The Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) 8^th grade classes at J.L. Simpson Middle School in Leesburg invited HSLC to help them with their Citizenship Unit.  Jennifer Allen, middle school FACS teacher, asked us to be part of their learning experience to describe what our organization is, who we help, the current programs we are working on, and how middle school students might get involved.  After HSLC and other organizations speak to the classes over the course of a couple of weeks, they will develop a presentation and propose a project to complete as a volunteer effort.

HSLC president, Juanita Easton, spoke with the two classrooms of 20 students each on Oct 3^rd.  They were interactive experiences with the students following the presentation with questions about animal care, adoptions, fostering and sharing stories of their animal experiences. She left them with the organization brochures, information on how to “be a voice” for animals in need of help, a list of suggestions on how the students can help animals at school, their neighborhoods, and around the community, in addition to a list of possible careers that involve animals.

The youth of our communities are the future so it is always a privilege to help them understand how they can be involved with the welfare of animals.

The HSLC Humane Education Program is available to all youth and adult groups, such as classrooms, after school programs, scout troops, and community organizations. Contact us at  helpanimals@humaneloudoun.org if you would like us to address your group.

HSLC in Action: Hospice Animals

Many of the animals that come under the care of the Humane Society of Loudoun County are good candidates for placement into new, loving homes. Sometimes though, an animal will have medical issues that make them unsuitable for adoption. When practical, we seek out foster homes that can provide the care and attention these special cats and dogs need. Whether their time with them is long or short, people find that fostering a hospice animal can be a rewarding experience.

Just this month, Lily, one of HSLC’s hospice cats fostered by volunteer Jennifer, crossed the Rainbow Bridge after spending about two and a half years under hospice care with a kidney disease.

“She was not necessarily the standard loving cat,” Jennifer said. “Set in her ways, all bark but little bite. And so strong-willed she lived a wonderful life for two years more than anyone expected…And I loved her in all her grumpiness and crazy ways.”

“Knowing that I would experience the sadness of sending her over the rainbow bridge rather than sending her to a loving family and a forever home was hard.  However, it was also such a rewarding experience, because I got to provide a loving home while she was healthy enough to enjoy it.  Would I do it again?  In a heartbeat.”

Snickerdoodle is another recent case of hospice fostering. Now about 14 years old, she came to the HSLC in 2015 and soon after had a cancerous growth removed from her leg. In May 2016, Carrie and Erik Frasier decided to foster her. Carrie kindly agreed to answer a few questions about the experience. 

Many people might hesitate at the idea of caring for a hospice animal. Why were you willing to take on the commitment?

Carrie: The pictures of Snickerdoodle and her story tugged at our heart strings. She was undergoing care for a cancerous tumor and was notoriously grumpy while in the boarding facility where she’d been for months at that point. We hoped we could give her a more comfortable place to be while hopefully getting better – with less stress and more focused affection. Our pets have always taken such great care of us that we were glad to at least give a happy place to be, for as long as we could, to an animal that seemed otherwise unadoptable at the time.

With the Humane Society able to take care of the medical bills for what we knew would be potentially a drawn out illness, we knew we could provide the home and other care (and save them the boarding cost and space). Candidly, we had a beloved cat pass away several years ago that would have been equally temperamental in the same situation, and being able to care for Snickerdoodle has been a nod in her honor.

What was Snickerdoodle like when you first took her in, and have there been changes over time?

Carrie: Snickerdoodle is an older cat and was definitely volatile and not feeling her best when we first took her in. While she would allow us to pet her, she would often hiss or swipe with little notice. With patience, time, and consistency, we slowly earned her trust and after a few short months, she was purring up a storm whenever we were near. She now routinely rubs up against us, climbs into our laps, and it’s rare that we’ll even get a hiss from her. Even after vet visits (which she hates), as soon as we get home, she is back to purring and getting pats. While she remains very food driven, a clear indication of the change in our relationship is that she prioritizes pats and rubs to going right to her food bowl at meal time.

What are some of the challenges you have had to face?

Carrie:  We’ve had to make the choice to keep Snickerdoodle separate in her own room most of the time. While she doesn’t seem to mind our 90+ pound German Shepherd (who gives her plenty of space), she is aggressive with other cats so we can’t mix her with our other two. We try to give her the run of the house at least once or twice a week, which gives her extra snuggle time and the chance to come sleep with us. Also, Snickerdoodle has some litter box issues (not behavioral in nature), so there’s constant clean up to do.

Another challenge has been knowing that even though the cancerous tumor was removed, there was the very good chance cancer would return. While the tumor, amazingly, has not reappeared, given Snickerdoodle’s age and temperament with the vet, we know there’s no way to chase down every lump and bump. In coordination with the HSLC board, it’s a conscious choice to just make sure she’s happy and comfortable for as long as we can, and do as much as we can without adding additional stress of treatments or vet visits.

What are the rewards?

Carrie: Knowing Snickerdoodle’s reputation prior to taking her, we are constantly amazed at just how loving she is with us. She’d be a tremendous lap cat for someone with a one-pet household and a lot of patience. We’re really glad that we opted to give her a chance with us, and have gained enough trust with her that she curls up with us at night with a paw on our faces. Also, seeing her knead with both front and back paws is priceless!

What have you experienced as the foster of a hospice animal that you think others would be interested in knowing about?

Carrie: So often hospice animals seem like the last animals people considering fostering, or adopting. They are wonderful animals who deserve a loving home for all the years of their life and just require a little more patience (who wouldn’t when we’re not feeling our best?). HSLC has been terrific about covering Snickerdoodle’s medical costs while we provide her food and shelter. The board’s communication whenever we’ve needed to make decisions about Snickerdoodle in our home or consult the veterinarian has made us feel like we are truly trusted partners in her care. We’ve loved being able to send positive updates about Snickerdoodle’s interaction with us and are so glad to do whatever we can to keep her feeling happy and loved in her golden years.

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To help defray the medical costs for Snickerdoodle and other special needs animals,
please consider making a tax-deductible donation to HSLC today.

 

Yesterday Lily went over the rainbow bridge. She came to us as a grumpy old lady with health problems. After spending some miserable time in the kennel, she came home with me 3 years ago, 2.5 of them as a hospice kitty. She was not necessarily the standard loving cat – set in her ways, all bark but little bite. And so strong-willed she lived a wonderful life for 2 yrs more than anyone expected.

Lily wasn’t always easy – she hated my 3 cats, suffered all the side effects of kidney disease, and preferred staying in only 2 rooms in the house. And I loved her in all her grumpiness and crazy ways.  Knowing that I would experience the sadness of sending her over the rainbow bridge rather than sending her to a loving family and a forever home was hard.  However it was also such a rewarding experience, because I got to provide a loving home while she was healthy enough to enjoy it.

Would I do it again?  In a heartbeat.

Be at peace Lily. You were loved and will be missed.

Painting with a Twist in Broadlands Center Plaza, Ashburn hosted an event for HSLC last Sunday. Everyone who came got to paint a picture of one of their pets by providing a photo to the talented artists who sketched an outline on the canvas and then helped everyone create a unique piece of artwork.

Thank you to Painting with a Twist and everyone who came out to support us and have a great time.

 

The Dulles 28 Target recently donated over 900 lbs of pet food to the Loudoun Pet Pantry (LPP)!  

Diane Kendall with the Reston Bible Church Food Pantry contacted HSLC about this surplus of food and helped us go over to pick it all up.  We were able to share some of the dog food not eligible for LPP with Virginia German Shepherd Rescue and some of the cat food will help to feed fosters and community cats.

Community involvement is an essential component of the No Kill Equation and HSLC is so grateful to be able to partner with such a compassionate community.

 

These 2 cuties and their mama were just rescued from a kill shelter in WV, and arrived yesterday. They went for their 1st vet appointment today. They are all doing well except that mama seems to be having trouble producing milk.
The kittens are 4 weeks old and may need some supplemental feeding for a few days until mom starts producing again. We are going to try and start the kittens on wet food mixed with kitten formula since they are old enough to start learning how to eat on their own.

We desperately need kitten fosters to help with families like this, as well as the kittens we get from our local TNR program.
If you would like to foster kittens for us, you can fill out the foster application.
To get more info on fostering, email us at helpanimals@humaneloudoun.org

On Sunday, Sept 10^th Blackfinn Ameribub in Ashburn partnered with us to host Kickoff for a Cause to celebrate the beginning of Sunday football season and raise funds for HSLC. There were food and drink specials, raffle baskets, door prizes, and dogs.

Raffle basket winners did not have to be present to win so we caught up with Kelly the day after to deliver the wine basket she won.  Thank you to everyone who came out to support HSLC and enjoy some football – even if Washington did not win 🙁 

As an added bonus, our newest dog, Farris, met his potential forever family who submitted an adoption application for him!  He came from a crowded shelter in Southern Virginia and had only been with us a couple of days!

Have you ever considered helping dogs like Farris find their forever homes? We are really in need of foster homes for animals. Because we do not have a physical shelter, we have to have a foster available to accept animals into our programs, especially dogs.  Contact us at helpanimals@humaneloudoun.org for more information.

HSLC celebrated our volunteers at an event held at The V Eatery & Brewhouse in Ashburn on the evening of November 30^th.  Fun, food, and friends helping us help animals.

Door prizes, libations, silly photos, and cake!
What more is there to life?
Thank You! You all make a difference!

  

 

Spanky’s  Pub in Leesburg hosted a pet supplies drive on Aug 30th to collect items for A Forever Home Rescue Foundation who delivered them down to Houston to benefit the animals affected by Hurricane Harvey. The Humane Society of Loudoun County dropped off an SUV load of food and pet supplies to the event. Among the items dropped off were pet beds, food/water bowls, towels, collars and leashes, animal cages, and excess food supplies.

HSLC accepts donations of anything animal related (new, used, open, and expired). Through our partnership with Loudoun County Animal Services (LCAS) and Loudoun Hunger Relief (LHR), unexpired, unopened dog and cat food that meet proper criteria goes to the Loudoun Pet Pantry. Other things that cannot be used by HSLC are shared with other rescues to benefit homeless animals in Loudoun County and surrounding areas, including VA German Shepherd Rescue and Wildlife Veterinary Care.

Donation bins are located in businesses around the county. For more information and donation bin locations visit  https://humaneloudoun.org/what-we-do/the-loudoun-pet-pantry-lpp/

Wondering how you can help animals affected by Hurricane Harvey? Here are some of the organizations that are either in the area rescuing or planning to take in animals from the area.

Austin Pets Alive https://www.austinpetsalive.org/

Dallas Animal Services http://dallascityhall.com/…/dallas-anima…/Pages/default.aspx

ASPCA of Texas https://www.spca.org/

Wings of Rescue https://www.wingsofrescue.org/donate/

Humane Society of Northern Texas https://www.hsnt.org/