrived: Lacquer had found hisforever home. With good-byehugs and kisses all around, Lacquerproudly went off to start hislife with his new family.All adoptions are bitter-sweetmoments at the shelter. Throughthe day-to-day care provided,you develop a special bond withthe animals and they becomedear friends. However, it is themost rewarding experience to seean animal go to a forever home.So, with tears in our eyes andsmiles on our faces, we wouldlike to say a big “Congratulations!”to Lacquer.The Chemung County HumaneSociety and SPCA is thrilledto have Leanne Falkinghamback as its Animal Behavior,Outreach and TrainingManager. Leanne worked forus previously as the sheltermanager, but left to pursue a jobas the training andbehavior managerat the SPCA ofTompkins County.Since her return inher new role here,she has institutedmany positivechanges. We satdown with Leanneto get her inputon the changesin the shelter andher goals movingforward.New Enrichment and TrainingProgramsWhat changes have you seenworking here?The facility itself is in muchbetter shape. It’s cleaner, betterorganized and has more space.I just think it’s a better place forstaff to work, and the animalsto be.What are your goals movingforward?I think being in a shelter isreally hard on animals andwe see their stress levels riseand see a deterioration in theirbehavior fairly quickly. Mymain goal, with that in mind, isto keep our residents healthy,both physically and emotionally,through enrichment and training.We can do this by getting staffand volunteers involved asmuch as possible in the lives ofthe dogs and cats to make theirdays better. This is also helpfulfor the adoptive family.What’s the best part of thejob?The best part is working withSigns like this that outlinethe dog’s preferenceshang on each dog’s run.the animals directly. WheneverI get to spend one-on-onetime with the animals, it’swonderful! I love teaching ananimal something new, and thenshowing it to the new owner.Tell me about the newenrichment andtraining programs.They’re still in theirinfancy, but I think withthe staff fully on board,we have made a lot ofprogress. We have beenable to add another shortwalk cycle, and cementenrichment programs.We have also added afew new ideas, like theclipboards, which helpstaff and volunteerscommunicate whateach individual doglikes best. We are bringing inindividual training programs fordogs and any staff member whois interested helps.Volunteers who have expressedinterest in training also get tohelp. We now stay open a fewevenings a week for volunteerswho can’t make it during ourregular business hours. Thisalso has given both dogs andcats extra time to interact withpeople. I have also been ableto do follow up calls for dogadopters to answer questionsthey may have and help themwith any issues.The last piece is holding trainingclasses. Starting in September,we will be holding classes.For more information, or tosign up for the classes, pleasee-mail Leanne at programs@chemungspca.org, or call her at607-732-1827, Ext. 209.

A Message Fromthe Board ofDirectors of theChemung CountyHumane Societyand SPCAOn July 28, 2010, the ChemungCounty Humane Societyand SPCA held the first annualmeeting that was open to thepublic. We think this openannual meeting is a great wayfor us to provide a forumto solicit feedback from thecommunity and share what isgoing on at the shelter.As part of our strategic plan,we are striving to becomemore proactive in seekingfeedback to make sure we aremeeting the needs of the communitywe serve. This publicannual meeting is just one waywe are trying to become moreconnected with our donors,supporters and adopters. It isthrough an effective connectionwith these groups that wecan provide the best possiblecare to the animals entrustedto us.On behalf of the Board ofDirectors of the ChemungCounty Humane Society andSPCA, I invite the communityto come to us with any unansweredquestions or feedback.If you were not able to attendthe annual meeting, please feelfree to e-mail me at president@chemungspca.org.Sincerely,Darryl HecklePresident, Board of DirectorsChemung County HumaneSociety and SPCAApril 2 to Aug. 1, 2010In an effort to save onproduction costs for Forthe Animals, expandedMemorials and Honorariums,along withIndividual Donors, areshowcased online atwww.chemungspca.orgIn Honor Of“Boomer” and “Fuzzle”“Bridget”, “Duncan”, “Tommy”& “Snuggles”“Buddy” Gordon“Charcole” and “Chester”“Chewy”“Elliott”“Lucas” and “Leo”“Misty”“Muffin”“Nick” and “Nora”“Rascal”“Ruby”“Sara, the Cat”“Scooter” and “Picasso”“Sissy’s” Adoption“Teddy” and “Bear”“Teddy”, “Smidget” and“Spooky”“Toby”“Toby” and “Gunner”“Zeus”26th Anniversary of Joe andMaureen Donohue-SmithAll the Homeless AnimalsBen Hager’s BirthdayBetty Ramberg’s BirthdayBrayden Hade’s 2ndBirthdayCindy HutchinsonConnie Sweeney’s RetirementDave DeLorme’s BirthdayDianne StroupDon & Loretta Deane’s50th Wedding AnniversaryDr. Charles Belinky’sBirthdayDr. HolderEllen Corradini’s BirthdayGail Sweeney’s RetirementGeorgiana and Pat Mac-MahonIsabella Nichols’ BirthdayJane DeLucaKaty DreifussMadeline Balcerek forMothers DayMichael & Judy Peden’sHonorarium and Memorial ListWeddingMindy ElzufonMr. and Mrs. ScottCarlyle’s WeddingPeg DavisPeter BoothRalph CharelierSara Drake’s BirthdaySarah and Jennifer Rousch’sBirthdaysThe Marriage of Les andKim LaursenWendi WaltonWorkers/Home HealthAides at AIM IndependentLiving CenterIn Memory of“Annie Hewitt”“Annie”“Augie”“Bardo”“Bear”“Bob Cat”“Bosco”“Brandy”“Bruno” and “Rudy”“Buddy”“Casper”“Cathy”“Cecil”“Cheetah”“Chien”“Chloe” and “Mya”“Cody”“Cot”“Dee Dee”“Duncan” and “Holly”“Ella” - A Dear Dog“Fatty” Longwell“Foster”“Jack”“Jack” Mahoney“Jeremy”“Jessie”“Katie Lynn”“Kelly”“Kitty”“Lilly”“Maggie”, “Figuero” and“Daisy”“Mandie Johnson Cusick”“Marnie”“Max”“Maxwell”, “Snowflake”and “Snark”“Maxx”“Mickey”“Mickey” and “Muffin”“Midnight”, “Scruffy”,“Shiloh”, and “Sebatian”“Milady”“Miles”“Miss Moxie”“Miss Thistle”, “Totem”and “Kitty”“Mitzie”“Mollie May”“Molly”“Newman”“Nutmeg”“Oliver”“Otto” and “Slo”“Parker”“Pepper”“Pepper Poperrey of Peraman”“Phoebee”“Phoenix”“Pizza, Sam, Smoya,Jezabel & CoCo”“Pookie” and “Patches”“Sadie”“Samantha”“Scooter Atkins”“Scottie”“Scrappy Joe Walton”“Sheba”“Shirah”“Smokey”“Sport” Gordon“Taffy”, “Spot the Cat” and“Jam”“Tchi”“Teddy”, “Billie” and“Tyke”“Tiffy” Makowiec“Tobie”“Tommy Hubbard”“Tonya” and “Alzado”“Westie”“Willow”“Wolfie” - much lovedcompanion“Zorbie”Allen Groves, “Hazel” and“Mitten”Anne NicholsAunt EvieBarbara DeHaasBetty Jane SmithBetty M. JusickC. Ritchie ZeiglerCharles R. GenungChristina DeLuca and“Tyler”Clara B. Kilmer and “AugieDoggie”David and Fred ReesDebbie WeilandDebi Miller RampullaDonald StewartDoris HineDorothy and Ed CarsonEd ColemanEloise FrankGeorgina TorresGloria KnappHarold “Dutch” RohdeHaskell PetsHeather ScribnerHeather YuhaszHelen TownerHelen Towner and her pet,“Midnight”Ida HickmanJames and Edna HutchinsonJane ChurchmanJessica Eve OsteenJoe & Sue Teets and“Simon”John DiverisJohn KeckJohn MurphyJuniata HaskinsKathleen HoltonKathryn E. BennettLaura DreifussLeon “Russ” WilcoxMargaret GilbertMarion & Thomas HmielMarjorie HaldemanMarjorie RobinsonMom and DadPatricia PowersPeg CottonPeggy Sue SaleskyPhyllis HoskinsonRichard BeemerRichard West, Jr.Robert GerardRonald MucciRuth S. McManusSally RollsSamantha PostSamuel MillerStephen JohnsonSuzanne PrattTed NovackTerrill KirkTheodora HarrisVirginia CravenWilliam C. FederickWilliam H. VandusenErrata: It is very importantthat we recognizeour donors appropriatelyand that our lists arecorrect. If we have madea mistake, please let usknow by calling Cindy at732-1827, Ext. 212. InHonor of/In Memory ofdonations received afterAug. 1, 2010 will appearin our next newsletter.