Paws Press

The Meet Your Match™ Feline-ality™ program was introduced to ARF by Emily Weiss, Ph.D., CAAB and Senior Director, Shelter Behavior Programs, ASPCA. Dr. Weiss developed this program to assist adopters in choosing the right cat for their family and lifestyle. Feline-ality™ has already reflected a 46 percent increase in adult cat adoptions at ARF as compared to the same 30 days in 2007! Keep your eyes peeled as ARF will soon be showcasing Meet Your Match™ Canine-ality™ and Puppy-ality™ programs!

This is the time of year when shelters are overflowing with cats and kittens. According to the ASPCA, fertile female cats can produce three litters of kittens a year. If one cat and each of her offspring reproduce regularly, they may produce as many of 420,000 kittens over seven years. Those figures are absolutely staggering!
 
Each week, ARF rescues cats and kittens that have found their way to the county shelter in Martinez and are scheduled to be euthanized. Some were picked up as strays while others may have been the unwilling victims of family moves, relationship changes or family emergencies. For many, their lives change dramatically in the course of a few short hours. For all, their lives hang in the balance between the overwhelming number of cats in public shelters and the availability of resources.
 
If you are considering adopting a cat or perhaps adding another cat to your home, this is a perfect time. If you have lost a beloved cat in recent months, this is an excellent opportunity to fill that hole in your heart.

To help ARF reach even more like-minded animal lovers such as yourself, please forward this Paws Press e-newsletter to five of your friends and/or family members who might not be familiar with ARF. We’re sure you know plenty of folks who believe in ARF’s life-saving work and want to help save lives, and who might be interested in receiving Paws Press on a regular basis.

Every animal that has walked through ARF’s shelter doors has left their paw print. Now, here’s your opportunity to leave your own mark on ARF, ARF’s garden wall that is.

Help ARF continue its life-saving work by paying tribute to a beloved pet with your customized 6” x 6” Garden Wall Tile which will be prominently displayed in ARF’s garden oasis.

Garden wall tiles are available for a $250 tax deductible donation — order yours today to receive a complimentary replica tile. Hurry, this offer ends June 30!

More than 3,000 people braved record temperatures on Sunday, May 18 to join ARF at Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek for its 8th annual Animals on Broadway celebration. ARF salutes the amazing Broadway Plaza merchants who supported the event by hosting games and contests for both dogs and people. Animals on Broadway would not be possible without the friendship and support of Broadway Plaza management, especially Tracy Dietlein and her team.

ARF’s heartfelt gratitude goes out to those rescue groups who joined the festivities this year. These groups share ARF’s mission of raising awareness of the number of unwanted dogs and cats in need of loving homes:

East Bay S.P.C.A.
Golden State Greyhound Adoption
G.E.P.D.A.
H.A.L.O.
Lake County Animal Services
NORCAL Golden Retriever Rescue
Pug Rescue of Sacramento
San Francisco S.P.C.A.
United Animal Nations 

Mark your calendars for Sunday, May 17, 2009 when ARF and Broadway Plaza present the 9th annual Animals on Broadway celebration.

A HOWLING SUCCESS

ARF received a wonderfully warm response from animal lovers for its 2nd annual Paws on Parade fundraising dog walk. More than $38,000 was raised by 107 individuals to benefit ARF's life-saving programs.

Special thanks to top fundraisers - Elena Bicker, Lynne Armstrong, Fiona Macintosh, Cindy McCune and Rick Stirrat, and top fundraising “Packs” - Art Patrol, Pet Hug Pack and The Chocolate Hounds!

ARF also thanks all the Paws on Parade sponsors for their support of this event. The sponsors’ generous support made Paws on Parade a howling success!

Broadway Plaza
Safeway Inc.
Purina One
Veterinary Surgical Associates & Veterinary Medical Associates
Bishop Ranch Vet Center
Newman Lasik Centers
Michael Stead Walnut Creek Buick Pontiac GMS
Fetch

Show your ARF pride and keep your car cool this summer with an ARF sunshade! These collapsible sunshades are made from silver reflective fabric and fold into a compact size, which can be secured with the included elastic strap for easy storage.

Jeff and Flame (formerly Lawrence at ARF)

Jeff Keller enjoys his work as the creator of DCResource.com, a web resource for current and future owners of digital cameras. Although being an entrepreneur who works in a home office allows Jeff to stay at home with his two cats, Flame and Zoe, it also cuts down on his human contact. In 2006 Jeff investigated ARF volunteerism because he was looking for a change from his solitary work style. Once here Jeff could see ARF offered a plethora of opportunities to help cats and dogs while interacting with other like-minded animal lovers. He dove right in!

First off, Jeff trained as a cat socializer because he enjoys the company of cats and thought this was a “natural”. He enjoyed the cat contact but wanted to do more to help cats and go beyond the “cat condo” so he trained as a cat adoption counselor and feline loving care socializer. Now Jeff’s volunteer time is spent socializing cats who are not yet ready for adoption as well as introducing potential adopters to new feline family members. Jeff has recently been trained as an assessor and as an adoption counselor for the ASPCA Meet Your Match™ Feline-ality program and looks forward to finding homes for even more cats during Adopt-a-Shelter-Cat Month.

What do you like the most about volunteering as a cat adoption counselor at ARF?
I like to see cats going to good homes after being at ARF for a long time. Plus, I enjoy working with all the different volunteers and adopters that I've met at ARF.

What is your most memorable experience?
The adoption of “old timers” or “special needs” cats such as Bree and O'Flannery. That is the most satisfying part of the job.

What would you say your motto is?
Every day is an opportunity to improve yourself.

Thank you for improving ARF by investing your time and talents here, Jeff!

For a complete listing of current volunteer needs, please visit ARF's volunteer opportunities page.

Foster Volunteers
Help save more lives by fostering an ARF animal.
What: Provide loving home foster care for dogs, cats, puppies and kittens that need some extra TLC
When: Fosters needed immediately!
Prerequisite: Must be at least 18.  Completion of foster application required.  Introduction to Fostering class recommended.
Contact: Erika at ekleoni@arf.net.

Help Behind the Scenes in ARF’s clinic
Help support the clinic with afternoon cleaning.
What: Clean cages, mop floor, collect garbage and recycle.
When: 2 hour shifts available Monday through Friday: 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Where: ARF facility - clinic
Prerequisite: Must be at least 18, able to lift up to 40 pounds, and be comfortable bending to clean at floor level.
Contact: Jennifer at jpeabody@arf.net.

Please note, all volunteers must attend a volunteer orientation prior to joining any training classes. If you would like more information on becoming a volunteer, please visit Volunteering at ARF.

Current volunteers, please use the volunteer central website if you would like to sign up for any of the listed classes. If you do not have access to volunteer central, please call (925) 296-3118 or email volrsvp@arf.net. Be sure to leave your name and number along with the class you wish to attend.

Mario	Luigi
10-year-old Mario and 10-year-old Luigi are two senior Chihuahuas looking for new forever homes. Weighing in at only 14 pounds, Mario is a lower energy fellow who promises to take up a small spot in your home and a big spot in your heart. At a hefty 16 pounds, Luigi is a spunky senior citizen who likes to explore the world around him.
Timberwolf is a pretty special guy. He's a handsome 2-year-old Maine Coon with extra toes. Great with other cats and cat friendly dogs, this guy loves kitty massages, belly rubs and laps. He's also perfectly happy snoozing in an out of the way quiet place. If you're interested in bringing another feline into your home, Timberwolf has his bags packed and he's waiting by his condo door to meet you.			Timberwolf

Meet Mario, Luigi and Timberwolf at Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation, 2890 Mitchell Drive at Oak Grove Road in Walnut Creek, during adoption hours: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Noon - 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Find out more about how ARF's adoption program works.

JUNE SPECIALS

Dad's and Grads
Gifts, electronics, books, jewelry, lots more to choose from - even tools and ties!

Men's Suits Special
Fine quality, large selection, all sizes, extremely low-priced - $2 !!!

Ongoing Sales
Sweaters, sweat-shirts - hundreds on our racks - $1
Vacuum Cleaners, well-known brands, reconditioned - another 20 percent off already dirt cheap prices.

Get a Jump on the 4th
Check out all of our red, white and blue merchandise, especially the fancy Pet scARFs in patriotic designs, handmade in all sizes by the EMF ladies

Fourth of July
From LittleKitty to BigDawg, your choice $2. Also lots of other pet needs and toys for all of your furry family members.

Shop ARF's Thrift Store and Save Lives ...
Proceeds benefit ARF Emergency Medical Fund®!

Thrift Shop location:
1950H Market Street, Concord
Hours: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday - Saturday
Donations gratefully accepted: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Red Rover, an elderly, beautiful, tall, lean Flame Point Siamese cat originally came to ARF in January 2007. He was adopted in June, but unfortunately returned in November. Upon his return and due in large part to his advanced age Red Rover spent much of his time in ARF staff offices and foster homes. Thankfully his wonderful “last” foster family, Pat and Ross Hallberg, fell head over heels for Red Rover and decided in March to make him a permanent member of their family.

Pat and Ross felt that Red Rover had such a special air about him, something like an Egyptian king, they briefly thought about naming him Tut. However, after adopting this senior citizen they chose the name Frank, because his giant blue eyes are so Sinatra-esque. They report though that Frank’s voice is much more like Louis Armstrong!
 
Frank regularly welcomes new foster animals into Ross and Pat’s home and never makes a fuss or acts like a royal. They are happy to report his health remains good and thanks to these special ARF fosters, Frank is enjoying his senior years surrounded by love, with a couple of sympathizing seniors.

Dear ARF,

I thought that it would be nice to send some information to you all at ARF and say how special this past year has been. We adopted Ozzy, then known as Mr. Pickles, in April of 2007. I am happy to report that the match has been a blessing. Ozzy is and will always be so very special to us. I knew from the first moment that I saw the little guy that we would have many fun adventures together. He has been camping, to the beach and has made many friends. He is so very friendly and social to all walks of life. I can't believe that anyone would have ever let this one go.

Thanks again for all your effort and hard work to help special animals. When we are ready to add to our family you will be our first pick!

Attached are some photos of Ozzy with some of his friends. We just celebrated his first year with us at Point Isabell in Richmond.

Best to you all!
Therese, Daniel, and Ozzy

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