Sunshine Coast Branch (BC SPCA)

Rufus, a sad cat . . . .

2012-01-27T22:45:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while a cat enters the shelter that tugs at your heart, and Rufus is one of those cats . . . through no fault of his own he found himself homeless after living in his home for 7 years.

If you are considering bringing a feline friend into your life please consider Rufus, he is quite sad at the shelter.

Here is Rufus . . . . .

and some info on Rufus . . . .

Rufus is a rather large and distinguished cat who appears a little puzzled at finding himself homeless and living the Communal life. We too are wondering what a wise soul such as Rufus is doing here instead of living in his own home. The reason, a baby arrived and Rufus had to go even though he didn't do anything to cause his eviction. Large in size - yes, that's not all fur you see - Rufus is nevertheless a gentle cat who keeps to himself, tip toeing around the other cats so as not to cause any problems. He's also not pushy and waits for you notice him, ever the gentleman Rufus then stands quietly waiting for you to stroke and pet him, purring softly the whole time. Please don't be deterred by the amount of fur you see on Rufus, his fur is thick and doesn't mat easily though his chest does need to be watched . . . but brushing and grooming Rufus is a breeze because he loves it!

Good natured and mellow Rufus should blend into almost home without causing a ripple, though due to his size you might notice a small indent in the couch cushion after he's been lying beside you while you relax and read a book, watch TV or just simply enjoy each others company.

Though Rufus still gets up hopefully when someone enters the Communal Room, he really is lost without a home and has already been waiting three months for someone to notice him . . . Rufus doesn't ask for much - somone to love, someone to love him in return and a place to call home, once again.

Please spread the word about Rufus.

Nomi, Shirley and Mickey all go home

2012-01-27T22:15:00.000-08:00

Nomi was transferred here from the Prince Rupert branch in early December to help him find a new home after being abandoned by his previous home . . . . to live a life on the streets. A friendly and affectionate young cat Nomi loves attention and purrs loudly and steadily while being petted, in fact he purrs so loud that you'd almost think he had a microphone on. Playful, active and inquisitive - he is a youngster after all - Nomi was adopted since arriving but was brought back within a short period of time, for being much too active ! A confident cat who doesn't mind kids playing with him (he keeps going back back for more) Nomi has now been adopted by a family here on the Sunshine Coast.

Shirley is a gorgeous tabby who was found hanging around downtown Sechelt and brought to us by a caring person to hopefully reunite her with her family, but as no one was looking for this pretty girl and she had no ID, Shirley stayed with us to look for a new home.

Easy going and sociable, Shirley enjoys company and being petted, cat toys and treats are also a hit with this pretty girl! How can no one be missing her? Not overly chatty or needy, Shirley does like to greet you with a teeny meow and a head butt, but doesn't bother you constantly for attention - a lovely balance of affection and independence. Shirley has now found herself a home with someone who was looking for a playful companion.

Mickey is a sweet cat who found himself abandoned after his owner moved and left Mickey behind, even though she had contacted the shelter a few weeks prior to inquire about surrendering Mickey, but never brought him in. Deciding instead to leave him to fend for himself.

Fortunately someone managed to catch Mickey and bring him to us so that he didn't have to scrounge for food and seek out somewhere warm to sleep at night. Still a youngster, Mickey is playful and sociable and settled in with the Communal room cats just fine. Mickey has now charmed himself into the home of a family that includes a young daughter . . . he walked right into the carrier and never looked back as he was leaving the building :-)

Lucy (aka Hera) ~ Happy Ending

2012-01-25T19:51:00.000-08:00

Hera is a pretty little Torbie who found herself at the Kamloops Branch in August 2009 after being found at a kids playground. With no one looking for her, Hera was put up for adoption and in early December was transferred to the Sunshine Coast to help her find a new home . . . . which she did within a month!

Here is a wonderful update on Hera (now named Lucy) along with some pictures . . . .

I adopted Lucy (formerly known as Hera) in January 2010 and she is the light of my life and spoiled rotten! She turned three this month but is still very kitten-like. She is alone during the day but is always there to greet me when I get home from work and races around the apartment happy as can be to see me! I'm in a ground floor apartment and she does go out on the large patio (under supervision) in the warmer weather and likes to lie in the sun and poke around in the dirt and plants. She loves to be brushed and has a whole multitude of toys to play with.

We have a neighbour cat that comes to visit every day so she enjoys interacting with him through the screen door and also with a squirrel visitor who comes around looking for a handout, not to mention all the birds that visit our birdbath! She does not like the raccoons who come by sometimes though and goes berserk!

Lucy is not exactly a 'lap cat' and generally has to be held on my lap, although occasionally she will curl up and have a short snooze! She's quite chatty, especially before she uses the litter box!

I hope to get her a companion sometime in the near future.

Pam

Surveying the room

Lucy relaxing on the cat tree

Ebony and Siobhan

2012-01-22T21:51:00.000-08:00

Ebony first found herself in care at the Surrey Branch in October 2010; after spending time in foster care Ebony was adopted with another bunny (Patrick) to a home here on the Sunshine Coast in May 2011. Sadly that home did not work out and so Ebony and Patrick were once again looking for a home. Initially it was thought that they should be placed together, but after several months it became clear that though they lived fine together Ebony and Patrick did not interact with each other so the decision was made to rehome them separately if it helped find a home faster for them both.

Which it did, with Patrick being one of the first adoptions of 2012 http://sunshinecoastspca.blogspot.com/2012/01/first-adoptions-of-2012-twilight-and.html

Yes, when you look at Ebony's picture you are seeing right! She only has half of one ear. If rabbits could talk Ebony would be able to tell us what happened to her ears, but as rabbits can't talk we'll never know . . . . but it certainly doesn't seem to bother her. A curious bunny, Ebony loves cardboard boxes to play in and a stuffed toy to groom. Whether it's with children's toys or shredding newspaper Ebony loves to play! A happy and affectionate rabbit with a curious personality Ebony is quite gentle and will take treats from you, she also loves her food and is litter box trained. What more could anyone ask for in a rabbit friend ? But even with all those amazing qualities Ebony still waited almost four months for a new home; but the big day has finally arrived and Ebony has now gone to live with a very nice gentleman who has bunny experience.

Siobhan originally found herself with us due to her previous owner having a few too many cats; after a short time Siobhan was adopted but was returned due to requiring extensive dental work.

Siobhan was once again adopted and her new people looked after her dental work . . . . . but sadly after just over a month returned Siobhan as she was too vocal during the night - and with one of the people in the home on shift work it was not working out.

As Siobhan is not vocal in the Communal Room and she was used to living with a large number of cats in her original home we felt that maybe Siobhan was lonely as an only cat ?

Stunning and exotic looking, Siobhan caught the eye of anyone visiting the Communal Room, but people really do need to do their research on the Bengal breed as they have a lot of personality, are amazing athletes and yes, can be quite talkative. Not one to snuggle in for extended periods of time - there is just too much to do during the day what with playing, exploring and leaping from cat post to cat post - Siobhan did enjoy short petting sessions but was soon off on another adventure. But once again, it didn't take long for Siobhan to find herself a new home.

Siobhan has now gone to live with a couple who have done quite a bit of breed research and say they are fine with her vocalization and will work on any issues that may come up! There is another playful cat on the property along with a small poodle to keep Siobhan busy. Hopefully third time is a charm for this stunning girl.

BCSPCA Lottery . . . for the Animals

2012-01-18T21:17:00.000-08:00

It's almost that time!

Tickets for the BCSPCA Lottery . . . for the animals will be available February 1st.

A chance to win a prize every day during the month of May . . . Including $10,000 on Mother’s Day!

Yes, you read that right $10,000 !

Don’t miss the opportunity to change your life and the lives of homeless, injured and abused animals by winning one of our incredible 32 cash prizes.

Check out more info here http://www.spca.bc.ca/support/participate/lottery-for-the-animals/2012-lottery-for-the-animals.html

Winter edition of "tongue" pictures !

2012-01-16T21:56:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's that time again . . . time for some more blooper pictures, the ones that happen when taking pictures for an animals profile . . . . and the tongue pops out!

Amelia ~ cute as a bug

Buck (left) looking at Giselle as if to say "don't touch me with that!"

Byron

Deluce ~ just waking up

Jelina ~ is such a lady, only a tip pops out

Kinda

Spencer ~ yes, he is as cheeky and naughty as he looks

I don't know what it is with Chihuahua's but for such teeny dogs they sure have long tongues :-)

Smookie

Uno

Laydo

But the teeny guys definitley can't compete with the big boys! 

Dex

And, Handsome Robbie ~ showing what a tongue really looks like

PS If anyone has missed any of the earlier editions, just type in Tongue in the search bar (the white space located at the top, left hand side of the page) and hit enter and the older postings will come up. In fact you can do this for any thing you want to look for i.e. type in an animals name for a quick search of the site instead of scrolling through all the postings.

Seven, Jorgy and Opal leave the building

2012-01-12T22:46:00.000-08:00

Opal is a young rabbit who was brought to us as a stray, after waiting since October for a home ~ yes, even the friendliest bunnies wait a while for a good home to come along; great news for Opal . . .she has now found herself a home!

Jorgy is a dignified and quiet cat who found himself with us due to his guardian having a few too many cats. Sociable and affectionate, Jorgy is a laid back guy who wasn't one to bounce off the walls or hang from the window blinds while he was at the shelter, but he did enjoy playing with toys - mainly batting around rather than racing around like an Indy 500 car - he's not a total couch potato.

Charismatic, handsome and a gentleman, Jorgy enjoys interacting with people and having lived with a large number of cats and three dogs would be fine in a multi-pet home . . . though Jorgy has been with us since October, he just recently became available for adoption and once that happened it only took about a week for him to wooo his way into a new home :-)

Seven was transferred here from the Chilliwack branch to help her find a home after being taken to there as a stray in June 2011, with an open wound on her back end (which has since healed). A stunning cat with her unique markings, Seven is a large cat with a non-stop purr and a calm and gentle personality though she could be a tad shy at first. Not one to rush over to meet people when they entered the Communal room, Seven instead quietly waited for you to notice her.

Easy going with the other cats and with not a smidgen of the infamous Tortie- attitude, Seven is a kind and loving girl who would fit easily into a quiet adult home. But for some unknown reason, it took over six months for Seven to find a home. More than likely because she became sad and withdrawn after hopefully greeting people for months, cats miss having a home life too and tend to start spending a lot of time sleeping when they become depressed . . . which is what Seven did, she retreated to a bed on top of the "intake" cages where no one visiting the Communal Room could see her unless they happened to look up or stood on the foot stool. But Seven's big day finally arrived and a wonderful couple did see her and after spending some time with Seven decided she was the one to join them in their home ! Wonderful news for this sweet girl.

BCSPCA Lost and Found site launched

2012-01-10T22:44:00.000-08:00

Unless you've been living under a rock lately you've probably heard about the new BC SPCA innovative online “Lost and Found” site launched this week. The new site will allow people to see if their missing pet has been brought to their local BC SPCA shelter (giving peace of mind if after hours) but also allowing members of the public i.e. you, to post a picture and info of any animal you may have found and are keeping safe in your home for the night. Each year the BC SPCA receives more than 13,000 stray and lost animals . . . this new site will hopefully reunite even more animals with their anxious families.

On the new pet search site, every lost animal brought to any BC SPCA shelter in the province is automatically posted for viewing online, saving valuable time for guardians looking for their lost pet.

The site will also apply to any cat that happens to appear in your neighbourhood; you know, the cat that shows up but you're not sure if it is lost or just checking out the neighbourhood. You start feeding it, but don't want to take it to a shelter . . . in the meantime the cats owners are calling and visiting the shelter to see if their cat it there! Now you can post a picture and and info for free! The same works for any critter . . dog, bunny, budgie, horse . . . you get the idea.

Check it out . . .

Lost a Pet http://bcpetsearch.com/search/?s=found&newsearch=yes

Found a Pet http://bcpetsearch.com/search/?s=lost&newsearch=yes

Grocery Store Till Tape Totals for 2011

2012-01-08T19:22:00.000-08:00

THANK YOU to everyone who puts their grocery till tape into one of our boxes at the local grocery stores . . . . they all add up!

Here's the breakdown for 2011

IGA, Madeira Park: $20
Claytons': $1,200
IGA, Wilson Creek: $660
IGA, Gibsons: $400
Super Valu: $940

Total: $3220

Yes, we're down a few hundred from last year most of which can be attributed to the fact that IGA Gibsons took our box away for most of the year because they felt we weren't using our credits up fast enough . . . that won't happen again :-)

Yes, that's $3,220 in credits at the above stores. For every $5,000 in receipts we receive a $20 credit at the store that we use for items such as laundry soap, bleach, dish soap, paper towels, sandwich and deserts trays for our Open House and volunteer appreciation event, bones for simmering broth for the dogs, gift baskets for fundraising event prizes and more!

A HUGE thank you goes to Autumn Dykstra who collects the tapes from the stores, sorts them, adds them, bundles them up and then takes the added bundles back in to the relevant store so that credits can be made against our accounts. Autumn has been looking after the till tape program for over 14 years!

THANK YOU EVERYONE !

Your grocery store till tapes are very much appreciated

First adoptions of 2012, Twilight and Patrick :-)

2012-01-04T22:22:00.000-08:00

Patrick first found himself at the Surrey Branch in April 2011 after wandering into someones yard and after about a month in care was adopted with another rabbit (Ebony) to a home here on the Sunshine Coast but sadly their new home did not work out and this bunny duo found themselves with us in October 2011, once again looking for a new home.

Patrick, named because he was found on St. Patrick's day is a sweet, cuddly bun who loves attention - he even gives kisses! But even with his affectionate and outgoing personality it still took several months for Patrick to find a home; but he did today and is now living with a couple that have lots of rabbit experience!

Sadly rabbits have an extremely hard time finding a decent home and generally wait a very long time for a home when they land in a shelter or small animal rescue . . . I know I'm preaching to the converted here, but if anyone is considering bringing a rabbit or any small critter into their life PLEASE visit your local SPCA branch or small animal rescue group, there are so many small animals looking for homes - after people quickly lose interest in them - please don't support or encourage pet stores to sell animals by buying your rabbit, Guinea pig, hamster or other small animal from a store.

PS We still have three wonderful rabbits at the shelter waiting for a home :-)

Twilight found herself homeless and alone in the Roberts Creek area hanging around a home for a week last October before being brought to us to help find her owner; but that wasn't in the cards for this sweet girl. With no ID and no one looking for her even when advertised as "Found" in the local paper it was impossible to reunite Twilight with her family.

A petite and dainty cat, Twilight can be a bit of a shy girl but then forgets herself and becomes a flirt leaning in for some petting and a chin scratch . . . . but when she first arrived would spook and dart away if you moved to pet her too quickly . . . . who knows, maybe during the time she was trying to find something to eat and somewhere to sleep she may have been kicked or had things thrown at her to chase her away. Playful and quite the character, Twilight was fine with the other cats in the Communal room, quiet and generally keeping to herself and not bringing any attention to herself. It took a few months but Twilight has now gone to her new home with a couple who were a perfect fit . . . our first cat adoption of the year!

Mooney . . . . .

2012-01-02T21:23:00.000-08:00

leaves the building as the last adoption of 2011

Mooney is a sweetie with a beat up face who looks a little rough and tough with his scars and crooked smile but all he really wants to do is chill out with you. And though considered a senior, Mooney doesn't realize he is and still wants to go go go or chase a ball, but his body just isn't as young and spry as it once was so short walks and tossing the ball just in front of him lets him enjoy activities like he used to and also keeps him active and feeling like a pup.

Just as people age, so do dogs, but that doesn't mean they can't still enjoy life to the fullest, just at a little slower pace.

Extremely food motivated, Mooney LIVES for treats but also listens well, sits and has great recall . . . but it does appear that he has been taught to speak! So he will speak if he feels that a treat should be coming his way and will then be ready for a snuggle and a cuddle.

Finding a home for a dog Mooney's age (10-1/2 years old) can sometimes be a daunting task and usually takes a fairly a long time, with most potential adopters interested in pups or much younger adult dogs than Mooney. But the adoption fairy was definitely looking out for Mooney last Saturday after a couple looking on-line saw Mooney's picture - yes, with his lop-sided grin and scared face - and just had to meet him. So drove to the shelter.

After spending a few hours with Mooney they went home to think about it, but returned later that afternoon (after buying a few things for Mooney) to officially adopted him, just before closing on December 31st :-)

Mooney giving a paw to employee Jenna -

in the hopes that a treat will appear :-)

Mooney hanging out with his buddy Taso,
another senior who is still waiting for a home

Dex, Ollie and Jethro

2011-12-31T22:49:00.000-08:00

Dex is a young dog (10 months old) who arrived at the shelter looking for guidance, direction and stability in his life. After spending most of his short life in a yard, not exposed to other dogs nor receiving any training, Dex found himself with us, in a home for a short period of time and then back here again.

A lost soul looking for some continuity in his life, Dex is a typical adolescent testing his boundaries and could be unruly, nippy, jumpy and yes, generally test your patience at times. But none of his actions were due to anything Dex has done, they were due to what wasn't done as he was growing up; training. Therefore Dex made up his own rules, and why not. There was no one to tell him any different.

Dex started off as a small cute and fuzzy puppy and then quickly grew; without any guidance or much in the way of socialization. He's basically a very young pup in a large body and required everything that a youngster half his age would require starting with the basics - housetraining, obedience training, firm and consistent boundaries and a kind but firm leader. Yes, Dex is basically starting from square one at 10 months old. A friendly young dog who loves people and enjoys playing with other dogs Dex was looking for a dog experienced home and someone with patience, a sense of humour and the time to commit to working with Dex.

A short time ago Dex caught the eye of a fellow living in Hope, who came to meet Dex at the shelter. The meeting went well but the fellow couldn't take Dex right away, but he did come back yesterday and adopted Dex . . . who is now going to be a Hope pup! Our diamond in the ruff will finally have the opportunity to grow, learn, shine and reach his full potential.

In the category of "where are they now" . . . .

Jethro

Ollie (now Oz)

Jethro and Ollie found themselves in care with several other dogs in June, after being seized from a grow op situation. They, and the other dogs, had been placed around the property in pens as canine alarm systems.  Jethro and Ollie were transferred here from the lower mainland with one of the other dogs, Drew. All were scared and apprehensive when they arrived after living an isolated existence on the property. After about two months of rehab the three boys were considered ready to expand their horizons in the big wide world. Though they still required further socialization and exposure to new situations a shelter environment couldn't take them much further.

As time went by Drew was adopted first, to a home in Powell River. But Jethro and Ollie still waited for that special person to discover them; months went by.  In November it was decided to transfer Ollie to the Powell River Branch; Audrey (volunteer manager) had an open foster home available - but in-between Ollie reaching his foster home Audrey found a potential adoptive home for Ollie so he went to his potential new home in Powell River instead. And there he stayed, settling in wonderfully with his new guardian who has since formally adopted Ollie . . . now named Oz.

A short time later Jethro found his way to Powell River too, where Audrey once again found a foster home ~ Jethro lived at the foster home for almost a month and last week was adopted by a woman and her son on Vancouver Island.

Great news for all three boys who came from not the best situation but have now gone on to live in homes of their own :-)

Brooke, Fred and George, and Pepper find their homes!

2011-12-30T23:16:00.000-08:00

Brooke is a sweetie who was found wandering around by Totem Lodge in Sechelt and brought to us to keep her from harm and hopefully reunite her with her family; but even though we advertised this friendly gal in the local paper as Found, no one called. After her holding period Brooke was spayed and once recuperated from her surgery only waited a few days before heading off to her new home that includes a canine pal for a friend.

Fred

George

Fred and George are two siblings that were taken to the Kamloops branch in July after being found in a field all alone; after a short stint in Kamloops the boys were transferred here to help them find a home . . . which actually took a while after they had a minor health problem that just wouldn't clear up. Finally they were given a clean bill of health and within days were adopted together !

Pepper arrived as a stray, covered in fleas, terrified and with her tail tucked up under her belly - she had also obviously been nursing pups recently. As the days went by, no one called for Pepper ~ and with no ID on her it was impossible to reunite her with her family (and possibly her pups).

While at the shelter Pepper was defensive and distrustful of people, not ready to become your new best friend just because you extended your hand to her or tossed her a treat. But she did start to trust those she grew to know and would enjoy a cuddle and snuggle with them, but strangers were a different story. Living the shelter life can be overwhelming and intimindating for some dogs, and Pepper was one of those dogs and though she did enjoy playing with some of the other dogs in care and participating in a game of fetch, it just wasn't a home.

Though a sweetie under her tough exterior Pepper's antics did not win potential adoptees over so time went by, over two months in fact. But, Pepper had caught the eye of someone who kept thinking about her and offered to foster Pepper over the Christmas holidays. So off Pepper went to enjoy the holidays in a home with a family that also included two other dogs. Pepper did really well in the home ~ with only one hiccup which wasn't really her fault ~ but sadly once the holidays were over she was again back at the shelter.

But not for long, Pepper had made an impact on her foster family, who could not get her out of their minds.

And within days, Pepper was formally adopted :-)

PS While out and about yesterday I saw Pepper with her new guardian, I couldn't believe the transformation ~ from the scardy girl at the shelter that most people (including myself) couldn't get near, Pepper actually approached me for a treat and even wanted up on my lap! She is coming along in leaps and bounds in such a short time and should flourish in her new home. Just goes to show, once again, that animals do not always show their true personality in a stressful shelter environment . . . . congratulations to Pepper and her new family!

O'Malley, Sunflower and Nomi head to their homes

2011-12-27T23:20:00.000-08:00

Sunflower found herself with us after she went looking for help by meowing at the door of a house she found. Yes, Sunflower had been abandoned and needed help. Quiet, timid and shy when she first arrived Sunflower hid and wanted nothing better than the world (and everyone) to leave her alone, but once she adjusted to her new lifestyle the playful and affectionate Sunflower emerged! Fine with other cats, Sunflower tended to mind her own business in the Communal Room and enjoyed playing with many of the cat toys available to her . . . as usual with cats, a totally different side then when she first arrived. Sunflower has now gone to live with a family and being the only pet can expect to be spoiled :-)

O'Malley is a young cat who found himself homeless due to his owners moving, and for some reason O'Malley not being able to move with them to the new place. A bit confused and perplexed at finding himself in a shelter this sweet boy gradually settled in, quietly observing the Communal room activity and enjoying belly rubs. And then moving on to entertaining himself by terrorising the other cats in the room, which led to him being locked down in the Tower (a separate area of the Communal Room which gave him lots of space but also gave the other cats some peace). O'Malley has now found himself a home with a very nice couple and a Golden Retriever; that should keep him busy :-)

Nomi was transferred here from the Prince Rupert branch to help him find a new home after being abandoned by his previous home to live a life on the streets. A friendly and affectionate young cat Nomi loves attention and purrs loudly and steadily while being petted, he purrs so loud you'd almost think he had a microphone on. Playful, active and inquisitive - he is a youngster after all - Nomi could also be easily spooked while at the shelter leading you on a merry dance trying to capture him again. This handsome boy has now gone to live in a quiet home with a single person, which will be just perfect for a guy like Nomi.

Christmas Day at the shelter

2011-12-25T22:43:00.000-08:00

Even though it's December 25th and a lot of people are enjoying a day off, life goes on at the shelter. Employees are there looking after the daily cleaning, feeding and caring of the animals, and volunteers ensure all of the dogs are walked and the cats receive some special time. Here are a few of the recent arrivals spending Christmas at the shelter . . .

Tigger at 9 years old recently found herself at the shelter due to there being "no time" for her.

Mystery recently found herself scared and starving on the pulp & paper mill site in Port Mellon, after two weeks of hiding and running she was finally captured and brought to us ~ how she found herself on the mill site, 17 klms from town is anyone's guess.

Elsa was brought to us after being abandoned in a basement suite when her owner moved out; fortunately the landlady found her. Extremely thin, dehydrated and covered in flea bites when she arrived, Elsa is doing much better and loves nothing better then a good petting session.

TASO AND THE SANTA HAT

Putting the Santa hat on Taso

Taso being a good sport . . .

even though the hat looks like a pillow sitting on his head

Okay, time to re-arrange

There we go . . . . now it looks like a Santa hat!

Taso, Jenna and Mooney wish everyone a Merry Christmas

PS Just thought I'd mention that Taso and Mooney
are two lovely seniors waiting for a new home just in case

anyone is interested in bringing either into their life :-)

Aly

2011-12-23T23:29:00.000-08:00

Aly was recently brought to us as a stray after apparently hanging around a home since September, arriving in good condition Aly soon settled into the Admittance Room and we sent her info to the local paper (Coast Reporter) hoping to reunite Aly with her owner.

Sadly, the majority of the time when a cat is brought in as a stray they have no ID and no one looking for them, so after their holding period the cat is placed for adoption to find a new home.

Aly is one of the few lucky cats that went back to her home after her owner saw her info in the Found column of the Coast Reporter.

Please, if your cat goes missing or doesn't come home one day don't assume that he or she has been "eaten by a coyote"; hit by a car or gone off and died . . . actively look for your missing companion. Many times they are waiting at a shelter nearby for you to come looking.

One of the most important things you can do for your cat to help you both be reunited again is to have ID on your cat such as a tattoo, collar or microchip. Failing that, there are many ways you can help bring your companion back home again.

Here are some great some informative sites to help you get started if one day your feline friend does not come home.

BC SPCA Lost and Found tips

http://www.spca.bc.ca/pet-care/lost-and-found/lost-a-pet.html

BC SPCA Post your missing pet on-line

http://bcspcapets.shelterbuddy.com/search/?s=found&newsearch=yes

Safe and Sound Lost and Found - Lost and Found tips, a site for lost and found pets on the Sunshine Coast

http://www.safeandsoundlostandfound.org/

PS You could always avoid the tragedy and heart break of losing your cat by having he or she live as an inside cat with access to a safe enclosed area outside.

Niner, Graham, Vixen and Flossy go home

2011-12-21T22:43:00.000-08:00

Niner is a young cat who found himself homeless due to his owner developing allergies ~ an affectionate boy who enjoys being brushed and combed, Niner enjoyed chatting and hanging out with people while in care at the shelter. He also enjoyed playing with his toys and chasing a wand, or a shadow. He really wasn't fussy what he played with.

As if to dispel the statement that black cats generally wait a very long time for a home once in a shelter environment, Niner actually found himself a home fairly quickly . . . in about three weeks! Now that's how to throw the black cat stats out of whack :-)

Graham is a young cat who was transferred here from the Prince Rupert branch after being left outside the building in a box. Yes, a box. That was in July. After waiting a few months for a home in Prince Rupert Graham made the journey here in early December and didn't have to wait long for a home after a mum and son visited the shelter looking for a new companion after their former feline friend of over 20 years passed on a short time ago. Above is a picture of Graham with his new buddy, a very caring young man who was very excited to bring Graham into their home and life.

Vixen is another young cat who was transferred here from the Prince Rupert branch after being left out the shelter in a basket; that was in June. Vixen made the long journey here with Graham and again did not have to wait long for a home once on the Coast. In fact she barely had time to shake the Communal room up before once again moving on.

Great news for both Graham and Vixen.

Flossy was found as a stray in the Sechelt area during August and arrived at the shelter literally covered in fleas and flea bites; everywhere you ran your hands over her fur your fingers encountered lumps and bumps and scabs. But even in that terrible condition and with severely irritated skin, Flossy wanted nothing more than to be petted and loved, purring up a storm the whole time you stroked her.

Once in care, Flossy was treated for her severe flea infestation and all the while enjoyed being petted; greeting everyone with a steady purr and a few head butts . . . she truly was a cat lovers dream, a calm and steady rock ready to greet you when you come home from a stressful day. But even so, with all her charms and amazing personaltiy Flossy still waited almost four months for a home . . . more than likely due to her age. But Flossy's big day finally arrived and she packed up her blanket and has now headed home for the holidays!

Gohan and Teemo

2011-12-19T22:30:00.000-08:00

Teemo

Gohan

Gohan and Teemo are siblings who were transferred here from the Prince Rupert branch with their sister Amelia ~ where they found themselves after being abandoned by their owner. Once spayed and neutered it didn't take long for the three amigos to each find themselves a home here on the Sunshine Coast.

PS I saw Amelia - now named Rain - with her new mum at the pet store on the weekend and she is settling in great.

Bali and Tequila update

2011-12-17T23:42:00.000-08:00

Does anyone remember Bali and Tequila? These two friends spent months at the shelter last year and were eventually transferred to the Powell River branch to be placed in to a foster home ~ who subsequently adopted the bonded pair! http://sunshinecoastspca.blogspot.com/2010/10/trena-archie-bali-tequila-and-powell.html

Below is a recent picture of the girls, hanging out with their new friend, Hobbz the cat.

Doesn't get any better than that!

Happy Ending ~ Isabelle

2011-12-16T22:29:00.000-08:00

Isabelle is a young kitten adopted from us this past September http://sunshinecoastspca.blogspot.com/2011/09/lainey-dave-and-isabelle.html

Isabelle's (now named Mico) new mom has sent a wonderful update on how she is doing . . . .

Hi To Everyone at the Sunshine Coast Branch of the SPCA:

This is little Mico whom I adopted on September 25, 2011. She has brought so much joy back into my home. I couldn't have asked for a better kitten. Mico certainly has me wrapped around her little toes now. She now weighs 4.8 pounds and loves her food. What a beautiful girl she is. I will keep sending pictures of my pride and joy to you as she grows.

Cheers,

Betty Jean Hockley (Proud Mama)

Sid, Dennis, Orilander and Patience find their homes

2011-12-14T21:43:00.000-08:00

Sid (I know, it's a bit of a strange picture, but it is real :-)

Dennis

Dennis and Sid are siblings brought to us together (with their sister) after being found on a property in Halfmoon Bay. Dennis and Sid were placed for adoption at our satellite adoption center, Sechelt Animal Hospital, and found a home together quickly with a family that includes two kids! The family loved how Dennis and Sid interacted with each other and saw what a good match they were.

Orilander, is the sister of Sid and Dennis ~ Orilander found herself a home with a family whose little girl lost her cat after it managed to get outside. Orilander has gone to join another friendly and good natured cat in the home, and will be an inside cat too. Not thinking that they would they would find a new addition to their family right away, the family very was happy to find Orilander who came into their life just before their daughter's birthday.

Patience is a young cat who was transferred here from the Prince Rupert branch - where she had been found as a stray - to help her find a new home. An affectionate and outgoing girl, Patience is not only playful she is great with other cats and enjoys being the first one to run and greet people visiting the Communal room. Not surprisingly, Patience didn't have to wait long for a new home once arriving and has now gone to join a four member family who loved how she would not only play but would also settle down onto their lap for some good luv'ing :-)

Siobhan, Amelia, Eden, Garth and Max

2011-12-12T21:13:00.000-08:00

Amelia was transferred here from the Prince Rupert branch, along with two of her brothers, to help them all find a home . . . a sweetie, Amelia has now gone to live with a couple and their teenage son who have had previous dog experience with a Siberian Husky and are all very excited to be raising a puppy again. The family were so calm that Amelia forgot that her brothers were around and happily fell asleep in the son's arms . . . needless to say everyone was quite smitten with her.

Eden is another Prince Rupert pup, who arrived with Amelia and her brothers - this pretty girl was found roaming the streets of Prince Rupert all by herself, fortunately someone was looking out for Eden and took her to the shelter for help. A friendly and outgoing pup, Eden has now gone to live in a home with a happy friendly Boxer for a canine pal.

Siobhan found herself with us due to her owner having a few to many cats; a beautiful Bengal with striking markings it didn't take too long for Siobhan to find herself a new home . . . Siobhan has now gone to live with a family who fell for her because they thought she had a personality similar to theirs!

Max is a cheerful, bouncy and happy little dog who loves people and other dogs too! Max knows sit and probably a few other commands that he was keeping to himself; he also enjoys playing with other dogs so it wasn't too surprising that soon after arriving at the shelter, Max found himself a new home.

You may remember Garth, Garth was adopted in June of this year http://sunshinecoastspca.blogspot.com/2011/06/smookie-sailor-dawn-kane-and-garth-head.html . . . his new family promised to love him and keep him safely inside and all appeared well as Garth headed of to his new home.

But sadly, that was not to be the case.

In early November a malnourished cat with cuts on his paws showed up at a home in Gibsons, eagerly waiting for the family to arrive home each day. After four days, the kind person who lived at the home brought the cat to the shelter in the hopes that it could be reunited with it's family.

Once at the shelter though, it was quickly discovered that the skinny little stray was our Garth. With no one looking for him.  Happily ever after was certainly short lived for Garth and his family.

On a brighter note, Garth did not have to wait too long for a new home this time around and has now gone to live with a family that includes two kids and a deaf dog!

Happy Ending ~ Jasper

2011-12-10T20:50:00.000-08:00

Jasper is a handsome fellow who found himself at the shelter after being abandoned by his "owners" when they moved; yes cats being abandoned does happen right here on the Sunshine Coast, sadly quite frequently. Jasper fortunately did not have to wait too long for a home and was adopted a couple of weeks ago . . for some reason I missed posting that, so I'm combining his adoption with an update from his new home!

Which is here . . . .

Dear people at the SPCA:

Thank you so much for taking care of me when I needed a safe place to stay. And thank you too for finding me such a nice new home to live in. The lady who adopted me seems to like me a lot and looks after me very well. As you can see by the photo, I get to curl up in her favourite chair, but I like it better when she sits down first and makes me a lap. She gave me a new name - Finnegan - and she calls me silly names like Fishy Finn Cat and Starfish (probably 'cause I make starfish paws all the time). Sometimes she calls me "here fishy fishy" instead of "kitty kitty" - I do think she really really likes me!

So thanks again for looking after me. Maybe I can come to visit one day.

Love, Finnegan (and my lady says to say hi too)

PS As Finnegan had a hard time typing with his paws, his new lady Heather helped him with the happy ending :-)

A few more Pet Pictures with Santa pictures . .

2011-12-08T23:50:00.000-08:00

I told you in my last posting that the pictures our amazing photographer Darren Bernaerdt takes are MUCH better then the snap shots I took . . . here's some of those pictures from Darren

Major Tom ~ looking impressed

Former shelter resident Skeeter

A cutie all decked out with a Christmas scarf

Our friend Roo!
A former shelter resident, more than once :-)

What a ham!

A Daschund (or dash-hound :-) duo

A kiss for Santa

Here's a link to some pictures posted on our local newspaper, the Coast Reporter
http://www.coastreporter.net/apps/pbcs.dll/tngallery?Site=GW&Date=20111205&Category=SECHELT&ArtNo=120509993&Ref=PH

That's it for this year!

Pet Pictures with Santa . . .

2011-12-06T21:46:00.000-08:00

was held a few days ago, here are some snap shots of the event . . . . the actual pictures were taken by photographer Darren Bernaerdt and are much better quality than these ones, but it's always fun to post some random shots :-)

Major Tom (orange tabby cat on the table) was one of the first in line
for his annual picture with Santa

All dressed up ready for a picture with Santa

Waiting

Setting up for a picture, Darren ready to take the picture with
Cindy waiting to work the squeaky toy

Former shelter resident Tonka stopped by with his family

All dressed up for Christmas and a picture with Santa

Luna-Leela one of our former foster mums stopped
by for a picture and a cuddle :-)

The local rescued greyhound club , , ,

came by for their annual picture with Santa

Former foster pup, Marley (aka Seal) now three years old!

Shelley and her canine pals waiting to see Santa

Another former shelter resident, Skeeter, hanging out with Santa

About 100 people brought their pet for a picture with Santa, the majority of pets were dogs but we did see several cats and one guinea pig - who thankfully managed to not disappear inside Santa's beard.

This year we did not get a group shot at the end of the event due to running over our allotted time, but much appreciation and thanks go to Jennifer, Gail, Amie and Christa who along with Branch Manger Cindy and myself volunteered at the event . . . busy and hectic at times, but also a lot of fun.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
without who the event could not happen each year!

Darren Bernaerdt (photography)
Eagle Ridge Veterinary Hospital (treats)
London Drugs (picture developing)
Sunnycrest Mall (use of Santa display)
and of course, Santa

plus everyone who brought their pet for a picture
the event raised $1,045 for the Sunshine Coast Branch!

Pet Pictures with Santa reminder!

2011-12-02T22:30:00.000-08:00

It's almost here . . .

Sunday, December 4th

Sunnycrest Mall, 10 am - 2 pm

2 pictures plus holder = $10

Pictures by professional photographer Darren Bernaerdt

All pets on leash or in carrier while in the mall please!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Darren Bernaerdt (photography)
Eagle Ridge Veterinary Hospital (treats)
London Drugs (picture developing)
Sunnycrest Mall (location)
The Landing Veterinary Clinic (treats)

Check out some pictures from last years event

http://sunshinecoastspca.blogspot.com/2010/12/2010-pet-pictures-with-santa.html

All proceeds to the Sunshine Coast Branch (BC SPCA)

Jack and Daniel and Koda

2011-11-29T22:20:00.000-08:00

Daniel

Jack

Jack and Daniel are siblings surrendered together after their owner could not find homes for them . . . these cuties were neutered and placed for adoption at our satellite adoption center in Sechelt Animal Hospital; it didn't take long for them to each find a home, on the same day!

Koda is young pup who found himself at the shelter after his new guardian - who had bought Koda a few weeks before - discovered that pups require a large amount of time and commitment which he wasn't prepared for, so brought Koda to the shelter to be placed into a new home. Koda quickly won everyone over with his calm and easy going personality and has now gone to live on the lower mainland with a couple and their senior Cocker Spaniel; who all visit the Sunshine Coast regularly so will hopefully stop in for a visit with Koda.

Random shots . . .

2011-11-24T23:27:00.000-08:00

Been a few months since we've had some random shots of the animals . . . so I thought I'd post some recent pictures :-)

Anna Marie looking feisty ~ adopted

Delwin looking serious, but is anything but ~ adopted

Flossy waiting waiting waiting for a home . . and still waiting

Isabelle, she IS feisty ~ adopted

Lainey contemplating what she did to find herself living in a shelter ~ adopted

Miss Sassy a misunderstood gal still waiting for a home

Opal hamming it up ~ adopted

Quincy, bored . . . . and still waiting for a home

Sasha, a scruffy cutie who didn't wait long for a new home

Silos, looking slightly strange ~ adopted

Soffit surveying the Communal room from above ~ adopted

Twilight not a happy camper after her spay . . . still waiting for a home

Riley looking dejected with his cone on, to prevent him scratching the abscess on his cheek he arrived with

Pups finding out early in life what shelter life is all about ~ adopted

Vincent saying bye till next time ~ adopted

Pub Nite Thanks !

2011-11-22T22:17:00.000-08:00

THANK YOU to everyone who came out to our Pub Night at the Lighthouse Pub this past Sunday . . . . once again, it was a fun evening with great food, great prizes and great company.

Myself along with branch employees, volunteers and supporters came out for a burger platter and drink (beer, hi-ball, wine or pop) and enjoyed bidding on the Silent Auction items and participating in the 50/50 draw and Canucks jersey draw! There was also a Lions game (winning the Western final) on followed by a Canucks game!

Volunteer Denise greeted everyone at the door, while Branch Manager Cindy, and volunteer Amanda sold 50/50 tickets throughout the bar.

The door prize - a $100 gift basket from Super Valu packed full of goodies was won by Don Kernan.

The 50/50 draw was won by Dale (Lighthouse Pub manager); who promptly donated his $250 winnings back to the branch. Thank you Dale!

Halfway through the evening Dale also generously donated a Canucks jersey; with a $5 donation giving you a chance to win it ~ I left before the draw happened but when I arrived home learned that I had won the jersey. My first Canucks jersey . . . fantastic!

A fun evening which so far has raised $2,500+ for the branch (there are still a couple of people left to pay for their silent auction items).

Thank you everyone, especially our host the Lighthouse Pub and Dale for being such a great MC during the event

See you all again next year!

Charlie and Daphner find their new homes

2011-11-21T22:29:00.000-08:00

Charlie is a young budgie who found himself looking for a new home after his owners had to move into a Care Home, and sadly birds were not allowed. A friendly, cheerful and curious bird Charlie liked to sing along with music and watch the comings and goings of the shelter. Which he didn't have to do for long, as he found himself a new home within a week of arriving.

Daphner when he first arrived

Daphner found himself with us after hanging around a home for several months; with no one looking for him. Quiet, gentle and very shy, Daphner took a while to settle in and certainly wasn't considered the "people greeter" of the Communal room. In fact, for a long time most people visiting the room didn't even know Daphner existed; all they saw was a tuft of black fur poking out of one of the cat boxes. Though the shelter staff did notice him out and about during the morning hours, when all was quiet. But even during that time if anyone took just a little time Daphner was just waiting for you to glance his way and was soon flirting . . rubbing up against objects hoping you'll notice him and wander over to give him some pets.

Not one to cause a fuss, Daphner was fine with other cats, enjoyed being groomed and didn't have a mean bone in his body - tolerating just about anything. But even though he started to come out into the open and even hopped on to a lap or two it still took 5 months for this lovely boy to find himself a home. But that day finally arrived and Daphner has gone to live in a quiet home where he will be given time to settle in and be a companion to an elderly lady missing having a feline friend in her life.

Daphner once he felt braver

Owen, Opal and Lightening say bye

2011-11-18T23:23:00.000-08:00

Owen was transferred to us from the Chilliwack branch to help him find a new home after finding himself in care due to his owners moving, and not taking him along with them. A friendly and affection cat Owen did not have to wait too long for a home and was adopted together with Opal (pictured below). Opal had recently arrived at the shelter and barely had time to settle into the Communal room before finding herself moving once again, this time with Owen. ate

Opal

Lightening was transferred here from the Kamloops branch to help him find a new home . . . homeless due to there being too many cats in his previous home Lightening waited several months in Kamloops for someone to notice him but then made his way here. A large cat, Lightening truly is a gentle giant and could be a bit shy at first; after his trip to the Sunshine Coast it did take a couple of weeks before Lightening felt comfortable enough to venture down from the bed he staked out on top of the "introduction" cages in the Communal room. He then gradually moved down onto one of the cat perches and then ventured further from there. All the while ready to run back to his "safe" zone though.

A quiet and none intrusive cat, Lightening would wait for you to notice him but once you did and started petting him he would lean right in, softly purring the whole time. But as with many cats, Lightening had another side! While in the Communal room Lightening never made a peep, quiet as a mouse and kept to himself, even appearing to become a tad depressed as time went by. What we didn't know was that Lightening actually liked to talk and chirp! Yes, this quiet boy started talking when he was recently moved in to a room with one other cat . . . instead of sleeping the day away and not making any attempt to engage you Lightening was suddenly chatting and interacting with everyone. Who'da thought. Our wallflower who had blended in with the background for so long and had never made a peep, had come to life!

Even more exciting, after waiting almost 8 months for a home, Lightening's big day finally arrived and he has now gone to live with a fellow that visited the shelter looking for a companion and asked to meet Lightening . . . and a match was made :-)

Pet Pictures with Santa!

2011-11-15T20:42:00.000-08:00

Sunday, December 4th

Sunnycrest Mall, 10 am - 2 pm

2 pictures plus holder = $10

Pictures by professional photographer Darren Bernaerdt

All pets on leash or in carrier while in the mall please!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Darren Bernaerdt (photography)
Eagle Ridge Veterinary Hospital (treats)

London Drugs (picture developing)

Sunnycrest Mall (location)

The Landing Veterinary Clinic (treats)

Check out some pictures from last years event
http://sunshinecoastspca.blogspot.com/2010/12/2010-pet-pictures-with-santa.html

All proceeds to the Sunshine Coast Branch (BC SPCA)

Gus and Soffit

2011-11-14T23:10:00.000-08:00

Gus was brought to us as a stray after hanging around a home for 3-4 weeks in the Gibsons area . . . even though Gus was obviously someones wayward pet he arrived with no ID and no one looking for him, so after his holding period was up Gus was neutered and soon ready to find himself a new home. Which he did quickly. As soon as Gus joined the Communal he started working it, chatting up and flirting with anyone that entered the room and within two weeks of arriving is now settling into his new home.

Soffit was another cat brought to us as a stray after first being found and taken to Eagle Ridge Veterinary Hospital the week before. Turns out that Soffit was first at the shelter as a young kitten (named Jane), she was adopted at that time but when she found her way back to us as a stray her ID was outdated and no one was looking for her.

So, once again Soffit was looking for a home, this time one where she will be missed when she goes AWOL. Perky, flirty and determined to liven up the Communal Room, Soffit is a playful, affectionate and extremely sociable little cat with energy to spare. Non-confrontational with other cats Soffit fit into the Communal Room easily and also easily found herself a new home :-)

Nirvana, Kya, Jelina and Piper head off to their new homes

2011-11-12T23:46:00.001-08:00

Nirvana found herself homeless after being surrendered with one of her tiny kittens in August; with her kitten quickly adopted Nirvana settled in to wait for someone thinking about giving the "mum" left behind, a home. A slender and delicate looking cat, Nirvana was initially a bit unsure about the turn of events in her life and though she didn't seem to mind other cats, she kept to herself in the Communal room, a bit nervous but not causing any commotion or trouble. A sweet girl, Nirvana has now been adopted into a home with a very nice senior fellow.

Jelina is a little Papillon who arrived as a stray, apparently escaping from a yard. As the days went by and no one called looking for her - she did have a microchip, but when her breeder was contacted, there was no info on who she had been sold too - we learned that Jelina's guardian had passed away a month ago and since then she had been in two different homes - neither of which wanted her. Sadly, not only was Jelina missing her beloved guardian, she had no idea where home was anymore.

A cutie with soft soft fur (which appears to have been shaved) Jenlina was very friendly and outgoing with everyone she met, including other dogs. But due to her recent circumstancees, she was also quite vocal in the kennels, telling the world her woes. In the blink of an eye the world that Jelina knew was gone along with being shuffled through two different homes in a very short period of time. No wonder she was one confused and anxious little girl. Happily Jelina did not have to wait long for a home; and she has now gone to live with a family here on the Sunshine Coast.

Kya is a young dog who due to no fault of her own found herself passed around from home to home . . . at three years old, Kya had no idea what home and the feeling of security meant. Arriving extremely thin, timid and a bit fearful, Kya is another dog who did not have to wait long for a home and is now starting to enjoy life with a young family who took a shine to her, and she to them :-)

Piper was transferred here from the Chilliwack branch to help her find a new home; sadly Piper had found herself homeless due to the death of her owner. Settling in quickly after her trip here, Piper soon got to work trying to wrangle some petting and attention out of anyone that passed by . . . she loves being petted and at nine years old this chatty girl was probably missing her previous home and finding shelter life a bit lonely. The adoption fairy was looking out for Piper though and when Shorncliffe Intermediate Care Facility was looking for a feline to join the facility they visited the shelter and selected Piper; who has now gone to join the staff and residents there. There will be no shortage of attention and petting for Piper ever again!

Thank you to Eagle Ridge Veterinary Hospital who look after all veterinary expenses, at no charge, for Shorncliffe and will be looking after Pipers medical care, including the dental work she requires.

Mr. Higgins aka Dulce

2011-11-11T23:51:00.001-08:00

Well, it just goes to show that cats truly are the masters of illusion, we have seen it over and over, they can display a certain personality - usually described as cranky, aloof, independent, feisty, not friendly, likely to whack you and just plain hard to place into a home while at the shelter but are the polar opposite once in a home . . . and that was the case for Dulce.

Here is an update from Dulce's new family . . . who'da thought :-)

Just wanted to let you know that Mr. Higgins … formerly known as Dulce … has settled into home very well. Aloof, ha! He is such a love bug and follows us around for pets and cuddles, purring away. I thought it would take a few days for him to transition into his new home and be comfortable with the dogs. It took less than the first night and he was already eating, exploring the house, greetings the dogs nose to nose and hogging the pillows between Mike and I. He is so comfortable with George and Henry (they are good, gentle dogs) that I think he is actually disappointed that they are not giving him chase!

So, he is a perfect little fellow and we are very happy that he has also so readily adopted us!

Keep up the great work that you do at the shelter!

Many thanks.

Wendy & Mike

Mr. Higgins happily snoozing in his new home

Dulce says bye

2011-11-09T22:19:00.000-08:00

Dulce was transferred here in April from the Kamloops branch to help him find a new home after he was taken into care as a stray January 31, 2011. A handsome dude, Dulce tended to act a little aloof and indifferent around people in the Communal Room and really didn't go out of his way to befriend visitors - or employees and volunteers alike :-) He's not shy or fearful, just independent and not worried about impressing anyone. Which sadly may be why he was overlooked so many times.

If his Highness decided that a petting session was in order, he'd lean in for a good chin scratch but depending on the day, he may or may not indulge you, and you may be greeted with the whack of a paw instead. Something we all learned to anticipate.

Underneath that tough exterior though lurked a playful side to Dulce and we'd often catch him batting toys around the room and racing after them. When bored though, he would tend to stalk some of the other cats . . . for entertainment.

After almost a year, Dulce was beyond bored with shelter life.

So this past Saturday morning the shelter employees came up with a plan, we were going to remake Dulce, change his name, change his picture and write-up and re-invent him in the hopes that it would help him find a home. With the plan in place, I took new pictures, we discussed his new write-up and all that was needed was his new name . . it was a toss up between Jackson and Sawyer, either of which I was looking forward too as I never could pronounce Dulce correctly :-)

But wouldn't you know it, that very afternoon, after waiting 10 months for a home Dulce was adopted and is now living on 5 acres in Pender Harbour, with two cat friendly dogs for companions. Way to go Dulce :-)

Pub Nite ~ Pub Nite ~ Pub Nite

2011-11-08T22:56:00.000-08:00

HAVE YOU GOT YOUR TICKET YET ?

TICKETS $20
Choice of beef or veggie burger with fries or salad and a sleeve of Canadian, or one hiball or glass of house wine or pop

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT:
All for Pets
Best Friends Pet Market
Eagle Ridge Veterinary Hospital
One on One Office Supplies
Sechelt Animal Hospital
The Landing Veterinary Clinic
the SPCA Shelter (4376 Solar Road)

** Please note all tickets have to be PURCHASED PRIOR to the event, tickets will NOT be sold at the door.

For lots more info please check here
http://sunshinecoastspca.blogspot.com/2011/10/pub-nite-pub-nite-pub-nite.html

Tilly has a home !

2011-11-05T22:25:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while an animal comes along that just can't seem to catch a break; Tilly was one of those animals. Those of you involved with the shelter know about Tilly's struggle to find a home after being surrendered on October 2, 2010.

For those of you not familiar with Tilly, here is her story, in a nut shell . . .

Tilly found herself homeless at 6 years old when a pup joined the home and Tilly didn't adjust to the new addition, though she had been living fine and in fact was good friends with another dog in the home up until then. And though Tilly had lived in the home since she was 8-weeks-old, she was the one who found herself looking for a new home.

Upset at finding herself uprooted from her home and the life she knew, Tilly initially kept to herself hanging out in her Hide&Perch box, but she did enjoy being groomed with the Zoom brush and coming out for some petting once she felt more comfortable and secure. A bit scared of other cats, Tilly did not do well in the Communal Room, as she tended to hide and could be a bit of a cranky girl, with no other cats around Tilly was the most affectionate and loving cat you'll meet.

After being at the shelter for several months Tilly became seriously ill with a respiratory illness, once recovered Tilly was back in the Communal room but soon found herself back in the sick room at Christmas and stayed there under medical care until January 24th almost losing her eye that time due to infection. Tilly's former home were contacted and they wanted to bring Tilly home, but as the pup was still there Tilly did not fare any better than the first time around and in June 2011 was brought back to the shelter.

Devastated, Tilly withdrew and became irritable . . . fortunately one of our cat room volunteers, Marilynne, offered to foster Tilly, so off she went into foster care. But after three months with no one willing to visit the foster home to meet her and one of the people in the home allergic to cats, Tilly was recently brought back to the shelter. Where within days she became ill again.

Chatty and playful outside of the shelter Tilly enjoys being petted and will chat away telling you all about her day. Her foster home said that while Tilly isn't a lap cat, she does enjoy sitting or laying beside you. She also doesn't like getting her feet wet if outside in the garden and will tip toe along the planks of the garden to keep dry.

So why was it so hard for Tilly to find a home?

Tilly does not do well under stress and truly does miss having a home; in fact not having a home is what was making her sick each time.

Everyone was so concerned about Tilly that a plan was made to get the word out - even more - about her; a plea was sent out and employees promoted Tilly to people visiting the shelter looking for a feline companion. Posters were also going to be created and put up on bulletin boards around town, Lara (Safe and Sound, Lost and Found) offered to post Tilly's story on her web site . . . and everyone generally spread the word.

But things were about to change for Tilly . . for the better.

Shortly after the plea went out, Tilly received the biggest break she had had since arriving when Audrey Hill (Volunteer Manager, Powell River SPCA Branch) sent Tilly's info to a woman she knew looking for a companion.

It looked like a match had been made . . . everyone was excited but until Tilly actually left the building there was still some hesitation about celebrating Tilly's new home. The main hiccup was actually getting Tilly to Powell River. A date was set for one of the shelter employees (Jenna) to drive Tilly to Powell River on her day off, but that plan fell through. Fortunately a long time shelter volunteer - Jennifer Steeves - offered to drive Tilly . . . the big day finally arrived and off Tilly went with Jennifer to her new life!

Tilly is now happily settling into her new home with Michelle, there are no other animals in the home and Tilly will be an indoor cat! Exactly what Tilly was looking for :-)

Thank you to Audrey for passing on Tilly's info, Michelle for giving Tilly the home she has waited so long for, Jennifer for driving Tilly to Powell River and the shelter employees and volunteers for caring for Tilly during her stay and to everyone who rooted for her and spread the word. Team work at it's best!

No more lonely days for Tilly

After over a year since first arriving . . . Tilly has a place to call home again :-)

Spencer, Marshmellow, Delwin and Vincent

2011-11-03T23:35:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's been awhile . . I bet you thought I forgot my password, forgot how to type or just plain forgot about the Blog :-) But it's none of those, just been a tad busy and haven't had time to actually sit down, compose a sentence or two and update the Blog. But tonight everything seems to have calmed down a bit so here I am.

Marshmallow is a pup who actually came to the shelter in August, and found a home fairly quickly but as all of our animals have to be spayed or neutered prior to adoption the waiting game began . . Marshmallow may have been a large pup but his body parts (the parts that involve neutering :-) didn't develop quite as fast as they normally do, so while everyone waited for the big day to arrive he went to live with his new family to bond and start learning all the things that pups need to learn. Time passed and Marshmallow was finally neutered (those body parts never did appear by the way), the paperwork was completed and he was officially adopted as a full grown dog . . just kidding, he was still a pup at 3 months old !

Spencer is a youngster who was transferred here from the Chilliwack branch to help him find a home after being brought in as a stray in early July. Hard to imagine now, but when found Spencer was an emaciated, starving kitten covered in fleas. All fixed up, Spencer travelled here and settled in to the Communal room quickly after his trip. Playful, cheeky and feisty - Spence could be a bit of a pest to the other cats because he wanted to play play play - all the time. Spencer has now gone to live in a home with a pug as his new companion . . . hopefully the pug can keep up with Spencer and his long lanky legs and bursts of energy :-)

Delwin is another Chilliwack kittie transferred here in September to help him find a new home after being left behind by his guardians in July. An all around great little cat, Delwin is playful, affectionate and sociable enjoying the company of both people and other cats and will even tolerate cat friendly dogs! He also loves kids and whenever kids visited the Communal room Delwin would follow them around . . . maybe he lived with kids in his previous home? Delwins big day came recently when a couple visited the shelter looking for a cat to join their home, Delwin worked his magic and they soon decided that he was the one . . . but they had a toddler and weren't sure how Delwin would react (at this time they did not know that Delwin loved kids); after talking to the shelter staff they went home and came back with their toddler to meet Delwin . . . and now Delwin is once again, enjoying having a family to call his own.

Vincent is a proud and regal looking fellow who for some reason - only known to Vincent - found himself homeless and left to fend for himself by hanging around a home in Sechelt for several months. Fortunately Vincent was brought to us so that he could be warm, dry, safe and enjoy regular meals . . . which by the way he loves, food that is - instead of trying to keep himself alive. It's beyond me why people think that cats can fend for themselves after being fed and housed their whole lives, really, could most of us fend for ourselves if turfed out of our home and no sociable network to fall back on ? I doubt it.

Affectionate, sociable and handsome it's amazing that no one looked for Vincent but it's their loss, as Vincent has quickly found himself a new home.

Seaside Video

2011-10-28T12:20:00.000-07:00

On the last Friday of every month Seaside Video - located in Trail Bay Mall - offers free videos but does ask for a donation. On free video Fridays; an organization is selected to receive any donations collected.

This Friday (October 28th) all donations received will benefit the Sunshine Coast Branch -BCSPCA !

What better way to spend a rainy dark evening then curling up on the couch and watching a video ? While you are at the mall stop by our info table manned by volunteer, Denise, between the hours of 5 pm - 8 pm

PS Denise will also have pub nite tickets for sale at the table!

Temple Grandin Lecture at UBC November 10

2011-10-23T21:48:00.000-07:00

TICKETS SOLD OUT ~ PRESENTATION AVAILABLE VIA WEBCAST
In response to keen public interest and a sold-out venue, Dr. Temple Grandin’s presentation will be available live online from 7-8 p.m. PST Thursday, November 10. Tickets are now on sale for just $10 each.

They can be purchased at http://support.spca.bc.ca/site/Calendar?id=105101&view=Detail

The BCSPCA is hosting animal expert Dr. Temple Grandin for a speaking engagement on November 10 at UBC. Her topic is Understanding the Animals in your Life and her presentation will focus on the emotions and behaviours of companion animals and horses. More information is available at: http://support.spca.bc.ca/site/Calendar?id=105101&view=Detail

To read more about previous Temple Grandin lectures please click on the link below http://support.spca.bc.ca/site/Calendar/664248502?view=Detail&id=101881

Branch Newsletter - Fall 2011

2011-10-22T00:06:00.000-07:00

Branch volunteer Heather Johnson has once again created a wonderful newsletter for the branch . . . to read please click on the link below.

Fall 2011 Newsletter
http://tinyurl.com/3u5bpcp

PS You can also pick up a copy at most of the local veterinary hospitals/clinics or at the shelter.

Merlin, Avril, Robin and Lilo

2011-10-18T22:28:00.000-07:00

Merlin is a middle-aged Schnauzer who found himself on the lam and taken in as a stray by the local animal control; after no body phoned or claimed Merlin during his holding period he was brought to us to find him a new home . . . which he did within a very short time. In fact it was in such a short time that we don't even have a picture of him and are hoping his new people send us one :-)

Avril found herself at the Vancouver branch this past summer, she was adopted but sadly returned due to her high energy level. After several months in Vancouver it was decided that transferring Avril to the Sunshine Coast may better help her find a new home . . . so arrangements were made for her to come here. But, before that could happen someone from the Sunshine Coast saw Avril on-line and contacted the Vancouver branch about her. After filling out an application, having an interview with the Vancouver Branch and a home check completed by Sunshine Coast staff . . Avril travelled to the Sunshine Coast and was immediately adopted into her new home. Everything happened so fast I didn't even meet her and the picture above is from the Vancouver branch site. Great news for Avril !

Robin was brought to us as a stray in July after hanging around a home for several weeks; with no ID and no one looking for her Robin was soon ready to find a new home. A petite cat, Robin truly is a people cat at heart; she loves attention and will follow you around curious about what you're up to and ready to give a helping hand or settle in for a snuggle. But though eager to be friends with everyone, Robin did not have the same feelings about other cats when she first arrived . . . yes, Robin was a bit of a spunky spit-fire; hissing and growling at the other cats. Who by the way, were a bit puzzled by her behaviour, so just let her be. Robin eventually settled down and decided to tolerate the other cats though never really hooked up with a buddy in the Communal room, content to be a bit of a loner. Chatty, playful and affectionate this feisty little girl has now gone to join her new family.

Lilo was transferred here from the Kamloops branch to help her find a new home after finding herself there in March with her four kittens - who quickly found homes - but as so often happens mum (Lilo) was left behind. But that didn't deterLilo from doing her best to purr her way into someones heart. A unique looking girl with her tabby and lilac point markings, Lilo may look part Siamese but she definitely didn't inherit the famous - or infamous - Siamese voice. A friendly and easygoing cat, Lilo settled into the Communal room without causing any fuss amongst the other cats and enjoyed playing with toys and chasing string or sun beams . . . . she also claimed the window seat in the Communal room so you'd be sure to spot her when you visited the shelter. But even with all her charm, gentle personality and unique looks it still took Lilo many months to find a home, something that we were all perplexed about and could not understand. Lilo never gave up hope though and all her hard work finally paid off and she has finally moved on into her own home, a few pounds heavier than when she arrived :-)

Pub Nite . . . Pub Nite . . . Pub Nite

2011-10-13T20:50:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's that time of year and time for our pub nite fundraiser

Circle this date on your calendar . . .

Sunday, November 20th 4 pm - 8 pm

and head on out to

the LIGHTHOUSE PUB

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lighthouse-Pub-Sechelt/189068514027

Lighthouse Pub

Lighthouse Pub deck

TICKETS $20
Choice of beef or veggie burger with fries or salad and a sleeve of Canadian, or one hiball or glass of house wine or pop

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT:
All for Pets
Best Friends Pet Market
Eagle Ridge Veterinary Hospital
Sechelt Animal Hospital
The Landing Veterinary Clinic
the SPCA Shelter (4376 Solar Road)
plus One on One Office Supplies (after Oct. 15th)

** Please note all tickets have to be PURCHASED PRIOR to the event, tickets will NOT be sold at the door.

LOADS OF FUN, GREAT FOOD, PRIZES,
TOONIE DRAW, GAMES, SILENT AUCTION
and more (which means we might think of more fun things to do before the day!)

ALL PROCEEDS TO THE SUNSHINE COAST BRANCH, BC SPCA
For more info please call 604-740-0301

Help us, help animals like Vincent, left to fend for himself

Pups pups pups . . .

2011-10-11T22:45:00.000-07:00

These little cuties have all found their homes on the Sunshine Coast; mainly on the lower Coast except for Porshe who has gone to live in Powell River!

Chevy

Civic

Landon

Mercedes

Porshe

Sunfire

Tercel

Tracker

Katt, Bob and Hamilton

2011-10-08T23:50:00.000-07:00

Katt, a kitten with a perpetual worried look on her face, was found inside a cardboard with her brother Bob . . and thankfully brought to us. A pretty cat with her Maine Coon background Katt did not have to wait long for a home and has quickly said good-bye to shelter life.

Bob, the more outgoing of the two siblings has also found his home quickly.

Hamilton is an sweet boy who was transferred here after arriving at one of the lower mainland branches in deplorable condition, Hamiltons ears had been allowed to become badly infected causing him a lot of pain and he was covered in fleas. His living conditions, which he shared with several other dogs and cats, were also not the best. But Hamilton doesn't hold any grudges despite his past, and is a lovable fellow who though a little shy at first, was soon greeting everyone with a tentative wag of his tail and a soulful look of his sad brown eyes. It didn't take long for Hamilton to graduate to hanging out in the reception area greeting visitors to the shelter and enjoying all of the attention lavished on him. Something sadly missing in his former life. Hamilton soon caught the attention of a woman looking for a companion and he has now left to live with her and the two cats in the home! The start of a brand new life for Hamilton.

The first SPCA Certified Farm on the Sunshine Coast

2011-10-06T23:56:00.000-07:00

SPCA Certified welcomes new farms and products

http://www.spca.bc.ca/news-and-events/news/new-spca-certified-farms.html

SUNSHINE COAST SPCA CERTIFIED NEWS
Happy Chick Farm, the first SPCA Certified farm on the Sunshine Coast, raises chickens, turkeys and laying hens for their local market. Lee Riggs, co-owner of Happy Chick Farm believes “every living animal deserves to have good food, fresh air and a great life. This includes the animals we choose to eat.”

ABOUT HAPPY CHICK FARM
Happy Chick Farm, owned and operated by Lee and Heidi Riggs, has been operating since 2006. In summer of 2011, Happy Chick Farm became SPCA Certified. At present, turkeys, laying hens and chickens are raised on the farm.

"We at Happy Chick Farm believe that every living animal on our globe deserves to have good food, fresh air and a great life. This includes the animals we choose to eat." says Lee, "We operate on the premise of naturally grown, ethically raised standards, and we believe it is the best. Raising food that we can be proud of."

To find out more about how you can purchase eggs, chicken or turkey from Happy Chick Farm, please contact Lee and Heidi directly.

Contact Information:

Address 1668 Sunshine Coast Highway, Gibsons BC
Phone (604) 886 - 1773

WHAT IS SPCA CERTIFIED, AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
Please click on the link below to find out more about the SPCA Certified program and how it helps improve farm animal welfare standards in Canada. http://www.spca.bc.ca/welfare/farm-animal-welfare/spca-certified/

THANK YOU to Gillian Brady, a member of our branch Community Council who has been working tirelessly over the past few years to bring awareness of the SPCA Certified program to the Sunshine Coast and who has personally pledged to pay the costs of the first two farms on the Sunshine Coast to become SPCA Certified . . . Happy Chick farm being the first ! Gillian has worked closely with Happy Chick Farm and has also spent many hours promoting SPCA certified at various local events.

Here are a few pictures of Gillians info tables . . . provoking people to think about "where did my eggs come from ?"

Gillian (right) and friend Kathy at the SPCA Certified Booth promoting humane treatment of farm animals at our Paws for a Cause . . . Walk for the Animals event

Are those $1.99 a dozen eggs really worth it ? Not to the hens laying them they're not.

This truly is one area that YOU can help make a difference in the lives of laying hens. By buying eggs that come from cage free hens. Stop by Gillians table next time you see her at an event and learn the difference between free-range and free-run and organic . . . you can also learn more here http://www.spca.bc.ca/welfare/farm-animal-welfare/spca-certified/consumers/call-to-action.html

Please . . . make the right choice. The hens will thank you.

CONGRATULATIONS TO HAPPY CHICK FARMS
Please, support this local SPCA Certified farm

Benson (aka Christophe) ~ Happy Ending

2011-10-05T21:17:00.000-07:00

Christophe was transferred here from the Prince Rupert branch to help him find a new home after arriving there in November 2010 . . . . though it took almost 10 months and two shelters for Christophe to find a new home; he did. And as the saying goes "it was well worth the wait", as Christophe has become himself again after becoming sad and depressed while waiting for a home.

Here's the link to Christophe's story

http://sunshinecoastspca.blogspot.com/2011/07/christophe-grady-luongo-and-gonzales.html

And, here is a wonderful update from Christophe's (now named Benson) new guardian :-) '

Benson relaxing

Hello everyone,

Progress report for September 2011

Here are a couple of pics of Benson, one sunning himself in the dog pen and the other hanging with his buddy Herschel.He is doing really well. He's moving around a lot but it's a real slow process to get the weight off of him. He won't eat any of the low calorie food but then again neither will any of our other cats. His food is measured and he is fed twice a day just like all the other cats. He has finally fallen into a routine and if he doesn't eat what he is given we take it away and when he wants more he sits on his little mat and we offer him his food again.

What a great cat he is...such a sweetie. Benson gets along well with Herschel and always wants to play. He's adjusting to both the dogs very well and loves to go outside in the dog pen and just hang around. The cats are only allowed to do this when we are home. Don't want them to get taken by the coyotes.

Thank you again for letting us bring him home.

Regards, Marina

Herschel and Benson hanging out

Sasha, Roseland and Anna Maria go home

2011-10-03T21:33:00.000-07:00

Sasha was transferred here from the Chilliwack branch to help her find a new home after becoming homeless when her owners were moving and didn't, or couldn't, take her along. A cutie, with her scruffy wiry looks Sashas coat along her back wasn't looking it's best due to a flea allergy, but it was starting to grow back in and didn't detract from her adorable little face.

Though small Sasha can play fetch with the best of them, and while at the shelter was ready to keep going as long as you were willing to throw ! Back and forth, back and forth she went - either chasing the ball or returning with ball in mouth. This girl LIVES to play ball. A people girl through and through Sasha thoroughly enjoys being with and around people and would howl when in her kennel or by herself so was looking for a home where someone was home most of the time . . . and within a short time of arriving, Sasha found just that with a retired couple living near the water.

Anna Maria was transferred here from the Kamloops branch to help her find a new home, a unique looking girl Anna Maria arrived as a stray with a bit of a mysterious past . . . she may have been hit by a car at some point in her life causing her to not see the best out of her left eye. A bit of an independent gal when she arrived, Anna Maria made sure everyone knew that she was no push over and at times wasn't the friendliest cat in the Communal Room, but it was all a ploy . . . underneath the tough exterior, Anna Maria really did have a gentler and affectionate side. Gazing at you with her crossed-eyes and chasing the wand around the room it was hard to imagine the cranky girl that had first arrived. Looking for an indoor only home took a little while - Anna Maria was taken to the Kamloops branch in February - but the big day finally arrived and Anna Maria has now said good-bye and gone to live with the aunt of one of our shelter employees!

Roseland was found with her tiny babies hiding in a storage tent fending for herself, but thankfully the little family was brought to us - and then placed into foster care until the kittens were old enough to find their homes.

Roseland's kittens soon found their homes, but as so often happens, mum was left behind. Which didn't seem to bother Roseland too much, who loved her belly rubs and chatting to you. A petite cat with huge personality, Roseland staked out the counter by the door of the Communal Room and tried her very best to be noticed . . . . purring and kneading the counter top whenever someone looked her way. But even pulling out all the stops did not work right away for Roseland - I have to tell you it is TOUGH for an adult cat to find a home these days - but all of Roseland's hard work finally paid off and a family fell in love with her and she is now settling into her new home.

Olivia and Madison and LeRoy

2011-10-01T21:57:00.000-07:00

Olivia Elliott is 8-years-old and lives on the lower mainland, but travels to the Sunshine Coast to visit her grandma (Marilynne), who also happens to be a cat volunteer at the shelter :-)

Today Olivia stopped by with her grandma and her cat LeRoy - who travels to the Coast with Olivia - to drop of the money she collected, along with her friend Madison Dempster (also 8- years-old), for the branch by selling flowers out of the garden and pictures she drew.

Olivia and Madison raised a fanastic $35 for the branch!

Olivia handing over the jar of money to employee Jenna; that's LeRoy in the carrier

Olivia and LeRoy

PS LeRoy was adopted from us July last year
his name then was Captain

http://sunshinecoastspca.blogspot.com/2010/07/winston-weston-spike-captain-lucy-and.html

Olivia and Madison

THANK YOU OLIVIA AND MADISON!

Focus on Farm during October

2011-10-01T21:44:00.000-07:00

The BC SPCA has designated October to raising awareness about farm animals – beginning with World Farm Animals Day on October 2, celebrated on Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday and observed in dozens of countries all over the world.

“In the spirit of this event, we’re challenging consumers to take a really good look at how farm animals are cared for to produce the products they buy,” says Alyssa Bell Stoneman, SPCA Certified program supervisor. “Were the farm animals provided with a high level of welfare to meet their needs?”

There are many ways you can make a difference for farm animals:

To find out how, please click on the link below
http://www.spca.bc.ca/news-and-events/news/focus-on-farm-this-october.html

Lainey, Dave and Isabelle

2011-09-26T23:01:00.001-07:00

Dave

Isabelle

Isabelle and Dave are siblings who arrived with their mum Mavis . . . these two siblings, who though tiny would throw out a hiss or two at you as a defence mechanism when you stopped by to say, have been adopted into their new homes . . not together, but on the same day. Mum Mavis is still waiting for a home though :-) http://bcspcapets.shelterbuddy.com/animal/animalDetails.asp?animalid=153648&result=6&statusID=3

Lainey arrived with a bit of a story . . . she had apparently showed up at a home, the people then kept her for a couple of months, and then brought her to us. Even stranger, there had been no lost dog report or anyone looking for her. Humm . . . a mystery gal, that nobody was missing.

A sweet girl, Lainey at one time did have someone in her life that loved her and spent a lot of time with her as she already knew sit, lay down, shake a paw and heeled on leash! Though she did arrive head shy and nervous and fearful at times.

And though it a little while to learn her new name Lainey had great recall and would come running over when she thought you were calling her , , . . ready for cuddle and a pet. Lainey also greeted everyone she knew with a full on body wiggle and though happy to go on a walk wasn't constantly on the go, perfect for an adult home looking for a companion. It didn't take too long for this sweetie to start having a regular visitor, someone looking for an adult dog as a companion and to go on walks with . . . and after a couple of weeks and with the paperwork completed, Lainey headed off to her new home.

Lainey heading out with her new person and on to a new life :-)

Waiting, waiting, waiting . . . for a home

2011-09-23T23:20:00.001-07:00

Tilly, Lilo, Dulce and Lightening have been waiting, waiting, waiting . . . far too long for someone to "pick" them as the lucky cat to go home with them . . . Tilly for over a year; Dulce for 8 months and Lightening and Lilo for six months . . if you, or anyone you know, has been considering bringing a feline friend into your life please consider one of these deserving cats who at one time had a home but have now been homeless for far too long. Living in a shelter environment, no matter how wonderful and caring the caregivers are, is no substitute for a real home.

Tilly ~ waiting since August 2010 for a home

Tilly at one time had a wonderful home where she had lived since she was a tiny kitten, she had a canine companion and all was well until her family brought home a new pup . . . which Tilly did not get along with. Tilly, who had lived in the home for 8 years, was brought to the shelter to find a new home.

Dulce ~ waiting since January 31, 2011 for a home

Dulce was found as a stray in the Kamloops area and taken to the Kamloops SPCA, after being there for a while he was transferred here to help him find a new home . . . which so far has eluded him. A handsome fellow, Dulce doesn't know how to show that he is lonely and is displaying it through feigning independence and nonchalance, meanwhile he truly does enjoy a gentle daily face rub along with some room to run around. After being in care so long Dulce has started to entertain himself by "stalking" some of the other cats, mainly the feisty ones, and is starting to become frustrated. Though he may seem a little indifferent and aloof when you visit the Communal Room, Dulce would love a place to call home.

Lightening ~ waiting since March 26, 2011 for a home

Lightening found himself homeless when his owner took him to the Kamloops SPCA due to having too many cats A large cat, Lightening truly is a gentle giant who is kind, quiet and a bit shy at first; yes after his trip here it took a couple of weeks before he felt comfortable enough to venture down from the bed he staked out on top of the "introduction" cages in the Communal room. An affectionate and loving cat, Lightening LOVES attention and purrs non-stop while you pet him but has decided that on top of the intro cages in the Communal Room is his spot . . . which sadly means that no one notices him.

Lilo ~ waiting since March 29, 2011 for a home

As with Lightening, Lilo was also transferred here from the Kamloops branch to help her find a new home . . . after finding herself there with her four kittens - who have since found homes. But, but as so often happens, kittens find homes but mum is left behind. We have no idea why, but this friendly, affectionate and easy going girl is having a hard time finding a home even after claiming the bed by the window in the Communal Room and greeting everyone who comes through the door. Now starting to give up greeting everyone, Lilo is sleeping more and developing a bit of a paunch while waiting for someone to notice her.

Miss Sassy ~ waiting since June 11, 2011

Though not waiting for a home as long as some of the other cats, Miss Sassy who was brought to us by her owner due to having too many cats as a spunky, independent and sassy gal is starting to lose her pizzazz and is now becoming quite sad.

A place to call home shouldn't be that hard to find for the above five cats who due to no fault of their own have found themselves homeless, please pass the word on about Lilo, Dulce, Tilly, Miss Sassy and Lightening.

Vice and Versa find a home together

2011-09-21T22:42:00.000-07:00

Vice and Versa were brought to us as at four months old to find a new home due to a new baby in their home, Siblings, Vice and Versa were quite bonded and slept and hung out together . . . so we were hoping to find them a home together even though the odds were stacked against them; black cats statistically wait longer then their flashier counterparts - you know, the tabbies, orange and white coated kittens - for a home and bonded pairs even longer.

To help give them more exposure Vice and Versa were taken to our satellite adoption center at Sechelt Animal Hospital; where more people might happen to see them.

A woman who was looking to bring a companion into her life happened to be checking out our on-line adoptable animals and noticed Vice and Versa but thought that as the shelter was a ways from her, she wouldn't be able to visit and meet them. But then after reading their profile she realized that they were at Sechelt Animal Hospital, only a short distance away from where she worked. She walked to the hospital, met Vice and Versa and fell in love.

The next step was going to the shelter and applying to adopt the siblings.

So she caught the bus to Wilson Creek, was dropped off at the bottom of the hill . . . and walked all the way up Field Road to the shelter. Believe me, that is a good hike.

Once at the shelter she applied to adopt Vice and Versa, was interviewed by one of the shelter employees and seconded, and with all the paperwork completed went back to Sechelt Animal Hospital to pick up Vice and Versa . . . arriving with a large carrier and then taking a cab home, with Vice and Versa securely in their carrier. Phew.

Vice and Versa, adopted into a new home together,
the adoption fairy was definitely looking out for these two siblings :-)

2011 Paws for a Cause . . . Walk for the Animals

2011-09-17T23:21:00.000-07:00

THANK YOU to everyone who came out and supported our Paws for a Cause . . Walk for the Animals held September 11, 2011, making the event another tremendous success by raising over $19,000 for the branch.

SPECIAL APPRECIATION goes to our local sponsors Sechelt Animal Hospital and All for Pets (Gold); Prudential Sussex Realty (Bronze) and NoPawblems Companion Animal Care (Community) plus Eagle Ridge Veterinary Hospital / The Landing Clinic for providing their annual midway refreshment stand. Our appreciation and thanks also go to Dr. Art Hister, Phyllis Simon and Tonka who led off the walk ~ Dr. Art also held a book signing and donated a percentage of every book sold to the branch ~ and event MC Alan Stewart who kept everyone informed on what was happening.

Last but not least, our thanks go to everyone who donated items for the event, everyone who collected pledges and participated in the event (along with many enthusiastic dogs), and event day volunteers without whom it wouldn’t happen

From the 2011 Paws for a Cause CommitteeAmanda Boettcher, Meghan Graves, Karen Holland, Jennifer Lyon, Rene Meissl, Christa Morrison (Chair) and Denise Sherman.

Below are some pictures of the event . . . our local sponsors, top pledge collectors and more.

And . . . we're off, led by Dr. Art Hister, his wife Phyllis Simon and Tonka (a huge lovable Rottweiler adopted from the shelter in 2006)

But, before the walk started our amazing Registration team did their work, sorry advance triage team I did not get a picture but you all did a fantastic job of checking registration forms before participants headed to the registration table.

Registration team
Front ~ Dana Skonberg. Gail Adams-Marynovich. Kristy Hillman

Back ~ Wendi Rottluff and Lisa Hicks

Below our top pledge collectors are pictured with event coordinator, Christa Morrison

Top adult pledge collector Rene Meissl ~ Rene collected $2,570 in pledges

2nd Top adult pledge collector Jennifer Burgess ~ Jennifer collected $1,366

3rd top adult pledge collector Karen Holland ~ Karen collected $1,360

Top Youth Team pledge collectors ~ The Timberwolves (Avery and Olvia Lane and Jessica Nelson) collected $782 in pledges . . .but had left before knowing they were the top youth team so we don't have their picture. The Timberwolves won a tour of the Global TV studio along with a gift basket.

2nd Top Youth Team pledge collectors Dream Big (Maddy Wimmer and Katya Service) raised $421.05 in pledges

3rd Top Youth Team pledge collectors Best Friends (the Enga family team) collected $290.10

Top youth pledge collector Ashley Emerson who collected $90 in pledges and 2nd top pledge collector Julia Molina, who collected $50, were both missing when pictures were being taken.

3rd Top Youth Pledge Collector ~ Charlette Norman collected $20 for the animals

Top Adult Team ~ Sechelt Animal Hospital collected an amazing $4,144 in pledges

2nd Place Adult Team All for Pets collected $1,500 in pledges

3rd Place Adult Team Scotiabank (Sechelt) collected $475 in pledges

Thank you to Dr. Art Hister, wife Phyllis Simon and Tonka for coming over from the lower mainland to lead off our walk.

Thank you to our event MC Alan Stewart ~ Alan did a fantastic job of keeping everyone informed on event activities

LOCAL EVENT SPONSORS

Sechelt Animal Hospital (Gold Sponsor)

All for Pets (Gold Sponsor)

Prudential Sussex Realty (Bronze Sponsor) ~ sorry no picture, but manager Alan Stewart MC'd our event (picture further up on this page)

NoPawblems K-9 Camp and Companion Animal Care (Community Sponsor)

Eagle Ridge Veterinary Hospital and The Landing ~ who provided the refreshment station for both human and canine participants at the halfway mark of the walk (and along with drinks and goodies also gave out free flea treatments)

FOR MORE PICTURES PLEASE CLICK THE LINK BELOW

http://sunshinecoastspca.blogspot.com/p/paws-2011-1.html

Lola Bunny

2011-09-17T00:50:00.000-07:00

Lola Bunny was transferred here in July from the Kamloops branch - where she had been found as a stray in June - to help her find a new home, it took a little while but Lola has now found her new home with the family of our Paws for a Cause walk MC Alan Stewart (manager Prudential Sussex Realty). Great news for Lola, a very sweet bunny who loves people.

Drew

2011-09-14T22:38:00.000-07:00

Drew found himself with us after being taken into care during a cruelty investigation in June on the lower mainland; he was found living on a property with several other dogs, alone much of the time in a wire pen with a small "house" for shelter - basically being an alarm system for a "grow op": Not a life for any dog. After spending some time in care, Drew was ready to head out into the world - though not an easy going man of the world yet, Drew needed to start expanding his horizons outside of the shelter.

Due to his isolated life on the property a lot of things were (and are still new) to Drew when he first arrived, though he may have at one point in his life lived in a home as he was comfortable hanging and chilling out in the "doggie" lounge and appeared to already know sit and down. Calm and affectionate, Drew enjoyed belly rubs and cuddles but was nervous of cars and being touched around his neck and back end areas . . . . but, slowly progress was made and Drew learned to get into the shelter van and even accepted a collar around his neck and going on short walks!

Polite and a gentleman with the ladies (female dogs that is) at the shelter Drew enjoyed a good, fast, game of chase around the play yard - but wasn't too interested in toys which may be due to not having any in his previous home. Only Drew knows.

After several months in care, Drew has now gone on to his new life and is living in Powell River with a woman who has previously lived with a dog with similar life experiences to Drew. Great news for Drew! From a dog that needed to be lifted out of the shelter van while in his crate because he was too scared to come out of it . . . . to heading out into the world, is a huge accomplishment on Drew's part and was made possible by our dedicated shelter employees and volunteer dog walkers who worked so hard with Drew, and of course Drew's resilience and willingness to say goodbye to his previous life, and move forward, and on to a better life.

PS If anyone is interested in adopting a dog similar to Drew, we still have Jethro and Ollie who came from the same property waiting for their chance at a new life

THANK YOU

2011-09-13T22:34:00.000-07:00

To everyone who particpated in our Paws for a Cause . . . . Walk for the Animals this past Sunday.

Pictures, top pledge collectors and everything else coming soon; probably not till Thursday night or Friday though. Still waiting for a final total raised too but our walk coordinator hinted that we might be close to our goal !

Roo greeting everyone at the walk

Paws for a Cause . . . TOMORROW

2011-09-10T19:37:00.000-07:00

YES, the day has finally arrived . . . tomorrow (September 11th) is our annual Paws for a Cause . . . Walk for the Animals

Check here for info on the local (Sunshine Coast) event
http://support.spca.bc.ca/site/TR?fr_id=1319&pg=entry

Tonka (walk MC), Dr. Art Hister and wife Phyllis at last years VERY wet walk

For all you Dr. Art Hister fans http://drart.ca/ . . Dr. Art, his wife Phyllis Simon and their canine pal Tonka (walk MC) will be here to help get the walk going and also Dr. Art will be doing a book signing of his latest book; with 10% of proceeds from book sales coming to the branch.

Walk MC Tonka

See you tomorrow !

Silos aka Zachary . . . home again

2011-09-09T23:01:00.000-07:00

Numerous, okay hundreds, of cats or kittens have been brought to shelter after being found as "strays"; and even though they are advertised as Found in the local paper, most of the time their owner does not appear nor phone. And often arriving with outdated tattoo information or no ID at all, it is impossible to find their families.

It is a sad fact that cats brought to the shelter rarely find their way back to their home , , , for some reason people do not look for their cats the same way as people look for their dogs, assuming that their cat has been taken by a predator or killed by a car. When in fact their cat just may be waiting at the shelter for them.

Though some cats or kittens do find themselves back in their homes, this little fellow had a bit of a journey from where he lived and where he was found so I thought I'd post his story.

Zachary (aka Silos) while at the shelter

Zachary went missing in Sechelt but was found as a stray in Gibsons . . . and with the help of the Safe and Sound Lost and Found web site http://safeandsoundlostandfound.org/ . . . maintained entirely by an individual named Lara, who pays (but also appreciates donations to help keep the site going) for the hosting of the site herself, to help reunite animals with their owners.

Here's Zachary's story on the Safe and Sound Lost and Found web site

http://safeandsoundlostandfound.org/reunion-stories/

If anything, this story high lights the fact that if your cat or kitten goes missing, do not just assume the worst, do not give up looking and keep actively look for your feline friend - there are lots of great tips on what to do on Lara's site. Nobody would have thought that a kitten could have made his way from Sechelt to Gibsons - a distance of 21 kms - in a day, but somehow he did . . . maybe he hopped into a vehicle. maybe someone helped him hop into a vehicle . . . no one will ever know except for Zachery, but the connection may not have been made if it wasn't for Lara's web site.

Zachary back home

Happy Ending ~ Jake (aka Jack) and Ming

2011-09-08T23:21:00.000-07:00

Some of you will remember Ming, a terribly shy girl who had been found hiding in a stair well of an appartment building and taken to the Kamloops SPCA, and then subsequently transferred here to help her find a home http://sunshinecoastspca.blogspot.com/2011/01/ming-and-cordelia-say-good-bye-today.html ~ and Jack, who was the polar opposite, a social butterfly who was only at the shelter for a few weeks. http://sunshinecoastspca.blogspot.com/2010/11/oscar-jack-selena.html

Both Jack and Ming were adopted to the same home on the lower mainland, though not at the same time . . . and their new family has sent us a wonderful update along with some pictures . . . .

Jack now named Jake

Miss Ming

In the fall of 2010, I decided to find a companion for my 6-year-old cat, Freddy, so I began searching online at the BCSPCA website. I found Ming, a middle-aged Himalayan at the Sunshine Coast branch. My husband and I made the trip from North Vancouver to meet Miss Ming, but she didn't seem to like us. She hid and turned her back to us. She had been found abandoned in a stairwell in an apartment building in Kamloops during the forest fires in the summer of '10 and was not adjusting well to shelter life.

Jack, on the other hand, met us at the door and proceeded to entertain us with his antics in the outdoor space, running, jumping, playing. He had only been at the SPCA for two weeks, having been a stray who was brought into the shelter on Halloween. He seemed to be a great fit as a companion to Freddy, so we brought him home, changed his name to Jake and the two "brothers" bonded immediately. He was pretty wild at first, which required some patience. He had a terrible case of worms and had a short stay in the hospital. He had the habit of eating everything, having been on the streets for some time. In the spring, he ate a plastic tab that caused a bowel obstruction, but with great care from my vet, he avoided surgery.

Although Jake was an amusing addition to the family, I couldn't get Ming off my mind. I thought about her, dreamed about her, checked the website to see if she had been adopted and made a donation to the Guardian Angel program http://support.spca.bc.ca/site/TR?pg=fund&fr_id=1230&pxfid=4801 in her name at Christmas.

In January, when she had been at the shelter for 6 months, I talked to my husband about adopting Ming. He agreed, and I was on the ferry again. I knew that she was timid, but I was willing to work with her and accepted that she might be the cat who lived under our bed, but that was okay with me. When we got home, she hid under the bed in our spare room for about a week; then she stayed under my dresser in our bedroom for another week. I put her food and water under the dresser, and I spent quiet time with her. Slowly, she came out from hiding.

Jake found it great fun to chase Ming, so he got time-outs, but gradually, they started to get along. Freddy, who is calm and gentle, soon befriended Ming. Over time, she settled in, stopped hiding and became my girl. She sleeps at my feet every night and waits for me to sit down in the evening, so she can lie on top of me. She's actually quite bossy now and tells me when she wants to drink from the bathtub faucet or have her tinned food for breakfast and dinner. Sometimes we say to her, "I thought you were shy!" She has become the queen of the house, and her brothers are quite fond of her, putting up with her "diva" ways.

I want to commend the staff and volunteers at the Sunshine Coast SPCA for providing an excellent facility, medical treatment and lots of love to the animals. You do a very difficult job. Bless you and the work you do every day, and thank you so much for my lovely companions, Jake and Ming.

Lisa Stewart

Jake grooming his buddy Freddy

Ming

Jake and Ming relaxing

Jake and Freddy hanging out

Pups and kittens

2011-09-05T21:02:00.000-07:00

Heather

Soldier

Heather and Soldier were transferred here with their six siblings from the Prince Rupert branch to be placed into foster care and then find homes; after a short stint in foster care with hubbie and I, six of the pups were transferred to the Victoria SPCA to help them find homes - and two (Heather and Soldier) remained here. Yes, it's a tad hard to find homes for eight husky-X pups here on the Sunshine Coast when everyone with 5 unfenced acres feels they need a Northern breed because they have lots of room for a husky to run . . . and keep running and running :-) Hence, six pups were transferred to Victoria.

Heather has now gone to live with her new family in Roberts Creek and Soldier is now living in Powell River with a family who recently had to say a sad good-bye to one of their dogs and were looking for a companion for their remaining dog.

The remaining six siblings, Bronco, Elle, Hariette, Hermione, Holly and Ponyo have all found their homes via the Victoria Branch!

Here's a short video of all eight pups in "action" while in foster care and being puppy sat by our Yogi Bear :-) . http://youtu.be/_3Hqdkeafjc

Chasm was transferred here from the Kamloops branch to help him find a home . . which he did, with another friendly feline in the home to keep him company.

Julie

Paul

Julie and Paul were also transferred here from the Kamloops branch to help them find homes; these cuties have been adopted together and will be living with a family that includes a teenager and toddler and no other animals in the home . . . plus a large fenced yard to hang out in.

Monty, Sushi and six kittens find their homes

2011-09-01T21:45:00.000-07:00

Monty was actually adopted about a week ago but I didn't want to post him all by himself so waited until he had some company :-)

Monty arrived at the shelter as a stray, with no ID except for a tattoo that traced back to a pet store, but no owner. And, hard to believe, but no one was looking for this little guy so after his holding period was up Monty was put up for adoption to find himself a new home.

Though small, Monty is an energetic dog and thinks nothing of leaping up on to your lap for some kisses before leaping off to race and race as fast as he can - yes, Monty is full of beans, always on the go and ready to head out on a walk or new adventure. But though cute as a button Monty appeared to not have had much in the way of leadership or training in his life and when excited would leap straight up into the air in front of you and on occasion even nip, when he forget himself. Not anything that some consistent boundaries and obedience training couldn't correct though.

Affectionate, wiggly and young it didn't take long for Monty to melt someones heart with his cheeky antics and enduring monkey face; Monty has gone to live with four cats on a 1/2 acre and will be attending agility classes with his new owner. Way to go Monty!

Sushi was transferred here from the Kamloops branch to help her find a new home after first finding herself in care there in June 2010 - adopted a few months later Sushi then found herself back at the shelter earlier this year due to her owner moving.

A sleek, jet-black cat, Sushi easily settled into the Communal room here and with her easy going and chatty personality welcomed everyone visiting the room so it didn't take long for Sushi to catch the eye of someone visiting the shelter . . . . and she is now settling into her new home.

All of the kittens below were transferred here from the Kamloops branch to help them find a home . . . .

Bert has gone to live in a home with a friendly Golden Retriever as a buddy

Buckley ~ Adopted

Ernie ~ Adopted

Blythe ~ Adopted

Chase

Murphy

Chase and Murphy were adopted into a home together!

If you're reading this from the Kamloops area and are looking for a new feline friend please remember to check out the Kamloops SPCA . . . they have many wonderful cats such as Sushi and lots of kittens looking for a home.

Radom shots . . .

2011-08-30T23:58:00.000-07:00

Must be summer time . . . things are quiet. People are busy with vacations, guests and doing what people do during the brief summer weather we experience. Meaning adoptions are a tad slow so I thought I'd post a few random pictures of the shelter animals . . .

Kittens waiting for a home

Robin . . she's really not as wicked as she looks in the picture :-)

Lilo relaxing in the basket she has staked out on the counter,

by the window, in Communal Room 1

Visa and Versa ~ a bonded pair of 4-1/2 month old kittens
looking for a home together

Durango ~ yawning

Jethro, waiting for that special person to notice him

Snitch in his "spot", even if it is a bit small (Adopted)

Grady hanging out and contemplating life (Adopted)

Cone head kittens (Adopted)

And last but not least, Yogi watching over our recent foster litter
of 8 husky mix pups (Adopted)

Happy Ending ~ Maggie

2011-08-28T22:58:00.000-07:00

Some of you may remember Maggie; a plump calico who waited and waited for a home and finally find her home in January 2010
http://sunshinecoastspca.blogspot.com/2010/01/karma-and-maggie-find-someone-to-love.html.

Maggie's people sent an update in March 2010 to say how well she had settled in and sent some pictures along as well
http://sunshinecoastspca.blogspot.com/2010/03/happy-ending-maggie.html

We've recently a further update on Maggie who is doing extremely well in her new home and now stars in some videos and participates in all the major holidays!

August 2011

When we adopted Maggie, a 10-year-old female, from the Sunshine Coast SPCA, she was overweight, sometimes grumpy, and not always trusting. But as she adjusted to her new life, her mood and sociability soon improved, and she now enjoys being the undisputed diva of our household.

Despite ongoing efforts to slim her down, Maggie remains a plus-size. But that hasn't stopped her from enjoying a range of activities that include playing with her catnip snake and guarding the deck in the summertime. Maggie also participates in all the major human holidays and stars in some silly videos, including one in which she models fall fashion for the full-figured feline and another that shows her celebrating Halloween as a pirate cat. Maggie has recently found a new career as the security guard, editorial assistant, and mascot of my literary consulting business, HelpingYouGetPublished.com, and she shows up regularly on my Facebook page.

Heartfelt thanks to the folks at the SPCA for your devoted care of Maggie and all the other animals until they find their forever homes.

Patricia and Garry

CFHS . . . FindingFido

2011-08-26T23:30:00.000-07:00

I don't know if many of you know about the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies (CFHS) . . . which the BCSPCA is a member of, so thought I'd post a link to their informative web site http://cfhs.ca/ and a link to their brand new web site named FindingFido http://findingfido.ca/

Below is some info on the FindingFido web site, if you know anyone that is looking for a canine companion to join their life please feel free to pass on this link http://findingfido.ca/ . . . it just may help save a life or two or three . . . you get it, it just may help SAVE a LIFE.

Putting the power to stop puppy mills in dog-buyers’ hands

This past weekend, the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies unveiled http://FindingFido.ca -- a website connecting potential dog buyers with all the crucial information they need to make a smart, humane choice about getting a dog.As periodic seizures of neglected dogs from mass breeding operations in places across the country show, cruel puppy mills are a big problem in Canada.This terrible industry would no longer exist if more people adopted dogs instead of buying, and if all dog buyers did their research and insisted on checking out breeders and their facilities before purchasing a puppy from them.

With http://FindingFido.ca, we’re showing Canadians exactly how to do that. You’ll find here advice on how to adopt a dog from a shelter, a quiz to see if you’re really ready to own a dog, a downloadable checklist of criteria to bring on visits to breeders, and other essential tools. Please share this website with all your friends, family, neighbours, co-workersâ€¦ especially those who might be thinking of getting a dog!

Here are just a few of the pages on this site

http://findingfido.ca/finding-your-fido/save-a-life-adopt-your-fido/common-myths-about-shelter-rescue-dogs/

http://findingfido.ca/finding-your-fido/responsible-breeders/two-puppies/

http://findingfido.ca/finding-your-fido/responsible-breeders/