PACIFIC ANIMAL FOUNDATION

JUNE 2020 E-NEWSLETTER

Hello Everyone:

Despite lockdown measures and social distancing which have been with us for several months, PAF has continued to be busy on the front lines.  We thought you'd like to see what we've been doing and bring you up-to-date with a few of our stories and photos.  Our wonderful veterinary partners continue to help us and we thank them so much !

GHOST

It's not Halloween time yet but, for this little guy, it's ALWAYS going to be “Halloween” time ! You'll see why when you see his photos !

Little one was barely 5 months old when we heard his story. He was surrendered by his family to Apollo Animal Hospital  (https://apollovetsinsurrey.com) in Surrey. He had some health challenges that the family was not able to manage.  He needed some long term treatment to get back to optimum health.

Dr. Renu Sood contacted us to see if our group could assist. She was willing to do the veterinary work at a generous discount to us and was hoping we could then find a new, loving home for the little guy. It was a win-win option for Ghost ! The vet staff quickly fell in love with him and he became a favourite with them because he was so cute and friendly.

This was right at the start of the initial lockdown in BC and we wondered if people were still adopting but Minna, one of our volunteers, called to say a good friend of hers was hoping to adopt. She gave him a high recommendation and his application for adoption was wonderful.

We put Mark in touch with Dr. Renu and it was 'love at first sight' for Mark and Ghost !  Dr. Renu phoned us to say she was impressed with Mark's kindness and was thrilled that Ghost had such a responsible caregiver who would be attentive to his needs.  Mark promised to bring Ghost back for the occasional visit to see the staff.

Unfortunately, one of Ghost's health issues didn't clear up with eye drops as we hoped and Mark consulted again with Dr. Renu.  Surgery was required so little Ghost recently had eye surgery and is currently recovering.  Again, Dr. Renu told us how gentle and kind Mark was during all of this.

Mark made us laugh when he told us it seemed appropriate that little Ghost had some stitches because Mark too, had had his own fair share of stitches when he was drafted into the NHL.  Now they shared that common bond!

BUT . . . through this adoption we have discovered a big secret that the NHL doesn't want uncovered!  We now KNOW how to stop the teams fighting in the rink!!  When two big bruisers are tearing down the ice at each other ready to share punches, all we have to do is point and shout . . . “THERE'S A PUSSYCAT IN TROUBLE OVER THERE” and we bet those big tough guys with their softy hearts will forget their scrap and go racing away to find the poor pussycat – LOL !!

See photos of little Ghost here

A STORY OF COURAGE . . COMMITMENT . . . and CATS

Taylor wanted us to share this story with you. Here it is, in her own words . . written on June 8^th, 2020

Hi Friends,

For my birthday will you help support Pacific Animal Foundation (PAF) and our work with feral cats by making a tax deductible donation?

Let me tell you a story of how and where your donation helps today. As most of you know I am very compassionate about cats and always have had an unexplainable connection to them. It was a natural for me to become a volunteer with PAF many years ago and advocate for them.

I turned 60 today and feel stronger and more alive than I have in many years. No secret elixir or mystical spell, just a long over due, honest and open conversation with myself. I had been hiding a secret for far too long and it caught up with me, mind and body. Now I am sharing my story.

Hi my name is Taylor and I am an alcoholic. It is a very cunning and baffling disease that took a strong hold of me in my early 50’s. In February of 2020, I decided to dive head first into a recovery program. The centre I choose to spend 30 days is called the Aurora Recovery Centre in Gimli, Manitoba. When we drove up to the centre I saw cats. Many cats. I soon found out they had a colony of feral cats they were taking care of. Yep. I had to help.

They had just began to put a TNR (trap/neuter/return) program into place when I arrived. Within a few days the “Cat Team at Aurora” had trapped 2 females and 1 male. Then the Coronavirus arrived and the vet clinics closed. The plan was put on hold till recently. They were able to trap 3 more cats and return them back. There are still about 10 more to be spayed or neutered but I am so proud of the team and the care they give the Aurora Cats.

Pacific Animal Foundation is generously paying for all the Aurora cats to be spayed, neutered, vaccinated and tattooed. There was a reason I choose that particular Centre, not only for the incredible program, but to help the cats.

I have attached a link about “The Cat Colony at Aurora”. I hope you read it.

Please donate so we can continue to help the feral cats at Aurora Recovery Centre.
Thank you and, Yes It is a Great day to be Sober!

https://mailchi.mp/aurorarecoverycentre/cat-colony

** Taylor has been one of our core volunteers since 2005 and we love her and wish her all the very best. And we also wish to thank Gimli Veterinary Services for their kind assistance with the feral cats at Aurora.  https://www.gimliveterinaryservices.com/

You can see photos of the Aurora cats here.

INTRODUCING PROGRESSIVE NON-ANIMAL RESEARCH SOCIETY

A new society launching in Canada this week seeks to provide current, up-to-date information on urgent and effective alternatives to the use of animals in biomedical research.

Founding of the Progressive Non-animal Research Society (PNARS) comes at a vital turning point for the research community, especially in light of the recent world-wide covid-19 pandemic.

This is a community-based grassroots organization that has as its focus, the development and validation of human-based research and the implementation of the latest pioneering techniques, such as human cell-based models, 3D printers, and organs-on-a-chip, over the use of animal models.

The PNARS website will be regularly updated with leading-edge breakthroughs in technology and treatment and is designed to serve as a positive resource for students, practitioners and journalists .

To view the new website, click here

FACE MASKS . . . AND, SURPRISE . . CATS !

We first met Margo last December at a Christmas gathering of the ADAV Society (http://adavsociety.org/ ). Margo lives just outside Winnipeg but was visiting BC and someone mentioned Margo's work trying to help stray and barn cats in Manitoba.

That introduction led us to touch base with Margo when she returned to Winnipeg and we agreed to help sponsor some TNR.  It was the dead of winter there and we had to wait a couple of months before the weather warmed up a bit before trapping.

In the Spring, Margo was alerted to a big black and white kitty roaming around and it was confirmed by locals that kitty had been surviving for 7 or 8 years on the streets!

Margo then introduced PAF to a wonderful veterinary hospital named Winkler Veterinary Clinic (https://www.winklervetclinic.com/) and they have generously given PAF a discount towards our veterinary services for these stray and feral kitties.

So out came the trap and, before long, Margo had “Panda” trapped and off to Winkler Vet.  He got neutered, vaccinated, tattooed, dewormed, defleaed, along with some pain meds and antibiotics.  Margo put him in a large dog kennel for recovery for about 10 days before re-releasing him. His life will be so much better now.

A second roaming, more friendly stray cat named “Simon” got “the full treatment” at Winkler Vet Clinic recently and he has been taken in by the family who was feeding him in their backyard.

Margo owns a company called More Than Pyjamas and sews professionally.  We asked her if she would help us with a 'face mask fundraiser' for PAF. (https://www.facebook.com/Morethanpyjamas/ )

She has made tons of wonderful cotton, washable face masks at a very generous discount for PAF and we are selling them through In the Raw Pet Food Store at 150 East 2^nd Street, North Vancouver. Have a look at their Facebook page for samples of the various patterns of face masks.  Just call them or visit the store in person to purchase a mask ($15.), and help our fundraiser; and say hi to Jill and Rob and all the wonderful folks at In The Raw !  https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Pet-Store/In-The-Raw-Food-for-Dogs-and-Cats-Inc-1712960102285217/

See some of the cats that Margo has helped in Winnipeg here
 

FELINE FUNNIES  . . . 

For some chuckles which we love to share, click here

And, finally, we wish to say a very special and heartfelt   "THANK YOU"  . . .  to all our PAF volunteers who have continued, throughout this covid-19 time, to help the stray and feral cats.  The volunteers have all diligently kept up the daily feeding at the feral stations, (both in the City and District of North Vancouver), gone trapping, kept fostering little ones, helped to facilitate adoptions, picked up and delivered donated dog and cat food, and transported animals to and from the vet clinics using all the new protocols required by the health authorities.  The link of care and welfare has not been broken and the willingness and cheerfulness of those dedicated people is to be commended.