Tag: family

Tip o’ the Day – The Biggest Mistakes New Animal Owners Make

We’ve all seen the movies and read the books about animals and people living happily ever after. And animals really do enrich our lives, no matter what the species. But all living things have physical and emotional needs.  They’re not appliances we can turn on and off as we find necessary. They need the right food, the right medical care and the right enrichment to live an acceptable quality of life…..and most importantly, they need our time and attention. Once we bring a pet into our lives, we become their primary source of these things. They depend on us to know what they need because they can’t always tell us themselves. In this issue of our newsletter, we thought it might be helpful to use the internet to learn in advance what others have to tell us about the animals we want to make a part of our family.

The most common mistakes new animal owners make…….

Thinking of acquiring a cat? CLICK HERE to learn how to avoid the most common mistakes new cat owners make.

You say you’re smitten by the puppy you just met at the shelter? CLICK HERE to learn from the mistakes of others.

You always wanted an equine and now you’ve got the opportunity to achieve that dream. Before you do, CLICK HERE to prepare yourself in advance.

Ferrets, rats, snakes, lizards, turtles……are they all low maintenance pets? CLICK HERE to find out.

Exotic birds are entertaining, colorful, and some can even talk to us. But there’s more to owning a bird than just putting food and water in a cage. CLICK HERE to find out what you may not have considered about owning a bird, before you bring one home.

 

 

December 23, 2018 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 5 Comments Off on Tip o’ the Day – The Biggest Mistakes New Animal Owners Make

Vet Sci 101 – The Scoop on Poop

As pet owners, we sooner or later will be subjected to cleaning up a very stinky mess left behind by our canine or feline friend. It’s important to learn how to interpret the language of poop so we can be an advocate for our animals who can’t necessarily describe their situation to the vet.
Did you know that a fecal sample is the window to what’s going on inside your pet? Knowing what different kinds of BM mean can help you save your pet from suffering; and a little bit of time spent being a “scat detective” can even save a life.
The AKC wrote a terrific article about this very subject. And although it’s written from the perspective of a dog lover, the general information it offers about the features of feces can be generalized to other species like cats and horses.
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/doggie-diarrhea/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=yourakc-20161121

December 23, 2018 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 5 Comments Off on Vet Sci 101 – The Scoop on Poop

The Next Chapter – Update on Mitch’s Dogs

With 2018 nearly over, we realize what a challenging year this, our tenth year, has been. Losing Mitch Valerien in March was the worst thing that ever happened to our little group, and it was so totally unexpected, the cause still not fully understood, even the most optimistic of us probably felt like the floor was pulled out from under our feet. So it is easy to imagine how much worse that horrible event was for Mitch’s dogs. Without the ability to understand even what little we knew about Mitch’s death, these animals went through a life-altering change in 2018. Living alone, Mitch was everything to these dogs: mother, father, nurse, chef, janitor and UBER service….TASP owed it to Mitch to do our best to help her animals get to the next chapter in their lives as painlessly as possible. And thanks to the kindness of our community and the resilience of these dogs’ spirits, we have some very positive news to report to all of you.

Andy: “The Flower,” is now living a loved, safe and joyful life with Lea, a local veterinarian who has a soft spot for senior dogs. And BTW, she also has a very friendly, sweet black lab mix female for Andy to play and snooze next to. This gentle guy was very bonded to Midnight, Mitch’s little black lab mix female, so it was especially gratifying to have Andy find a home with another friendly female who resembles Midnight so much. Andy’s new Mom is a “foster failure,” just as Mitch was when she originally adopted Andy from Labs4Rescue so many years ago. The first time we contacted Lea to bring Andy to an adoption clinic, she asked to adopt him because he had grown so content in her home and she’d grown so fond of him. Lea writes in her latest update, “He’s doing great, a real sweetie and has adjusted to life with me very well. Everyone loves him. His sister is forever pestering him to play, sometimes he’s happy to and other times he just patiently ignores the biting at his head and feet (Hadley can be a pill!)” Andy’s new life is truly what Mitch would have asked for if she could.

Click on Andy’s portrait to watch a video of him and Hadley playing together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Benjamin: “The Forever Puppy,” was the first of Mitch’s dogs to be adopted, and the oldest! Thanks to Tracy, Mitch’s childhood friend in Rhode Island, Ben lounges on the carpet next to Tracy’s desk while she’s working from home, just as he did at Mitch’s house while she worked from home. Ben’s got a family who adores him and makes him a part of everything they do. And he has a little girlfriend to snuggle up and flirt with whenever he wants to. Tracy’s latest report: “Ben is doing great. He has been a great addition to our family. We love taking him for rides and he loves just being with us. We are truly lucky to have him.” Can you imagine how happy this would make Mitch?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Billie: “Sweetheart,” Billie was the dog who seemed to suffer the most when Mitch passed away. For awhile, we couldn’t figure out why Billie was physically failing. But once she settled into Lynn’s home in farm country, just outside of Fort Edward, Billie’s condition began to turn around. We discovered Billie’s physical decline was just a symptom of her grieving! Lynn happened to be her Vet Tech at Borador Animal Hospital when Mitch was still alive. After Mitch’s death, Lynn’s heart went out to the old dog with the huge benign tumor on her back, who suffered so profoundly from the loss of Mitch. In a recent email, Lynn told us, “Everyone in my family just loves her. She fit in here like she had always lived here.
Although I am sorry that it was necessary to rehome her I am honored to have her as it is the only thing I could do for Mitch.” It’s clear Lynn adores Billie and Billie’s physical improvement since moving in with Lynn testifies to how happy she is there. Lynn even prepares home-cooked meals for this noble old dog! Now, Billie’s latest chapter is truly a happy tail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Midnight: “The Little Sister,” also hit the lottery. She was adopted by Ally, who works at Upstate Veterinary Specialties. Midnight has a much smaller pack now: just her and a dog-friendly cat, so she gets loads of attention and love, and doesn’t have to share her Mom with a lot of other dogs. She even gets to go to work with Ally, who tells us, “Midnight is doing wonderfully. And feels like she has always been a part of my life. I love her already!….. I am so glad that I found her. It’s been such a positive experience and I am looking forward to giving her a perfect home after going through so much. Her story truly touched my heart.” Ally’s update really touched all of our hearts at TASP. Little Midnight is surely blossoming in this new life of hers.

Mallory: While the “Little Mama” is waiting for her own forever home, she’s fostering with the Plasse’s, sharing the front zone of the house with Hammond (Rich & Melinda’s senior Rottie mix) and Desi, the deaf senior Jack Russell Terrier from TASP’s hospice program. Mallory enjoys her role as the only chick in the crowd, and the male dogs seem very willing to have Mallory direct the day’s activities. Rich tells us, “Mallory’s showing us every day what a terrific gal she is by walking to and from the play yard without even being leashed. She barks when company comes and loves lounging on the self-heating dog bed Hammond loaned to her. She’s such a cheerful girl…. her tail wags so hard when she sees me, it sounds like she’s beating a drum. She’s a really good dog!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sadie: “Cover Girl” is now officially a Canine Good Citizen thanks to her foster Mom, Lucinda. While she waits to be adopted to her forever home, Sadie shares the foster home with two cats and two male mini dachschund mixes. She enjoys the daily walks Lucinda takes her on in their quiet neighborhood and one of her favorite things to do is to snooze with her dog and cat friends on Lucinda’s big front window seat. With her good manners and her magnetic personality, it’s just a matter of time before Sadie finds her special person to adopt her; but in the meantime, she’s thinking foster life is mighty sweet at Lucinda’s. “Sweet Sadie is an eager-to-please girl. She relishes car rides and outdoor walks and hikes, but is also content to nose around the back yard or sit by the window to watch the world go by,” according to Lucinda. Sadie  certainly has matured and is nothing like the wild-child she was years ago when Mitch took her in. She’ll make someone a fantastic companion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zach: The dog we were most worried about being adopted was our “Wingman.” With his separation anxiety, Zach presented a big dilemma for anyone who worked outside the home. Fortunately for him, Bill came with his family to the Petapalooza adoption event at Curtis Lumber in Hoosick Falls earlier this year. Bill had just suffered the devastating loss of his wife. And being retired, he found himself with way too much alone time. Zach’s larger-than-life personality caught Bill’s eye from the get-go and before long they both knew they needed each other. The rest of the story is better than anything we could have written for Zach. Bill and Zach are a team now, doing everything together at home and on the road. Bill’s minivan is the perfect vehicle for these two bachelors to cruise to the park for a nice walk or to run errands in town. And Bill says Zach is like his shadow, always right behind him and ready to participate in any activity, especially climbing into bed at the end of the day. Bill says, “Sometimes he even beats me to bed and I have to ask him to move over so I can get in!” Bill’s daughter, Dawn adds, ” I would like to thank you for giving my Dad the opportunity to adopt Zack. I believe they are a perfect match! They are inseparable, great therapy for each other.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time only moves in one direction and no amount of money on earth can buy time back once it’s spent. The old adage says, “Change is good.” But some changes are so sudden and irreversible, they can upset even the most level-headed of us. All of us at TASP are glad that Mitch’s dogs are finding their own lives now. It wasn’t easy for them to adapt after all the years they shared with Mitch, but thanks to the commitment of Mitch’s circle of friends and the response from the community, all of her dogs are safe and loved. We hope to report on the final placements for Sadie and Mallory soon, and with that, we will all know Mitch can finally rest in peace knowing her “kids” are going to be alright.

December 23, 2018 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 5 Comments Off on The Next Chapter – Update on Mitch’s Dogs

Join the Fun With TASP! Events Coming Up Soon…..

Tag Sales, Photo Clinics, Adoption Clinics and MORE! There are SO many TASP events going on throughout the year! All are for raising the funds needed to continue our mission of helping companion animals stay safe and healthy. Want to help? Visit/volunteer/donate/shop! Bring your friends and family and have a blast while you help local animals! CLICK HERE for a fast connection to the TASP Events Page.

May 3, 2018 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 4, Newsletter 5 Comments Off on Join the Fun With TASP! Events Coming Up Soon…..

We Make It Happen

Best Friends Forever, Tess & Tim Newbury

When you know you’re married to your best friend, that good vibe bubbles over to everything you do and everyone you touch.  It spreads an aura of peace and happiness that is contagious and puts animals and people completely at ease. And isn’t The Animal Support Project fortunate to have Tim and Tess Newbury, happily married for nearly 40 years, as our treasured volunteers! Tess, the sweet little blonde lady with the smile that lights up a room, the one who works our photo clinics each month and coaxes feral cats like Dr. Doolittle, is the perfect match for Tim, the soft-spoken veteran who uses his experience and skills to do everything from building dog houses and fences to upgrading the TASP storage facility, to teaching our younger volunteers how to properly handle power tools.

TASP deals with such an eclectic variety of situations in the course of helping animals and their owners through tough times, having a flexible couple like Tim and Tess on our crew is a gift from heaven.  Not only do they approach every project they’re asked to work with a smile and a can-do attitude, but they demonstrate to the rest of the community what TASP is all about: respect for all living creatures, whether two or four-legged.

A veteran of both the US NAVY and the US ARMY, Tim’s experiences managing logistics on submarines and working on helicopter crews make him uniquely qualified to be TASP’s Logistics Chief. Need a stretcher to carry an unconscious 120 pound Rottweiler from a disabled lady’s dining room floor for transport to the vet? Let Tim improvise the solution and you know it will be done humanely and safely. Need to erect a safe space to hold a dozen feral cats while they await vetting? Put Tim in charge and he’ll have every tool, every supply on hand to get the job done right the first time.

Tess just retired from her position working in Special Education, and what made her so successful in that job was her empathy and respect for humanity. She uses those same wonderful traits to bring the best out of people and pets in her work with TASP. Her friendly, joyful disposition draws others to her and helps them know things are going to be alright. And nothing calms a frightened pet better than Tess’s soft voice and gentle touch. She helps relax the pets and owners at our photo clinics so we can capture the perfect shot, and she is the glue that holds our volunteers together with a bond that can only come from the genuine love and friendship she feels for them.

The Newburys know the value of family. Pull into their driveway on any day and you’ll be greeted by a grandchild or two followed by Picklejack, the Pit Bull. Tim might be running that Sunday in a 5K with daughter, Nicole, or helping one of Nicole’s girls hone their archery skills for 4H. And Tess is probably out in the barn with another grandchild, gathering eggs and tossing hay to the goats.

This power-couple has been volunteering with TASP ever since they failed miserably at fostering dogs for our organization…..not once, but TWICE! But let me tell you, Gregory and Gretel, the two foster dogs who stole their hearts, could not have found a better home than the Newbury’s.  Life at their mini-farm is as sweet as it gets.

Tess & Tim Newbury have brought so much to TASP and to those we serve!  With so much treasure in their own private lives, it is an absolute honor to know they still have time to be so active with TASP. They do it because they believe in TASP’s mission: keeping families together.

April 28, 2018 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 4 Comments Off on We Make It Happen

Keepin’ It Together – Creating a Future for Marianne’s Cats

If you had met Marianne ten years ago when we first encountered her, you’d be meeting a well-educated woman in her 70’s who was using her GE retirement funds to support herself and a handful of stray cats. Together they  lived the good life at Marianne’s little acre of rural paradise not far from where I am writing this. She was an uncommonly strong-willed woman, well-read, with a dry wit and zero tolerance for people who treated animals or people unfairly. She was stubborn as a mule and could chew into someone like a badger if she thought they needed setting straight. Marianne had grown up a farm girl and appreciated the solitude and peace of country life, even as a widow, with her grown daughter living with her own family many miles away.

Back then, just like now, well-meaning people from town would drive their unwanted cat out to some rural location near a farm, assuming it was more humane to drop the cat there than to take it to the shelter. In their minds, the shelter would just kill their cat. But out here, under the sun and stars, the cat would live the idyllic Disney life, sustained by a lifetime supply of mice and milk from the cow barn. As someone who grew up in the country, I can testify those people assumed incorrectly. Life for a stray cat in the country is anything but idyllic. It’s constant struggle; competition for food, water, a safe place to sleep and raise young, and the constant pressure of random sickness, attack and injury. It’s one of the reasons why stray and feral cats have large litters: because nature knows many feral-born kittens will not make it to adulthood.

Marianne understood this and kept her little colony in tip-top order. When a new cat would show up in her yard, she would use her own trap to capture it, then drive it to Hoof n’ Paw Vet Service at the Valley Falls-Cambridge line, to have it altered, vaccinated and doctored for any illness it may have had. It was a reasonably well thought out plan and, after the initial veterinary investment, it afforded Marianne a resident varmint patrol around her little mobile home for just the cost of cat food and fresh water. It also offered her the pleasure of free entertainment, watching for hours as the cats lived their lives outside her picture window. Eventually, each cat would be friendlied enough to be awarded a name and  an afternoon or evening indoors on Marianne’s couch. Cats came and went as they pleased there and the protocol suited everyone concerned.

As time went on, GE’s stock began under-performing. And in ensuing years, the value mostly declined, leaving Marianne’s retirement income thinner and thinner. But the arrival of new wandering feline strangers from the farm down the road continued, and seemed to even increase. The cats apparently didn’t scrutinize the Wall Street Journal sufficient to recognize their food and medical bills were straining Marianne’s wallet.  Nonetheless, Marianne made sure they ate regularly, while she pinched her pennies. This was right about the time she met up with The Animal Support Project.

We’d gotten a call from Hoof n’ Paw, asking us to call on this nice lady who was having trouble keeping up with fixing the cats invading her property. They informed us about her past efforts and were concerned that more cats than ever seemed to be arriving at her little oasis. They wondered if there was something we could do to help and there was. We teamed up with Marianne on several occasions to trap numbers of cats at once and have all of them vaccinated, altered and tested. Then we’d adopt them out  for her to keep her burden down to a reasonable number.

2016 was a hard year for Marianne. By that time, she was in her 80’s. She’d suffered a stroke and after that, had spent just enough time living with her saint of a daughter to get back on her feet. A proud person of Marianne’s age has trouble being dependent on their child. It is not a role they can adapt to readily. So after recovering enough to be deemed safe on her own, Marianne returned to her little paradise in the country where she didn’t have to live on other people’s schedules or hear the unfamiliar sounds of suburban life. She returned to reading from her own library, shopping for herself and enjoying the 24-7 entertainment of her beloved cats outside and inside her home. A niece who lived nearby took over for TASP, looking in on Marianne and doing trap-neuter-return on her property to maintain population control for the cats, and Marianne’s brother, who lived just down the road, did the “manly stuff” around the property to keep her home running safely.

In late summer of 2017, Marianne’s daughter called to ask for our help again. Marianne had broken her hip. She was now almost completely deaf, quite small and frail, but nonetheless, she was raising hell with the doctors at the hospital, wanting to go home as soon as possible to be in her own element with her cats. Her brother was by this time also quite up in age and physically not able to support Marianne around her place the way he had in the past.  We committed to Marianne’s daughter to round up the cats indoors and out and begin the process of finding them new homes where they could be safe. Luckily for all concerned, TASP has Tess and Tim Newbury on our volunteer team. Thanks to them, we were able to capture all 13 of Marianne’s cats, including three kittens born to a newcomer female who had not yet been fixed.

With the generosity of Marianne’s daughter, we were able to buy flea collars for all the cats as well as having all updated on vaccines and tested for disease. We returned a handful of them to Marianne’s mobile home so they could live indoors with Marianne when she came home from her hip rehabilitation, and the rest were kept happy in a large temporary cattery we erected in her garage with materials we stock for such things. Tess and Tim continued to visit the cattery each day to maintain things there and they would look in on Marianne, walk her trash barrel to the road on pickup day, and make sure all was well. Seeing Marianne, we all knew they would not have to do this for long. Meantime, in the background, Debbie D’Angelo, our volunteer whom we share with Noah’s Kingdom, Kitten Angels and other capital district cat rescues, was lining up plans for the cats to be transferred out to these wonderful local rescues.

Marianne passed away peacefully in her beloved home one morning from what first responders deemed a massive heart attack.  They said there was no sign of suffering or panic at the scene; death was swift and merciful. Her last moments were no doubt shared with her little family of cats, and now she was asleep forever, no longer worried about the things we on this earth concern ourselves with. She died as she had wished to: not in a nursing home, not in a hospital bed, not away from what was so loved and so familiar to her. I choose to believe this was her reward for a life righteously lived. And I think she died at peace with her situation, knowing TASP and her family would not abandon her cats.

What made it possible for TASP to help in this situation? Well, having the support of Marianne’s family was a key contributor to the success. This was an expensive endeavor. TASP has limited funds to work with in comparison to the number of requests we receive. So having the financial help of Marianne’s daughter was essential to get so many cats cared for properly. TASP stocks  donated kennels, fencing material and cat supplies so we can erect a cattery like this when needed.

TASP was honored to have known Marianne and her daughter, who, by the way, has her mother’s strong will and dry wit and was a real treasure in making this project work. We feel blessed that we can network with such kind and considerate rescue groups in our community who will help us with big projects like this. And we are proud to have volunteers who are committed enough to our mission to go out of their way for months to ensure that Marianne’s beloved cats weren’t left to scatter on their own.  I believe everyone involved in this project feels we did what Marianne would have wanted and we share in the hope that we can also someday leave this world with the dignity afforded to this good woman.

April 28, 2018 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 4 Comments Off on Keepin’ It Together – Creating a Future for Marianne’s Cats

Grrrrreat Reads – Not about Dogs and Cats

This issue, we’re bringing you some books that are a departure from the subject of dogs and cats. After all, TASP is an All Species intervention group, so it’s only fair that we give some attention to some of the less commonly owned species. It can help us grow our knowledge of animal husbandry and maybe even tempt some of you to venture out and begin a relationship with some of these fascinating members of the animal kingdom.

Part of the True Horse Stories series, Gunner – Hurricane Horse by Judy Andrekson introduces us to a rude, unwanted colt who evolves into a treasured family member. The story follows this southern farm family before, during and after Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent circumstances that change all their lives forever. Inspiring, insightful and difficult to put down, the book can be enjoyed by youthful and young-at-heart readers who appreciate the value animals bring to our lives.

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With “A Chicken in Every Yard,” Robert and Hannah Litt provide a helpful guide to backyard chicken husbandry geared toward urban and suburban dwellers, yet helpful even to those who live in the country. After posing and answering the question, “Why raise chickens,” this book offers a comprehensive collection of advice covering things like planning the financial side of chicken-ownership, proactively researching legal restrictions, selecting breeds, coop design and building, chicken health and feeding, and even a collection of recipes for dishes based on home-grown eggs. Plenty of great photos, tips and a list of resources to use as a launch pad for turning oneself into a responsible and successful chicken aficionado!

 

Karen Patry has written a very useful collection of information about raising rabbits in “The Rabbit Raising Problem Solver.” It’s mostly organized in question & answer format and really helps people who have been thinking about owning rabbits determine whether this is the right commitment for them. So different from other species in their physical and nutritional requirements, rabbits and their peculiarities can be baffling to those new to rabbit husbandry. The Rabbit Raising Problem Solver does a good job of unwinding the mysteries surrounding rabbit care, feeding, health, and management. With more and more apartment dwellers recognizing the value of keeping rabbits as pets, Patry’s book can educate and entertain, with the hope of encouraging successful bunny ownership for even the beginner.

 

 

 

 

September 19, 2017 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 3 Comments Off on Grrrrreat Reads – Not about Dogs and Cats