Tag Archives: WARL

Peggy Sue!❤❤❤🌺

June 15, 2017 admin

Dorrie’s new rescue – peke, Peggy Sue! pics:DM

By Dorrie Maynard

As most of my readers already know, I volunteer for Central Mass Kibble Kitchen. CMKK rents a garage stall at Worcester Animal Rescue League, so I am there quite often. I can be found bagging pet food for our weekly visits to pass out pet food at the Mustard Seed soup kitchen in Piedmont then twice monthly at St. John’s church on Temple Street.

On one of my recent visits I stopped into the Worcester Animal Rescue League to visit the dogs. I fell in love with Rosie, the large pit bull with a bad eye. I honestly thought about adopting her! I even set up and an appointment for her to meet my dogs. However, when I walked her (and she had just come from a three mile jog with a volunteer), I realized she was way too much for me to handle. I need to stick with my small, compact dogs that don’t care if they go for long walks, (as they are happy to roam in my very small city backyard). My friend Cheryl was behind the counter and said that she was surprised that I was considering such a large dog as she has always known me to be a small dog person. She then mentioned that they might be in need for a hospice situation for a small female dog and she thought I would be a perfect candidate. She discussed it briefly with Alie and they both agreed.

So off to meet Peggy Sue I went! She was a very small odd looking dog that breathed funny. She was a pekinese, I had never had the opportunity to meet one before. She had recently had a very large tumor removed from her belly that they were assuming was cancer, and at the same time she was also spayed. The poor little girl had been through so much. She had a belly full of staples but her spirit was spunky and I felt like she was such a little trooper.

While she continued to heal, I visited her several times and did bring my dogs to meet her. I just wasn’t sure I could deal with her breathing as it kind of freaked me out a bit. It is a common condition in the pekinese breed and they assured me it was nothing to be afraid of. After her staples were removed I made the leap and brought little Miss Peggy Sue home. They had also informed me that her results came back and the tumor was not cancer so she would not be a hospice foster after all. I had her for almost a week and had to bring her back for a dental. They were removing some of her teeth as she had issues! I was a nervous wreck leaving her although I knew she was in good hands. I had fallen head over heals for little Peggy Sue and worried all day. When I finally got there to pick her up, she was “drunk” from the drugs but as they brought her to me, her little tail was wagging away and her little tongue was hanging to one side, it was the cutest thing ever!!!

Peggy Sue will be going back for a follow up to be sure her mouth is healing. I have been playing nurse, giving her pain medicine and ClinDrops. I have even managed to get her to eat something besides Little Caesar dog food, she is going to be getting the good stuff from now on whether she likes it or not. It did take her a few days of putting her nose up to it but she eventually realized it was that or nothing. I did cave a bit when she was sick and did give her some Little Caesar to make her feel better but she is back to eating the good, grain free stuff that my other dogs eat.

Peggy Sue was found as a stray on the streets of Worcester and was brought to WARL by an animal control officer. I was told she had poop hanging out of her butt and a very large tumor protruding off her little belly. She was placed on hold for 7 days as is the case when a dog comes to WARL as a stray. Unfortunately (or fortunately, for Peggy Sue💙) no one came to claim her. I hate to think that someone just booted her out to fend for herself in the condition that she was found.

Peg with her new pals!

Well, truth be told, Peggy Sue landed into a much better life. She will be well loved, taken care of and sleep on the best of dog beds and pillows from now on. And as I mentioned, she will be getting good food and on occasion, I give my girls a special bowl of my coveted bottled evian water. It is one of my few splurges, I highly doubt they can tell the difference but I so love my evian water and want to share with my kids!

As always, we are always seeking donations of pet food for CMKK. We are in great need of dry cat food now and always.

You can drop off at WARL and ask them to put it in the CMKK space or you can drop at my house. If you live in Worcester, I am willing to pick it up!

And please support WARL and all the wonderful work they do for the cats and dogs that are found as strays. You can visit their website for weekly “wish list items”. They are very fortunate to have great staff and awesome volunteers. Best of Luck to Alie on the birth of her recent second baby boy!

All is well that ends well!

I can be reached at djmbytheelm@aol.com for comments and or questions.

Fashion

Caring about homeless pets – always in style! Today! Sat., April 22! 🌼Now until 2 p.m.🌺💙 The WARL kitten🐯🐱 shower!💕

April 22, 2017 admin

Rose’s Cece was so tiny not so long ago! She’s a big girl now! The vet said kittens gain one pound per month as they grow into adulthood! pics: R.T.

Cece was a rescue! Here’s Miss Cece💛, this morn, all feisty and cute!🌺:

Adorable, spoiled grrrl!💙💜💛💛💜💙

At today’s WARL KITTEN SHOWER …

… You can cuddle some kittens who will need homes soon! Volunteer to foster-parent a litter – or 2!?!!

In a few weeks WARL will be inundated with kittens! The staff call the kitty tsunami KITTEN SEASON; there are lots of people who STILL DON’T GET IT and do not spay their female cats. The result? Hundreds of kittens who need loving forever homes. Millions end up in animal shelters. Thousands are “put down” annually.

At WARL, a no-kill animal shelter, the staff diligently works to meet the kittens’ – babies! – special needs. Dry kitten food, pate cat food, liquid kitten formula, little toys … all unique to lil’ kitties.

Admission to the WARL kitten shower is a kitty donation!💙💙💜💛

WARL ASKS YOU FOR THE FOLLOWING GIFTS:

🐯 Canned PATE cat food!

🐺 Non-clumping clay litter

🐱 DRY KITTEN food

🐯 TOY MICE!

Visit this a.m. or afternoon!

They are located at 139 Holden St, Worcester.

Their phone #: 508-853-0030

Their website: https://worcesterarl.org

Their hours:

Saturday 12–4PM
Sunday 12–4PM
Monday 12–4PM
Tuesday 12–4PM
Wednesday 12–4PM
Thursday 12–4PM
Friday 12–4PM

– R.T.

Animal Issues

Did you know the Worcester Animal Rescue League practically has a mini-store dedicated to animals?

July 9, 2016 admin

Inside WARL! All proceeds go to help their precious babies!

Here is a bunny up for adoption:

Some items they sell!

Leashes, pretty collars, pup clothes, books, cards, calendars – it’s all here!

At the Worcester Animal Rescue League (WARL) at 139 Holden St., Worcester!

Open 7 days a week from noon to 4 pm

Phone: (508) 853-0030

Rosalie says, Yeah! She got 3 of her 4 dogs at WARL!

The happy happy happy Lilac is a rescue from Tenn. Wag that tail, girl!!

If you’re not ready for the intense commitment of owning a dog, buy some stuff at WARL, and that way you can still help Worcester’s homeless pups and kitties!

Thank YOU!

Pics/text: Rosalie Tirella

Animal Issues

October is national Adopt A Shelter Dog month!

October 19, 2015 admin

Jett and Lilac, both shelter pups!

Jett and Rose’s two other dogs, the late-great Nova Scotia retriever Bailey and the elegant greyhound mix Grace were all adopted from the WORCESTER ANIMAL RESCUE LEAGUE ON HOLDEN STREET, Worcester.

WARL is open to the public 7 days a week, noon to 4 p.m. CLICK HERE to see their pups that are ready for adoption!

What to ask when adopting a shelter dog

October is national Adopt A Shelter Dog month. Here are some tips to prospective pet parents as they take the big step of adding another member to the family.

Thousands of lovable dogs in shelters are eagerly waiting families to give them forever homes. But that does not mean every dog is a good fit. So adopting families should ask as many questions as possible about a shelter dog’s history.

And don’t stop there. It’s just as important to ask some questions of yourself.

Ask:

Has the shelter done a behavioral assessment of the dog?

It’s standard procedure at many shelters, and can give you valuable insight into whether a certain dog is right for you, and whether you are right for that dog.

Ask for as much information as possible about the dog’s history.

Dogs grow up to be less anxious if they are exposed to a wide range of new and pleasant experiences before the age of 16 weeks, the puppy’s socialization window. Less anxious, less fearful dogs are not nearly as likely to become aggressive as adults. Your shelter dog will likely be older than 16 weeks, and this is one reason you want to learn about the dog’s background.

You have to ask yourself:

What’s my home like?

Rose had to teach Lilac to respect the Queen – April!

How will my other pets respond?

What are my needs?

What’s my time investment?

Prepare a list of questions about a potential pet. And then ask a lot of good questions about the dog’s history. Why was he surrendered? Was he found as a stray? Was he surrendered from another shelter? Any information that you have can help you better understand how well that animal will fit into your household.

Ask if you can spend a little time with the dog in the shelter.

Especially in a quiet setting, away from a noisy kennel. If the dog is friendly and playful, that’s a great sign. If the dog is standoffish and nervous, that’s something to take into consideration. But remember that even wonderful shelters can be stressful environments for dogs. A dog’s behavior can change after getting to your home.

Consider your own family’s ability to care for a dog.

If you have small children, it might not be the best time to adopt a dog who tends to be nervous, aggressive or needs a lot of time-consuming training. On the other hand, if you’re single with time to devote to training, this might be a challenge you can take on.

Prepare your family for their new dog.

Children, with their rapid movement, high-pitched voices and a tendency to jab fingers anywhere, can be alarming to some dogs. This can sometimes cause dogs to become anxious and snap. So involve your children in the care of your dog – such as helping with the food or water, or having the kids train the dog in basic tasks such as sitting or lying down. But also teach children when to back off – not to hug dogs while they’re eating, for example.

Give the pooch a little space.

After bringing your dog home, you might keep them in a laundry room or a confined kitchen and not immediately throw them in with all your other pets, if you have other pets. Establish relationships and give them and other pets some time to acclimate.

What if in spite of everything, my dog acts aggressively to family members or neighbors?

Seek help from your family veterinarian, or a veterinarian who is trained in behavioral medicine.

Green Island Grrrl, Rosalie's Blog

Two little birdies, their cage and supplies – $35

December 26, 2014 admin

Still need a holiday gift for a special senior, teen, or person who loves animals but lives in a condo/apartment complex that doesn’t allow dogs or cats?

Well, Belle and Sebastian, two pretty parakeets, may be the answer to your Christmas prayers! They need a forever home! (you can’t see one birdie – he’s behind the yellow card on cage)

I’ve owned parakeets; they are smart, fun, trainable and lovable!

Belle and Sebastian, their cage and all their necessities can be purchased at the Worcester Animal Rescue League on Holden Street, Worcester, for the rock bottom price of $35. … $35! What a great adoption fee!

Visit them this weekend – and all the other animals – at WARL.

– R. Tirella

Green Island Grrrl, Rosalie's Blog

It’s not too late to buy these holiday gifts at WARL! Your $$ helps homeless animals …

December 26, 2014 admin

… Dogs, puppies, cats, kittens, birds and small animals that need FOREVER HOMES!

Head down to the Worcester Animal Rescue League on Holden Street in Worcester this weekend and go shopping for your fave pup or kitty. They are open to the public SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, noon to 4 p.m. Support this nonprofit, one that has been finding great homes for Worcester’s homeless companion animals for more than a century!

P.S. They’ve got way more stuff than shown here! WARL tote bags, books, etc. I had my Jett in the car and had to stop taking photos to run out to him!

CLICK HERE to see all the beautiful dogs up for adoption at WARL.

– Rosalie Tirella

Green Island Grrrl, Rosalie's Blog

Shhhh… Don’t tell … . These toys are Jett’s Christmas presents from his “Auntie” Kathy …

December 18, 2014 admin

Aren’t they cute?

But he’s so spoiled! I don’t know if he’ll be impressed!

Impress yourself! Adopt a wonderful pooch (GORGEOUS mixes and purebreds) at the Worcester Animal Rescue League on Holden Street, Worcester! (I got Jett there!)

These beautiful dogs need homes for the holidays! CLICK HERE to see the awesome pups and pup-ettes available for adoption at WARL!

Isn’t this baby cute?! Ready to go at WARL!

Remember: Always adopt!

Never buy a dog or puppy from a breeder (there are a ton of homeless purebreds!) or pet store (they sell sickly puppy-mill puppies!)

– R. T.

InCity Letters, InCity Voices, Uncategorized

This Saturday! Celebration at WARL! … and … What’s the best way to thank an animal shelter worker?

November 5, 2014 admin

Before we get to the InCity Animal Times column …

Calling all animal lovers!

This Saturday!

November 8

2 pm to 4 pm

At the Worcester Animal Rescue League

Holden Street, Worcester

Join us as we honor National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week with a family-friendly celebration of pets!

(Rain date Sunday 11/9)

Featured in this first-time event is a treasure hunt for kids, interactive demonstrations on how to care for a pet, dog safety and bite prevention and more!

RAFFLES!

PRIZES!

GAMES!

Suggested Admission is a donation from our wish list. Our top needs are pup-peroni treats, toys, paper towels and blankets.

Treasure Hunt Stations Include:

How to care for a dog and cat

Pick the right treat for the shelter pet

Build a banner of caring – tell us why you appreciate the animal shelter

Puzzles and crafts

Doggone Safe presentation!!
**************

WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO THANK AN ANIMAL SHELTER WORKER?

By Lindsay Pollard-Post

National Animal Shelter and Rescue Appreciation Week runs from November 2 to 8, and the dedicated people who work in our country’s open-admission animal shelters—shelters that welcome every needy cat and dog who comes through their doors and never turn animals away—deserve our thanks and support for the difficult work that they do.

Working in a shelter is physically demanding: Employees heft heavy dogs onto examination tables, unload vans full of 50-pound bags of kibble, scrub down soiled kennels and launder load after load of blankets. They get scratched—and sometimes bitten—by animals who are confused and terrified on arriving at the shelter. Many shelter workers wear scrubs because there’s a good chance that they will be covered with slobber, muddy paw prints, cat hair and some even less appealing substances by the end of the day.

Their work also takes an emotional toll. Shelter staffers assist animals in every condition—from strays who are screaming in pain because they’ve been hit by a car and orphaned newborn puppies and kittens who must be bottle-fed every few hours to bone-thin dogs who are aggressive after being kept chained outside their entire lives and bewildered, frightened cats who have been removed from the only home they’ve ever known after their elderly guardian has passed away.

Shelter workers also have to hear the many excuses that people give for surrendering their animals: He barks too much. He doesn’t bark enough. She’s too friendly. She isn’t friendly enough. We’re moving, and it’s too much trouble to bring him with us. He’s getting old, and the kids want a puppy … and on and on.

People who work in shelters handle all of this because they’re committed to providing a safe haven for cats and dogs who have nowhere else to turn and because they love animals. That’s what makes another aspect of their job so wrenching: the need to euthanize animals in order to accommodate the never-ending stream of cats and dogs who pour through the doors day after day.

It takes a brave and selfless soul to feed, walk, play with and love a dog or a cat for a short time, knowing that you may soon have to give that same animal a painless release from a world that has no decent place for him or her to go. Until breeders, puppy mills and pet stores stop pumping more puppies and kittens into a world that’s already short on homes and until spaying and neutering are the norm everywhere, euthanasia will remain a sad—but merciful—necessity for open-admission shelters. It’s painless for the animals, but for the workers who must perform it, it’s anything but.

On top of the heartache of having to euthanize animals, workers at open-admission shelters are increasingly attacked by anti-euthanasia campaigners and put under tremendous pressure to end euthanasia at all costs. But the alternatives—keeping animals caged indefinitely, turning them away to suffer and die slowly on the streets or handing them over to anyone who will take them (including hoarders)—leave animals in peril.

As much as they might wish for one, shelter workers have no magic wand that they can wave to create homes for all the animals who need them. But each of us can save lives—and make life a bit easier on shelter workers—by preventing more animals from being born in the first place.

Spaying and neutering our animal companions—and encouraging and helping our friends, family, neighbors and coworkers to do the same—is the key to ending animal homelessness and the resulting need for euthanasia. It’s also the best way to say “thank you” to the kind people who care for our communities’ lost and abandoned animals every day.

InCity Voices, Uncategorized

One dog’s story

November 2, 2014 admin

By Jennifer O’Connor

(To see the wonderful dogs up for adoption at the Worcester Animal Rescue League on Holden Street, click here ! Got my Jett at WARL! – R.T.)

October was “Adopt a Shelter Dog” Month, and it’s also the month when I won the rescue lottery. Although the details of Bruce’s first years are murky, we do know that he had been confined to a cage in a Pennsylvania puppy mill for two years. The facility was churning out English bulldogs and boxers as if they were on an assembly line. Bruce didn’t know what a toy was—or a walk or a treat. He was 20 pounds underweight, infested with fleas and so filthy that it took two baths before we knew what color he was. The pads of his feet had the texture of jelly.

A rescue group had taken on many of the puppy mill’s “rejects,” dogs who had been bred so many times that they had the disconnected demeanor of long-term asylum patients or had developed neurotic cage spins—running mad, endless “laps” inside their cramped cages.

At first, a loud sneeze could reduce Bruce to a quivering mass of fur, and it was weeks before he could walk without pain and stiffness. But watching this wonderful dog blossom into a confident, cherished family member has been a sheer joy. Now Bruce struts down the street and picks and chooses his toys. When people compliment him, I take the opportunity to talk to them about the hideous puppy-mill industry and to encourage those who are ready to share their lives with a dog or cat to adopt from a shelter, rather than buying from a store.

Bruce is an English bulldog, a funny-faced, personable breed that many find appealing. But these dogs have paid a heavy price for generations of inbreeding and genetic manipulation. Prone to breathing and joint problems as well as to ear and eye infections, these dogs can be costly to care for, and many people who “had to” have them end up discarding them like last year’s shoes.

But for those who are committed to sharing their lives with one of these comical dogs, rescue groups are full of English bulldogs waiting to be adopted. In fact, there are rescue groups for every breed there is—including English bulldogs—and for all the marvelous mutts who can’t wait to be a part of your family. There’s not a single justifiable reason to buy a dog from a pet shop or a breeder.

Every dog bred by a breeder means another dog is doomed. Every dog purchased at a pet store means a miserable life inside a puppy-mill cage for another.

Mass-produced dogs usually mean massive health problems. Profit is the goal, not good care or quality veterinary attention. There have been so many buyers who have incurred massive veterinary bills from treating a dog or cat who was purchased at a store that 16 states have passed pet store “lemon laws.” And in many cases, people simply won’t spend the money for needed vet care, so these dogs end up in shelters. And the cycle continues.

Bruce wakes up every morning with a grin and a ready-to-take-on-the-day attitude. He makes us happy every day. We hope the bad old days are nothing more than a faded memory for him. When we tell people Bruce’s story, they almost inevitably say, “Oh, he’s so lucky.” But they’re wrong. I’m the lucky one. Adopting Bruce and getting to share my life with him is one of the best things that has ever happened to me and my family. By adopting an animal in need of a loving home, it can happen to you, too.

Green Island Grrrl, Rosalie's Blog, Uncategorized

Make a “Mother’s Day”: neuter and spay … and ALWAYS adopt! WARL’s dogs and cats that are ready for forever homes!

May 8, 2014 admin

By Lindsay Pollard-Post

For Lady, motherhood wasn’t something to celebrate. Chained to a dilapidated doghouse in a patch of weeds and muck, the skinny brown dog had no way to escape the advances of roaming male dogs when she came into heat. Before long, she was pregnant. She spent the long weeks of her pregnancy outdoors and alone, tormented by flies during the day and struggling to find a bit of comfort on the cold, hard floor of her doghouse at night. Finally, she gave birth to her puppies at the end of her chain, on the muddy ground.

Lady loved those puppies, not only because they were her own, but also because they brought her some solace from the crushing loneliness of life on a chain. But not long after they were born, Lady’s people took the puppies away from her and dropped them off at a local animal shelter. Lady was back to spending her days and nights in solitary confinement. Worst of all, because she hadn’t been spayed and there was an unneutered male dog living nearby, she was in danger of having to go through the same heartbreaking experience all over again.

A simple spay surgery (or a neuter surgery, for males) can spare animals like Lady so much suffering as well as prevent countless puppies and kittens from being born only to end up homeless. Preventing dogs and cats from becoming mothers (or fathers) is the kindest thing that we can do for them this Mother’s Day—and every day of the year.

Spaying spares female animals the stress and discomfort of heat periods, greatly reduces their risk of mammary cancer and eliminates their risk of diseases of the ovaries and uterus—including cancer—which are often life-threatening and require expensive surgery and treatment. Spaying animals before they reach sexual maturity will ensure that they reap the full health benefits of the procedure. For example, female animals who are spayed before their first heat cycle have one-seventh the risk of developing mammary cancer that unspayed animals do.

Male animals are healthier if they are sterilized, too: Neutering reduces the risk of prostate cancer and prevents testicular cancer. Sterilization also makes male animals far less likely to roam or fight—behavior that can result in injuries and early death. And altered animals are less likely to contract deadly, contagious diseases such as feline AIDS and feline leukemia, which are spread through bodily fluids.

Spay and neuter surgeries are simple, routine procedures. Most animals experience relatively little discomfort (anesthesia is used during surgery, and pain medication is generally given afterward) and feel back to normal within a day or two.

Most importantly, spayed and neutered animals can’t contribute to our country’s staggering cat and dog overpopulation crisis. They won’t produce more puppies or kittens to add to the 6 to 8 million animals who end up in shelters every year—or the 3 to 4 million who must be euthanized each year for lack of a good home. Their babies will never end up on the streets, where they die from starvation, exposure, injuries, infections or worse or fall into the hands of cruel and neglectful people—as happens to so many unwanted animals.

Luckily for Lady, her first litter was also her last. Members of PETA’s rescue team found her and whisked her off to be spayed for free in their mobile clinic before she could become pregnant again. They gave her a sturdy doghouse stuffed with straw to snuggle in and moved her to an area of the yard with fresh grass, and they return often to check on her and to shower her with some of the love and attention that she desperately craves.

As many of our own mothers told us, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This Mother’s Day, let’s take their advice and prevent animal suffering, homelessness and heartbreak by having our animals spayed or neutered and helping everyone we know do the same.

************************

Here’s my Jett wearing his I HEART Worcester pin on his collar! I got Jett (four years ago), like I did my other two dogs, at the Worcester Animal Rescue League on Holden Street. Never go to a breeder to get a dog. Never breed your dog! There are so many discarded pets in America! Instead, go to your local animal shelter or animal control officer and ADOPT a dog or cat that is in need of a home! Here are the WARL dogs and cats ready for adoption! Click here for dogs! Click here for kittens and kitties! – R. Tirella