Another kitten goes home

Remember the kittens we mentioned about a month ago? Another one has gone home! New mom Gail writes to say:

The kitten has a name, Carmella! I have to say, Harley is less than thrilled with her. I know from past experiences that it will take a little time. When I tried to pet her he would take his paw and pull my hand away. She is so snuggly, I just love her!

Hopefully Harley's learning to love her too!

Rascal (f.k.a. Garfield) is a real rascal

Can you believe this cute little puffball? What a face! When he was with GSAR his name was Garfield, but he's since been renamed Rascal.

His new mom, Sheri, sent us a note:

Thank you for the opportunity to have a wonderful pet. We have named him Rascal, due to he is into everything. He has brought happiness into our home, and he is getting along with our 12 yr. old cat pretty good. Everyone that meets him falls in love with him. I am so glad I stopped at Nancy's house that Friday night.

Rattle & Hum are hummin' along

We recently got this note from Laura, Rattle and Hum's mom:

Hi Kay! How are you?? I hope all is well. I know it has been a while since I sent you recent photos of Rattle and Hum, but I am a proud mommy of two wonderful kitties. I hope you like these photos!! I am also a "foster" mom to a third cat just until I can find a home for him...but you know very well how that goes. He has only been here since Tuesday, but is really making himself at home!!

Cody and Maggie go home

Barbara, her husband, and her mother adopted two of our female kittens. They were still working on naming them, and now they've sent an update:

I wanted to update you on the "girls." First, they are doing so well! They are eating, using the litter, sleeping through the night and seem very relaxed and well-adjusted.

We named the buff and white one "Dakota" but we call her Cody. We ended up naming the little "climber" "Maggie" not because we planed to, but mostly because all the way home in the car, every time she did something like try to eat her way through the netting of the carrying case, or yowled my mom kept saying, "Yo, Maggie! What's the problem? Or Yo, Maggie, where are you trying to go? By the time we got home, the kitten was reacting to "Maggie" so we just decided to name her that.

Maggie continued to climb up pant legs, shirts and perch on your shoulder or around your neck. She has also successfully "launched" off our shoulders into the kitchen sink! That was a shocker.

Cody, being a little more well behaved, not to mention more bottom-heavy, doesn't climb as much but still explores everything. They both love to play and do so on their own.

Thanks for getting our "girls" off to such a good start! They are happy, healthy, well-adjusted kittens! We love them!

Twister alert

Twister recently "blew" into the lives of Adrienne and her boyfriend. Welcome!

LiLi passes through

LiLi, who is part dachshund, spent a weekend with GSAR before being transferred to Dachshund Rescue of North America. After she got there, it didn't take her long to find a new home in Maryland. Jason and his fiancee changed her name to Haylee, and we wish them all the best!

K.C. returns

You may remember K.C. from the post with his life-altering haircut. He's back with GSAR and once again available on the Petfinder site now.

Here's a little bit more about him:

KC is a lively cocker spaniel who will celebrate his 3rd birthday in June. KC was initially surrendered as the home he was in was getting too chaotic to give him and his doggie 'sister' the attention they deserved. KC was adopted by another couple but needed come back to GSAR for issues with separation anxiety. As the only dog in a childless home, KC became overly attached to his 'dad' and got very upset when he left. KC does well with children, dogs, and cats and would love the extra activity in the house to help him from feeling so alone. KC is learning to recall, so a fenced yard would be optimal. KC is a AKC registered cocker and his vaccinations (rabies, distemper, lyme, and bordetella) are all current. Please consider making KC a part of your family!

Kitten adoption

Chase, Ethan, and their family adopted one of our springtime kittens. I'm sure the three of them will get into lots of trouble have a lot of fun together!

J.J. (f.k.a. Cinders), Bear, & Monkey

Cinders, who was renamed J.J. when he went to his new home, is shown lounging on the "pillow" cat (Bear) in the picture above. We recently got some sad news about him from Ralph and Nancy:

We have sad news about Cinders. We had to euthanize him on Sunday night because he had the wet form of FIP. We noticed that he was having difficulty breathing on Sunday so we took him to the emergency veterinarian. She gave us the bad news and we were in shock. He had been to the vet three times since January because he never seemed able to shake the cold he had when we originally picked him up back in August. He would get better for a while and it always seemed to come back three or four weeks later. FIP has a 100% mortality rate and she said if we took him home he would be suffering. She compared it to us breathing through a coffee stirrer, that is what he was feeling. His pleura would eventually build up so much fluid and he would not be able to breathe.

He was a great cat and were are extremely sad to see him go. We would like to think that God made him so beautiful that we came to see him at Stoltzfus and as a result we came home with his two cousins as well. We renamed Cinders to J.J. since he immediately took to Jesse, hence the name Jesse Junior.

We also renamed his cousins to Bear and Monkey which are fitting names if you met them today. Monkey looks and acts like a spider monkey and Bear lumbers around the house like a big grizzly. We are sorry to let you know about the bad news and we hope that all is going well with GSAR.

Nancy and Ralph, we're so sorry to hear about your loss. Thank you for making J.J.'s last months as good as they could be. We hope that Bear and Monkey are a comfort to you during this time—they look like a couple of characters!


Monkey


Bear

GSAR Bio: Get to know Kay

We thought you might like to know a little bit more about the people behind the pets at GSAR, so we're starting a new biography feature. Occasionally we'll post an interview with one of GSAR's board members or volunteers. We couldn't think of a better place to start than with Kay Williams, the executive director!
_____________________________________________

What's your role with GSAR?
Founder/Executive Director

How long have you worked with GSAR?
Since it began in 2002.

How did you get started with GSAR?
After working with other rescues for a few years I decided that there were things about each that didn't sit well with me. God sent me two dogs who needed to be saved, and none of the rescues I worked with would help me, so I guess my hand was forced. I have no regrets. My passion is to help animals and people by bringing them together. Once you have loved and been loved by an animal you are changed forever.

Tell us about the humans who live in your home.
My sweet husband, Jim, is a human dog (and cat) bed. He likes things clean, organized and peaceful. Thankfully, he loves me more and understands that the animals that run, crawl, fly and jump through our lives need him as much as they need me. I honestly don't know how I'd do it without him.



Katy grew up knowing that her siblings had fur. She is proud of the work we do. She always wants the cute little kittens to stay with us, but her passion is gymnastics. She has tried fostering in her room, but decided she'd rather visit them in my office. Poor kid has allergies which we have to watch. She doesn't let that stop her snuggling the animals though! She just takes her medication and keeps right on going. That's my girl!



Tell us about the "permanent" pets in your home.
Lucy is a 19 year old Chihuahua. We got her 5 years ago after losing our three legged Chi mix, Missy. I had been browsing on Petfinder and her face broke my heart :



She had been abandoned, along with over 50 other dogs in a farmhouse outside Baltimore. A collector had locked the doors and walked away. The larger dogs were preying on the smaller ones to survive. Lucy survived because she was locked in a cat carrier where they couldn't get to her. She had been living in her own waste, though, and the fur was burned off her legs, tummy and ears. You can still see the scars in her ears. Every day with Lucy is a gift. She is sweet and gentle and expects the best in everyone. We are all very protective of her.

Todd is about 6 now. He is a Chocolate and tan miniature Dachshund. When a puppy mill was busted in western North Carolina, Todd was by far the most frightened. No one could touch him. They got him into a crate and transported him to me for rehabbing. Poor sweet Todd didn't know what grass was or what leaves were...Rain is terrifying. The wind is the worst part of all. For weeks I walked around the yard with him walking on two legs with his little paws wrapped around my wrist. Todd holds the 'honor' of being the only dog ever to escape from Glenmoore Veterinary Hospital. We spent 7 hours looking for him. The event culminated with 7 people chasing him up route 322 as he ran up the yellow line. Thank God we finally cornered him and caught him. After a year of working with poor Todd we reluctantly decided that he is simply unadoptable. We gave him sanctuary. He has come a long way in the 3 1/2 years we have had him. He will go outside...if I carry him. He can go up the stairs...but not down. Hearing the wind blow is enough to make him run for his hiding place behind the powder room toilet, but he is starting to join the pack to greet people who come to the door.



Then there is Mindy. She is a Min Pin/Chihuahua mix who had been the adored pet of a local older woman. When the woman moved to Florida Mindy went too. Soon the woman became ill and had to move into a nursing home. Mindy was sent north to live with relatives...the wrong ones. A sweet lady who knew Mindy from when she had first lived in PA heard about her plight and called GSAR. I took one look at Mindy's little face and I knew she was home. Mindy is about 8 years old now and takes her role as Alpha dog very seriously. She carefully inventories all toys and keeps them organized in her lair. She keeps track of Lucy and comes running to tell us is she needs anything. She sleeps with one eye open to guard the family through the night. The slightest noise from anywhere in the house and Mindy is up to investigate. I am sure she wonders how we ever survived without her!



Benjamin came to us as part of a 2-day-old litter of kittens found in a warehouse. His brother and sister died despite our efforts. All three of us decided that number 3 would NOT die. We all fed, medicated and cleaned the little guy around the clock. Mindy worried over him and came running to get us if he made any noises. There were times when we were worried that our efforts were wasted...but he pulled through! Young Ben is 6 months old now and completely fearless! We have geese on the property which he is sure he could catch and clean for dinner!



What's the funniest thing your pet does?
Oh my. Todd does what we call the 'Happy Dog Dance' when he is excited and wants something. It is like the thrill is more than his body can contain and he just sort of starts bouncing. His ears flap and he erupts in these little barks. Mindy guards her lair and keeps everything carefully inventoried. If you start going through her things she gets very nervous and makes little squeaks while closely monitoring your every move. When you are done she will take whatever time is needed to put everything back where it belongs. Benjamin carries little pieces of paper around the house. He will throw them for a while and chase after them, then pick them up and carry them again.

What's your favorite book/TV/movie pet and why?
I just finished reading Marley & Me by John Grogan so I'd have to say that Marley is my current favorite. People often want to know whether someone is a 'dog person' or a 'cat person'. I say I am an everything person. I enjoy the special traits of each animal for what they are. Marley wasn’t an 'easy' pet. But the Grogan family understood what made him special and were committed to sharing their lives with him. What made Marley special to them was his commitment to them and his innocent and exuberant joy for life.

Kittens, kittens

It's spring, and along with longer days and warmer weather, it means an abundance of kittens! Sweet, cute, cuddly little kittens! If you know anyone who's looking for a kitten, be sure to put in a good word for GSAR.

Most of our available kittens were born on February 9, and they've been dewormed and received their first shots. You can learn more about each one on our Petfinder site.

Garfield & Dexter go home

These two guys were feral and living under a trailer in Lancaster County. Many people would have said they were untamable, but now they are living the life as cherished family members. I have found (like with everything else) that you have to take each situation individually. Their new mom Jacque' sent us a note:

Just a quick update—Dexter has totally adjusted. He is unbelievably affectionate, and purrs, sits on my lap, and they both slept in the bed the other night. We have play time every day with some toys and Garfield participates wholeheartedly and he has gotten closer when he is playing but he still hasn't let me pet him. He is definitely less spooked than when he first arrived but he will take a little more time. I learned somewhere you give ownership when you talk to them so I say Dexter's Garfield or Garfield's Dexter a lot and they are so very cute together. Thank you again, they are perfect for us.

Sweet Coconut happy at home

A note from Coconut's mom, Helen:

Coconut the rabbit is doing very well. He now has the run of the house nightly. He is out from the time we come in from the barn until 6 am. He has a black female cat as a friend. They move around a lot together. He likes his two-story cage as well.

Maya finds a family

Not to be outdone by Missy, Maya went home too! Her new mom is Susan (pictured above), and she also got a "sister" in the deal (see below). They were very excited to welcome Maya into their home, and we know she'll be the center of attention for many years to come!

Missy goes home

Missy and Maya had a great time at their foster home together. And last week, the Warner family adopted Missy! They report that Missy's doggie sister Sheena is looking after her as if Missy were her own pup. Missy's adjustment has gone very well and we're glad they found each other!