Bead Drive event at Silver Sea Jewelry

There were 133 entries of bead donations.

And the winners are… 

1st place winner is Humane Society of Southern Arizona – they will be the recipient of our bracelet sales in April. Congratulations! Someone named Suzy (no last name) submitted HSSA. Suzy also receives a bracelet.

2nd place (random drawing) – the group receives 6 bracelets to use for fundraising or volunteer appreciation – that group is PAWSitively Cats – Petra submitted the entry. Congratulations!

The remaining prizes:
Wild cards (random drawings) – 3 people receive one bracelet each in their favorite colors — Genie Galina, Cindy Hall, and Rita Connelly – Congratulations!

There were 15 entries from outside AZ – Surprise! Drawing: (random)
Donations received from outside Arizona will be included in a special random drawing. Entries came from Utah, New Jersey, Illinois, California, NH, and Florida. Winner receives 3 bracelets for their chosen animal charity to be used for fundraising or volunteer appreciation. Sunburst Project (Florida) won! Congratulations!

Judy H. will receive a bracelet for sending us beads from the longest distance – New Boston, NH – 2,615 miles. Congratulations!

Susan Le Masters will receive a bracelet for giving us the largest bead donation – Congratulations!

A good time was had by all along with Silver Sea Jewelry raffle prizes, wildly colorful art by Courtney Kelly who donated a percentage of sales to our March charity, liquid refreshments & nosh, and lots of bracelet sales benefiting Smiling Dog Rescue, the March charity.

Thank you to everyone who made this possible.

Foster me! Foster me! Foster me!

It seems every shelter and rescue group needs foster homes.

from the HSSA press release

It happens every spring and summer. The Humane Society of Southern Arizona receives hundreds of tiny newborn puppies and kittens with their eyes barely open who require tender loving – and oftentimes intensive – care. Critical to their survival are the foster care volunteers who come forward and assume the role of surrogate parents for these vulnerable infants until they are old enough to enter permanent homes.

The HSSA Foster Care Program saves literally thousands of lives each year and there is always a need for more help. To start litter season prepared and on a positive note, the HSSA is hosting a Foster Care Carnival. This fun and festive celebration will highlight the vital work of foster volunteers and will include games, refreshments, adorable animals and experts on hand to answer questions. This family-friendly evening is open to all animal lovers and will be held from 6‐8 pm on Monday, March 18, at the Companions for Life Center, 3465 E. Kleindale Rd. (right around the corner from the main shelter).

If you think you have what it takes to be a hero for a homeless pet, save the day with the HSSA! Please join the celebration to discover to joys of fostering or call Peggy Johnston at (520)321-3704, ext. 131, for details.

What: Humane Society of Southern Arizona Foster Care Carnival
When: 6‐8 pm Monday, March 18
Where: Companions for Life Center, 3465 E. Kleindale, Rd.
Who: Animal lovers of all ages

Pet Memorial Service

Pet Memorial Service – March 10

I picked this up at the Arizona Animal Fair today:

“St. Mark’s (United Methodist Church) invites the Tucson community to a Pet Memorial Service on Sunday – March 10 – 3 p.m.

This event is a time to acknowledge and respect the importance of animals held in our hearts and lives and to celebrate their place in God’s creation.”

There’s going to be a video montage shown during the service so if you want your pet included in this video, please email a photo to info@umcstmarks.org by Friday – March 8.

After the service, refreshments will be served and a time to mingle with others who have pet loss.

St. Mark’s has a history of supporting local community food banks. The food bank located at 2820 W. Ina Road (ICS) is receptive to receiving dog and cat food in addition to general grocery items. People are encouraged to donate food for the animals as well as groceries for people. Pet food given to St. Mark’s get delivered to ICS (Interfaith Community Services.

St. Mark’s is located at 1431 W. Magee Road (southwest corner of La Canada and Magee)

520-297-2062

I’m not a prickly pear

This sounds like a fun fundraising event for the Humane Society of Southern Arizona. Thanks to the generosity of the sponsors in helping the local animal community.

from the press release

The Humane Society of Southern Arizona hosts its annual Paws in the Plaza event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19, at Casas Adobes Plaza at Oracle and Ina roads.

The HSSA’s Waggin’ Train RV will be filled with adorable adoptables ready for their forever homes and stocked up with lots of fun and colorful merchandise for your companion friends.

Plaza restaurants will share their wares with both human and canine guests. Tucson Musical Canine Freestyle Club dancers will get their grooves on and local singer-songwriter Amber Norgaard will fill the plaza with live music and much more.

A prize-filled raffle includes a chance to win a two-day stay at the Tucson Adventure Dog Ranch and a $1,000 shopping spree for the Casas Adobes Plaza. Tickets for the raffle are just $10 each! All proceeds from raffle directly benefit the HSSA’s shelter animals. Tickets can also be purchased online.      (Blogger: $1,000 shopping spree – What generosity!)

Stop by Casas Adobes Plaza for a fun-filled day of food, great music and best of all, the opportunity to support our community’s homeless pets!

(Photo: Lanakai – #744234 – 8 Weeks Old – Shar Pei Mix – Female

From endangered stray in need to a lucky girl indeed! When a rural mailman was driving through a vast stretch of empty desert, they just so happened to spot a squirming puppy trapped in a cactus patch on the side of the desolate road. Once safely plucked out of the mess and delivered to the Humane Society of Southern Arizona, Lanakai had loads of people hard at work to remove hundreds of cactus spines. She was covered from head to toe!  Although she was uncomfortable, hungry and very thirsty, Lanakai is now feeling fantastic and owes her life to the kindness and keen eyes of a guardian angel delivering the mail. Now she needs one more friend to complete her happily ever after story. Could you show Lanakai the comforts of being a pampered companion?)

In memory – Callie Rose

One of the hardest things we as pet owners have to do is put our beloved pets to final rest. For some reason, we think they will live forever — and they don’t.

Unfortunately, they can’t tell us where they hurt but if they stop eating or start limping or their zest for life wanes…it’s our responsibility to get them veterinarian care and if that doesn’t help…make the decision when to let them go before they are in pain with no quality of life.

As an adult, I have put two greyhounds to final rest. The first was always the most difficult but Painter had the best send off ever as he ate a greasy cheeseburger for his last supper (during his lifetime he suffered from pancreatitis and ate bland food), farted for 3 minutes, and then died peacefully in my arms upon injection on his dog bed in my bedroom. That was December 12, 2006; Painter was 12 ½.

While I thought that was the way to go from now on, Lily’s final resting happened in the vet’s office as she was in too much pain for me to bring her back home. Fortunately, she was on her dog bed and I laid down with her and she received one injection to calm her and ease some pain and ate a few cookies. I spent 10 minutes cuddling and telling her how much I loved her and then the vet gave her the final injection. That was August 6, 2010; Lily was 12 3/4.

It’s odd because while I cannot remember what I ate for dinner last night or what movie I saw last week, I remember these two events vividly.

In memory: Here are some dogs and one cat that I remember. Please forgive me if your pet’s name is omitted. PM Karyn Zoldan on Facebook and I will add to this list for 2012 and/or please add a comment and tell us about your pet.

To my greyhound friends

Alex
Annie of Green Valley
Basil

Added: BeBe – March 2012 – heart attack

Brin – 15 year old feisty broodie to the end
Captain Hook
Cheval
Cielo
Dexter

Added: Emily – March 2012 – spinal trauma

Gordon
Hoover
Jenny
JoJo
Luna Tulip
Mazzie
Maureen
Meg
Quinn Jose
Schroeder
Spike
Sunny D.
Tuna
Ty
Velvet
Zoey
Zeus

Other dogs
Bryn – Border Collie
Callie Rose – my god-dog
Ice – American Eskimo dog
Ivan – TPD K-9
Jake – Pomeranian
Jeg – DPS K-9
KiKi – Doberman
Lennox – BSL victim
Mazel – Samoyed
Puppy – miniature Bichon
Xan – Springer Spaniel

Cat

Added: Boo Boo Kitty – 15 years old / stroke
Sophie

Let’s take a moment to remember all the dogs and cats that were killed in 2012 because our society is not yet No-Kill; and the racing greyhounds that don’t make it across the most important finish line of all – a forever home.

Merry Christmas

Last minute Christmas gifts for pets and their people

–Pet grooming gift certificates

• Pet Designs Salon
• For DIYers – Dirty Dawgs Self Service
• GabiKat Grooming (cats only)

–Dog treats not made in China (this is tough; read the labels) – just because a product says “distributed in the USA” doesn’t mean it’s made in the USA.

–Beading Divas Bracelets – for the month of December, all bracelet sales go to helping project Going Home / Greyhound Protection League to get dogs safely out of Tucson dog track. Every bracelet comes with a paw charm and is made with donated beads. Read more here including where to buy bracelets locally.

–PAWSH at La Encantada on Skyline sells cute toys and pet treats and all the proceeds benefit HSSA

–HSSA thrift shop has much cool things — housewares, clothes, tchotchkies where proceeds also benefit HSSA

–Kismet, a green thrift shop offer fair trade, local, vintage and heirloom treasures at fair prices. Benefits Tucson CARES

–Books – Clues Unlimited has an assortment of animal books and many mysteries which feature, cats and dogs. One of my favorites is the Spencer Quinn books where Chet the mutt is the storyteller.

–Greyt Escape accessories – tag & martingale collars & leashes

–Pay it forward — Contact your friend’s veterinarian and inquire if you can pay it forward for the next time your friend needs to bring his or her pet in. As someone who takes her dogs to the vet far more than I take myself to the doctor, this kind of gesture would blow my socks off (in a good way).

–For your neighbor who doesn’t pick up dog poop – biodegradeable poop bags.

–Gift certificate for low cost spay or neuter at ABC spay & neuter or or HSSA

–Subscription to BARK magazine, Modern Dog, Cat Fancy

–Try to buy from local pet & feed stories: OK Feed & Supply (2 locations – Midtown & Sahuarita), Arizona Feed (South Tucson & Wetmore/Flowing Wells), Marana Feed, Tucson Feed (Wrightstown), Paws & Claws Boutique (Campbell & Ft. Lowell), Birds Unlimited (Tanque Verde & Ft. Lowell/Country Club).

–A thoughtful gift to the person who has everything — make a donation to their favorite pet charity in their honor or in memory of a deceased pet.

–For a friend or neighbor who is ill or infirm, offer to walk their dogs now and then.

–Do not give a pet (unless maybe goldfish) as a Christmas gift. Christmas Day with all the hazards of candy, ornaments, pine cones, ribbons, batteries, toys with breakable parts, and other distractions is not the time to bring a new pet into the household. However, walking dogs and cuddling cats on Christmas Day at PACC is completely acceptable and most welcome.

Let the dust settle. If you are going to be home between Christmas and  New Year, consider adopting (not buying) a new pet when you have some down time to spend with them.

(Photo: Courtesy of HSSA, Emmet the kitten is available for adoption at the HSSA in Park Place Mall)

Go Greyhound!

Today – Tuesday – is known as Giving Tuesday. Who knew? First there was Black Friday and then Cyber Monday but now today is Giving Tuesday. I love the concept as it may help a deserving animal charity.

What I love even more is the out-of-the-box fundraiser that just arrived in my email. According to the email, the idea behind #Giving Tuesday is to harness the power of social media to focus on giving, after the holiday shopping frenzy of Cyber Monday and Black Friday. It’s a chance to refocus on our great national tradition of generosity.

The Loft Cinema, a Tucson non-profit organization, has the brilliant idea to give a local nonprofit organization the use of their 500-seat theatre for 3 hours for a film-based fund-or-friend-raising event (event must be Monday – Thursday, valued at up to $800 and subject to availability)!

The winner will be selected by an independent panel and the winner will be announced on New Year’s Day! (not limited to animal charities)

You can nominate your favorite nonprofit to be considered for free use of the Loft’s big screen and is also willing to help plan the event. Share this with your friends so they can nominate their favorite nonprofit.

Please support The Loft on #Giving Tuesday and nominate a local nonprofit for a free night at The Loft! You can put the name of the nonprofit in the space after “In Honor Of” on the donation form. Donations are not required for making nominations. You can also email your nominations at infoloftcinema.com

Please consider giving to The Loft’s Building for the Future Campaign on this special day of philanthropy. Your tax-deductible donation will help  touch the lives of tens of thousands of our friends, neighbors and visitors.

Click here to donate / nominate.

I love the Loft because without them, we would not have viewing access to many foreign and indie movies as well as bringing the directors and producers for informative Q&As. Always something special and diverse happening at The Loft.

 About The Loft
The Loft is a nonprofit cinema dedicated to creating community through film, honoring the vision of filmmakers, celebrating ideas and promoting the appreciation and understanding of the art of film.

Ready, Set, Adopt Me!

My friends at Pima Animal Care Center (PACC) asked Tucson Tails to please announce that when you’re out and about this weekend and next weekend to be sure to check them out at these fun community events.

PACC dogs for adoption will be at the world famous SAHBA Home Show this weekend October 5th thru 7th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Tucson Convention Center. What a great idea. Pets in homes go together like peanut butter and jelly, like hot fudge on vanilla ice cream.

Next weekend October 13th and 14th, PACC will be downtown for Tucson Meet Yourself. While doing that and enjoying the  diverse array of food and culture that Tucson has to offer, you can also meet some very nice adoptable pets that need homes.

I’m happy to see PACC out and about. You can follow them on Twitter too.

For people who like creepy crawlers instead of furry 4-legged friends, check out the Tucson Reptile & Amphibian Show on October 6th & 7th at the Tucson Expo Center. According to this flyer I picked up at Pet Club, there will be 50,000 square feet of native and exotic reptile fauna from around the globe plus a sale of various related things and educational seminars. Read more online. This event happens Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The TEC is located at 3750 E. Irvington Road. The cost to enter is $7/adults and $3/kids 6 to 12, younger kids are free.

As an aside while my walking my dogs in an urban Tucson neighbor I saw a sign posted for a lost iguana that was 3 feet long. That gave me pause.

Greyt Bites – October 9th
Leave the cooking to California Pizza Kitchen or CPK anytime between 11 a.m. and 9:30 whether you dine in or takeout, 20% of your check will be donated back to Southern Arizona Greyhound Adoption. Yum! And generous too.

There is a catch as you have to present a special flyer in order for the greyhounds to get the funds. You can download the flyer here. Be sure to take the entire family or a bunch of co-workers. Did you know that CPK invented the BBQ chicken pizza? Yep. California Pizza Kitchen is located at the Tucson Mall at Oracle and Wetmore Roads.

More October events posted soon for pit bulls, golden retrievers, cats, and service dogs.

(PACC Photo: Zepp, #398089 – Zepp is an adorable red chow mix. He’s a 2 year old male, house-broken and a tad shy, but is becoming more friendly, and comfortable with everyone. He got along nicely with some children who came to see him. He’s a keeper and a fuzzy teddy bear. Zepp is ready to go home to a loving family. Is that you?)

If your best friend had an emergency, would you be prepared?

This class, developed by veterinarian Michael Lent* of Pantano Animal Clinic and the Humane Society of Southern Arizona, is more than just a program on how to conduct CPR or treat medical emergencies for cats and dogs. Participants will learn how to prevent emergencies; how to assist their vet in treating their pet; keep animals safe from local environmental hazards; avoid poisonous plants and household dangers; and identify and react to cruelty and neglect issues. And most importantly, lots of prevention!!

Registration fee of $50 includes a Pet Safety and First Aid manual, hands-on skills training with animal mannequins, video instruction, and certificate of completion. The four-hour course is open to individuals ages 15 and up.

For more information on the classes, please contact Inge Koopman-Leyva, ikoopmanleyva@hssaz.org or call 520.321-3704 ext. 142.

Date: Saturday, August 11, 2012
Time: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM

If you’d like to attend this event you can purchase tickets online.

* Dr Lent just pulled eight of my greyhound’s teeth.

Pictured: Brutus – #721866 – 4 Years Old – Shepherd Mix – Male

Brutus knows how to make a memorable first impression. Unrivaled in his huggability, Brutus loves nothing more than being close to you and will follow you around with baby eyes until you kneel down and give him a squeeze. Found wandering the streets in Globe, Brutus was picked up by a kind-hearted couple who searched everywhere for his owner. But no luck. During his 2-week stay, Brutus was an appreciative gentleman who enjoyed snuggling, napping and playing with the Dachshunds. Brutus’ new friends wanted him to find a better life and delivered him to the Humane Society of Southern Arizona for a second chance. Won’t you be the best friend Brutus has been waiting his entire life to find?

***Brutus has a waived adoption fee through August!

Loyalty is Evie's middle name

Put your paws in the air for Paws of the Past!

Join HOPE Animal Shelter for a day of festive fun. HOPE Animal Shelter is honoring their past canine and feline adoptees so bring your dog or a picture of your adopted cat!

There is fun for all ages, both 2-legged and 4-legged friends. Enjoy:

• Contests
• Raffles
• Auction
• Music
• Food & Beverages
• Vendors for People and Pets

Special Guest: Allen (Big Al) Kath of KGUN TV!

It all happens on Saturday – May 19 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Brandi Fenton Park located at Alvernon Way and River Road.

HOPE is Tucson’s only no-kill shelter for dogs & cats. Located near Broadway/Campbell, volunteers are urgently needed to on Monday and Thursday from 8 a.m. to noon for 3 hours to clean out cat kennels; 520.792.9200

PHOTO: Meet Evie, a sweet girl who has been through some difficult times. Evie was tied to fence outside of the shelter during the night. When we tried to get her the next day, she slipped out of her collar and wouldn’t let anyone come near her. She waited patiently for days by the fence, trusting that her owner was coming back . Evie is a very playful, friendly, affectionate young dog. Clearly she is also a very devoted girl, as evidenced by the way she waited for whoever abandoned her. Evie needs a forever home with someone who will give her the stable, loving home she so deserves.

Evie is Spayed/Neutered • Up-to-date with routine shots • Labrador Retriever/Shepherd Mix • Medium • Young • Female