Happy Thanksgiving. This #GivingTuesday series would not be complete without a shout-out to our dedicated volunteers. Volunteers provide a lot of the day-to-day care at the shelter and help us take on the special cases. We would be lost without them!
To thank them this Thanksgiving Day, we are featuring just a few of the pets that volunteers gave extra, loving care to this year. If the animals could talk, they would be singing their praises.
Thirteen-year-old Silhouette found her forever home, thanks to volunteers.
Silhouette was one rough-looking cat. The older female cat came to us from a hoarding situation. She was emaciated and anemic. Her long, beautiful black fur was full of mats that volunteers slowly and painstakingly worked out. She gained quite a bit of weight, but was still only five pounds! Volunteers were so sweet to her. They cuddled with her and gave her walks on a leash, letting her gain confidence in new surroundings. One of our dedicated cat volunteers said, “If I could adopt any cat, it would be her!” Six months after she came to the shelter, she headed out on her biggest adventure yet: settling into her new forever home.
Bella Blue soaking up the love of her foster mamma.
Meet Bella. The five-year-old Chihuahua/Jack Russell-mix has been volunteer Amy Thompson’s special foster project on and off for a year-and-a-half now. Bella Blue first came into the shelter when her owner surrendered her. It was Bella’s “snarky” little dog attitude that landed her at Amy’s house for some TLC and behavior training. She was adopted, but brought back five months later, this time with a broken leg. Since then, Amy has been patiently working with her, giving her physical therapy post-surgery and continuing to show her that humans can indeed be trusted. By the looks of it, Bella Blue is soaking it all in.
Volunteers are helping Jessie overcome her fears.
Jessie is one special pup. Born at the shelter, she was quickly adopted, but returned later due to behavioral challenges. Her original family felt they did not have the time to help train her up in the way she should go, and hoped that the SPCA would help her find a new forever family. Still just one year old, Jessie has been enrolled in what we call “Ann’s program,” an obedience and behavioral modification program that our volunteer Ann has developed. Through the program and countless other interactions with patient volunteers, fearful Jessie is learning to trust again.
Many lives were saved thanks to our volunteers.
To all of our foster parents, thank you. The animals’ lives would not have been enriched (or even saved!) this year without you. With 102 pets still in foster care as of this week, you continue to help us alleviate the suffering of Lycoming County’s homeless pets even during the busy holiday season. From the bottom of these deserving pets’ hearts and ours, thank you.
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As #GivingTuesday approaches next Tuesday, we encourage folks to please consider donating to the Lycoming County SPCA. Your gift will ensure that the life-saving work of our volunteers can continue. Happy Thanksgiving!
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