BFF's

Double Trouble

As it happens, our neighbors have a dog that looks a lot like Shiloh. They are close in age, and during the snow days they have had a lot of play time. Since there is literally no traffic on our street right now, the dogs have enjoyed their freedom and taken full advantage of the situation. Like a couple of little kids enjoying a day off from school, Trixie will show up in our front yard looking for Shiloh, and Shiloh does the same at her house.

Snow day + new neighbor friend = double the the trouble, double the fun!

The dog was created specially for children. He is a god of frolic.

Henry Ward Beecher.

Travlin' Man

We first told the story of this Golden Oldie here, and are happy to report he is leaving for rescue today. "Smiley" has been the perfect guest at Angels of Assisi. We are in love with his limpy walk, bow legs, and the way he completely cocks his head to the side when he looks at us. A very special thank you to the folks at GRREAT for making this possible.


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XXV Felines

Yesterday we heard of a group of 25 cats that arrived together at the Regional Center for Animal Control and Protection in Roanoke (RCACP**).

Dr. Spangler, Director of Angels of Assisi, went over first thing this morning and evaluated the cats and made arrangements for many of them to be transferred to our adoption center. This afternoon, fifteen cats arrived dirty and scared, but very trusting and accepting of the new change in their lives. They have started a round of antibiotics and we expect them to be feeling better very soon.

The remaining cats have stayed at the RCACP because they have a form of feline leukemia. While this disease cannot be transmitted to humans, it can be transmitted to other cats. Normally a feline leukemia cat would have to be put to sleep in a shelter environment. Fortunately, a few phone calls found a rescue in Northern Virginia that has a special place in their facility and in their hearts for these special creatures. The cats will come to Angels of Assisi to receive their shots and any needed antibiotics, and we hope to have them transported by this weekend.

Those that remain will be up for adoption soon. Many of them are older cats, but very sweet. They have adopted us as their new caretakers already, and rub against us and beg for an ear rub. While trying to hear heart and lung sounds on one kitty named Puddin', Dr. Spangler could barely hear through her stethoscope for all the purring.

No senior pet that has been part of a family deserves to die in a shelter. These kitties will be ready for adoption soon. Meanwhile we appreciate any and all donations towards their care. It is because of the support of our volunteers and supporters that make rescues like this one possible. Thank you.

Tigger demanding an good ol' ear scratch before he gets his shots.

Tigger again.

Corky waiting patiently for her turn.

We will keep you posted on their progress.

Once again, thank you for helping save the needy pets in our community!

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**We often get asked who the RCACP is. Per their website: "The Regional Center for Animal Control and Protection serves the City of Roanoke, the Counties of Botetourt and Roanoke, and the Town of Vinton, and is an “open intake facility”. The Regional Center primarily handles stray animals picked up by the Animal Control Officers employed by the municipalities, but also accepts strays found, and animals owned, by citizens of the municipalities".

The RCACP is located on the same property as the Roanoke Valley SPCA. The SPCA is an adoption and education center that takes some animals from the RCACP. However, last year over 4000 pets were euthanized in Roanoke. As a community, we need to address this problem. We find it completely unacceptable that nice, elderly cats like the ones above- who were once part of a family that gave and received love- who all have names including Puddin', Momma, Roscoe, Pepe and Reggie- were faced with euthanasia yesterday.

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Window Seat

This window basically belongs to our Cocker Spaniel, Jessie. When we leave the house, she has her nose smooshed up against the glass, sadly watching us. When we return, she is in the same place, waiting patiently, and happy to welcome us home.

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Meatless Mondays

We could do a lot of good for this planet we call home by cutting out meat- even for one day a week.

Next time you are at Kroger or any grocery store, check out the Quorn Chik'n patties- they are awesome! Used in a sandwhich or by themselves, it's hard to tell they are not real meat.

Here is a helpful recipe to try:

Chik'n Patties with Creamy Lemon Dill Sauce


1/4 cup light mayonnaise

1/4 cup low-fat sour cream

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. dried dill

Salt & pepper to taste

4 Quorn patties, cooked

4 whole grain sandwich rolls

Lettuce and sliced, ripe avocado, as needed
Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, mustard and dill in a small bowl. Mix well. Season with salt & pepper. Place each patty on a roll. Top with desired amount of sauce, lettuce and avocado.



Bon appétit!

On the Mend

Little Duke found the foster of all foster homes last week. His new family fell in love with him at first site, and sponsored a very (very!) expensive surgery for his broken leg.

We are happy to report he is on the mend, and even gets to go to work with his new mom!


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GRREAT- Living Up to Their Name

Last week we posted the below photo of this special boy at the Regional Center for Animal Control and Protection in Roanoke. Being a senior citizen, his chances for adoption were very slim, and he was not eligible for adoption at the SPCA. However, as we have learned time after time, where there is a will, there is a way!

We are fortunate to have contacts with a rescue group called GRREAT (Golden Retriever Rescue Education, and Training).

One email about the old Golden was all it took for them to get the wheels in motion.

The first response from intake coordinator, Mary, was "we have no age or health restrictions on bringing dogs in, so that's not a concern." The second response was asking for whatever information we could provide so they could admit him into their rescue. The third was arranging transport to his new foster home.

The old guy is getting picked up from the Regional Center for Animal Control and Protection today, and will stay at Angels of Assisi until he goes to his new foster home.

To the kind folks at GRREAT- we send our sincerest appreciation for saving another life. Thank you for being there, for your very fast email responses, and for seeing past his white face and stiff joints.

To you, old Golden boy- we know you may not be young and full of energy, but anyone can see the love and spirit behind those sparkly eyes. Have yourself a good last chapter in life, buddy. Can't wait to hear what your new name will be.

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Awesome!

Watch more National Geographic Channel videos on AOL Video

Foster Homes Needed

There is a senior Golden Retriever at the Regional Center for Animal Control & Protection that we are trying to find a foster/permanent home for. No elderly dog deserves to die at a pound. If you would like to meet him, the RCACP is located right next to the Roanoke Valley SPCA on Baldwin Avenue. We only have a few days left.

We also need a foster home for Duke, shown below. He will need 6-8 weeks of limited activity and pain meds while his broken leg heals.

If you can help with either dog, please contact us. Thank you!!

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Craig County’s ‘Angel’ of Assisi

Angels in Action- click here for the story of Kathy Sowers of Craig County. Kathy is a wonderful person, and we appreciate her dedication to the pets and people in her community. Thank you!!

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An Undeniable Spirit

Nautica was rescued from the Regional Center for Animal Control and Protection a few days ago. (You can read about that here). When we talked to the staff about transferring her to Angels of Assisi, they said she was on the list to be euthanized that day. However, because of her gentle and sweet nature, they had been putting it off, and for that we are grateful.

The photos below show the problem with her leg, and we are working to find a Vet who can recommend the best treatment. Meanwhile, her bad leg does not slow her down one bit. She is able to take stairs in a single bound, and walks well on a leash. Nautica is a happy and sweet girl, and enjoys every bit of attention she receives. When she is in her crate and thinks someone is coming to visit, she wiggles all over- almost like she wants to bust out and jump all over you, but she knows better and is trying with all her might to restrain herself.

We appreciate the support of our donors and volunteers, and will keep you posted on her progress. Because of you, we are able to take difficult cases like Nautica, and look for another happy ending. She certainly deserves one!

"It was like just meeting you made his day. He quivered with excitement. Rolled over in submission. Nuzzled up so's the warmth of his body came soothing to your heart through the skin of your ankle. So you picked him up. That's the way with love. It's contagious".
 -- Bill Tarrant (from 'Hey Pup, Fetch It Up')

More Shiloh

Shiloh will be happy when we all go back to work on Monday and stop tormenting her, and she probably wishes we would get a real hobby.

I was reviewing some tricks with her, and she ended up in the chair with the scarf my mother-in-law gave me a few holidays ago. While working on the "sit" and "stay" commands, our other dog, Jessie, wandered by. Shiloh LOVES Jessie, and follows her, jumps on her, smacks her with her front paws, noses her when she is sleeping, and tries to herd her in whatever direction Shiloh thinks they should be going.

Jessie responds the same way to each and every display of affection- by turning her head in the opposite direction of Shiloh. I think Jessie believes that if she refuses to acknowledge her presence, Shiloh may disappear one day and we can all go back to a quiet household with intact roles of toilet paper.

Sorry, Jess, she is here to stay.

Shiloh

Heart Check

This little guy has a heart murmer and needs to go to Virginia Tech for an evaluation and heart test. The cost of the visit will cost between $250 - $350.

If you can donate towards his care, please go to http://www.angelsofassisi.org/info/donate and click the Pay Pal button. Please note "Medical Fund" in the subject area and any extra money will go towards the medical care of others in the adoption center.

Thank you!

The Face of Statistics

I heard from a good friend that there was an old beagle at the Regional Center for Animal Control and Protection in Roanoke. A call to the center confirmed he was still there, and as it happened we had an empty run at Angels of Assisi, and I had the afternoon off from my real job. The sun, moon and stars all seemed to point in the direction that he come to our adoption center, so off I went to pick him up.

Arriving at the center, I knew in the back of my mind that I was going to ask to see all the dogs. However when I opened my mouth and the words tumbled out “Mind if I go back and take a look through?” I wanted to suck them back in. How do you prepare yourself to look into the eyes of an animal that may be dead next week, or tomorrow? How do you chose who goes, who stays?

The kennel attendant arrived to walk me through, and she told me the stories of some, while we looked at the cards on others. Each dog was excited to see us, and 99% of them were friendly, licking my hand through the gates. First a beautiful German Shepard- his 85 year old owner went to a nursing home. A black lab- found roaming the streets. Others were the victims of family allergies, lost homes, and new babies. Some had absolutely no known history at all.

The tour came to an end, and I collected the beagle I came for. He was older, very overweight, dirty, and shedding copious amounts of hair. He was barking non-stop- almost sounding like a seal on steroids. Actually he may look a little like that too. We left the center and he immediately stopped barking, and went potty outside; I think he had been holding it for a while. He looked up at me and grinned, then jumped into the car. He stuck his nose out the window and enjoyed every minute of the ride to Angels of Assisi. Once there, we discovered he knows his name (Marley). He knows how to sit and lay down. If you start to pet him he immediately rolls over so you can scratch his belly. We put him in a crate where he could see everyone in the adoption center, and he did not bark. He wagged his tail and watched every move we made, and was delighted if we stopped to give him a pat. To summarize, he is awesome.


Today we will be getting 3 more dogs from the RCACP- a black lab who was not socialized the first year of his life, a white pit mix with a huge heart and a deformed and dangling right front leg, and another beautiful pit that belonged to a soldier who was deployed to Iraq. I wish we could get word to him that his dog is safe.

Last year in Roanoke alone over 4000 homeless pets were killed. Over 4000. The lost yet hopeful souls between the metal kennel bars and concrete dividers are living, breathing, sentient beings. As puppies they played and were carefree; some may have known the happiness of being part of a family, sleeping in someone’s bed, and chewing bones. Others may not know anything about that- we have 2 dogs at Assisi now who spent their entire lives tied up outside to a tree. These dogs deserve a family too.


I am not blaming the Regional Center for Animal Control and Protection. This is a community issue, and it is up to us to make a change. First off, let’s not shy away from the magnitude of the problem that over 4000 pets were killed in Roanoke last year. You can visit the ones awaiting their fate at 1510 Baldwin Avenue. They exist and live about 10 minutes from downtown Roanoke. They have warm brown eyes, wet noses, and wagging tails. Many have pretty collars on, some have scars from old collars that were too tight and dug in their skin. They all have leashes hanging on the outside of their kennels in case someone wants to take them out.


Encourage your neighbors, friends and co-workers to spay and neuter their pets. Choose an animal to promote for adoption. Try fostering- it opens up room at the adoption center and allows another animal to be saved.


Most importantly, we all have individual strengths and ways to contribute; we have seen this in our network of photographers, foster homes, transporters, PR folks, feral cat caretakers, dog walkers and email warriors. Recognizing and channeling our talents and passions in the right direction can make an extraordinary difference in our community, and I think we can do it.



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Tanner Goes Home

Tanner (pictured on the left) was rescued from the Danville Animal Shelter about a month ago by our wonderful friend and dog trainer Melanie Schlaginhaufen. She worked with Tanner and found that he was a very sweet dog, and learned quickly. He went to his forever home over the weekend, and seemed really happy with his new beagle sister, Katie.

We appreciate Melanie and all our foster homes very much. Dogs and cats that go from a foster home to their forever homes have a much easier time adapting as they are used to being in a house and with other people and pets. Thank you!

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Yankee Dogs

Last Wednesday evening, Ellie and Daytona left for New Hampshire to the Cocheco Valley Humane Society for a new start in life. They traveled overnight with 8 dogs from the Franklin County Animal Shelter in a snazzy van rented especially for the trip. The Cocheco Valley Humane Society has a wonderful reputation for working with people to place hound dogs as family pets. A great big thank you to Anita Scott for her relentless pursuit of finding homes for the pets in her community and ours.

Ellie and Daytona, we wish you a new life of happiness in your new northern digs.


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Group working to raise reward after puppy is found in Giles Co. dumpster | WSLS 10

Group working to raise reward after puppy is found in Giles Co. dumpster WSLS 10

Our hearts go out to all those in Haiti, both people and animals. Wishing you all the peace and comfort there is...

Pretty Darn Cool

A Home for Annie

Annie was originally rescued from Hurricane Katrina. Since arriving in Roanoke in the fall of 2005, she has endured a bout of heartworm treatment, a dog attack, and years of waiting for a family. She has also had a group of volunteers who never gave up on her, even though she would have been deemed un-adoptable by many.

Annie started her new chapter in life last Sunday. At exactly 2 pm, when the adoption center doors opened, her new owner Joe was there waiting for her. Joe had met Annie the day before at the Roanoke Home Show, and spent Saturday night getting ready for her. So far things are going well, and we are eternally grateful to Joe for seeing the wonderful, loving dog behind the baggage that many others could get not around. We wish them well in their journey together.



When the world says, "Give up," hope whispers, "Try it one more time. ~

Empty Cages

"Being kind to animals is not enough. Avoiding cruelty is not enough. Housing animals in more comfortable, larger cages is not enough. Whether we exploit animals to eat, to wear, to entertain us, or to learn, the truth of animal rights requires empty cages, not larger cages"

Tom Reagen

A Very Good Boy

Nicholas came from a local shelter as the result of one of those late night emails- "Angels of Assisi, pleeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaasssssssseeeeen can you take this boy?"  Attached to the email was the photo below, and arrangements were made for transport.

Nicholas is a very good dog. He has some trouble seeing, and will occasionally bump into something, but we think that makes him even more precious. He also has the biggest feet!

Nicholas made his debut at the Roanoke Home and Garden Show over the weekend, and had a blast. After a training session, a long walk, and meeting lots of new people, he was very content to sit in Norm's lap and take a much needed nap.

Nicholas is ready for adoption! You may visit him anyday between 2-6 pm ♥

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Her True Colors are Shining Through

We first posted about Dianna here, and are happy to report that she is doing very well. Her coat is coming back, and she has put some weight like we hoped and expected she would.

What we did not expect was the extraordinary spirit of Dianna. Yes, we knew she was very sweet, but as she has started feeling better physically, her personality has come out more and more. Despite her background, "breed", and less that ideal situation living in the adoption center, Dianna is gentle, smart, and a true lady.

She is pictured below with her friend, Sophia.

Dianna is ready for adoption! You may visit her here or at the adoption center anyday between 2-6 pm.

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