AARF Newsletter 2009, Quarter 1

Introduction

This newsletter covers the first quarter of 2009. Some highlights: we had a great yard sale, we have many people to thank for wonderful donations of time, goods and, of course, needed funds, we are always seeking new supporting members, and we provide directions to the shelter (please visit us any time). Feedback about this newsletter is always appreciated; just send a pre-addressed email to the Communications Chair.

Images with a border around them may be clicked to see an enlargement.

Annual Yard Sale Extravaganza

The setting: the Agriculture Centre in The Valley, morning of March 21st, 2009.

Starting at 6 a.m., AARF volunteers unpacked box after box of donated electronics, clothing, kitchenware, household items, books, CDs, videos, furniture, small appliances, toys, sports equipment and more, and spread them on tables and large tarps. The goods had been collected, sorted and priced in weekly meetings for a year.

The workers moved quickly, The annual Yard Sale was to begin at 9 a.m. but long before that, a crowd began to gather, and was impatiently straining at the gates.

Finally, at 9, the GO!! signal was given - and the people immediately spread out to find bargains galore. Items, many of which were high quality, could be purchased in any quantity at pennies on the dollar, with all proceeds going towards AARF•s• budget for the 2009 year.

By all measures, once again, the Annual Yard Sale was another rousing success.

The purpose of this annual event is to raise money for AARF•s• spay/neuter program and for other animal welfare operations. This program, which AARF has been sponsoring for the past several years, provides surgeries for hundreds of island dogs and cats, and as a result, has helped immensely in controlling the unwanted births of puppies and kittens on the island. AARF also sponsors adoptions of wonderful pets, education projects and provides care for animals awaiting adoption at the AARF Shelter.

The 2009 adoption program will focus, as it has for past years, on puppies, kittens, dogs and cats that are adopted from AARF. A small AARF adoption fee of $20US includes a spay or neuter for the adopted puppy or kitten when it reaches approximately 4 –5 months of age, along with the pet•s• first set of vaccinations, veterinary examination and worming. AARF is currently running a special program that provides an extra bonus for adopters: US$10 coupons for the critical second and third sets of vaccinations!

AARF depends solely on contributions from local residents and businesses as well as members and island visitors to support this program, and would like to take this opportunity to thank all that participated in this event – those who donated items (which are collected and appreciated all year long), those shoppers who found great bargains, the Agriculture Department for letting us use their grounds and AARF members and volunteers who worked so diligently to make this annual community event a huge success. We are grateful for your support!

A family goes shopping at the yard sale.

The check out area was always busy!

One of the Ladies clothing areas.

Clothes on display.

Busy shoppers.

Leaving with goodies.

Thank Yous

AARF received many wonderful donations, and we'd like to send special thank yous to those that donated funds, goods, time among other wonderful things! To protect internet privacy privacy, we choose to use initials.

Mere thank you's can't go far enough to express what these people have provided us, but all donations go directly towards the welfare of AARF animals.

To the following donors, our heartfelt thanks: Bruce B., Ron A., Sara B., Judith G. Shirley M., Susie R., Cherilyn L., Norton and Vivien B., Jane C., Lewis E., Sallie & Peter L., Dwight C., Lawrie G., Penny H-R., Neal K., Geraud L. and Mel L., Jo-Anne M. and Kenneth M.

AARF Membership Drive

Several volunteers helped staff a successful membership drive at the post office. It was a busy day and gave visitors to the post office an easy way to renew their memberships or to become new members. In addition, volunteers sold AARF tee shirts, hats, tote bags, bottle bags, and calendars. Volunteers helping at the event were Althea Turner (in photo at right), Suzie Donahue, Sally Baumwell, Nadine Moeschinger, Gayle Enzel, and Penny Hope-Ross.

Membership dues are an important part of AARF's budget. Our adoption fee of US$20 covers only a small portion of the examination, deworming, vaccinations, testing, shelter care, and spay/neuter surgery that adopted animals receive. Your membership dues help make a difference in the lives of the animals and families we serve.

Be sure to renew or become a new member before the Annual General Meeting so that you will be able to vote for next year's executive committee members. The latest membership form is available as a Microsoft Word document or as a PDF file.

If you're in Anguilla, you might like to stop off at the shelter to pay your dues and at the same time see some of our shelter puppies and kittens who are looking for their own forever homes.

If you aren't sure if your membership is current, please contact us. Please generate a pre-addressed email to the Membership Chairperson.

Volunteer Appreciation Event

Madeline Kelly hosted an appreciation party at her home for the yard sale volunteers. We had a lovely day with great food, drinks, and camaraderie. Thank you, Madeline, for your generosity!

In the photo from left to right are volunteers Karen Pearson, Nadine Moeschinger, Suzie Donahue, Sally Baumwell, and Bianca Vincken-Stapf.

Happy Tails

Fossie

Fossie (who was, at the time, going by the name of Poncho) arrived at the shelter in December right before the holidays. She was surrendered by her caretaker because her other dogs were not getting along with her and the caretaker was afraid Poncho might be hurt. She had been a stray that her owner had taken in and while she had been a part of her family for several months was just not fitting in.

Poncho seemed very confused & unhappy at the shelter, wearing a “what did I do wrong?” expression. Since the shelter was to be closed for a few days, it was decided to send her to a foster home for the holidays.

Poncho was very happy with seasoned foster parents Althea & Bob, as they searched for a forever home for her. And as luck would have it Sue and Jim arrived for their winter stay and they decided to take her to their home here for company and protection.

Of course they became the proverbial “Foster Failures”, falling hard for her, and when the grandchildren visited and the dog charmed them too, that was it. She was off to Michigan in May, somewhere acquiring her new name.

Spending the summer in Michigan doesn’t sound too difficult!. In fact, Sue and Jim report that Fossie is doing just great.

“She seems to love Michigan, whether in Traverse City or at the lake. All of the kids adore her, and she's very good with them. We let her run at the lake when there are no porcupines in the area! She loves running from one end of the beach to the other and amazingly stays within our waterfront boundary. She doesn't seem to like fresh water lakes any more than she liked the salt water of Anguilla! She'll splash along on the shore line, but we can't coax her into the water. She seems just as happy on her long lead, and basking in the sun.

"The timid dog that we adopted is no longer. She now alerts us with her bark when someone is at the door, and she loves riding in the car and will sleep patiently until we're finished running our errands.”

It•s• easy to see that Fossie has found a forever home filled with lots of love! Thank you Sue and Jim - we look forward to seeing her back here in Anguilla soon!

Support AARF in Style With Our New Bags!

Help Anguilla's dogs and cats and get a re-usable, sturdy and stylish bag for your next trip to the market.

The bags sprout the AARF logo in vibrant colors and have six large compartments which can be filled with a variety of bottled items, such as water, milk, juice, wine and liquor. They are also good for cans and, as you can see from the photo, are even versatile enough to handle the odd stalk of celery or head of lettuce! They are durable too -- anyone who has had a glass bottle fall out of a flimsy plastic bag (generally onto a tile floor) will want one of these.

Plus, when you buy an AARF bottle bag, not only are you helping AARF animals, you are helping the environment.

Every time you use your reusable bag, you save one or two plastic grocery bags from winding up in the dump, the ocean, or the salt ponds - where they take many years (centuries by some estimates) to degrade. Do your part for the birds, the marine life and the environment; buy and use these colorful new bags.

AARF Shelter Location

We are often asked how to find the AARF Shelter, when it's open and operating hours for the Morlens Veterinary Clinic.

The shelter is located inside Morlens Veterinary Clinic. From The Valley, take the Long Path road towards the East End. After passing Best Buy look for the the clinic on the right side of the road just before the Sandy Hill roundabout (the red dot in the upper right part of the graphic). If you go too far, just use the roundabout to turn around. If you do not have an animal to bring to the clinic, please park across the street to allow parking for people with emergencies and appointments (there is also a music studio attached to the building which shares the parking area).

The clinic is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. AARF shelter volunteers are on staff from 10-1, Mondays through Fridays.

On Saturday, the shelter is open from 9 a.m. to 11, and a volunteer usually works the same hours.

It's a good idea to call the AARF cell phone at (264) 497-2731 before coming out to verify someone is on duty, or to talk to about AARF-related issues. This phone has voicemail.

On a Lighter Note

You've reached the end of this newsletter. As a parting gift, we present you with one dog and one cat joke.

Beware of Dog

Upon entering a small country store, a stranger noticed a sign saying DANGER! BEWARE OF DOG! posted on the glass door. Inside, a harmless looking (and obviously very old) hound dog was asleep on the floor beside the cash register.

The stranger asked the store owner, Is that the dog folks are supposed to beware of?

Amused, the stranger inquired, That certainly doesn't look like a dangerous dog to me. Why in the world would you post that sign?

The owner responded, Because, before I posted that sign, people kept tripping over him.

AARF Newsletter

Volume 9, Issue 1

January - March 2009