Paws Press

IN THIS ISSUE

By the Numbers The Bunnies Are Coming! The 2008 Calendars are Here! Trick or Treat at ARF Pinky's Halloween Pointers ARF Introduces new Fall Kitty Couture ARF Day at Color Me Mine Be the Cat's Meow and Help Save Animals' Lives Wills & Trusts Seminar Fall Means Workplace Campaigns 2007 Week of Caring Project Volunteer Help Needed Training Opportunities Adoption Stars Happy Endings

October 2007

Pets for Senior Adoption Program Begins October 1

Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) and Nestle Purina PetCare Company, Inc. (Purina) have once again teamed up to help people discover the unconditional love that lasts a lifetime by adopting a shelter dog or cat.

Seniors 60 years of age or older who adopt a spayed/neutered dog or cat from ARF or any qualified animal shelter may be eligible to receive one (1) $50 refund per household through ARF’s Pets for Seniors adoption program. The Pets for Seniors fund is based upon contributions received by Purina’s generous $60,000 PetLover Savings® coupon promotion which appeared nationwide in newspapers on September 16, 2007. Qualified shelters are non-profit, tax exempt organizations under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Once the adoption process is finalized, senior adopters can complete the application on-line. At ARF, adoption counselors will help with the application process to make it easier on the new adopter. When the application information is confirmed and should Pets for Seniors still have funds available, a reimbursement will be mailed. It’s that simple and the $50 can be used to spoil a new best friend!

For more information, visit ARF's Pets for Seniors page
and Purina's.

ARF is hosting SaveABunny Rabbit Rescue on the fourth Saturday of each month from Noon - 4 p.m. 

SaveABunny is a nonprofit organization dedicated to rescuing rabbits facing euthanasia. They are passionate about finding permanent, loving homes for rescued rabbits and work closely with animal shelters, providing education about the joys of living with rabbits as indoor companions and family members.

Visit their website at www.saveabunny.com and stop by ARF when the bunnies are here to learn more about these affectionate, intelligent companion animals.

Headliners from the world of music, all-star athletes and top-flight entertainers are appearing in ARF's 2008 Celebrity Pet Calendar.

These beautiful, large full-color calendars measure 12 1/2" x 9 1/2" and are sponsored by Nestlé Purina PetCare Company in an effort to support ARF. Photographs in the calendar feature each star with one or more animals.

Sunday, October 28 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Wear your costume and join ARF for a spooky good time!

Trick or Treat, play Halloween games and make crafts with the staff and ARF's therapy animals. Wear a costume and join ARF for a day of fright with ARF’s furry friends! Children of all ages are welcome.

Please RSVP and direct any questions to Joelle at jaguirre@arf.net or (925) 296-3123.

This is a free community event, however donations are always welcomed.

by Pinky Leigh McDougall, Feline Consultant

Hi! I’m Pinky, retired Feline Consultant. Now that I have my very own household to run, I have experienced several human holidays and want to give you a head's up on one in particular that is just around the corner.

It’s October already and Halloween, the scariest holiday of the year, is almost upon us. For us four-legged family members, ‘tis the season to become invisible. While our humans are making candied apples for trick-or-treaters or hanging decorations around the house, we can sense the excitement in the air and it makes us anxious. Bowls of candy corn appear (great soccer toys), and sometimes popcorn, my favorite! But the rest of Halloween is just too spooky for me, and here’s why:

Those tasty chocolate candies are toxic for both cats and dogs. So, if you don’t want to get stuffed into the back of the car and take a flying trip to the emergency clinic, ask your human not to feed you ‘just one’ treat. The human treats should be safely stored away until it’s time to give them out. Your human can buy you treats specially formulated for cats and dogs to include you in the holiday. Cats, demand the best. Dogs, beg. You do it so well.

There’s bound to be some uneducated humans out there who identify cats with witches, goblins and devils. They can do really mean and hurtful things to cats around this time of year. It’s not safe for kitties to be outside during the week surrounding the Halloween holiday. Black and orange kitties are especially at risk, but I think all kitties should play it safe and stay inside. What if someone kidnapped me, the most wonderful cat in the world? Make sure you wear an identification tag just in case you get lost.

Ask your human to keep you inside. Sneak in and hide if you have to. It’s wild and spooky out there in the dark.

It’s noisy, too. Lots of little excited, squeaky humans parade around in flapping costumes, which makes them unrecognizable even if they live with you. There will be a lot of knocking and ringing, and doors constantly opening and closing. This personally makes me very nervous. Watch your tail! Move as far away from the front door as possible. If your human is having a party, ask to have the room furthest removed from the activity reserved just for you.

Make sure your humans give you a nice cozy bed, a litter box (or a walk before things get chaotic), water and your usual meal. It doesn’t hurt to ask for a special treat or favorite toy, either. Even the loudest dog deserves peace and quiet. Otherwise there will be barking, whining and other disgusting noises throughout the festivities. Enough commotion to make even the best cat, me, get a little testy.

Remember this for the holiday: Keep a low profile and keep your cool. And did I mention treats…?

Kiss Your Kitty Women's Long Sleeved Black T-Shirt Silver glimmer imprint with pink glitter nose $18 Place your order today!

Lots of other memorabilia and ARF Wear are available too. Check out the ARF store online and place your order today!

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12

Visit Color Me Mine in Walnut Creek, California, and show your creativity! Purchase and paint a project at Color Me Mine on Friday, October 12, and 20 percent of all proceeds will benefit ARF and its life-saving programs. The ARF Adoption Mobile will also be on-site from 3 p.m. - 7 p.m. with furry friends available for adoption.

Color Me Mine of Walnut Creek
1950 Mt. Diablo Blvd.
(925) 280-2888

• Have an old car, truck, RV or boat using up valuable space on your driveway?
• Looking for a quick and easy way to help homeless animals?
• Need a great tax write-off?
• Want to avoid the work of cleaning up your vehicle, getting it smog certified and placing an ad to sell your vehicle?

If you said yes to any of these questions, ARF's Vehicle Donation Program is the answer for you. ARF's animals want your car! Don't worry, they won't be driving it, but the money ARF makes from donated vehicles can immediately begin working to rescue dogs and cats that have run out of time at public shelters.

Free Towing! Tax write off! ARF does the paperwork!

Everyone wins, including the animals! Some restrictions may apply. Choose one of three ways to make your donation:

1. Call toll free 1-888-6TO-GIVE (686-4483) or (925) 229-5444
2. Complete the easy online form
3. Download and complete the Vehicle Donation Form* and fax to (925) 229-5446 or mail to ARF Vehicle Donation, PO Box 5444, Walnut Creek, CA, 94596

* If you don't have a copy of Adobe Acrobat, you can click the Get Acrobat icon to download a free version of Adobe Acrobat Reader. A version of Acrobat is necessary to view the Vehicle Donation form.

Be ARF's guest at a Wills & Trusts Seminar on October 18, 2007 at 6 p.m. Featured presenter Sarah S. Nix from Gagen McCoy, will make wills and trusts understandable, practical and fun.

Enjoy a relaxing, informal setting and learn if you need a will.  Have your questions answered by Sarah S. Nix, attorney-at-law.  There is no charge to attend.

Karla Bissell, ARF's development manager, will discuss the Guardian Program and planning for your furry family members when you are no longer here to care for them.

Please RSVP to Karla at (925) 296-3103 or kbissell@arf.net.

Fall is the purrrrfect time to ask your company how you can choose ARF for your workplace giving gifts. These gifts create miracles for dogs and cats who have been rescued from public shelters by ARF's rescue patrol. Many companies make it convenient for employees to give to their favorite charities by referencing "Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation" while others use United Way, Local Independent Charities or the government's Combined Federal Campaign (code # 3130).

Introduce your co-workers to ARF! ARF would be thrilled to bring a special furry guest to your next campaign meeting, or bring everyone at the office to ARF for a fun-filled field trip.

Call (925) 296-3103 or email kbissell@arf.net to arrange a visit to your office or a tour of ARF.

Each year, the "Week of Caring" event connects volunteers from Bay Area businesses to hundreds of projects organized by local non-profits. "Week of Caring" is a longstanding partnership between United Way of the Bay Area and the Volunteer Centers of the Bay Area which facilitates these very beneficial connections and ARF benefited once again!

From September 10-15, Week of Caring volunteers from Chevron, Wells Fargo, Lawrence Livermore Labs and Starbucks painted walls, folded towels, stuffed kongs, created Giving Tree decorations, pulled weeds, hauled/raked woodchips, cleaned crates/the transporter and cheerfully sorted/merchandised/organized donated items at the ARF Thrift Store. Judging by their comments THEY received something from ARF too:

Thanks for the opportunity to help out at ARF yesterday. I think that the team from Chevron was quite impressed with all the good work that goes on at the facility. Jim Hasse provided a great tour and you and the rest of the folks we met were wonderful hosts. I'm looking forward to helping out again in the future and in the meanwhile if I hear of someone looking for a pet, I'll be sure to let them know about ARF!
Best Regards, Bill – Chevron

Thanks to all of the volunteers who worked so tirelessly during this year’s “Week of Caring”. ARF hopes you will be back again for Week of Caring 2008.

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

Foodshare Driver
Help make a difference in the community
What: Make deliveries of donated pet food or kitty litter to families-in-need or feral colony caretakers in Contra Costa County. ARF vehicle is designated for this job so your conscientious driving skills and courteous attitude is all that's needed.
When: Full time (4 times per month) or Part time (2 times per month)
Prerequisite: 21 years old, good driving record, ability to lift 40 lb bags of food. Completion of "ARF Driving Form" required.
Contact: Gaye McDuff at gmcduff@arf.net or (925) 296-3130.

Holidays at Broadway Plaza Kick Off meeting!
Wednesday, October 24 at 6:30 p.m.
The ARF adoption mobile will have a "heartwarming station" at Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek this winter holiday season! Every day from November 23 through December 29 (except holidays) from Noon - 4 p.m. volunteers will greet shoppers and share ARF's story.

Last year more than 4,600 visitors stopped to check out ARF’s adoptable cats and dogs and benefit from the therapy ARF's Therapy Animal Team bestow. Volunteers spread the word about the great programs at ARF for people and pets while adoption counselors found new homes for animals. Other volunteers transported and cared for ARF felines and canine friends over the course of this month long event.

Volunteers are needed for the 2007 Broadway Plaza event:

• Tablers *
• Adoption Counselors *
• Animal Transporters **
• VAP /Therapy Animal Team members

* Training required
** Driver authorization required

Please RSVP to attend this informational meeting and get ready to kick off the holidays at Broadway Plaza! Send your confirmation to khuls@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 our Volunteering at ARF page.

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.

Suave and debonair would be a good description of 4-year-old Don Juan. The intelligent and active 4-year-old Boston Terrier sustained an eye injury prior to coming to ARF. But having only one eye doesn't slow him down a bit. He's looking for an adults only, terrier savvy home where he will have consistent rules. Once he's comfortable, he'll turn on his charms and become a snuggly little lap dog.

Meet Don Juan 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.

5-month-old Cali is a delightful Calico kitty who loves to be around people. She's very snuggly and would be equally happy as your only cat or in a multi-cat household. 

Meet Cali 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.

Katy

Carol,
Thank you for giving our family the consideration to adopt Katy(did). She has been wonderful! She is a real snuggler!

Attached are a few pictures, we will send more with the rest of the family. Please let Debbie know Katy loves her bed!

Karen and family

Pagal

Dear ARF,
I thought you might like to see pictures of our new kitten, who we brought home from ARF on Friday the 13th. We love him! He is so sweet and already so good with people. I know that you took very good care of him, and I want to say thank you. He has eased a lot of the sadness of my husband, myself, and our grown cat at the death of our beloved kitty Wovoka, and we all three are enjoying his fresh energy and playfulness.

ARF named him Moon Unit, but that wasn't quite right, so my husband dubbed him Pagal (paw-gull), which means "crazy" in Urdu. He is a little crazy in a very silly and fun way. Attached is a picture of him snoozing on the couch after a busy day of knocking over plants, stalking fake fur mice, and climbing the book case.

We promise to take very good care of him and that he will never go hungry, will always have a safe place to call home, and know he is loved.

Thank you again,
Natalie and Farhat

You can help other animals like Katy and Pagal find their special homes by making an online donation on our secure server today!

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