http://www.weepaws.org/index.php/site/index/ Blog for Wee Paws Animal Sanctuary, Las Vegas, NV. en cynicaldog@cox.net Copyright 2009 2009-06-04T19:53:00-08:00 http://www.weepaws.org/index.php/site/help_wee_paws_use_goodsearchcom/ http://www.weepaws.org/index.php/site/help_wee_paws_use_goodsearchcom/#When:19:53:00Z Here’s a free and painless way to support Wee Paws every time you search the Internet! Go to GoodSearch.com and select Wee Paws Animal Sanctuary as your charity of choice, then install their toolbar or search box (or search via their website). Wee Paws gets a few cents for every Internet search you do, and in the course of a year, it can add up to quite a lot! Last year we had one person using the GoodSearch feature and we received $25 as a result of her efforts, so it’s a great way to help out while not really altering your Internet routine.  The toolbar is absolutely safe and spyware-free, and is a simplified version of the Yahoo toolbar.  If you don’t want to install the entire toolbar, you can just add Goodsearch as an option in the small “search box” available at the top of most browsers, and if you don’t want to make any changes to your browser, you can set GoodSearch.com as your homepage and do your searches from there.  As long as you allow GoodSearch to set a cookie so it can remember you’ve chosen Wee Paws as the charity you’re supporting, you won’t have to do anything but search as you would normally. You can of course decide to use GoodSearch to support any of the other thousands of charities they have listed—they seem to work with everyone from the largest charities to the smallest.  The only thing I’ll say about Wee Paws is that I absolutely, positively guarantee that every penny you donate to us (via any means) goes to pay for the care of the animals.  When I receive a donation I either use it to buy something the animals need, or I set it aside for later use… we’ve never used a penny of a donation on ourselves.  Every time we foster a cat or bring in another stray off the streets, it’s because you’ve given us the money to do it.  There are times the Wee Paws critters are eating better than the Wee Paws humans, but that’s because I want to ensure we develop a reputation for using our donations properly.  We’ve put a moratorium on taking in any more permanent residents until we figure out our living arrangements, but once that’s settled, I plan to hunker down and try to expand Wee Paws by a few cats every year.  I especially want to be able to start to work with senior citizens, to see about arranging to take in cats when people are hospitalized or pass away.  Besides caring for bottle-babies, I think that will end up being our future—some hospice-type care for chronically ill and elderly felines, and a retirement home for cats who lose their owners to old age.  I hate it when senior citizens avoid getting pets for fear they’ll outlive the animal, so maybe we can step in and help.  Oh, I want to offer more long-term care for the pets of families in transition—for example, caring for the cat of someone in the military who is deployed overseas, or looking after cats while families are between homes (like we did with Buddy and Wilbur).  There are so many ways to help, and the more support we get from the general public, the more we can get done.  2009-06-04T19:53:00-08:00 http://www.weepaws.org/index.php/site/rory_has_a_cheezburger/ http://www.weepaws.org/index.php/site/rory_has_a_cheezburger/#When:02:34:00Z Well, weren’t we surprised today to find out that our former rescue, Rory the kitten (now named “Vegas"), had made the front page of I Can Has Cheezburger!  The nice people at the site were very fast and friendly about giving us proper credit for the photo, and as they provided a link back to Wee Paws, I’d figured I would provide some links to Rory’s backstory.  So, if you’re visiting because of our hammer-wielding kitten, here’s how she came into our lives almost three years ago: If you feed them, they will come More kitten photos Rory goes home Rory’s last day in Vegas (which could also be called, “Rory’s last day before becoming Vegas") Rory was a rescue before we decided to form Wee Paws Animal Sanctuary, but she might have been the cat who pushed us to finally do it.  Between her and Missy Mae, it started to become apparent that not only was there a need for more people to become involved in rescuing/fostering, it became obvious that we really, really loved doing it. I tend to write about most of our cat adventures on my personal blog, The Blog Pound, and recently wrote an entry about our latest rescues and fosters:  What’s new at Wee Paws .  I’d love it if you’d come and visit to read about our many sanctuary cats (especially the adorable, ever-challenging Bunny).  If you want to see cat and kitten photos, please check our my Flickr account, as well as my partner’s account.  One note:  while we’re happy with the attention Rory (and we) received from the I Can Has Cheezburger photo, our photos are all fully copy-protected and you don’t have permission to copy them, modify them, or upload them to other sites.  It was no problem giving permission for this one photo to be used, but it was annoying to have to give permission after-the-fact.  If you see a photo you absolutely want to reuse in some fashion, please contact us about it.  We’re easy to reach, and we’re reasonable.  We run our rescue on a combination of donations and funds from our own pocket, so if there’s money to be made from our photos, we’d really like to be involved in it.  Thank you for understanding, and thank you for loving cats! 2009-03-19T02:34:00-08:00 http://www.weepaws.org/index.php/site/wee_paws_crisis/ http://www.weepaws.org/index.php/site/wee_paws_crisis/#When:16:24:00Z Many of you are aware of our current “operational issues”, but if you aren’t, I’ve written about them on our PetFinder homepage.  Please go read if you’re interested in our situation.  There are a number of donations we could use, and not all of them are money.  We can also use the occasional encouraging word, so don’t underestimate the value of your good wishes.  Thank you so much for your wonderful support! 2008-06-29T16:24:00-08:00 http://www.weepaws.org/index.php/site/messages_from_your_animal_companion/ http://www.weepaws.org/index.php/site/messages_from_your_animal_companion/#When:11:46:00Z I’m very excited to announce that we now have a great fundraising item!  It’s a deck of oracle cards called, ”Messages From Your Animal Companion”.  The creator of the cards, Angelica del Mar, designed them to be used as a tool by anyone who’d like to have better communication with their pets.  You can use the cards successfully with absolutely no training; just read the brief instructional description card included in each deck and you’re ready to go.  Here’s what they look like: To summarize the included directions, you shuffle the cards while concentrating on a question you’d like to ask a specific pet, whether it be a parrot, a cat, a dog, a horse, a snake, or any other companion animal who shares your life.  You then pull a card from the deck and the card should contain some revealing information.  Some of the cards feature a simple “Yes” or “No” answer, but others contain more detailed issues about your pet’s physical and emotional well-being.  Some of the cards may seem to offer obscure information, but Angelique just suggests you look within yourself and use your instincts to reveal what the card could mean in your situation.  For example, if you see a card with a bird asking to have its nails and wings clipped, and you only own a cat, you should probably still check your cats nails just to make sure they’re not in need of a trim.  Sometimes the universe communicates with irony. I did two sample readings this evening on my dog Dante, a 7 year old Anatolian shepherd.  The first question I asked/thought to Dante was whether or not he was happy and content.  The response card I drew from the deck said that Dante felt safe with me, and that I should feel safe with him because he will protect me.  That’s very interesting because Dante is a breed specifically designed to protect, but not to fight, and he will guard our bodies in certain situations.  I then did another shuffle of the desk to clear out the first question, and as I shuffled I asked Dante another question:  Was he feeling well?  I’d noticed he’s been licking one leg a bit recently, not really a concern because he tends to have skin allergies and the leg looks perfectly fine.  He also gets a little stressed, and we’ve got an unusually high number of cats in the house right now and that can get him overly-excited.  The card I pulled for an answer featured a horse saying, “I have an ailment, injury, pain, or wound”.  Interesting.  Of course you should never use any sort of “toy” to make medical decisions about your pets, and I would certainly take Dante to a vet if his random licking started to be damaging.  In light of the card, however, it might be the extra push to get Dante to the vet this week instead of next week.  I don’t think there’s anything hugely wrong, but I’d rather be an overly-protective parent than to let this go too long.  If I was to mention what happened to Angelica, she might suggest that my own mind influenced the card which emerged, that is, my thoughts of illness brought forth an illness card, not Dante’s thoughts of illness.  There are some notes to this effect on the instructional card. I had initially thought I would offer some free or low-cost readings for people via email, for example, you send me your pet’s name and your question, and I’ll email you back the response I received from the cards.  However, I’m obviously not “in tune” with pets I don’t own, and I don’t know if the results could be considered accurate or genuine.  I’d be happy to give a few free readings a try if you’re interested, and I’ll conduct them with the utmost sincerity and good intentions, so if this interests you, just jot me a note (the email address is at the top of the page).  In the interests of full-disclosure, I’m not a religious person, and I don’t even think I’m much of a spiritual person, but I do believe that it’s possible to communicate with our pets and other animals in one way or another. In the long run, if communicating with your pet(s) on a recurring basis interests you, you’ll probably want to buy your own deck.  I’ll be selling them for $30, including shipping, so we don’t need to worry about fussing around with shipping calculations.  I don’t want to buy too make decks before I know what sort of interest people have in them, so there’s a chance it could take me a few extra days to ship if I have to order new decks from the warehouse.  Otherwise, I’ll always try to be a “ship next day” sort of person. If you’d like to order a deck or two (they’d make an unusual gift for a person with a beloved pet), please use the PayPal link on the right, under the image of the cards.  It’s the button which says, “Buy Now”.  Or, just click here to order.  Every purchase supports Wee Paws, and all our cats and dogs and parrots, and we sincerely appreciate it. 2007-09-25T11:46:00-08:00 http://www.weepaws.org/index.php/site/our_current_fundraising_drive/ http://www.weepaws.org/index.php/site/our_current_fundraising_drive/#When:10:27:00Z It sounds sort of silly to call it a “fundraising drive”, but hey, that’s probably the professional term for it.  We’re currently trying to raise funds to pay for laser eye surgery for Spiderman, a cat with severe glaucoma.  Spiderman is almost totally blind from congenital glaucoma, and he needs surgery to help reduce the intra-ocular pressure in his eyes and to ease discomfort.  The vet is donating his services for the surgery, but the entire cost of the procedure will still run about $700 for the pre-op tests and other materials expenses.  So far, we’ve raised $400, but we still need another $300 before the surgery can be scheduled.  I’d normally put the extra costs on my Care Credit card or a regular credit card, but I’m totally tapped out… I’ve got no money left on my cards, and I just can’t afford these costs.  I wish I could, but I care for so many animals, many of them sick, that it puts a huge burden on our finances and we’ve reached the point of being empty. If you’d like to make a donation towards Spiderman’s surgery, please use the PayPal button on the sidebar (the one which says, “Make a Donation").  Every little bit helps.  You don’t even need to specify that the donation is for Spiderman unless you want to, because everything raised right now will be used for his care.  I don’t usually actively seek donations, but Spiderman is a special guy and I want him to be comfortable, and I want him to find a new home.  I can’t place him until he’s had surgery. Thanks for helping, or for just wishing you could help… a little moral support is always nice, too 2007-08-01T10:27:00-08:00 http://www.weepaws.org/index.php/site/ways_you_can_help_us/ http://www.weepaws.org/index.php/site/ways_you_can_help_us/#When:11:12:00Z Thank you for your interest in helping Wee Paws and the animals who pass through here.  Something like $3.50 may not mean more to you than a latte at Starbucks, but to me, it means 10 lbs. of bone-in, dark meat chicken that can be turned into three days worth of cat food.  That’s my way of saying that no donation is too tiny, and every single one is received with the utmost gratitude.  If you’d like to send in a donation, you’ll find our PayPal donation button on the sidebar of the front page. If you don’t feel comfortable just sending cash to strangers, that’s perfectly understandable.  You could support our veterinary bills by sending a payment directly to our veterinarian, and asking for the payment to be applied to the “Wee Paws Animal Sanctuary” account.  That way, you know we’re not out partying with the cats and recklessly imbibing in catnip.  To phone in a donation to our veterinary expenses account, please contact Creature Comforts Animal Hospital, (702) 658-7339.  Don’t forget to specify the donation is for Wee Paws. We see a second veterinarian, an eye specialist, and he’ll be performing any necessary work on Spiderman’s eyes.  We’ll be setting up a specific “Wee Paws” account at that clinich next week, but if you want to make a contribution towards Spiderman’s eye care and inevitable surgery, contact Veterinary Ophthalmology Service at (702) 457-6523.  If you donate prior to July 27th, please specify that you’re making a payment/donation to the account of Nancy Ross.  I’ll try to fax in the paperwork for Wee Paws in the next couple of days, so the nonprofit account can be setup and waiting. If you prefer classics like checks or money orders, you can reach us by mail at Wee Paws Animal Sanctuary, P.O. Box 750303, Las Vegas, NV 89136.  We don’t visit the post office box very often as we don’t expect to receive much mail, so if you’d like our home address, just drop me a line () and I’ll give it to you. I’ve got some items to offer as gifts for donations, and I’ll get this entry updated ASAP. Thank you so much for your kindness.  None of us can do everything, but we can all do something. 2007-07-17T11:12:00-08:00 http://www.weepaws.org/index.php/site/visit_my_personal_blog/ http://www.weepaws.org/index.php/site/visit_my_personal_blog/#When:11:52:00Z I like to maintain this website for official “Wee Paws” business, but there often just isn’t enough time.  Because of that, I’d like to invite you to visit my personal blog at The Blog Pound.  I often post photos of foster kittens there, talk about animal health issues, and generally write a lot more than I do here.  If you’ve accidentally dropped in on this site and it seems rather dead to you, it’s not—it’s just not my first priority.  My first priority is cleaning up kitten poop, and I write about it at The Blog Pound.  I never post poop pictures, lucky you. 2007-06-12T11:52:00-08:00 http://www.weepaws.org/index.php/site/medical_wishlist/ http://www.weepaws.org/index.php/site/medical_wishlist/#When:11:38:00Z There are certain medical items which can always come in handy around here.  Some are prescription, some are OTC, but I’m listing them here as a way of keeping an eye on things I either need now, or may need in the future.  I’ll call it my “Medical wishlist”, but it’s really sort of a virtual shopping list.  I’ll forget things if I don’t write them down. EMLA cream—good for numbing skin of pets needing fluid therapy.  Most animals tolerate this without a peep or any indication of discomfort, but others seem to benefit from use of EMLA, or something like a GIF-tube. L-lysine powder is a requirement with so many cats from so many backgrounds.  The slightest bit of stress can lead to virus shedding, and a daily dose of L-lysine keeps it in check.  This is good stuff! Ear cleaning solution, in this case, I like Epi-Otic.  Some four-legged resident of this household invariably has dirty ears at any given time. ...to be continued Our Wishlist 2007-06-12T11:38:00-08:00 http://www.weepaws.org/index.php/site/the_over_looked_pionus/ http://www.weepaws.org/index.php/site/the_over_looked_pionus/#When:12:00:00Z I’ve long been a fan of Pionus parrots.  They aren’t the flashiest of birds, but they’re spunky, funny, and full of personality.  My first Pionus was a white-capped named “Milquetoast”, and I still have one of his offspring, “Pepe”, who’s about fifteen years old.  I’ve never been able to find a really good book about Pionus, so I was thrilled to find out that Avian Publications had put out a new title called, ”Pionus Parrots: A Complete Guide”.  I trust the publisher to produce only the finest titles (they publish Dr. Greg Harrison’s avian guides for veterinarians, for example), and I sure that the book about Pionus will be excellent.  I’m going to order a copy for myself today, and will eventually get around to reviewing it! Being in rescue, I just can’t ethically go out and buy a bird from a breeder, as I end up with so many castoffs as it is.  My bird room overflow-eth with unwanted conures, especially, and I’d have no justification to bring another bird home to satisfy my own interests when it would be taking away space and resources I could use for a future rescue parrot.  However, I will say this—if a Blue-headed Pionus was to end up in my rescue because it needed a new home, I’d be very happy to be spending time with it. 2007-05-15T12:00:00-08:00 http://www.weepaws.org/index.php/site/our_wishlist/ http://www.weepaws.org/index.php/site/our_wishlist/#When:05:29:00Z KatKabin Outdoor Cat House in copper:  This is a beautiful item I could put outside as a feral cat shelter or waystation, without incurring the wrath of the neighbourhood association.  I think it would be quite attractive on the front porch. Acrylic Pet Intensive Care Unit:  I’d love one of these for neonatal foster kittens, as well as for treatment of sick birds. We can never have enough towels!  KatWALLks: This type of system would allow us to have more cats in the house, and would give them all an added sense of security.  I really like the corner balcony units. We definitely need an accurate thermometer for our foster kittens.  Normal rectal thermometers are just too large. 2007-03-19T05:29:00-08:00