Bad bloggers…

It looks like we here at HomeFinders are kinda poor at keeping up with the blog…but it’s really because we are so busy with the animals!

We have had a good couple of months as far as adoptions go.  Lots of cats in great homes, and some dogs too!

At any rate, we promise to be more diligent in our writing, and have some stories to tell that we will post in the coming days!

Thanks, as usual for all the support   here are some photos from the last month!

R.

Raffle Tix Avail Until MIDNITE Tonight!!

Alright, ladies and gentlemen!!  We are extending raffle ticket sales until midnight tonight – because of our great sponsors we have lots of FABULOUS prizes available and want to make sure everyone has the opportunity to enter!!  If you want a chance to win, you can buy your tickets via paypal! ***We can’t get the paypal button to imbed in this post, so if you are buying tickets, please go to http://homefinders.petfinder.org and click on the DONATE paypal button under the first paragraph on the page!! THANK YOU!!!**

Prizes available:

From Release the Hounds – a fabulous gift basket with a New to Clicker Training Start Up Kit AND a gift certificate for a 6 week training program for a total value of $210!

From Sugarlime Jewelry – “Dakota” Necklace and Earrings, “Jill” Necklace and Earrings, “Tamara” Earrings, and a “Meghan” Necklace for a total value of $214!

From Barking Babies – a gift basket complete with a waterproof, quilted back seat cover for when you have the pooch in the car, AND dog toys & treats!  Total value of $125

From Fashion Magazine – TWO one year subscriptions to FASHION Magazine, as well as a $50 gift certificate for a dinner out at Aqua Riva/Salmon House or Seasons in the Park – total value $140

From WOOF! – a great gift basket for YOU!  Wine, Purdy’s chocolate, crackers, tea and more!!!

From Three Dog Bakery – a gift basket for your favorite dog on your holiday gift list!  Including a gift mug & dog treat set, Gracie’s Gourmet entree, Peanut Butter Treats, a gift certificate and more!

From Point Grey Veterinary Clinic – a gift basket for the fab feline in your life!  Kitty kong wubba, some of the best toys and treats around!

From Making Memories with Scrapbooking – two $25 gift cards as well as a Class Membership Card!

…as well as some miscellanous prizes!!

Please send in your entries NOW so you have a chance to win!!  Besides being awesome, if you can’t use some of this stuff, it will make a GREAT GIFT!!

homefinderscanada@yahoo.ca

604-565-8874

Come See us Tomorrow!!!

We will have our final event of the holiday season tomorrow – the grande finale of HomeFinders Animal Rescue’s 3rd Annual Pet Photos with Santa, hosted by Release the Hounds in Vancouver!!

Details here – http://t.ca/INLL9iJ

Cannot wait to see you there, and don’t forget to bring your donations of used or new pet food or supplies for homeless animals in BC!!

Holiday Fundraiser!

Here’s the info (posters) for our upcoming Pet Photos with Santa Fundraisers!!   Feel free (and please do!) to print a copy of the posters and share them, or tweet, FB, xpost this blog entry!

Besides photos, we will have some baked goodies for you and your pets, raffle baskets to be won, and the option of photocards or gifts for holiday gifts!

We will also be collecting donations of unopened cat & dog food, kitty litter & litter boxes, collars, leashes, coats & sweaters for dogs, crates, kennels, carriers and pens of all sizes, toys, dishes, beds…whatever you think a pet may need!  These will be used for homeless pets; through our program and needy, unwanted pets in Northern BC where we will distribute what we collect.  We will accept donations at all our events (as well as monetary donations) and if you can’t make it please let us know – we will make other arrangements to get what you have to give!

Events:

November 27th and December 11th @ Release the Hounds;

November 28 @ Point Grey Veterinary Clinic;

December 5th  @ Woof Dog Shoppe;

There you have it!  With 3 locations & 4 dates to choose from we hope for a great turn out, and can’t wait to see you there!!

(and kittens will be there, too!)…

Gearing up!

I know it may seem early – but it’s just around the corner!

HomeFinders is getting ready for our 3rd annual Pet Photos with Santa Fundraiser – which is always a good time!!

Besides basic photos with Santa we have Christmas Card photo packages, as well as photo gifts available, and multiple raffle baskets full of GREAT stuff, baked goods for you and your pets, and usually some  adoptable pets in tow, too!!

We are super excited this year, as we will be having photos in three different locations thanks to the lovely owners of Point Grey Vet Clinic,  Release the Hounds (http://releasethehounds.ca), and Woof! (http://woofdogshoppe.com) on 4 separate dates just to make sure everyone has a chance to make it!!

We are ironing out the details, but the 1st two dates are set – Nov 27 and 28 – one in South Vancouver and the other in the Point Grey/UBC area – and more details to come!!

Details posted on our facebook page events listing!! http://www.facebook.com/pages/HomeFinders-Animal-Rescue-Society/167688773241597?v=wall

Please x-post and share this and help make this holiday season spectacular for the 30 pets we currently have in care!!  Stay tuned for more details!!

The Kitty Condos!

Here’s a quick phone-post on my way from work to Clicker-Class with Queen Sophie!  Without further ado, I present the kitty condos!  (Currently housing Aster, Fluffy, August, Natasha and Malia – - Jenny went to a foster home last night, and the kitten cage set up in my living room with beautiful Miss Lily – although you can’t see her in this photo, ‘cos she is on strike and hiding!)

(Natasha and Malia flew down yesterday morning – Tash is on the left, Malia on the right)

(Aster, Jenny, August and Fluffy flew down on Sunday morning.  In this photo, Aster is on the left and the other 3 are together on the right)

(Lily got dropped off on Sunday, and is super-scared…but making progress…she no longer has her carrier in the cage and is starting to check stuff out.)

(this is what Lily looks like – from when she was up North.  Hopefully we will be able to “tame” her and she will eventually find a great home!  What a pretty girl.)

That’s it for now, but expect plenty of updates coming up soon as we have a tonne of stuff going on!!

Thanks again to the folks at Extra Hands for building the condos!! (link in previous post – check them out!!) – we still owe a few hundred $ towards the materials for the condos, if you would like to donate please visit http://homefinders.petfinder.org and click on the “donate” button under the first paragraph!!

~R.

New ‘Stuff

Its been a long couple of weeks here at HomeFinders, but hopefully things are calming down and will be slow (or fast – we need homes!!!) and steady in the next little while!

A few updates!  First, we have our kitty condos completed an are flying the last 2 cats from Smithers tomorrow!!  NO cats had to be put down, we did it & although there’s still a lot of work ahead, the cats are safe, warm and housed!  Only 6 had to be brought here to stay in the condos and we are SO happy with the contacts we’ve made!

The condos are 4-levels each, 6′ ish? Tall and comfy.  Thanks to Chris and Shanna @ Extra Hands for building these!! (http://extrahandsvancouver.weebly.com/) – I will get some photos up tomorrow!

August, Aster, Jenny and Fluffy are currently settling into their new luxury accommodations and not too upset from their big day!!

Miss Lily came back to us as she just wasn’t socializing with her family in her new home.  She is now again looking for a great home and we are sure she will make great progress now without her brother!

Patches and Simba came down and are settled in beautifully in their foster home.  They are lovely affectionate boys!!

We had an adoption event at Release the Hounds (http://releasethehounds.ca) and met some great people and thank you so much to the owners, Niki and Josh, for their ongoing support!!  We will have some Christmas photo fundraising dates there at the end of next month/beginning of December!

We had another event at Woof Dog Shoppe (http://www.woofdogshoppe.com/) in Kits, thank you to everyone who came by and we look forward to doing it again!!  

Sophie is well, making progress and going to classes at Release the Hounds.  We are sure she will make a great companion for the right person, especially if they have other dogs (she loves!) and kids (she adores!) – she will take or leave the adults

We received our certificate of incorporation, yay!  This means we are incorporated as a not for profit society in BC.  We are finishing up our paperwork for charitable status, which is fabulous and exciting!!

We still need sponsors!  We have outstanding $$ towards the materials for the kitty condos, vet bills, and Sophie’s training.  We also have 3 going in to be fixed in the next week, and Diablo had his big day about a week ago!!  It all adds up and we could really use the support!!  You can donate via paypal – go to our site @ http://homefinders.petfinder.org and under the first paragraph is a “donate” button!!  Every dollar helps!!  Donations can also be made directly to Point Grey Veterinary Clinic 604-228-9633 on the HomeFinders account via credit card, or by mail - 
6207 Fleming St
Vancouver, BC
V5P 3G7

Thank you and HAPPY THANKSGIVING! To everyone!!  We certainly have a lot to be thankful for and appreciate you all!!!!

Loki, also known as FAT would like to say Happy Thnxgiving & he would really like a home!  (maybe with his bitsy sister Nix aka Dot!)

Adoption event!

So, as we mentioned before, we *are* taking part in the http://petfinder.com “Adopt-A-Less-Adoptable-Pet Week” with a fun adoption/fundraising event hosted by the lovely folks at Release The Hounds (http://releasethehounds.ca) this Saturday, the 25th at the Grand Opening of their beautiful new training facility!

For our part, we will be there to answer any questions, take donations (both $ to sponsor pets flying from Northern BC, $ to sponsor Ms. Sophie the puggles training, and $ towards our outstanding (+upcoming!) veterinary bills which are currently over $1000!) as well as donations of pet food, supplies (especially large crates, etc) will be gratefully accepted!

We will have the ever fabulous Cosmo, and the siblings Slim, Lurk & Zorro there for your entertainment/maybe to find a home?! – and they are excited about it, too!

We will have photos & profiles of all the kitties currently in Vancouver waiting for adoption, as well as those who *need* sponsorship to fly down as soon as possible!  Adoption and fostering information and applications will be available, as will info on who we are, what we do and why!  

We are really excited for this opportunity to network with some new people and make some new friends, and hope to have a great turn out!!

That’s Cosmo – he’s sorry he’s sideways, but promises to be right-side-up (whatever that might be!) on Saturday!

Release the Hounds will have training demos, information on their services and lots of great pet stuff, as well as cute dogs to meet!!  We highly recommend RTH’s group dog walks for your bored pup – its one of Dakotas favourite things!

Location: 119-408 East Kent Aveue South in Vancouver, BC (this is between Fraser & Main, south of Marine Drive!)
10am – 5pm on Saturday, September 25/10

It’s Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week!

…and we’re taking part!

You may wonder what *is* considered a “less-adoptable” pet – this varies, but I will give you an idea;

Big black cats and big black dogs; black and white cats big or small, senior cats & dogs, special needs (think! – special diet, deaf, blind, diabetic, needs medication, etc) pets, pets with behavioural problems (or not problems – in my opinion a shy, under-socialized kitty doesn’t have a “behavior” problem – its a pet who needs that extra bit of time, of love, or patience – and that is the pet who may reward you so much more than the happy bouncing kitten!), kitties and dogs who don’t have a special breed (its just a DSH, you know!) and pets who are no longer babies.

I find that teenage kitties get the short end of the stick.  Yes, they can be challenging, but as I’ve said before – its pretty awesome, adorable, inspiring to see a nine month old cat who has never played in a house before, re-learn that kitten behaviour!  Its a whole new world and for kitty – its kind of awesome!

Teenage cats are at an awkward age, apparently.  They are no longer (in some eyes, not mine!) kittens, they don’t have that adorable baby-kitten look to them, and it seems there’s a huge divide; those wanting a kitten under 5 months old vs those wanting a calm, adult cat.  And these 6 month – 1.5 year old cats apparently don’t fit in!

But I can tell you a few secrets…

The teenaged kitten is loving & affectionate and has time to be that way!  It’s also playful, crazy and fun to watch or play with – cos these teens will play for a looong time!  They know what’s what with the litter box (and trust me!!  Not all “baby” kittens ‘come litter trained’!  They are still learning and make more mistakes!).

All in all – in my opinion, teenaged kittens are some of the best choices!  If you are considering a new kitty in the near future, check out some local teens (and you will find them!) and see how spunky, fun and kitten-like they can be!

Some of our teenaged “less-adoptable” kitties…

Slim, Zorro and Lurk, pictured above, I’ve written about before; they were born Dec 23/09 and are part of a group of 35 cats we are homing from Northern BC!  They are wonderful little boys.

There’s also Caleb, Colton and Cara (also from Northern BC) – another group of almost-one year olds!  They are sweet and good and like to play!

Moxie & Patch, seen above, are another pair of siblings; Moxie has beautiful, unique eyes!  These two are quite shy but just need some time & patience to show their true colours!

And this is Mr. Cosmo, a gorgeous almost-1 kitty.  His brother was just adopted (yay Orion!) and Cosmo doesn’t understand why he got left behind?!  He is a huge snuggle bug that was bottle fed as a wee one, and he gets on well with the other cats at his foster home, too!

And handsome Friday is loved by everyone…hes a frolicky, lovey, sweet boy who came out of his kennel playing right after his flight!

There’s also Isla and Frankie, and Franklin who Hilary posted about yesterday.  All these cats need a chance to be cats and all of them have spent their entire kitten hood in a shelter rather than in a home.  So if you are thinking of adopting, consider the teenagers of the kitty world for an enjoyable, emotionally rewarding experience!!  We are also in need of more foster homes.

All these babies have info on our petfinder site at http://homefinders.petfinder.org where you can also find out more about our rescue, some of our fantastic adult cats looking for homes, and more.  Check the recent news for info on donations – we desperately need sponsorship for all the kitties that still need to come down from Northern BC!  There’s 13 in need and we have only one sponsor so far!  Its $70 to fly them but any amount will help!  We are in the process of applying for charitable status and may be able to provide donation rec’ts if needed.

Don’t forget to check us out on Twitter (@hfanimalrescue) and facebook (search for HomeFinders Animal Rescue) and spread the word during Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week and help us all make a difference!!

To Franklin with love…

Franklin.. oh where do I begin..
My baby Frank.. he is just over a year old, he has been with us since he was a baby, his brother got adopted right away.. but Frank? Frank has a fear of all things human.. we did a trial adoption with him.. he failed miserably.. he was so terrified he peed himself and started leaping up the walls like a trapped wild animal.. when he first moved in with me just after that.. he tried to ” wait for death” in my attic .. we took apart the floorboards in the attic for two days.. Suzana, who had been fostering him since kittenhood came over and eventually coaxed him out.. after some renovations.. the upstairs is now ” frank proof” .. so Frank started waking me up at 3am and scream for hours running away from me.. it took about four days.. I spent hours with treats, food, toys, rolling around on the floor trying to help him see I only wanted to help him.. finally.. one night I woke up and Frank was on the bed, chirping and purring, rubbing all over me and the other cats.. I started him on an l- theanine supplement.. and slowly.. he started to trust me..
Frank was never abused, Franks parents were feral, some ferals no matter how young they are caught, no matter what you do, they are just born with a mistrust of people..
te thing I LOVE about these cats, about Frank is the unique personalities that come out when they do start to trust.. quirkly, lovable, silly kittens.. Frank serenades me with very quiet little chirps.. the terror in his eyes has been replaced with love.. it’s worth it, it’s so worth it to put the time, the love, the patience.. Frank has already touched a lot of lives, He has brought me to tears ( of relief and happiness) more times than I care to admit..
Frank, Sophie, animals that have had a lot to overcome, watching them learn to trust, learn to be dogs and cats again, instead of shaking, fearful creatures.. it’s the most amazing feeling, it’s worth the countless hours, the tears and blood and sweat, the dollars, without questions..
so thankyou, thankyou all you wonderful people out there that help us to be able to do what we do..
now.. let’s find Frankie a home!!