How and why Downsy Dude Rescue Ranch was conceived

This is a story of trauma, joy and enlightenment. I have had my share of "bumps" in the road. In 1989, having a child with Down's syndrome certainly shook my world to the core. At first I was angry. "Why me?" I asked, "why my son?" "Why at all?" "How could a creator who is supposed to be all loving do this to anyone?" I shook my fist at the sky and wept for nearly two years. There is a grieving process that happens when you give birth to a child who is not what you were expecting. I had no prior notice that there were any issues with the pregnancy. "No fair! I am a good person!" I said over and over again. At a time when I most needed my spirituality, all my beliefs about Karma were ripped away from me. I felt picked on by God, and it hurt so bad.

My marriage failed, I lost my house, and I could not function well enough to continue the business I had worked so hard to build. Lucky for me, I had two darling babies at home who kept me going. They, with their never ending sparkle every time they looked at me, saved me. My daughter, with her early development of language, and mobility would dote and kiss on her baby brother several times a day. She was oblivious to his disability. She adored him, and it taught me that love is love, plain and simple. My son, thrived under here tiny leadership, always trying to keep up with her, he strived to obtain the skills she had at 14 months his senior.

As the years went by they quietly, by their very nature, helped me come to realize that I had not been picked on by God after all. I had been picked out by God, and what an awesome life the three of us have had since. I went back to school earned 3 degrees, and bought another house. We raised several rescued animals together joyfully, and I was able to provide a living for us by working with children in one capacity or another over the past 20 years.

Recently another "bump" made me take a step back and really think about what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. Breast cancer reared it's ugly head, and once again I questioned "why does this happen to people?" "What is the meaning of all this?" I did get my answer, but it came a little bit later. After my third recurrence and more doses of Chemo therapy than I care to recall, I decided it was time to take some time off work and get my health in check. It was scary resigning the job I had worked so hard to acquire, but my gut was leading me. Chemo took its toll, and I got a mortality pie in the face so to speak. I was shown clearly that life is not to be taken for granted. It made me think hard about how to spend my remaining days.

I knew I still had goals and ideas that had taken a back burner do to obligations over the years. I also wanted to find a retirement activity that I could involve my son in so that I could spend as much time as possible with him, and also demonstrate to the world what I knew about him. He is a teacher. He teaches love on the highest level.

In his community based education program in high school he had two favorite placements. One was in a daycare, and the other was at a local animal shelter. Epiphany! He loves the same things I do. It was staring me in the face, and I would not have seen it had I not been forced to take time off from work and given myself the luxury of time to think.

Downsy Dude Rescue Ranch will allow me to take all the skills I have acquired, all the therapeutic experience I have been privileged with, as well as all my favorite passions and apply them to the world in way that includes both my children. My daughter holds a degree in Zoology, and is excited about the project as well. She knows she will inherit the project some day and her little brother, who is now 22, will be by her side as a seasoned helper.

Suddenly all the "bumps" made perfect sense.

This is why I love kids!

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/highschool-prep-rally/inspiring-elementary-schooler-cerebral-palsy-runs-amazing-400-154523256.html

Cat Fishing Downsy Dude style

In preparation and training for Downsy Dude Ranch Lewis has been practicing cat enrichment. Here is a clip of him cat fishing with the famed Spinner Lure.

Check out this brave little beast-

Here is one of those stories that makes you cry in exasperation, then cry with joy for the outcome.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/blind-dog-rescued-trash-pile-gets-eyesight-back-141952873.html

Please join me in sending a thank you note to Hope for Paws in L.A.
http://www.hopeforpaws.org/?page_id=54

Shy Kitties at the shelter- Intervention update

A month ago I wrote about 3 very scared kitties at the shelter who had very little chance of being adopted because they would hide when people came in to select a cat. To refresh your memory:
Dede:


Millie:

Bella:

 Well I am ecstatic to report that after a month of intervention both Dede and Millie have found their forever homes and Bella is out of her igloo (where she was hiding) and greeting people as they come in. I am sure she will be adopted now that she has some basic trust of human hands. I have not felt so gratified in a long time. I actually wept with joy when I showed up to work with Dede yesterday and learned that she had gone home. Good stuff man!

A rat, a cat, and a lesson in confidence

Last year when my daughter, Ashley, had an extra part time job working with a snake breeder, she came upon a tiny feeder rat that apparently "looked at her a certain way." Well, to make a long story short, the tiny rat ended up in her pocket rather than as the planned meal for one of the large snakes she was care taking.

Since then MoJo the rat has grown into one of her most beloved pets. His cage is adorned with  a giant running wheel, a sling hammock and he has many toys to play with outside his cage as well. Mojo is so used to human interaction that he travels with Ashley. At home his cage is left open where he has two cat friends as companions. Mojo and Ashley are visiting my home this week, and I was worried about my three cats who are all  sharp mousers.

While Ashley was out visiting friends she asked if I could play rat grandma and baby sit her beloved white and camel rodent with red beady eyes. I have actually grown quite fond of Mojo, as his personality is quite apparent and cute. I agreed as long as we could clasp Mojo's door shut so I could be sure my cats would not bother him. I would be mortified if one of my cats were to hurt him. I also put him in the living room and shut the door between spaces to keep my cats out, just in case.

Well, one of my cats, Patchouli, has been known to stalk a mouse for hours if one happens to mistakenly end up in the house. She will perseverate like  protective gargoyle until she either drives the mouse out, or worse.  Yesterday I came in from the garden  and Patchouli had pried open the living room door and was on the desk behind Mojo's cage. I gasp at the thought of her having access to him and immediately went to the case to see if there were any limbs missing.

Much to my surprise MoJo was on the side of the cage checking out Patchouli. He appeared very confident and showed no fear what so ever. He was just as  interested in her as she was in him. When Patchouli put her paw on his cage, he lunged at her with a nip to let her know that any attempt at getting him would be met with bitten toe pads. The look on Patchouli's face was priceless. It was a mix of apprehension, curiosity and respect.

I could not help but be amazed at the power of Mojo's confidence. It took Patchouli by surprise, and she immediately respected Mojo, even though she is a giant in comparison to him. She has visited him on the desk several times since and shows no aggression what so ever. There is something valuable to be learned from this little rescued rat. Confidence is power.

Finally: MiMi the cat goes to Mexico!

Here is a guest article written by a friend of mine who is living out her dream. She tells a story of transition, courage and wonderment. Using her cat as a frame of reference, Benne  Rockett gives us a glimps of her exciting new, self directed life.  

Six months ago I packed my car and moved to the Yucatan.  That’s in Mexico ya’ll!  My little toaster car, a 2005 Scion XB, can hold almost as much as a 5’x5’x10’ storage space.  I managed to bring an IKEA futon by deconstructing the frame and sucking the life out of the cushions.  Thank You Space Bags!  I packed towels, bed linens, kitchen supplies, and a few personal items into three green 20 gallon plastic totes.   Under front seats, I slid two packaged sun shade cloths, jewelry placed in a cupcake covered pan, and a canister filled with Non-GMOs from Humble Seed.  Filling the backseat floorboard, was  my beautiful mandolin, my grandfather’s Singer sewing machine, a crate full of tools, a divided tote with art supply do-dads’, and two 4’ multi-drawer towers filled with cookware and spices.   My dear friend, Jessi, was squished into the front seat.  Her bags, a kitty litter box and a tote for cat food, were placed on either side of the backseat items.   Finally, Mimi the Cat, who rode inside a soft, luxurious crate, was wedged securely between the two front seats.   This configuration was well rehearsed weeks in advance.  Still, I barely managed to squeeze three changes of clothes into the mix. 

Mimi the Cat has achieved international notoriety.  She may not be the first kitten to sleep in a sex motel, but she is certainly one of the first house cats to do so.    Her first evening was spent behind the security walls of a no-tell-motel in Matehula, MX.  Given a half dose of cat Benedryl, she came out of her carrier with the grace of a sea sick ships’ captain.  By the time we turned in for a nights rest in the single king sized bed built for twenty people, she was back to her fluffy fur ball self.

For her second night in Mexico, Mimi the Cat elected to stay in a very posh and super expensive hotel, the former home to one of the Pre-Revolutionary Spanish governors of Puebla, Mexico.   And why not!  Puebla is home to more churches per captita than any other city in all of the Americas and houses the first ever library on this continent.  Mimi the Cat loves shinny things and prefers sleeping on any book I am reading, thus, Puebla made her “A” list.  After a pleasant evening spent with spinning frescoed angels, gilded concrete molding, and a quick shower in the fully converted contemporary bathroom lounge, she was ready to hit the road.  

Not one to miss an opportunity to hear the magnificent tales of NAFTA truck drives, she bought a bottle of tequila, stored it neatly alongside her Ziploc packet of Benydryl, both tucked into her Hello Kitty backpack, and made it all the way to Villahermosa, MX.   Looking particularly glamorous after a head to tail-tip brushing, Mimi the Cat was ready for the shimmering sleaze of a red hot night in her second no-tell-motel.   Behind paper thin walls, fellow flea baggers enjoyed her night of singing a beautiful rendition of “Don’t Cry For Me, Argentina”, a favorite of her mother.   In the morning she apologized for not having song “Las Mañanitas” to the very handsome Pero Gãrgola, the rooftop watch dog .

Finally arriving in the Yucatan, she was challenged by a two Mexican Federales.  While one searched her papers, the other taunted her by calling her a tiger – he put his hand up like he was going to claw her and let out a low growl.  Mimi the Cat remained calm.  Once at the beach, she shed her coat, and gazed at the magnificence of the Gulf waters.  After a leisurely week of tanning, she finally met the village idiots.  Not afraid of their dogged attempts to steal her fur coat, she casually approached the leader, the local garbage man and leader of the deadly La Basura gang, lifted her paw to his muzzle, and challenged him to a dual.  Some members of La Basura were so fearful that their shaking caused imediate loss of fur and teeth.  One poor fellow lost the tip of his tail.

Now, the village idiots are persuaded that Mimi the Cat is an extraterrestrial raccoon, sent down by the Mayan gods to change their fate.   Images of her likeness have been posted on the sides of many fishing boats at the Ria, and fisher man from all around bribe her with tasty morsels.   Life is Good in Mexico.

http://www.newsfromabroad-online.blogspot.com/

What Benne does not mention in the article is that she is a very savvy and talented mental health professional who is now using her experience to assist other ex-patriot woman in the huge adjustment (and sometimes the hazards) of moving to a new culture. Be sure to click on the link at the end of the article and check out her site. It makes a good uplifting read.

Reality Therapy

Reality Therapy: William Glasser is responsible for the development of Reality theory which is based on Choice Theory. This theory asserts that individuals determine their own fate. Our perception controls our behavior and we behave appropriately or inappropriately to fill our needs. In this theory there are five genetically based needs. They include survival, love, belonging, power or achievements, freedom or independence, and fun. Our behavior is based on our attempts to meet these needs. Problems occur when we don’t take responsibility for our behavior. Taking responsibility is a key goal. The counselor’s role is that of teacher and model. The counselor strives to assist individual to become psychologically strong, clarify goals, make a realistic plan to meet needs, eliminate excuses, and focus on present behavior. Techniques used include confrontation, role playing, humor, avoiding blame, and feedback to client generated plans for change. Strengths of this theory include the ability to use it with different populations, it is very concrete, it is short term and solution focused, it focuses on the here and now, and promotes client responsibility. Limits of this theory are that it ignores the unconscious, personal history, and mental illness.

Transactional Therapy

Transactional Analysis: Key figures in Transactional analysis are Eric Berne, Carl Steiner, Thomas Harris and Graham Barnes. This theory asserts that people can change. The individual is composed of three interacting ego states.  These ego states are child, parent, and adult. Our transactions with others come from these three states. Key to this theory are the concepts of ulterior transactions and psychological games. A simple example of an ulterior transaction might be “has anyone seen my purse?” This really means “look for my purse!”  Psychological games occur when a series of ulterior transactions are used to create a predictable outcome. The goal of Transactional Analysis is to assist the client in becoming aware of games, eliminate the need for ulterior transactions, and therefor gain the ability to have game free, genuine, and healthy relationships. The role of the counselor is to teach and make agreements with the client for change. Techniques include contracting for change, confrontation, and concentration on early memories which are believed to create the frame of reference from which the three ego states operate. Often Gestalt techniques are also used. Strengths of this theory include the fact that the concepts are easy to understand and clearly defined, it is easy to combine with other theories,  it put responsibility on the client, and is goal directed. Limitations of Transactional Therapy are that it cannot easily be used with persons of limited cognitive functioning and there is a lack of emphasis on the qualities of the counselor.

Gestalt Therapy

Gestalt Therapy- Fritz Pearls is responsible for the development of Gestalt Therapy. This approach is based on existential principals as well, and has a here and now focus.  Gestalt is a German word that means something as an organized whole is perceived as more than the sum of its parts. Pearls believed that people have needs and when these needs are met it contributes to the wholeness of a person, but then another need takes its place. The goal of Gestalt Therapy is for the individuals to become “whole beings.” Focus is on the inner wisdom of the client, the importance of emotion, and a keen awareness of the here in now. The counselor must be authentic, exciting and energetic. The focus on the here and now is believed to help the client complete unfinished business. The counselor assists the client in being aware of their verbal and nonverbal messages in order to bring them to congruence. The emphasis is on making choices now, growing up mentally, and shedding neuroses.  Techniques include the use of experiments, frustration actions, fantasy, role playing, psychodrama, dream work, exaggeration, using the phrase “ I take responsibility…” and the empty chair technique. The empty chair technique is used when the client has a conflict with another person. They imagine the person setting in the empty chair and have a safe place to examine the dynamics of the conflict. The client can shift between chairs and imagine they are the other person. The key goal here is self-awareness of how one is functioning in regard to the conflict. The strengths of Gestalt Therapy include the many techniques available to use, and the fact that it stresses doing and being in the here and now. Limitations of Gestalt Therapy include the lack of a strong theoretical base, it does not allow for passive learning, does not allow for testing or diagnosis. In addition, Gestalt Therapy  has a self-centeredness to the approach.

Existential Counseling

Existential Counseling: Key figures in Existential Counseling include Rollo May, Victor Frankl, Abraham Maslow and Irvin Yalom. This theory finds it basis in Phenomenology. Or in layman’s terms the study of our experiences taken at their face value, and what they mean to us. We have freedom of choice and are responsible for our fate. We search for meaning and struggle with being alone or not being connected to others. Anxiety and guilr are central concepts. Anxiety is thought to be the threat of non-being and guilt occurs when we fail to fulfill our potential. The goal of this type of therapy is to help the client understand who they are and who they are becoming, bring awareness to the freedom of choosing responsibility and other personal goals. The role of the counselor is similar to that of a Person Centered therapist. There is a focus on the uniqueness of the client and on an authentic personal relationship. The counselor assists the client in moving from an outward frame of reference to accepting responsibility, and understanding the power off one’s own choices. Techniques include building a trusting and genuine relationship with the client, assisting in awareness on one’s uniqueness, confrontation, imagery and awareness exercises. Strengths of this theory are the use of philosophy and literature to inform and direct,  and it is particularly effective with anxiety. There is a stress on continuous growth and is effective in cross-cultural counseling. Limitations include the fact that Existential Counseling is not fully developed, therefore there is a lack of training available for counselors, and it does not mix well with other theories, and does not allow for diagnosis or testing.

Rational-Emotive Therapy

Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy: Key figures I Rational-Emotive Therapy include Albert Ellis, Maxie Maultsby and Janet Wolfe. This theory asserts that humans are both inherently rational and irrational, people can disturb themselves by what they think, that children are the most vulnerable, and that the words people use to describe themselves are often a mistake. This theory supports the belief that it is not the events of our lives that disturb us but our interpretation of those events. It teaches that self-talk is the source of disturbance. The goals of REBT include helping the client live more relational and productive lives, stop irrational thinking, stop self-defeating habits, gain tolerance and acceptance of self and others, and the elimination of thoughts such as, “I ought, I should, I must” which are viewed as wants that a person makes into demands in their minds. The role of the counselor is to teach, confront and correct irrational thinking. The counselor teaches the client how to analyze their self-talk. One very popular technique is called the A-B-C-D-E system. It is used to assist clients in evaluating how their thoughts or belief system are affecting them, and how to gain rational control of it.  A=an event or “Activity”. B=belief-a form of self-verbalization. C=consequent affect or feeling which can be rational or irrational. D=Disputing of the irrational belief causing the affect. E= effect or thoughts that change the self-verbalization once analyzed. Other techniques used in Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy include role playing, bibliotherapy, imagery, and home work.

Strengths of this theory include the concreteness of the methods which are easy to teach, it is short term and it combines well with other theories. The main limitation of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy is the fact that it cannot be used with all clients, especially the mentally impaired.

Adlerian Counseling

Adlerian Counseling: Key figures are Alfred Adler, Rudolph Dreikurs, Don Dinkmeyer, and Thomas Sweeney. This theory focuses on social interest as a primary motivator. It asserts that birth order has a major impact on individuals and assumes that future goals are major influences on growth and development. Neurosis is viewed as a failure in learning which results in distorted perceptions.  The major goals of Adlerian Counseling include bringing about client insight, cultivating social interests, correcting faulty assumption and/or mistaken goals, and bringing about behavioral change through acting “as if.”  The counselor is viewed as an equal partner in therapy, models, teaches, and also assesses the client’s situation, shares hunches, assigns homework and encourages the client. Techniques include the use of empathy, support, warmth and collaboration. The therapist focuses on the client’s strengths and responsibility through confrontation, as well as examination of the client’s memories, dreams, and priorities. Adlerian counselors ask the question “What would be different if you were well?” Strengths include the major contribution of ideas to the counseling profession, the encouragement and support of the counselor, and the partnership view of the counseling process. Limitations of Adlerian Counseling include the lack of a strong research base, the vagueness of the concepts and the narrowness of the approach.

Next post: Rational-Emotive Therapy

Person Centered Therapy

Person Centered Therapy: Key figures include Carl Rogers, Angelo Boy & Gerald Pine. This theory focuses on the person as being basically good, positive and trustworthy. It asserts that under the right conditions the client can grow. The therapist is key to creating this condition. The therapist concentrates on the uniqueness of the client and creates a model of personal warmth, empathy, acceptance and genuineness. Goals include self-exploration, openness, and acceptance of oneself and others.  Self-direction is strongly encouraged. Techniques are acceptance, reflection, active listening, open ended questions and unconditional positive regard. Strengths of Person Centered Therapy include openness, it can be applied to a wide range of human problems, it is effective with specific disorders such as adjustment disorders, it is a short tem treatment, and holds a positive view of human nature. Limitations include the lack of concreteness, it ignores the unconscious and innate drives, and it works best with verbal intelligent clients. Person Centered Therapy addresses only surface issues.

Next post: Adlerian Counseling

Behavioral and Cognitive-Behavioral therapy

Behavioral and Cognitive-Behavioral therapies: Key players are B.F Skinner, Joseph Wolpe, Albert Bandura, John Krumboltz, Donald Meichenbaum and Aaron Beck. Goals include helping the client make good adjustments, modify mal-adaptive behavior, learn productive responses, set and achieve concrete goals, and change behavior and/or thoughts. This theory asserts that all human behaviors are learned, and that old behaviors can be extinguished. In this theory, the counselor is viewed as teacher, director and expert. The counselor is active in assisting the client in clarifying goals and modifying behavior and thoughts. There are a wide range of techniques that can be used in sessions depending on what the client is trying to achieve. For example if behavior changes are the goal, both positive and negative reinforcement is used. There is a focus on extinction of undesirable behaviors using self-monitoring and environmental planning. For fear based behavior such as phobias, one might use systematic desensitization, flooding, stress inoculation, and thought stopping techniques. Strengths of this theory include a focus on symptoms, focus is on the here and now, an abundance of available procedures, is based on learning theory, it has a well documented success rate, and it  can be used in combination with other theories. Limitations of Behavioral and Cognitive-behavioral therapy include the fact that it does not include the total person (just behaviors), it ignores past history and the unconscious, and does not consider developmental stages.

Next post: Person centered therapy

How to choose a therapist

 Did you know that not all therapists use the same theories to do counseling? In fact there are several theories that therapists base their practices on. These theories are the basis for techniques that will be used during your counseling session. There really isn’t one best theory, just a variety. In fact, a good therapist should know all of them and use the one that is most appropriate to fit your needs. The reality is however, that most therapists do tend to use the one that best fits their beliefs. So, the answer to the question of how to select a therapist depends largely on what it is you are looking for. The most common forms of therapy include Psychoanalysis, Behavioral & Cognitive-Behavioral,  Person centered, Rational-Emotive, Reality, and Existential, Gestalt, Transactional analysis and Adlerian. This 9 part article will outline each, with a note of who the major players were in developing the theory, and give a general idea what you can expect from a therapist who comes from each perspective.

Psychoanalysis: Key players are Sigmund Freud, Anna Freud and Heinz Kohut. Goals of Psychoanalysis include making the unconscious become conscious, working through unresolved developmental stages, helping the client cope or adjust and the reconstruction of the personality. There is an emphasis on early childhood and stages of sexual development, as well as ego defense mechanisms. The counselor is viewed as the expert and encourages exploration of the unconscious. Techniques include free association, dream analysis, interpreting resistance, and analyzing transference. Transference refers to the thoughts or feelings that are from past experiences that are transferred to the therapist during therapy. Strengths of this theory include a focus on childhood experiences and a battery of instruments that can be used to interpret unconscious thoughts. Limitations of this theory include the fact that it is focused on pathology, is limited mainly to psychiatry, is long term, and therefore is usually expensive.

Next post: Behavioral and Cognitive-Behavioral therapies

Jelly donut heaven

Could not resist posting this wonderful picture. Check out the hole in the box were this guy gained entry LOL!

Serendipity at the animal shelter

Some of you know that I am a very spiritual creature by nature. I am also a therapist. Over the years I have gathered many tools of the trade. One of them is the use of vision boards. The idea is that you create a board that has images that remind you of what you want, and of course my image board has many images related to Downsy Dude Rescue Ranch. However I am going to write about this image that I did not initially relate to the project but rather to meeting like minded people.  Little did I realize just how this would manifest.

My most recent visit to the shelter was to finish my cat personality analysis training. I was to do a personality inventory on a shelter cat while under the watchful eye of a trainer. This way the shelter could allow me to then do cat  personality inventories on my own.

I went in an hour early to spend some time with a few kitties I have identified as frightened. One little new shy kitty caught my attention because she was missing about  a third of her fur. It appeared that she had been shaved in several locations on her body. Sometimes cats come in with mats or debris stuck to them and the kindest way to remove it is to shave them. This poor little kitty only had the name of "Six" indicating that she came in from a home or location where there were too many cats. She actually looked almost exactly like one of my tortoise calicoes, which is very interesting, given what happened next. If you have read my blog before you know that I have a Down's syndrome son who has a favorite kitty named Daisy. Daisy is the torti.

While I was setting on the floor in the cat suite, a Down's syndrome young man came in and sat on the bench very quietly. We said hello and he just smiled at me, not quite knowing what to say next. He was beaming with positive energy and it showed on his face. Before I know it Six was on his lap, closed her eyes and went to sleep purring. He quietly stroked the kitty, bald spots and all, with out ever commenting on the condition of her fur.

The door opened and the Young man's mother stepped in. I gave her a knowing smile and just went back to my work. After a while I shared with the mom that I also had a son with Down's. We talked about the many gifts that come with it and we both agreed that the extra chromosome that both our son's were born with should be called "the love Gene." We laughed in a way that only two mom's of Down's kids could do. As we talked we discovered that we had more and more in common. Both of us had recent terrifying experiences with illness, both are at a cross roads in our lives. I told her my plans for Downsy Dude Ranch and she nearly cried. She told me that she can not continue at her current job and has been praying for answers about what she was to do next. As I explained the concepts I was basing Downsy Dude Ranch on, you could just see the light bulb come on in her eyes. We agreed to stay in touch and exchange email information. She thanked me for the inspiration and then she told her son they had to go look at kitties in a few more locations before deciding on an adoption.

Her son spoke up and said "this one likes me, I want this one." I have to tell you it was very hard to not burst into tears at the sight of this young fella holding this ragged little cat with half her fur gone. He never noticed the fur. He only noticed that the cat instinctively knew she should belong to him. He knew, and the cat knew.

When I asked the universe to surround me with like minded people, I never dreamed I would be in the right place at the right time to see this very special, nonjudgmental young man demonstrate what I feel in my heart. I never dreamed I would meet his mother who needed the message I had for her. The experience has filled me with gratitude and affirmed my belief in the use of vision boards.

If you are interested in reading more about how I use my Vision board, and how to create one for yourself,  you can look here : Vision Boards

Shy Kitties at the shelter

As you know I love Wednesdays because that is the day that Lewis and I go to the pound to give TLC to the animals there who are waiting for their forever homes. Yesterday we spent time with 3 kitties. One who wants to hide behind a structure, one who is choosing to live inside a fabric igloo and one who just needed a warm lap and some kindness.

Dede is in Suite one. She is very stressed and wants to hide behind  a shelf structure. Last week I was able to coax her out with treats but this week she was not willing to come out. I moved the structure and got behind it with her . She enjoyed the company and allowed me to comfort her. Dede likes other kitties and often will have one or two others in her hidy place with her for snuggles.

Bella is the igloo kitty who has claimed a fabric igloo as her safe place. I could not coax Bella out of her igloo so I picked the entire thing up and set it and her on my lap on the floor. I slowly peeled down the side to expose her and she allowed me to pet her for a few minutes but had the kind of nervous purr a cat gets when they are very stressed. She let me know when she had enough and I set her down. I stayed in the suite and in a few minutes she emerged from her igloo to get some additional love and a few treats I had in my pocket. Progress is such a heart warming thing to experience.

Millie is a sweet little fuzzball. Just look at the length of the fur on her cheeks! Millie had a rough start at the pound with another kitty attacking her when she came in. She is clearly traumatized from her  changes in her life and just needed a kind lap. She allowed me to groom her with a glove that has a rubber side. She enjoyed the petting, and buried her head in the crook of my elbow as if she just wanted to forget where she was, and if she didn't see it, maybe it was a bad dream. I think she would have stayed in my arms indefinitely if I had more time.

Lewis spent time playing with the kitties that  were more outgoing. He managed to give every cat in the 3 suites at least a few minutes. I also met another volunteer who is willing to coordinate efforts with me in regard to the shy kitties. I am so loving the experience of comforting these little underdogs (or undercats as the case may be). I am also enjoying making new friends who share my values regarding animals. I love that  I have the time to share myself with these shy shelter kitties

Cats will get equal time with trainers at Capital Area Humane Society

Like most shelters CAHS is over filled and understaffed. The staff and volunteers work very hard but at the end of the day there is just not enough time to work with each animal each day. That is where the volunteers become a key part of the shelter dynamic. Typically in shelters dogs get the majority of rehab because there is always the underlying fear of dog bites. Dogs at the shelter are involved in behavior training, and many volunteers come in each day to walk dog on the nice trail out behind the building. The goal is for each dog to get walked 3 times a day and there is a system to indicate when you have walked a dog that involves putting a card with a 1,2, or 3 on the cage door. It is an awesome program that gives the dogs at least some normalcy, and really helps dogs become more desirable as adopties. Many dogs move in and out of the shelter rather quickly in this system.

Cats mean while often linger for weeks on end, sometimes months. There is a definite over fill in the cattery, always. Often when people come in to look for a cat they are overwhelmed with how many there are and have such a difficult time figuring out which cat will be a good match for their house, that some times they leave with out anyone. CAHS recognised this as an area of concern and has taken a step to help cat adopters narrow down which kitties might be a good match for them.

Yesterday I was trained in a program that evaluates a cat's personality. Each kitty will now get a personality evaluation that will result in a color coded card being placed on the cage front or on their spec card in the cat suites. When potential cat adopters come in they will be given a survey to evaluate what type of kitty they are looking for. The survey will produce a color ticket for them to bring into the cattery. They can then look for the cards that match their color and thus narrow down Their  choices to say 10 kitties rather than trying to look at 50. This program has shown good results in other shelters and we have high hopes for it at CAHS. I will be one of the cat evaluators which I am very pleased about.

I am also helping to start an intervention program for the very shy kitties who hide, or are afraid. They have very little chance of being adopted if they are crouched in the corner while other kitties are interacting with visitors  trying to schmooze their way out of the shelter.

Here is one kitty that I have taken on as a project along with another volunteer. I will document progress and what we do as her program evolves. Like many shelter cats she is clearly terrified and has zero chance of being adopted at this point. She was looking like this just getting her picture snapped.