Mews & Pupdates - March, 2019
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In Like a Lion. . . Out Like a Lamb
(We Hope)
W
hile we may all wish to forget about the recent snow storms (especially some of you still waiting for the white stuff to melt off your property), I wanted to share that we had a heck of a time caring for the 100 or so animals we had onsite during the storms.
We did not have the choice to stay home and off the roads as we
had to reach the animals for their daily feeding, watering, cleaning and comfort. Additionally, most of our staff lives on the west end of Port Angeles and travel over Morris creek, which was closed for a period of time, let alone very dangerous.
Our employees, who do not have 4-wheel drive vehicles, could not make it out and/or through snow-covered roads or into the shelter via our long driveway. One day
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only one staff member made it in to care for 50 dogs and two
staff members
for
all
the cats. It was a very long and stressful day for these devoted employees who almost had to spend the night at the shelter.
Emergency preparedness has been a personal agenda of mine. Prior to our storms, I reached out to the other animal agencies in the area. We came together in January, along with the Clallam County Sheriff's Emergency Management Unit and formed the Local Area Rescue Group (LARG). Our goal: to put a comprehensive and formalized plan together for animal care in the case of a large scale emergency. Additionally, if there is a major emergency, we need consistent procedures and proper volunteer training in place.
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I admit I expected large scale emergencies to be more along the lines of fire, earthquake – you know, “the big one”, as opposed to the white, wet kind! I anticipate that in the case of a large emergency, OPHS could receive anywhere from 25% to 40% influx of strays, lost and/or hurt animals. These figures are strictly an estimate, but very possible as we have contracts with the County and the cities of Port Angeles and Sequim. And, we have a full-time vet and part-time vet tech on staff with our shelter being large and conveniently located between Sequim and Port Angeles. Additionally, OPHS has initiated a Veterinarian Advisory Committee that will be meeting quarterly starting this month. I hope they will be involved and help us in an emergency and with this plan as well.
At OPHS, water, extra food, large generators and extra pet crates are our biggest areas of need for us to be prepared. And, storing food and water for 150+ animals for a month is very problematic as well. We need large shipping containers at the very least.
And, let’s not forget about the staff. If they are stranded we need emergency supplies for them to stay in place, as well as well-stocked emergency kits and non-perishable food.
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One thing the LARG group recognized is the need for local trained citizen involvement. If staff can’t get into the shelter, are there people who live nearby willing and able to help? At OPHS, we have been lucky that there are a
few people from a local
neighborhood emergency group willing to come in and be trained. This training will take place shortly. Please let me know if you would like to be on our emergency help list and what you may be able to bring to the table (
i.e. tractors, plows, saws, water resources, etc.)
As always, thanks for your support. I wish you all a safe, and
soon to be warm and wonderful Spring!
Luanne Hinkle
Executive Director
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It's Time!
Look for your Meowgaritas & Mutts invitation in the mail soon or you can get your tickets online, now!
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S
ince OPHS is an open intake shelter, we take every domestic animal that comes to our door. It doesn’t matter what condition the animal is in or what the animal’s background may be, every dog and cat will always have a safe place to stay with OPHS. Churchill the cat is a perfect example of that philosophy.
Churchill first came to us in a trap. Citizens often bring us “trapped” cats that have been caught on their property. Usually, these are feral cats or cats that are somehow causing a nuisance on the person’s property. Sometimes, though, traps are set for cats that need medical help.
One look at Churchill in the trap and you could see this all-gray boy desperately needed our help. He was a full-grown adult cat (estimated to be about 3 or 4 years old), but he was wearing a flea collar that was sized for a young kitten. The chemicals and the pressure from the collar had irritated and burned the skin off around his neck. What was left was a circumferential infected wound about 2 cm wide all the way around where the collar touched his skin.
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We sedated Churchill so we could cut off the collar clean his neck (we also took the time to neuter him while he was asleep!). Once the collar was removed we
could see there was evidence that this cat
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had been dealing with this situation for quite some time. It had likely been many months of discomfort for Churchill. As much as Churchill’s body tried to heal the wound, the presence of the collar made any attempt impossible.
This chronic stress and discomfort surely had an impact on Churchill’s overall health – he was noticeably underweight and moderately dehydrated upon examination. With time and medication, this beautiful gray boy began to heal.
In addition to his physical wounds, we found Churchill had some emotional wounds that needed treatment as well. He was very timid with people and it took him several meetings to open up and enjoy attention and affection. Even to this day he is still reserved with new people, but with his best friends he will show off his sweet and happy side with a few head butts, a loud purr, and plenty of biscuit making.
Churchill’s wounds have now healed completely and all that’s left from his struggles is a thin scar. We will likely never know how that flea collar got on his neck, or why it was placed so tight. If there was an identifiable owner involved, there would be some cruelty charges to consider. But, with a stray cat, there is not much we can do to hold someone accountable for the condition of the animal.
Despite it all, Churchill is ready to put the past behind him and move on with his life. He is resting comfortably at the shelter and is currently trying to find a home where he will be a cherished member of the family!
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The OPHS shelter is open to the public:
Monday: 11 am to 6:30 pm
Tuesday: 11 am to 6:30 pm
Wednesday: Closed
Thursday: 11 am to 6:30 pm
Friday: 11 am to 6:30 pm
Saturday: 11 am to 6:30 pm
Sunday: Closed
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