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Message from the Director

By Amy Cooper – Director

Got Cats?

It’s that time of year again. The rains slow, the weather warms and you wake up one sunny day to find . . . it’s kitten season. Each year at this time, shelters find themselves inundated with litters and litters of kittens – many of them without their mothers to take care of them.

Clearly, spay/neuter programs are the way to eventually curb the significant animal overpopulation problem. But in the meantime, cats and kittens pose a challenging dilemma. Some cats don’t get spayed because their owner says “it never goes outside”, until one day it gets out – and gets pregnant. Other cats don’t get spayed because their owners can’t afford the surgery. And some cats don’t get spayed because they don’t technically have an owner. There are owned cats, and feral cats, but what about the “neighborhood cat.” The cat no one really claims, but many feed, look after, and care about.

This spring in Sonoma County, in between yard work and garage sales, bike rides and house cleaning, please remind friends and family to spay or neuter their cats, and encourage those who subscribe to the “it takes a village to raise a kitten” theory, to do the right thing for the neighborhood cat. Get it fixed – this week – before it has a chance to breed and have one more litter of kittens.

Thanks to all the shelters and rescue groups we work with throughout the year – and especially during kitten season. Together we are making a difference. And a special shout out our friends at Forgotten Felines. Year round their spay/neuter programs save lives. For more information on getting your cat spayed/neutered, call us – Sonoma County Animal Care and Control – at (707) 565-7100.

Surprise! Then There Were Four

By Cathy Fenn – Shelter Supervisor

On January 21, 2010, we received a cute little female Pygmy goat. She came to us as a stray, but did have an ear tag that we were able to trace. We contacted the owner who said she had given the goat away about five years ago and didn’t want her back.

The woman had not named the goat so we decided to call her Mabel. Time went on and we noticed some changes in Mabel’s appearance – she started to look a little more plump around the middle. We were not sure at that time if it was due to her getting fed premium food on a daily basis or if maybe, just maybe, she was pregnant.

Staff started feeling her belly for any type of movement. Soon one of our Supervising Animal Control Officers, Bob Garcia, felt some kicking going on. Staff became very excited and couldn’t wait for the big day.

Weeks went by and no babies, so we started questioning ourselves. Maybe it was just gas Bob had felt and she really wasn’t pregnant – she was just a healthy girl.

On March 12, 2010, Mabel was adopted by a wonderful woman, Carol, who lives in Sebastopol. Carol was looking for a pasture companion for her miniature horse when she saw Mabel on our website, www.theanimalshelter.org. Carol adopted Mabel knowing there was a chance that Mabel may be pregnant. Carol herself became excited hoping for a little one to accompany Mabel. She said she had a bathroom that led off into a big pen that she would put Mabel in to watch her for a few days.

Carol woke up the morning after she adopted Mabel to find three little surprises. She had not even had Mabel 24 hours when she gave birth to three beautiful kids, as they are called in the goat world. Mabel was still cleaning off the last one born when Carol found them. Carol decided to call them Lucy, Peppermint Patty and Linus of the infamous Peanut’s clan.

The staff is always excited when Carol emails photos that update the kids and Mabel’s progress, and are so thankful they are in their forever home.

Kuma the Wonder Cat

By Cathy Fenn – Shelter Supervisor

Kuma came to us two years ago as an injured stray cat. Someone had found him and noticed he had an open wound. Kuma was examined by our shelter vet who determined that he had a ruptured abscess. Kuma was treated and recovered gracefully.

Kuma was made available for adoption and sat in the kennels for months. People would not even take a second look at him. As time passed, staff continued to notice how sweet Kuma was and that his long stay had not dampened his personality.

Coincidently, the shelter was in need of a cat to work with while temperament testing dogs. We tried out several cats and none of them stayed calm and collected being exposed to dogs on a daily basis. Then one day we decided to try out Kuma. At least he would get out of his cage for awhile, even if it did not work out.

Let me tell you, those dogs were in for a surprise. There was no dog too pushy or too big that Kuma would not stand up too. He even sent a Doberman running away with his tail (what he had for a tail) between his legs.

We had found our new temperament testing cat! Kuma now has a forever home here at the shelter. He lives in the animal health technician’s office and ventures throughout the facility when he feels like it. He is happy to greet everyone he meets, and will pester you until you give him attention. Kuma makes sure to do his rounds whenever there is a meeting going on in the room next to his. And he has not missed a meeting yet.

After having Kuma as the shelter cat for awhile, we discovered that he had another useful talent. Every kitten season the animal health technicians will foster kittens at their homes at night and bring them to work daily. They house the kittens up in the tech office each day. Kuma showed lots of interest in the kittens and their food. Soon Kuma was in with the kittens cleaning them, sleeping with them and playing with them. Most of these kittens were motherless and had no one to show them the ropes. This is where Kuma comes in. By hanging out with an adult cat the kittens were shown how to properly behave.

Kuma continues to be an asset to Sonoma County Animal Care and Control.

Big, Goofy, Happy Three-Legged Black Dog

By John Strathman, DVM – Shelter Veterinarian

A big, black, shaggy dog is loping along the water's edge at Dillon Beach on a sunny day not long ago. She's soaked from playing in the surf. Hanging from her mouth is a chunk of driftwood that she's picked up. A little boy points and yells "Hey! That dog has 3 legs!"

About two months before that day at the beach, that black shaggy dog, a Flat Coated Retriever, was not the same joyful, free spirit. She had four legs then, but behind her right knee was a softball-sized tumor that had invaded the bone. She was already a three-legged dog because the leg hurt too much to put much weight on it.

For about a month, shelter staff got to know this dog called "Khumba". X-rays were taken of the legs and the lungs to determine the extent of her illness. The lungs were free of tumors, but the bony lesion in the bad leg smacked of aggressive malignancy. Transfer partners and rescue groups were contacted, but there were no takers for this wonderful dog with serious medical needs and a cloudy future.

One of the hardest things about working in an animal shelter is having to put animals to sleep. People are attracted to shelter work because they love animals and want to help them. Difficult choices have to be made and making them is heart-wrenching. In Khumba's case, euthanasia seemed like a logical choice. She undoubtedly had a malignant cancer that would probably return even if we amputated the leg. Who would adopt a three-legged dog, knowing that she might only live a few months? If she wouldn't have long to live, would it be fair to the dog to put her through major surgery?

I amputated the cancerous leg. The biopsy came back as a histiocytic sarcoma, a nasty type of cancer. This tumor metastasizes in 70% of cases and most dogs live six-12 months after surgical removal of the primary tumor. A recent study at UC Davis showed promising results in dogs with this type of cancer that were given chemotherapy following amputation, with 25% of dogs living beyond 500 days.

Almost immediately after surgery, Khumba was much more lively and bouncy and probably quite glad to be rid of that painful leg. I told my wife about Khumba and she suggested that I bring her home to stay with us. I had concerns because our house has stairs and we live on the second story. Khumba figured out the stairs quickly and takes them two at a time with her remaining rear leg. The cats and our other two dogs quickly accepted her. She started chemotherapy and so far, so good, no side effects.

A woman called the shelter and was interested in adopting Khumba. I told her all about Khumba, how smart she is, how she runs faster than a lot of dogs with four legs, how adorable she is. I also told her that she had a malignancy and that she may only have months to live. The lady said she wasn't sure that she could handle losing a dog in the next few months like that. She said that she would talk it over with her husband and let me know. Evidently they decided against the adoption because I haven't heard from her.

We think we'll keep this goofy, black water dog. She is funny, gentle, and very sweet. She lays quietly at our feet wherever we happen to be sitting. She loves to run and if she finds water, she's in wading or swimming. I love to see her waiting at the gate when I get home, wiggling with joy at the site of me, then running off to bring me one of her toys. She's grown on us and is now a part of our family. We will be very sad if the tumor returns, but if she can enjoy a few months of quality time before then, it will all be worthwhile. In the meantime, she has certainly brought a lot of quality to our lives.

Bike Patrol

By Shirley Zindler – Animal Control Officer

Sonoma County Animal Control has created a bicycle unit to patrol some of the less vehicle-accessible trails in the county. Teaming up with local parks to address concerns about loose and aggressive dogs in these areas, officers are now able to patrol more efficiently on mountain bikes. With an emphasis on education and public safety, officers, working singly or in pairs, are hitting the trails to pass out information pamphlets and answer questions. The majority of people that officers encounter are compliant with leash laws and licensing and are responsible pet owners who appreciate the efforts of our department to keep our county safe.

Officer Jeff Clements heads up the bike unit, spending one or more days per week greeting dog owners and often connecting with 20 or 30 people on one patrol. Some of the most frequent locations for the bike unit are Howarth Park, Spring Lake and the creek trails which on weekends entertain thousands of people.

On one creekside patrol Officer Clements was stopped by a couple who were desperately searching for their missing Chihuahua. He was able to radio another officer and determine that their dog had already been picked up and was waiting safely at our County Animal Shelter off Airport Boulevard.

Situations involving aggressive dogs on the trails are now more easily addressed because the bike unit can get there quickly and also because officers are more familiar with the areas. A loose dog in Howarth Park recently attacked several other dogs and was aggressive to people before he was captured by Officer Justin Foster, potentially preventing more serious injuries. A city worker was attacked by a dog on the Joe Radota trail and again officers were able to quickly apprehend the dog. Local wildlife is also protected when dogs are not allowed to interfere with nesting and raising of young.

The occasional dog owner with his off-leash dog trotting by his side is going to get a polite reminder of the leash law. Situations involving loose aggressive dogs are pursued to the full extent of the law. The goal of the bike patrol is that everyone can enjoy our beautiful county in safety.

 

Terry Alexander and Tommy Raymond

By Greg Mortensen – Volunteer Coordinator

This month we are spotlighting one of our veteran volunteers, Terry Alexander, and a newer volunteer, her client Tommy Raymond.

Terry started volunteering when her son, Aaron, was in high school and needed a ride to the shelter during Christmas vacation. That was over eight years ago. She has worked many positions as a volunteer. She was Treasurer on the former shelter volunteer non-profit board when the Mobile Animal Center was purchased. She also works with rats when we have them, keeps up the informational boards in the shelter, works as a Canine Kennel Assistant/Dog Walker, does many mobile adoptions, just created the new donation form for the shelter, and assists me, the volunteer coordinator with many other things.

Terry, who is an LVN, started bringing her client, Tommy, in December of 2008. Tommy is confined to a wheelchair, but he does not let that stop him from helping out at the shelter. Tommy assists Terry and me with a lot of things, including putting up new kennel cards. He also volunteers by exposing animals to his wheelchair, so that they will not be afraid when they encounter a wheelchair out in the public.

We would like to thank Terry and Tommy for all that they do to assist our clients, the public, the staff, and especially, the animals.

If you are interested in volunteering at the shelter, please contact Greg Mortensen at (707) 565-7116 or visit us on-line at www.theanimalshelter.org for more information.