Stray Thoughts 2016 Volume 4

Stray Thoughts www.WSHS-DG.org News, Events & Adoption Information Fall 2016 Inside Senior Treasures Page 2: General Information Page 3 – 4: Ready for a Home Page 4: A BIG Thanks to Our Barkapolooza Sponsors Page 5: Ask the Trainer Page 6: Pet Watch with Dr. Main Emails & Letters Page 7: Hearty Thanks! Page 8: Our New Fundraiser Volunteer Spotlight Stray Thoughts is an official publication of the West Suburban Humane Society, a not-for-profit, volunteerbased animal shelter. No city, state, or federal funds support WSHS. Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law. Please call (630) 960-9600, ext. 25 to submit articles or receive donation information. Adoption Center: 1901 W. Ogden Avenue, Downers Grove, IL 60515 E-mail Address: [email protected] Phone: (630) 960-9600 Fax: (630) 960-9604 Precious W hile there is nothing quite as cute as a kitten, there is nothing quite as overwhelming or heart-wrenching to see a wise old face staring back from a cage. Sometimes it is hard to understand how someone could own an animal for so long and then give it up or return it to a shelter. It could be that owners work too many hours, a new baby is on the way or it is just too hard for them to watch their beloved pet grow old. Occasionally the reasons are more understandable – their owner passed away or had to go into a nursing home – but the end result is no less tragic. The animal ends up spending its last days at an animal shelter. Please consider the following benefits of adopting an older animal: • The advances in veterinary care for our animals are so great, that animals are living longer, healthier lives and we are able to offer them a quality of life that wasn’t possible in the past. • Older pets tend to appreciate the love and care of their owner and the fact that they have been given a second chance at happiness. Older pets in a shelter Enya Bijou may suffer from depression. This is your chance to give them joy and to get that joy back tenfold. • The days of dealing with the “terrible two’s” of a kitten are over. An older cat will still want to play but they will also be content to snuggle up on the couch with you for a nap or a good scratch. • Once you adopt an animal, it is the quality of time you spend together not the quantity. Each day you have together is precious and should be savored. • Currently we have several “senior” cats, available for adoption at the shelter. Could your home be the right home for one of these special seniors? Precious was returned at the age of 11 because her family was moving where no pets were allowed. We had a senior wellness work-up done and she is very healthy for her age. Precious is very shy around other cats so she spends most of her days in her cage in the cattery. Could you provide her with a quiet home with no other pets, where she could live out the rest of her days with a loving family? Continued on page 2